Chapter 89: Today’s Prince Duan is just like He Tai of the past…

Chapter 89: Today’s Prince Duan Is Just Like That Man from Back Then...

Prince Duan had been in a state of feverish exhilaration these past few days.

As the youngest son of Emperor Gaozong, Prince Duan was born just a few years after the struggle for the throne ended. He was raised as a privileged, carefree prince.

If nothing unexpected had happened, he would never have dared to harbor ambitions for imperial power.

But Emperor Jingyuan had no sons.

And his own eldest son was, by bloodline and age, the ideal candidate.

Once someone gets a taste of power, unless restrained by external forces, their ambition will grow unchecked. And when the right environment arises, it flourishes wildly.

Since Ji Yuanwan was chosen to enter the palace, Prince Duan's ambition had been growing steadily.

More and more officials showed their support; he made a name for himself putting down rebellions in Yanxi, and Zhou Jiamu smoothly secured the position of commander at Xingtang Pass. Even Huo Shiming, the deputy commander of Xingtang Pass, aligned with him due to Huo Ling’s influence.

That was the most triumphant phase of Prince Duan’s life.

Power, merit, beauty—all seemed within his grasp.

The only annoyance was that the Princess Consort of Duan kept quarreling with him, refusing to agree to making Huo Ling his concubine.

But to Prince Duan, who was on a winning streak, this was merely a small nuisance.

Yet it was this trivial matter that led to his spectacular fall from grace.

He thought power and beauty were his for the taking, but in the face of imperial authority, everything turned to illusion.

He endured it for six long years.

During those years, the Princess Consort became his sworn enemy, and his two children wanted nothing to do with him.

The bitterest pill to swallow was that, although it was his elder brother and Huo Ling who had wronged him, every time they met, it was he who had to lower his eyes and step aside.

People looked at him with pitying smirks, as if mocking his failure to win a woman’s heart.

He had thought he would always have to yield, that he’d never escape those scornful glances…

Who could have imagined his elder brother would collapse so suddenly?

One remark from the Princess Consort hit home.

This was a godsend!

Prince Duan immediately wrote to Zhou Jiamu, sending along his official seal with the letter by fastest courier to Yanxi.

Soon after, Prince Duan and the Princess Consort visited the Duke of Liu under the guise of a sickbed visit, engaging in secret discussions.

This was an official mourning period, and they were required to go to the palace daily to mourn the late emperor. They were already pressed for time and couldn’t afford to waste any more here.

After discussion, they decided to stay the course—Prince Duan and his consort maintained their outward neutrality, while the Duke submitted memorials admitting fault and seeking retirement.

These documents served two purposes: one was to throw the palace off guard; the other was to avoid having to attend court, thus buying them time to plan further.

And the palace’s reaction played right into their hands—

Huo Ling rejected the Duke of Liu’s request to retire, but allowed him to remain at home to recover.

Everything was going according to plan. Prince Duan was so excited he couldn’t fall asleep at all, tossing and turning until well past midnight before finally drifting into a light sleep. He had barely closed his eyes when knocking came from outside the door.

A servant came to wake him, reminding him it was almost time to go to the palace.

Prince Duan rubbed his temples with his knuckles. His head ached slightly, but his excitement eased the discomfort of having stayed up all night.

He got up, washed his face, and got dressed. As he stepped outside, he noticed the birdcage hanging under the corridor.

Inside the ornate pure-gold cage, a goose sat hunched, letting out an occasional feeble, tired call.

Prince Duan changed direction and walked toward the goose.

This goose, brought back from Yanxi and named Snowgoose by him, was nearing the end of its life.

Despite the servants’ careful attention, its feathers had lost their former luster, becoming sparse and patched with white.

As if sensing its master’s approach, Snowgoose let out a slightly louder call.

“Good bird.”

Prince Duan smiled faintly as he reached out to stroke the goose’s wings. Then he picked up a fresh twig, still damp with morning dew, and offered it to Snowgoose.

Snowgoose pecked halfheartedly at it a few times before retreating into stillness once more.

“My lord,” a servant whispered, “the Princess Consort has sent someone to summon you.”

Prince Duan frowned, holding back his annoyance. But glancing at the sky, he realized the hour was indeed late. He composed himself and went to join the Princess Consort.

The Princess Consort had already entered the carriage, leaving only her two sons, Ji Yuanwan and Ji Yuankang, waiting beside it.

Seeing Prince Duan approach, Ji Yuanwan led his younger brother in a bow. “Father.”

Prince Duan nodded slightly. “You two should hurry and get on the carriage too.”

Ji Yuanwan then guided Ji Yuankang into the Princess Consort’s carriage.

Prince Duan took the ginger-soaked handkerchief handed to him by a servant and climbed onto the front carriage, which was empty.

The day’s tasks were much like those of previous days. Prince Duan remained in the mourning hall, his face showing grief while his mind was busy with plans.

“It’s nearly noon, and neither His Majesty nor Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has appeared yet?” The quiet whispers around him reached Prince Duan’s ears. He lifted his gaze to the front of the mourning hall, where there was indeed no one.

Soon after, the wife of the heir of Liu came to fetch the Princess Consort. The two women, along with their children, left for lunch without even acknowledging Prince Duan.

While Prince Duan ate alone, the head of the Imperial Household Department approached him, explaining that some matters in the mourning hall required his presence to oversee.

Prince Duan did not refuse.

The day before, Ji Xianshan had fallen ill, and Huo Ling had been preoccupied with caring for him. Many of the mourning hall’s affairs had been handled by Prince Cheng in their place.

Today, Ji Xianshan still hadn’t appeared, and Huo Ling was nowhere to be seen. Since Prince Cheng could not manage everything alone, it was natural for the head of the Imperial Household Department to seek Prince Duan’s help.

Seeing Prince Duan agree, the head expressed many thanks before leading him to Prince Cheng.

Prince Cheng and Prince Duan were well acquainted. Seeing Prince Duan arrive, Prince Cheng greeted him and promptly handed over part of his workload.

Prince Duan said, "You’re not holding back, are you?"

Prince Cheng replied, "What else can I do? The Empress Dowager is still tending to the Young Emperor, no telling when she’ll be available. I can’t handle everything alone—I’m worried about slip-ups."

Hearing this, Prince Duan perked up. "His Majesty’s illness hasn’t improved yet?"

Prince Cheng scanned the area warily, then gave a slight shake of his head.

Prince Duan pushed a little. "It's been two days already."

Prince Cheng sighed. "Exactly. This morning, when I went to see the Empress Dowager, I saw a row of imperial physicians kneeling inside."

Prince Duan put on a concerned tone. "Is it really that serious?"

Realizing he had said too much, Prince Cheng forced a sheepish grin and quickly added, "His Majesty is of noble status. It’s only natural for Her Majesty to be anxious and take it out on the physicians."

This showed that Prince Cheng had misread Huo Ling’s temperament.

At least in Prince Duan’s eyes, Huo Ling wasn’t someone who would snap at people for no cause.

If she was punishing the physicians now, could it mean the Young Emperor’s condition had gotten worse?

He glanced at Prince Cheng, who had gone silent. He knew he’d hit a dead end—but couldn’t help thinking: *If the Young Emperor didn’t pull through, what a hassle that’d spare us...*

He needed to figure out how to find out more about the Young Emperor’s condition.

They worked until afternoon. Before Prince Duan could come up with a plan, a palace attendant hurried in looking for Prince Cheng, saying there was an issue with the Dharma assembly at Daxiangguo Temple and Prince Cheng needed to go immediately.

Prince Duan had nearly finished his own tasks and was kicking back with tea, waiting for the memorial ceremony to end before leaving the palace.

Prince Cheng, however, hadn’t yet finalized the personnel list for the next day.

Upon hearing the news, he hesitated, uneasy.

Glancing at Prince Duan across from him, he coughed lightly and asked if Prince Duan could go to Daxiangguo Temple in his place.

Since Prince Cheng had made the request, Prince Duan couldn’t say no without ruffling feathers. "I’ve finished up here—might as well go for you."

Prince Duan left the palace with a few attendants and headed straight for Daxiangguo Temple, where he met the abbot.

"The problem," the abbot explained, "is with the ceremonial items for tomorrow’s assembly."

He led Prince Duan to the storage room and presented the schedule for the next day’s event for review.

"Your Highness, please wait here a moment. I’ll have tea brought for you."

Not long after, the door opened from outside.

Tea and sandalwood wafted together as someone approached with a cup.

Prince Duan gestured absently toward the table, but the person remained standing beside him after setting down the tea.

Irritated, he glanced up—and paused when he recognized the face.

From her sleeve, Wu Mo pulled out a wooden box and handed it to him. "Her Majesty instructed me to deliver this to Your Highness."

Prince Duan's gaze fell upon the wooden box, but he made no move to take it.

Wu Mo remained patient, holding the box out steadily.

After a long while, Prince Duan finally reached out.

The box was roughly the size of a palm and slightly heavy in his hand.

As he speculated about its contents, he opened it.

A vividly carved white deer jade pendant suddenly came into view.

Prince Duan snapped the box shut. "What does Her Majesty the Dowager Empress mean by this?"

Wu Mo bowed respectfully, neither cowering nor defiant. "Her Majesty has prepared the Wanderer’s Return and laid out a chessboard. She wishes to meet with Your Highness privately, as she has important matters to discuss."

Prince Duan sneered. "In Her Majesty's eyes, am I someone she can summon and dismiss like a servant?"

He hurled the box aside.

The jade pendant spilled from the unlatched box, rolling across the floor before landing in the corner.

Wu Mo held her bow, unwavering. When Prince Duan rose to leave, she did not hastily call out to stop him.

At that moment, the conversation she had with the Dowager Empress before being sent to meet Prince Duan flooded her mind.

She had asked, "What if Prince Duan refuses?"

The Dowager Empress had replied, "He will agree. He wants to see me grovel before him, just as I did back in Yanxi."

...

Prince Duan marched to the door and threw it open.

Sunlight streamed in, and a gust of autumn wind rushed into the room, rustling the hem of his robes. But he froze, unable to take the next step.

He turned his head slightly, his gaze lingering on the pristine white deer jade pendant in the corner.

"...Where is she?"

***

Over decades of growth, the area around the Great Xiangguo Temple had become bustling with shops.

In ordinary times, this was one of the liveliest and most vibrant places in the capital.

But now, with tightened security across the city—though daily life remained unaffected—the common folk had cut back on outings to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Thus, this once-thriving district had grown unusually quiet.

Autumn tightened its grip on the capital. Huo Ling wore mourning attire, her face concealed beneath a veiled hat.

She sat in the pavilion of a courtyard, listening to the distant chanting from the Great Xiangguo Temple just beyond the wall.

After an uncertain amount of time, the crunch of dry leaves and the sound of approaching footsteps suddenly came from behind her.

When the figure was just two or three steps away, they halted, their voice low.

"May I ask why my imperial sister-in-law has summoned me in private?"

Huo Ling turned, pushing back the veil that draped over her face.

"It's a relief to hear that the Thirteenth Prince still acknowledges me," said Empress Dowager Huo.

Prince Duan’s gaze darkened. "You flatter me, Your Majesty. The order of seniority and distinction of rank are principles I never forget."

He looked at the chessboard and wine jar on the table, his tone mocking. "I simply didn’t expect you to have so much free time."

"With my elder brother barely gone for a few days, instead of mourning him in the palace, you deliberately wore mourning clothes and came out to seek me for wine and chess."

"I wonder what my brother would think in the afterlife. Would he, like me, feel he had misjudged someone?"

Huo Ling retorted sharply, "When your brother was alive, I never knew the Thirteenth Prince had such a sharp tongue."

Yet Prince Duan remained unprovoked by her words.

His intense stare fixed on her. "You're right, Your Majesty."

"If my brother were still here, I wouldn't dare even look at you twice. But he is gone—otherwise, you wouldn't have reached out to me."

Huo Ling met his gaze coldly. "Compared to your brother, you lost pathetically and won even worse."

"No, you never truly won against him. You're nothing but a shameless coward who dares to gloat before me only because he is no longer here."

A vein pulsed in Prince Duan’s forehead, his smug expression crumbling instantly.

"Did Your Majesty invite me here just to mock me?"

Huo Ling stopped arguing.

After all, she had gone through so much trouble to summon Prince Duan for another purpose, not to engage in pointless bickering.

She motioned toward the stone stool opposite her. "Sit."

Ignoring the indicated seat, Prince Duan stepped closer and took a place beside her instead.

Huo Ling glanced at him but said nothing, picking up an overturned wine cup and pouring him a drink from the opened jar.

Watching her reaction, Prince Duan’s anger cooled a little.

She had no choice but to yield.

No matter how sharp her tongue, when the time came, she still had to submit to him.

Noticing the scent of wine in the air, Prince Duan initiated conversation. "This is *Wanderer’s Return*, isn’t it?"

Huo Ling replied, "Indeed. It must have been years since you last tasted it."

Prince Duan twirled the cup. "I've only had this wine once. Not many would dare serve cheap wine to me, as you have, Your Majesty."

Huo Ling’s tone remained calm. "While rare and priceless wines are treasures to others, they are nothing special to you. Sometimes, a different approach leaves a deeper impression."

Prince Duan smirked, hinting. "So Your Majesty still remembers what happened between us."

Huo Ling said, "The trivial matters between us didn’t matter to the late Emperor, so why should I avoid mentioning them?

"Just old feelings. With so many consorts in the late Emperor’s harem, I never held it against him."

Prince Duan’s fleeting good mood vanished once more.

Clenching his jaw subtly, he drew a deer-shaped jade pendant from his sleeve, dangling it in front of Huo Ling.

"Did the late emperor know you still had this jade pendant?"

Huo Ling fell silent for a moment. "...When I kept it, I never imagined there would come a day when I'd need it again."

Prince Duan's mood lifted at her words.

He downed the wine in one go—the drink had a faint grassy bitterness.

Huo Ling watched quietly as he finished his cup.

Setting the cup down, Prince Duan looked at the chessboard and sighed. "Back in Yanxi, I taught you many chess strategies. But after returning to the capital, we never played together again."

As he spoke, he picked up a black piece and placed it on the board, then looked up at Huo Ling.

She took a white piece and made her move.

For a while, the courtyard was filled only with the howling wind and the soft clicks of pieces striking the board.

They played half a game in silence before the match reached a stalemate.

Prince Duan’s impression of Huo Ling’s chess skills was still stuck in their Yanxi days—when every game ended with her losing badly.

But now, she was now his equal.

She was no longer an opponent he could easily defeat. In fact, her white pieces had the upper hand.

As Huo Ling considered her move, Prince Duan suddenly asked, "Did I come here by chance, or did you plan this?"

"It was indeed my arrangement," Huo Ling replied.

"There are things I wanted to discuss with you privately, without alerting the Princess Consort or the Liu family."

Prince Duan asked, "Was Prince Cheng’s presence also part of your plan?"

Huo Ling didn’t answer. Instead, she placed her piece and said, "Checkmate."

Prince Duan froze, then looked at the board.

Sure enough, without him realizing it, the white pieces had completed their formation, capturing a large portion of his black ones.

He had lost badly.

His face unreadable, Prince Duan dropped the black piece in his hand and poured himself another glass of wine. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I want to know why the Duke of Liu suddenly handed in his resignation."

"That’s something you should ask Liu Cheng or the imperial physician who treated him. They can tell you."

"That’s true. The Duke is indeed ill. But for him to resign so abruptly at this time—I can’t help wondering if there’s more going on."

Even now, Prince Duan still didn’t understand why Huo Ling had left the palace to meet him.

She didn’t know why the Duke of Liu had resigned—so she came to him for answers?

But he and the Duke of Liu are in this together.

How could Huo Ling be naive enough to think he’d turn on the Duke of Liu?

Huo Ling seemed to see through Prince Duan’s doubts: "To me, you and the Duke of Liu’s household aren’t on the same side."

Prince Duan arched a brow, taking a slow sip of wine without reply.

At first, you teamed up with the Duke of Liu’s household because you married the Princess Consort of Duan.

Later, you got even closer to them because Ji Yuanwan was raised in the palace—you both hoped the child would be adopted into the late emperor’s lineage.

The only thing tying you to the Duke of Liu’s household is the Princess Consort of Duan and the two kids.

But from what I hear, you and the Princess Consort of Duan have been nothing more than strangers for years. Even the kids don’t warm up to you—they’d rather be with the Duke of Liu’s household.

Prince Duan’s grip on his wine cup tightened, his knuckles whitening.

Huo Ling glanced at him, her tone still unhurried: "I don’t know what the Duke of Liu’s up to, but I’m sure of one thing—whatever he’s planning won’t benefit you. Only your eldest son."

Prince Duan retorted, "Yuanyuan is my rightful heir, the Crown Prince of Duan, named by my late brother himself. If the Duke of Liu’s household is willing to support him, why wouldn’t I be pleased?"

Huo Ling reminded him, "But remember, your eldest son’s already fifteen."

Play along with the Duke of Liu, and the Princess Consort and he might just let you live.

But cross them, and they’ll find themselves a more obedient Prince of Duan.

Prince Duan abruptly looked up, his gaze icy: "How funny. A duke thinks he can order a prince around?"

Huo Ling smiled without answering.

Prince Duan knew full well that Huo Ling was deliberately sowing discord between him, the Princess Consort of Duan, and the Duke of Liu.

But knowing was one thing—whether it worked was another.

Liu Qiao and he weren’t just estranged—they couldn’t stand the sight of each other.

The only thing keeping up appearances was a shared goal...

Prince Duan’s mind raced, but his face gave nothing away.

Not about to let Huo Ling steer the conversation, he fired back by bringing up her son.

"My nephew’s been missing from the mourning hall for two days now. I thought he might be deathly ill, but since you’ve got time to meddle in my affairs, I guess he’s fine."

As he spoke, Prince Duan kept his eyes fixed on Huo Ling’s face, searching for any hint of reaction.

Huo Ling said coolly, "Of course."

"Glad to hear it."

Prince Duan gave a thin smile, pretending to care: "Yuanyuan and Yuan Kang were always getting sick as kids."

"Yuan Kang was the worst—every time he got sick, he’d scream and cry for his father and mother."

"I bet my nephew’s been crying for you the whole time you’ve been gone."

Huo Ling’s lips thinned, and she cut to the chase: "I need friends at court."

Prince Duan was taken aback: "Wen Shengan, Lu Hang, and Chen Haoyan—these three regents were all left to you by the late emperor as allies."

Huo Ling replied, "While the late emperor lived, they were each more dutiful and loyal than the last. But who can say what the future holds?"

"The late emperor trusted them—I do not."

Prince Duan let out a laugh as if he had heard something absurd: "You’re not seriously telling me that, compared to them, you trust *me* more?"

Huo Ling said, "I’m willing to trust you—yet you won’t trust me."

Prince Duan finally couldn't hold back his laughter: "Huo Ling, how do you expect me to trust you?"

Huo Ling met his gaze: "What if I offered you the regency?"

Prince Duan's laughter abruptly stopped, his face blank with shock: "What did you say?"

Huo Ling took a deep breath, bracing herself for a weighty decision: "The late emperor’s edict allows me to rule as regent, but An Er is too young still. In the coming years, much of my energy will go toward raising him."

"I need an ally in court—someone with the status, rank, and power to counter Wen Shengan and the others. You are the most suitable candidate."

Once the shock passed, Prince Duan turned eerily calm.

He stared deeply into Huo Ling’s eyes, trying to parse truth from deception in her words.

Or perhaps it was all deception?

But as he gazed, his thoughts began to drift.

Back when they first met, amidst crumbling peaks and falling snow, the woman on horseback had a face as pure and fair as the first snow dusting the eaves.

She had made him taste the bitterness of *Wanderer’s Return*, and talked him out of his most prized jade pendant.

He had suffered his greatest setbacks at her hands, endured his worst defeats.

He had never known anger or jealousy until she made him feel them fully.

He had never hated anyone so much, yet whenever his eyes fell upon her face, his heart would betray him, pounding out of control.

"Huo Ling."

Prince Duan gritted his teeth, his voice nearly forced through them: "I *hate* you."

Huo Ling asked, "Not even the regency tempts you?"

Prince Duan sneered, "Liu Qiao and I loathe each other, but I am still her husband, and Yuanyuan’s birth father. That blood tie can’t be broken."

"But you—dangling the regency like bait—"

Huo Ling suddenly cut him off: "If you believe Liu Qiao and the Duke of Liu are more trustworthy than I am, then what if I told you the late emperor was murdered?"

Prince Duan’s stomach dropped, and he instinctively denied it: "Impossible."

Huo Ling pressed him, her gaze unrelenting: "Why is it impossible?"

"He hadn’t been as strong as he’d been before these past two years—headaches, minor ailments—but for him to drop dead in a single day… doesn’t that strike you as odd?"

Prince Duan steadied himself, refusing to follow her line of reasoning: "The emperor was old. A sudden shock… is hardly unusual."

Prince Duan knew one thing for certain—he hadn’t done it.

Later, he also asked the Princess Consort of Duan for confirmation.

The Princess Consort of Duan insisted firmly that the late emperor had died of a sudden illness.

But...

Prince Duan’s brow furrowed slightly as he remembered one detail.

The Princess Consort of Duan had once asked him about many things in the palace and even requested several of his late mother’s old servants...

Was the Princess Consort of Duan lying to him?

Prince Duan felt uneasy, uncertain whether she was deceiving him or if Huo Ling was playing him.

He tested the waters. “If the imperial physicians can confirm the late emperor was poisoned, then the Dali Temple, the Ministry of Justice, and the Capital Prefecture should start a joint investigation immediately to uncover everything as quickly as possible.”

Huo Ling watched Prince Duan’s reaction and could now cross him off as a suspect.

It seemed Prince Duan truly hadn’t interfered in palace affairs.

Seeing Huo Ling lower her gaze in silence, Prince Duan grew uneasy too.

The Princess Consort of Duan had reacted to the rebellion suspiciously fast.

Even the Duke of Liu, after hearing their plan, had agreed almost immediately.

Left to himself, Prince Duan wouldn’t have thought twice about it.

But now, the more he thought about it, the more suspicious the Princess Consort of Duan and the Duke of Liu seemed.

Liu Qiao was already unhinged. If she and the Duke of Liu had dared to harm the late emperor, what wouldn’t they dare?

As Huo Ling had said, if he stayed out of Yuanyuan’s way, all would be fine.

But if he did get in Yuanyuan’s way—

That child wouldn’t act against him, but that lunatic Liu Qiao? Different story.

How could being Empress Emerita compare to being Empress Dowager?

...

Prince Duan suddenly smirked for no apparent reason.

His eyes roamed over Huo Ling’s face, lingering.

This shameless staring was something Prince Duan had long wanted to do, but before, with the late emperor still alive, he couldn’t cross the line.

Now, Huo Ling needed him.

“I don’t buy it,” he said, then paused. “Unless… you stay tonight.”

Huo Ling’s head snapped up. “Do you hear yourself?”

But Prince Duan thought it a brilliant idea.

Liu Qiao had been right about one thing: Huo Ling and her son on the throne did him no favors.

But Huo Ling's words also made sense: he had already attained the rank of prince. If he were to risk his life and fortune rebelling, it would hardly be worth it for merely the title of Grand Emperor.

Whether Liu Qiao or Huo Ling, both dealt with him more through calculation than genuine feeling.

If that was the case, why should he play into others' hands?

Would his own son on the throne bring him more comfort than sitting there himself?

Liu Qiao only had Yuanyuan and Yuan Kang as her sons, but he was not bound to only these two.

"*A Ling.*"

Prince Duan’s tone was gentle, as if no distance had ever come between them.

"If my elder brother hadn’t interfered back then, you would long ago have become my consort. We traveled together in Yanxi for months, sharing countless beautiful memories. I’ve never forgotten, nor have I ever let go of you."

"As things stand, neither my elder brother nor Liu Qiao can stand in our way anymore. He was so much your senior—did you never feel wronged when you gave yourself to him? Now you've gained the power you desired most, becoming the most revered woman in the land, yet your hold on that power is unstable."

"I can serve you, help you fight against Wen Shengan and the others, even assist you in dealing with Duke Liu. As long as you stay tonight."

"Perhaps in the future, we could even have a child of our own. With this child, you wouldn't have to worry about me betraying you, and I wouldn’t have to fear you turning against me once you gained enough power."

Huo Ling stared coldly at Prince Duan, her gaze like that upon a dead man: "Do you remember that your elder brother’s first week of mourning has yet to pass?"

Prince Duan’s eyes darkened with sorrow: "He never showed me the slightest brotherly affection—why should I care about such things?"

"*A Ling*, take all the time you need to consider. Come find me whenever you’ve made up your mind."

With that, Prince Duan rose to leave, but swayed after taking just one step.

"Where do you think you’re going?" Huo Ling asked.

A wave of dizziness overcame Prince Duan. He pressed one hand to his forehead and braced the other against the stone table, his wide sleeve sweeping across the surface and scattering the concluded game of chess.

Black and white pieces scattered across the ground in tangled disorder.

Prince Duan shook his head hard, fighting to remain alert.

He stammered in shock, "*You… you drugged me?*"

***

Dry parasol tree leaves drifted down from the trees, layering the long-neglected courtyard in a blanket of yellow, devoid of any green.

*Pause here for pacing.*

Huo Ling took off her veil and stood, watching as Prince Duan swayed unsteadily before her.

"Didn’t you ask me why I left the palace secretly to meet you at dusk?"

She raised her hands and clapped twice.

A group of men, disguised as escorts, marched in, manhandling Prince Duan’s personal guards.

Blood dripped in their path, staining the fallen leaves crimson.

In this courtyard, separated from the Grand Xiangguo Temple by just a single wall, the metallic tang of blood hung in the air.

"My Lady," the leader of the guards bowed and reported, "all witnesses have been silenced."

It was Wu Feng.

Prince Duan stared at the corpses of his Royal Guards, unable to believe what was happening before his eyes.

Had Huo Ling summoned him with the jade pendant not to reminisce and coax information from him?

When had she drugged him? And when had she ordered the elimination of his Royal Guards?

Prince Duan paled, already realizing this meeting was far from what he had imagined.

Both the drugging and the execution must have been prearranged by Huo Ling—otherwise, his men wouldn’t have died so silently.

Gritting his teeth weakly, Prince Duan steadied himself. His earlier sorrowful demeanor was gone, replaced by a blustering, hollow threat. "Huo Ling, what do you want?"

Huo Ling glanced at Wu Feng.

Wu Feng stepped forward swiftly, pressed down with his right hand, and subdued the weakened Prince Duan in mere moments.

He produced rope from his sleeve, bound Prince Duan’s hands tightly behind his back, then kicked forcefully at the back of his knees, forcing him down to his knees.

The whole sequence was seamless—by the time Prince Duan gasped in pain, he was already kneeling before her.

Wu Feng gripped Prince Duan’s jaw, forcing him to look up.

Huo Ling lifted the jar of *Wanderer's Return* from the table, yanked out the cork, and dumped it onto the ground.

The cascading wine splashed onto Prince Duan, drenching the mourning robes he hadn’t yet changed.

"Drinking is forbidden during national mourning."

"The drug was in the wine. Had you followed protocol and not drunk this *Wanderer's Return*, you’d still have some fight left. Wouldn’t you?"

Prince Duan’s dread deepened.

He shook his head. "Huo Ling, I am Emperor Gaozong’s own son, a prince enfeoffed by the late emperor!

"You can’t harm me. Even as the Empress Dowager, acting against a prince without cause will draw relentless scrutiny from the court."

Huo Ling replied, "No one knows I have you."

Prince Duan thought of his butchered guards, of how he had taken Wu Mo’s back route to meet her, and his face grew even paler.

Wu Feng swiftly searched Prince Duan, fishing out a private seal from his waist and presenting it respectfully to Huo Ling.

Holding the seal, Huo Ling allowed herself the first smile of the day.

"Thirteenth Prince, your imperial brother was right—after all these years, you haven’t improved at all."

Years ago, her father, Huo Shiming, had fallen victim to He Tai’s schemes, left broken and bleeding on the battlefield, unconscious.

She had no choice but to take the deer-shaped jade pendant Prince Duan had given her and beg for his aid in Chang’an County to counter He Tai.

But seven years had passed.

She was no longer that defenseless girl who had lost everything after her father’s fall.

The late emperor had fallen, and without his protection, her standing at court would hang by a thread.

However dire her straits, she was Great Yan’s Empress Dowager—now, the most powerful woman in the realm.

Back then, she took out the deer-shaped jade pendant, vowing to end He Tai.

Now, Prince Duan is no different from He Tai back then!

Prince Duan gasped in desperation: "Zhou Jiamu is my trusted aide, and behind him stands the 100,000-strong Yanxi Army. Aren’t you worried about his retaliation?"

Huo Ling tucked away the private seal, glanced at Prince Duan a few times, and affirmed, "So you were secretly moving troops."

Prince Duan tensed. "Don’t you need allies in court? Huo Ling, I can be your ally."

Huo Ling sneered, "No need. I don’t want a scheming ally with a knife always at my back."

"Besides, I’ll sleep easier with you dead."

If Prince Duan lived, how could she and her child ever be safe?

From the moment she decided to use the jade pendant to invite Prince Duan for a private meeting, she meant for him to die here.

This was her only chance. If she missed it, who knew if he’d ever take the bait again?

It was precisely because she had no intention of letting him leave alive that she promised him the regency, that she dangled lines like “the late emperor was poisoned”—all to extract more information from him.

But she truly hadn’t expected Prince Duan to be so shameless.

Prince Duan went pale, suddenly realizing his whole life was a joke.

He and Liu Qiao had gone from polite to poisonous, and even their two children kept their distance.

And the woman he’d cursed, hated, and still craved—she only wanted him dead.

"Huo Ling..."

Prince Duan closed his eyes and let out a hollow laugh. "Did you really never feel anything for me?"

Huo Ling slowly crouched down.

"Remember how I killed that hare?"

She drew a dagger from her waist and held it to Prince Duan’s throat.

The icy steel jerked Prince Duan’s eyes open.

The gleaming blade reflected both their faces, like they were still the lovers they’d once been.

"Seeing Your Highness fills me with joy."

In the humble county office, amid falling snow, the radiant woman had stepped toward him over scattered plum blossoms, her voice bright.

Because he brought Huo Ling back to the capital, Liu Qiao never forgave him.

He knew of her resentment but would never own up to it.

Only now did Prince Duan feel crushing regret.

That early winter, during the first snowfall—he should’ve kept riding, never taken that shot, never kept that wild goose she’d gifted him.

If only they had never met...

Had we never met...

The setting sun bled across the sky, and beyond the temple wall, Daxiangguo Temple sounded the evening drum.

The drum's pure tones rang out, as if fate had at last passed judgment after years of waiting.

In the ruined courtyard, black and white go stones lay scattered upon the ground.

In the struggle, the white deer jade pendant he had clutched to his chest fell to the earth, shattering into fragments.

And her final words to him were:

"You're a stain on this world."

...

The blade drove in, then withdrew.

Huo Ling closed her eyes, blood spraying across her.