Chapter 114

Chapter 114

At the same time, an edict representing supreme imperial power swiftly emerged from the depths of the imperial palace, shattering the night over the capital.

The eunuch bearing the decree, accompanied by a small squad of Imperial Guards, sped straight to the Xue residence and knocked on the gate.

The imperial decree arrived without warning. As Xue Shechuan and Xue Shuyu knelt in the main hall to receive it, both felt their hearts sink.

Almost at the same moment, another decree was issued from the palace, targeting the officials on duty in the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of Works. Its content was succinct and urgent: proceed immediately to the capital's docks to inspect and accept overnight a batch of official paper scheduled to arrive that night.

The decree specifically emphasized that, to avoid delaying the grand ceremony, it must be handled at once, leaving no room for delay.

Li Sheng's move was swift and ruthless, completely disrupting Nan Wuxie and the Xue brothers' earlier plans and all their plans and scheduling, leaving no time for maneuvering, not even an opportunity to privately communicate or operate.

The decree directly targeted this critical point.

He was plainly closing the net.

This was the emperor, wielding his supreme power, forcibly flipping the table, forcing all pieces to show their hands at his designated time and place.

Whatever awaited the Xue family at the docks—whether it was the accurate count of official paper, a chaotic scene of slaughter, or something else—the emperor wanted his ministers to witness it firsthand and firmly control the outcome in his own hands.

Xue Shechuan's expression remained calm as he kowtowed and accepted the decree: "Your subject receives the decree."

Xue Shuyu followed suit, performing the same ritual.

Despite their composed demeanor, they understood full well what was happening at the docks at that moment. The emperor's intent was simple: either obediently accept his arrangement, or personally present the "scene of the crime" and the "involved parties" before the throne, catching them red-handed.

A masterful open scheme.

Yet, with the imperial decree issued and the sovereign's command binding, any hesitation, refusal, or change in expression would be immediate grounds for accusation.

The eunuch delivering the decree wore the characteristic deferential smile of palace attendants. After handing the decree to Xue Shechuan, he did not immediately turn to leave but instead took half a step forward and added slowly:

"Grand Steward Xue, the ancients said, 'All under heaven is the king's land; all within the land are the king's subjects.' Within and beyond the capital, up and down the canals, everything ultimately lies within His Majesty's sight and mind. As subjects, the most important thing is to comprehend the sovereign's will. In all matters… placing His Majesty's intentions first is the wise way to long-term peace and family glory. Don't you agree?"

The words were spoken politely, but every line carried overtones of surveillance, warning, and admonition.

The emperor's eyes were everywhere. Don't try anything. Following the supreme ruler's script was the path of the "wise."

Xue Shechuan, holding the decree, lowered his eyelids slightly to conceal all emotion, and bowed slightly: "Your reminder is well taken, sir. I understand. I naturally obey His Majesty's will and serve with utmost diligence."

The eunuch seemed satisfied, his smile deepening. He uttered a few more platitudes about "His Majesty's grace" before leading his men away.

The gates of the Xue residence slowly closed, shutting out the deepening night and the invisible pressure.

Once the footsteps of the decree-bearing party had completely faded, the hall fell into dead silence. Xue Shuyu abruptly looked up at his elder brother, his face devoid of any usual levity, replaced by anxiety and helplessness: "Brother! This… what do we do now?! The docks…"

He didn't finish. Xue Shechuan didn't answer immediately. He remained standing, the bright yellow silk in his hands feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds.

The emperor's sudden, suffocating strike had indeed exceeded their worst fears. Having accepted the decree, not going would be immediate defiance, plunging the Xue family into an abyss of ruin. Going would lead them straight to the scene of the ongoing slaughter, forcing them to betray Nan Wuxie and capitulate entirely.

"We've accepted the decree; there's no reason not to go." Xue Shechuan finally spoke. "Any unusual move now would be seen as guilt and defiance."

"But you know what's happening over there right now!" Xue Shuyu urged. "Brother Nan still doesn't know—"

"Precisely because we don't know, we must go." Xue Shechuan interrupted him, raising his gaze, his gaze heavy with thought. "Only by going can we see what the docks really look like… and whether there is a sliver of hope… or a chance to turn this situation to our advantage."

He paused, looking at his brother's panicked expression, and said in a low voice: "Panic is useless. Change clothes, prepare the carriage. Remember, no matter what you see, keep your composure."

Xue Shuyu looked at his brother's calm profile, took a deep breath, and suppressed the panic in his heart.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place. This was the most terrifying aspect of imperial strategy.

He made the cost of breaking free from the game higher than the cost of entering it.

He made you walk right into the trap, even when you knew it was one.

The two brothers exchanged a silent look. There was no time for further discussion.

The night was thick, as if it would swallow the entire Xue residence, along with their uncertain fate.

***

"Clang!"

The sound of blades slicing flesh and spurting blood, mixed with the sharp clang of metal, burst forth. Sparks flashed in the absolute darkness for a fleeting moment, then were swallowed by the darkness again.

The chaotic sounds of slaughter echoed through the pitch-black night like the descent of death.

Vision was completely useless; it all relied on hearing, instinct, and the primal will to survive.

Nan Wuxie wanted to kill them all; Li Sheng's men wanted to take them alive.

The one-sided massacre instantly turned into a desperate three-way battle in the darkness.

Blood splattered onto the deck, warm and sticky on the gunwales. The thick, metallic smell of blood was nauseating. Bodies kept falling, kept plunging into the water. No shouts, no battle cries—only the screech of blades tearing through air, the clang of metal on metal, the dull thuds of blades cutting into flesh and bone, and the pained grunts and dying gasps of the wounded, all tangled together.

Nan Wuxie sensed the presence of a third party the moment the chaotic battle erupted. His heart chilled.

The slaughter continued. The two grain barges shook violently in the darkness, like enormous coffins floating on a sea of blood. The darkness swallowed all figures and movements, leaving only the brutal sounds and pervasive smell of blood, indiscriminately spread. The monotonous background sound of river water lapping against the shore echoed through the dark dockyard air, weaving a bizarre, bloody symphony.

As the fight reached its peak, darkness and flashing blades became a tangled mess. Nan Wuxie, relying on instincts and muscle memory honed by years on the battlefield, moved like an awakened Asura in the dark, leaving a swath of death wherever he passed.

In the span of a few breaths, he had quickly assessed the approximate number and formation of this third party, thus pinpointing the location of their leader.

A chill ran down his spine. His form accelerated like a ghost, slicing through the obstructions in his way, heading straight for the center!

In the span of a breath, he closed in. His fingers shot out, precisely grabbing onto a corner of that person's fluttering sleeve!

But the man reacted with incredible speed. Almost the moment Nan Wuxie's fingertips touched the fabric, a cold blade flash slashed upward from below. With a soft rip, half the sleeve was severed!

Nan Wuxie came up empty-handed, left with only the cold scrap of fabric.

The failed strike only ignited the ferocity and killing intent deep within Nan Wuxie's bones.

No living soul could leave this place tonight!

He pushed off the ground, lunging again like a shadow. Two figures exchanged rapid blows in the darkness, their blades striking each other in a continuous, piercing chorus of sharp sounds. Sparks flared briefly in the dark before dying.

The leader's body movement was indeed agile and elusive, always evading Nan Wuxie's deadly grabs and slashes by a hair's breadth.

Nan Wuxie's heart sank like a stone. Purely relying on experience accumulated from countless life-and-death encounters, he predicted the opponent's dodging trajectory, clinging on relentlessly, pressing ever closer.

The fight raged on, deadlocked. Seizing a tiny opening when the opponent turned sideways to retreat, Nan Wuxie flicked his finger hidden in his sleeve!

A hard object tore through the air, emitting a very faint screech.

But the direction was not aimed directly at the man. Instead, it was calculated to hit the exact spot where he would place his foot next, flying straight for his face!

Hearing the sound, the man instinctively twisted his head to avoid it. In that split second, his motion faltered due to the sudden attack.

Nan Wuxie's long-awaited opportunity had finally come! He slammed his right foot against the ground, launching himself like an arrow from a bow with thunderous momentum, and grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck just as he lost his balance, yanking him violently toward his chest.

The man's strength was no match, and the deliberate force sent him completely off-balance, toppling backward uncontrollably, his back crashing into Nan Wuxie's solid, burning chest.

A storm on the verge of breaking yet still contained; a fish swimming in a boiling cauldron, oblivious to death's approach.

But in that very instant when the man fell into his embrace, a sensation that defied all battle instincts slammed into Nan Wuxie's senses as his arms instinctively tightened around him.

'This weight crashing into my chest...'

Yet on the killing field, in a split second of life or death, his murderous reflexes, honed to the bone, gave his mind no time to think or react.

The moment the man fell into his embrace, the blade Nan Wuxie held, already angled for the most efficient killing trajectory, was pulled back in a fluid, unstoppable motion!

"Squelch—"

The blade struck home, never to be recalled.

Warm liquid gushed out instantly, soaking the clothes pressed together.

At the crisp sound of flesh being pierced and the sudden, limp shudder of the body in his arms, Nan Wuxie froze completely.

An immense, ominous foreboding surged from the soles of his feet without warning, sweeping through him in an instant, devouring all murderous intent and sharpness, leaving only a ringing emptiness.