The interrogation lasted for more than half an hour.
Li Yong’s mouth was indeed stubborn, but he ultimately could not abandon his newborn grandson. He confessed everything completely, only begging Xiao Ci to stay his hand and not let the Li family’s bloodline end.
Xiao Ci did not agree to his face. However, after leaving the torture chamber, he instructed his subordinates to treat the elderly, women, and children well.
Qin Ziyu closed his eyes. His mind was filled with the images from moments ago: Li Yong had been a bloody mess, no longer looking human, while the jailers took turns torturing him and pouring salt water over his body, causing him to faint and wake repeatedly.
The scent of blood lingered in his nostrils. Fortunately, he hadn’t eaten much this morning; otherwise, he would have surely vomited.
“Is Your Highness feeling unwell?”
Hearing Xiao Ci’s inquiry, Qin Ziyu shook his head. “I just need to rest.”
“I’ve heard that the West Depot has over a thousand types of torture; today, I have finally witnessed it.”
“Also… I thank your lordship for the grace of not killing me.”
If Xiao Ci had wanted to act, he could have easily trapped him within the West Depot. As for the Noble Consort…
Xiao Ci had spent time in the Changle Palace in his early years. It was through the Noble Consort that he gained the Emperor’s trust and rose through the ranks after entering the West Depot. He was indeed capable, using iron-fisted methods to resolve many of the Emperor’s major worries, though cleaning up the court had drawn the ire of the nobility. They wouldn’t hate the Emperor; they would only hate Xiao Ci.
Despite this, the court remained plagued by deep-seated issues and a corrupt official atmosphere. One could see this just by looking at the Emperor’s attitude toward the two Princes. To change things completely, one needed not only means and courage but also support from behind.
Sunlight fell on Qin Ziyu, and shielded by his cloak, he couldn’t feel the wind. The warmth made him drowsy.
“As long as a pawn is useful, no one will be willing to discard it,” Xiao Ci said. “Rather than thanking me, you should thank Prince Nankang and Prince Puning. Since Your Highness was willing to sacrifice your own kin for the sake of righteousness, I naturally won’t let you down.”
“Kin?” Qin Ziyu looked up at the withered trees in the distance, squinting slightly. “I am not close to them.”
“Even if the same blood flows through us, one cannot simply define closeness or distance. In my eyes, those who can support and care for each other are true kin.”
“As for constant calculation and flattery that is merely a puppet tied by interests.”
He had encountered too many relatives and neighbors who had looked on him with cold indifference in the past, only to crowd around him warmly once he became successful, seeking to borrow money or asking for introductions to his network. If even he was like this, how much more so for the Crown Prince of a nation?
Qin Ziyu could imagine the original host’s childhood: how these so-called uncles and cousins surrounded him like wolves and tigers with honeyed words and hidden daggers, only to abandon him one by one as the Emperor grew increasingly cold toward him.
The original host had a frail body, not a frail mind. He could distinguish right from wrong. Perhaps at first, he blamed himself thinking that if he weren’t ill every day, his father wouldn’t be disappointed, and his uncles and cousins wouldn’t ignore him.
It was only as he grew up that he understood the intricate web of interests.
Truly, three hundred and sixty days a year, the wind, frost, swords, and daggers press in severely.
The original host’s body was already weak, and with the weight of such thoughts, he wouldn’t have lasted long even if Xiao Ci hadn’t acted.
“Your Highness speaks so clearly… then what does your current behavior count as?” Xiao Ci let out a light laugh, his lips curling imperceptibly, though his eyes remained devoid of warmth. He brushed off non-existent dust from his sleeve as if disgusted by their prior contact.
Qin Ziyu: “Does it count as my unrequited love?”
The cold wind brushed past, and the tree branches trembled twice along with his words. A crow on the tree gave a “caw” and flew under the eaves.
Qin Ziyu stared at the crow’s flight path. “Look, even the bird is moved by me.”
Xiao Ci: “…”
In various dynasties, crows were called divine birds; some said they were the incarnation of the sun. In the current dynasty, they represented auspiciousness, so no one drove them away, and they could occasionally be seen in the palace.
“It is time for Your Highness to return to the palace.”
Qin Ziyu said, “The interrogation of the newly captured people won’t yield results immediately. Why doesn’t your lordship accompany me to Wangchun Tower to see if there are any new dishes?”
There were imperial physicians watching him at the Eastern Palace, and he had to avoid certain foods. This was forbidden, that was not to be touched—since he transmigrated, he hadn’t had a single satisfying meal. Having one once in a while shouldn’t be a problem.
“If you want to go to Wangchun Tower, you might as well come to my residence. There are freshly delivered pickled crabs; the only question is whether Your Highness dares,” Xiao Ci said.
Qin Ziyu blinked. “What is there to be afraid of?”
“Just lead the way, your lordship.”
Xiao Ci’s manor was a new gift from the Emperor six months ago. It was not far from the West Depot, surrounded mostly by the residences of official families, occupying an entire street.
Qing’an and Qingkang looked at the vast Xiao Manor with envy in their eyes. As fellow eunuchs, they might never reach the Governor’s heights in their entire lives. If they could have a residence in the future, bring their relatives from home, or adopt a godson to care for them in their old age, it would already be the best ending they could imagine.
Qin Ziyu suddenly spoke: “Your lordship has been in the palace for ten years. The palace maids are one thing; they can leave the palace when they reach the age, providing them at least a glimmer of hope. But eunuchs spend their lives in the palace with no descendants. Did your lordship ever acknowledge a ‘godfather’ or ‘god-brother’ in the past?”
The surroundings instantly fell silent. Qingkang and Qing’an retreated three steps, wishing they could bury themselves in the ground like weeds or dirt.
A “godfather” was one thing some head eunuchs grew old and wanted to mentor young ones to ensure they were cared for in old age while gaining a few more eyes and ears for future networking. But a “god-brother”…
Does His Highness truly not understand what a ‘god-brother’ is for?!
Xiao Ci’s gaze was colder than the frost of a winter night. “No.”
“I also thought not.”
Qin Ziyu followed Xiao Ci across the threshold. An old servant at the door bowed to the two and watched them walk inward.
Outside, the manor was merely large, but the inside held a world of its own. Evergreen trees were planted on both sides of the courtyard gate, looking particularly striking in the bleak early winter. Behind a winding bluestone path were man-made rockeries surrounded by open space that should have been filled with flowers and plants, but the fragrance had faded, leaving only withered stalks.
The reception hall was spacious and bright, surrounded by verandas. Through the decorative windows, one could see a large man-made lake in the back, with well-arranged side rooms in the distance, partially obscured by layers of ancient trees and screen walls.
The flower hall was specifically for receiving guests—luxurious yet elegant. Compared to the Kaiyang Palace, this place was more in line with Xiao Ci’s aesthetics. Sitting in a chair, he looked like a beautiful painting, refreshing to the soul just by looking at him.
“I haven’t finished what I was saying.”
Once they were the only two left in the hall, Qin Ziyu said, “Since your lordship is alone in the palace with no kin to look after you, why not acknowledge me as your ‘god-brother’?”
“I am a few years older than you; it’s not as if you’re being slighted.”
A crack appeared in the teacup in Xiao Ci’s hand. Water droplets slowly seeped out. His slender fingers gripped a corner of the lid, and that corner instantly turned into powder.
“Does Your Highness think the cup is harder, or your bones are harder?”
Qin Ziyu waved his hand. “Let’s not compare. Just take it as a casual joke I made.”
Seeing that Xiao Ci didn’t laugh, Qin Ziyu dropped his playful tone. “Alright, that wasn’t funny at all.”
“Then, how about I acknowledge you as my ‘god-brother’?”
Xiao Ci: “…”
“If the Emperor agrees, this subject naturally has no objection.”
Qin Ziyu timely shifted the topic: “What does your lordship usually have for lunch? I cannot eat spicy things, but otherwise, I have no restrictions. Is there wine?”
Xiao Ci knew he had just come from the torture chamber and was deliberately joking to lighten the atmosphere, so he didn’t hold it against him.
Following Li Yong’s identification, the West Depot prison soon became overcrowded. Xiao Ci personally led the interrogations. Some heard the news and fled early, while others refused to confess to their dying breath. For five or six days straight, Qin Ziyu didn’t see a trace of him.
There was still much hatred between the two. Making Xiao Ci interested in him and fall in love with him was still a long road ahead.
Chen Zhuo said he could keep him alive for three years. If he remembered correctly, the Emperor’s health wasn’t great either, likely only having two years left. Since he was already here, he couldn’t let his efforts go to waste; he might as well aim for the throne to see what it’s like.
Only by winning over Xiao Ci would that position be more secure. As for the court, with Lu Moyun’s help in dealing with the imperial clan, the subsequent steps could be taken one by one.
“It’s more important for you to quietly nurse your health. Why are you thinking about those non-existent things?” Lu Moyun did not agree with Qin Ziyu’s thoughts. What “Emperor”? Was the Emperor of the Qin Dynasty easy to be? To ascend the throne with such a broken body and go against the entire court would there ever be a day of peaceful rest?
Qin Ziyu shook his head. “I didn’t think that far.”
“You said it yourself this body was poisoned to its core long ago, and the hope for a complete cure is slim. Since I have this rare opportunity, how can I be content to just step back?”
Veins stood out on Lu Moyun’s forehead, his eyes containing a storm. “I told you, I will cure you! I will definitely cure you!”
“Even if a cure is found, I won’t be like an ordinary person,” Qin Ziyu said calmly. “Don’t be angry; I am just stating a fact.”
“What do you know? Once the poison is gone and you are slowly nurtured, you will surely get better. You cannot overexert your mind. Don’t think I don’t know you saw Li Yong’s family at the West Depot. What, do you think you’re a living Bodhisattva?!” Lu Moyun grabbed Qin Ziyu’s shoulders. “You can barely save yourself, yet you want to save others. Wake up!”
Qin Ziyu got a headache from his shouting. “I am very awake.”
A few brief lines in a book only by seeing it with his own eyes did he realize what kind of world this truly was.
The common people had no place to seek justice and could only use their lives to test the waters. The nobility sat high above, not caring for their lives. A man as malicious as Li Yong was just a lapdog, yet even he had a grandson in swaddling clothes he wanted to protect. He saved his own bloodline, but what about the others?
Did those ordinary commoners deserve their fate?!
He wanted to make a change. Even if he could only change a tiny bit, it wouldn’t be a wasted trip to this world. Only those who have seen the darkness can truly turn their hearts toward the light.