The Imperial Hall was brilliantly lit. Mu Hongmiao was still reviewing memorials, and upon hearing the news, his expression showed no surprise, as if he had anticipated that Xiao Biehe would walk straight into his trap.
He said unhurriedly, “Pay no mind for now. Inform Us again in half an hour.”
Following his specific orders, the guards acted as if they didn’t see him. The youth, clad in his bright red wedding dress and striking the drum, appeared so thin and desolate that it seemed a strong wind could blow him away. His actions stirred the entire Imperial City, with officials and commoners alike rising in the night to watch the spectacle from afar.
The sound of the drum was like thunder in the silent night. Those watching held varied expressions; some pointed and cursed, while snow began to fall from the sky once more.
Beneath the wedding dress, the youth’s shackled bare feet left a trail of mottled blood on the snow. His red robes and raven hair were drenched, and his blood soaked into the white drifts.
Mu Hongmiao watched the clock. After half an hour passed, he set down his brush and stood up from the dragon throne, hands behind his back. “You may take him to the Imperial Prison now.”
By the time the groups of Imperial Guards arrived to escort him, Xiao Biehe was exhausted. He was practically dragged into the cell. As they left, they left behind a tragic trail of blood in the snow.
The Emperor, appearing noble and dignified, arrived late. His cold aura commanded respect without a word as he looked down upon this former genius of Liang the genius he had personally ruined, who was now gasping for breath and about to die at his hands.
There was no second genius like him in the world. Had he been usable, the foundations of the Liang dynasty would surely have grown more glorious. He was a rare find across all nations.
But as the saying goes, success and failure spring from the same source. Xiao Biehe seemed indifferent to fame and power, but who knew if that was true? Furthermore, even if he were indifferent now, it didn’t mean he would remain clean forever. Power is the greatest temptation; even Mu Hongmiao himself could not resist it who wouldn’t want to rule the world?
The Xiao General’s Estate had held military power for generations and was already difficult to control. With the addition of a world-renowned genius not yet twenty, Mu Hongmiao didn’t dare gamble. He had to strangle this genius in the cradle.
Mu Hongmiao asked from his high position, “Do you plead guilty?”
Xiao Biehe, lacking strength, gave him a light glance through the cell bars without offering a formal greeting. “Whether I am guilty or not, does the Emperor not know?”
Having his hidden schemes exposed, the Emperor’s face darkened with displeasure.
Xiao Biehe continued: “I can admit to everything. But I have one request.”
“What request?”
“I want Your Majesty to pardon the General’s Estate. Release everyone you have captured immediately, and never again frame them with fabricated charges for any reason.”
As an Emperor, since Mu Hongmiao had defeated his brothers to take the throne, no one had dared speak to him like this. Xiao Biehe’s words laid bare his true nature as a petty man.
Mu Hongmiao thought he would be furious, and he was indeed annoyed for a moment, but he quickly calmed down. After a long silence, he asked, “And you?”
“At Your Majesty’s disposal,” Xiao Biehe replied.
In those few words, Mu Hongmiao felt a weight of a thousand pounds, so heavy he nearly lost his footing. In that moment, he suddenly understood why his Crown Prince loved Xiao Biehe so much. Had he been younger, he too would have found it hard not to be moved by such a person of talent, beauty, and integrity.
Xiao Biehe was a true gentleman (Junzi).
However, his talent and birth made him a natural threat. As an Emperor, Mu Hongmiao could not let such a threat remain. Seeing Xiao Biehe rise from an unnoticed sickly youth to someone world-famous with countless military merits had caused the Emperor many sleepless nights. If he missed this chance, it would be harder than reaching the heavens to act later.
“Fine, Us agrees. After your death, as long as the General’s Estate does not first commit the crime of deceiving the sovereign, us will never intentionally frame them again.” Mu Hongmiao turned to his personal eunuch, Chang De. “Bring it here.”
The eunuch presented the confession filled with crimes for Xiao Biehe to sign. Without a second glance, Xiao Biehe bit his finger, ready to press his print.
Chang De stopped him, using his whisk to block the spot. “Young General, you should at least take a look first.”
Xiao Biehe looked up and gave it a cursory glance. Then, using his own blood, he pressed his fingerprint onto the document.
Treason. Attempted assassination of the Crown Prince. Execution by Lingchi (Slow Slicing) in three days.
Xiao Biehe no longer cared about the charges. He had never seen this method of death in person it involved carving the flesh off a person piece by piece. His only hope now was that Lu Guanyan would not come for him on the day of execution. Since he had escaped, he should stay far away and never look back.
The hundred-pound iron shackles had rubbed the skin on Xiao Biehe’s wrists raw. His breath was like a gossamer thread. After signing, he closed his eyes, and his body slumped slowly.
Chang De looked as if he wanted to speak but stopped. With a silent sigh, he collected the confession and handed it to the Emperor.
The heavy stone that had sat on Mu Hongmiao’s chest for twenty years was finally falling. As he left the prison, his pace was faster than ever, as if something were chasing him. One cannot sit on the throne without cold methods; though he usually appeared generous to the public, his hands were stained with blood. Today, however, he felt a strange sense of guilt.
Mu Hongmiao was a man of his word. He immediately released the General’s Estate and announced their innocence that night, while also proclaiming to the world that Xiao Biehe had acted alone and would be executed by slow slicing in three days.
That night, Mu Hongmiao woke up in a cold sweat from a nightmare. In the dream, Liang was collapsing, blood flowed like rivers, and a madman with an indistinguishable face pierced his throat and heart with a sword, hacking his body into countless pieces to “avenge Xiao Biehe.”
Over the next two days, the dream repeated. The scenes changed, but the blood remained, as did the madman who looked like he had crawled out of hell, slicing the Emperor into a thousand pieces for revenge.
Meanwhile, the nation of Yan was frequently provoking the borders, claiming that Liang was hiding their fugitive Third Prince and demanding his return. Mu Hongmiao wiped the sweat from his palms. “Send more men to guard the prison. Ensure there are absolutely no mistakes!”
On the second night, the front-line guards were knocked out by toxic smoke.
A figure slipped into the prison, finding where Xiao Biehe was being held in isolation. Without a word, he began feverishly trying to pry the lock of the cell door with a blade. When it wouldn’t budge, Lu Guanyan was so desperate he began biting the chains with his teeth.
Xiao Biehe had been drifting in a daze, a fever burning through him due to the harsh conditions and his injuries. He had handled his final affairs; he could die without regret. Hearing the noise, he opened his eyes. Thinking the Emperor had decided to move up the execution, he was stunned to see the figure.
Seeing the beauty in his tattered wedding dress look over, Lu Guanyan let go of the chains and said, “Brother, wait a little longer. I will definitely open this door and take you away today!”
Xiao Biehe froze for a long time. The pain had dulled his reactions. Eventually, he stood up and dragged his heavy shackles toward the youth. He felt too weak to speak, so he simply watched him in silence. The youth was still struggling with the lock, but it wouldn’t move.
Only then did Xiao Biehe notice the youth’s arm was injured. Bright red blood soaked his red clothes, flowing down the back of his hand where the veins and knuckles bulged from the effort.
“Are you a fool?” Xiao Biehe finally asked, his voice rasping.
The youth was taken aback, his agitation replaced by a smile. “Brother looks so beautiful in the wedding dress, though it’s a pity it wasn’t worn for me. My clothes are red today, too. Can Brother… pretend you wore it for me?”
Beautiful?
Xiao Biehe didn’t dare look at himself. In this pathetic state, he felt he must look hideous. He wanted to take the dress off, but there were no other clothes in the cell.
The little madman began to laugh, but it turned into tears as he grabbed Xiao Biehe’s hand. “Brother, I can’t open it.”
He froze when he touched the thick shackles on Xiao Biehe’s wrist, feeling the skin that should have been smooth but was now a mess of blood and scabs. Filled with rage, hatred, and heartache, Lu Guanyan tried to pry the shackles off, but failed again.
At his wit’s end, he lowered his head to gently kiss the bloody wounds, murmuring distractedly, “Why are the chains so thick? Your hands are all torn… it must hurt so much…”
Xiao Biehe gave a faint smile and reached out to wipe the youth’s tears. “Didn’t you lock me up with chains, too? Don’t cry. Leave quickly, or you won’t be able to get away. Don’t worry about me anymore; I’m resolved to die. You can’t save me, and it’s not worth losing your life for me.”
Suddenly, the dim prison was flooded with light. The Crown Prince arrived, surrounding them with men.
“What a scene of tender affection. It makes Us feel like an outsider, Our dear Crown Princess!” Two days had passed, and the wounds on Mu Yunfei’s neck were bandaged with white gauze. He spoke through gritted teeth.
Xiao Biehe’s greatest fear had come true. He felt he owed no one anything now, except for this youth who was an “accident” in his fate.
“Xiao Yan,” Xiao Biehe said. “I owe you. If you can escape, do so by any means. If you can’t, then I’ve only dragged you down to lose your life with me.”
Lu Guanyan felt that his “Brother” was so gentle today. Having danced on the edge of a blade many times, he didn’t fear death. If he did, he wouldn’t have dared to covet Xiao Biehe.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Lu Guanyan gently placed Xiao Biehe’s hand against his face. “Brother, I haven’t even slept with you yet. I won’t die, and you won’t die either. Since you say you owe me, after we get out, how about you repay me with your body?”
Mu Yunfei was incredulous, his sharp eyes flickering with shock. The thousands of death-sworn soldiers behind him also heard it. So, the Young General hadn’t betrayed the Prince yet? They had known a man of his integrity wouldn’t…
Mu Yunfei gave the order: “Capture Lu Guanyan. Kill him on sight!”
As the soldiers surged forward, a smile Mu Yunfei couldn’t suppress crept onto his lips. He didn’t even know why he was smiling. He was glad that the person he had loved for over a decade hadn’t been touched by this wild boy first. He knew Xiao Biehe would rather die than let him touch him, so why would he let Lu Guanyan?
Even though Mu Yunfei had no confidence in persuading his father to spare Xiao Biehe, he no longer intended to try. Angering the Emperor could cost him the throne, and there were many in the royal family hungry for his position. He had earned his place through ability and the fact that his mother was dead, meaning there was no maternal clan to threaten the Emperor’s power.
Mu Yunfei knew his father’s “deep love” for his late mother was merely an act for the public to maintain his image as a virtuous ruler. He had found out from his father’s private notes that his mother had been used as a human shield by his father. Mu Yunfei had been devastated when he learned this as a young prince, but he had quickly adjusted, playing the part of a loyal, unambitious son.
For the throne, he could give up his mother; he could certainly give up the “white moonlight” he had admired since childhood. His father was right: Xiao Biehe was too strong and too smart for any one person to control. Killing him was the only way to ensure he could never be betrayed.
In that regard, he was just like his father: cold and heartless. And because Emperors are heartless, he knew he would become one.
Seeing Xiao Biehe in the tattered red dress from that night, Mu Yunfei found it exceptionally pleasing to the eye. He only wished the youth were wearing more rouge.
As the fight began, the iron gates of the prison slammed shut, cutting off the sunlight. Mu Yunfei looked like a ghost dwelling in the dark. “I have laid a dragnet here. You won’t escape today. There is no ‘after’ for you.”
Lu Guanyan sneered, finding a moment in the fight to give him a look of pure disgust. “You are a wretched, annoying fellow. Do you know that the one who sits on the throne won’t be you?”
Mu Yunfei’s smile froze, his eyes darkening.
Lu Guanyan taunted him: “Want to guess what I saw? Want to know who that person is? And… how you die?”
Mu Yunfei became hysterical: “Kill him!”
“You… you commit suicide. Your position is stripped. You regret personally killing the one you loved. Every single night, you hate yourself… Brother was such a good person, and you killed him!”
“Shut up! Kill him now!” Mu Yunfei roared, covering his ears.
Lu Guanyan was better at escaping and using poisons, but against a thousand death-sworn soldiers in a locked room, he was eventually overwhelmed. Coughing up blood, he was forced to his knees with multiple swords at his neck.
Before being dragged away, he looked at Xiao Biehe and smiled. “Don’t die, Brother. I won’t die either. Your birthday is in a few days; let me spend it with you this time, okay?”
“When we leave, I’ll give you an even bigger peach forest. I’ll hide you away so that no matter what, no one can ever find you.”
As his voice faded, his wounded, desperate eyes were filled with a final plea: “And don’t go to the battlefield, Brother.”