The secret chamber behind the stone door wasn’t small. Two lifelike qilin statues stood by the entrance. Dozens of wooden shelves were neatly arranged together – half filled with various books and bamboo scrolls, the other half displaying an array of weapons, including many delicate concealed weapons.
The chamber’s ceiling was embedded with countless luminous pearls. On the wall hung a map of the four kingdoms made from luminous pearls, similar in size to the one in the Shizai Mountain cave but far more luxurious and beautiful. On both sides were curtains strung with various glittering jewels framing the map. The table was piled with beautiful accessories, ornaments and interesting trinkets, next to which stood over a dozen uniquely styled long sabers with beautiful tassels hanging from them.
Wang Dian stood at the table and picked up a small turtle made of shells. The turtle wore a hat woven from some kind of hemp rope, looking particularly adorable as it lay round-headed in his palm. He couldn’t help but smile and said, “General Bian had quite a childlike spirit.”
Liang Ye found another small turtle among the pile of accessories and placed it in Wang Dian’s palm. “I occasionally saw them when I was young. Liang Hua made them for her.”
Wang Dian raised his eyebrows.
“They’re ugly, what’s so good about them?” Liang Ye clicked his tongue and tossed both turtles into Wang Dian’s sleeve. “If you like them, they’re yours.”
“……” Wang Dian cleared his throat and said, “That doesn’t seem appropriate?”
“The person is already dead, everything belongs to Zhen now,” Liang Ye said matter-of-factly.
Wang Dian thought this made sense – after all, these were things a mother left for her son. So he thoughtfully helped Liang Ye keep them, and now understood why Liang Ye liked to draw little turtles.
He had probably been thinking about them for many years.
At the end of the secret chamber stood a lone low table with a letter on it. The ink had faded considerably, but the characters written on it were sharp and bold: ‘To my son, to be opened personally’.
Wang Dian and Liang Ye exchanged glances. Liang Ye picked up the letter and sat on the steps nearby. Wang Dian showed no intention of reading it and wanted to go look at the shelves of concealed weapons, but Liang Ye grabbed his hand.
“Hmm?” Wang Dian stood at the bottom of the steps, looking down at him.
Liang Ye gently squeezed his palm, his brows furrowed deeply making him appear somewhat agitated. “Stay with Zhen to read it.”
Wang Dian could see his unease almost immediately. His gaze shifted slightly, and following Liang Ye’s pull, he sat down and took the letter from his hand to open it. “Did General Bian say anything when she gave you the peace pendant?”
(TL: 平安扣 (Píng’ān Kòu) is a traditional Chinese jade ornament, often shaped like a smooth, rounded disk with a hole in the center. It symbolizes peace, protection, and good fortune.)
“Why have you suddenly started calling her General since just now?” Liang Ye countered instead of answering.
“After all, she’s—” Wang Dian paused, “mother-in-law.”
Liang Ye said proudly, “You haven’t married Zhen yet, haven’t even given the betrothal gifts.”
As Wang Dian unfolded the letter, he seriously considered the matter of betrothal gifts. “To marry an emperor, I would need to prepare—-huh?”
He unexpectedly caught sight of the first line of the letter and froze in place.
“What’s wrong?” Liang Ye leaned in to look and also fell silent.
The first line of the letter was concise and to the point— “I am neither Bian Rufeng, nor Bian Xin.”
Wang Dian and Liang Ye both froze in place.
****
Above the secret chamber.
Xiang Meng looked at the young Taoist priest before her and sighed, “Grand Martial Uncle, you snuck out again, didn’t you?”
The young man had a pair of bewitching fox eyes and flashed her an alluring smile. Xiang Meng immediately felt her eyes hurt. “Please don’t smile at me like that. If the Ancestral Master finds out, he’ll punish me to kneel and burn incense at Taiji Temple again.”
Xiao Chunhe wiggled his ears, “Where’s Xiao Ye?”
“I don’t know.” Xiang Meng looked at him earnestly. “Ancestral Master said not to let you get involved in this matter. Can’t you just quietly continue your seclusion? Grand-disciple begs you.”
Xiao Chunhe placed a small porcelain bottle on the table.
Xiang Meng looked at him suspiciously, “What’s this?”
“Something good.” Xiao Chunhe said sincerely, “I’m just going out to play for two days, the old stickler won’t know.”
Xiang Meng stared at the bottle hesitantly for a moment, then quickly picked it up and tucked it into her sleeve. “I’ll pretend I never saw you.”
“That won’t do.” Xiao Chunhe sighed, “I was planning to drag the person back for Yue Jingming.”
Xiang Meng’s headache instantly got worse. “That depends on whether Junior martial Uncle is willing.”
“This is a fatal tribulation.” Xiao Chunhe stroked his chin. “That Wang Dian—”
“I don’t know anything, I know nothing at all.” Xiang Meng immediately became nervous and tried to run, but Xiao Chunhe grabbed her collar. “Why are you running, little one? It’s not like I’m going to eat you.”
Xiang Meng looked at him tearfully, “Ancestral Master will chop me up.”
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll catch someone and see for myself.” Xiao Chunhe smiled kindly and poured himself some tea to drink.
“……” Xiang Meng sat down dejectedly and cleared her throat, “There’s a red energy of romantic destiny between Wang Dian and Junior Martial Uncle.”
Xiao Chunhe spat out his tea, his fox eyes nearly round, “Those two?”
Xiang Meng nodded miserably and struggled to say, “But the good news is, it’s just red energy, so faint it’s almost invisible. They definitely won’t end up together… right?”
Xiao Chunhe took two big sips of tea to calm himself, then pondered for a while before saying, “Is Liang Ye sick?”
“Junior Martial Uncle’s actions are indeed unusual.” Xiang Meng was nearly driven crazy by that bit of red energy, and consoled herself, “At least it’s not a red thread.”
However, Xiao Chunhe’s expression slightly darkened, his crafty fox eyes narrowing, “Looks like I came at the right time.”
“I can handle this, Grand Martial Uncle.” Xiang Meng sensed something was very wrong. “Junior Martial Uncle understands the bigger picture and propriety, he wouldn’t just because of this……”
Xiao Chunhe stared at her, and Xiang Meng’s words became increasingly uncertain until she finally lowered her head meekly.
“I told Yue Jingming long ago, since he dragged someone into this, he might as well meddle completely.” Xiao Chunhe said dissatisfied, “If I came a few days later, wouldn’t they have had a whole litter of children by now?”
“That’s impossible, they’re both men.” Xiang Meng spoke quickly, then sheepishly closed her mouth when she met his gaze.
“I want to see just how capable this Wang Dian is.” Xiao Chunhe turned the teacup in his hand, and after a moment asked puzzledly, “Are they both sick in the head? How can there be a red destiny energy between two people born from the same mother?”
Xiang Meng firmly chose not to respond.
Xiao Chunhe put down his teacup heavily and tapped his fingers on the table, musing, “They say it’s better to tear down ten temples than to destroy one marriage, but they were never meant to be together in the first place, so this wouldn’t count as destroying anything, right?”
Xiang Meng was sweating nervously and tentatively asked, “Shouldn’t we ask the Ancestral Master’s opinion first?”
“No need to ask him.” Xiao Chunhe stood up smiling, “If they stay together, more than just the two of them will die.”
****
Bian Mansion.
“Liang Ye has entered the Capital.”
Bian Cang frowned, “My people haven’t received any news.”
“By the time your people receive the news, Liang Ye will likely have already returned safely to the palace.” The person behind the screen said unhurriedly, “Have you brought the person I asked you to find?”
“The person will arrive tonight.” Bian Cang paused and said, “However, previously you had this person involved in a fraud case, ending their official career. If they learn the truth of the matter, they may not be of one mind with you.”
“That’s not something you need to worry about.” The other party said, “What you should worry about is how to make Liang Ye appear voluntarily.”
Bian Cang said coldly, “At noon tomorrow, the arrested officials will be executed in front of the imperial court’s main hall. I’ve had the news spread. If Liang Ye still wants to be emperor, he will certainly appear.”
“Not bad.” The other party laughed mockingly, “Bian Daren is truly ruthless.”
“Not as much as Liang Cong.” Bian Cang said coldly, “If you hadn’t insisted on waiting until this year to act, Liang Hua and Liang Ye wouldn’t have even sat on that throne.”
“Liang Cong died too early. Isn’t it more satisfying to watch Northern Liang gradually decline to this point?” The other party said, “Bian Daren, you’ve waited all these years, what’s just a few more days?”
Bian Cang looked at the portrait on the desk, “If Liang Ye had truly left back then, sparing him wouldn’t have been impossible.”
“Hahaha, Bian Daren really knows how to joke.” The person’s tone suddenly turned gloomy, “He is the final piece. Otherwise, why do you think I would wait these decades?”
Bian Cang’s gaze returned from the portrait, “Once Liang Ye dies, Northern Liang will have no one left who can turn the tide. Then the Capital——”
“Bian Daren.” The other’s voice grew cold, “Having come this far, don’t retain that ridiculous kindness of yours. Have you forgotten how your wife and children died so tragically?”
Pain flashed through Bian Cang’s eyes as he looked at the three portraits on the wall.
The woman in the middle had gentle and graceful features, with beautiful eyes. Beside her was a pair of young man and woman who looked very similar to her, appearing only sixteen or seventeen years old. They seemed as if they might walk out of the painting the next moment, smiling and calling him father. However, in his ears he heard their heart-wrenching cries from within the flames.
“I swore that all of Northern Liang would accompany them in death,” Bian Cang’s gaze gradually became calm and emotionless. “Not a single one of the Liang bloodline will remain.”
“That’s more like it.” The person sighed, “Let’s end this show of the Liangs killing each other. I hear Liang Ye likes cruel torture, countless people have died horribly by his hand, truly following in his grandfather’s footsteps. This final blow, let it come from your own hand.”
Bian Cang turned to look out the window, his eyes showing some disgust, “You’re nothing but a practitioner of evil arts. If Liang Ye didn’t have what you wanted, how could you have let him live until today?”
“You’re a smart man, that’s why I like working with you, rather than the likes of Cui Yuxian.” The other party smiled, “What’s wrong with evil arts? We’re all just trying to survive, seeking peace of mind.”
The person finally walked out from behind the screen. The red mark between their brows looked almost as if it would drip blood. They stood behind him and placed their hands on his shoulders, following his gaze outside. Their face showed nothing but coldness and indifference, yet their voice sounded sincere.
“You see, Northern Liang is nothing but hell on earth, boiling blood, cooking lives, and refining bones and flesh.”
“You’ll be doing the common people a favor, they will thank you.”
