The sun set in the west, casting a dusky hue over the mountains. The streets grew quiet as pedestrians dwindled, and smoke from cooking fires rose from every household. Longkodo, leaning on a cane and dressed in tattered clothes, hobbled down the long street before slipping into the Suo residence through a hidden door.
Hunched over, he glanced warily left and right as he walked, only relaxing slightly when he confirmed no one was watching.
Suo Etu, who had been idle at home, personally came out to greet him. The two conversed as they made their way to the study, and soon after, the door creaked shut behind them.
On the night of Crown Prince Yinreng’s wedding, Longkodo had fallen asleep with peace of mind, expecting glorious news from the palace the next day. But the second day passed without word, and then the third. His confidence turned to restless anxiety, his eyes bloodshot from waiting, until he was forced to consider the worst—his scheme had failed.
How could it have failed?
Chunlin and Chunping were both skilled in martial arts, and the Crown Prince’s wedding was a heaven-sent opportunity. Dealing with a mere child should have been effortless. Even if circumstances had changed, they should have sent word to him—not vanished without a trace. Longkodo dared not dwell on the possibility that they had been captured and revealed everything they knew.
He had spoken with such conviction, yet there was still no news of Eleventh Prince Yinzi’s misfortune. Those who had backed him were losing patience. Though they maintained a veneer of respect, veiled mockery was inevitable. Still, they only lamented the loss of two pawns, never considering the alternative.
Because Chunlin and Chunping’s loyalty was beyond question—or so they believed. If captured, they would find a way to end their own lives. That was Chunlan’s unwavering assurance.
What a laughable trust. Only Longkodo knew the true horrors of the imperial interrogation chambers, where even death became a luxury. No one, no matter how strong-willed, could endure such torment.
After much deliberation, Longkodo’s unease only grew. Unlike him, stripped of rank and reduced to a commoner, Suo Etu had spent years building connections. Even without the Emperor’s favor, he still held influence in the capital. And in the palace—surely Empress Renxiao had left behind some loyal retainers?
And so, today’s visit was a desperate gamble to gather information.
Longkodo probed cautiously for some time, but Suo Etu feigned ignorance. When asked about the grandeur of the Crown Prince’s wedding, he stroked his beard and smiled faintly. "This old man couldn’t attend, but Geerfen told me—one hundred and twenty-eight dowry chests, sixty percent funded by the Imperial Household Department."
Beneath the smile, however, lay a shadow of discontent. Neither the choice of Crown Princess nor the wedding arrangements had aligned with his expectations.
But he could endure it.
As for Eleventh Prince Yinzi or Noble Consort Yi, Suo Etu said nothing, claiming no knowledge of any disturbances. Unable to extract anything useful, Longkodo suppressed his frustration and exchanged pleasantries for another half hour before taking his leave with a forced smile.
Hobbling out through the hidden gate, Longkodo kept his head low, shuffling along the wall. The alley was lined with grand mansions, and his ragged, foul-smelling appearance drew a scornful glance from a young nobleman on horseback. "Disgusting," the youth muttered before spurring his horse away.
Longkodo froze. His fists clenched, a dark fury flashing in his eyes. After a long pause, he forced himself to move again, memories of Tong Mansion’s former glory flooding his mind—his doting parents, and that arrogant, power-drunk wretch, Mrs. Hesheli.
The more he thought, the more his hatred festered, bitter as blood.
His fourth child…
Even if he refused to admit it, he knew the truth—he was nothing now, a bug crushed into the dirt, left to rot in the shadows.
As he crept along the wall, Longkodo suddenly chuckled, the sound eerie and unsettling.
So what if he was a bug?
Even a bug could gnaw at the feet of an unshakable dragon.
"Tell me, Cousin Emperor… isn’t that so?"
It took him two more hours to drag himself back to the dilapidated courtyard on the outskirts of the capital. But before he reached the gate, his cane trembled in his grip, his eyes widening in shock.
Under the starry sky, faint moonlight revealed a scene of chaos—the gate torn open, the courtyard littered with debris. Torchlight illuminated stern-faced guards and officials in embroidered robes, their blades stained with blood.
"Are there any stragglers left? Search thoroughly!" someone barked. "The east wing is empty—dig three feet underground if you must!"
"Kill anyone who resists!"
Longkodo’s legs gave way, and he collapsed into the overgrown grass beside a tree stump. After a moment, he mustered what little strength he had left, his face twisting with disbelief and rage. Abandoning his cane, he scrambled away on hands and knees.
After a sleepless, terror-filled night in a ruined temple, Longkodo’s resentment burned uselessly in his chest. The sect leader trusted him—but also distrusted him. Orders came only through Aunt Qin; he knew none of the other hideouts. If his identity was exposed, where could he hide?
He didn’t dare imagine how many had escaped arrest, or how many would soon face execution. Swallowing his panic and fury, at dawn the next day, he hunched his shoulders and knocked once more on Suo Etu’s hidden door.
Suo Etu took him in—because when Longkodo first sought him out, he had proposed an alliance. "An unworthy ruler does not deserve loyalty," he had said. "The Crown Prince is in his prime, while the Emperor grows old." These words had struck a chord in Suo Etu’s heart.
To avoid standing alone, Suo Etu was willing to set aside old grudges with the Tong family. They were grasshoppers tied to the same string now.
But on the third day of Longkodo’s hiding, the streets suddenly filled with wanted posters, walls plastered with bold red characters branding him a "traitor."
The notices listed Longkodo’s biography, portrait, and fifteen major crimes. Worse still, the official proclamation promised a reward of a hundred taels of silver for any information leading to his capture. The city erupted in uproar.
A hundred taels—even for wealthy officials, it was no small sum, let alone for commoners who scraped by on one tael every three months.
Someone gasped in realization. "Longkodo—wasn’t he the second master of that family?" The speaker, a literate scholar, pointed toward where Tong Mansion once stood, his shock turning to disgust. "The one who stole his father-in-law’s concubine, murdered his wife, and was flogged fifty times?"
Like a drop of boiling water in oil, the scandal exploded, spreading like wildfire through the capital and beyond.
Ordinary folk hadn’t known he was the Emperor’s own cousin—but the court officials did.
Heavens. "Shocking" didn’t begin to describe it.
The man was mad.
Thankfully, Tong Guowei was bedridden, and Longkodo had already been stripped of rank. Otherwise, for the crime of rebellion, exterminating nine generations would have been too lenient—the entire Tong clan would have been wiped out.
After the initial speechlessness, people sighed in relief. Old Master Tong’s decision had been wise.
Even so, at court, officials cast odd glances at clan head Tong Guogang, who could offer no defense. His rebellious son Elundai’s mocking laughter only deepened his despair.
The Tong family was finished.
Even though Longkodo had been removed from the family register and was no longer a member of the Tong family, it did not stop the emperor from directing his wrath. First, the Grand Empress Dowager issued an edict reprimanding him, and after being summoned to the palace, he was met with a furious scolding. Kangxi’s eyes were icy cold.
"What a fine son Tong Guowei has raised," he said slowly.
With such a major incident occurring in the capital, how could Suo Etu remain unaware? Beside him, Geerfen was shouting something about the "Tiandihui" and "rebels." As Suo Etu read the arrest warrant, his mind was unsettled, his emotions in turmoil. Finally, he slammed his palm on the table.
"Longkodo, you treacherous snake! Even I was deceived!"
The Tiandihui was an organization one should never be associated with, and Longkodo held something that could cost Suo Etu his life—something meant to deceive him into trust. In an instant, Suo Etu was overcome with murderous intent.
The Suo Mansion immediately became tense. That night, a trusted steward knocked on the door of his study and hesitantly whispered, "Master, the Second Lord of the Tong family requests your presence."
Upon entering the chamber, Suo Etu saw Longkodo standing there with a sinister, mocking smile, his face dark and unmoving. In a hoarse voice, Longkodo said, "I know you want me dead, Lord Suo. But guess what—if I die, do you think the Tiandihui will avenge me? Do you think your clever schemes will end up on the emperor’s desk?"
Feeling the desperation in Longkodo’s madness, Suo Etu’s expression darkened.
"Are you threatening me?"
The Nine Gates Infantry Commander’s arrest came unexpectedly, and one of the eight major Tiandihui strongholds resisted fiercely. Aunt Qin was not present, and Chunlan was killed on the spot. The refined-looking man—the "strategist" assigned to Longkodo by his superiors—was bound tightly and dragged to prison.
If the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review were to interrogate him jointly, who knew how long it would take to extract the truth? Unable to withstand the emperor’s fury, the strategist was brought to the palace’s Punishment Office that very night.
After three days and two nights of interrogation, the truth behind Yinzi’s assassination attempt came to light. Kangxi no longer concealed anything and summoned the crown prince to the Qianqing Palace.
Longkodo had colluded with the Tiandihui, and their intended target was none other than the prince’s wedding night. The prince’s shock and rage need not be described—soon, all the imperial brothers knew of it.
In the Qianqing Palace, the emperor’s face no longer showed visible anger. "Strength overcomes all schemes," he softly instructed Yinreng. After a long pause, a faint smile appeared. "This time, the Tiandihui’s foothold in the capital has been nearly destroyed—all thanks to your eleventh brother. The assassin was skilled in martial arts and could have easily escaped, but little Yinzi’s pepper powder..."
His unfinished words were full of pride, but by the end, Kangxi’s face twitched slightly, his lips still faintly swollen.
After a moment of silence, he abruptly changed the subject. "Your Noble Consort Yi is truly ruthless."
As for Yinzi, the crown prince felt both heartache and astonishment, even a touch of gratitude. His expression softened momentarily. He made a mental note of Yinzi’s fondness for peppers and salt. As for the emperor’s abrupt shift in conversation, he was well accustomed to it and showed no surprise.
Only when he recalled the neatly bundled jars of jade-like ointment sent by Zhang Youde did the crown prince also fall silent.
Father and son moved from discussing state affairs to family matters. The prince touched his own face, his thoughts heavy, and suddenly spoke. "Imperial Father, beyond the imperial teachings... are there other lessons?"
