Xue Chongnian had no idea that Luo Mingpu and He Mingzhen had reached an agreement behind his back. After yet another joint hearing ended without result, the two men simply left him to his own devices and hurried straight to the palace to lodge a complaint.
In the depths of winter, Emperor Shunyuan went to court with ever-decreasing frequency. Most days, he remained in his chambers, where Consort Zhen cared for him at his side as he rested and recuperated.
He could clearly feel his vitality ebbing away day by day, while the power in his hands was loosening in ways both subtle and unmistakable.
Thus, when Shen Zheng began promoting maritime trade, he had no choice but to confine his other two sons to the rear quarters, hoping only that they would behave themselves and refrain from stirring up further trouble.
The court was far from peaceful. Two days earlier, the Office of Transmission had submitted a memorial reporting that commoners had gathered in the streets to cause disturbances, chanting vulgar and coarse rhymes that openly declared the court was being too lenient toward Wen Zhuo’s crime of favoring men, and mocking the injustice of punishing some while letting others off.
At first, the Office of Transmission had arrested the troublemakers and beaten them. Unexpectedly, the very next day, it received a joint petition signed by several scholars and venerable elders, pleading for the emperor to “uphold righteousness, suppress depravity, and encourage proper customs.”
Knowing that the matter was far from trivial, the Director of the Office of Transmission did not dare delay and promptly reported it to the emperor.
Emperor Shunyuan wrestled with the matter for two days, unable to approve or reject the petition. He could not even sleep peacefully.
Inside the imperial chambers, sparks occasionally leapt from the brazier. Consort Zhen held a silver spoon and stirred the steaming bowl of matsutake and jade-clam soup. She blew on each spoonful until it was no longer too hot before bringing it to Emperor Shunyuan’s lips.
Before the emperor could speak, the hushed voice of a young eunuch came from beyond the palace doors.
“Your Majesty, Lords He Mingzhen and Luo Mingpu request an audience on an urgent matter.”
Emperor Shunyuan’s eyes flew open. He pushed away Consort Zhen’s spoon and struggled to sit halfway upright.
“Have they reached a verdict in Wen Wanshan’s case?”
For that fleeting moment, even he could not say what sort of verdict he truly wanted.
Liu Quan hurried forward, knelt on both knees, and carefully helped Emperor Shunyuan put on his soft-soled dragon boots.
“Have them wait for me in the Qingliang Hall,” Emperor Shunyuan ordered.
Once he was dressed and had wrapped himself in a thick sable-fur cap, Emperor Shunyuan slowly made his way to the Qingliang Hall with Liu Quan supporting him. Before leaving, he said to Consort Zhen, “Return to your palace first.”
Consort Zhen desperately wanted to find out what had happened, but she did not dare press him while his expression was so grave. She could only withdraw with regret.
The moment Emperor Shunyuan stepped into the Qingliang Hall, before he had even taken his seat, Luo Mingpu dropped to his knees with a thud.
“Your Majesty, I have failed you!” he cried, grief-stricken. “I summoned the shopkeeper Wang Liuji and the great Confucian scholar Liao Zongqing to verify the *Rhapsody of Wanshan* in open court. I also found the innkeeper from that time to testify, and his account matched Minister Xie’s confession in every detail! Yet with the irrefutable evidence before him, Wen Zhuo continues to deny everything and refuses to confess. Xue Chongnian has obstructed us at every turn, twisting the law to shield him. As a result, this case has dragged on for more than twenty days, with the two sides deadlocked and no verdict in sight! I have failed to unravel this case and establish the truth of his crimes, and have gravely betrayed Your Majesty’s gracious favor and trust!”
With that, he raised a thick stack of depositions high in both hands and presented them to Emperor Shunyuan.
The emperor’s brows drew tightly together.
He Mingzhen fell to his knees as well and declared in a clear voice, “Your Majesty, I wish to impeach Xue Chongnian, the presiding judge of this case! Since taking charge of the proceedings, he has repeatedly treated the examination of cases with perfunctory indifference, shirking his responsibilities and making excuses at every turn, claiming that the doubts in the case are too numerous and complicated, thereby delaying the date of the joint hearing. He has also called in sick several times, showing contempt for his colleagues, while deliberately shielding Wen Zhuo—clear evidence that he is acting out of favoritism! As a censor, I have reviewed Lord Luo’s handling of the case and found no procedural errors. The evidence is conclusive, and by law the presiding judge should have submitted a memorial requesting interrogation under torture. Yet Xue Chongnian has stubbornly refused to do so, allowing this case to drag on without resolution! I draw my salary from Your Majesty and must therefore relieve the Son of Heaven’s burdens and uphold justice for all under Heaven. I humbly beg Your Majesty to render judgment: replace the presiding judge and permit interrogation under torture in accordance with the law, so that the authority of the court and the principles of justice may be upheld!”
Emperor Shunyuan ordered Liu Quan to bring him the stack of depositions. With some difficulty, he put on his spectacles and gave them a cursory read. Then he closed his eyes, and an oppressive silence descended over the hall.
Seeing the struggle on Emperor Shunyuan’s face, Lord Luo crawled forward on his knees for two steps and continued, “I beg Your Majesty’s pardon for my boldness, but I have heard that all manner of rumors are spreading among the people, recklessly questioning the justice of the court. Elderly scholars and students alike are indignant, condemning this depravity of male love for defiling our moral code! Now that public sentiment is so vehement, these depraved beauties who beguile the masses and stain the robes of the learned are no different from demons—”
“Silence!” Emperor Shunyuan’s expression suddenly darkened, and he sharply cut off Luo Mingpu’s slander.
Luo Mingpu fell abruptly silent. His eyes widened, and his heart leapt into his throat as he held his breath, studying the emperor’s expression.
He could not understand why the emperor had grown angry merely because he had disparaged Wen Zhuo’s appearance a few times.
Emperor Shunyuan’s arm trembled faintly as he gripped the armrest of the imperial throne with all his strength. Veins stood out along his slackened neck.
Luo Mingpu’s words were like a spark that reignited a dying flame, making it impossible for him to endure any longer.
Once, he had thrown himself at Emperor Kangzhen’s feet, trembling in terror and weeping bitterly. “Father, he did not seduce me! He did not! He knows nothing—he does not even understand the difference between yin and yang. Everything was taught to him by me; I was careless for a moment! He is pure as ice and jade, spotless and without the faintest stain. He is the person I trust most. I beg you, Father—”
But Emperor Kangzhen had remained cold and ordered his attendants to drag him away, not showing the slightest trace of emotion. All he had said was, “Your eyes are clouded by filth. You cannot recognize a demon.”
Looking down from his lofty position at the prince sprawled on the ground like a heap of mud, Liu Changbai had said in exasperation, “Rise, Your Highness. Do not disappoint Your Father the Emperor. The strict suppression of the depravity of male love is meant to intimidate all under Heaven. Even if the punishments are sometimes unjust, and even if innocent people are inevitably wronged, dissent must still be eradicated to preserve the majesty of imperial authority. The previous dynasty shed rivers of blood for this cause, with countless lives unjustly lost. How, then, can Your Highness, for the sake of your own selfish desires, dream of overturning ironclad laws and diminishing the dignity of our ancestors? By using the blood of a few to extinguish all thoughts of defiance across the realm, we ensure that imperial authority remains beyond question. This is the heavy responsibility Your Highness must bear. I urge you to understand the greater principle, shoulder the burden of the state, comfort your late elder brother’s spirit in Heaven, and prove yourself worthy of the hopes of our forefathers.”
That very night, he could no longer contain himself. He rushed out of Prince Jing’s residence and broke into the separate compound of the barracks. Embracing Ying Xingluo, he cried out in despair, “I can’t protect you anymore. I can’t protect you anymore!”
Ying Xingluo merely blinked at him with a pair of bewildered eyes, gently wiping away his tears.
Those eyes were the final impression he left behind—an image Emperor Shunyuan would never be able to forget for the rest of his life.
How I lament that this body is not my own… How I lament that this body is not my own…
Emperor Shunyuan seemed to have all his strength drained from him in an instant. He was utterly exhausted.
After a long silence, he raised a hand to shield his eyes and asked hoarsely, “Who do you think should replace the chief examiner so that the case can be concluded as soon as possible and public outrage appeased?”
Luo Mingpu’s eyes lit up. He hurriedly straightened and said, “I believe the Grand Secretary Gong Zhiyuan is highly respected and fair-minded. He is well suited to take on this responsibility.”
Emperor Shunyuan slowly tightened his palm, squeezing deep creases into his black fox-fur robe.
“Approved,” he said heavily.
When Xue Chongnian received the news, he was dining at home. He froze for a moment, and the bowl and chopsticks slipped from his hands, crashing to the floor with a sharp clatter. Soup splashed all over his shoes.
When he came to his senses, he abruptly rose to his feet. His voice carried a faint, barely perceptible tremor. “Quick! Help me change into my official robes. I’m going to the palace to request an audience with His Majesty!”
How could Lord Xue possibly wait for a carriage? He vaulted onto a horse and raced toward the palace gates. After finally getting someone to announce his arrival, however, the reply he received was: “His Majesty has already retired for the night and will receive no visitors.”
Liu Quan came out personally to deliver the message. His gaze fell on Xue Chongnian’s deathly pale face, and his tone was as calm as the waters of the Dragon River in winter.
“Lord Xue, this case has dragged on for far too long. Public sentiment is now running high, and His Majesty has made his decision. There is no need for you to remain here and plead. You would do better to return to the Dali Temple and prepare the official seal and the edict authorizing the trial. Do not…” He paused, then continued, “delay the handover.”
Xue Chongnian stood there in a daze, staring up at Liu Quan on the steps. He wanted to say something, but Liu Quan gave him a slight nod and turned to retreat into the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Daring not to delay, Xue Chongnian spurred his horse straight to the Dali Temple. His clothes and hat had fallen askew, but he had no time to straighten them. The moment he entered the prison, he strode directly toward Wen Zhuo’s cell.
“Director Wen! Listen to me!” He gripped the bars, his expression frantic. “His Majesty has replaced the chief examiner. Gong Zhiyuan is taking over now. I can only do my best to delay the handover, but at the latest, they’ll question you again tomorrow! I truly can’t protect you this time. You must prepare yourself!”
Wen Zhuo had been sitting before the candle flame, warming himself. At those words, he abruptly looked up. His pale fingertips hovered above the flame, nearly singed by its licking tongue.
“Gong Zhiyuan?!”
Xue Chongnian was furious. “Eunuch Liu Quan said it was because public sentiment was running high. What public sentiment? I haven’t heard a word of it! Someone is clearly pulling strings behind the scenes!”
Wen Zhuo’s lashes trembled rapidly several times, and his heartbeat spiraled helplessly out of control, making it difficult for him to breathe.
Gong Zhiyuan, Luo Mingpu, and He Mingzhen—he was far too familiar with this combination. It was likely that Xie Langyang had made covert arrangements to force him to break down during the joint hearing and confess to his crimes.
“Public sentiment…” Wen Zhuo murmured, repeating the words.
It seemed that, in order to make this “public sentiment” reach the emperor’s ears, they had gone to considerable lengths.
Fortunately, the two pieces of court gossip he had spread earlier should have fermented by now. This “public sentiment” might instead prove advantageous to him.
It was only that, before then, he would inevitably have to suffer a little.
Even he could not calculate every possible turn of events. He had never imagined that, despite the precedent set by Consort Chen, Emperor Shunyuan would still punish him.
He had thought that Consort Chen represented the last vestige of mercy in the emperor’s heart. Yet now it seemed that even this mercy could not withstand imperial authority and ancestral law.
The faint candlelight reflected in Wen Zhuo’s eyes, concealing the dread rising within him. He lowered his gaze. “Do the other ministers know about this?”
“The emperor summoned only Luo Mingpu and He Mingzhen in private. I received the news not long ago myself, so the court officials should still be unaware.”
Wen Zhuo nodded. “Good. Please pass a message to Gu Weizhi and the others. Tell them not to act rashly under any circumstances. And make sure no one in my residence hears of this. I’m afraid they’ll panic and do something reckless.”
“Gu—?” Xue Chongnian froze for a moment. Then he suddenly recalled Gu Weizhi’s silence in court. So he had acted on Wen Zhuo’s hint—Xue Chongnian had mistaken him all this time. “Rest assured, Director. I’ll deliver your message!”
“Thank you, Lord Xue.” Wen Zhuo’s voice was so faint it was almost inaudible.
After Xue Chongnian left, the prison door closed once more. Wen Zhuo slowly buried his face in the crook of his arm, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably, fine shivers running down his back.
Compared with this terror, the torment of his illness seemed almost insignificant. At last, he began to feel the full weight of his suffering—and even a trace of regret. Why had he devised such a dangerous scheme? Why had he deliberately provoked Gong Yuwen, setting off the fuse just as Shen Zheng was leaving for Jinhai?
Only now did he allow himself to show his vulnerability, sobbing softly.
Xue Chongnian truly did everything in his power, forcibly delaying the transfer until the following day.
The moment Gong Zhiyuan received the official seal and the imperial warrant for the case, he summoned Luo Mingpu and He Mingzhen. The three of them headed straight for the Court of Judicial Review to interrogate Wen Zhuo.
This time, Xue Chongnian was not even permitted to sit in as an observer. With the emperor’s warrant in hand, all the leniency previously shown to Wen Zhuo—leaving him clothed and sparing him the cangue—was withdrawn. He was forcibly fitted with square iron restraints, the kind reserved for the most serious offenders.
His skin was naturally delicate, and the burn on the inside of his wrist had yet to heal. The iron restraints pressed tightly against his flesh, and during the short walk from the cell to the courtroom, they had already rubbed the skin raw, leaving thin trails of blood and a dull, lingering ache.
In the courtroom, Gong Zhiyuan sat in the center, stroking his beard lightly as he looked at Wen Zhuo with undisguised distaste.
“Director Wen, how nice to see you again,” Gong Zhiyuan said mockingly.
He had disliked Wen Zhuo for a long time. A face like that on a man was a calamity in itself.
Wen Zhuo slowly raised his eyes and swept his gaze over the three men in the hall. His eyes were filled with the chill of a deep, frozen lake, their coldness intimidating.
He remained immaculate, his long sleeves hanging loosely and just barely concealing the icy restraints around his wrists. His hair was neatly bound, though a few stray strands fell against his cheek, revealing a slender, pale neck and a straight back that stood proud as a pine.
A gentleman of impeccable bearing, with an unyielding spirit—despite being imprisoned, he still possessed the poise to look down on everyone present.
Xie Langyang stood to one side. As the man who had lodged the accusation, he no longer needed to remain outside the doorway this time. Instead, he had truly become part of the snare.
Yet his expression remained as dead and lifeless as it had been in his previous life. He stood rigid as a piece of wood, as though his soul had long since been torn from his body.
An absurd thought rose in his heart. He wanted to turn around and take one last look at Wen Zhuo, but the moment he imagined the suffering that awaited the other man, he fixed his gaze stubbornly on the floor, lacking even the courage to look up.
If he had a choice, he would never have wanted to betray him. But fate had pushed and pulled him until he was trapped here. The only path left to him was to prove the Dao through killing.
It was Wen Zhuo who had abandoned their past first. Wen Zhuo who had insisted on taking revenge. Wen Zhuo who had wanted him dead!
He had merely... been forced to fight back.
“The case of *The Wanshan Fu* has been conclusively proven. The previous presiding judge, Xue Chongnian, repeatedly used illness as an excuse to shirk his duties, which is why the case has dragged on for so long. Now that I am presiding over it, I will not allow it to remain deadlocked any longer. The verdict shall be decided and the case closed today,” Gong Zhiyuan said slowly.
Luo Mingpu echoed him. “The Grand Secretary is absolutely right.”
He Mingzhen also nodded courteously in acknowledgment.
Unexpectedly, Gong Zhiyuan suddenly raised his hand and struck the courtroom table. Unconcealed viciousness seeped from his eyes.
“Wen Zhuo! We have witnesses, material evidence, and verified handwriting—all the evidence is complete. Yet you remain stubbornly defiant. I have no intention of wasting any more time with you. Under the interrogation cane, I refuse to believe we cannot pry open your mouth! Guards—!”
The witnesses were still standing in the courtroom. He had neither unsealed the inventory of confiscated evidence nor reread the statements and accusations before everyone present, yet after only two sentences he was already ordering torture. His deliberate hostility was plain for all to see.
He Mingzhen was taken aback, then drew his brows together. “Grand Secretary, I’m afraid this is inappropriate...”
Before he could finish, Gong Zhiyuan cut him off sharply. “Lord He, His Majesty is pressing us to resolve this case. We are all merely serving the state! You know how tedious and complicated judicial proceedings are. Why not conclude the interrogation swiftly and put an end to the public unrest?”
He Mingzhen had already been worked into a temper by Xue Chongnian in recent days. At this moment, thinking that he might as well grant Gong Zhiyuan a favor, he no longer pressed the matter and fell silent.
Wen Zhuo coughed several times and quietly clenched his five fingers. In an instant, his palm was slick with cold sweat.
Before coming to court, Xue Chongnian had sent someone to bring him hot water and clean clothes. He had done everything he could to compose himself, making sure he looked neat and spotless, without a prisoner’s slightest trace of disarray.
But now sweat still slid silently from his temples, ran along the side of his neck, and disappeared into his collar. The warm robe, soaked through with cold sweat, seemed to let the wind seep in through every opening.
A wildly selfish thought suddenly seized him: he wanted Shen Zheng to appear before him.
He did not want to surrender the last of his dignity. He did not want to endure this humiliation. He longed for protection, for someone to lean on—even if doing so would implicate Shen Zheng...
He was simply this awful. As a strategist, he could not bear to make sacrifices; as a lover, he still craved safety and stability. For the sake of making himself suffer a little less, he could even disregard His Highness.
Yet he truly did not want to show weakness and humiliation before these people, screaming hoarsely for mercy.
Gong Zhiyuan was utterly cruel, as though he meant to strip Wen Zhuo of every shred of dignity. He enunciated each word with deliberate clarity.
“Strip Wen Zhuo. Twenty strokes. Afterward, I’ll question him again.”
With that, he turned and glanced sidelong at Xie Langyang. His old face was dark and shadowed, the corners of his mouth curling into a mocking, half-smile.
“Minister Xie, what do you think of my method? Surely once he has been beaten, he will confess that he deliberately seduced you back then.”
Xie Langyang lowered his head deeply, his back bent as though it might break. From his throat, he forced out two dry, nearly shattered words.
“...That is correct.”
Liao Zongqing, Shopkeeper Wang, and even the music-house women trembling in fright all forgot their awe for a moment, staring blankly at Gong Zhiyuan.
It was as if they had misheard. They could not believe Gong Zhiyuan would order Wen Zhuo to be stripped in public before receiving his punishment. For a gentleman who valued principle and reputation, it was an unbearable humiliation—far worse than any physical pain.
Wen Zhuo felt his blood rush to his head. His teeth accidentally bit through the side of his tongue, and the thick taste of blood instantly filled his mouth.
“Do it!” Gong Zhiyuan commanded.
The court runners on either side snapped out of their daze. Striding forward, they seized Wen Zhuo by the upper arms and wrenched them behind his back, then pressed down on his lean spine and forced him toward the bluestone floor.
The manacles at his wrists jerked violently. Their iron edges cruelly cut into his flesh, and blood immediately seeped from the already-abraded skin, staining the cuffs of his sleeves red.
Memories from his previous life crashed over him like a sudden storm, swallowing him whole.
Unable to control himself, he was dragged back into that abyss—to the time when he had been on the verge of death.
He clutched desperately at his trouser leg, as though it were his last scrap of dignity and decency. But his arms were twisted so hard they nearly dislocated, the agonizing pain boring into his bones and breaking his mind inch by inch.
He gasped for breath. Cold sweat soaked through his inner garments, and it felt as though an invisible hand had clamped around his throat, making even breathing difficult.
The nightmare clung to him like a shadow. He desperately tried to use the method Shen Zheng had taught him to break free. He forced himself to look at the bluestone floor before him, the plaque above the hall, the terrified faces around him, the interrogation tally tossed upon the ground.
Yet every glance only made those agonizing memories sharper.
He had failed completely.
All he could do was gasp, his body shaking violently like duckweed tossed in the wind. His lower lip was bitten so hard that a deep, bloody mark appeared.
The court runners tore at his outer robe without a trace of restraint. The sound of brocade ripping was piercing in the silent courtroom. His topknot came undone, black hair spilling loose and tangled around his neck, clinging to his pallid skin.
Anyone!
Please, save him! Save him!
He did not want to be treated like this! He did not want to be trampled upon so mercilessly, stripped of all dignity! He was not nearly as invulnerable as he had believed himself to be!
Shen Zheng! Shen Zheng!
Your Highness! Your Highness!
He did not know whether he had cried the names aloud. His consciousness had long since dissolved into chaos, and everything before his eyes had fractured into pieces.
Then—
Everything came to an abrupt halt.
The tearing force was gone. So was the stabbing pain in his wrists.
With nothing left to support him, Wen Zhuo collapsed heavily to his knees. His chest convulsed uncontrollably, yet he could hear his own heartbeat with startling clarity.
Along with it came Liu Quan’s calm, even voice.
“Grand Secretary Gong, His Majesty commands that you proceed to the Qingliang Hall at once to attend upon him.”
A column of Imperial Guards filed into the courtroom, taking positions along both sides. Their armor chimed coldly as they watched Gong Zhiyuan with predatory vigilance.
On the grounds of the Three Judicial Offices, Imperial Guards had come directly to remove the presiding official—such a thing had never occurred in all of history.
Gong Zhiyuan rose from his seat at the bench, and for a moment, he did not know how to react.
A moment later, he suddenly pointed at Wen Zhuo below the dais and asked urgently, “Eunuch Liu, that Wen Zhuo—”
Liu Quan’s eyes were as still as deep water. “I’m afraid this case will no longer be handled by the Chief Grand Secretary.”
Gong Zhiyuan stood rooted to the spot. Two Imperial Guards stepped forward, seized him by the arms from either side, and dragged him away.
Luo Mingpu hurried forward several steps. “Wait! Eunuch! Could you at least tell us what is happening? Why has His Majesty summoned us so suddenly?”
Liu Quan ignored him completely. As he turned to leave, he instead walked slowly to Wen Zhuo’s side and bent down to help him up. His voice was soft, audible only to Wen Zhuo. “The Fifth Prince is in the Cool Breeze Palace.”
Xie Langyang stared at everything before him in stunned disbelief. He simply could not understand how, at this point, another twist could possibly have arisen.
Stiffly, he turned his gaze to the person beside him.
Wen Zhuo had been helped to his feet, his back still stubbornly straight. Strands of black hair, damp with cold sweat, clung to the corners of his eyes. His gaze was like shattered jade—clear, cold, and sharp—veiled beneath a layer of mist that had yet to disperse.
A familiar terror suddenly welled up from the depths of Xie Langyang’s heart, seizing his every organ in a merciless grip.
Where, exactly, had things gone wrong?!
