The next day, King Cheng was executed.
"His Majesty has issued a decree: King Cheng plotted rebellion and will be executed by decapitation."
King Cheng felt a daze; decapitation…
He had thought he would be imprisoned, that Emperor An would demote him to a commoner. At worst, he thought his death would come quietly, by poisoned wine or a hanging rope, all without noise.
But he never imagined that Emperor An would order his beheading.
Even Xie Tianzhao, who was once labeled a "traitor," died in a fire, so how could he end up publicly executed in front of everyone?
When he was dragged from the prison to the gates, King Cheng instinctively glanced inside. The lump of flesh that had "accompanied" him for countless days and nights had long dried out, lying limp in the corner, covered with a piece of clothing, unrecognizable from its original form.
"Sir." King Cheng’s voice was hoarse and harsh as if rubbing against sand, "Can you do me a favor and bury him properly…"
"Bury him? What’s the point? A child no one wants, even Yama won’t accept him. It’s better to wait until after Your Highness's execution, then throw his remains with yours at the common grave site, so both of you can become lonely wandering souls and take care of each other."
A voice came from nearby, and King Cheng snapped his head around.
When he saw who was standing there, his pupils contracted. "Xiao Yan!"
Xiao Yan, dressed in a crimson official robe, smiled lightly at the words, "I had been wondering, with Your Highness's intelligence, how could you suddenly go mad?"
Wasn’t this rather lucid?
King Cheng’s heart shook. Even though he knew his death was imminent, he still felt fear toward the person before him. He instinctively wanted to return to the previous confused state, but before he could act, someone entered the prison and casually pulled away the cloth covering the corner. One kick sent the lump of flesh scattering into the dirty grass.
King Cheng's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. "Don’t touch him!"
The lump of flesh fell apart right before his eyes.
King Cheng felt a rush of blackness. He turned and glared at Xiao Yan, his face twisted in rage. "Xiao Yan, that was just a child, already dead. Once a person dies, the light of their life is gone. Why can’t you leave him alone?"
When it seemed he would lash out, the prison guards quickly moved forward to restrain him.
But Xiao Yan merely waved his hand, signaling everyone to retreat. Once only Xiao Yan and King Cheng remained, Xiao Yan stood tall, looking down at King Cheng, who was sprawled on the ground, like a maggot wiggling but unable to fight back.
"You’re right, Your Highness," Xiao Yan said coldly, "He was just a child, killed by his own father, a child who never saw the light of day."
King Cheng froze, his face turning pale.
"If anyone shouldn't be let go, isn’t it you, Your Highness?" Xiao Yan added.
King Cheng recoiled, and Xiao Yan smiled softly. He stepped into the prison and crouched down in front of King Cheng.
"Do you know, Your Highness, because of your affair with Madam Lu, the Fourth Prince tried to clear his mother's name. He led a raid on the Lu family, barged into the women’s quarters, exposed Madam Lu’s illicit relationship with you in front of everyone, and forced her to commit suicide in front of the Lu family. He even paraded her body through the capital."
"His Majesty greatly admired his righteous act of severing ties with his mother and has rewarded him with important roles. Unfortunately, the Fourth Prince’s luck wasn’t great. Just as he was about to step into a bright future, he was suddenly betrayed. Not only did he fall off his horse and ruin his face, but he also crippled his legs..."
King Cheng’s face twisted in shock. "What did you say?!"
The Fourth Prince… crippled?
How could that happen?!
Xiao Yan, watching the change in King Cheng’s expression, continued with a cold voice, "I said, the Fourth Prince is crippled. Even if he survives, he’ll be nothing more than a crippled man, far from the throne. He’ll likely live a life similar to yours as a wealthy noble."
"Unfortunately, though, the Fourth Prince seems to have provoked some curse. He was drugged in such a way that he can never be with a woman again. Your Highness, don’t you think it’s strange how such a royal child, born in luxury, has ended up like this, much like me?"
"A hideous, crippled, and impotent prince… truly pitiful."
King Cheng staggered back. His arms, which had barely been holding him up, weakened, and he collapsed to the ground with a loud thud. The blood drained from his face, and his body began to tremble as his breathing quickened.
Xiao Yan leaned closer to his ear, his voice chilling, "Your Highness, you killed your own son with your own hands, and now you’re about to end your bloodline. Don’t you think that’s retribution?"
King Cheng snapped his head up. "You…"
How could he know?
How could he possibly know?!
Looking into the mocking eyes before him, King Cheng’s mind flashed through everything that had happened recently — from his entrapment because of the Song family’s plot, to Rong Yue’s sudden return to the manor, the shadowy figures of the eagle guards, and the sudden invasion of the King’s residence by Duke Wenxin and the Second Prince.
He had always believed that Xiao Yan was unaware of his affair with Empress Lu. He thought it was his greatest secret. Even if he died or his future was destroyed, his bloodline would remain the most respected, and he could still strive for the throne and restore his name. But what if the person before him had known everything from the start?
What then was the point of all his meticulous scheming and traps, even misleading the Fourth Prince when he visited, if Xiao Yan had known it all along?
It was him — King Cheng — who had pushed the Fourth Prince to sever ties with the Lu family, forcing them to become enemies, leading to his current downfall...
"You lied to me. You’ve been using me all along..." King Cheng’s voice cracked as he shouted, his eyes bloodshot. "You knew about my affair with her. You’ve been using me all along!"
"Why?!"
King Cheng’s voice was hoarse and frantic, demanding an answer. Why had Xiao Yan pretended not to know? Why had he tormented him even after knowing everything?
King Cheng lunged forward, trying to grab at Xiao Yan’s robes, but his thick, bloated arms were easily pushed away.
Xiao Yan looked down at the fallen King Cheng. "I’m just curious, what kind of fool can be used time and time again without realizing it? For a woman who only seeks power, you killed your own flesh and blood to pave the way for someone else’s son."
Seeing the venomous look in King Cheng’s eyes, Xiao Yan remained calm.
"Twenty years ago, there was a flood in the southern region. His Majesty was ordered to go south with the errant Crown Prince to provide disaster relief. The relief convoy was destroyed, and nearly a million in relief funds disappeared. This led to a rebellion in the southern region, and the Crown Prince was impeached by the court."
"At that time, Emperor An, who was still the Fifth Prince, earned merit for his relief efforts and emerged from obscurity. It was due to his success in quelling the rebellion that he was able to seek a marriage with Madam Lu, securing her family’s support…"
Seeing the murderous expression on King Cheng’s face, Xiao Yan continued, "Do you think His Majesty ruined your marriage, that if not for the previous Emperor's foolish marriage arrangement, you and Empress Lu would have been happily together? That if you had received the Lu family's power, none of this would have happened?"
King Cheng clenched his teeth, though he didn’t speak. His eyes betrayed his thoughts.
Xiao Yan smiled. "Xie Tianyu, you really are foolish."
"Back then, during the disaster relief, even the Crown Prince was schemed against in the southern region. You think His Majesty, without any power, could have quelled the rebellion and emerged with his reputation if someone hadn’t helped him behind the scenes?"
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T/N: I miss this version of him
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You can read ahead to chapterr 400 (100+ extra chapters) here
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