Li Yan sat alone in the private room on the second floor, his heart pounding against his ribs. When Xue Liulan's invitation had arrived, he had hesitated. But in the end, he had chosen to trust Xue Feiyan's judgment—and the bond between the brothers.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Minister Li." Xue Liulan pushed the door open.
Li Yan stood quickly and bowed. "I dare not."
Xue Liulan smiled and gestured for him to sit.
"I assume you know why I asked you here," Xue Liulan said, getting straight to the point.
"What does the Fifth Prince want me to do?" Li Yan kept his face impassive, but inside, he sneered.
"Our seventh brother values Ling Yan more than his own life. If he loses her, even if you save him from prison, he will be broken beyond repair." Xue Liulan watched him lazily. He knew this man was Xue Feiyan's top strategist. He had the patience to wait him out.
Li Yan's hand tightened on his knee. "The Seventh Prince is a dragon among men. He would not let personal feelings ruin the great cause."
"Oh? Is that so?" Xue Liulan smiled gently and stood, staring down at Li Yan. "Then I have wasted my time. Murong Jin has already arranged with Ling Yan how to save him. You need not worry."
Arranged? Li Yan's eyes narrowed. He hadn't seen Ling Yan in days. To trade her life for Xue Feiyan's… she wouldn't hesitate. But Li Yan hesitated. He knew, even if he didn't want to admit it, that if Ling Yan died, Xue Feiyan would be destroyed.
"Fifth Prince." Li Yan called out as Xue Liulan reached the door. "Is there no other way?"
Xue Liulan didn't turn. A triumphant smile touched his lips, then vanished as he faced the room again.
"Just as his life is in her hands, her life is in yours." He walked slowly toward Li Yan. "The outcome depends on your choice."
Li Yan looked down, thinking. He walked to the window and threw it open.
The tavern sat at a crossroads. Below, the street was bustling with people and carriages.
Xue Liulan joined him at the window, tilting his head in question.
"I am not familiar with Jindu. Could the Fifth Prince tell me where these two roads lead?" Li Yan pointed down, his eyes dead calm.
Xue Liulan thought for a moment, then chuckled. "The road to the left leads to the execution ground. Last year, the final sentence carried out there was death by three thousand six hundred cuts."
"And the right?"
"The right leads to the Imperial Palace. If I recall, it is the path the officials take to court. Straight to the head of the civil and military ranks."
Life and death. Glory and ruin. Some choices could be corrected; others were final.
"Where is Miss Ling Yan now?"
Xue Liulan looked at the sky. "By now, she should be meeting with Murong Jin."
Li Yan fell silent, tapping his fingers on the windowsill. Xue Liulan didn't rush him, returning to the table to pour himself a drink.
"Please, Your Highness. Spare both their lives," Li Yan said heavily. A loyal minister does not serve two masters. To betray Xue Feiyan's trust would brand him a traitor forever.
But he knew he had no other choice.
What Li Yan didn't know was that Murong Jin had never gone to find Ling Yan. She had simply sent Yi with a letter.
Since the Seventh Prince's arrest, his household was in disarray, the guards lax. Yi walked openly into Xue Feiyan's study in broad daylight.
A cold wind slashed toward his neck. He dodged, reaching out to grab the attacker's wrist. The figure retreated instantly, moving out of his range.
"Good skills," Yi praised, bowing.
Ling Yan sheathed her dagger. "You're not bad yourself. What do you want?"
Such a cold girl. Yi shivered theatrically. He placed the letter on the desk.
"My young general asked me to deliver this."
She glanced at the table. "Thank you. I won't see you out."
"Tsk, tsk. I came all this way, and not even a cup of tea? Is this the hospitality of the Seventh Prince's residence?" Yi leaned against the doorframe, grinning.
She glared at him, poured a cup of tea, and held it. "I'm afraid you can't stomach it."
She flicked her wrist. The cup spun through the air, hurtling toward him.
Yi felt the wind of its passage. He caught it, spinning to absorb the force, and downed the tea in one gulp. He set the empty cup back on the table.
"Thanks for the tea." He bowed and vanished. He could guess her reaction to the letter well enough.
When Yi returned to the Fifth Prince's residence, Murong Jin was in the courtyard, playing with the baby. Qi'er beamed when he saw Yi.
"Missed me already?" Yi took the child.
Murong Jin rolled her eyes. "Ungrateful brat. He's never this happy to see his own mother."
"Hahaha! Don't be mad, Sister Jin. You reap what you sow." Yi laughed.
She straightened his collar. "Just delivering a letter, and you got into a fight?"
"With Miss Ling Yan, of course," he said. "You told me to check if she had recovered from the medicine."
"So you fought her?" She understood. "Direct as always."
"If she's going to do what you plan, she needs her skills. No harm in testing them. Seeing is believing, right?" He nodded at the baby.
"You want my son to agree with you?" She laughed. "When this is over, go find her on the Snow Mountain."
Yi's smile froze. He pretended not to hear.
"She put out a bounty to find you. Why keep hiding? The Divine Physician… half the martial world would kill to marry her." Murong Jin shook her head. Blind fool.
Yi looked down at the baby. "Sister Jin, if Xue Liulan had someone else in his heart, what would you do?"
"Me?" She paused. She had thought he loved Die Man. Now? "I don't know."
"I just want to stay far away from her." He closed his eyes, hiding the pain. "Even if I like her… he is the one who can make her happy."
"If she were happy, she wouldn't be searching the world for you."
"She feels guilty."
"Or maybe she realized, after you left, that the one in her heart was you." Murong Jin patted his shoulder. "Silly boy. Go back to her."
He rolled his eyes. "If I leave, who watches your son?"
"I'll watch him myself," she said brightly. "Once this is settled, I can stay with Qi'er in peace."
Yi smiled. Right now, guarding against Die Man was the most important thing.
Three days later, in the grand hall.
Xue Liulan and Murong Jin stood by the steps. Opposite them stood Xue Feiyan, dressed in plain clothes. The Emperor sat on the throne, looking visibly aged in just ten days.
He glanced at the kneeling Deng Qinyao. "Liulan."
"Your son is here."
"You said today you would prove Feiyan's innocence before the court?"
"Yes, Father. As I wrote in my memorial." Xue Liulan stood straight. "I have found a witness who can testify for Seventh Brother. She is waiting outside."
"Summon her," the Emperor ordered.
"Summon Ling Yan!" Guo Shangzhong's voice rang out.
Xue Feiyan started. He looked sharply at Xue Liulan, his fist clenching at his side. Xue Liulan turned to him slowly, a smile of victory on his lips.
Xue Feiyan's heart sank. Their promise was not to kill each other. It said nothing about eliminating others. And Ling Yan was his greatest weakness.
Are they going to use her? His gaze was a dagger, pinning Xue Liulan to the pillar. But then, his eyes were drawn to a familiar figure.
Ling Yan walked in, dressed in black. She paused as she passed him, but didn't turn. She walked to the steps and knelt.
"Subject Ling Yan greets the Emperor."