# Chapter 111
The Emperor had been unconscious for over a month. Upon hearing the false news that Empress Feng and Qi Hua had both died together, he nearly collapsed. Qi Xiao smiled faintly: "Jiang Deqing, attend to His Majesty with some ginseng slices..."
The Emperor flew into a rage. He had a fever, and taking ginseng and such would be tantamount to courting death—yet at this moment, he was even more afraid than Qi Xiao of not being able to hold on. Having no choice, he picked up a small slice from the ginseng box Jiang Deqing presented and placed it in his mouth. Having steadied himself somewhat, he rasped coldly: "Just now... was everything they said true?"
Qi Xiao scoffed: "What do you think?"
"Insolent!"
The Emperor clenched his fists, straining to suppress the flames of fury in his heart. He could forgive Empress Feng—two years ago he had already considered deposing her, otherwise he would not have elevated Noble Consort Xue so high. Even if Empress Feng were to pass away someday, it would only relieve him. But Qi Hua was different. No matter how inadequate, he was still his own flesh and blood, and his sole legitimate son! Now to think that he had...
The Emperor gritted his teeth, then after a long pause, said roughly: "You murdered your own brother—are you not afraid of the world's condemnation?"
Qi Xiao could not help but burst out laughing. He waved his hand and shook his head with a smile: "Jiang Deqing... take everyone out. His Majesty and I have important matters to discuss."
Jiang Deqing nodded and led the servants away, along with the bound Fu Hailu. Once the room was empty, Qi Xiao's smile gradually faded. His voice turned cold: "You and Empress Feng really are husband and wife—even when speaking nonsense, you sound alike. Murdered my brother? Let me ask you first—where does Qi Hua qualify as my brother?"
The Emperor was speechless, his breathing growing heavier. Qi Xiao stepped forward slowly, fixing his gaze on the Emperor's eyes: "And more importantly... what right do you have to ask me this? You, of course, never murdered any brothers. But the moment your legitimate elder brother died in battle, you rushed to oppress his widow and orphans—ha! If you're not afraid of the world's condemnation, why should I be?!"
The events of that year were what the Emperor least wanted to recall. At these words, he flew into a great rage, pounding the bed and shouting furiously: "The throne passes to the brother upon the brother's death! What error is there in what I did?!"
"The error is that before 'brother succeeding brother,' there is 'father to son succeeding!'" Qi Xiao's eyes blazed with killing intent as he hissed, "Did my father the Emperor not name a Crown Prince?! As a mere son of a concubine—after being raised by the Empress for a few years, did you forget your roots? The legitimate line still has survivors! Why would your interference be necessary?!"
The Emperor was rendered utterly speechless by Qi Xiao's accusations. A wave of shame and nausea rose in his heart. Straining to raise his voice, he rebutted: "Your maternal family is already extinct! Your mother is still young. As head of the imperial clan, how could I stand by and watch the Great Xiang be destroyed..."
Qi Xiao stepped forward and grabbed the Emperor by his collar. The Emperor's voice cut off abruptly, looking at Qi Xiao in terror as he frantically clawed at the hands gripping him. No matter how he struggled, Qi Xiao remained unmoved. Coldly staring into the Emperor's panicked eyes, he said in a low voice: "Even now you still want to spin lies. Do you think I don't know better than anyone how my maternal grandparents' family died?!"
The Emperor never imagined that Qi Xiao could have discovered this. For a moment, panic overwhelmed him. He turned his face away, not daring to meet Qi Xiao's gaze. Qi Xiao seized his chin, forcing him to look: "My maternal grandfather's entire family were heroes. A dozen and more men bled and toiled defending the frontier for Great Xiang! You beast! For the sake of your own unspeakable desires, you actually had men disguise themselves as Northern Di deserters and murdered them all!"
"My youngest uncle was only sixteen when he died! Before he set out on campaign, my father the Emperor had betrothed him to a Jiang family daughter, promising the wedding would be held upon their triumphant return... That poor Jiang girl and the women of my maternal family's household waited day and night. After half a year of anxious waiting, what greeted them at the city gate was seventeen coffins..." Qi Xiao's eyes were bloodshot. "She was the girl of his dreams... The Jiang girl threw herself against the coffin and died! Qi Jing!! So many of my relatives—you murdered them all with your own hands! And now you dare tell me it was for the sake of Great Xiang?!"
The Emperor's throat was gripped, his face turning purple. He could not utter a single word, only shaking his head and making pitiful sounds. Qi Xiao shoved him away roughly. Watching the Emperor cough violently, he said coldly: "I forgot to mention—Noble Consort Xue's family, eager to curry favor with me, recently submitted a memorial requesting the posthumous honoring of my maternal family members who died in that battle. There were quite a few co-signatories, so I approved it..."
"Noble Consort Xue?" The Emperor looked at Qi Xiao in bewilderment, then suddenly understood everything. He flew into a rage: "That wicked woman! I treated her so well..."
"How she felt about your treatment, she knows best. But Noble Consort Xue is a pragmatic woman—ha... I'm not finished. The posthumous titles are one thing, but there's one clause I'm especially pleased about... enshrined in the Ancestral Temple alongside His Majesty."
Qi Xiao cackled with a cold laugh: "Qi Jing, in time your tablet will be placed in the Ancestral Temple too, and those dozen and more heroes of my maternal family will guard over you daily. The experience should be... quite something."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's face went deathly pale. After a long moment, he managed to compose himself somewhat and said in a low voice: "What... exactly do you want?" The Emperor looked at Qi Xiao, his voice trembling: "You specifically woke me up... surely not just to gloat?"
Qi Xiao smiled lightly, turned, and sat down, taking a sip of tea. After a while, he said slowly: "Of course there's still something I need you for..."
The Emperor was furious, then alarmed. His body could hardly sustain him. He slowly leaned back against the pillows behind him and said hoarsely: "I don't have long to live. At a time like this... do you really think I'll obey you?"
Qi Xiao set down his teacup and said carelessly: "Of course you wouldn't willingly let me have my way. I didn't expect you to. Waking you was simply so you could issue an edict."
The Emperor laughed coldly, coughing a few times before saying in a low voice: "Have me issue an edict on succession? Cough... Dream on..."
Qi Xiao chuckled: "Succession edict? No... What you must issue is an abdication edict."
The Emperor froze, then gasped in shock: "What did you say?!"
"What you must issue is an abdication edict." Qi Xiao spoke each word with deliberate precision. "Uncle, did you hear me clearly?"
The Emperor stared at Qi Xiao in disbelief: "You've gone mad?! You—"
"Rest assured, I will sit on this throne with proper legitimacy and rightful authority." Qi Xiao smiled faintly. He drew a document from his breast and handed it to the Emperor, saying slowly: "They drafted one already. You need only copy it."
The Emperor snatched the document. After skimming through it, he threw his head back and laughed wildly. After a long while, he gasped and spoke between laughter: "Ha! 'I was momentarily confused in those days, and thus usurped my nephew's throne...' Ha! 'Now my illness has reached the marrow, and I repent day and night, wishing I had never done it, therefore I erase the adoption from years past and pass the throne to the Crown Prince... to uphold righteousness and honor the ancestors...'"
The Emperor surged to his feet and hurled the document at Qi Xiao. He bellowed in rage: "In your dreams! You want to kill me, then do it! But for you to ask me to issue an edict like this—you... cough, cough, cough..."
The Emperor coughed violently, nearly suffocating. Qi Xiao raised an eyebrow and said with a cold smile: "Feeling disgraced? Hmph, you should be grateful. For the sake of the imperial family's dignity and to avoid complications for my reign, I didn't include the facts about how you strangled Consort Mei in the secret chamber and slaughtered loyal ministers! This is already polished up on your behalf!"
The Emperor glared at Qi Xiao with hatred, hissing: "You... you..."
"Don't worry, you have a choice." Qi Xiao suddenly smiled, then said slowly: "The best option is for you to be obedient. Follow my instructions, preside over the abdication ceremony as a proper host, and then I'll spare your life—just let you die slowly here in Chengqian Palace..."
Before the Emperor could speak, Qi Xiao smiled again: "I know you're not pleased. So here's option two. If you don't agree, we can wait it out. Qi Hua may be gone... but you still have many sons by concubines. I'll give you one day to think it over. If you still haven't agreed tomorrow, I'll execute Qi Qi. If you still refuse the day after, I'll execute Qi Li... Once the princes are all killed, there are still the princesses. I can keep executing for ten days or so. Take your time thinking."
The Emperor stared at Qi Xiao fixedly. Suddenly, he vomited a mouthful of blood. Qi Xiao acted as if he hadn't noticed, continuing with a smiling face: "If you still refuse even after everyone is dead, I'll simply send you on your way. But that edict will still be issued."
The Emperor wailed and howled: "If you kill all the princes and princesses... aren't you afraid of the world's judgment?!"
"Honestly, I truly don't care." Qi Xiao smiled lightly. "I'm not like you. I've never concerned myself with fame or loss. Besides, I never had a good reputation anyway. Everyone says I'm ruthless and merciless—so what? When I eliminate border threats and build a flourishing era, I'll still be remembered as a wise sovereign."
"Of course, I do hope you'll obediently follow my instructions. That way I avoid the crime of slaughtering the imperial family, and you get to keep a few of your sons by concubines."
The Emperor hesitated for a long while, then said in a low voice: "The imperial clan... Humph, I never counted on them. But what about the court officials? Surely not all of them are as treacherous as the Xue family?! You browbeat me, but when they face you..."
"They will learn whose side their loyalty should lie on."
Qi Xiao suddenly turned his head, frowning urgently: "Why are you here?!"
Even more startled than Qi Xiao was the Emperor, who looked at Bai Ren as if seeing a ghost. He choked out: "Bai Ren! When did you enter the capital?!"
Bai Ren was dressed in court robes and wore a seven-dragon crown, radiating noble and dignified presence. He gave Qi Xiao a gentle smile: "I heard His Majesty had awakened. I was afraid something might happen, so I came."
Bai Ren turned to look at the Emperor, his expression solemn and reserved: "Having heard that His Majesty is indisposed and wishes to pass the throne to the Crown Prince, we, your ministers, are overjoyed. Thus we have come to the capital to offer congratulations."
The Emperor flew into a fury: "King of Lingnan! Have you rebelled too?!"
"Yes." Bai Ren lowered his eyes. "This... He Hongluo said the same thing back then."
Bai Ren glanced at Qi Xiao and smiled faintly: "Back then, you defied the imperial decree to let me go... He Hongluo also asked you if you had rebelled..."
The Emperor was bewildered: "Back then... he let you go on purpose?"
"There was never any letter from the Western Barbarians. Wen Yu's alleged treason was a complete fabrication." Bai Ren looked at the Emperor with something like pity. "You refused to believe no matter what I said, time and again. You missed countless opportunities—all because you couldn't believe he would truly fall for me."
Bai Ren lowered his eyes and smiled: "I don't blame you. At first... I didn't believe it either."
Recalling all the events of the past, the Emperor's anger reached its peak. He wished he could tear Qi Xiao and Bai Ren to pieces! Bai Ren continued in his placid tone: "When did I arrive in the capital? Oh, that's been quite some time now... I've lived in the Crown Prince's residence for several months. Only you didn't know."
Bai Ren had none of the docile, lovable demeanor he showed with Qi Xiao. Every word struck straight at the Emperor's heart: "Huo Rong has long been loyal to His Highness the Crown Prince. Of course he wouldn't tell you."
The Emperor could bear it no longer. He burst into bitter, hysterical laughter—that hoarse voice was utterly jarring. Bai Ren watched the Emperor's tantrum calmly, then said in a low voice: "His Highness's temperament... His Majesty knows best. If he says he'll execute the princes, he means it. If Your Majesty still retains any familial feeling, you should issue the edict."
"Of course, Your Majesty may also choose to wait—to see if loyal court officials will submit a joint petition condemning the Crown Prince." Bai Ren's eyes were cold and sharp. "But my Lingnan warriors' blades and cavalry... cannot wait that long."
The Emperor was greatly shocked. Before he could speak, a young eunuch stumbled in, falling to his knees with a panicked, hoarse voice: "Terrible news! An eight-hundred-li emergency report from the southern frontier! The southern frontier... it's filled with troops now! The military is in chaos! They're urgently requesting His Highness and the cabinet ministers to discuss... Eh? What's this?"
The confused eunuch was dragged out by Wen Xiang who had arrived at the commotion. Bai Ren looked at the Emperor coldly: "Loyal officials? His Highness's men have already infiltrated the military. How many court officials truly remain loyal to you? Even if there are some... now that the King of Lingnan has come to remonstrate His Majesty and forcefully support the Crown Prince, would any dare speak further?!"
Qi Xiao's eyes burned with emotion. He wished he could pull Bai Ren into his embrace. Bai Ren, as if sharing his thoughts, turned and gave Qi Xiao a faint smile. Then he turned back to the Emperor, speaking each word with precision: "Honestly abdicate, or else... I will marshal all seventy-two tribes of Lingnan to march forth in defense of righteousness! Until the last drop of blood is spilled, we will never cease!"
This was the final straw that broke the camel's back. The Emperor let out a desperate, anguished howl and collapsed back onto the bed. Finally, he submitted to fate...
Qi Xiao took a deep breath and softly called for Jiang Deqing. Jiang Deqing had been waiting for this moment. His hands trembling, he hastily brought in the blank edict paper, brush, ink, and inkstone. The Emperor had no choice but to draft the edict. When it was done, Qi Xiao took the imperial seal and handed it to the Emperor. The Emperor turned his face away, refusing to accept it. Qi Xiao coldly laughed, seized the Emperor's hand by force, and pressed it down to make the seal!
From this day forward, Qi Xiao would no longer be the legitimate eldest son of Qi Jing. He would return to the household of Emperor Wu and Empress Xiaoxian.
From this day forward, the great injustice of years past would finally be redressed. The spirit of Emperor Wu would find peace, and the phoenix spirit of Empress Xiaoxian would finally rest in tranquility.
From this day forward, the legitimate line of the imperial Qi clan would return to its rightful place, proper and legitimate.
From this day forward... Qi Xiao looked at Bai Ren, his eyes brimming with tears. From this day forward, the Emperor of Great Xiang and the King of Lingnan could only be separated by death.
Court officials and members of the imperial clan, having received news of the Emperor's awakening, had hurried to Chengqian Palace. Whether by chance or design, they arrived at precisely this moment. The crowd stared blankly at the scene within the warm chamber—only to see the King of Lingnan, Dongling Bai Ren, his expression solemn and dignified, kneel properly before Qi Xiao and perform the full three kowtows and nine prostrations.
"Long live Your Majesty. Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years."
—The End—