Chapter 10

How could this happen?

Those four words were all that remained in Meng Xizhao’s mind.

He had already been avoiding the male lead. How had the male lead still found him?!

Was the force of the plot truly that powerful?!

The male lead—seventeen-year-old Zhan Buxiu—looked at Meng Xizhao as though he were the vilest scum in existence, deserving death a thousand times over.

His voice, hoarse with rage, rang out: “You dog of a villain! Today I will kill you!”

Meng Xizhao felt dazed.

It seemed the plot had indeed changed. Zhan Buxiu was no longer planning to drag him into the streets for public execution. Instead, he had decided to end his life right here in this room.

…This was even worse than the original plot!

Meng Xizhao had no idea what had gone wrong behind the scenes. Zhan Buxiu was already raising the hammer, ready to send him physically ascending to the heavens. Meng Xizhao’s breath hitched. Suddenly, he shouted, “Wait!”

Zhan Buxiu paused instinctively. Before he could react further, Meng Xizhao seized the initiative. “Who are you?”

Zhan Buxiu sneered. “When you reach the underworld, you will know!”

Meng Xizhao said, “If you are going to kill me, at least tell me who you are. Let me die understanding.”

That seemed reasonable. Killing someone for the first time, Zhan Buxiu lacked experience. After knitting his brows for a moment, he actually declared his name. “Then remember this. The one who kills you is called Zhan Buxiu. If you seek revenge, come find me eighteen years from now. At that time, I will surely kill you again!”

Inside, Meng Xizhao wept.

Good lad, you are truly cooperative.

A seventeen-year-old male lead was indeed still tender. If this had been the twenty-seven-year-old version, he would not have been so easily fooled.

The moment he heard the name, Meng Xizhao’s expression transformed at once—four parts shock, three parts heartbreak, two parts sudden understanding, and one part desolate sorrow.

A perfectly balanced pie chart of emotion.

Zhan Buxiu was stunned by the complicated look on Meng Xizhao’s face. In that brief instant, Meng Xizhao knew he had taken the bait. He staggered back two steps on the spot, bracing himself against the table behind him, and let out a bitter laugh.

“I was wondering who they would send… so it is you.”

Zhan Buxiu’s nerves tightened at once. “No one sent me. You were the one who abducted my sister!”

Meng Xizhao suddenly looked up, disappointment written plainly in his eyes. “Did you see me do it? Or did you see my men do it? As the only son of Zhan Shenyu, I thought you would be a man of depth and vision, one capable of shaking mountains and rivers. I did not expect you to be such a complete fool.”

The moment the name Zhan Shenyu was spoken, Zhan Buxiu’s expression changed dramatically.

If looks could kill, Meng Xizhao would already have been sliced into sashimi.

…

Gripping the hammer tightly, Zhan Buxiu ground his teeth so hard it made Meng Xizhao’s scalp prickle. “Do not mention my father! You have no right to speak of him. None of you do!”

Meng Xizhao looked at him coldly. Even though his legs were trembling so badly he could barely move, he forced himself to maintain his bearing.

At this moment, the male lead truly was a nobody. No title, no official post. In Yingtian Prefecture, where one brick could knock out three officials, he was insignificant to the extreme.

But his father was a different matter entirely.

Zhan Shenyu—General Zhan, also known as the War General—had never lost a battle in his life. He had rescued countless suffering civilians and given them hope of survival. And just when that hope had spread to its widest extent, the foolish emperor colluded with a cabal of treacherous ministers, lured him back to court, fabricated more than a dozen baseless charges, and condemned the hero to die in injustice.

When the Administrative Office later fell, over a hundred accusations were listed against them. But in Zhan Shenyu’s case, though his enemies had leapt about frantically, desperate to tack on even the slaughter of a chicken in his childhood, they had managed to produce barely a dozen charges. That alone showed how upright and incorruptible he had been.

He was Great Qi’s version of Yue Fei—and in some ways, he had possessed an even greater advantage. Yue Fei had lived in the Southern Song, a dynasty already stable for over a century. The emperor’s authority was absolute; however much the people resented him, they dared not rebel. Great Qi was different. It had been founded only a few decades ago. The people had scarcely enjoyed any years of peace. Their loyalty to the dynasty and the imperial clan was shallow at best.

That was why his son, with a single call to arms, could rally widespread support. In just four years, he marched his troops to the gates of Yingtian Prefecture and slaughtered the foolish emperor and his entire household to avenge his father.

At this moment, as Meng Xizhao looked at Zhan Buxiu, he suddenly understood why, even though Meng Xizhao had never succeeded in violating his sister, Zhan Buxiu had still dragged him into the streets and crushed his legs in the cruelest manner—yet refrained from killing him.

Because he hated him. He wanted him to live in a state worse than death.

And that hatred did not truly stem from his sister. It came from his father—Zhan Shenyu.

When his father had been framed, the treacherous faction had orchestrated everything. But the public did not know which officials were involved, nor who had been the mastermind. From the moment of deception to the execution, it had taken only three days. How could the common people know what transpired behind the scenes? All they saw was that after Zhan Shenyu’s death, the Zhan family estate had been confiscated—and the man leading the confiscation was Meng Xizhao’s father, Meng Jiuyu.

Meng Xizhao: “…………”

What rotten luck.

Because of that single incident, Meng Jiuyu’s reputation had become utterly foul. Though he was merely Vice Chancellor, among the common people he was called the number one traitorous minister. Adults even used his name to frighten children—“Behave, or Meng Jiuyu will come confiscate your house.” As if he possessed such power. Meng Jiuyu had risen from humble origins. Aside from his wife’s family, he had no strong backing. In court he impeached this official and that one merely to protect himself—because if he did not strike first, others would strike him.

He had indeed contributed to the corruption of the court. But the death of Zhan Shenyu? That had not been his doing.

Knowing that himself was useless. He had to make others know it—especially Zhan Buxiu.

Meng Xizhao looked at Zhan Buxiu, whose eyes were already red with rage, and silently offered an apology in his heart.

Then he swung his arm in a full arc and delivered a solid slap across Zhan Buxiu’s face.

Zhan Buxiu: “…………”

His head snapped to the side. A vivid red handprint bloomed on his cheek. After two breaths, he slowly turned back, his eyes filled with naked disbelief.

Meng Xizhao steadied himself. Only a flicker of guilt crossed his face before he straightened his spine again. “Still not awake?”

“When someone sets a trap for you, you rush headlong into it without a second thought. Do you even know who I am? Judging by your expression, you do. Then do you know what will happen to you if you kill me?”

His face was full of anguish. “Do you think the Zhan family’s situation is not dire enough already? In broad daylight, making such a spectacle of killing the son of a Participating Governor—you would not have enough heads to lose! Perhaps you think your own life is worthless, that losing it means nothing. But what about your sister? What about your grandfather?”

Zhan Buxiu froze for a moment, then shot back, “How do you know I have a grandfather?”

Meng Xizhao gave a cold laugh. “Do you think everyone lives in a muddle like you, unaware of the year or the day?”

Zhan Buxiu: “…”

Meng Xizhao continued, “I know not only that you have a grandfather—I know your life has not been easy. You carry sacks at the granary and keep accounts just to bring some income home. I wonder what your father would think, if he knew from beyond the grave.”

The veins in Zhan Buxiu’s neck bulged. “Do not mention him again!”

Meng Xizhao did not indulge him. He shouted back at once, “Why should he not be mentioned?!”

“It is not only you who has endured ten years of hardship! Yes, your life has been difficult—but do you think others have had it easy? My father has been pointed at by thousands, cursed by tens of thousands. In court he walks on burning oil, each step taken with utmost caution. How many times has he been pushed out as a scapegoat? Have you ever heard him complain?”

Zhan Buxiu was shocked and enraged at once—and at the same time, a chill crept into his heart.

What was Meng Xizhao trying to say?

Back then, it had been Meng Jiuyu who led the men to confiscate their estate, driving the entire family out of their ancestral home. That very night, his mother had hanged herself in the new residence. And now Meng Jiuyu dared to complain… What right did he have to complain?!

Meng Xizhao watched the shifting expressions on Zhan Buxiu’s face. Judging the timing to be right, he raised a hand and pointed straight at him as he began to scold.

“How stupid must you be to believe that everything was my father’s doing? Has this entire realm already taken the surname Meng? My father was personally named Third Laureate by the late emperor. He has drifted through the official world for years—do you truly think he would gleefully volunteer to carry out a thankless task like confiscating a household? Everyone knows to leave a line of retreat for the future. If it had not been the emperor’s command, he would never have waded into the muddy waters of the Zhan family!”

He wiped his face. Under Zhan Buxiu’s stiff stare, Meng Xizhao leaned back and let out a breath.

His voice dropped abruptly. “The official world is a battlefield without visible blood. My father had no choice. He has my mother, my elder brother, my younger sister—and me. He is bound by ties as well. He cannot act purely on his own will. In this life, one must always choose. If one chooses survival, one must sacrifice righteousness. I was still young then, but I saw how he lay awake night after night. My mother watched in heartache, yet could only console him. At least he left your family a residence. That was already the fulfillment of old collegial affection…”

Zhan Buxiu’s eyes flew wide.

That residence—the one he had hated so bitterly, that new home—had been left to them by Meng Jiuyu?

Well, strictly speaking, that was true. But Meng Jiuyu’s reason had been rather different. He had thought that a household of widows and orphans being cast into the streets would look bad. Leaving them a worthless house would cost little—and later he could curry favor before the emperor. Showing imperial compassion toward a disgraced official’s family would give the emperor face and earn him hidden credit.

Those cruel truths were better left unsaid. Otherwise, Meng Xizhao doubted he would walk out of this room alive.

Even so, what he had already said was enough to shatter Zhan Buxiu’s worldview.

The enemy I thought was my enemy… is not my enemy?

How could that be?!

After a stunned pause, Zhan Buxiu suddenly flew into a rage. “You think I will believe you just because you say these things?!”

Meng Xizhao had thrown himself so deeply into his performance that when he snapped his head up, the ferocity in his eyes startled even Zhan Buxiu.

“I do not care whether you believe me or not! A hero dies unjustly, loyal bones buried without honor. Thirty years of merit reduced to dust and soil. Who will settle the vast and lingering hatred that remains? You may continue being your muddled fool if you wish—but I will walk my own path. Take your sister home. Let today be as though it never happened. I will uncover who is pulling the strings behind the scenes. You have only one task—do not become the stumbling block in my way.”

To be called a stumbling block was an insult Zhan Buxiu could not easily swallow. His chest heaved with anger, yet for a long while, he could not produce a single word.

Was this another lie?

But… it did not feel like one.

If it were not a lie, then why did all of Yingtian Prefecture treat Meng Xizhao as a useless wastrel? If he had been deceiving the world, what was his purpose?

The vast and lingering hatred… Could it be that Meng Xizhao intended to be the one to settle it?

Zhan Buxiu stared at him fixedly. Just as the tension thickened—

A soft female voice sounded from the side.

“Brother, let us go.”

Both men turned at once. Zhan Hui had awakened at some point, perhaps roused by their shouting.

She glanced once at Meng Xizhao, then quickly lowered her head and moved to Zhan Buxiu’s side. Gently yet firmly, she tugged at his sleeve.

Zhan Buxiu remained silent. With a clang, he dropped the hammer to the ground, the vibration numbing Meng Xizhao’s feet.

The siblings left together. Before stepping over the threshold, Zhan Buxiu looked back once more—but all he saw was Meng Xizhao’s indifferent profile.

Without another word, he departed with his sister.

After they were gone, Meng Xizhao held himself upright for one more minute.

Then he collapsed onto the floor.

Pa—passed!

He had passed this hurdle!

His legs were saved!

His emotions had swung violently from peak to abyss. Now that the tension snapped, even stars danced before his eyes. His legs had no strength at all. Yet even if he had to crawl, he would crawl out of this cursed place.

Leave! Go home! Never come here again!

Supporting himself against the wall, he staggered out. The gatekeeper lay beside the screen wall, face covered in blood. Meng Xizhao pretended not to see and kept moving.

He did not know how long he walked. Finally, he could go no farther. Panting, he sank down where he stood, not caring that the ground was dusty. He needed to rest.

Head lowered, he was replaying every word he had spoken, checking for flaws, when suddenly a shadow fell across him.

Meng Xizhao looked up in confusion—and met a pair of eyes bright as stars, smiling down at him.

“Brother, are you all right?”

Meng Xizhao: “……”