Lights

In just one night, Zichuan Canxing seemed to have aged ten years, yet gained a full measure of majesty.

"Oh, Axu, it's you! So early—I've only just gone to bed—what urgent matter is it?"

Zichuan Xiu lowered his head and explained everything. As he watched Zichuan Canxing's brows knit tighter and tighter, his voice grew softer and softer—but in the end, he still summoned the courage to ask Zichuan Canxing to pardon those officers who had not taken part in last night's rebellion.

Zichuan Canxing's brow relaxed again, and he spoke to him pleasantly.

"Axu, Sterling told me all about what you did last night. You performed exceptionally—brave! Your merits are no less than those of Sterling and Di Lin, my two ministers. You truly are worthy of being the man the late Commander-in-Chief favored, haha!"

"This subordinate dares not accept such praise, but, my lord..."

"I know your contributions well enough. Once I take charge of the family's affairs, I'll still need much support from you!"

"Your Lordship overpraises me. It is this subordinate's duty, but..."

"Of course, such great merit cannot be repaid with a casual word of thanks. Imperial Guard Commander Pigu is already quite advanced in years. In a few days, I will advise him to retire and resign. When that time comes, I shall recommend you to the Council of Elders as Imperial Guard Commander."

"Your Lordship's favor overwhelms me. This subordinate is deeply honored, but right now..."

"I believe the Council of Elders will grant me this favor, haha. You needn't worry—entering the Commanders' Office and taking part in family decisions before even reaching twenty: what an immense honor that is!"

"Yes! It is all thanks to Your Lordship's cultivation! But regarding this matter now..."

"Enough, enough! Let's leave it at that for today. I was awake all night yesterday. After all, I'm old; my energy cannot compare with you young people's. If there is anything else, come speak to me another day. In the future, I will grant you the right to seek a direct audience. For now, withdraw." As Zichuan Canxing spoke, he turned to leave the reception hall...

"My lord!" Zichuan Xiu cried out at the top of his lungs. "I beg you for mercy! More than three hundred lives!"

His wail even startled the Imperial Guards outside the room, who came in to investigate.

Zichuan Canxing's face seemed coated in frost. He did not say a word.

An unbearable silence filled the room.

"Deputy Commander Xiuchuan, whose retainer are you truly—the Zichuan Family's, or Yang Minghua's?"

"My lord, this subordinate is utterly loyal to the family, with no divided heart!"

"Utterly loyal? Your sworn elder brother Di Lin leaves not a single rebel alive. Your second brother Sterling is likewise so steadfastly loyal. Why can't you follow their example? Why do you keep speaking up, again and again, for the remnants of the rebel faction?"

"I beg Your Lordship to judge clearly. This subordinate's loyalty to the Commander-in-Chief and the family is absolutely no less than Lord Di Lin's or Lord Sterling's."

"Is that so? Then answer me this: since returning to the imperial capital, how many times have you come to see me? Sterling asked you to pledge loyalty to me—why did you delay your answer for a full two months? As an officer of the family, loyalty to the Commander-in-Chief is only natural and right. Yet you actually said you needed to consider it! And you call that utter loyalty?"

Zichuan Xiu could not say a word.

"Watch yourself, Lin He. Are you being so presumptuous because you are arrogant over your achievements?"

Zichuan Xiu's body trembled. Lin He had been his original name before Zichuan Yuanxing adopted him, but almost no one had called him that for nearly ten years. For Zichuan Canxing to say it now was undoubtedly a mockery: no matter what, he did not possess Zichuan blood...

"My lord, this subordinate has absolutely no thought of growing arrogant over his merits. But I beg Your Lordship to consider that this subordinate also did his part last night in defending the sovereign and protecting the nation. Though my small contribution is hardly worth mentioning, if it can be exchanged for the lives of those in the Central Army..."

Zichuan Xiu slowly dropped to both knees and prostrated himself, his forehead striking the floor with an audible thud. When he raised his head again, blood streamed across his face from his brow, tears flowed from his eyes, and he stared fixedly at Zichuan Canxing without speaking.

Zichuan Canxing froze. The guards beside him froze as well...

Someone knelt beside Zichuan Xiu. "My lord, please allow this subordinate to petition alongside Axu: enough people have died tonight. No more can be killed!"

At some point, Sterling had entered the room as well. He had clearly just returned from pursuing the enemy outside the city; sweat and blood covered him, and his face was deathly pale. "When this subordinate returned, I saw corpses everywhere in the imperial capital. Routed soldiers were looting, murdering, violating women... Our most urgent task is to restore discipline and steady the people's hearts!"

"So we simply let those remnants of the Central Army go?" No matter what, Zichuan Canxing had to give some face to this most loyal of his generals, and his tone had already softened.

Sterling hurriedly said, "As long as we strip them of their positions and remove their military authority, then transfer loyal commanders from the Imperial Guards and the Far East Army to replace them, they will be powerless even if they wish to do evil!"

Zichuan Xiu hurriedly added, "And Your Lordship's reputation as a benevolent ruler, magnanimous and merciful, will surely move even those stubborn, unenlightened men, winning their hearts and bringing them to submission!"

"Fine. Both of you, get up first!"

Zichuan Canxing pondered for a long while before finally saying, "Since Deputy Commander Xiuchuan petitions to exchange his merits for their lives, and you, Sterling, are petitioning alongside him—I grant your request!"

Zichuan Xiu and Sterling were overjoyed. "We beg Your Lordship to sign the written order at once, so that Commander Di Lin may be informed."

With the written order in hand, Zichuan Xiu dashed from the Commander-in-Chief's Mansion like the wind. Sterling chased after him, asking, "Axu, is the wound on your forehead all right?"

"Oh, do you remember those fake blood packs Di Lin used for movie makeup, the kind used to simulate injuries? There was a little left over from last time..."

Zichuan Xiu raced all the way back to the Central Army's main camp and charged straight to the entrance of the assembly hall, shouting joyfully, "Five minutes left! Spare them beneath the blade, Di Lin!"

He entered the hall and froze. The corpses of more than three hundred officers lay strewn across the entire hall, crisscrossed in every direction. Blood gurgled out through the doorway...

The only person standing amid the heap of corpses was Di Lin. He turned and flashed Zichuan Xiu a brilliant smile. "You're back, Axu! I've been waiting for you for so long."

Zichuan Xiu only felt a sweetness rise in his heart, followed by a wave of dizziness. Darkness fell before his eyes...

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Di Lin's concerned expression.

"Axu, wake up, wake up! Don't scare me! If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to Miss..."

Zichuan Xiu asked weakly, "Why did you do this..."

Di Lin fell silent.

"Why did you do this?"

"I know the Chief Commander better than you do—he's a man who keeps score and is full of suspicion. Perhaps you forced him into signing the pardon—but if the Central Army men escape punishment because of this, he'll bear a grudge against you. I'm doing this for your own good."

"Axu, you need to understand: if these words reach the Chief Commander's ears, I'll be dead beyond doubt."

"Do you remember? I once said there were only three people in this world I couldn't bear to kill: you, Sterling, and Lin Xiujia."

"Why did I have to involve myself in such a perilous struggle? Why did I have to spend so many years as an undercover agent, plagued by nightmares every night? What was so good about Zichuan Canxing that I had to betray Yang Minghua for him? And why did I have to stain my hands with so much blood and make a heap of enemies?"

"Axu..."

Zichuan Xiu looked at Di Lin's face. Through the haze, he seemed to see two people.

Di Lin, his face spattered with blood, grinning ferociously as he waved a hand and ordered a massacre, unmoved as countless heads fell—Di Lin, so "bewitchingly beautiful"...

And Di Lin now, holding him in his arms, his eyes brimming with sincere concern and profound pain, Di Lin whose warm, masculine, hot-blooded body heat he could feel...

The two images gradually merged into one.

Zichuan Xiu struggled to his feet and walked outside.

Di Lin's voice came from behind him. "You've only just woken up. Where are you going?"

"Home..." Zichuan Xiu muttered. "I'm going home."

Shirakawa and the others appeared at Zichuan Xiu's side. "My lord, let's go home. The young lady is still waiting for you."

Zichuan Xiu slowly looked over his subordinates. "All right, we're going back—forget it. To hell with everything."

A burst of jubilant cheers rose up.

Zichuan Ning's estate was perhaps the only peaceful place in the imperial capital that night. Although Sterling knew Yang Minghua had no intention of killing Zichuan Ning, he still dispatched an Imperial Guard regiment to protect her, just in case. After Di Lin entered the city, he too sent a troop of cavalry to patrol the area and prevent any mishap.

Dawn had begun to brighten the sky, yet light still shone from the window of the room in the little building where Zichuan Ning lived.

The Imperial Guard officer responsible for security knew him. He reported to Zichuan Xiu, "Everything is safe!"

Then he added in a low voice, "The light never went out all night."

Zichuan Xiu stared blankly at the light, a song echoing through his heart again and again:

"There was a young maiden, Who sent a soldier off to war.

They bade farewell in the night, There before the steps.

Through the faint mist, The young man saw

That before his beloved's window, A lamp had stayed lit all night."

Before he knew it, tears were already streaming down his face.