"Yang Qing, did you hear me? I will not agree to this!" Jiang Zhizhou growled at Yang Qing.
Yang Qing's expression remained unchanged, but he smiled. "If I do not die, how else can I put their minds at ease?"
Jiang Zhizhou glared at him. "Even if someone must die, it will not be you! If you entertain that thought again, do not blame me for being harsh!"
Yang Qing smiled again, but upon seeing Jiang Zhizhou's dark expression, he quickly restrained his smile and tugged at him. "Sit down, and we can talk."
"If you do not give me an explanation, do not blame me for sparing you no dignity!" Jiang Zhizhou said fiercely.
When he heard that Yang Qing intended to die to quell the turmoil, his heart had been wracked with pain. Even his words carried a ruthlessness he had not noticed himself.
"His Majesty has sent people time and again for no reason other than his fear that, if I remain alive, I will shake the Chu dynasty's hold on the realm. His obsession runs deep. Ordinary methods naturally cannot put such thoughts to rest."
Yang Qing said, "Since he seeks benevolence, I shall grant him benevolence."
After his outburst of fury, Jiang Zhizhou's emotions had slowly begun to settle.
Now, hearing Yang Qing's words, he belatedly understood. "You mean to make them think you are dead?"
"Precisely." Yang Qing nodded.
Jiang Zhizhou said, "Convincing them through ordinary means will not be easy."
Yang Qing did not answer. Instead, he said, "I hear there is a sheer cliff on Spirit Mountain."
Their carriage had just reached the foot of Spirit Mountain.
Jiang Zhizhou paused. "Where did you hear that?"
Yang Qing waved a hand. "Leave aside where I heard it for now. Northern Liang's Dragon Vein