The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 511 Only through loss can one gain insight.

In the days that followed, although Li Xingyun issued an edict to appease the people and the Jiangdu Prefecture of Yangzhou tried its best to maintain the festive atmosphere, the desolate and tense atmosphere in the city could not be completely concealed.

However, it is worth mentioning that after Li Xingyun's court battle with Xu Wen and Zhang Hao that day, whether the Southern Tang emperor finally realized his slip of the tongue or still had to rely on the support of these two powerful ministers from Wu, he secretly held a banquet and invited the two to the palace to gently persuade them.

At the banquet, Li Xingyun spoke nothing but the same old truths, namely that it was not advisable to harm the people's strength and not to make people's hearts lean more towards the Central Plains.

Zhang and Xu readily bowed their heads, claiming it was all for the sake of the country, and after this exchange between the ruler and his subjects, it seemed as if the matter was over, and they focused on dealing with the threat from the north.

After personally seeing the two off from the palace, Li Xingyun dismissed his attendants and stood alone in the imperial study for a moment. Gazing at the gray sky outside the window, he took a deep breath, as if trying to dispel the pent-up emotions in his heart.

In terms of political maneuvering and scheming, a hundred Li Xingyuns wouldn't be as good as half of Xu Wen. The two men were perfectly aware of how much of his performance was genuine and how much was feigned. But truth and falsehood were irrelevant; as long as he maintained the facade, he could temporarily mediate between the two sides for a while.

It's no wonder Li Xingyun adopted this stance. Xu Wen and Zhang Hao commanded all the armies in Wu, both domestically and internationally, and Zhu Jin was also among them. They could have kept the two in check, but after Zhu Jin was recalled to Yangzhou, he was gradually stripped of his military power and no longer posed a threat to the two.

Zhang and Xu had followed Yang Xingmi, the former ruler of Wu, for many years. Their foundation was far superior to that of Zhu Jin. Moreover, their subordinates were spread throughout the court and the country. For example, Yan Keqiu, the Vice Minister of the Chancellery, Zhong Taizhang, the General of the Left Imperial Guard, and Luo Zhixiang, the Deputy Privy Councilor, were all their henchmen. They firmly controlled Wu's military, political and financial affairs. If in the past the two were vying for power, they could still check each other. Now that they were united against a common enemy, they were not easily shaken.

Among the various towns in Jiangnan, the Wu Kingdom was originally the strongest vassal state. Before this, the other kingdoms, such as the Chu Kingdom, the Wuyue Kingdom, and the Min Kingdom, had all submitted to the Central Plains. The fact that the four kingdoms could unite as one and jointly respect the Yangzhou court was certainly due to Li Xingyun's status as a prince of the Li Tang dynasty, but fundamentally, it was because of the influence of Zhang and Xu.

After all, the three kingdoms of Wu and Yue were united around the kingdom of Wu, and the kingdom of Wu was controlled by Zhang and Xu. Without them, the kingdom of Wu would immediately fall into chaos, and the so-called Southern Tang court would instantly disintegrate. Therefore, even Sima Hui, the "Heavenly Star" from the novel "The Bad Guys," did not recommend that Li Xingyun easily provoke Xu and Wen.

However, the situation has become increasingly tense, and everyone is waiting for the moment when they will finally let go, not only in Jiangbei, but also in Jiangnan.

Everyone understood that they had to gain the upper hand.

The sound of light footsteps came from behind, and a palace attendant hurried in.

"Your Majesty, Vice Minister Zhang has arrived."

Li Xingyun turned around and nodded, instructing him to lead the person in.

The door opened and closed slightly, but the person who entered was not Zhang Zifan, but a slender figure.

Lu Linxuan wore a simple lake-blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with a light yellow short jacket over it. Her hair was simply tied up in a bun, without any jewelry, only secured with an ordinary silver hairpin. Her complexion seemed a little rosier than when she first arrived in Yangzhou two months ago, but today she appeared somewhat uneasy.

Upon entering the room, she saw Li Xingyun waiting there, paused slightly, and hesitated for a moment.

"Brother..."

Li Xingyun turned to look at her, trying to force a relaxed smile as usual, but his lips twitched slightly and seemed weak. So he simply said, "Nothing went wrong, right? Shangrao... she'll be here shortly."

Lu Linxuan shook his head, his gaze lingering on his face for a moment before he lowered his eyes again: "I've caused you trouble, Senior Brother."

"Don't talk nonsense." Li Xingyun walked closer to her, lowering his voice. "In the current situation, every extra person helps. Besides..."

He paused, seemingly unsure how to continue, and finally said only, "When you see Shangrao later, if she has anything to say... please bear with her."

Lu Linxuan gave a soft "hmm," and the hall fell silent for a moment. Li Xingyun didn't know what to say, so they simply sat opposite each other and chatted about random things.

Since he had promised Shangrao to facilitate their meeting, he naturally couldn't let Shangrao down. Therefore, two days ago, he asked Zhang Zifan to secretly bring Lu Linxuan, who was living in seclusion outside the city with Xu Huan, the Grand Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion, into the city in preparation for the two women to meet.

Shangrao was already quite ill, making it inconvenient for him to enter or leave the palace, especially at this critical juncture.

Fortunately, the two senior and junior disciples, who were momentarily at a loss for words, did not have to wait too long. Footsteps and a maid's gentle reminder came from outside the hall. The beaded curtain swayed, and Princess Shangrao, dressed in magnificent palace attire and with her belly clearly protruding, slowly walked in, supported by her personal maid.

She had clearly dressed up carefully today, with her hair adorned with jewels and her face lightly powdered, trying to maintain the demeanor of an empress. However, the fullness brought on by pregnancy, the slight slowness in her steps, and her somewhat unsteady appearance made her efforts all too obvious, allowing Lu Linxuan, who had spent nearly two years in Bianjing, to see right through her.

Shangrao first glanced at Li Xingyun naturally, then turned curiously to Lu Linxuan beside her. Her eyes were clear, with a hint of undisguised scrutiny, but not much hostility. It was more like the novelty of seeing a legendary figure.

Li Xingyun stepped forward, took Shangrao's other arm, and led her to sit down in the main seat. His voice was somewhat embarrassed as he said, "It's cold outside, sit down and warm up. This is my junior sister whom I often mention to you... Lu Linxuan."

He then turned to Lu Linxuan, trying to keep his tone relaxed: "Linxuan, this is your sister-in-law, Shangrao."

Following proper etiquette, Lu Linxuan curtsied and said, "This humble woman, Lu Linxuan, greets Your Majesty the Empress."

After she finished bowing, she raised her head and looked at Shang Rao. Seeing her deliberately putting on an empress-like demeanor, a smile appeared on her lips, and she added, "Sister-in-law."

When Shangrao saw Lu Linxuan, her face was beautiful but lacked the seductive charm of rumors, and her eyes were clear and open, completely different from what he had imagined. His hostility had already lessened considerably. When he heard her call him "sister-in-law" so naturally and affectionately, he felt even closer to her.

Her composure faltered slightly, and a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips. She glanced at Li Xingyun beside her, quite pleased with his tact, and quickly raised her hand to help him up: "Oh dear, get up, get up. We're family, no need for such formalities. I've heard this guy talk about his junior sister before, and today I've finally met her!"

Shangrao suddenly became very talkative, revealing a touch of coquettishness: "Since you call me sister-in-law, then I'll call you Lin Xuan from now on! Your senior brother has already told me about your journey from the north; it must have been hard for you. Sit down and let's talk. You really are—"

She glared at Li Xingyun, "Are you just going to let your beloved junior sister stand there like this?"

Seeing that the atmosphere between the two was so harmonious during their first meeting, Li Xingyun felt relieved and a genuine smile appeared on his face. He readily invited Lu Linxuan to sit down.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Shangrao curiously moved closer, scrutinizing Lu Linxuan with sparkling eyes: "Linxuan, you look so young! Are you really from the same sect as your senior brother? When he was learning his skills at Qingcheng Mountain, was he like this too? Sometimes he seemed quite clever, but actually he was silly and did all sorts of stupid things that made people laugh and cry?"

Her question was direct and naive, completely forgetting the empress's dignity she had just tried to maintain, leaving only the curiosity of a little girl asking about interesting things.

Upon hearing this, Lu Linxuan couldn't help but smile and glanced at the slightly embarrassed Li Xingyun: "To be honest, sister-in-law, my senior brother had some interesting stories from his childhood... well, there are some interesting ones."

"Tell me! Tell me!" Shangrao urged excitedly, completely intrigued.

Li Xingyun immediately felt a headache coming on and quickly interjected, "Hey, these are all old stories, what's there to talk about? Shangrao, you're not feeling well these days, you can't overexert yourself..."

"I'm perfectly fine!" Shangrao interrupted him impatiently, giving him a reproachful glare. "If you won't let Lin Xuan talk, you're hiding something! Lin Xuan, ignore him and tell me!"

Li Xingyun could only smile wryly and stepped forward to pour Shangrao a cup of hot drink: "She's new here, so it's understandable that she's reserved. You shouldn't make things difficult for her, and you shouldn't make things difficult for me either."

He tried to steer the conversation away from the topic, saying, "Speaking of which, you two are quite similar in personality; you're both quick-witted and intelligent, and sometimes a little willful..."

"Who's being willful?"

Shangrao glared at him immediately, then ignored him and looked at Lu Linxuan, "Junior sister, ignore him, let's talk about his shameful deeds."

Lu Linxuan had been quite apprehensive about coming here, but the overwhelming enthusiasm from Shangrao surprised her.

She looked up at Li Xingyun and saw his embarrassed expression. He kept giving her meaningful glances, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve up. In her calm and reserved demeanor after returning to Yangzhou, she had regained some of her former mischievousness.

She thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "My senior brother... mainly studied medicine with our master on Mount Qingcheng, but he was very playful. He often didn't finish the homework our master assigned, so he would ask me to cover for him. Once, he went to the back mountain to steal roasted pheasant and almost set the forest on fire. Our master punished him by making him sweep the ground for a whole month, and he still insisted that I put in a good word for him. I..."

Upon hearing this, Li Xingyun immediately put his hand to his forehead and let out a helpless groan: "Hey, hey, hey, let's not talk about this anymore..."

Shangrao's eyes lit up slightly upon hearing this, and she burst out laughing, as if she were seeing a completely different Li Xingyun, a past she had never been a part of.

She laughed, subconsciously stroking her swollen belly, her tone becoming much more lively: "Just as I thought, this is something he would do. I knew it! His serious demeanor right now is all an act! Lin Xuan, tell me again, is there anything else?"

Seeing that Shangrao was interested, Lu Linxuan carefully recounted a few harmless anecdotes, such as how Li Xingyun was flustered when he first learned medicine, didn't diligently memorize medical books, and often made mistakes in identifying herbs. Shangrao listened with great interest, occasionally letting out light laughter, and even interjecting with a few teasing remarks about Li Xingyun.

Li Xingyun listened from the side and watched as the two women were able to meet here in this way. He was filled with mixed feelings, both happy and ashamed. However, the heavy burden that had been pressing down on him seemed to have eased a little.

He noticed that as Lu Linxuan narrated, her eyes would inadvertently glance at Shangrao's pregnant belly. Her gaze was complex, filled with concern and worry, but it lacked the jealousy or resentment often seen in women her age. He felt a sense of relief.

During a brief pause in their conversation, Lu Linxuan picked up his teacup, hesitated for a moment, then suddenly looked up, his clear gaze fixed on the Empress Dowager in the main seat: "Your Majesty the Empress."

Shangrao was holding a pastry when she heard the sound and looked at her, somewhat surprised by Lu Linxuan's sudden seriousness.

“My senior brother and I grew up together and went through life and death together, so our bond is truly extraordinary. In my heart, he will always be one of the most important family members. But I know that he is now your husband and the father of the child in your womb. This is a fact that no one can change.”

"Lin Xuan's trip south this time is by no means to compete for anything. It is only because he knows that Jiangbei is preparing for war, and his senior brother's elder brother is really... and his senior brother is one of my only remaining relatives in this world. He only hopes to do his bit to help his senior brother and the Empress overcome the current difficulties. He has no other intentions."

Lu Linxuan met Shangrao's gaze honestly: "To me, my senior brother is my senior brother, a family member, nothing more. I can swear here that from now on, I will never do anything to trouble the Empress. Heaven and earth bear witness."

After he finished speaking, the study fell silent.

Li Xingyun stared blankly at Lu Linxuan, her chest feeling as if something was blocking it, a mix of bitterness and guilt surging within her, and in the end she could only let out a soft sigh.

Shangrao also put away her smile and carefully examined Lu Linxuan. Born into a royal family and raised in the palace, she was naturally spoiled, but she was also used to hypocrisy and scheming, and ordinary people could not be fooled. Yet at this moment, she saw only clear and honest eyes in those bright eyes.

There was concern, worry, and nostalgia for the past in it, but not the ambition and jealousy that she was most wary of.

After a long while, Shangrao gently put down the half-eaten pastry in her hand, took a silk handkerchief and wiped her hands. She nodded thoughtfully, looked at Lu Linxuan again, and suddenly reached out her hand to her.

Lu Linxuan hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and placed his hand in Shangrao's. Shangrao's hand was warm and soft, yet her grip was firm.

"Alright." Shangrao looked at her, a smile returning to his face. "Your personality suits my temperament. You're much better than those people in the palace who only know how to be obsequious or gossip behind my back. Fine, I'll accept you as my sister."

Her tone shifted, taking on a princess-like air of arrogance: "But now that you've acknowledged me as your sister-in-law, you'll have to listen to me in this palace! If anyone bullies you, just say my name. And if... if that guy Li Xingyun dares to bully you, tell me too, and I'll teach him a lesson for you!" As she spoke, she deliberately glared at Li Xingyun.

Li Xingyun could only smile wryly and say, "Yes, so if there is an opportunity in the future, Lin Xuan can often come to the palace to talk to you and relieve your boredom."

A huge weight lifted from Lu Linxuan's heart. Although she knew the road ahead was still fraught with danger, this brief moment of peace was invaluable. She curtsied slightly, "Thank you, sister-in-law."

"Alright, alright, we're family, no need for formalities." Shangrao was in a good mood today, and chatted with Lu Linxuan for a while, asking about the customs and culture of the Central Plains, but cleverly avoiding some sensitive topics.

After sitting for a while, Shangrao looked tired, so Li Xingyun instructed the maid to carefully escort her back to the palace to rest.

After seeing Shangrao off, only Li Xingyun and Lu Linxuan remained in the hall. Li Xingyun said softly, "Thank you, Junior Sister." Lu Linxuan shook her head, "Senior Brother, I'm telling you the truth. Right now... protecting my sister-in-law and the child in her womb is the most important thing. Nothing else matters."

Li Xingyun sighed heavily, and was about to say something when a very slight knock came from outside the hall, followed by Zhang Zifan's low voice: "Your Majesty, Tianyouxing has urgent business to discuss with you."

Li Xingyun's expression hardened, and he exchanged a glance with Lu Linxuan before quickly composing himself: "Let her in."

Shortly after, Shi Yao followed Zhang Zifan into the room. Without even glancing at Lu Linxuan, she quickly curtsied and said, "Your Majesty, the Commander-in-Chief has arrived in Yangzhou and sent a message to his subordinates, requesting that Your Majesty meet him at the Huai River east of the city."

Finally, the wait was over. Li Xingyun felt relieved, but his face remained calm: "Zifan, get ready. Come with me. Remember to be discreet."

"Yes."

Li Xingyun then looked at Lu Linxuan: "Linxuan, why don't you stay in the palace and rest for now? What happened today..."

“I understand.” Lu Linxuan interrupted him, his eyes clear. “Be careful, Senior Brother.”

Li Xingyun nodded, said no more, turned around and strode out of the study.

A moment later, an inconspicuous green-canopied carriage silently drove out of the palace gate in the increasingly dim light, passed through the increasingly deserted streets of Yangzhou, and headed straight for the east of the city.

After disguising herself, Shi Yao drove the car herself. Inside, Li Xingyun and Zhang Zifan sat in silence, with only the monotonous sound of the wheels rolling repeating.

After traveling for nearly half an hour, the moisture outside the window gradually thickened, and the wind carried the distinctive dampness of the river. The carriage finally came to a stop beside a reed bed far from the official road.

"Your Majesty, we have arrived," Shi Yao's voice came through. "The commander-in-chief is a hundred paces ahead by the water. I will wait here."

Li Xingyun lifted the carriage curtain, and the biting river wind immediately rushed in.

As dusk settled, the Huai River appeared a somber gray-black under the dim light of the sky. Its surface was calm, yet its depths were unfathomable as it flowed silently eastward.

On the riverbank far away, a figure sat alone, fishing with his back to them, wearing a straw raincoat and bamboo hat, looking like an ordinary old fisherman.

"Zifan, wait here." Li Xingyun instructed Zhang Zifan, then got out of the car alone and walked towards the figure.

Beneath his feet lay withered reeds and damp mud, each step making a soft rustling sound. The person seemed unaware of his arrival, still gazing at the water, motionless.

Only when Li Xingyun walked about ten feet behind him did the fishing figure slowly put down his fishing rod, stand up, and turn around. It was still that bronze mask, gleaming with a lonely luster in the remaining daylight, concealing everything behind it.

He faced Li Xingyun and bowed slightly in the manner of a subject, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

Li Xingyun stopped and accepted his bow. The river breeze lifted the hem of his robe sleeves, but he remained silent, his gaze fixed on Yuan Tiangang's mask, as if trying to pierce through the bronze layer to see everything hidden behind it.

The gentle murmur of the water accentuated the surrounding tranquility.

Many long-suppressed questions, resentments, and confusions were about to burst out at this moment, but in the end, Li Xingyun spoke in an unusually calm tone: "Yuan Tiangang. Today, here, it is only you and me. I have come here today only to ask you a few truthful questions."

Yuan Tiangang straightened up, his mask beneath his bamboo hat revealing an unfathomable depth: "Your Majesty, please ask."

"You've orchestrated such a grand scheme, placing me on the throne in Yangzhou. What is your true purpose?"

"Do you genuinely want to support me, this so-called 'Li Tang bloodline,' and restore the Tang Dynasty in your heart? Or have you used me from the very beginning as a pawn to unite the remaining forces of the old regime, to draw firepower, to hone Xiao Yan, and ultimately... to fulfill his ambition of hegemony, so that he can more legitimately sweep across the world?"

He paused slightly, his gaze sharpening as he stared directly at the other man: "Did you see long ago that Xiao Yan is the one who can truly end this chaotic world and fulfill your desire for 'tyranny'? And I am merely a false flag you use to unite the old forces and attract the world's attention?"

The wind seemed to stand still at that moment. The Huai River flowed silently, as if listening to this question and answer that concerned the future of the world.

Yuan Tiangang stood still, the river breeze rustling the grass on his raincoat.

The silence lasted for a long time, so long that Li Xingyun almost thought he wouldn't answer.

Finally, Yuan Tiangang turned slightly to look at the vast Huai River: "Three hundred years ago, Li Chunfeng and I deduced the general trend of the world outside Lingyan Pavilion. The divination showed that the Ziwei star was dim, and chaos was about to begin in the Tang Dynasty. However, there was also a glimmer of hope for future generations. From that time on, my thoughts and desires were to find the person who was born to meet this calamity, to help him to restore order to the world, and to restore the prosperous Zhenguan era."

"And Your Majesty, you are indeed the person I have identified over the long years as the one most in line with the guidance of the divination. I have always firmly believed that you are the one who will answer the question."

However, his tone then shifted slightly, and he said with his hands behind his back, "However, I must now admit that the ways of Heaven are unpredictable, and only the capable prevail. The divination only indicates a possibility, not a certainty. Although my actions are in accordance with the established patterns, I must also follow the trend and push forward the process. Now, it seems that compared to Your Majesty, he certainly has the ability, and his momentum has been established. This is a fact that I must also face squarely."

Li Xingyun twitched the corner of his mouth: "The one who answered the call... Ha, I see. In that case, I have failed the divination of the past three hundred years, and failed the expectations of the General or Li Chunfeng?"

But Yuan Tiangang's voice remained calm:
"Whether or not expectations are met is not the key point. Your Majesty's very existence is already significant. The old order of the world, the separatist rule of regional warlords, the remnants of powerful clans, and the dissipation of people's hearts for a century cannot be cured without strong medicine. Your Majesty's banner can draw the remaining old forces and long-standing ailments of the world together in the Jianghuai region."

He tilted his head slightly, as if looking directly at Li Xingyun, or perhaps gazing at the unknowable future: "In this final confrontation, the old order will be fully revealed because of Your Majesty, and will also be completely disintegrated by the thunderous force of the Northern Dynasty. This is the inevitable pain that must be endured to cleanse the world, and it is also the cornerstone for the establishment of the new order. Your Majesty is the indispensable whetstone."

"For the past three hundred years, all I have done has been to find a way out of this chaotic world. Once, Your Majesty was the only choice, so I had no choice. But now, both Your Majesty and he are the choices. Divination is ultimately illusory; one must walk one's own path and create one's own momentum. Your Majesty has said many times that he did not wish to be emperor, that the Tang Dynasty was dead and there was no way to save it. But now it seems that he has walked this path and created this momentum."

Li Xingyun remained silent.

But after a moment of silence, Yuan Tiangang said:

"I did force Your Majesty onto a path against your will. Now, I offer Your Majesty two choices: be willing to be a millstone, or seek another path? I also offer the world a choice: follow the shadows of the past until everything is destroyed, or recognize the trend of the times and choose a new ruler."

A bitter smile flickered across Li Xingyun's face.

“Choice?” He repeated the word, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “From my childhood, you secretly taught me martial arts, leading me to yearn for the carefree life of the martial world beyond Qingcheng Mountain, yet you burdened me with a deep-seated hatred, from which I could not escape. And later, you pushed me to this precarious position, making me the emperor of this corner of Jiangnan… Yuan Tiangang, what you gave me was never choice, but destiny. And now, what is the point of talking about this so-called choice?”

Yuan Tiangang stood with his hands behind his back, still indifferent and emotionless: "Does Your Majesty hate me?"

Upon hearing this question, Li Xingyun was initially taken aback by disbelief, then chuckled softly.
“Hate? How could I not hate? Yuan Tiangang, you taught me martial arts, gave me hope, and made me believe that I could control my own destiny, but from the very beginning you treated me as a pawn on the chessboard. You made me lose my freedom and bear this heavy burden. Now even my closest relatives may be plunged into an abyss of no return because of me. Why shouldn’t I hate you?”

He could no longer maintain his composure from the night before; his chest heaved, and he took a sudden step forward, his voice trembling slightly with excitement:
"Tell me, is this what you want? Is this your way of reviving the Tang Dynasty? Paving a so-called 'tyrannical' path with the sacrifice and suffering of countless people?"

Yuan Tiangang did not turn around, but said, "In chaotic times, extraordinary achievements cannot be obtained by following ordinary rules."

Hearing his predictable answer, Li Xingyun couldn't help but shake his head with a smile, but he quickly regained his composure and ultimately only said:
“To this day, hatred is useless. Over the past year, I have come to understand that as a descendant of the Li Tang dynasty, I cannot escape this fate. What happened before is meaningless. I may still not know the true way of an emperor, nor how to shoulder this responsibility properly. But I know that I cannot let Shangrao lose her husband, nor can I let my unborn child lose his father, at least not now. I want them to live, I want as many as possible of those who have been dragged into this because of me to live…”

He spoke these words slowly, with a heavy weight on his voice.

Yuan Tiangang remained silent. His face was hidden by a mask, and no one could see his expression at that moment.

After a long silence, he spoke again, his voice seemingly a few decibels lower than before: "Your Majesty has experienced many trials and tribulations. Do you now understand that only through loss can one truly appreciate the weight of possession? Only through profound pain can one forge an unwavering heart?"

This question struck Li Xingyun like a hammer blow, leaving him speechless. Gazing at the ceaselessly flowing Huai River, all the emotions surging within him strangely and slowly settled, transforming into a deeper sense of powerlessness and enlightenment.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, and when he spoke again, his voice had returned to calm: "Yuan Tiangang, the road has come to this point, there is no need to dwell on the past. I have come here today to tell you that I desire to control military power, but not out of greed for the throne. I only wish to have the strength to protect Shangrao, the Wu royal family, and as many people as possible in Jiangnan during the coming storm, to seek a glimmer of hope for them and for myself."

So, Yuan Tiangang, what tangible benefits can you and the Bad Guys actually offer me? Is it just empty talk about your 'domineering' and 'tests,' or do you truly have something within your power?"

Yuan Tiangang's gaze seemed to be re-examining Li Xingyun before him through the mask.

The naivety and wavering in Li Erhua, whom he had poured countless efforts into, have finally been worn away, and she has become a kind of responsibility squeezed out by the weight of her duties.

He finally began to reach out and try to grasp the reins of fate. Although the road ahead was still shrouded in mist, his purpose had changed from escaping to protecting and fighting.

Unfortunately, it's too late.

Or rather, that person was too fast.

The river breeze rustled Yuan Tiangang's raincoat and bamboo hat.

After a long silence, he slowly nodded: "The Bad People are weapons. Their blades can decide the fate of the world, or they can injure oneself. If Your Majesty has decided to wield this weapon and understands its weight and price... then, as long as Your Majesty desires it and is willing to pay the corresponding price, you can obtain everything you want."

Li Xingyun stood still for a long time, gazing at the murky river water, and finally, slowly clenched his fists.

"As long as I can bear it all alone, no matter the cost..."

Yuan Tiangang looked at him, and his face behind the mask seemed to smile for a moment, or perhaps not at all. He simply bowed slightly: "Then, as Your Majesty wishes. From this moment on, all the outlaws of Jiangnan will be at Your Majesty's command. I hope Your Majesty will make good use of them."

A cold wind swept across the empty riverbank, swirling up countless withered grasses.

Li Xingyun got the answer he wanted, but felt no joy. Instead, a heavier pressure suddenly pressed down on him.

He gave Yuan Tiangang a deep look. The bronze mask was still dark and mysterious, and he couldn't see through it to see whether it concealed loyalty, manipulation, or a more complex scheme.

But he no longer had time to ponder it carefully.

"This time, I hope I can believe you." Li Xingyun uttered only these words at the end, then turned and strode away along the way he came, quickly disappearing into the deepening twilight and reeds.

At the edge of a sparse forest in the distance, Zhang Zifan, who had already gotten out of the car and was waiting, saw Li Xingyun returning alone and immediately went to greet him with Shi Yao.

Li Xingyun didn't look at them, but led Zhang Zifan onto the carriage. After a long silence, he finally whispered, "Return to the palace and prepare for the next step."

Yuan Tiangang stood alone by the water, gazing in the direction Li Xingyun had left, remaining motionless for a long time.

Only after the person's figure had completely disappeared did he slowly withdraw his gaze, bend down to pick up the fishing rod on the ground, and cast the fishing line back into the gloomy Huai River, just as before.

(End of this chapter)