Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 294 Two Hearts United
The oil lamp cast a dim yellow light.

The light enveloped his sharply defined profile, outlining taut and fierce lines, revealing a lone wolf-like forbearance and aggression.

Xue Sui paused slightly and met his gaze.

"What does Your Highness want to say?"

Li Zhao stopped in front of her without speaking immediately.

His dark eyes were fixed on her, his chest heaving violently, yet he hesitated, as if he were going through a battle of fate...

"Xue Ping'an".

After a long pause, he finally spoke.

The sound was like cold iron.

Each word was spoken slowly and deliberately, carrying a resolute determination and an unwavering fervor; every word seemed to be carefully considered and squeezed out from the depths of his throat...

"If I... am no longer the Crown Prince, no longer the heir apparent of this Great Liang, what will you do?"

Xue Sui looked at him quietly.

She smiled faintly, her smile extremely subtle.

Then I raised my arm and firmly placed it on his shoulder, my fingertips warm and still bearing traces of ink, like comrades-in-arms who had shared life and death, like kindred spirits, and like intertwined swords, touching the old wound on his shoulder bone through the fabric...

"Xue Liu chose to travel with His Highness because of His Highness's status."

Her voice was soft.

Almost pity.

It has a power that penetrates the skin.

Before the words were even finished, the sound of wind filling the room had already been shattered...

"If Your Highness is the Crown Prince, Xue Liu will still be here. If Your Highness is not the Crown Prince, Xue Liu will still be here."

Li Zhao's throat tightened violently.

"Xue Ping'an..."

A promise made with utmost simplicity is a complete victory.

Li Zhaoshen's unfathomable eyes were fixed on her smiling face, gripping it tightly, unwilling to move an inch.

"If I were to lose, do you know what that would mean?"

"I know," Xue Sui said with a slight smile.

"Throughout history, the victor is king and the loser is villain; the imperial family is ruthless. Beneath the imperial throne of the Great Liang Dynasty, there are already countless white bones. Even if Your Highness is a son or grandson of the dragon, you cannot escape turning to dust."

"Knowing this, you still dared to follow them?"

Li Zhao's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he suddenly grabbed her wrist.

The hot breath he exhaled when he lowered his head was rapid and intense.

"If I die and my reputation is ruined, I will neither be a pawn in your game nor be able to help you clear your name. I will be condemned by everyone and infamous for eternity. What will you do then?"

Xue Sui's lips slowly curved upwards, forming a smile.

It was calm and composed, but devoid of any warmth.

"Burn away all the enemies of the Eastern Palace, and wash away the injustices of the old mausoleum with blood."

She paused for a moment, then raised her voice slightly.

"On the road to the Yellow Springs, Xue Liu will also avenge His Highness. At worst, we'll perish together and return to dust."

She spoke of it casually.

Yet it possesses a resolute determination to cut off all escape routes.

It is not the lament of lovers who die for each other, but the destiny of those who seek revenge.

She bound herself and Li Zhao to the same chariot hurtling towards the abyss, a fight to the death.

"What a madwoman."

Li Zhao seemed to be completely struck by this extremely harsh and straightforward declaration. His tall body swayed almost imperceptibly, and he gripped her shoulders tightly with both hands.

"Remember, I don't want you to return to dust with me, I only want you to live."

He leaned closer, his demeanor undeniably forceful.

"Live peacefully and safely. Hide your name, abandon your hatred, stay away from strife, find a good man, and live a stable life."

A faint hint of amusement flashed in Xue Sui's eyes as she gently pulled her hand away from his: "Your Highness said last time that if you died, I would be a nun for the rest of my life, spending my days with only the sound of the lamp and the Buddha. Have you changed your mind so quickly?"

Li Zhao chuckled softly, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

"Times have changed. Back then, I thought I could pave the way for your future. Now it seems I overestimated myself. Hmm... I can't bear to see you alone, keeping watch by the cold lamp."

"Your Highness should understand my answer." Xue Sui's gaze was deep and her tone calm. "How can a woman who has seen the hearts of men and waded through hell be content with an ordinary life?"

"Alright." He said it simply, yet it carried immense weight. "Then let's walk this path together, no matter if the road ahead is fraught with danger or a bottomless abyss."

After saying that, he leaned down and placed a very light kiss on her forehead, like a brand.

In the blink of an eye, time stood still.

The cold wind howled outside the window, swirling through the bare branches and making a sharp whistling sound.

The meditation room was completely silent.

The wick popped open with a snap, and the light suddenly shone.

The sound of the pattering rain, though seemingly unnoticed, couldn't drown out their heavy, intertwined breaths...

Until Li Zhao reached out and tightly embraced her slender body.

"Your Highness hurt me."

Xue Sui's voice was muffled inside his damp clothes.

"Ping An, Xue Ping An." Li Zhao tightened his grip on her, taking a deep breath, his voice strangely hoarse, as if a long-stretched string had finally found a moment of support... In an instant, the calmed emotions were replaced by a more turbulent undercurrent...

The air was scorching hot, spreading like wildfire.

That feeling of losing control only occurs when one is on the verge of death on the battlefield of the Western Frontier, or when the Love Silk Gu has reached its extreme. The blood is like burning lava, scorching and urging, carrying an inhuman obsession and madness.

He pressed himself tightly against the woman in his arms, with such force that it seemed he wanted to crush her flesh and bones and merge them into one.

"look at me."

"Your Highness, the Love Silk Gu has long been broken."

"The poison you administered has been there all along."

"Then Your Highness should go further away..."

“I’m not leaving.” Li Zhao grabbed her wrist and pressed it against his chest. “Isn’t it strange… Being far away from you is worse than dying in your hands.”

The calluses on my palms brushed against my skin, burning my heart and making me anxious.

"Peace, let me die by your hand."

Xue Sui was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and subconsciously grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back.

Li Zhao grabbed her arm and pulled her closer, trying to get intimate with her.

Xue Sui bent his knee and bumped it against the back of his knee.

This man, however, possessed a wolfish spirit.

They really enjoy causing destruction.

The more you resist dissatisfaction, the more entangled you become.

She simply stepped aside and deftly grabbed the jade buckle on his belt...

Unexpectedly, he was prepared and before he could exert any force, he was held tightly in his arms and unable to move.

Xue Sui was so angry that he couldn't speak.

"Scared?" Li Zhao chuckled softly, his wide sleeves enveloping her. His voice was low and husky, hot and scalding, filled with suppressed desire. Every word seemed to be steeped in strong liquor, burning her earlobe.

"The poison of loneliness has flared up again. Shouldn't Ping An be treated?"

Xue Sui felt a tightness in his throat.

She tried to pull her hand away, but he gripped it even tighter.

"Your Highness, please release me first. I'll go get the medicine from the shelf..."

"I'm beyond saving." Li Zhao lowered his eyes, his nose almost brushing against her brow bone, staring at himself in her dark pupils, his voice hoarse and trembling.

"I want you to love me again, just like last time, is that alright?"

Xue Sui did not speak or struggle.

Deep within her eyes, layers of frozen, blazing magma resonated with his heartbeat, roaring and trying to break through all obstacles to devour her reason...

She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes casting deep shadows beneath them...

Breathing became labored and difficult, and the heartbeat was faintly irregular and disordered...

Unexpectedly, Li Zhao slowly loosened his grip.

As if using all his strength, he suddenly took a step back, his chest heaving, and turned his face away, avoiding her shimmering gaze...

Then he slowly reached into his sleeve, pulled out a thick roll of paper tightly wrapped in oilcloth, and, still warm from his body, placed it into Xue Sui's cold hand.

"This is for you. If I cannot escape unscathed, use it as a knife to pry open this corrupt imperial court for the sake of those two hundred thousand heroic souls, and find another way to survive and protect yourself..."

The paper was rough and heavy, carrying the stench of iron and blood.

Above are the shocking casualties of the old mausoleum, the layers of rotting flesh, and the overwhelming injustices that seem to leap from between the lines.

This is no ordinary file; it is a tearful complaint.

It was the most shameful seal of the Liang royal family that was exposed, a gravedigger capable of causing the emperor to completely turn against him and depose him from his position as crown prince...

"Your Highness..." Xue Sui was deeply shaken.

No matter how estranged Li Zhao was from Emperor Chongzhao, he was still a prince of the Great Liang Dynasty. These old documents were the evidence that the Great Liang court was most unwilling to show, and also the irrefutable proof that the Old Mausoleum had been yearning to reveal to the world and clear its name for many years...

By handing it over to her, Li Zhao was essentially handing over his life, the eternal reputation of his ancestors, and even the very foundation and lifeline of the Great Liang Dynasty to her...

What a profound trust this is!
How insane is that?
His words were both incredibly warm and hurtful, making her heart race.

Xue Sui did not accept it. He slowly walked to the window, letting the cold night wind blow in his face, and stood there silently.

The truth about the old mausoleum is within reach.

But once the truth is revealed, it will not only ignite the flames of infighting within the court and among the people, but will also push Li Zhao into an abyss of no return...

"Your Highness's actions are far too dangerous; Ping An cannot bear the consequences."

"I am not doing this for you, nor am I merely indulging in momentary romantic feelings." Li Zhao's voice was resolute, carrying a do-or-die determination, his gaze sharp enough to pierce through one's very soul.

"I am fed by the people and bear the responsibility for the world. If I want to establish a future for the people, I must first rectify the root of the problem. Some things must be done by someone. If it can be you, why can't it be me? Two hundred thousand lives have been buried in the earth without explanation. I am the Crown Prince, and I have an inescapable duty..."

A faint ripple passed through Xue Sui's eyes.

This is the young Li Zhao.

Not yet completely corrupted by imperial power, their hearts still beat with burning passion and a sense of responsibility etched into their very bones...

This sincerity and sense of responsibility are truly rare.

"Take it!"

Li Zhao once again forcefully placed it into Xue Sui's hand.

"If you don't accept, who will tell the world that Crown Prince Li Zhao has never betrayed this heaven and earth, this vast land?"

(End of this chapter)