Chapter 237 Using the world as a chessboard and human lives as pieces

Under the moonlight, the candlelight swayed gently in the breeze.

Li Jin glanced at the register of Jin Shu's family in his hand.

The records actually contain basic information on household registration and land, while the registers also indicate changes in population and their physical characteristics.

Thus, we can understand why Yan Zhao ordered the entire book to be destroyed.

Because there is no record of Jin Rong in this register.

It's easy to create a false identity for Liu Cheng'an without any records, but it's extremely difficult to alter existing records. Writings from different times will show obvious differences after a long period of storage.

Adding Jin Rong's information to this register would seem particularly abrupt.

Rather than trying to cover it up, it's better to destroy it directly.

Li Jin put down the register in his hand, raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, and murmured softly, "So, what exactly is the purpose of what you are doing now?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a light drizzle began to fall in Chang'an.

In this late autumn, the chill is even deeper.

Jin Shu sat alone in Qixian Pavilion. Even as the drizzle and slanting wind dampened half of the tabletop, she kept the windows and doors wide open and her pen never stopped moving.

Shortly after, footsteps sounded behind her.

It would be a lie to say I'm not afraid.

Jin Shu slowly reached under the table and picked up a porcelain bowl that she had deliberately smashed.

The pen hovered in mid-air, too afraid to fall; my heart was in my throat; even breathing became difficult.

But he didn't stop walking; he moved from behind her to in front of her.

That white figure strode onto the long couch, rolled up his sleeves, and reached out to close the window.

Jin Shu's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

The Crown Prince turned and sat opposite her, glancing at her sweat-drenched appearance, and said expressionlessly, "I am not foolish enough to take action within the Eastern Palace."

After saying that, he tapped the small table between the two of them lightly with his fingertips: "Even if we really have to fight, you, sir, would hardly be able to withstand it with this broken bowl."

Watching him reach out and pick up the paper with the writing in front of him, and examine it carefully, Jin Shu pursed her lips and released her grip on the bowl.

"I advise you to abandon your foolish idea of ​​suicide as soon as possible," the Crown Prince suddenly added. "Since you want to be my enemy, at least die with dignity, so that I won't look down on you."

Jin Shu paused, glanced at his face which bore a striking resemblance to Li Jin's, and grimaced.

For the past two weeks, the Crown Prince has come every day to chat about all sorts of random things.

While dealing with him, Jin Shu realized that apart from his indeed cruel methods, he was also a rare talent as a general.

"Don't find me annoying." He snorted coldly, "You're just a nuisance." Then, he raised his eyes and stared sharply at Jin Shu's face, "Tell me, why is it such a coincidence?"

Jin Shu let out a long breath; the Crown Prince had been asking this question for three to five days.

As she poured the tea, she shook her head: "Who knows?"

Besides this problem, there is another one.

"Who exactly did Mr. Jin learn his corpse-talking technique from?"

Jin Shu took a deep breath, pinched out a small amount of tea leaves from the tea canister and sucked on them, saying helplessly, "I'm self-taught."

After saying this, he placed the teacup in front of the prince, sat back down, and picked up his brush to continue writing.

Glancing at the tea in front of him, the Crown Prince took a deep breath: "Having been in the Eastern Palace for so many days, Mr. Jin hasn't even done me a single favor. Are you really not afraid of death?"

“I’m afraid,” Jin Shu said. “I’m afraid I won’t finish writing it when I die.”

Glancing at her focused writing, the Crown Prince pondered for a moment and said, "Then finish writing before you go out."

Jin Shu paused.

"Although we have different paths and cannot work together, your talent is truly rare." He crossed his arms and said solemnly, "I can still grant this small last wish of yours."

Her hand, holding the pen, remained frozen in mid-air for a long time before she finally replied, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together.

The Crown Prince and Prince Jing followed two completely different paths, but they shared a common goal as their destination.

“It’s not for that dragon throne.” The Crown Prince picked up his teacup and took a sip. “For the sake of peace in the land and to purge corrupt officials, I need that supreme power.”

The light rain pattered down, mingling with the Crown Prince's words, chilling him to the bone: "These sacrifices are unavoidable."

Jin Shu paused, made a mistake in writing, and ruined the whole page.

"To realize one's ideal requires the sacrifice of countless lives." Jin Shu glared at the Crown Prince's face. "What difference is there between this ideal and creating a living hell?"

She lowered her eyes and continued writing in small characters, saying in a deep voice, "Everyone should at least have the right to live."

"People come into this world, whether they are struggling and working hard, living carefree, or chasing their dreams every day." She paused, "but it's all for the sake of survival."

No sooner had she finished speaking than a short knife was placed against her neck.

The Crown Prince leaned forward, glancing at Jin Shu's unmoved face: "I am a prince, and my decisions can affect the lives of thousands. I will not allow millions of my subjects to suffer in order to save a few thousand."

He narrowed his eyes slightly: "I do not possess such extraordinary kindness as Mr. Jin."

After saying that, he put away the dagger in his hand, as if nothing had happened, and picked up his teacup to take a sip.

He glanced at Jin Shu's face out of the corner of his eye: "The tea is cold, get a fresh cup."

That night, Jin Shu sat blankly by the window until the rain stopped and the clouds parted to reveal the moon.

She took a deep breath, rubbed her temples, and shook her head repeatedly.

"He wants to make you doubt yourself, to make you question the path you once chose." As the first rays of the morning sun fell on Qixian Pavilion, Yan Zhao stood at the door, still looking at Jin Shu with a solemn expression.

"Doesn't that sound reasonable?" He sneered. "But when he was ruthlessly killing Li Mu, slaughtering Lin Zhongyi and Yang Qingyun's entire families, and turning the Ministry of Justice's Quicksand into a killing machine, he always chose death, never life."

“Not a single one.” Yan Zhao lowered his eyes.

"The bloodshed and turmoil began because of him, and the century-old golden age ended because of him. A dark terror shrouded the court and the country, inside and outside the capital, and everyone was in danger and uneasy."

“He created a world in misery with his own hands, and then prepared to rule the world like a savior god, to be remembered for eternity.” Yan Zhao took a deep breath. “He used the world as a chess piece and human lives as pieces, wanting only an empty name to be passed down through the ages.”

Jin Shu sat there, listening blankly to Yan Zhao's words.

Her thoughts, which had almost been led astray by the Crown Prince, were pulled back from the most dangerous precipice by Yan Zhao's outstretched hand.

“Don’t let him control you,” he said. “Don’t make the same unforgivable mistake I did.”

After saying that, Yan Zhao stepped into the room and went straight to the autopsy techniques that Jin Shu had not finished writing: "These could be given a name..." He paused: "The Examination Records".

After saying that, he turned to look at Jin Shu, who didn't know how to respond to him, and then tidied up all the first drafts on his own. He tapped the table twice and said, "Make sure you finish writing them after you leave."

Jin Shu paused, "Get out?"

Yan Zhao nodded: "Get out, right now. I'll take you out."

He turned around, his gaze seemingly piercing through the towering city walls, landing on the very center of the grand assembly.

Li Jin, dressed in court robes, exuded an imposing aura. He pointed at the brow of Lin Yongde, the Vice Minister of Works, and spoke with venomous words:

"Lord Lin, when your daughter died, it was Jin Shu who worked tirelessly, meticulously investigating the case, to catch the murderer and bring peace to her soul in heaven. Now you're kicking her while she's down, eagerly demanding the execution of her entire family. How utterly..."

Li Jin took a deep breath, then laughed in exasperation: "You are truly a heartless wretch!"