Chapter 279 The Power to Control the World

When the last shred of belief in his heart collapsed, Li Jing chuckled.

His cheeks were wet with tears, his shoulders trembled slightly, and his previous arrogance was gone.

Li Jing's twenty-eight years ultimately turned him into a tragic joke.

When the guards in the main hall took him and Lian Shui away, Li Jing stood at the door and paused for a moment.

He turned around and looked at Li Jin, whose face, still streaked with tears, now held a smile.

Gone is the sinister look of the past, gone is the cold indifference that once kept people at arm's length.

He suddenly spoke, his voice a few decibels louder: "That day I said I had a one-night stand with Mr. Jin, it was just a desperate act, a last resort. Mr. Jin is completely innocent."

He paused, staring at Li Jin's stunned expression.

I swallowed the words "sorry" back down my throat.

He smiled faintly, turned around, and walked out of the hall.

At that moment, I looked at the sky filled with Kongming lanterns and at the Taiji Hall Square where snow was falling heavily.

It was as if I saw my former self, and the Li Mu of the past.

This is probably the last time I'll see such a beautiful sight.

Li Jing looked up and murmured softly, "When exactly did things start to change..."

When exactly did he forget everything Li Mu had truly done for him, leaving only a naked yearning for power and the throne?

He started to disregard everything, becoming so ruthless in order to trample everyone under his feet.

He chuckled softly and shook his head in a self-deprecating manner.

No one will answer him, and no one will have the answer.

In the main hall, Li Jin stared blankly in the direction he had left, and after a long while, he turned around and bowed to Li Yi.

At that moment, as the distant sound of firecrackers rang out, colorful flowers bloomed in the sky.

The sound of firecrackers echoed throughout the capital, shaking the entire snowy night.

The emperor of the Great Wei, the supreme holder of imperial power, gazed at the vibrant flowers blooming in the night sky outside the palace.

A thousand words were condensed into a single sigh.

This was a palace banquet that would be recorded in the history of the Great Wei Dynasty, a moment that would be etched in everyone's memory, a reminder of how despicable it was for blood relatives to kill each other, and how sordid the methods used in the harem were.

This serves as a lesson for future generations, breaking the tradition that the eldest son of the legitimate wife is the crown prince and instead appointing the virtuous and capable, so that from now on, every prince will have equal rights.

Li Yi is the one who remains on the pillar of shame.

Li Yi is the one whose name will be remembered for all time.

But he neither liked nor cared about such glory.

As he gazed at the dazzling fireworks, with only Consort Xiao and Prince Pingyang by his side, the regret and torment in his heart were beyond anyone's comprehension.

That night, the Great Wei Dynasty changed dramatically.

Xu Weiyou's home was raided, Zhao Wencheng was imprisoned, and Crown Prince Li Jing was placed under house arrest in the Eastern Palace. In order to protect themselves, a group of officials exposed the horrific crimes committed by the Crown Prince's faction.

Only Li Jin was summoned to the Imperial Study to listen to Li Yi's whispered words, words that could not be spoken in front of the officials.

In the candlelight, Li Yi looked at his face, chuckled softly, and took out a small box from a hidden compartment under the desk.

“Back then, Li Mu wrote a letter here.” Li Yi raised his hand and gently brushed away the dust. “It was written to you.”

He paused, pursed his lips, lowered his eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "He specifically instructed that if he died on the way to exile, you should burn the body if you don't pursue the matter. If you do pursue the matter, then wait until the dust settles and you have won a great victory before handing it over to you."

After saying that, he raised his hand a little higher.

Li Jin hesitated for a moment, glanced at the small black box, and then reached out and took it.

It was heavy; it didn't look like it contained only one letter.

He was slightly puzzled, then gently opened it.

In the candlelight, two jade-carved geese lay quietly inside the box.

This is a special jade that only appears in the royal family as a betrothal gift during the grand wedding.

Its significance is the same as that of Li Mu's pair of unparalleled jade discs, which are the most sincere blessings given to newlyweds.

Li Jin felt a mix of emotions as he glanced at the pair of white, lustrous goose-shaped birds, as if someone had gripped his heart.

Beneath the jade goose, there was also a folded letter.

He carefully pulled it out, only to find that there were only three words on it.

Be happy.

Li Jin's eyes stung, and she quickly closed them.

“Actually, there’s another one,” Li Yi said, taking out another box. “When the dust settles, if you lose, this one will be yours.” He glanced at Li Jin and smiled. “Would you like to see it?”

Glancing at the identical box in his hand, Li Jin pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Since he gave such instructions, let's burn it."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi was not surprised at all and nodded.

The heavy snow fell for several hours, as if the heavens were weeping for that grand palace banquet.

Now, the music has ended and the crowd has dispersed, the heavy snow has stopped, and soon the clouds have parted and the moon has appeared, with stars filling the sky.

"What are you planning to do next?" Li Yi put down the box, sat behind his desk, and looked at Li Jin.

This was the third prince of the Great Wei Dynasty, a former war god, and the head of the Six Doors.

After this incident, they possessed the power to control the world. Even Li Yi could no longer contend with them.

Li Jin remained silent for a long time, then took a deep breath: "There are some things that still need to be done to wrap things up." He glanced at Li Yi, "We'll arrange the next step once everything is back on track."

He raised his hand, pinched the bridge of his nose, and rubbed it up and down a few times: "Your subject also needs some time to sort out the case notes."

Li Yi didn't answer, but just nodded, looking at his tired appearance.

Then, he changed the subject: "Zhao Wencheng's entire family has been imprisoned, so the position of Prime Minister is now vacant." He added meaningfully, "There are some people you want to use, and Father Emperor will not object."

Li Yi rubbed his hands together: "But... if he has the ability to use the world as a chessboard, you'd better think carefully about how you're going to use him."

These words were unexpected for Li Jin.

Song Zhen didn't die?

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded, cupped his hands in greeting, and hurriedly withdrew from the study.

The starlight shone brightly, spilling across the floor through the carved windows of the study.

The fragrance of dragon's blood wafted gently, and the light from the ever-burning lamp shone on Li Yi's face.

He sat there wearily, staring at the small, black box in front of him.

Unable to resist her curiosity, she opened the box herself.

Inside lay a letter, containing only one sentence:

I tried my best, I don't blame you, I'm waiting for you.

Li Yi's eyes stung, and he abruptly slammed the letter shut.

Jin Shu, who had been waiting for a long time at the entrance of the Imperial Study, finally felt relieved when she saw Li Jin walk out looking exhausted.

She looked at the small black box in Li Jin's hand and asked curiously, "Is this a reward from the Emperor?"

Upon hearing this, Li Jin glanced at her with disdain: "Mr. Jin only stood up and took a knife, which is not as meritorious as Eunuch Lin's, yet he still thinks about the reward."

Jin Shu paused for a moment, then clicked her tongue and said, "I didn't expect you to solve it in the blink of an eye!"

Li Jin, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped and turned around with a smile, looking at Jin Shu: "So, how does Shu'er intend to help me solve this?"

"Is that even a question?" Jin Shu curled her lips. "I was planning to push you away or grab his arm."

Li Jin raised an eyebrow, turned around to look at her face, stood with his hands behind his back, and as he had done many times before, stepped forward and asked in a very gentle voice, "Shu'er is worried about me?"

In the very center of the vast Taiji Hall square, thick snow had fallen.

The moon hung low over the eaves, and the stars shone brightly, casting a bluish hue over Jin Shu's somewhat dazed face.

Seeing his teasing expression, Jin Shu raised her hand and coughed lightly, then blurted out on the spot, "Of course..."

“It’s New Year’s Eve, the last day of the month. If Your Highness were to die here, you wouldn’t have paid my monthly salary yet. Wouldn’t that mean I’ve worked for nothing?”

After she finished speaking, Jin Shu didn't hear a reply for a long time.

She looked up in surprise, met Li Jin's smiling face, and paused for a moment.

He leaned forward, his lips close to Jin Shu's ear, his cool, thin lips brushing against her ear. With a slightly breathy tone, he spoke slowly and seductively: "You are absolutely right."

He chuckled: "Come collect it at midnight, or it will be confiscated."

Jin Shu was taken aback.

Midnight?!