Chapter 1 Prologue

In the 39th year of Fengxing, the emperor died.

Heavy snow covered the city and the whole country was in grief.

At midnight, heading south from Cheng'an Gate of the palace, the long corridor was hung with mourning banners dancing in the snow. Against the backdrop of the lights that had been burned out on the roadside, it looked like the road to the underworld.

Going further west and passing through two deserted streets, a dark house came into view. Looking at the plaque, it was the residence of the only king of a different surname in Fengxing - Prince Jing's Mansion.

A series of clear footprints were left on the bluestone road covered with snow. A man in black court robes, with his clothes dragging on the ground, walked slowly on the snow.

He didn't hold an umbrella in such heavy snow, and a pile of snow had already fallen on his shoulders. He was holding a small sandalwood table in his hand, on which was a jade cup full of wine. Because it was too cold, a thin layer of crystal frost had formed on the edges.

It was already midnight, and the gates of the palace were wide open. The outside of Prince Jing's palace looked majestic and solemn, but once you walked in, you could see dead grass all over the ground. It looked very shabby, not much better than the notorious haunted house in the capital.

Heavy snow fell from the sky. Song Xian walked through the front yard and passed through a corridor before arriving at Prince Jing's residence.

The courtyard of Prince Jing Sui Yan was not big and had not been disturbed for who knows how long. It was full of dead grass. There were only a few small flower lanterns with oil in them, burning faintly on the corridor.

Song Xian had a blank expression on his face, without spilling a drop from the wine bottle in his hand. He walked in steadily. As soon as he entered the courtyard, the door to the side suddenly opened.

Song Xian looked in the direction of the voice and saw Sui Yan just walking out of the room.

According to legend, the uneducated and dissolute young man Sui Yanrao was imprisoned for a year, but he was still as gorgeous as ever.

He was wearing a purple robe embroidered with crabapple flowers that trailed on the ground. He was extremely gorgeous. He stood under the corridor with a picturesque look, as exquisite as a painting.

The two had not seen each other for ten years, but Sui Yan seemed to still look like that young man, as quiet as the breeze, with his clothes fluttering.

Sui Yan narrowed his peach blossom eyes slightly, as if he didn't see anyone else. He walked to the bench beside the corridor and lay lazily on it, looking at a small lantern at his feet with sparkling eyes. He seemed to be in a very good mood.

Song Xian walked forward, placed the small sandalwood table in his hand on the stone table beside him, and said lightly: "Wang Gui, long time no see."

Sui Yan seemed to be stunned for a moment, squinting his eyes at the person in front of him, and finally smiled and said, "Long time no see, who are you?"

Song Xian: “…”

"Song Xian, I used to be the third prince's tutor in the palace with the prince," Song Xian said calmly, "The prince is really forgetful, but it's true. Your Highness and I were exiled to Canglin Temple for seven years. The prince Jing, who has everything he wants in the court, naturally wouldn't worry about us little people."

Song Xian?

Sui Yan blinked, still couldn't remember who this person was, but he could hear the resentment in his words, and Prince Jing said quickly: "Oh, I remember, it's Song Xian, I remember. Lord Song is very busy, how can he have time to come to my place?"

Song Xian did not expose him. He glanced coldly at the lanterns and bright red clothes at his feet and said disapprovingly, "It's a national mourning now. It's not appropriate for you to show off like this."

During the period of national mourning, all officials, whether civil or military, or ordinary people, must wear plain mourning clothes for 27 days and are prohibited from all kinds of entertainment and pleasure.

Sui Yan was surprised and asked, "Isn't today the Lantern Festival? What's wrong with that? Oh, right, the emperor died in a state of mourning?"

Song Xian frowned.

"I've been in this damn place for more than a year. Apart from the butler who delivers meals every day, I haven't seen anyone here. No one even told me about such a big thing." Sui Yan stood up and casually unbuttoned and took off his purple robe, revealing a thin plain shirt underneath.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an exquisite mourning dress.

Song Xian frowned: "Did you know that the emperor would die?"

With such heavy snow, Sui Yan was soon shivering in his thin clothes. He smiled, "That's not the case. I just hope he dies all the time. After so many years, this mourning dress finally comes in handy. So, Lord Song, why did you come to my place so late? Are you here to convey the new emperor's order?"

Song Xian was a little surprised: "How do you know?"

Sui Yan let the snow fall on his body and said calmly, "It's not hard to guess. If I'm not mistaken, the wine in your jar is filled with 'stigma', right?"

"Stigma" is a secret medicine in the palace, which is often given to those who bring shame to the royal family or commit great evil. After drinking it, the stigma left for the royal family will also disappear from the world. It kills people instantly after it comes into contact with blood, and the person will not survive for more than an hour.

Song Xian took a deep breath and said, "The last will of the late emperor was to ask Your Highness to give the prince a glass of wine."

In the royal family, the meaning of giving wine as a gift is self-evident.

Sui Yan's eyes moved.

He glanced at the exquisite wine glass and thought, "I worked so hard for Duan Zhiru for so many years, but in the end I died in his hands? This is too fucked up."

Sui Yan has done a lot of things overtly and covertly to redress Duan Zhiju's injustice over the years, but no one knows about it. Even the old emperor thinks that he did this for himself.

"No," Sui Yan thought, "I have done so much, I can't hide it, otherwise I will not be able to rest in peace even after I die."

Sui Yan held the intention of "even death cannot let everyone live in peace", his eyes narrowed, he leaned to one side, his black hair fell like a waterfall, with a smile on the corner of his lips, he said softly: "Sir Song, do you want to know why the late emperor is so jealous of me even though he is dead?"

Song Xian's eyes flashed with disgust, and it was obvious that he had read and memorized the things that made people hate Sui Yan. He opened his mouth and said, "On the surface, you don't care about the affairs of the court and live a luxurious and arrogant life, but secretly you are colluding with court officials to form cliques and pursue personal interests. During the three years you have been in the court, if there are virtuous and loyal officials who disagree with your political views, they often cannot escape the tragic death. And the memorials that impeach you every day are almost piled up like a mountain, which shows the people's resentment."

Sui Yan's eyes were crooked, and no matter how you looked at him, he looked like a young master from a wealthy family who was ignorant of the ways of the world. If an outsider saw him, they would not be able to tell that he was someone who would do such a crazy thing.

This person has a good appearance, but he is also very cruel.

Sui Yan smiled: "Even someone like you who just returned to the capital can see through it, the emperor must also know it, but do you know why he only imprisoned me after I did such a heinous thing?"

Song Xian said nothing.

Sui Yan didn't think he was playing a one-man show, and said to himself, "He didn't kill me nor let me go. He was afraid of me but loved me. But before he died, he asked Duan Zhixiu to give me a cup of infamy. Did he want me to be buried with him?"

As he spoke, he found it funny himself and laughed out loud.

"But what am I to him? Why would he want me to be buried with him?" Sui Yan wondered wildly, "Could it be that my uncle the Emperor also has such dirty thoughts about me?"

also?

Song Xian frowned, not quite understanding what he meant by "also", but he didn't have time to think about it at this moment, and asked directly: "Why?"

Sui Yanyu then put away his previous incoherent words and said calmly, "Because the beloved Second Prince and Fifth Prince were both defeated by me."

Song Xian was shocked: "What?"

"The Second and Fifth Princes plotted to kill the Crown Prince at the palace banquet seven years ago, and used this to frame the Third Prince. As a result, all the descendants of the Duan Zhisu clan were implicated, either tortured or exiled. Even the Third Prince was imprisoned in the Canglin Temple for seven years and was not allowed to return to the capital. I just paid back what they had done, so they were not wronged. Don't you agree, Master Song?"

Song Xian looked like he was meeting him for the first time, with shock all over his cold face.

Sui Yan smiled softly and said softly, "Sir Song, Duan Zhisu and I have known each other since childhood, so why didn't he come to see me even for the last time? Do you know why?"

Song Xian felt his whole body numbing when he heard him speak. For a moment, he was completely unable to connect the devil-like man in front of him with the graceful young man who was always smiling and talking in his impression.

Sui Yan's voice became even softer and lighter: "Of course it's because the new emperor thought that the entire line of the Third Prince was implicated, but I was fine - I was even named the first prince of a different surname by the previous emperor on the day he went to Canglin Temple - and I escaped because I betrayed him."

Song Xian's eyes went dark, and he murmured, "Did you really... do this?"

When he was still in Beijing, he vaguely remembered that the night before Duan Zhisu was convicted, Sui Yan went to the palace overnight and returned the next day.

Since then, the emperor ordered Duan Zhisu to be imprisoned in Canglin Temple for life, while Sui Yan, who was closest to Duan Zhisu, only ordered him to reflect on his actions for a few days and gave him many precious medicinal herbs. Within a few days, he was made a king, which caused a sensation in the court and the country.

And precisely because of this, people in the court have been saying for so many years that it was because Sui Yan sold out his master for glory in order to protect himself that Duan Zhisu was imprisoned for so many years and was not allowed to return to the capital.

As for what the truth is, now, only Sui Yan knows it.

Sui Yan winked at him and smiled slyly: "What do you think?"

Song Xian didn't know how to answer.

Sui Yan smiled softly and said softly, "Sir Song, although I have done many evil things in recent years, I have never changed my mind towards the Third Prince, oh, the new emperor. Will you tell His Majesty what I said today and ask him to let me go for the sake of our old friendship?"

Song Xian's face was still horrified as he said, "Of course."

If what Sui Yan said was true, and he had no interest in the throne, and only wanted to redress Duan Zhisu, then how would Duan Zhisu feel regretful when he knew the truth after being given this cup of poisoned wine?

Looking at Sui Yan who was talking and laughing in front of him, Song Xian seemed to see the young man who was dressed in gorgeous clothes, elegant and pure-minded.

In a trance, he seemed to have not changed at all, still leaning against the railing and throwing flowers, looking cynical and unrestrained like he did when he was a boy.

Song Xian's lips moved slightly: "Why... did you do this?"

Sui Yan blinked and said, "Lord Song, your question is a bit strange. We were both the third prince's study companions. When he was down and out, you were able to ignore everything and be exiled to Canglin Temple with him for so many years. And I have done my best to help him redress his wrongdoings in the court. What's so strange about that?"

Song Xian was speechless.

He is not the only one who has such aspirations.

Sui Yan said: "Then Lord Song, please remember to report back to the new emperor, so that you can forget about this regret."

Song Xian responded incoherently and was about to take the ridiculous "stigma" on the table back to report, but he heard Sui Yan beside him suddenly let out a soft "ah".

When he turned around, he saw the thin and handsome man picking up the "stigma" that he had placed on the small table.

Before he could react, he drank the poisoned wine in one gulp.

Song Xian was stunned for a moment, and then he woke up after a moment. He said in shock: "Sui Wanggui!"

There were still some wine stains on Sui Yan's lips, and the color of his lips was a little bright red, with an infinitely bright color.

He gently threw the jade cup in his hand to the ground, and heard a shattering sound. He said softly, "Lord Song will tell His Majesty, right?"

Lord Song looked at him in astonishment.

Sui Yan looked at his expression and seemed to find it very interesting, so he laughed out loud.

"Sir Song, you must tell the new emperor how I have survived for him in this treacherous court full of wolves and tigers, how I have tried my best to clear his name, how I have tried my best to bring down the two princes, and how I have become a wicked man who has committed all kinds of heinous crimes for him."

Sui Yan's tone was full of malice, but his voice was as gentle as water.

"Finally, tell him how I, who was willing to die for him, was killed by a cup of 'stigma' because of his jealousy and suspicion, and died tragically in a deserted garden?"

Song Xian couldn't help but take a few steps back.

After Sui Yan finished speaking, he seemed to have lost all his strength. He staggered back to the couch and gently closed his eyes.

Song Xian's lips trembled slightly: "You just have to..."

Sui Yan sneered and said, "Yes, I am such a person. Even if I die, I will make everyone suffer. Of course, you can choose to keep this a secret, but according to Duan Zhisu's methods, these things will be revealed to him in less than half a year."

Song Xian: "You..."

Sui Yan was probably annoyed and didn't want to waste time talking to Song Xian anymore. He whispered, "Sir Song, you've been here for too long. Go back."

Song Xian was rushed out in a daze. It was not until he walked out of the palace that he suddenly reacted. He stayed where he was for a moment and then suddenly walked quickly towards the palace.

Sui Yan was still half lying on the couch, looking lazy and with red lips.

He had no awareness of a dying man and was still humming an unknown tune quietly, but no one knew where the tune went and it was too horrible to listen to.

The snow fell heavier and heavier, whistling towards him from the uncovered corridor. Soon, a thin layer of snow covered half of his body.

Sui Yan didn't notice it at all, but if you looked closely, you would find that his eyes had lost their luster at some point, and he was still humming slowly.

Hearing footsteps beside his ears, he did not even open his eyes and said lazily, "You're here to see me off?"

A man in red stood beside him, with a red cloak draped over his shoulders to block the cold wind and snow raging around him.

This man had the appearance of a beautiful woman, with a drop of cinnabar between his eyebrows that made him look extremely charming. His eyes were drooping, with a cold look that seemed to keep people away from him. When he saw Sui Yan's miserable state, there was no trace of emotion in his eyes, and he said coldly: "I'll collect your body for you."

Sui Yan laughed out loud, opened his narrow eyes, and said, "Yue Jian, you are willing to help collect the corpse of a person like me. It seems that you still care about our old friendship."

Yue Jian said coldly, "If I hadn't come to collect your body, you would have been dug out by your enemies in the capital, whipped, and thrown into a mass grave to be eaten by wild beasts. The once powerful Prince Jing would die in this way. Aren't you afraid of becoming a wandering ghost?"

Sui Yan thought thoughtfully: "This is a good way to die."

Yue Jian said nothing.

The two of them just waited there quietly. The snow blew in and soon covered Sui Yan's body with a layer of white snow, making his face look even paler.

After a long while, Yue Jian said softly, "Sui Yan?"

No one answered.

Yue Jian asked again: "Forgot to return?"

He tilted his head slightly and saw that Sui Yan, who was lying on the couch, had closed his eyes at some point, with a layer of white frost on his long eyelashes.

Yue Jian leaned forward slightly, stretched out his slender hand and wiped the blood on Sui Yan's lips. After a moment, he whispered, "You are too tired."

He took off his red cloak and covered the already cold Sui Yan with it, with a smile on his face, as if the person in front of him really just took a nap.

"Go to sleep."

The whole courtyard was lit up with lanterns, and the glittering falling snow looked like patches of fluorescent light.

After the heavy snow, everything was covered in silver.

The new emperor ascended the throne, and a new dynasty began.