Chapter 455: Only Shock, No Joy

Without Gao Zhao Yue’s aid, Xijin would lose its beasts for surprise attacks, and the war would return to a stalemate.

But Ji Qingwu planned to add more weight to Beili’s side, to tip the scales of victory decisively in their favor.

*

The Xijin Imperial Palace was exceptionally quiet.

The Old Emperor’s death hadn’t thrown the palace into chaos.

Crown Prince Yu Wen Tiancheng was in no hurry to ascend the throne. Instead, he was secretly plotting to seize this opportunity, send out his army, and conquer Beili in one fell swoop.

A fierce wind raged that night, kicking up clouds of yellow sand. It blew directly to the southeast—perfect conditions, from Xijin’s perspective, to launch a surprise attack.

Within the Imperial Palace, only Yu Wen Tiancheng’s hall was dim. He had never liked overly bright places.

Yu Wen Tiancheng said to the maid standing by the door, "Go fetch Lady Yue."

The maid acknowledged the order and left. She returned fifteen minutes later, her expression flustered. "Your Highness," she said, "I could not find Lady Yue. She is not in her bedchambers."

Yu Wen Tiancheng’s brow furrowed at her words, and he stood.

"I will go see for myself."

He hurried through the palace’s long corridors, searching high and low until he finally found Gao Zhao Yue.

A faint candlelight shone from within. Yu Wen Tiancheng pushed open the door and saw her back. He caught his breath and asked, "What are you doing in here?"

Gao Zhao Yue stood silently with her back to the hall door, her gaze fixed on the portraits covering the walls and the life-sized statues.

She asked in a calm tone, "Tiancheng, when did you paint the first portrait?"

Yu Wen Tiancheng did not answer. Instead, he said, "So you found this place. Are you surprised?"

Every person in the portraits was her—laughing, crying, raging—all startlingly lifelike. The statues captured her every emotion, as if attempting to forever etch her very soul into this place.

Gao Zhao Yue slowly turned, her face streaked with fresh tears and her eyes bloodshot.

"I’m horrified, not pleased."

Her voice held a faint, almost imperceptible note of despair and anger.

Yu Wen Tiancheng’s expression shifted. He suppressed the fanaticism in his eyes and said, "You’ve been crying."

Gao Zhao Yue suddenly pressed, "Why was Tianxin abandoned? You sent someone to do it, didn’t you?"

Yu Wen Tiancheng fell silent for a moment. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

His evasiveness didn’t stop Gao Zhao Yue from pressing on.

She had already noticed something was wrong while staring at the portraits earlier.

A beautifully dressed concubine held a small baby, but her eyes were filled with hatred.

When the woman knelt to play with the little boy with gray-blue eyes, her expression was also one of jealous hatred.

Though these portraits were of her, they also felt like they weren’t her at all.

It was as if her face was merely a canvas to convey the artist’s own emotions.

Gao Zhao Yue’s voice was icy. "In truth, you had a hand in Tianqing’s death." ’Yu Wen Tiancheng is even more despicable than anyone in Beili.’ She clenched her jaw, but she couldn’t stop herself from trembling.

At her words, Yu Wen Tiancheng’s expression flickered, but he struggled to remain composed.

"Why do you say that? Did someone tell you something?"

She asked through gritted teeth, "Beili sent a message to Xijin. You suppressed it. You refused to save Tianqing, didn’t you?!" Her eyes filled with rage and despair.

Yu Wen Tiancheng said slowly, enunciating each word, "Our fourth brother is no longer with us. Whether I interfered or not, he isn’t coming back. You need to calm down. Think about the person who told you this. What are their intentions?"

He stepped closer to her. "They want to see us torn apart so they can sit back and reap the rewards, achieving their own goals."

Gao Zhao Yue demanded, "Just tell me. Did you do it or not!"

Yu Wen Tiancheng answered evasively, "Whether I did it or not is irrelevant now. Even if I said I didn’t, you wouldn’t believe me. You already suspect me."

He reached out and touched her face, wiping away her tears.

"But no matter what, Tianqing died in Beili. Right now, we just need to deal Beili a fatal blow, and we can avenge our fourth brother."

Gao Zhao Yue whispered, "Revenge..."

Yu Wen Tiancheng said, "Yes. Tonight, the grand army of Xijin will flatten the Northern Border. The heavens are on our side, and with your beasts to help, it’s a guaranteed victory."

Gao Zhao Yue gazed at him.

"Dream on."

Yu Wen Tiancheng’s expression instantly cracked.

Because Gao Zhao Yue’s lips hadn’t moved. It was someone else who had spoken.

The voice was dry and hoarse, but its tone was one he knew well.

Yu Wen Tiancheng twisted his stiff neck and saw a pair of gray-blue eyes staring him down.

It was Yu Wen Tianqing. He was... still alive.

Yu Wen Tianqing said, "Get your filthy hands away from my mother."

Yu Wen Tiancheng didn’t move, and Yu Wen Tianqing threw a punch.

He had been gravely wounded by an arrow from Ji Qingwu back in Beili’s Imperial Prison, his life hanging by a thread as he recovered in a dark room. His body was still gaunt and had not yet regained its strength. The punch was weak, and Yu Wen Tiancheng dodged it with ease.

Yu Wen Tiancheng looked at him standing beside Gao Zhao Yue and said sarcastically, "Fourth Brother, you shouldn’t have come back."

A blood-red light flared in Yu Wen Tianqing’s gray-blue eyes. "If I hadn’t come back," he said, "how would I have ever known that my ’dear’ brother not only wanted me dead, but also wanted..."

He glanced at Gao Zhao Yue, his fists clenched tight.

Gao Zhao Yue said, her heart aching, "Tianqing, your wounds haven’t healed yet. Don’t agitate yourself."

Yu Wen Tianqing took a deep breath, struggling to calm himself.

"We’re leaving!"

"You’re not going anywhere."

Gao Zhao Yue heard Yu Wen Tiancheng’s indifferent voice from right behind her.

"I never expected you to come back alive, Fourth Brother. You’re a lucky one. To think Emperor Beili was willing to let you go, especially after you nearly took his life."

Yu Wen Tianqing turned his head, finding it hard to reconcile the sneering, caustic man before him with the gentle, caring older brother he remembered.

After Gao Zhao Yue had been sentenced to death, Yu Wen Tianqing, despite being a prince, was ostracized because of his mother’s disgraced clan. It was Yu Wen Tiancheng who had repeatedly come to his aid.

After Yu Wen Shuo fell, the Crown Prince became regent and seized power. For Xijin, and to solidify Yu Wen Tiancheng’s position, Yu Wen Tianqing had been willing to risk his life.

But he never expected that this ’good’ brother could be so vicious.

Yu Wen Tianqing glared at him fiercely. "Save your hollow words. Next time we meet, I’ll be the one taking your life!"

Yu Wen Tiancheng sneered, waved his hand, and eight guards blocked their path.

"I said, none of you are leaving."

Just then, a eunuch came running. "Your Highness! It’s terrible!"

Yu Wen Tiancheng said, "What’s the rush?"

The eunuch panted, "Your Highness, Beili is launching a night raid!"

"How could that be?"

Doubt filled Yu Wen Tiancheng’s heart. He rushed out of the hall, glanced at the sky, and was immediately gripped by a sense of foreboding.

He commanded, "Watch them closely. If they disappear, I’ll have all of your heads!"

With that, Yu Wen Tiancheng hurried away.