Chapter Fifty: The Imperial Court's Grace Severed, All Dreams Shattered

Li Chengyin galloped wildly, his heart burning with anxiety as he rushed back to the palace. The vermilion gates of the imperial palace no longer stood as symbols of authority in his eyes; they had become the threshold to truth and revenge.

He rode straight toward the emperor’s chamber, paying no heed to the exhaustion of the journey or the dust covering his body. Upon entering the hall, he bowed respectfully before reporting gravely to the emperor:

“Father, during my investigation in Yuxian, I uncovered a grave conspiracy. Six counties surrounding Yuxian are colluding with high ministers of our dynasty. They have recklessly raised taxes, lining their own pockets at the expense of the people, causing unbearable suffering and widespread resentment. I acted decisively and have secretly ordered Pei Zhao to escort several implicated officials to the capital; they will arrive soon.”

Seated upon the dragon throne, the emperor nodded slightly upon hearing the news, a faint look of relief softening his face:

“My dear Yin has truly matured. You have handled this matter well. I shall personally interrogate these treacherous ministers; they will not escape justice. Now, go see the empress one last time.”

Li Chengyin received the order and hurried toward the empress’s palace. His heart was a tumult of emotions—hatred and tension twisted tightly like two ropes deep within him. Each step felt as if weighted with a thousand pounds; he did not know how to face the woman who raised him yet harbored schemes against him.

The palace corridor stretched long and silent, his footsteps echoing like the drumbeats of a fateful countdown. At last, he arrived outside the empress’s chamber and paused, hesitating to enter immediately.

He stood quietly as if the very air around him had frozen. In that moment, a flood of memories surged through his mind.

He recalled his childhood—the loneliness and helplessness after each punishment within these walls, and the empress’s stern gaze that had never once softened with mercy.

Inside, the empress seemed to sense a presence and spoke with a trembling voice filled with hope:

“Is that you, Yin’er? Is it truly my Chengyin?”

Taking a deep breath, Li Chengyin suppressed the storm within and forcefully uttered:

“All of this, you have brought upon yourself.”

Hearing this, the empress’s voice was laced with confusion and anxiety:

“What’s wrong, Chengyin?”

Unable to hold back his fury any longer, Li Chengyin shouted:

“Don’t call me Chengyin! For power, you stopped at nothing—you destroyed yourself, my birth mother, and me!”

The empress’s face was a mask of disbelief, her voice breaking with emotion:

“You know everything? No, please listen to my explanation, I—”

He cut her off bitterly:

“What is there left to explain? In your heart, I was never your child—only a pawn, a piece you used to fight for power!”

Tears welled in his eyes, his voice raw with emotion:

“I never imagined you would go so far as to try to kill me to achieve your goals…”

The empress wept uncontrollably, pleading through her tears:

“No, it’s not like that, my Chengyin, my child…”

Li Chengyin slowly closed his eyes, trying to calm the tempest within.

After a moment, he opened them, his gaze resolute, and turned to walk away. Behind him, only the empress’s desperate cries remained:

“No. Come back, come back, my child. I beg you, please come back…”

Her voice echoed through the empty palace, fading with the wind, like a sorrowful sigh from a tragic chapter long buried in dust.