Chapter Forty-One: An Era of Peace and Prosperity

Pei Xiunian had not been without suspicions about Xiao Qin.

In his current position, even if he could not foresee every outcome, he still had to weigh many things carefully. Though he had never directly questioned Xiao Qin about the Third Prince’s meridians or the matter of cultivation, that did not mean he had never considered the possible consequences.

Yet, if he were to ask her outright, he would shatter this subtle, unspoken balance between them.

Moreover… she was of the Fourth Realm; dealing with him would be effortless for her. Even knowing she was not truly a maid, Pei Xiunian had no way to press her against the wall and force her into submission. Thus, all along, he had deliberately avoided the subject.

But now things were different. He no longer needed to confront her face-to-face to ascertain her identity.

Yet the expected result left Pei Xiunian ill at ease.

If Xiao Qin was not truly a maid, then who was she? She—or perhaps those behind her—what were they attempting to achieve by assuming this identity?

Could those behind Xiao Qin be the ones versed in communion with demons, the very people who wished to dispose of the original Third Prince?

Pei Xiunian rubbed his brow, quickly dismissing the thought. If the intention was merely to eliminate the Third Prince, there would have been no need to plant a maid.

He recalled that Xiao Qin had mentioned the struggle for the throne several times, so their goal must have been to help him seize the crown.

But if he truly succeeded, would not Emperor Zhaoning hurry to use him as a sacrifice in the furnace?

Or perhaps those who placed Xiao Qin were unaware of Emperor Zhaoning’s quest for immortality?

No… that could not be. The Emperor would not brazenly sacrifice Pei Xiunian while his reputation was soaring; nearly three years had passed since the eldest prince’s death, yet people still lamented the loss.

Whether or not popular opinion would waver at the death of a prince renowned for military exploits mattered little to Emperor Zhaoning; what mattered was whether suspicion might fall upon him.

Thus, he needed to push forward Li Yan, a long-prepared pawn, to make the prince’s death a natural casualty in the struggle for succession.

As for the imperial struggle for the dragon vein, in such a feudal dynasty, neither the people nor the officials would object—everyone knew full well that, since ancient times, the imperial household was the most merciless.

At this thought, Pei Xiunian’s pupils slowly dilated. Suddenly, a new possibility struck him:

The Emperor had long harbored the intent to refine him. The reason the assassins at Seven Despair Valley made such a clumsy error—poisoning him hastily on the airship—was that they acted under Zhaoning’s orders.

Now that he had safely returned to the palace, the Emperor was forced to abandon the plan to refine the Third Prince—for now—unwittingly buying Pei Xiunian a little time.

But unless Li Yan had struck some bargain with the Emperor, the second prince likely had no idea he himself had become Zhaoning’s pawn.

If that were so, then Pei Xiunian had found a way out.

If he could kill the Third Prince and take his place, then he could just as well kill the Second Prince and take his place.

The former was replaced in appearance and identity, the latter in the role of a pawn.

Since Zhaoning’s aim was immortality, it mattered not which prince became the favored contender for the throne. If only he could dispose of his second brother, he could become him.

Having reasoned thus, Pei Xiunian saw that stirring up the struggle for succession was not impossible, and it was only natural that someone would wish to use Xiao Qin to assist the Third Prince in this contest.

What was crucial was that the original Third Prince was not Pei Xiunian; he could never have known about Emperor Zhaoning’s slaughter of his sons to refine elixirs, and so would only strive all the harder to outmaneuver his second brother.

As for what would happen after the throne was seized, that was not something Pei Xiunian could yet fathom.

Perhaps the evidence of Zhaoning’s deeds would be used to sway public opinion, and with military power and cultivation strength, he might be forced to abdicate... But all of that was far in the future, not Pei Xiunian’s immediate concern.

As for the identity of the shadowy figure orchestrating these events, Pei Xiunian already had a clear idea.

To dare manipulate the succession struggle, to have such ambition and efficacy, few in the court could compare.

A blast of snowy wind leapt through the window, rustling the scrolls before Pei Xiunian. The young page at his side immediately dashed to close the window.

His gaze fell upon the page open to the Empress Dowager in the official compendium of notable figures.

Pei Xiunian scrutinized the portrait of the Empress Dowager, resplendent in her phoenix crown and ceremonial robes.

Now that he had confirmed Xiao Qin was not the Third Prince’s maid, if he linked her to the Empress Dowager, the entire thread became clear.

After the affair at Qingqiu, the Empress Dowager personally backed the Third Prince, plunging the court into chaos. This was to attract the Emperor’s attention, giving Li Yan ample motive to act against the suddenly prominent Third Prince.

As for the assassination at the waystation, it could almost certainly be laid at the Empress Dowager’s feet as a self-staged drama. Xiao Qin’s absence, coupled with the revelation that she was not a maid, only reinforced this.

The intent behind these events was likely to plant a favorable impression of the Empress Dowager in Pei Xiunian’s mind, so that when she extended her olive branch, he would accept it as a matter of course.

In essence, she wished to “CPU” him, instilling the belief that “only your Aunt Meng truly has your best interests at heart,” and thereby control this prince with the potential to seize the throne.

Pei Xiunian silently clenched his fist. Sooner or later, this wicked woman would pay!

But the problem now was, if Xiao Qin and the Empress Dowager were truly in league, the Empress Dowager must already know that he was not the Third Prince.

She held evidence over him, while he had no means to retaliate, leaving Pei Xiunian feeling particularly passive, trapped in her grasp.

Though the Empress Dowager herself lacked concrete proof, her word was law at court. If she were to accuse Pei Xiunian’s identity, even Emperor Zhaoning would have to personally verify the truth.

Thus, not only could Pei Xiunian not fall out with the Empress Dowager, he had to continue playing his role as her nominal nephew.

With a sigh, he ordered his page to fetch brush and ink. He intended to sketch Xiao Qin’s likeness, intending to probe further when he returned to his chambers.

It would be easier to start with Xiao Qin than with the high and mighty Empress Dowager.

As he waited for the ink to be ground, Pei Xiunian recalled Xiao Qin’s features, pondering them for some time before finally setting brush to paper. He painted her as she appeared the day they met in Jiangdu.

Pei Xiunian’s skills with the brush were not poor; he had studied traditional painting for years. Now, with his cultivator’s energy, he could even cheat a little—his lines immediately lent the figure a touch of chivalrous flair… though, in truth, it was mainly that Xiao Qin was strikingly beautiful.

The page, standing quietly by, caught a glimpse of the painting as he poured tea and, startled, let out a soft exclamation.

Pei Xiunian paused and turned to the page.

Under his gaze, the boy immediately knelt, trembling, and said,

“Forgive me for disturbing Your Highness’s painting! I deserve a thousand deaths!”

“It’s nothing.” Pei Xiunian flicked his sleeve, showing no intention to punish, his tone calm.

“I only wish to ask what puzzled you just now—have you seen the person in the painting?”

At these words, the page dared to rise and answered truthfully,

“In reply to Your Highness, the person in your painting greatly resembles a young mistress known throughout the martial world.”

Pei Xiunian took a deep breath. “Who?”

“The former pinnacle of the Demon Sect, the current Saintess of Yaoguang Sect—Lu Qinyue.”

The page dared not falter and, under Pei Xiunian’s narrowed gaze, continued nervously,

“Yaoguang Sect, though labeled heretical, also practices the path of severing emotions and desires.”

“But the conflict between righteous and evil factions has long since subsided. I only know of Yaoguang’s new Saintess because officials from the Imperial Academy recently updated the records of martial sects.”

“The register noted she became Saintess only recently and has yet to gain renown in the martial world. Other than Yaoguang’s public announcement of her status, there are no further traces of Lu Qinyue. Did Your Highness encounter her by chance during your recent travels?”

Pei Xiunian gave no reply. His expression was calm, but his heart was shaken. That timid girl, who blushed at the slightest touch, was actually a Saintess of the Demon Sect?

Seeing his master remain silent, the page feared he had spoken out of turn and was about to kneel again when Pei Xiunian asked,

“In the great conflict between righteous and evil, it was the righteous who fell? Did the leader of Yaoguang lose her cultivation and retreat to the mountains?”

The page thought for a while before answering, “Indeed, Your Highness.”

“Is there any record of Yaoguang’s leader’s appearance?” Pei Xiunian pressed.

The boy was taken aback, then shook his head.

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but I recall that the leader of Yaoguang always veiled her face with fine gauze, said to be impenetrable even to magic. Perhaps no one in the world has seen her true visage…”

“If Your Highness is interested, I can fetch you books on the great conflict between righteous and evil.”

Pei Xiunian did not refuse. He slumped into the grand armchair, his heart wary.

To think that in the grand Zhou Dynasty, the emperor slaughters his sons to refine elixirs, the princes nurse demons, the Empress Dowager is a demoness of the heretical sect, the princes vie for life and death, and among the court officials there are those who consort with demons…

Truly, what a flourishing age of peace.

Footsteps echoed from below. An official in dark, patterned brocade ascended the stairs, walked to Pei Xiunian’s side, bowed solemnly, and announced,

“Your Highness, His Majesty summons you to the Imperial Study.”