Chapter 26

The Emperor summoned her out of the blue. After three years, Qin Xiyi once again stood before her father, who sat high upon his throne.

In just a few short years, Qin Yue had aged significantly. It was hardly surprising; with a harem of over ten thousand beauties and nights spent in endless debauchery, it would be a miracle if his health hadn’t failed him.

The old Emperor didn’t seem intent on keeping anything from her; the war reports regarding the Kingdom of Liang were all laid out on his desk.

Qin Xiyi read through every single one, her heart surging with a mixture of shock and joy.

Cheng Mozhi had not only survived but was leading the remnants of the Chunheng army in a counteroffensive against Qi Zheng. The two sides were locked in a stalemate, and at one point, he had even fought his way back to the capital.

But just then, the diplomatic mission from the Kingdom of Zhao returned.

They knelt before the Emperor, weeping as they recounted their narrow escape from the jaws of death.

Casting etiquette aside, Qin Xiyi grabbed one of them and demanded, “What is the situation in Liang? How is Cheng Mozhi?”

“Lord Cheng… he stormed the capital and set us free, but Qi Zheng’s reinforcements of two hundred thousand have arrived. Lord Cheng’s thirty thousand men are now besieged within the capital. It’s unlikely they can hold out for long before the city falls…”

Qin Xiyi’s heart wrenched with agonizing pain. Her fists clenched tight as she sank to her knees.

“Father, I beg of you—send troops! Save him!”

“Save him? On what grounds?”

Qin Luoke and Han Su walked in, offering their formal greetings to the Emperor in unison.

Qin Luoke spoke with an air of self-righteousness. “Cheng Mozhi was a treacherous official and a rebel to begin with. He is a member of the Liang imperial family; why should Zhao interfere in Liang’s internal affairs?”

Still kneeling, Qin Xiyi looked up at her radiant sister. There was no longer any trace of the woman who had once been so infatuated with and covetous of Cheng Mozhi.

If she couldn’t have him, she would destroy him. Her sister was indeed capable of such malice.

Han Su presented a scroll. “Father, this is a diplomatic missive from Qi Zheng. He states that if we hand over the young prince, Liang Ying, he will return the twelve provinces Zhao ceded and sign a non-aggression pact.”

A deafening roar erupted in Qin Xiyi’s head.

The people filling this court seemed like ghouls and monsters, leaving her shaken to her very core.