“What?!”
Ma Bing dropped the pill he was rolling between his fingers.
No wonder she had smelled something burning in the middle of the night.
She had met the Princess Shouyang several times before, and although they had never had an in-depth conversation, from Xie Yu’s description, it was clear that the princess was a woman whose stubbornness bordered on obsession.
Such an outcome was unexpected, yet not entirely without precedent.
Xie Yu quickly reached out and caught the falling pill.
“Shen Xuan is as good as dead.”
Ma Bing immediately understood.
It was highly likely that the Princess had left instructions before her death.
Even if she hadn’t, the emperor would certainly seize the opportunity to act decisively, ensuring Shen Xuan would never escape unscathed.
Even the Shen family behind him would suffer greatly as a result.
The area around Prince Shun’s mansion was filled with high-ranking officials and nobles, so last night’s fire could not be concealed.
Moreover, it was midsummer, and the princess’s body was burned beyond recognition. It could not be kept for long. Early that morning, the entire household replaced their lanterns with white ones and reported the death to the Zongzheng Temple, which managed royal ceremonies.
The official account now stated that the imperial consort Shen Xuan had driven the princess to her death, and the already ailing Prince Shun, unable to endure the sorrow of losing his sister, had passed away shortly after.
As for the fire, it was simply an accident caused by a careless servant.
Coincidentally, this explanation was quite plausible.
Because a maid of the Princess had witnessed an argument between the princess and Shen Xuan at Fuyun Temple, and the princess had even forbidden Shen Xuan from touching her, calling him dirty.
Moreover, many temple visitors could testify that they had rarely seen the princess and her consort appear together.
They didn’t even bother to pretend to be a loving couple, so it was obvious their relationship was strained.
Even the innkeeper at the city’s outskirts could confirm that when entering the capital, the princess and her consort had been at odds, not exchanging a single word…
All of these became ironclad evidence of the deep rift between the royal couple.
The consort came from a prestigious family, so it was unlikely he would tolerate humiliation. Thus, it was quite possible that the princess, like a delicate flower, could not endure it and took her own life in despair.
Once the news spread, the image of Shen Xuan as a refined and courteous gentleman, carefully cultivated over the past few days, collapsed overnight.
If a man had driven his beloved wife to her death, no matter how talented he was, he would only deserve to be called a “beast.”
The news was delivered to the palace late at night. Upon hearing it, the emperor remained silent for a long time, unable to determine whether he felt joy or anger.
He had indeed deeply disliked the siblings, and had spent countless nights plotting how to eliminate Prince Shun, but he had never intended to push Princess Shouyang to such an extreme.
After all, she was merely a naive princess, a victim of the struggle for imperial power, and keeping her around wouldn’t have caused much trouble.
But he had never expected that she would be so resolute, ending her short life in such a tragic manner.
Shen Xuan had not directly killed Princess Shouyang, but he had indeed given her a hard shove when she stood at the edge of the cliff.
He deserved to die.
He deserved the worst punishment.
That night, the emperor issued an imperial edict, which was urgently dispatched across the country with the fastest couriers, ensuring that even the furthest locations would receive it within three days.
Forcing a princess to her death was a grave crime. If the emperor chose to pursue it, it would constitute rebellion, disrespect, and contempt for the imperial authority—punishable by execution of the entire clan.
The emperor did not miss this opportunity.
Under the charge of disrespect, he ordered Shen Xuan’s parents and more than a dozen senior members of the Shen clan to immediately come to the capital to face punishment. That same night, he dismissed all Shen officials from their posts and ordered them to kneel outside the palace gates.
This was all done with proper justification.
Princess Shouyang would never have imagined that her death would mark the beginning of the downfall of the entire Shen clan.
In just one night, the mighty Shen family collapsed, followed swiftly by a series of purges.
Soon, memorials condemning the Shen clan and Shen Xuan himself poured into the imperial palace like snowflakes.
As Tu Yao had mentioned, the title of imperial son-in-law was merely a status conferred upon him by virtue of his marriage to the princess.
If the consort himself possessed no irreplaceable abilities or talents, then once the princess was gone, he would merely be an ordinary man, with no further reason to exist.
On the day Shen Xuan was imprisoned, the official Tu Yao had previously approached immediately switched sides.
With the fall of the imperial son-in-law and the collapse of the Shen family’s power, its downfall was inevitable—what then was he himself?
He candidly confessed to years of collusion with the Shen family and additionally submitted a list of officials who had been involved with the Shens.
After all, in such a situation, why should only he die alone?
If he was to die, he would take a few others down with him!
Let none of them live!
The emperor compared the list provided by the official with the one given by Princess Shouyang, and indeed found several overlapping names.
According to the laws of the Great Lu, officials who treated human lives carelessly, deceived superiors, and concealed the truth from the emperor were to be executed. Their parents and children would also be implicated—adult males would be beheaded, while minors and female relatives would become government slaves, barred from returning to commoner status for five generations.
After finishing his confession, the official dared not ask for mercy. He simply lowered his head, pressing his bleeding forehead tightly against the cold floor, his voice trembling:
“Your Majesty, I beg you, in consideration of my meritorious confession, spare my family—they truly knew nothing.”
The emperor looked down at him, his voice icy.
“Knowing this would happen, why did you do it in the first place?
You may have been a good son and a good father, but you were certainly not a good man.
As for your family, perhaps they knew, perhaps they didn’t, but they were certainly not innocent.
You have held office for many years, bearing the emperor’s favor, yet you betrayed the court above and the people below, treating the nation’s laws as mere trifles and human lives as weeds. You abused your power for personal gain. Your family still has you to plead for mercy, but what chance did those innocent people who died unjustly ever have to speak a single word?
You are a murderer, and the luxuries your family enjoyed were built upon the bones of others…”
The official instantly turned pale, trembling uncontrollably.
The emperor resumed his seat on the dragon throne, “You say you know your mistake, that you have confessed with merit, but I do not agree. Didn’t Tu Yao give you a chance before? Did you seize it?”
No!
It wasn’t that he had realized his mistake or deliberately sought to atone, but rather that he had no choice when the situation became dire!
If no one had ever discovered the truth, if no one had ever come to him, he would have continued deceiving superiors and subordinates indefinitely!
Sweat poured from the official like a waterfall, instantly soaking his official robes.
He dared not argue, only repeatedly kowtowing, “Your Majesty, I know I deserve to die, I know I deserve to die…”
He finally regretted his actions.
But at this point, what use was regret?
None.
The emperor snorted coldly, “You indeed deserve to die, you deserve the worst punishment. I will certainly not spare your family. On the contrary, I want all the officials in the empire to see what happens to those who pretend obedience while harboring defiance and treat human lives as mere trifles!”
The official’s head buzzed, and finally, darkness overtook him as he fainted.
The emperor looked at him with disdain, “Drag him out!”
Upon hearing of Princess Shouyang’s self-immolation, Shen Xuan was stunned. When the officers came to arrest him, he did not resist.
Later, during the Ministry of Justice’s trial, Shen Xuan remained silent.
The officials tried both persuasion and coercion, even resorting to torture, but failed to pry a single word from his mouth.
“At this point, there’s no turning back. I advise you, just confess and it will be easier for you, and we’ll save ourselves some trouble.”
If Princess Shouyang were still alive, they might have considered the royal family’s reputation.
But now that the only person who could protect him was gone, what was the point of struggling?
It was said that the first thing several Shen officials in the court did upon hearing the news was to beg for forgiveness, swiftly casting Shen Xuan aside to face death.
They had played the game of sacrificing a pawn to save the chariot with consummate skill.
It was not until the third day that Shen Xuan finally spoke his first words since his arrest: “I wish to see the emperor.”
After saying that, he clammed up like a clam possessed, not uttering another word.
With no other choice, the judicial officials had to report this to the emperor, who granted the request.
He wanted to see what tricks Shen Xuan could still pull off.
Did he think the emperor would value his talents and show leniency?
What a pipe dream.
Unexpectedly, Shen Xuan did not plead for mercy for himself, nor did he plead for the Shen clan.
He opened his mouth and asked the emperor an unexpected question.
“Sire, if there is a next life, what kind of origin would you choose?”
The emperor was taken aback.
But after a moment, he said, “I only care about this life, not the next. Besides, how do you know that this life isn’t the next life you prayed for in your past life?”
This time it was Shen Xuan’s turn to be stunned.
After a long while, he actually laughed.
“Sire, you have a keen mind. If you weren’t an emperor, you would surely become a great monk of a generation.”
The emperor thought this man was ill, seriously ill, always talking nonsense about irrelevant things.
What did this life matter, and what did the next life matter?
He didn’t believe in that.
When a person dies, they’re just dead—two legs kicking, and no matter how grandly the living celebrate their funeral, it’s all for show to the living, completely useless.
“Did you kill Tian Shu?”
Shen Xuan readily nodded, “Yes.”
Then, he smiled cheerfully, “She was silly, quite interesting.”
A young lady raised in seclusion might be suitable to be the mistress of a great household, but she was inevitably lacking in understanding the treachery of the human heart.
Tian Shu was especially like this.
In fact, before going to Fuyun Temple, Shen Xuan had once caught a glimpse of Tian Shu shopping during a literary gathering in Kaifeng City.
At that time, he had already felt that the girl was very much like Princess Shouyang.
They were both born into noble families, but unfortunately, their power had been usurped midway. Their beautiful faces were filled with pride, but their eyes were filled with fear and resentment from the depths of their souls.
Resentful of their current situation, yet unwilling and unable to change it.
And this resentment and fear intertwined, turning into a venomous insect that gnawed at their fragile hearts day and night.
At that time, Shen Xuan had merely found it amusing. He hadn’t yet decided how to proceed when he unexpectedly encountered Tian Shu, sobbing alone at Fuyun Temple.
He suddenly found it interesting.
Looking up at the solemn Buddha statues around the hall, a twisted joy surged throughout his body.
Wasn’t this the will of heaven?!
It must be the guidance of the Buddha.
To a naive young lady who had never seen the world, a young and talented man who was gentle, considerate, and talented would never go out of style. At first, Tian Shu was a bit wary, but when Shen Xuan skillfully said a few ambiguous comforting words, that silly girl was deeply moved.
He understands me!
He’s practically a soulmate.
Tian Shu was foolish enough to believe that there was truly a divine will, that a man who approached her out of nowhere would establish a pure and innocent friendship with her.
So when Shen Xuan invited her every day to walk to a more secluded place and truly showed her sights unseen in the capital, Tian Shu’s wariness completely vanished.
“How beautiful the sunset is, how free the birds!”
Looking at the endless expanse of evening glow and the weary birds returning to their nests, flapping their wings, Tian Shu said dreamily, her face filled with yearning.
Shen Xuan smiled at her, his patience gradually fading.
What a fool.
Was there ever true freedom in this world?
You only see the birds flying, but you don’t think about how they must avoid predators and human hunters, and how they must snatch moments to feed their voraciously hungry chicks…
Predators.
So when Shen Xuan tore off his disguise and revealed his true self, Tian Shu was utterly stunned.
She never imagined that the gentleman who had been gently consoling her for days was actually a true villain!
She cried for help, but due to the remote location, no one heard her.
She struggled, but was thrown to the ground and dragged, eventually losing consciousness.
When she awoke, Tian Shu was shocked to find herself pressed to the ground, forced to do degrading things!
In anger, she bit Shen Xuan, but his reaction was quick. As soon as her teeth pressed down slightly, she was thrown aside.
Then, instead of the beating she had expected, Tian Shu found herself flying.
The evening mist had risen at Fuyun Temple, and Tian Shu fell into the milky white fog, looking up at Shen Xuan standing at the cliff’s edge, coldly gazing down at her, growing more and more distant…
Even the experienced emperor, upon hearing Shen Xuan’s account, couldn’t help but furrow his brow, thinking that this man was truly beyond redemption, incurably ill.
“Weren’t you afraid of being caught?”
As he recalled the murder, Shen Xuan’s expression and tone remained extremely calm.
At this, he merely smiled, “I’ve long grown tired of such games.”
He simply found it absurd, how some people lived their entire lives as jokes.
He used to find such games amusing, but a few years ago, he had gradually grown tired of them.
But tired as he was, the rest of the Shen family would not allow him to stop.
For the sake of their absurd family honor, they had pushed him forward as a pawn to marry a princess who was destined for unhappiness;
And again for the sake of family honor, they had even actively helped him, a murderer, to cover up and clean up the aftermath…
What a noble family! Outwardly shining, inwardly full of filth!
So on the day he was arrested, Shen Xuan felt not the slightest fear, but rather a sense of long-overdue relief.
He readily confessed to his crimes, past and present.
This was something he had been longing for a long time.
But there was one thing he hadn’t calculated on:
The Princess Shouyang had actually committed suicide.
“Sire, do you know,” Shen Xuan suddenly giggled, “I have been married to the princess for over a decade, yet we have never shared a bed.”
The emperor’s eyes widened slightly.
“She never even regarded me as a man!” Shen Xuan suddenly raged, shouting loudly, “She detested me, hated me, and treated me like a ferocious beast to be avoided at all costs!”
Initially, Princess Shouyang resisted the marriage and consequently prohibited the consort from consummating the union.
Later, she wanted to live with him properly, but during her investigation, she was shocked to discover that the imperial son-in-law was not the good man she had imagined…
The emperor looked at him as one might look at garbage soaked and rotting in autumn rain, “You deserve to die.”
Even before marrying the princess, you had committed capital crimes. Now you dare to feign innocence and play the victim? It’s utterly disgusting!
If Princess Shouyang had discovered that her consort was a scoundrel yet still shared a bed with him, that would truly be the height of foolishness.
Fortunately, although Princess Shouyang was a bit foolish and stubborn, she did retain a bit of royal pride and a tiny sliver of conscience.
Shen Xuan also seemed indifferent to the emperor’s opinion, or perhaps he had never intended to defend himself from the beginning.
He looked down at his hands.
Beautiful hands, long and slender, pale and smooth, with clearly defined knuckles and delicate skin, only slightly calloused at the joints from years of holding a brush.
Clearly the hands of someone who had never done hard labor, accustomed to a life of luxury.
Yet these were the hands of an executioner.
They were stained with blood.
“Do you also think I drove the princess to her death?”
He asked the emperor.
The emperor was silent for a moment and did not answer.
“Shen Xuan, unforgivable crimes, to be executed by lingchi. The Shen family deceived the princess, disrespected the court, and disregarded the law. Their property is to be confiscated. Those guilty will be beheaded, the innocent will be enslaved, those serving in the court will be demoted to commoners and never re-employed, and their descendants for three generations will be barred from taking the imperial examinations…”
It wasn’t just Shen Xuan who drove Princess Shouyang to her death; everyone pushed her a little, but the one who first set her on this irreversible path was herself.
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