Wish You All the Best - Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Just as the boy was about to throw the jade seal in his hand into the surging tide, a voice suddenly rang out from behind him: "It has been three years. How fares Your Majesty? Wang Jin kowtows to Your Majesty."
The boy’s hand froze, and he turned around slowly.
A figure emerged from the dim gloom of the night. With a hooked nose, a long face, and wearing a plain tunic and a small cap—an outfit as ordinary as could be—he spoke of kowtowing while only bowing perfunctorily. His expression hovered between a smile and a smirk, and his eyes glittered in the moonlight with the icy, venomous radiance of a viper. In the darkness, the sight was enough to strike fear into anyone's heart.
The boy’s expression shifted slightly. The moment his shoulders tensed, the man added: "Your Majesty, if you dare to jump into the sea or smash what you are holding, the young girl from the Zhen family will meet a fate far more miserable than that of the Jin family. You should know what my methods are capable of."
His tone was sinister, chilling one to the bone.
The boy’s figure became rigid.
Wang Jin had always been adept at concealing his inner malice, but at this moment, watching the paralyzed figure of the boy before him, he could not suppress the ecstasy surging within his heart; his gaze sparkled ever more brightly.
"If Your Majesty obediently returns with me now, I guarantee I will not make things difficult for you. Furthermore, I swear to the heavens that I will not touch a single hair on any of the Zhen family members. Should I break this oath, may I be destroyed by Heaven and Earth! Come to think of it, the Zhen family has performed a great service this time; I shall report it to His Majesty so they may be rewarded. If not for that little Zhen girl, Your Majesty would likely already be gone by now."
If this boy—the former Young Emperor, Xiao Yu—had been thrown into the sea by the Jin family to be buried in a fish’s belly, it would have indeed removed a thorn in the current Emperor's side. But how else could this Imperial Seal, the object the Tianxi Emperor had dreamed of day and night, have seen the light of day again?
Who could have imagined it was hidden by Xiao Yu in such a place?
Xiao Yu turned slowly, standing face-to-face with Wang Jin.
"Your Majesty, you never would have guessed that this was all a trap set by me, Wang Jin, would you?"
This particular stratagem was one that satisfied even himself, and he could not help but let a glimmer of smugness show in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, you are very clever. After you managed to escape by sheer luck back then, you actually hid in a place like Quanzhou. Lingnan is high above and the Emperor is far away, and Quanzhou is a place where dragons and snakes mingle. Trying to find someone who is determined to hide themselves is truly like searching for a needle at the bottom of the sea. But you still underestimated me. Over these years, in order to find you, I sent out countless men. They disguised themselves as sailors and laborers, searching every place in the South where you might have hidden. Heaven did not disappoint me, and last month, I finally learned that someone had seen a young, mute boy in the Jin family’s shipyard in Quanzhou who resembled your likeness. So, I rushed here personally and, without much effort, learned that you had been taken in by the Zhen family when you were on the verge of death. I could have taken you long ago, but at the time, I wasn't certain you were the Young Emperor. After all, your appearance has changed somewhat over these years, and you played the role of a simpleton so convincingly that even I was nearly deceived. Furthermore, I knew that even if you were the Young Emperor and I snatched you away, I would have the person, but this precious seal..."
He glanced at the object in the boy’s hand and could not help but swallow his saliva—it was as if he saw wealth and glory beckoning to him from just ahead.
"...would likely be difficult to pry out of your mouth. So, I set a trap, deliberately spreading the news about searching for undocumented youths and then making an example of the Jin family. As expected, you were alarmed and slipped away. Naturally, you would not have forgotten your precious seal before leaving."
"Your Majesty, you are very clever, but ultimately a bit green. You cannot be blamed for that..."
He stared intensely at the object shimmering in the moonlight and walked toward the boy step by step, stretching out his hand and coaxing: "Your Majesty, give it to me! The Emperor is your own uncle, after all. If you return with me, it just means you cannot be Emperor, that is all. You have hidden in filth these past few years and must have suffered much hardship; you surely know that there are many in this world who are more unfortunate than you. If you return and live as a peaceful prince, living out the rest of your life in security, what could be wrong with that?"
Xiao Yu was silent for a moment, then suddenly gave a scoff: "I pity my Second Imperial Uncle. Although he has become Emperor, every time he performs the rites to Heaven these past years, he must feel that his foundation is lacking, no? Very well. My life was meant to be reclaimed by the heavens several months ago anyway. Even the throne has been taken by him—why should I cling to this thing? If he wants it, let him have it!"
He tossed the jade seal toward Wang Jin. The seal traced an arc through the air. Wang Jin was ecstatic; he leaped up, snatched it, and stowed it into his satchel. He then added: "Your Majesty, come with me as well. I promise, as long as you do not flee, I will never make things difficult for you."
Xiao Yu gave a cold laugh and twisted his wrist. A dagger appeared in his hand, its blade flashing in the moonlight with a sharp, frigid gleam.
Wang Jin paused. Xiao Yu’s expression instantly turned cold and haughty: "If I must be killed, I would rather kill myself! After I am dead, you may cut off my head and take it to him; Second Imperial Uncle will surely be at ease then. The Zhen family of Quanzhou has absolutely nothing to do with me. Let the sun and moon bear witness, and let the gods of heaven and earth judge. If you violate your oath after I am dead, you will certainly meet a wretched end!"
He had once been the noble Son of Heaven, possessing the four seas, and now he had fallen into the dust, living among the lowly; but in this moment, his eyes were so deep and brilliant that even Wang Jin felt cowed and did not dare to look him in the eye, slowly lowering his head.
Xiao Yu turned around, facing the boundless, infinite darkness of the far northern sky. With a solemn expression, he performed the three-kneels-and-nine-bows ritual, then rose to his feet, standing perfectly straight.
The boy’s face in the moonlight was elegant, lonely, and his brows were set with determination.
He closed his eyes and looked up toward the stars. With a flash of cold light, he swung the dagger toward his own throat. Just as blood was about to spray three feet high, a voice arrived on the wind: "Looking up, one has nothing to be ashamed of before Heaven; looking down, one has nothing to be ashamed of before men. Wang Jin, you are currently a fourth-rank Zhenfu, a favorite of the Jinyiwei, but if my memory serves, you were the thirty-sixth place in the Dinghai Martial Examination of the tenth year of Tianxi. They only accepted thirty-five people that year; you originally fell behind the list. The late Emperor heard that you were known for your filial piety and could not bear for your elderly mother to be left alone in the countryside, so he allowed you to bring her to the capital for the examination. Your travel funds were exhausted, and you and your mother lived under a bridge. You once begged for a cold leftover in the market and,忍ing your own hunger, ran back to give it to your mother. The late Emperor was moved by your filial act and admitted you as an exception, adding your name to the end of the scholar list. That was the beginning of your official career. The late Emperor gave you first the grace of a sovereign, then the grace of a teacher. Times have changed, and now the Prince of Shunan is Emperor. It is understandable that you do not think of the late Emperor’s kindness, but to force the bloodline of the late Emperor for the sake of your own glory!"
"Wang Jin, are you not afraid of Heaven? Are you not ashamed before men?"
Everything around them was pitch black, with the sea tide roaring. As the night wind blew fiercely, every word of this voice entered their ears on the wind. Xiao Yu and Wang Jin heard it, and both were shaken.
Xiao Yu opened his eyes and followed the sound, turning back. He saw that, he knew not since when, a man stood on the seawall several zhang away. The man was dressed in night clothes, his figure nearly merging with the black night if one did not look closely.
"Who are you?"
Wang Jin drew his sword and shouted sharply.
The man ignored him, walking toward Xiao Yu with great strides, finally stopping before him and blocking him behind his own back.
He turned his face to Xiao Yu, who was staring at him with wide eyes. "It has been many years. Does Your Majesty still remember me? When I left the capital, you were still the Crown Prince, only six or seven years old. The last article I taught you to read was the 'Wangsun Man Responds to the Chu Official' from the Zuo Zhuan. I recall that you had not yet had the chance to hand in your reading notes."
His voice was gentle, his tone unhurried, and the moonlight illuminated the handsome, refined face of a young man.
Xiao Yu’s eyes widened suddenly, and he cried out: "Shao Fu! You are Shao Fu Pei!"
The man smiled slightly and nodded: "Indeed. Pei You’an has come late and caused Your Majesty to suffer."
In that instant, the boy’s eyes erupted with infinite excitement and radiance.
He had been made Crown Prince at three and entered his studies at four. After his enlightenment, his father, the Tianxi Emperor, selected several teachers for him; the one he liked most was Pei You’an, who was only fourteen years old at the time.
"Shao Fu, where have you been all these years... I had finished those notes back then, waiting for you, but you never came to check them... Later, I ascended the throne and searched everywhere for you, but I never received news of you. I thought you had already..."
He rushed toward Pei You’an, his voice already slightly choked with emotion.
Pei You’an patted him gently to soothe him.
"Pei You’an? Pei You’an! Is it truly you? How are you here?"
Wang Jin finally recognized him. His eyes fixed on him, he cried out in a strange voice, full of shock: "You have great courage! The current Emperor has been on the throne for three years, the seas are calm and the rivers clear, and the entire court is in submission. Do you wish to openly defy the decree? Those who know the times are the heroes. As long as you defect to the Emperor, with your talents, the Emperor will surely put you to great use. If you remain obsessed and confused, are you not afraid that I will report this to the Emperor upon my return and implicate those of your Pei family?"
Pei You’an replied: "Do you think I will let you walk away alive tonight?"
His voice remained calm, but the chilling intent within it was palpable.
Wang Jin paused and sized him up, then sneered: "Pei You’an, you are being far too arrogant. I know that as a child you studied under a master swordsman to strengthen your body, and you even went to the battlefield with the Duke of Wei, but if you think you can kill me on your own, you are still dreaming."
Pei You’an smiled slightly, watching him: "Who said one must do the killing themselves?"
Wang Jin’s expression changed slightly. He looked around and let out a sharp whistle.
After the whistle, there was no movement; only the sound of the sea and the wind remained.
"Do not bother looking. Your subordinates are already dead," Pei You’an said.
Wang Jin gritted his teeth and lunged toward Pei You’an with his blade, his movements as swift and fierce as an eagle. In the blink of an eye, he was nearly upon him. When he was but a few steps away, another figure rushed toward them rapidly. Through the wind, a loud laugh could be heard: "The Young Master is correct! Wang Jin, the lackeys you brought are already finished by my brothers!"
The man was of a sturdy build with a rich, resonant voice; he sounded like a man in his prime, wearing a mask that shimmered with a bronze tint in the moonlight, revealing only his eyes. He looked rather peculiar, and in a flash, he reached them.
Wang Jin was shocked once more: "The Golden-Faced Dragon King?"
The Golden-Faced Dragon King was a famous pirate leader who had risen rapidly in the Nanyang region in recent years, gathering crowds and occupying islands, possessing immense power at sea. But unlike those pirates who killed and plundered at will, making everyone at sea gnash their teeth in hatred, the Golden-Faced Dragon King only collected protection fees from merchant ships passing through the channels he controlled. Once under his protection, the ships were guaranteed safe passage. Rather than risk the danger of taking detours and being robbed or killed by other pirates, ship owners were quite willing to pay the fee for a smooth journey. The government was helpless against him. Because he never showed his true face, wearing a bronze mask, the people at sea called him the Golden-Faced Dragon King.
The man laughed: "You know me too? To kill a man like you, why would the Young Master need to strike? I will suffice."
Wang Jin gritted his teeth and attacked with his blade. After a brief struggle, a miserable shriek rang out; the hand clutching the sword was cleanly severed, and the hand, along with the sword, flew off into the night.
Wang Jin collapsed in agony, clutching his spurting, severed hand. His eyes widened, staring fixedly at Pei You’an, filled with resentment and venom.
Pei You’an crouched before him, retrieved the jade seal that had been stowed in the satchel, wiped away the bloodstains, held it in his palm, and contemplated it in the moonlight for a moment. Then, he stood up and spoke to the Golden-Faced Dragon King: "Uncle Dong, give him a quick end.”