Chapter 3 — The Secret the Empress Dowager Concealed

My father spoke: "The man who took on the case back then died of a sudden illness three days later. The case files caught fire, burning so thoroughly that not a single page remained." A chill instantly rippled across the execution grounds. I finally understood why my father had acted so madly today; he was not merely trying to save us. He intended to use the Emperor’s own eyes to reignite the fires of seventeen years ago. Emperor Yuan Sheng squeezed his jade token, his expression darkening into a storm.

"Xie Guihong, if you do not speak today, did you truly intend to take these secrets to your grave?"

My father shook his head. "I never wished to carry them that far."

"Then why speak now?"

My father looked up at me, then at my mother and my two younger siblings. Suddenly, he let out a laugh. "Because there are those who desire the entire Xie family dead. Had I spoken in the dungeon, no one would have listened. Had I spoken at court, no one would have believed me. But by speaking here on the execution grounds, if Your Majesty still chooses to kill, you must do so in front of all the civil and military officials—and you must kill a young girl who might be connected to the late Empress."

Emperor Yuan Sheng narrowed his eyes. "Are you threatening me?"

My father bowed his head until it touched the earth. "I would not dare. I am merely gambling that Your Majesty still cares for your reputation."

I nearly choked on my own breath. The gathered officials bowed their heads in unison, not a single soul daring to meet the Emperor’s gaze. Emperor Yuan Sheng was so angry he began to laugh. "Xie Guihong, that you haven't been beaten to death all these years is a miracle of your ancestors’ grace."

My father replied with profound seriousness, "My ancestral tomb does indeed have excellent feng shui." The Emperor flung his jade token onto the desk. "Issue the decree! The execution of the Xie family for treason is stayed. The identity of Xie Ming Duong is to be investigated separately. Throw Xie Guihong into the celestial prison; I shall interrogate him myself."

My father let out a long sigh of relief. But before he could even finish catching his breath, a horse galloped furiously toward the execution grounds.

"Report!"

The messenger tumbled from his saddle, holding a letter stained with blood. "Your Majesty! We have unearthed a female corpse at the old site of the North Slope relay station, clutching half of a Phoenix Feather Order! There is a message written in blood upon it."

Emperor Yuan Sheng stood up abruptly. "Read it."

The messenger’s voice trembled. "The one who slaughtered the Xie family did not do so because of treason. It was to exterminate the Ming Duong."

The moment those words were spoken, the wind on the execution grounds felt as though it had been sliced in two by a blade. Every gaze in the crowd turned toward me. Kneeling on the cold ground, my mind could only hold one thought: what merit or worth did I possess that someone would go to such lengths to destroy me?

My father was the first to react, knocking his forehead against the ground with a loud thud. "Your Majesty, see? I truly did not commit treason."

The Emperor stared at him coldly. "Whether you committed treason or not, I have not yet concluded."

My father immediately changed his tune. "It is just that I am a bit unlucky."

My mother gritted her teeth. "Shut your mouth! Say two more words, and we will all be marched to the chopping block again."

My father shut his mouth, looking aggrieved. The imperial guard who brought the blood-stained letter knelt and held it up with both hands. The head eunuch, Chang, took the missive and presented it to the Emperor. Emperor Yuan Sheng glanced at it once, his face turning even frostier. He passed the letter to the Minister of Justice. "Do you recognize this handwriting?"

The Minister of Justice took the letter, his hands visibly shaking. "I... I do not recognize it."

"You do not recognize it?" The Emperor’s voice was low. "Then why are you trembling?"

The Minister of Justice collapsed to his knees. "I am terrified, Your Majesty!"

I watched him. His fear was real, and his guilty conscience was just as evident. I suddenly recalled that the Ministry of Justice had been in charge of the Xie family’s treason case. Yesterday, in the dungeon, my father had been beaten until he was drenched in blood, with the officials demanding a confession. Amidst the agony, my father had cursed at them, "Be gentle with your blows! I still have to perform on the execution grounds tomorrow!"

At the time, I thought he was just being stubborn. Now, I realized he had been orchestrating this all along. The Emperor waved his hand. "Confine the Xie family to the celestial prison and keep them separated."

My father immediately looked up. "Your Majesty, keeping us separated is not wise."

"And why is that?"

"My eldest daughter has an unclear identity, and there are those who wish to kill her. My wife has a foul temper and will surely beat the jailers to death. My younger daughter is not on the family register and is cowardly. My son has questionable bloodlines and is prone to gloomy thoughts."

My younger brother, Xie Wencheng, could no longer hold back. "Father! I am merely 'questionable,' not crippled!"

My father glanced at him. "You don't even have the confidence to speak properly now."

Xie Wencheng fell silent. The Emperor rubbed his brow. "Then what do you propose?"

My father responded instantly, "Lock us all together."

My mother smiled thinly. "So it is easier for you to continue spinning your tall tales?"

My father whispered, "It is also easier for you to beat me."

My mother nearly lunged at him. The Emperor had evidently had enough of our family’s chaos. "Lock them together. Double the imperial guards. Without my express decree, no one is permitted to interrogate them."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the Minister of Justice and the Chief of the Supreme Court. Both of their foreheads pressed firmly against the dust.

"Whoever violates this, be executed."