Chapter 57: The Death of the Duke of Ningguo

The Estate of the Duke of Ning was draped in white mourning cloth.

The funeral of the Duke of Ning was understated yet solemn.

A low, melancholic dirge echoed as dozens of musicians played in somber tones. Buddhist monks and Taoist priests performed salvation rituals for departed souls. Officials from the Ministry of Rites were also present, orchestrating various ceremonies to befit the rank of a state duke.

Yet, very few people came to pay their respects.

Even the few staunch marital-tie families came and went in haste. Most others sent their condolences through gifts without making an appearance. Some simply sent neither person nor gift.

It was a stark contrast to the usual, endless stream of visitors that had once filled the Duke of Ning's estate.

Everyone in the upper echelons of society knew the reason for the Duke of Ning's death. The Emperor had used the Duke's life to signal to everyone that he had no intention of naming a crown prince just yet. Whoever stuck their neck out on this matter would die.

Amidst the desolate funeral at the Duke of Ning's estate, the reactions of the two filial sons differed vastly.

Pei Xuan acted as if nothing had happened. He cried when he should cry, and managed affairs in an orderly, meticulous manner.

Pei Zhao, however, had remained kneeling before his father's spirit tablet for days on end, refusing a single drop of water, until his body became completely emaciated.

In his mind, the scene of the last time he saw his father played over and over again.

His father, holding a long sword, had glared at him fiercely and rebuked, "I truly ought to kill you. But I cannot bring myself to do it."

With that, his father had thrown down the sword and turned away without looking back.

When he saw his father again, the old man was lying inside a coffin made of precious purple sandalwood.

"Father..." Pei Zhao whispered involuntarily, his face as pale as snow, his lips chapped and peeling.

"Save your breath. Father is already gone," an indifferent voice said.

Pei Zhao turned his head to see Pei Xuan standing right behind him.

Pei Xuan was dressed in full mourning garb, though it failed to conceal the bulky cotton-padded jacket he wore underneath. He held a hand warmer and draped a white fur cloak over his shoulders.

There was not a single trace of a grieving son's misery about him.

He looked as though it were someone else's father who had died. He ate well, drank well, and dressed comfortably.

"Eldest Brother! Father is dead—driven to suicide! Are you not grieving at all?" Pei Zhao demanded angrily.

"Of course I am grieving. I want nothing more than to kill you. Anyone in this world is entitled to say those words to me, except for you." Pei Xuan's voice remained steady, devoid of any fluctuation.

Pei Zhao was choked into silence. He could only slam his fist furiously against the ground.

"Good. You've starved for days and still have some strength left," Pei Xuan said, squatting down to look at Pei Zhao. "Do you want revenge?"

"I do," Pei Zhao spat out through clenched teeth.

"Against whom?"

"I want to kill He Chong'an." Pei Zhao could no longer suppress his fury.

"Save your breath. Until the situation in the Western Sea improves, the He family is untouchable. Until the outcome of the frontline war is decided, the Emperor will show utmost indulgence to the families of his generals. The He family holds a death-exemption iron medallion right now. Even if He Chong'an truly committed a taboo, the reckoning will only come after the autumn harvest."

Pei Xuan's tone carried a hint of disdain as he continued, "You think He Chong'an is a fool like you, leaving behind evidence so easily?"

"The one who truly drove Father to his death is you—your good Sixth Brother, the honorable Prince Jin. Do you still not understand?"

Pei Zhao was stunned.

"This entire matter, at its root, was you walking straight into Prince Jin's trap and handing He Chong'an a weapon. As long as that leverage exists, even if He Chong'an were gone, there would be a Cat Chong'an or a Dog Chong'an."

"Father and I asked you repeatedly, yet you insisted on protecting your friends. Well, you've achieved it now. Congratulations to you, Second Master Pei, whose word is worth a thousand gold."

As Pei Xuan spoke, his eyes turned red, and the words burst forth from the depths of his throat, shouted in a low, agonizing whisper.

"Stop talking! Stop talking!" Pei Zhao wept prostrate on the ground, not daring to lift his head to look at his father's spirit tablet.

"How many times, how many times did I tell you to be careful outside? Every single day at home, we walked on thin ice, terrified that something would go wrong. And you? Out there in the capital, you were the supreme master—the peerless Second Master Pei! How majestic, how awe-inspiring!"

Pei Xuan grabbed his younger brother by the collar, dragged him a few steps forward toward the front gates, and said, "Go look outside right now. Among those fair-weather friends of yours, who still pays you any mind? Who still acknowledges you as Second Master Pei?"

Pei Zhao felt as though his bones had been sucked out of him. His entire body collapsed into a limp heap, leaving only tears streaming endlessly down his face.

Pei Xuan tossed Pei Zhao onto the floor, leisurely tucked his hands into his sleeves, took a deep breath, and resumed his placid, unruffled expression. "Second Brother, this is the last time I will speak to you of serious matters."

"Father is dead. Grand Duke Niu will succeed him as the Minister of Military Affairs. All of our family's connections are now entrusted to the Niu family. For the next few years, I will close our doors to guests and hold no official office."

"As for Father's arrangement for you—you are to follow Prince Jin."

"Eldest Brother, are we not going to seek revenge? I refuse to follow that old Sixth!" Pei Zhao roared in rage.

"Revenge?" Pei Xuan said calmly. "What revenge?"

"You still don't understand. In the imperial court, the first rule is to endure, the second rule is to endure, and the third rule is still to endure. The preservation of the family clan comes first; everything else is secondary. That was Father's wish, and it is mine."

"Prince Jin used you, and you paid your allegiance with Father's head. Everyone in the world knows you are Prince Jin's man. Since you are now pledging yourself to him, Prince Jin must heavily employ you—even if only to put on a show for others. That is how we maximize our interests."

Pei Zhao never imagined such cold-hearted words could come from his eldest brother's mouth. To him, their father's death was spoken of as mere leverage.

He found it hard to believe. "Eldest Brother, what are you saying? A father's murder is an irreconcilable feud! Wait—" Pei Zhao's eyes lit up as if struck by a sudden thought. "Eldest Brother, are you asking me to act as an undercover agent to plot against Prince Jin in the future?"

"Heh-heh-heh..." Pei Xuan chuckled, reached out to pat Pei Zhao's head, and said, "You are still so naive. I told you to read books, but you refused. Loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness—those are merely tools used by monarchs to rule the world."

"Forget Father's life. My life, your life—what are they if not mere chips to be played?"

"Our family must sever ties with Prince Jin on the surface, which is why you must leave home. But merely casting you out would not maximize our gains. Among the Emperor's sons, Prince Jin is the eldest, and by right of succession, he should be the heir. Although he has fallen out of the Emperor's favor for now, who knows what the future holds?"

"You might as well make use of a discarded piece and plant a pawn with Prince Jin. Should Prince Jin ascend the throne in the future, you can simply return to wrest the title of the Duke of Ning from me."

"And if Prince Jin fails to ascend the throne, our family will collect your corpse from the execution grounds."

Pei Zhao had never heard such ruthlessness in all his life.

Pei Xuan sighed, speaking as if he were recounting a childhood story to his younger brother. "The imperial court is simply that kind of place. People always talk about contending for the realm—'when the Qin lost its deer, the whole world chased after it.' Have you never been hunting? Can someone else's prey not be seized?"

"The court simply herds the deer-chasers into a royal enclosure. Whether the realm is at peace or not, the court will never truly be peaceful."

"Even if you have no desire to snatch what belongs to others, others will still want to snatch what is yours. Wasn't our family just preyed upon this time? People die—it is merely an everyday occurrence."

"The Great Xia has stood for over a hundred years. One acts, another steps down—isn't it always the same old story? If you still wish to gamble within this circle, you must stake your life as a chip. If you do not wish to gamble, Father left you a thousand acres of fertile land in the Southern Seas. Leave the capital and live a good life."

Pei Zhao remained silent for a long time before asking, "Eldest Brother, what should I do?"