IT WAS DESTINED to be a long night in the capital. Wind and rain darkened the sky, and countless people tossed and turned in their beds, unable to sleep. From time to time they glanced out the windows, anxiously awaiting the arrival of dawn.
The interior of the palace was brightly lit. Candle after candle lined the floors of its pavilions, until the buildings were almost as bright as the sky itself. The attendants serving through the night rushed in and out of the palace, their faces grave.
Not far from the palace, in the heart of the city, the interior of Daxingshan Temple was in chaos. With Zhangsun's support, the emperor of Sui climbed out of a dry well on the temple grounds, covered in dirt and dust.
It had never occurred to anyone that the well behind the temple, hidden among the trees, was yet another entrance to the underground labyrinth. The well had been dry for as long as the monks could remember, and it had been sealed with a heavy stone years ago to ensure no one fell in by accident. Without Zhangsun Bodhi's assistance, the emperor could never have clambered up to call for help. Even if he had, it was doubtful anyone would have heard him in the confusion. Had Xiao Lü been there, even he would have lamented that the emperor of Sui shouldn't suffer such an ignominious end as death at the bottom of a well.
Unfortunately, despite possessing talent great enough to shake the world, and despite the charisma that'd drawn so many experts to his shadow court, Xiao Lü had met his own end in the dark.
With Xiao Lü and Yuwen Yihuan dead, the remainder of the Thirteen Floors of Yunhai's forces collapsed like a house of cards. Yuxiu had died back on Mount Tiannan, and Fan Yun's loyalties lay elsewhere. As for Yuan Sansi, he'd narrowly escaped—but even if he'd managed to keep his life, he'd find it difficult to make further trouble.
The dust had settled, though many had paid far too steep a price.
Daxingshan Temple was in a state of complete disorder. Kuhezhen had laced the ginger soup with gu, causing the officials and imperial guards to turn on each other in a vicious battle. By the time the empress arrived with reinforcements, there were already numerous casualties.
The emperor of Sui was still blinking in the lanternlight when he saw the empress rushing toward him.
"Your Majesty!" she cried.
The emperor was momentarily stunned, then threw all courtesy to the wind and rushed toward her as well. He embraced her tightly, tears in his eyes. The two had been inseparable since they'd come of age, then spent years under the suspicion of Yuwen Yong and his son. Yang Jian had woken up every day on pins and needles, fearful for his family's safety. If not for Empress Dugu's strength and support, uplifting him in his moments of weakness and solidifying his resolve, there might be no emperor of Sui today.
After escaping the horrors of the labyrinth, the sight of his beloved wife felt like something from a dream. His eyes went red at the rims, and he yearned to tell her everything about his terrifying experiences underground. But even now he remembered his position and responsibilities. He swallowed his words and started with the practicalities. "Why has the empress come? Where are the others?"
This second question was addressed to Yu Qingze, who was hurrying over. Empress Dugu gestured for the general to speak first.
"Your Majesty, please don't worry," Yu Qingze replied. "The situation is under control. I, along with Qin-niangzi from the Jiejian Bureau, used medicinal herbs such as mugwort and calamus to expel the impurities. The poison has been largely eliminated. However, according to the imperial physicians, some will require further treatment. The casualties are still being tallied. I ask that Your Majesty return to the palace for your own safety."
The emperor nodded. He saw the empress preparing to speak and, raising a hand to stop her, turned to Zhangsun Bodhi, whose anxiety was palpable. "Is Cui-xiansheng still below? You should go find him. Yu Qingze can send men to accompany you."
Zhangsun Bodhi accepted without demur. He cupped his hands to the emperor in thanks and promptly disappeared back down the well with Yu Qingze and his men to begin his search.
The emperor turned to the empress, naked joy shining on his face. "It seems the empress is feeling better?"
Empress Dugu sighed. "I wasn't ill, Your Majesty. I was poisoned."
The emperor was taken aback. "Poison? When were you poisoned?"
"Lihua came to the palace and confessed everything. You remember that Eying was originally a twin? The other child was weak and mistaken for dead when she was born. She was taken out of the palace for burial but miraculously survived. The leader of the Thirteen Floors of Yunhai took her in as his sworn sister and gave her the name Yuwen Yihuan. When she was grown, she secretly returned to find her family. Lihua was moved by compassion at seeing her lost daughter, and her mistake led to all the trouble now."
Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao had deduced all this by now, but it was the first time the emperor was hearing it. His brows shot up in shock.
"During Yuwen Eying's recent birthday banquet, I couldn't bear to refuse Lihua's requests for me to visit the princess's residence," Empress Dugu continued. "Surely Your Majesty recalls."
The emperor nodded, and she pressed on. "I only learned much later that when I returned to the palace with my maids, one of them had been replaced with Yuwen Yihuan's. She had no other way to infiltrate the palace, so she tricked me into bringing her servant in myself. She took the chance to poison my meals, and as the days passed, I fell ill. Thank heavens Lihua saw sense and came to me before it was too late. She revealed everything and gave me an antidote she stole from Yuwen Yihuan."
***
As the emperor was hearing these shocking revelations, Ming Yue was bringing men to surround Kuhezhen's residence.
The manor was a gift from the emperor, its size and design befitting an imperial prince. Yet the large complex was deathly silent, its residents seemingly oblivious to the troops at the gates. It was impossible to believe that everyone inside—Kuhezhen included—could manage to sleep at a time like this. Ming Yue raised his hand. The troops at his back charged, ramming the gates and rushing in. Ming Yue followed closely after.
Yet once inside, everyone stopped in their tracks, shock scrawled over their faces.
The courtyard before the main hall was strewn with bodies. All the staff sent by the emperor and Kuhezhen's own followers—Han and Göktürk alike—lay on the ground. Some had collapsed with their eyes wide open, their faces frozen in expressions of terror, as if they'd died of fright.
Ming Yue was first to react: He shook off his stupor and rushed into the hall.
It was empty.
The side hall, main courtyard, main house. They were all empty.
Had Kuhezhen realized the game was up and abandoned his people to flee? Ming Yue clung to a last thread of hope as he went from room to room, until he finally flung open the door of the woodshed.
Here at last he found the person he sought—if he could be called a person anymore. Kuhezhen was sprawled on his back amid the firewood, his body covered in blood. His arms, legs, and face were riddled with holes, like rotten wood insects had drilled through. If not for his clothes and stature, he would have been unidentifiable. Ming Yue's scalp went numb with terror, and he dared not take another step forward. The seventh prince of the Göktürks, Kuhezhen, raiser of gu, had succumbed to his own poison's backlash and met his horrific end.
A chill swept down Ming Yue's back. Though he sensed no murderous intent, his instincts kicked in; he sidestepped and turned to face his opponent.
Silhouetted in the doorway of the shed was Tu'an Qinghe, who should have been at Daxingshan Temple intercepting Feng Xiao and the others. Ming Yue's heart went cold. If it came to one-on-one combat, he was no match for this man.