When the sound of knocking came, Shen Mengzhi was kneeling before the shrine's altar, holding three newly lit incense sticks.

—Knock, knock, knock.

His eyelashes trembled slightly before he opened his eyes, revealing a pair of calm, light-colored pupils. Rolling up his sleeves, he carefully inserted the incense sticks into the censer in front of the memorial tablet. Shen Mengzhi slowly rose and, to the sound of the howling wind and rain outside, walked to the door and stood still.

He pressed his left hand against the wooden door and asked in a low voice, "Who is knocking so late?"

There was no movement outside for a long time. After a good while, just as his patience was about to run out, a hoarse, deep voice came through the crack of the door.

"...Mengzhi."

The name was spoken lightly and coldly, rumbling deep in the throat, so muffled and indistinct it was nearly lost in the howling wind.

But Shen Mengzhi heard it. His pupils constricted, and he subconsciously clenched his fists.

The other side of the door fell silent for a moment, then came two more knocks.

"I promised you before that I would never seek you out again in this life," the person said. "But this is one matter I must tell you in person. Or, if you don't wish to listen, then take this letter."

As he spoke, the edge of a yellow letter appeared through the crack in the door.

Shen Mengzhi did not take it. Instead, he said in a low voice, "You're looking for the wrong person. There hasn't been a Shen Mengzhi in this world for a long time."

He paused, his expression perfectly calm, as if speaking of a complete stranger. "If you wish to deliver a letter to him, go a hundred li north from here to the banks of the Yandu River in the old land of Yanling. Burn the letter before the innermost burial mound, and perhaps he will receive it."

This was a veiled refusal. The person outside fell silent for a moment but still insisted, "If I wasn't forced to, I wouldn't want to involve you again. But this one matter, it cannot be done without you."

His voice was fragmented by the wind, sounding at once near and distant.

"The ruler of Great Qin is now gravely ill. Fearing there will be no one in charge at court, the ministers have put forward a regent. Do you know who it is?"

Seemingly anticipating Shen Mengzhi's silence, he took a shallow breath and said, word by word, "The Former Crown Prince of Old Qin, our classmate, Chu Jin."

Before his voice had faded, a clap of thunder exploded in the sky. Outside the window, dark clouds roiled, and as if commanded by the thunder, a torrential downpour began in an instant.

Lightning tore through the clouds, and a pale white light flashed into the narrow room, casting Shen Mengzhi's face in a deathly pallor.

After a long moment, he finally found his voice and murmured, "Chu... Jin?"

After so many years, hearing this name again still reminded him of the heavy rain from eight years ago.

On that day, he had watched with his own eyes as that man died right before him.

He had knelt in a pool of blood, digging for a cenotaph until his fingernails broke and his hands were raw and bloody.

...Was it all just a dream?

In his daze, he heard the man outside sigh.

"Chu Jin didn't die. He deceived us. Mengzhi, the skies over Great Qin are about to change."

In the fifth year of Great Qin, Emperor Yan contracted a virulent disease.

Emperor Yan of Qin, Chu Guansong, had been gravely ill and bedridden for five months. The Prime Minister soon followed suit, claiming illness to retire into seclusion, leaving behind a host of leaderless ministers. They had barely managed to maintain a few days of peace and were about to reach their breaking point. At this juncture, the highest-ranking and most senior official, Grand Censor Li Sheng, became the undisputed choice to take charge, his position equivalent to a deputy prime minister.

It was a pity that he had only been doing the Prime Minister's work for a few days, not even having had time to warm his seat, when Chu Jin—the man who was supposed to have died in an assassination—came storming back. With the support of the Grand Marshal and a host of military officials, he became the court's Prince Regent overnight.

This move not only shook the imperial court, but also sparked widespread discussion throughout the land. But it did not end there. Immediately upon taking office, Prince Regent Chu Jin used iron-fisted methods to punish officials and restore order to the court. For a time, his prominence soared.

Du Changfu was the newly appointed Fengchang, a minor official in charge of rituals at the ancestral temples. The previous Fengchang had just been thrown into the imperial prison a few days ago by this swift and decisive Prince Regent, and so he had been promoted, stepping into the Golden Chariot Hall for the first time in his life.

On any other day, this would have been a joyous occasion worthy of a grand banquet. But now, no one would dare to come, for fear of attracting bad luck and inadvertently landing themselves in prison.

Du Changfu huddled among the court officials, listening to the debates in the hall and lamenting his misfortune internally.

He discreetly raised his eyes to look toward the center of the hall. A man was kneeling there.

Grand Censor Li Sheng, standing at the head of the civil officials, listened to the Imperial Censor's address and then sneered, "These are but trivial matters. In my opinion, it is enough for Lord Zeng to volunteer for a penalty of one year's salary."

At these words, Zeng Yi, who was kneeling in the hall, looked slightly relieved and quickly said, "This subordinate understands."

"Lord Censor, this is improper," the Imperial Censor immediately retorted. "The crimes of the Supervisor of Attendants Zeng Yi are not limited to this. In addition to the items this subordinate previously listed, he also privately altered the city's defenses..."

At this, Zeng Yi quickly explained, "There were several weakly defended positions in the city, and this subordinate did intend to dispatch men to reinforce them. It was simply a matter of urgency, and there was no time to report it."

"Nonsense! You clearly failed to report it on purpose!" The Imperial Censor's eyes widened as he angrily rebuked, "According to the laws of Great Qin, any change in city defenses must first be reported! It can only be implemented after receiving a decree!"

Pressed by the accusation, Zeng Yi straightened up and stared back. "If you lords do not believe me, you are free to go to the northern part of the city and inquire. You will learn that bandits are running rampant there, absolutely brazen! I acted according to the urgency of the situation. If I had waited for a court decree, a disaster would have long since struck!"

The Imperial Censor was so furious he could only sputter, pointing a finger at Zeng Yi. "You... you... you completely disregard the law and twist right and wrong!"

After this exchange, voices pleading for Zeng Yi gradually rose from the crowd of officials. "Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. Lord Zeng's actions were not without reason..."

"Indeed, this subordinate believes he can be dealt with leniently."

Du Changfu listened to the whispers around him but remained silent, because he knew there was one more person who had yet to speak.

Sure enough, in the next moment, a casual voice drifted down. "Lord Zeng, did you forget to mention something?"

The moment this voice was heard, Zeng Yi's expression froze, and the chattering ministers quieted down along with him.

Du Changfu glanced forward and saw the Prince Regent at the head of the officials, dressed in black court robes, looking over with an ambiguous smile.

Cold sweat broke out on Zeng Yi's face, but he stubbornly said, "This subordinate doesn't understand what the Prince Regent is saying."

"You don't understand? Perfect, because I don't understand either." Chu Jin chuckled. "As a mere Supervisor of Attendants in charge of security, why is it that when changing the defenses, instead of drawing from the palace guard, you brought in the Prince of Liang's soldiers?"

These words struck the crowd like a bolt of lightning, stunning them all. Great Qin's regulations concerning the deployment of troops were extremely strict; soldiers under the command of a prince were absolutely forbidden from being moved into the capital's defenses, precisely to prevent a coup. Zeng Yi had been deliberately vague, intending to conceal this very fact.

He stood stunned for a moment before blurting out, "Impossible!"

He had clearly concealed the identity of those troops so well. How could he have been found out?

Zeng Yi's mind was in turmoil. Dazedly, he raised his eyes and met Chu Jin's condescending gaze. It was as if a basin of ice water had been dumped over his head, and his heart turned to ice.

'He knew from the very beginning...'

Someone asked, "Then, Prince Regent, how do you think Zeng Yi should be dealt with?"

Changing the defenses without authorization was no small matter, especially when it involved the Prince of Liang's soldiers. No one dared to think too deeply about the intentions behind such an act.

Li Sheng, who had been standing to the side and witnessed the turn of events, looked grim. Nevertheless, he spoke up, "Lord Zeng's actions indeed violated the laws of Great Qin, but before he is sentenced, we must first consult the Prince of Liang..."

Before he could finish, Chu Jin spoke, his voice tinged with a slight smile. "Kill him."

"..."

Although they had expected such an outcome, everyone's heart still skipped a beat.

Li Sheng's expression flickered, and he said through clenched teeth, "Prince Regent! This matter cannot be decided so hastily."

Chu Jin turned his head slightly, gave him an indifferent glance, and said calmly, "He endangered the foundation of the state. What is there to discuss?"

Li Sheng met his cold gaze and was momentarily stunned, his thoughts instantly pulled back several months.

It was also in the Golden Chariot Hall, and it was also this man. The only thing different was his identity.

Back then, he was merely the Heir, long thought dead by the world. He had miraculously come back to life and, bathed in a blood-red sunset, ascended the steps of the Golden Chariot Hall with the support of thousands, transforming into the Prince Regent, second only to one and above all others.

'This is too strange...'

Both the Prime Minister and he had witnessed Chu Jin's death back then, and there was a tacit understanding between them. But how could he have come back to life?

Li Sheng furrowed his brow, suppressing the doubt in his heart, but his apprehension only grew.

'If this man is not eliminated soon, he will surely become an endless source of trouble.'

At this thought, he looked at the ashen-faced Zeng Yi and began to ponder his strategy for the days to come.

By the time the guards had dragged the man away, no one dared to even breathe too loudly. It was the Imperial Censor from before who cautiously spoke up, "With Zeng Yi dead, the position of Supervisor of Attendants is now vacant..."

Chu Jin pondered for a moment. "Leave it vacant. Let a subordinate take over for now. We will discuss it again when a suitable candidate is found."

"And what about the Prince of Liang..."

It went without saying that everyone knew this matter was likely connected to the Prince of Liang. But he commanded a powerful army, and for the moment, there was nothing they could do.

Chu Jin was naturally aware of this as well. He raised an eyebrow. "I never said this matter had anything to do with him."

But not saying it didn't mean it wasn't true. For now, the Prince Regent was still turning a blind eye to the Prince of Liang, so it was best not to completely fall out with him over this matter.

"The Prince of Liang is busy defending the borders; there's no need to trouble him with such things," Chu Jin said coolly. "Zeng Yi changed the city defenses without authorization and has paid for his crime with his life, serving as a warning to others."

He paused, then looked at Li Sheng and asked, "What does the Lord Censor think?"

Li Sheng's expression was conflicted. After a moment, he took a deep breath. "Such an arrangement is acceptable."

The crowd remained silent, listening as the two men decided a man's fate in a few sentences. They could not help but sigh inwardly at how quickly the political tides had turned.

Standing below, Du Changfu's palms were slick with sweat. He knew the current court was a tangle of factions: Chu Jin had won over the Grand Marshal and now controlled half the military; Grand Censor Li Sheng, seemingly allied with the Prime Minister's faction, was rallying the civil officials to oppose Chu Jin. Incidents like this would likely only become more frequent.

It was time for him to find a way out for himself.

Author's Note:

I am the Prince Regent of Great Qin. My husband suddenly declared he was my mortal enemy, took all my assets, and ran off. I've painstakingly plotted for years, all to capture him and make him wish he were dead (i.e., imprison and tie him up).