The inner study was dim.
Heavy curtains blocked the shattered sky, letting in only a few thin blades of light. The air smelled of ink, old paper, and a faint, bitter medicinal scent. Shelves of bamboo scrolls lined the walls like quiet witnesses.
The King sat alone at his desk.
No ministers. No guards. No servants.
Only a half-finished memorial to the ancestors lay before him, brush dropped to the side, ink slowly drying into a dark, congealed pool.
He looked up when Xu Yuan entered.
For an instant, the mask of the monarch slipped, and all that remained was an aging father with red-rimmed eyes.
"Yuan-er," he said. "Close the door."
Xu Yuan obeyed.
The latch fell into place with a soft, final click.
He walked forward, bowed, and spoke in a low, steady voice.
"Father."
The King studied his son's face as if seeking cracks.
"You were alone with that Elder Shen," he said. "Did he… say anything about your brother?"
Xu Yuan did not answer immediately.
He let his gaze drop, letting worry darken his features—measured, not excessive.
"…He suspects Xu Feng," Xu Yuan said quietly. "He intends to investigate him thoroughly. If the evidence is undeniable, he means to… remove him."
The King flinched as if struck.
"Remove… my eldest son." His fingers dug into the wood of the desk. "Those righteous dogs… they speak of 'order' and 'law,' but their hands are never clean."
He laughed once, low and bitter.
"Yet we must still smile and welcome them. This is the weight of wearing a crown."
Xu Yuan lowered his head further.
"Father…"
"Tell me honestly, Yuan-er," the King said, voice suddenly sharp. "What do you think of Feng-er's actions?"
Xu Yuan paused.
Inside, his thoughts unfolded in calm layers.
*If I defend Xu Feng, Father will cling to hope and resist the Heavenly Law Sect. This will make Shen Zhen treat me as an obstacle.*
*If I condemn Xu Feng too quickly, Father will feel the cut and wonder how his 'gentle' son became so ruthless.*
He knelt slowly, placing his hands flat on the floor.
"I think," Xu Yuan said, "that First Brother is no longer suited to stand beside you."
The King closed his eyes.
Xu Yuan continued, voice soft but firm.
"He has allied with outside sects in secret. He has embezzled funds meant for the western defenses. He has allowed bandits to run rampant because chaos makes his ambitions easier."
He lifted his head.
"In peaceful times, such sins could be ignored for the sake of brotherhood. But now, with the Heavenly Law Sect's eye on us and the heavens' cracks widening above, a single wrong decision can doom the entire kingdom."
A long silence.
Then the King whispered:
"So you agree he must die."
Xu Yuan's heartbeat did not change.
But he let his voice tremble just enough.
"If… if it comes to that," he said, "then yes. For the sake of our people, someone must be cut away. If we hesitate, heaven will use his rot as a reason to condemn all of us."
The King stared at him.
There was pain in his eyes.
But also something else.
Relief.
"You speak of killing your own brother so calmly," he murmured. "Sometimes I fear I do not know you, Yuan-er."
Xu Yuan lowered his gaze.
"That is good," he said silently within himself.
Aloud, he answered:
"I only learned from you, Father. You once told me a king must choose his kingdom over himself. I am only… extending that lesson to family."
The King laughed again, this time weaker.
"That was empty rhetoric to frighten ministers. I never thought my own child would take it so seriously."
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
"…Perhaps you are more suited to the throne than I ever was."
Xu Yuan did not respond.
Praise was a tool.
So was doubt.
The King's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Elder Shen said something else."
Xu Yuan's attention focused.
"Oh?"
"He said," the King continued slowly, "that among all of us, you are the easiest to trust—and the hardest to see through."
A faint, wry smile touched his lips.
"Even that righteous old fox cannot read you clearly. He said your heart is too still."
He looked directly at Xu Yuan.
"Tell me, Yuan-er. Is there anything you hide from your father?"
The study seemed to narrow.
The shelves, the scrolls, the ink, the desk—all faded to the edges of awareness.
Only the King's eyes remained.
And behind them: a father's love, a ruler's caution, and the first faint stirrings of fear.
Xu Yuan knelt straighter.
He did not rush to deny.
Denial too quickly given smelled of panic.
Instead, he bowed his head.
"There are things I cannot share," he said quietly. "Not because I do not trust you, Father—but because if they leave my mouth, they will not only implicate me, but drag you down as well."
The King's brows furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Xu Yuan closed his eyes briefly.
When he opened them, there was a subtle shift in his expression—less like a son, more like a cultivator speaking to an equal.
"Father, the heavens above us are not merciful," he said. "They are hungry. They seek reasons to tighten their chains. If I reveal everything I know, everything I am investigating, the Heavenly Law Sect will not praise our honesty. They will judge us as unstable."
He held the King's gaze.
"They are not here to save us. They are here to measure whether we are more useful obedient… or replaced."
The King's breath caught.
Xu Yuan pressed on, voice low and steady.
"So I must bear certain things alone. Secrets. Risks. Blame. If something goes wrong, I fall first. You and the kingdom can still claim ignorance."
The King stared at him for a long, long time.
Then, very slowly, his eyes reddened.
"Yuan-er…"
He pushed away from the desk, stood, and crossed the room with uneven steps.
He stopped in front of Xu Yuan.
Placed a hand on his son's shoulder.
"You are willing to carry that much?" he asked hoarsely. "To let yourself be the first sacrificed, just to shield your father?"
Xu Yuan raised his head, letting a flicker of sincerity—manufactured, but flawless—show in his eyes.
"You are my father," he said. "If someone must fall, it will be me first."
For a man like the King, that single line struck deeper than any oath.
His grip tightened.
"You stupid child," he murmured. "If I had known you would become like this, I would not have taught you so harshly."
He pulled Xu Yuan up and into an embrace.
Xu Yuan let himself be held.
He even raised his hands, hesitated as if struggling with emotion, then slowly returned the embrace.
His face, pressed against the King's shoulder, showed faint tremors.
His eyes, hidden from view, were clear and calm.
*Hook set.*
*Line tied.*
*Now tug.*
He spoke, voice muffled.
"Father… if I ask something difficult of you, will you believe I do it for the kingdom?"
"Of course," the King said without hesitation. "There is nothing you could ask that would make me doubt you."
Xu Yuan smiled where his father could not see.
"Then for now," he said softly, "please let me handle Xu Feng. Do not interfere, no matter what rumors you hear. Trust me this once."
The King froze.
Then slowly nodded, hands tightening as if afraid letting go would break something precious.
"…Very well," he whispered. "I will trust you."
He pulled back, cupping Xu Yuan's face in both hands.
"But promise me one thing."
"What is it, Father?"
"No matter how ruthless you must be to others," the King said, "do not be so ruthless to yourself. A heart that turns entirely to stone… can no longer feel warmth when it is truly needed."
Xu Yuan's eyes softened perfectly.
"I will remember," he lied.
***
That night, the Xu Royal Palace was quiet.
Too quiet.
Whispers had spread like smoke after the Eye of Measured Sin shattered. Some said Prince Xu Feng was cursed. Others said a demonic shadow had clung to him. Still others whispered that heaven itself had rejected him.
In the dark of his private residence, Xu Feng smashed a porcelain cup against the wall.
"Damn them!" he snarled. "Heavenly Law Sect, those hypocritical bastards! Acting like they're above all. If they think they can judge *me*—"
"Brother."
The voice was soft.
Calm.
The door slid open without a sound.
Xu Yuan stepped inside, dressed in a simple night robe, his hair loosely tied, his expression gentle.
Xu Feng stiffened.
"Yuan," he said, forcing a laugh. "You heard the rumors too? Ridiculous, aren't they?"
Xu Yuan closed the door behind him.
The latch settled into place.
He turned, smile never leaving his face.
"Rumors always cling to the weak and uncertain," he said. "That is why we must control the story, before someone else writes it for us."
Xu Feng frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Xu Yuan walked deeper into the room, eyeing the scattered papers on Xu Feng's desk—letters, sealed scrolls, a half-burned emblem of some unknown sect.
Evidence.
Tools.
He did not comment.
Instead, he turned to Xu Feng, his gaze soft.
"Brother," Xu Yuan said quietly, "Elder Shen intends to investigate you. Thoroughly. If he finds proof of… improper alliances, he will force Father's hand."
Xu Feng's face twisted.
"So you came to gloat?"
"I came to help," Xu Yuan replied.
Xu Feng barked a laugh.
"Help? You? The court's beloved little sage? You've always acted so clean. So righteous. Do you think I don't see how Father favors you? How everyone praises your 'wisdom' and 'virtue'?"
Xu Yuan listened, expression unchanged.
Let him spit.
Let him vent.
Every word was a door opening.
"While I risked my life on the borders," Xu Feng continued, eyes bloodshot, "you were in the palace, smiling, bowing, studying scrolls! And now these righteous dogs come, and the first thing that happens is *my* name is dragged through the mud!"
He stepped closer, jabbing a finger at Xu Yuan's chest.
"They want to cut me so you can sit more comfortably!"
Xu Yuan looked down at the finger.
Then slowly raised his eyes.
There was no anger in them.
No hurt.
Only a deep, unreadable calm.
"…If that is what you believe," Xu Yuan said softly, "then use me."
Xu Feng blinked.
"What?"
"Use me," Xu Yuan repeated. "Let me stand between you and the Heavenly Law Sect. Let me speak in your favor. If they insist on cutting someone…" His gaze darkened slightly. "Then I will make sure I am the one who falls first."
The room fell silent.
Xu Feng stared at him as if seeing him for the first time.
"…You would do that?" he asked slowly. "For me?"
Xu Yuan smiled faintly.
"You are my elder brother."
"But why?" Xu Feng demanded. "You gain nothing from this! If I fall, you inherit everything. If you fall, I—"
He stopped himself.
Realization flickered in his eyes.
Xu Yuan watched it bloom.
Then quietly planted the seed.
"That is exactly why they will believe it," Xu Yuan said. "A Crown Prince protecting a tainted older brother at the cost of his own reputation… it is the kind of story righteous dogs like to hear. If I play the fool and take the blame for 'misguiding' you, Elder Shen will be more inclined to see you as salvageable."
Xu Feng swallowed.
Suspicion and hope warred in his gaze.
"You… would taint your own name for me?"
Xu Yuan stepped closer.
Placed a hand on Xu Feng's shoulder.
"Brother," he said softly, "this kingdom cannot afford to lose you. Your aura on the battlefield, your reputation among the generals, your network in the western mountains… these are things I cannot replace."
He squeezed gently.
"So let me be the one to wear the stain."
Xu Feng's throat worked.
For several breaths, he said nothing.
Then, hoarsely:
"I misjudged you, Yuan."
Xu Yuan's smile deepened by a fraction.
"We are family."
Xu Feng gripped his arm.
"If you can get me through this," he said, voice low and urgent, "I swear—when I ascend the throne, I'll make sure you stand above all others. Prime Minister, Grand Marshal, whatever you want. We'll rule this kingdom together."
Xu Yuan lowered his eyes modestly.
"I only wish for peace in the realm."
*And your neck,* he added silently, *when I need a louder example.*
Aloud, he said:
"For now, do not resist the investigation. Burn what must be burned. Hide what can be hidden. And when Elder Shen comes tomorrow… leave the speaking to me."
Xu Feng nodded rapidly.
"Yes. Yes, of course."
Xu Yuan released his shoulder and turned to leave.
His hand reached for the door.
"Yuan," Xu Feng called behind him. "Why are you really doing this?"
Xu Yuan paused.
Tilted his head slightly, just enough for Xu Feng to see his profile.
"In this world," he said softly, "we are all meat on someone's chopping block. Today the knife hovers over you. Tomorrow it may fall on me. If we do not stand together now, there will be no one left to stand later."
He slid the door open.
"Rest, Brother. Tomorrow will be… decisive."
The door closed.
Xu Yuan walked down the dark corridor alone.
His steps were light.
In the depths of his soul, Fang Yuan's presence stirred again, faint amusement coloring the silence.
*You promise to shield him while already measuring his neck.*
Xu Yuan's lips curved.
*I promise him exactly what he needs to hear to stand where I need him.*
A whisper like a distant chuckle brushed his mind.
*Not bad.*
Xu Yuan's eyes hardened.
*Watch closely, Fang Yuan. Tomorrow, in front of the Heavenly Law Sect and the entire court… we will see which son heaven thinks it can favor.*
The night deepened.
Above the palace, the cracks in the sky seemed to pulse with pale light—
as if something beyond the heavens had leaned closer to listen.