Chapter 87: I Will Keep Winning |
Xinyue's sword had never been used by anyone else.
Much less had it ever been seized from her.
However, she didn't think this had much to do with her own incompetence.
Rather, it was because she had absolutely no guard up against Song Shi'an.
But right now, she didn't care about her sword.
Song Shi'an, who had used the sword to slash Zhang Ting's throat with blood, was completely enraged.
A man who seemed able to anticipate everything had, for the first time, lost his composure and fallen into impulse.
Wei Wusheng, who had never killed anyone before, knew that Song Shi'an was just like him. But he never expected that the first person to take this step would be him.
The instant his throat was slashed open, blood gushed forth. Eyes wide open, without time for any reaction, Zhang Ting abruptly collapsed to the ground, clean and decisive.
Outside the door, Zhang Ting's family members immediately let out terrified and grief-stricken screams.
But very quickly, they were all forcibly held down by soldiers, made to kneel on the ground, and their mouths forcibly gagged.
"..." His mind went blank. Watching his own son die before his very eyes, Duke Zhang had no anticipation whatsoever of this scene.
But the next moment, all that remained was fury.
He threw down his cane, pointing at Song Shi'an. For this person, he no longer had even a shred of the goodwill one opponent has for another, only heartfelt contempt: "You think you've won? You've lost! Utterly without dignity—how can someone like you enter the court?!"
Song Shi'an knew that at this moment, the pain of losing his son was no longer important to Duke Zhang.
Rather, it was this game between the two of them—he felt both anger and disappointment at its outcome.
What is dignity?
It means that in a chess match, two people fight each other, battling until the final moment. In adversity, Duke Zhang makes a godlike move that reverses the situation, putting his opponent on the defensive and creating enormous trouble.
Duke Zhang was extremely satisfied as he waited for his response.
Or rather, waited for him to be overwhelmed yet helpless.
But what he never expected was that instead, he got a chessboard smashed directly onto his head, killing him outright.
It was like a battle of wits where the final solution turned out to be deus ex machina—because he couldn't win the argument, getting desperate, the person facing a losing position flew into a rage and pulled out a gun to shoot the other person dead.
Of course it counts as winning, but it's ugly.
Full of flaws.
One could even say it doesn't count as winning at all.
"Have I really lost?"
Expressionless, Song Shi'an asked in return.
"You've completely lost! You lost without a shred of dignity!" Duke Zhang said through gritted teeth.
Slowly, Song Shi'an took out a letter. Then, he casually tossed it behind Zhang Ting's body.
"What is this thing?" Duke Zhang was irritated, questioning Song Shi'an. "Tell me, what is this thing?!"
"A letter plotting between Ji Yuan and your son," Song Shi'an explained.
"Foolish, absurd!"
Duke Zhang was completely rendered speechless. Looking at Song Shi'an, he laughed mockingly with some pity: "You think pulling this kind of trick to fool children will be of any use? You still think you're clever, still think you're cleverer than others?"
"Zhang Ting, executed for colluding with the enemy. Duke Zhang's entire household imprisoned, awaiting the court's judgment," Song Shi'an said.
"Stupid!"
Duke Zhang was still disappointed, still scolding in disbelief: "Do you have even a bit of a brain? You think killing someone and using the charge of colluding with the enemy to arrest my whole family gives you any legitimacy at all? Don't treat those lords in the court as fools—the Emperor is even more astute. You think this is how you seize power? Young man, things aren't done this way! I told you long ago, things aren't done this way!"
"Come, let me teach you again."
Zhang Ting's blood was still flowing, yet Duke Zhang at this moment completely didn't care anymore. Even knowing he was going to die, he didn't care. Because he wanted to make Song Shi'an understand where he had lost: "If you've ever entered the court, you should know that if a person is impeached by all the officials, he has no way out. Even if this person is a confidant of the Emperor. Why? Because killing one person is much easier than killing a hundred people. Even the Emperor has matters beyond his control."
"This time, all the powerful clans in Shuofeng, at the cost of their entire families, all signed with blood seals and jointly submitted a memorial impeaching you. Even if you win this time and defend Shuofeng."
Duke Zhang knew that after Song Shi'an killed one person, he would continue to kill more, because the other party had lost his composure in rage. So he simply spoke without any restraint: "For the Emperor, for the Wei family, there's someone who can control even imperial princes, who can render them powerless. Such a person, even if he's a capable minister in chaotic times, can he be employed? You'll be eliminated, and can your Song clan still exist?!"
"The Emperor wants to use me to suppress the great clans and won't kill me for the time being," Song Shi'an said.
"Laughable!"
For this overconfident child, Duke Zhang now had nothing left but disdain: "Such shallow insight, treating this world as a single sheet of paper, holding forth here. The Emperor needs a sharp sword to suppress the great clans, but not a mad blade that cuts down anyone it sees. Do you think the great clans won't counterattack? Will just be lambs awaiting slaughter? Will they let a madman like you hold power? The powerful clans in Shuofeng could all jointly impeach you. What about all the officials then? If the Emperor ignores the impeachment of all officials, can he still be Emperor?"
Every single sentence from Duke Zhang represented his life experience and wisdom.
And the still-young Xinyue and Wei Wusheng found themselves completely unable to refute him in their hearts.
They really felt that Song Shi'an had broken the rules.
When they returned to court, the charge of 'treason' would be impossible to wash away.
Even if the Emperor wanted to use him temporarily, it would be impossible to withstand the overwhelming pressure.
Then the result was simple: execution.
The Song family, execution.
Song Shi'an couldn't argue back anymore...
The two of them both looked at him with worry, afraid he would slaughter Duke Zhang as well in his anger.
That would be even worse.
Executing the ringleader of the impeachment without authorization would be to completely confirm the charges.
Once that happened, the court would have to suppress the rebellion.
Even if it meant losing the Northern Liang valley, they'd have to use Song Shi'an's family members to coerce him into submission.
Because Ji Yuan was merely occupying national territory, whereas Song Shi'an would be shaking the very foundation of the nation.
"You think that by killing my son and stuffing a so-called letter from Ji Yuan on him, you can brand my whole family as traitors colluding with the enemy? How can you be so naive?"
Looking at Song Shi'an with sorrow, Duke Zhang said disdainfully: "I didn't lose to you, and you didn't win through momentum. You're just like a gang of mountain bandits and ruffians who slaughtered my entire family through barbarism. Don't you dare talk to this old man about dignity—you're not worthy!"
Just as this matter seemed to have settled, Song Shi'an looked at Duke Zhang and finally spoke: "Duke Zhang, I still overestimated you."
"Hmph." Duke Zhang laughed without care. "What more sophistry do you want to use? To refute the fact that you're unworthy of playing against me?"
"Duke Zhang, you say the Shuofeng powerful clans jointly impeached me—does that necessarily mean I was wrong?" Song Shi'an asked in return.
"Right or wrong, does it matter?"
Duke Zhang wanted Song Shi'an to accept his defeat thoroughly, so he taught him: "As long as the joint impeachment is submitted and the court clans respond, does it matter what you actually did, whether you defended the territory or carved out a fiefdom, what your true intentions were, whether loyalty or rebellion? Does any of it matter?"
Gazing at Duke Zhang, Song Shi'an, who had shown no emotional change until now, slowly curved the corners of his mouth into an arc, saying:
"What if the Shuofeng powerful clans were coerced by you?"
As his words fell, the hall became utterly silent.
Xinyue and Wei Wusheng simultaneously looked at Song Shi'an in shock.
Duke Zhang's expression also froze, stiffening on the spot.
The next moment, his heart seemed to contract violently as if it had suddenly stopped.
For a long, long time, he said nothing.
What surged over him was a fear that could completely crush him.
"Duke Zhang."
Looking at this pitiable old man with considerable compassion, Song Shi'an continued to press: "Shuofeng is defended. The Zhang family is all imprisoned and tried under the charge of colluding with the enemy. I give the Shuofeng powerful clans a way out—let them go to Sheng'an to confess their crimes, retract the joint impeachment, and testify that they were coerced by Duke Zhang into signing with blood seals. Will they take this path or not?"
They would.
They could only take it.
Why did I forget this point?
Why would I assume they would definitely be of one heart with me and go head-to-head with Song Shi'an?
Duke Zhang found his own oversight incredible.
"Duke Zhang, let me teach you something."
Suddenly, Song Shi'an spoke with an air of ease.
Duke Zhang raised his head, looking at him, not saying a word, as if truly asking for instruction.
"You see, it's just that your influence in Shuofeng was too great, and you've never encountered real setbacks."
Song Shi'an looked at this old man. Song Shi'an's smile grew even more wicked: "You could beat them, and it has nothing to do with your dignity. You could win purely because you're the Regional Inspector's uncle-in-law."
"!"
As these words came out, Duke Zhang's face instantly flushed red.
Like an arrow piercing his heart.
Such words attacking the heart nearly killed this seventy-year-old man outright.
Acute anger attacking his heart, blood vessels swelling.
Now, the tables had finally turned.
Song Shi'an's victory was a true victory.
Whereas Duke Zhang had merely borrowed influence.
How terrifying, this man.
Xinyue and Wei Wusheng completely saw Song Shi'an's dark side.
Even that killing just now wasn't an impulsive loss of control.
Even when truly pushed to desperation, he hadn't flipped the board.
Someone like this was indeed very reassuring.
But also made one feel a trace of... wariness.
If he truly had ill intentions.
Though nearly dying of anger, Duke Zhang desperately adjusted himself, all for the sake of mustering the strength to achieve a state where he could converse with Song Shi'an.
Looking at him, Duke Zhang asked with desperate yearning: "Young man, I still have that same question from before: what exactly do you want?"
By all rights, Song Shi'an should have other paths he could take.
If it was only about wealth and honor.
Or did he absolutely want to use military merit to embellish himself?
Since he was this clear-headed, if this matter succeeded, he would inevitably have merit that overshadows the lord.
Just as he himself said, the Emperor would only 'temporarily' not kill him.
What about later?
For this question, Song Shi'an had long had an answer in his heart: "I just want to fight against you all."
Hearing this, Duke Zhang was satisfied.
Even if he had only created trouble for him for an instant.
"Of course, I haven't won yet," Song Shi'an said.
"But I've already lost everything."
Duke Zhang didn't fight over these words.
The reason was simple.
If Song Shi'an won, he and his entire household would be executed.
If Song Shi'an lost, he could still bring him along to hell before the city fell.
"If I lose, I won't kill you," Song Shi'an promised him. "But once the city falls, whether Ji Yuan kills you has nothing to do with me."
Another wager.
But Duke Zhang had absolutely no enthusiasm whatsoever.
Because in this game, he was no longer the one playing.
He didn't even count as a chess piece.
Turning around, Song Shi'an left.
However, before stepping over the threshold, he slowly turned his head, looking at Duke Zhang who had already lost all fighting spirit, and used the most frivolous humiliation against a man with the strongest self-respect: "Duke Zhang, even for the sake of your family, you must cling desperately to life. And then, pray with all your might that Ji Yuan can win."