Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 939 - 935: True Calm

Chapter 939: Chapter 935: True Calm

In the dark and oppressive dungeon, the further you walked in, the farther apart the torches became, the dim light casting shadows on both sides. The air was filled with the smell of mold and foulness, occasionally punctuated by the hollow sound of wind.

Seeing Qin Shangzhi still sitting under the lamp reading a book, the deposed Crown Prince looked at the flickering candlelight, then glanced at the bright moonlight streaming in from the tiny high window, worrying endlessly about his future.

Soon, the Crown Prince suddenly heard the repeated calls of "Your Majesty" approaching from afar, startling him to his feet. He looked toward Qin Shangzhi: "Is Bai Qingyan here?!"

Qin Shangzhi nodded and said to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness need not be overly anxious, just maintain your dignity."

The Crown Prince clenched his fists by his side. To survive... he would even grovel before King Liang, so what dignity! As long as Bai Qingyan could spare his life, he was willing to kneel and kowtow to her.

Qin Shangzhi stood beside the Crown Prince, knowing Bai Qingyan’s character well. Since the Crown Prince had surrendered, she wouldn’t execute him at this moment.

Imperial guards clad in armor held torches high, jogging in unison to the cell door of the Crown Prince and Qin Shangzhi. The flickering torchlight made the Crown Prince instinctively step back.

The Crown Prince first saw Xie Yuchang and Fu Ruoxi, and his face immediately felt burning with shame.

Back then, in order to survive, he cast away his dignity, pleading with King Liang in front of the officials who protected him to the death... Xie Yuchang and Fu Ruoxi were also present at that time.

It was as if the Crown Prince was back on that day, wishing he could find a crack to hide in. He lowered his eyes to avoid their gaze, fearing he might see disdain on their faces, these once lowly people who had been at his feet. If they, now high above, were to look down on him with pity, he couldn’t bear it.

Beside Qin Shangzhi, his fist was tightly clenched. He saw Bai Qingyan, draped in a black cloak, walking leisurely to the cell with a calm and indifferent expression.

The Crown Prince’s ears were burning. He performed a long bow to Bai Qingyan, but his lips quivered and he couldn’t utter a word.

Perhaps... it was because deep down, the Crown Prince knew Bai Qingyan was different from King Liang, not a treacherous villain like him. Even if he didn’t have to beg like a dog, as long as he didn’t have thoughts of opposing Bai Qingyan, she wouldn’t kill him.

Feeling humiliated, the Crown Prince closed his eyes. Once... his subordinate Bai Qingyan was standing just outside the jail door. It wasn’t the first time he performed a long bow to her, but this time... he was a prisoner, his status rapidly declining to be beneath Bai Qingyan, and his mindset couldn’t truly remain calm.

Xie Yuchang stood on Bai Qingyan’s right side, left hand gripping the sword at his waist. He noticed out of the corner of his eye a subordinate seeming to have something urgent to report as he looked over anxiously. Glancing at Bai Qingyan, he gestured for Fu Ruoxi to guard her and stepped toward the subordinate.

"What’s the matter?" Xie Yuchang briskly walked up to the subordinate, lowering his voice to ask.

"General, the five Vassal Kings have made a move..."

Hearing this, Xie Yuchang raised his eyebrows, loosened his grip on the sword, and pulled the subordinate into the shadows beyond the torchlight before looking around, saying, "Speak..."

"As per the General’s instructions, I sent some people to pretend dissatisfaction over the Empress ascending the throne as a woman, occasionally hinting at things. As expected, the King of Baishui became friendly. I have ordered the brothers to handle it carefully. Just now... the King of Baishui sent a significant amount of gifts to several Imperial Guard Centurions guarding the hall during the enthronement ceremony, to allow the King of Baishui’s men into the hall, planning to act against the Empress on her ascension day..."

Xie Yuchang’s eyes grew deep, with a cold sternness: "Assassinate the Empress?"

The imperial guard commander nodded, "They say those arranged inside are experts. Once the Empress enters the hall, they will act! The King of Baishui also promised high positions to the brothers! The King of Baishui also said... he is rightfully the legitimate heir of the Jin ancestor’s lineage, and if he claims the throne, all the loyal men will become generals and the like."

Xie Yuchang grasped the sword hilt again, fingers caressing it, whispering, "Did you hear what preparations the King of Baishui himself will make tomorrow?"

"The King of Baishui did not say in detail, but according to the brothers, he plans to feign illness and not attend the ceremony tomorrow, readying ceremonial attire and a crown for ascension. Once the Empress is dead, he will appear in ceremonial dress and crown to ascend the throne," the imperial guard commander whispered. "Should we detain the King of Baishui ahead of time?"

Xie Yuchang contemplated for a moment and shook his head, "This must be discussed with the Empress herself. You go... await further orders! Don’t let slip any hints to the King of Baishui."

"Yes!" The imperial guard commander clasped his hands and quickly departed.

Inside the cell, Qin Shangzhi wore a clean, gray-blue robe, not hesitating as he knelt and kowtowed to Bai Qingyan: "Greetings to the Empress of Zhou."

"Qin Shangzhi... you were responsible for the Guanghe Canal project. I am here today to ask you... would you be willing to see it through to the end, to continue overseeing the canal construction?" Bai Qingyan’s eyes were clear and her voice steady.

Qin Shangzhi’s fingers trembled, and he looked up at Bai Qingyan. Her exquisite and breathtaking features were illuminated by the flickering bright torches, her eyes deep and inscrutable, revealing none of her emotions.

The canal project had been proposed by Qin Shangzhi, who naturally wanted to complete it perfectly, but thinking of the deposed Crown Prince made him hesitant.

"You can think about it. If you are unwilling to oversee the canal project, I will take the trouble to invite the descendants of the renowned hydraulic expert Sima Sheng from Xiliang back. You don’t need to subordinate yourself for the livelihood of the people..." Bai Qingyan finished and looked at the deposed Crown Prince, "Crown Prince..."

Hearing Bai Qingyan refer to him as Crown Prince, he hurriedly knelt, saying, "Your Majesty, please call me the King of Qi! Since I have already surrendered to Zhou, I am no longer the Crown Prince. I only ask Your Majesty to see that I have no grand ambitions and pose no threat to Zhou, and let me, like the third prince of Daliang, be a King of Qi... to end my remaining years."

Xie Yuchang and Fu Ruoxi had long witnessed the former Crown Prince of the Jin Dynasty grovel before King Liang. It was beyond their expectations that this Crown Prince could speak so steadily without fear now.

Since the deposed Crown Prince didn’t require much persuasion, she nodded: "If you can think this way, I will have people send you and your family to a picturesque place in Daliang to care for you for the rest of your life. But... you must not reveal your identity to the young emperor of the Jin Dynasty, or it may bring disaster upon the child."

Upon hearing this, the deposed Crown Prince suddenly looked up, his eyes widening at Bai Qingyan. So... his child was still alive!

The Crown Prince, dazzled by the blinding flickering torches, felt his eyes stinging, thinking it might just be a dream.