Chapter 64: Martyrdom for One’s Country
He fulfilled his righteous cause with his life.

“In the past, I thought you were too kind and soft-hearted. Actually, the best solution for you would have been to make the Jiang Family disappear forever, but you didn’t. You chose a more time-consuming and laborious approach. Back then, I might have scorned you for being overly compassionate, but perhaps now that I’m older, I suddenly feel that holding a high position while retaining a benevolent heart might not be such a bad thing.”

“Lord Chen, if you understood me, you would know that I am not a merciful person.” Jiang Qingshi lifted his face, his strikingly handsome features reflecting the pure, flawless snowflakes. His originally overly vibrant appearance now carried a faint, almost imperceptible sense of pressure. “I believe in governing the country with benevolence and propriety, but I dislike those who manipulate power. Moreover, I hold grudges. The humiliation I suffered when I had nothing—I won’t forget it so quickly.”

“Everyone aspires to be a sage, but how many true sages are there? Which mortal doesn’t have loves and hatreds, their own selfish desires?” Chen Yanfeng sighed. “The world thinks I manipulate power and hinder the people’s welfare. Back then, I strongly opposed the war with Yu Country because Da Liang had long been impoverished and weak. Even if we could win, we would inevitably suffer severe losses. In my position, one realizes how constrained one is. Weighing the pros and cons, I constantly deliberate to make the choice that inflicts the least harm on Da Liang. When Chengle Princess embarked alone on the path of marriage alliance, I also felt regret for this highly talented princess. But given the circumstances at the time, sacrificing her to secure the well-being of all in Da Liang was the option with the smallest loss. My only biological son had admired Chengle Princess since his youth. He repeatedly expressed his feelings to her, but the princess had no interest in marriage. That foolish boy never married, always gazing at her from afar… This time, when I pushed for the marriage alliance, he severed ties with me, his father past the age of sixty. Disheartened, he wandered the world, and I haven’t seen him since. To this day, I don’t know whether he’s alive or dead out there… My fate with children has been thin. The children I had with my wife all died young, and only this disappointing son survived. Though he is of average ability, I never dared to pressure him. It was so difficult for my wife and me to have this child, yet it still ended like this.”

Jiang Qingshi remained silent. The man quietly lowered his eyelids, clearly unwilling to say anything too harsh at this moment.

“Lord Jiang, the imperial court has always been this way. It was never a place where scholars could rally with impassioned cries. Outside, they may write brilliantly eloquent essays and accuse an old fool like me of treason… but the rest of the time? They drown themselves in pleasure quarters, numbing their senses with dancers and wine, shouting a few heartbroken lamentations about treacherous ministers ruining the nation. What else can they truly accomplish? Unable to secure official positions, they blame the court for failing to recognize talent. Without ever setting foot in the court chambers, they lightly spout meaningless criticisms. Take that Chao Yehhan from years back—I always looked down on him. He earned his reputation as a romantic scholar by wandering through brothels. Though he possessed some genuine talent, he mostly lacked self-restraint. Had he been a principled scholar, I might have respected him. But then he turned around and groveled before me, adopting the most servile posture. Since he so desperately wanted to serve me, I simply gave him a push, using him to test your capabilities.”

“And so, Chao Yehhan effortlessly ruined his entire life.” Jiang Qingshi looked at Chen Yanfeng. “Minister Chen, as the chess master, you probably never cared whether these ants lived or died.”

“Had he not harbored malicious intent, no amount of manipulation from me would have mattered. To possess a greedy heart yet lack the ability to prevail—that was his fate.” Chen Yanfeng’s tone remained calm. “I aspire to be the chess master, but in truth, I am merely a slightly more important chess piece. Lord Jiang, I believe we share one similarity: to realize our ambitions, we must first grasp power in our own hands. Even if we must be chess pieces, we should be ones that determine the overall game. You’re just over thirty, yet I know you’ve never been idle these years—winning over hearts, cultivating your own disciples and followers. Your capability brings me great comfort. Do you think I don’t care about my legacy? All men are mundane, bound by worldly constraints. I often wonder how history will judge me, but I dare not dwell on it—I can only focus on the present situation, unable to spare concern for posthumous reputation.”

“Minister Chen speaks truth.” Jiang Qingshi said softly. “Since childhood, I understood that if I resigned myself to being an insignificant ant, I’d quickly be crushed underfoot. Every step I take now results from careful deliberation. Even if I regret it later, given another chance, I’d walk the same path.”

“Then…” Chen Yanfeng took a deep breath, as if steeling his resolve. “All these years, I’ve exhaustively concealed your identity, erased every trace, ensuring no one could uncover your true origins. Lord Jiang, you must have guessed by now—you know what I ultimately want.”

Jiang Qingshi avoided a direct answer: “Has Minister Chen never considered his own future? Never wondered how I might treat your Chen family if I actually achieve my desires?”

Chen Yanfeng gave a bitter smile: “Now even my son has left me. Do you think I still care about my own future? Though many see me as a schemer who holds high position yet accomplishes nothing, I truly act for the sake of Da Liang. Perhaps only a century later will people understand whether my actions were right or wrong, but as you said earlier, given another chance I would still walk this path – this is what I believe to be the right choice. We grew up studying the classics of sages, and I too once endured hardship in my studies, hoping to leap through the Dragon Gate one day… No matter how the world judges me, no matter how dazzling this arena of fame and fortune becomes after long exposure, I always keep within my heart that moral compass from my student days.”

“Minister Chen’s words have enlightened me. It’s getting late now, and I still have official duties to attend to.” Jiang Qingshi bowed to Chen Yanfeng. “I take my leave.”

After speaking, Jiang Qingshi turned and left without hesitation.

“Minister Jiang, I hope you won’t follow in your father’s footsteps.”

Chen Yanfeng seemed to let out a soft sigh.

“Your father was too kind-hearted, never guarding against anyone, and ultimately only hurt himself. I hope… I haven’t misjudged you.”

Jiang Qingshi continued walking without looking back. Chen Yanfeng sighed several more times, but those faint sighs quickly vanished in the wind and snow.

When spring arrived and all things revived, Yu Country ultimately failed to conceal its wolfish ambition. No longer satisfied with Da Liang’s annual tribute, they tore up the treaty during the Spring Equinox and launched a surprise attack on Da Liang.

This coincided with Emperor Jingrui’s life fading like an oil-depleted lamp. The emperor was merely sustaining his life through elixirs, and upon hearing news of Yu Country’s fierce assault, he spat blood and immediately fell unconscious.

The Grand Secretariat quickly deliberated on court affairs at this critical juncture to maintain overall stability. However, Consort Liu’s brother Liu Gang deliberately refused orders at this time, disobeying commands to support the front lines. At this dangerous moment, the elderly Duke of Yingguo donned his armor once more and led the expedition. Yu Country chose Shishu County as their breakthrough point this time, attempting to capture several of Da Liang’s cities in one stroke. There was reason for this choice – Shishu County’s walls were dilapidated from long neglect, making it easy to attack but difficult to defend. Additionally, its proximity to deep mountains and forests had allowed Yu Country to infiltrate the area long before, awaiting the opportunity to breach Da Liang’s defenses.

But to everyone’s surprise, despite three days of fierce assault, Yu Country failed to breach Shishu County’s gates, holding out until the Duke of Yingguo arrived with reinforcements.

When the Duke of Yingguo entered Shishu County, he found the streets eerily quiet, with civilians having evacuated in an orderly fashion at some unknown time. The entire county town was as silent as a dead city. Yet on the city walls, blood flowed everywhere – it turned out that County Magistrate Zhuo Zhiming had made immediate judgments when Yu Country first attacked, organizing the orderly evacuation of civilians while leading government forces to deploy defenses on the walls. They delayed Yu Country for three full days, buying precious time for reinforcements.

County Magistrate Zhuo Zhiming of Shishu County personally took to the battlefield at the final moment, using his life to hold back Yu Country’s forces for two more hours, until he… heroically achieved martyrdom for his country.

Everyone was deeply grieved upon hearing this news, and the blades in their hands moved with even greater speed and ferocity. Among them, a commander under the Duke of Yingguo fought with exceptional fierceness—every soldier from Yu Country fled at the sight of this commander. No one knew where this person had come from, and it was later discovered that this soldier was actually a woman.

When Jiang Qingshi received the news of Zhuo Zhiming’s martyrdom for his country, he was waiting outside the Taiji Hall, awaiting Emperor Jingrui’s summons. At that moment, a dense crowd of officials stood outside the hall. Everyone knew clearly that Emperor Jingrui had reached his final moments, and this last decree would determine the course of Da Liang for decades to come.

Yet Jiang Qingshi’s mind wandered. He gazed beyond the vast and expansive palace walls, recalling the journey he and Zhuo Zhiming had taken from Jiangping County all the way to the capital, the joy they had felt upon passing the imperial examinations, and the promises they had made to uphold their ideals when they parted in the capital.

Zhuo Zhiming had done it.

He had fulfilled his righteousness with his life. Though framed and relegated to a remote post as a minor County Magistrate, he had not been mistaken. Even in the humblest position, he had realized his aspirations, interpreting with his life what it meant to be a nobleman who sheds his blood for the well-being of the people.

Jiang Qingshi felt his eyes grow slightly moist.

The officials around him, upon hearing of Zhuo Zhiming’s deeds, sighed repeatedly, lamenting that such a talented young man had met such a tragic end. Yet they acknowledged that he had died a worthy death, making such a significant contribution to Da Liang with his life. Were it not for Zhuo Zhiming’s steadfastness, Da Liang might already lie in ruins, its people suffering.

Lingdeng, they judge your life so superficially.

They do not understand you. Their final definition of you is that of a seventh-rank official who remained loyal to his country. Perhaps they even feel regret on your behalf—you had accomplished so much in Shishu County over the past three years, and the court’s promotion decree was about to arrive, yet you sacrificed yourself for Da Liang at this critical juncture. But how shallow their understanding of you is. They never knew what a righteous, pine-straight, and principled person you were. This final act was not only your choice but an inevitable expression of your character.

The road ahead is long, but in your heart, there has always been a bright lamp. Just like your courtesy name, Lingdeng, it shines eternally, surely guiding you forward without worry.

“Creak—”

A eunuch at Emperor Jingrui’s side poked his head out with a sorrowful expression, his voice soft as if afraid of disturbing something.

“Lord Jiang, His Majesty summons you.”

At that moment, all eyes turned to Jiang Qingshi. His posture remained upright as he nodded slightly and prepared to step into the hall. Just then, Chen Yanfeng seemingly unintentionally took a step forward, lowering his head and whispering, “I have made all the arrangements. He cannot make a move against you now, but you must still be cautious in everything.”

Jiang Qingshi did not respond. He strode directly into the palace. As soon as he entered, he was met with the thick scent of medicine. The Empress and the Crown Prince stood by the dragon bed—the Crown Prince looked bewildered and lost, while the Empress’s makeup was streaked with tears. Emperor Jingrui, his face as pale as gold paper, leaned weakly against the dragon bed. Seeing Jiang Qingshi enter, he feebly waved a hand at the Empress.

“You and the Crown Prince may leave now.”