From the Qin Dynasty onwards, he eked out a living among the heavens.

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Mother Gu

Wei Zhuang returned from Bloodcloth Fortress late at night on the third day.

When he pushed open the door, Han Fei was the only one in the main hall. The candlelight cast a dim light on Han Fei's profile, and the weariness from days of waiting was still visible on his brow.

Wei Zhuang placed a ceramic bottle on the table. The dark brown bottle was covered with intricate vine patterns, exactly the same as the one Tian Ze had thrown to him by the Wei River.

"Bai Yifei is not in Blood Robe Fortress. Three of the mechanisms in the secret room were broken, and this was the only one we found." Wei Zhuang's cold voice was as flat as ever. There was a new mark on the scabbard of the Shark Tooth Sword, and a tear in his sleeve, but otherwise he was unharmed.

Han Fei picked up the ceramic bottle and uncorked it. At the bottom lay a Gu worm resembling a silkworm pupa, its body an eerie dark red, faintly glowing in the candlelight. It was still wriggling, each movement accompanied by a very faint purple halo.

This is the Mother Gu. "Using blood as a catalyst and Gu as a prison, Bai Yifei used this to control Tianze for a full ten years." Han Fei put the pottery bottle back on the table and turned to Wei Zhuang: "Meet with Tianze tomorrow and exchange the Mother Gu for Honglian."

The transaction was scheduled for noon the following day at the ferry crossing on the south bank of the Wei River.

The sky was overcast, and a thin layer of mist floated on the river. Tianze stood on the riverbank, six chains slowly unfolding behind him, and snake-head spikes suspended in mid-air, trembling slightly with his breath.

Honglian was tied to the flat rock behind him, her face pale but her lips stubbornly pursed. Han Fei led Wei Zhuang to the appointment, with Xu Huang following at the back, his gaze sweeping across the reeds around the ferry crossing—the deathly aura of the Corpse-Driving Demon was faintly visible, the massive figure of the Peerless Ghost crouched deeper within, and the eerie blue flames of Yan Lingji flickered in and out of the mist. The entire Baiyue Heavenly Group was present.

Tianze raised his slightly thin hand. "Let me inspect the goods first."

Han Fei nodded to Wei Zhuang. Wei Zhuang took out a ceramic bottle from his waist, flicked his wrist, and tossed it straight towards Tian Ze. Tian Ze quickly caught the flying bottle, uncorked it, and stared at the dark red mother Gu inside for a long time.

He had been controlled by this thing for ten years, and now it was in his palm, each wriggling accompanied by a faint purple halo. He remained silent for a long time, then said without turning his head, "Release her."

Upon hearing this, Yan Lingji walked behind the rock, untied the ropes binding Honglian's wrists, and gently pushed her towards Han Fei. Honglian stumbled and staggered towards Han Fei. The past few days had not been easy for her; her legs were weak and she could barely stand, but she gritted her teeth and did not fall, running step by step towards Han Fei. Han Fei went to meet her and held her tightly behind him.

Tianze put the pottery bottle into his bosom, the six chains slowly retracted around his waist, and he turned and walked into the depths of the reeds.

Han Fei, supporting Honglian, nodded to Tianze's retreating figure and led the others away. Their figures disappeared into the mist on either side of the ferry crossing.

However, at the same moment that Liu Sha and the Baiyue group were exchanging hostages on the south bank of the Wei River, another transaction was quietly taking place deep within the royal palace.

Fourth Young Master Han Yu waited for a long time in the side hall until Ji Wuye's footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

The general was not wearing his court robes today, but a dark brocade robe, with his ever-present longsword at his waist, followed by two Nightfall guards. As he entered the side hall, his gaze swept over Han Yu, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"What brings you here today, Fourth Young Master, to seek out a rough fellow like me?"

"Honglian was kidnapped by Tianze, and my father was so worried that he couldn't eat or sleep. Han Fei took on the task of rescuing her, and the entire Sikou Mansion was focused on him."

Han Yu's voice was low, but every word carried a carefully calculated weight: "The General should also know that if Han Fei successfully saves Honglian, his prestige in front of the King will rise even higher."

By then, Han Fei's position in the court will likely be even more unshakeable.

Ji Wuye picked up the teacup on the table, but didn't drink; he merely stirred the tea leaves gently with the lid. "What does the Fourth Young Master wish to say?"

"Honglian." Han Yu raised his eyes, looking directly at Ji Wuye. "The person Han Fei cares about most is Honglian. If the General can marry Honglian into the General's Mansion, Han Fei will no longer be able to threaten the General's position."

"And I need the General's support."

"The Crown Prince is weak, and Han Fei's influence in the court is growing stronger. I alone cannot suppress him. If the General is willing to support me, Honglian will become a member of the General's Mansion."

Ji Wuye paused for a moment as he stirred the tea leaves. He raised his eyes, a sinister scrutiny flashing in his deep-set eyes. "Fourth Young Master, are you asking me to help you seize the throne?"

"It's not about vying for the throne, it's about self-preservation. If Han Fei gains power, the first target will be Nightfall. The General understands this better than I do."

Han Yu's voice remained steady. "Honglian is Han Fei's only weakness. If we marry her, Han Fei will not dare to act rashly. And I can give General Han Fei something he cannot: support in the court, control from the Ministry of Justice, and the right to nominate the crown prince if the position becomes vacant."

Ji Wuye remained silent for a long time. The only sound in the side hall was the crackling of the flickering candlelight. Then he picked up his teacup, took a sip, and gently closed the lid. "The Crown Prince is still here."

"The Crown Prince is still here." Han Yu repeated these three words, a very faint, almost imperceptible smile appearing on his lips.

The crown prince was sent back to the palace the day after the hostage exchange.

The days of imprisonment had greatly frightened him; he was pale and listless. King Han specially dispatched the imperial guards to escort him back to the Eastern Palace.

As the carriage rolled over the bluestone slabs and passed through the royal road surrounding the palace, it was crossing the stone bridge spanning the royal river when the horses pulling the carriage suddenly let out a mournful neigh, raised their front hooves high, and the entire carriage tilted sharply to the right.

The driver desperately pulled on the reins, but the horses seemed to be startled and struggled wildly, breaking free and dragging the tilted carriage erratically across the bridge. The wooden wheels crashed against the bridge railings with a piercing cracking sound.

The imperial guards rushed forward to try to stop the horses, but it was too late. The carriage, along with the frightened horses, overturned the broken bridge railing and plunged into the icy Imperial River.

When the prince was pulled from the water, he was already dead.