After the incident happened, the Empress almost burst out from anger about the sudden death of the servant. He huffed and pressed his temples, thinking that he couldn’t gather information about the sudden matter.

“I’m sorry about earlier, Your Highness. I couldn’t stop the servant from killing himself.” Li Jie said as he kowtowed, he could clearly tell that His Highness was a bit angry- no, he was enraged. However, he couldn’t do anything at this point so he just calmed down and set Li Jie off to his room.

As what the Empress had ordered, Li Jie walked out of the Empress' room and walked through the hallway when Hui Hua appeared in front of him and delivered such awful news.

“What?! What do you mean colluded against the Empire?! My husband would never do that!” Li Jie angrily said as the gossiper Hui Hua sighed and said with concern: “I know, but many have said about it and it got spread throughout the Empire. Young Madame, don't be hasty. Maybe it was part of their plan.”

“Then what kind of bullshitting plan is this?! Haven’t they got any better?!” Li Jie somehow erupted and couldn’t calm down. Now, the whole empire only knew that Feng Delun's name was unpleasant to hear. How could he agree from that plan?!

What if he'll get hurt after that?

Li Jie decided, he'll definitely kill the Emperor together with the people who plotted the idea.

“How's Li Wei's condition?” Li Jie asked with concern. Hui Hua stopped his steps and sighed, “Young Madame should prepare for the worst. Although there’s only a little drop of poison seeped inside him, mind that that kind of poison could kill a cow in just one drop. It could still bring a heavy blow towards a person who got infected from it.”

Li Jie frowned and gritted his teeth. He was frustrated and helpless from the situation. Li Jie went to the clinic and immediately stared at Li Wei's solemn face. He brought himself closer and touched Li Wei's forehead, his heart pang upon seeing the latter's face. Li Wei was still young, but his life…

No one could judge that.  All that was left was Li Wei's will to live. He failed as a master.
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The Emperor sat on the throne, his gaze sweeping the ministers who were keeling on the palace floor. Seeing Minister Liu's figure, he couldn’t help but glare at him secretly. He took a deep breath and said coldly, “About the rumors, what is the situation?”

“Answering to Your Majesty, the general didn’t give an explanation to defend himself. So, I could tell that the general was guilty about it, Your Majesty.” Minister Liu said as he kowtowed. Sneering inside his thoughts, his minions kept defending his back.

“Oh? How could you be so firm in your words?” the Emperor said. He looked down from the minister and almost rolled his eyes. This minister looked down on him because of his age. Looking at him now, he couldn’t help but to look down on him twice—no, a hundred times.

“My people saw him exploiting goods from the outside, and he ordered his people disguised as bandits causing ruckus near the border.” Then, the palace door opened and saw Chang Bao disguised as a servant and knelt in front of the Emperor.

As he knelt, the palace door opened harshly resulting the ministers' nervousness increased. They unconsciously looked back and saw the General's expressionless face. The Emperor almost laughed and blurted out silently, ‘What a dramatic entrance.’

“Your Majesty, I can prove to you that all of these ministers' assumptions were all wrong and reveal the main culprit.”

‘Well, Your Majesty already knows. He just wants a show.’ He thought.

Chang Bao snickered and released his breath calmly. He took off the black veil and the fake skin he loathed to wear. Next time, he would really kill the Emperor because of his dramatic plan. He read too many novels.

Inside the Emperor’s mind, “So this is what face slapping feels like.”

Minister Liu widened his eyes and clenched his fist. That’s it, he was totally dead now.

“Your Majesty, I just confirmed that almost seventy-five percent of the wealth was being exploited, coupled with rare medicines which is in total of five big sacks in each kind. I also caught the people who were pretending to be bandits near the border and said the exact name of the culprit. Both were the same person. And, the General was innocent from the accusations the people have given him.” Chang Bao explained.

“Impudent! Who is this treacherous person you speak of?!”

“All of the witnesses say that he had a symbol of peony on his belt. I also saw how that person ordered me with nasty tasks. I really couldn’t take it.”

“Your Majesty, it is really Minister Liu who did it. He even knew the secret that only the royal family knows. And, he also had been coveting the General's wife’s life. Because, the General's wife found something that he shouldn’t have. That thing was they key of that secret which endangered his life. Fortunately, the General didn’t pursued to go to the border. His wife is safe now. But, his the General's wife's servant suffered the loss. Because, he was also one of the people who witnessed Minister's Liu's notorious actions and was now in a coma.”

Minister Liu closed his eyes and slumped on the ground, cold sweat dripping down his forehead. He clenched the peony embroidered on his belt and thought glumly, “A-jin, I failed again, sorry.”
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The case was closed. The culprit was sentenced to death by hanging him in front of the border. His family was vanished to the Empire and can never enter the Qin Empire again. Feng Delun could now fell at ease. And now, he can finally pursue his wife once again.

The Chen family went home and do their own duties. As for Li Jie, he was now in the Feng manor's flower garden where Feng Wenyan lived before. Li Jie had tried many experiments to fight Li Wei's poison but only ended up in failure. Also, there was something bothering him.

Before, Delun and Li Jie had vowed to part ways after the case demolished. But, this time it was different. He never would have thought that Li Jie developed feelings for him. And, as the time passed he fell deeper. He was afraid to face the consequences, so he avoided Feng Delun and sighed deeply.

Inside Feng Delun's room, Delun had wondered why he least met Li Jie in the manor. Whenever they met, Li Jie took a U-turn and completely avoided him. He was anxious. Why would his sweetheart didn’t want to see him? Do he do anything wrong?

This time, he completely recalled everything about their agreement. Remembering that time, he realized that he was completely a scum.

“Scum, airhead, stupid! How can you offer that stupid idea?!” Now, Delun regretted why he said that.
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“Master, it's okay. You don’t have to do this.” Li Wei said as he leaned from the head of the bed as he clutched his wounds. He smiled even though he was pained.

“No, I will find an antidote no matter what.” Li Jie muttered as he bent down from the table and examined every medicine he could get. He would not give up no matter what.

“I will not die. Look! I'm as healthy as a cow!” Li Wei said with a big smile. Li Jie felt mixed emotions as he gazed Li Wei's smile and said, “You still had a nerve to joke when you’re dying?!”

Li Wei smiled and said, “Master, I don’t know when I’ll die. But, I just don't want the people who cared about me cry when I’m gone.”

Li Jie didn’t know why his eyes were hot, he only knew when his cheeks felt the salty water dripping from his eyes.

“So, if you remember my name, you can only think of the good memories and not the bad ones.”

Li Jie cried and hugged Li Wei into his arms. Li Wei cried as he buried his head to Li Jie's neck, like a child who was being comforted from her mom.

“Don’t say that as if you’re going to go. You’re not allowed to go.” Li Jie muttered.

Li Jie then thought, did his fathers also cried like this when he died? Did they felt the same thing as what he felt now?

Because right now, he only felt deep pain in which he couldn’t fix. A wound that couldn’t stitch, a pain that could not heal even when you drink medicine, or a problem without a solution. He regarded Li Wei not just a servant, but also a little brother, a disciple and a son.

What he felt now, must be the same when his fathers saw him dying.

It was painful.
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A/N: I know it's a bit rushed, but I need to finish it sooner to avoid this book from getting dropped. I am pretty busy this days and also, I am preparing for my college. I still had two chapters left but of course there are few extras to prevent you from cliffhangers.

Thank you for joining me from this journey and I love y'all! :>