Chapter 15: Staying Alive

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Gao Yang finally put down his bow and arrow, his fierce gaze fixed on the empty space ahead. Without his order, the prisoners’ sacrifices continued. Gao Yin slowly rose, pointed across, and shouted, “Stop! Do not jump anymore!”

The prison guards looked toward the emperor. Gao Yang neither agreed nor stopped them, merely watching silently.

So the guards pretended not to hear and continued forcing the prisoners to jump.

Gao Yin turned to look at his father, opening his mouth as if to say something.

“Step back, all of you, step back!”

Gao Yang spoke. The surrounding monks rose suddenly and withdrew to the platform below; even the closest attendants stood a hundred paces away.

Amid the screams, Gao Yang slightly nodded, signaling Gao Yin to speak.

“If a son lacks power, he is inevitably controlled by the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Uncle. At best, he becomes a puppet; at worst, he meets the fate of Emperor Xiaojing.”

Yuan Shanjian, the founding emperor of the Eastern Wei regime, was in truth a puppet of the Gao family. In the second year after Gao Yang usurped Wei, the Qi regime had already solidified. Gao Yang hosted a banquet for Yuan Shanjian, poisoned him, and executed Yuan’s three sons.

After Yuan Shanjian’s death, Gao Yang posthumously honored him as Emperor Wei Xiaojing.

So others might not understand Gao Yin’s meaning, but Gao Yang certainly did—it was as if his son was reenacting the strategy of his own murders.

The screams continued. Gao Yang remained silent, allowing Gao Yin to press on: “Father often says I possess the essence of the Han lineage, unlike you. But what of Emperor Xiaojing?”

“I’ve heard he was extraordinarily brave, able to carry a stone lion over the walls, always an unerring archer, fond of literature, bearing the demeanor of Emperor Xiaowen. Yet the end was…”

“Silence.”

Gao Yang finally spoke, though his tone was not resolute. Gao Yin grew bolder: “Without power, there is no life. As the son of the Supreme One, I must inherit the throne. If the Imperial Uncle seizes power, what fate awaits me? If I am to be controlled by others, it would be better if the Supreme One now deposes me and appoints the Imperial Uncle as heir. Then perhaps my mother and I may yet live!”

“How dare you say that!”

Gao Yang’s fury ignited. This forced him to choose between wife and son, or mother and brother.

If he could deal with it, he would have done so long ago. Yet now his son was compelling him to act on this impossible matter.

He grabbed Gao Yin’s hair bun, lifting him up, while with his other hand he held an arrow, slowly bringing its tip toward Gao Yin’s right eye. Gao Yin winced in pain and struggled, shouting:

“My death is of no consequence, but has the Supreme One forgotten how you treated Empress Jingde? The instigator shall have no descendants!”

Gao Yang froze for a moment, recalling that woman.

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Yuan Zhonghua was Yuan Shanjian’s sister and the lawful wife of Gao Yang’s elder brother, Gao Cheng. As the emperor’s sister and wife of a powerful minister, Yuan Zhonghua’s early life was dazzling. When she bore a legitimate son for Gao Cheng, Yuan Shanjian gifted her ten thousand bolts of silk, and the officials’ offerings filled ten rooms.

She should have been the founding empress of Qi, but after Gao Cheng’s death, her fate took a sharp downturn and became troubled.

After Gao Yang established Qi, he posthumously titled Gao Cheng as Emperor Wenxiang, and Yuan Zhonghua as Empress Wenxiang. Because she resided in Jingde Palace, she was also known as Empress Jingde.

Three years ago, Gao Yang confiscated all the treasures from Yuan Zhonghua’s treasury, declaring, “My brother once defiled my wife; today I must repay him.” He then raped Yuan Zhonghua.

Gao Yang pressed the arrow tip against Gao Yin’s face, grinding his teeth: “How do you know this? Who told you? Speak, and I will kill them!”

He did not fear others knowing these things, but being exposed by his own son filled him with shame, especially that his wife had been abused by his elder brother.

He had ruled the empire for nine years, yet someone dared to reveal such disgrace to his son!

Had these servants not been terrified of death?

The arrow’s tip gleamed coldly; if Gao Yin lowered his head, it would pierce his eyeball.

“The palace secrets cannot be silenced or sealed by killing! That is precisely why I must reform the court and root out disorder!” Gao Yin strained to raise his head, struggling to speak: “While you live, we need not fear; but after your passing, who will grant us peace? What seems like foresight now is truly a storm beneath the surface. The Supreme One refuses to plan ahead for his wife and son—I cannot bear to witness that moment!”

He bit his lip and lunged toward the arrow. Gao Yang hastily withdrew, but the arrow still left a bloodied scratch at Gao Yin’s eye corner.

Panic overtook Gao Yang. Only now did he realize how vital the crown prince was. If Gao Yin lost an eye, the Empress Dowager would have grounds to depose him. “Someone! Treat the crown prince!”

“It’s nothing serious.” Gao Yin wiped his eye; it was a minor wound that would soon stop bleeding.

Though he said this, the imperial physicians arrived swiftly. Gao Yang stepped back several paces, confirming Gao Yin was truly unharmed before breathing a sigh of relief.

Below, the prisoners’ screams still echoed. What once sounded melodious now only disturbed Gao Yang’s mind. Even as emperor, he could not silence the sorrowful cries of the dying.

He roared, “Stop! No more crying!”

The emperor’s command was faithfully obeyed. Some prisoners, overjoyed, wanted to weep aloud, but the guards quickly covered their mouths, whispering that dying was one thing—but do not bring trouble upon them.

Gao Yang gazed at the hundreds of corpses beneath, then looked to the prince being tended beside him. Suddenly, he felt an eerie resemblance between Gao Yin and the dead slaves below.

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