Chapter 67 (2/2)

Qi Xiujie was sitting at the desk writing, his head was bowed, hiding his expression. When he heard footsteps, he turned around, then was surprised. He knelt down, his eyes held disbelief and gratefulness.

“Long live the Emperor.” He bowed respectfully.

Li Jin Tian didn’t answer, he just looked deeply at him with unpredictable eyes, after a long while he slowly asked, “Have you been able to live better?”

“Yes Emperor, villain lives very well.”

Li Jin Tian was startled. This can be considered well? Living in an empty, cold palace, without luxury or personal servants? But yes, compared to the gruesome days in the prison, isn’t this infinitely better?

Li Jin Tian’s chest felt oppressed by his guilt. He sat on a chair and waved his hand. “Get up.”

Zhou Yun Sheng didn’t move, he hesitated for a moment then asked in a hoarse voice, “The villain has a matter on his heart, I dare not get up.”

Li Jin Tian suddenly had a gloomy expression, as if he knew what his question would be, but he still rubbed his forehead and tiredly said, “Ask me your doubts.”

Zhou Yun Sheng gave a cautious kowtow, then asked in a sorrowful tone, “Dare to question the Emperor, why did you destroy my family? What did we do wrong?”

“Your father and Xuan Wang secretly colluded to rebel, you didn’t know?” After saying this, Li Jin Tian felt a sudden headache. After he’d cleaned up their home, he actually hadn’t found any proof of misconduct. He could no longer swear that his decision was the right one. He wanted to search out the truth, but he was afraid of what he’d find.

Zhou Yun Sheng’s eyes darkened, he was speechless, his face haggard. He felt deep shame and knocked his head against the floor, he choked out, “So that was the case, villain actually had no knowledge of the matter. I can’t face the Emperor, please, Emperor, give me death!” He knocked his head so hard that his forehead started to bleed.

Li Jin Tian quickly reached out to pull him up, and looked into his eyes. His eyes were pure, except for shame, despair and guilt, there was no trace of resentment. He’d destroyed his family, but Qi Xiujie felt no resentment, he was also willing to die. His loyalty to him did not pale in comparison to Gao Min’s.

No, that was wrong, his loyalty was much greater than Gao Min’s. In the previous life, although Qi Xiujie had a reputation for being arrogant, he was always submissive in front of him, he never disobeyed. Although it was a rare loyalty that made Gao Min accompany him to death, Qi Xiujie had forced himself to live in humiliation, only so he could avenge him. His heart probably suffered so much dread that no one would be able to understand it.

In the end, Qi Xiujie didn’t survive and didn’t enjoy any glory, he just died quietly in the Zi Chen Palace, hanging from the beam.

Looking at the humble person in front of him, the Qi Xiujie who had completely given up on living, Li Jin Tian felt like a knife had stabbed into his heart. He’d thought he’d loved the wrong person in the last life, and he was loving the right person in this life, but in fact, it was the other way around. Qi Xiujie did everything for him, but didn’t say anything, while Gao Min always held his self-sacrifice over him, never making him forget.

He was wrong for two lifetimes, but at this point, he was so deeply in love with Gao Min that he couldn’t stop loving him. He was extremely pathetic. But Qi Xiujie was even more pathetic than he was.

Both of them were played around by fate.

Gao Min’s cold resentment contrasted with Qi Xiujie’s humbleness, and made Li Jin Tian’s guilt root deeper. He pulled the other man up, pressed him into the chair and carefully said, “I don’t blame you, I want you to live well,” he paused a moment, then added, “I’ll take good care of you. I can compensate you for whatever you want.”

Zhou Yun Sheng was silent for a while, then his eyes lit up, he hesitantly asked, “Villain wants a child, can you give me one?”

Li Jin Tian was again asked a difficult request. He knew that after their rebirth, Gao Min had poisoned Qi Xiujie because he’d suspected that Qi Xiujie was responsible for the death of his son in the last life. Li Jin Tian had felt it was psychological compensation, so he’d also secretly cooperated with the poisoning. Qi Xiujie’s womb was now completely destroyed, he couldn’t have any children.

And in the last life, in Xuan Wang’s harem, Qi Xiujie had also poisoned himself so he couldn’t give birth to Xuan Wang’s children.

The debts he owed this person increased day by day. Li Jin Tian felt an oncoming headache, and he was even more afraid to look into Qi Xiujie’s face.

Qi Xiujie was aware of the reason behind his hesitation, he added, “Villain was not asking for a biological child. Qi family has committed such a heinous crime, I dare not expect the Emperor’s favor. The other concubines have a lot of children, villain only wants to adopt one. This palace is so lonely … …”

His humble words were like a blunt knife, cutting into Li Jin Tian’s heart. He understood his meaning- he was lonely, if he doesn’t have someone to live for, he might one day end his life. Li Jin Tian’s previous hate for Qi Xiujie had long ago turned into pure guilt, he threw out a ‘pick anyone you want’ and quickly fled. His face was burning red, as if he’d received a dozen slaps.