Steal my marriage? Turn around and marry the tyrant to take the throne

Chapter 1654 Rescued by Empress Dowager Gongsu

Xingchen's breathing quickened, and the iron chains binding him clanged together.

But he quickly forced himself to calm down, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

Li Changde continued, "Liu Shixiu's life or death depends entirely on your choice."

Xingchen opened his eyes, his face expressionless, and said, "What choices can a prisoner like me make?"

Li Changde said with a half-smile, "If you are willing to tell the truth, he might still be able to live."

"If you are unwilling..."

Xingchen smiled: "What truth does Eunuch Li want to hear?"

Li Changde asked, "Back then, the entire Duke of Dingguo's family was executed, and Liu Shixiu was the only one who escaped. Why did you protect him?"

Xingchen remained silent.

Li Changde's voice turned cold as he continued, "Over the years, how many concubines in the palace have you had illicit affairs with? Besides the deceased Lady Feng and Lady Chu, who else?!"

The word "illicit affair" was used with extreme emphasis by Li Changde.

Master Xingchen looked directly into Li Changde's eyes: "The victor is king, the loser is villain."

"Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you. Why waste so much breath?"

The smile on Li Changde's face vanished: "You think you can protect those people by not talking?"

"Liu Shixiu is right next door. With just one order from us, his head will roll on the line. You saved him once, can you save him a second time?"

Xingchen's eyelashes trembled.

He recalled that before Empress Dowager Gongsu died, she told him to make sure the Liu family bloodline was preserved.

So he saved Liu Shixiu.

But now...

Xingchen spoke up, "Eunuch Li, I saved him back then to repay a favor. Now fate has played a cruel trick on us, and I have done my utmost."

Li Changde frowned.

Xingchen continued, "Whether he lives or dies in the end is his fate. This humble monk can save him for a time, but not forever."

"If he is to die here today, he can only blame bad luck, not this humble monk."

Li Changde sneered, "Stubborn to the end!"

"Continue the trial for our family!"

The guard stepped forward, brandishing his whip: "Yes, sir!"

When Li Changde came out of the secret room, he looked unwell and went straight to the place where Liu Shixiu was being held.

Liu Shixiu was dressed in gray cloth clothes, his hair was disheveled, and it covered most of his face.

Hearing the door open, he stirred, but didn't look up.

Li Changde called out, "Young Master Liu."

Liu Shixiu finally raised his head.

He had lost a lot of weight since the last time we met; his cheeks were sunken and his eyes were deeply etched. Only his eyes still faintly revealed their former splendor.

Li Changde looked down at Liu Shixiu and said, "I suppose the environment here is better than the ascetic cave at Fatu Temple. I wonder if Young Master Liu is getting used to his stay?"

Liu Shixiu twitched the corner of his mouth: "What exactly does Eunuch Li want to say?"

Li Changde cut to the chase: "Why did Xingchen protect you in the first place?"

"The Duke of Dingguo's entire family was executed, and you should have gone with them. Why would a monk like him get involved in this mess?"

Liu Shixiu remained silent for a moment before saying, "I don't know."

"I'm quite curious, what did Master Xingchen do wrong?"

Li Changde said slowly, "You were supposed to die, but now that Xingchen is in dire straits, you know in your heart who holds your life in their hands."

Liu Shixiu's face paled, and he raised his head to look directly at Li Changde: "Since I'm going to die anyway, what else is there to say?"

Li Changde laughed: "There are differences in death."

"Is a quick and painless cut better, or to suffer the torment of a slow and painful ordeal? Which do you think is better, Young Master Liu?"

Liu Shixiu's breathing quickened.

After so long in seclusion in the cave of asceticism, all his spirit had been worn away.

Besides, the Liu family is long gone, and he has no chance to turn things around, so why is he still holding on?

Liu Shixiu lowered his eyes and said, "I really don't know..."

“Master Xingchen never told me the reason. He just locked me in the ascetic cave and had people bring me food every day to keep me from dying.”

Li Changde pressed further: "Didn't you ever think about why he would take such a big risk to protect you?"

"Does the Liu family have any connection with Fatu Temple?"

Liu Shixiu's mind was in a mess.

During those times, he had indeed thought countless times about why Master Xingchen had saved him.

But he couldn't figure it out.

The Liu family is a family of military generals, whose ancestors fought on the battlefield for generations, and they have always kept their distance from matters of gods and Buddhas.

When my mother was alive, she would occasionally go to Fatu Temple to offer incense, but it was just following the crowd, and she never had any close relationship with the monks in the temple.

My father rarely even went inside the gate of Fatu Temple, saying that the smoke inside was too strong and gave him a headache.

How could the Liu family have any connection with Master Xingchen?

unless……

Liu Shixiu suddenly remembered an old story.

That was many years ago, when he was still a teenager.

One time, his father drank too much and was talking to his staff in the study when he accidentally overheard them outside.

My father recounted stories from the late emperor's reign, mentioning Empress Dowager Gongsu. At that time, she was still the late emperor's empress.

"The Empress Dowager is kind-hearted."

The father's voice was tinged with drunkenness: "If it weren't for her saving that child back then, he would have been dead long ago."

The aide asked curiously, "Which child?"

The father said, "It is the now world-renowned Master Xingchen."

Liu Shixiu was still young at the time and didn't take it to heart.

As he grew older, he occasionally saw Master Xingchen from afar a few times.

The monk always had a kind and compassionate face, and seemed holy and holy, showing no sign of being pitiful, so he gradually forgot about it.

Thinking about it now...

Liu Shixiu raised his head and looked at Li Changde: "I remembered something, I don't know if it counts as a connection."

Li Changde perked up: "Speak."

Liu Shixiu slowly said, "When Master Xingchen was born, he seemed to have encountered some crisis and almost lost his life. It was his aunt who saved him and had someone take him to the entrance of Fatu Temple, where he was adopted by the monks."

Li Changde's pupils contracted slightly.

It's Empress Dowager Gongsu again!

If what Liu Shixiu said is true...

It makes sense that Xingchen was saved by Empress Dowager Gongsu when he was young, so he was grateful to her and was willing to risk his life to preserve the Liu family bloodline.

Li Changde pressed on urgently, "What else do you know?"

Liu Shixiu shook his head: "That's all I know."

“My father mentioned it casually when he was drunk back then, so it may not be accurate. Besides, it happened many years ago, and nobody knows whether it’s true or not.”

Li Changde paced back and forth in the secret room, pondering the significance of this information.

If Xingchen was indeed saved by Empress Dowager Gongsu, then his feelings for her are probably more than just gratitude.

Now that Empress Dowager Gongsu is dead, will he transfer this affection to things that Empress Dowager Gongsu cared about?

So... Xingchen's debauchery in the palace, her attempt to replace the imperial heir with her illegitimate child, was all for revenge against His Majesty and to avenge the Liu family?

That reason is plausible.