Chapter 890: Chapter 890: Execution Ground
Xue Ping was dressed in prison garb and shackled, his appearance emaciated, allowing the curses to pierce his ears as if unheard, without a ripple on his deathly still face.
A few rotten vegetable leaves and crushed eggshells interspersed his disheveled hair, mixed with dried egg whites and other filth, all thrown by the common people on the way to the execution ground.
The crowd of onlookers pointed and cursed at the person in the execution ground, occasionally spitting. If not for the officers blocking them, the items in their hands would have been hurled over long ago; they only regretted not throwing more earlier.
The sun gradually rose to noon, and after kneeling for a long time, Xue Ping made some movements, dazedly lifting his head to watch the sky. Upon seeing the bright sun, he greedily stared at it as if unafraid of its blinding light—such sunlight wouldn’t be seen in the Netherworld; better savor it while he could.
How did it come to this step by step?
This question had troubled Xue Ping for a very, very long time. During the Late Emperor’s reign, he relied on his family background and catered to the emperor’s preferences, climbing to great power in just over a decade, almost controlling the entire government along with other noble families.
At that time, a mere stomp in the Capital from him would shake the whole realm; the civil and military officials flattered him, and with a single word, he could easily determine the fate and future of high-ranking officials.
Even in places far from the Emperor, where the emperor’s influence held little sway, his name, Xue Ping, commanded the local tyrants and officials without resistance. Even the Rebel Prince who wished to rebel had to first win him over.
When did the decline begin to show?
From the plot to harm the Imperial Heir?
No, even earlier!
From when he petitioned others to establish Wanjun as Empress?
No, no, even earlier!
In the lightless prison cell, Xue Ping continuously pondered this question, obsessively recalling every step and major event impacting the Xue family.
Throughout his life, he was ambitious and exceptionally talented. Regarding scheming, none among the civil and military officials could match him. He prided himself on navigating the bureaucratic world more adeptly than even Minister Fan Fan Shao, that old fellow who lacked family background, feigned aloofness, pretended ignorance during the Late Emperor’s reign, faking deafness and dumbness—how could he compare?
Back then, feeling unstoppable, the Xue family was at its peak, daring to walk horizontally across the Capital and the world. Yet, how did it descend to today’s predicament of annihilation of nine clans?!
Xue Ping was utterly perplexed; every choice he made was correct, sending the Xue family’s daughter into the Late Emperor’s harem, failing to bear the Imperial Heir, then supporting a weak Prince to ascend the Crown Prince’s position. Observing the Crown Prince’s steadiness, he seized the opportunity to have Wanjun join the Eastern Palace, but mishaps occurred, and Wanjun’s Crown Princess Consort position was reduced to Liangdi.
Then, the Crown Prince he chose, as he desired, naturally ascended to become the Son of Heaven, followed by the Rebel Prince plotting rebellion—his choice to watch from the sidelines proved correct, as the Rebel Prince indeed failed…
Faced with each monumental decision, he made no errors, just lacked some luck, never achieving the best result he imagined.
Yet the result wasn’t bad; his daughter was a Noble Consort, ruling the entire harem, effectively exceeding the Empress, even bearing an Imperial Heir once. Although misfortune struck, harmed by villains, after long recuperation, her body recovered, just awaiting the birth of the Imperial Heir to advance further!
But this step, like a celestial barrier, swallowed the Xue Clan’s nine tribes yet remained unfilled!
The blinding sun made Xue Ping’s vision blur from searing pain, ultimately unable to withstand its brightness, instinctively lowering his head, numb all over.
The blazing sun and the prisoner beneath, akin to Yuchi Zhao and his fate…
The gravest mistake was collecting the Rebel Prince’s private soldiers, foolishly thinking he hid them well, unaware others had detected it first, resulting in the disgrace of annihilation of nine clans.
But by the time he realized, it was far too late, beyond the point of redemption.
On the Longevity Event day, the news of the Imperial Heir’s safety reached him, followed by the ironic bestowed words “Loyalty and Righteousness” from the Emperor, instantly making him realize the Xue family was doomed.
In hopes of saving Xue clan members, saving at least one, on the Longevity Banquet day after the Emperor left, he seized the chance to return to the Xue family and instructed them to write letters to the clan members outside, forbidding their return to the Capital.
Yet, unexpectedly, it was too late; the letters couldn’t be delivered, and everyone sent from the Xue family met with disaster. People couldn’t leave the city at all; he then understood the Emperor had already arranged surveillance, covering Xue family entirely without leaks; perhaps everything he did over the years had long been perceived.
He dared not harbor illusions, wanting to cut losses and attempt to meet the Emperor the following day, seeking to rectify mistakes, yet the Emperor refused to see him.
Disaster loomed over the Xue family; the great building was collapsing. In a fit of anger, he nearly suffered a stroke but persisted, hoping to secure a future for the Xue family, for its members, leaving a glimmer of hope to avoid total clan extermination.
The deaths of Liu Xianzhang and Consort Liu shattered him completely; on the third day of Longevity, he gambled his life, hatless, kneeling and prostrating before the palace gate, desperate to meet the Son of Heaven, wishing to disclose the private soldier matter fully, willing to appease the military chaos at the cost of his own life, praying the Son of Heaven would spare Xue family’s young and innocent, with old members willing to cleanse sins with blood.
He hoped, considering the lives of the common folk, the Emperor would meet him, but never anticipated fainting while kneeling before the palace gate, never glimpsing a single sight of the Son of Heaven…
The next day, Imperial Guards stormed into the Xue family, imprisoning all direct and collateral members and those involved.
Days later, in the Sky Prison, he finally realized how naive his kneeling at the palace gate was. The Emperor had long discovered his training of private soldiers, dismantled his plans without drawing a sword, merely waiting for news to return—by the time he knelt at the gate, the private soldiers had already been settled…
Subsequent events unfolded just as anticipated; the Xue family crumbled like a great building, those he offended rose against them en masse, accusations and evidence against the Xue family poured in like snowflakes. Everyone wished they could stomp the Xue family down; especially noble families he once teamed with were disproportionately vengeful, going to the lengths of capturing hidden Xue family children and sending them to the Ministry of Punishment!
A futile endeavor; the Xue family’s foundation ruined in his, Xue Ping’s hands…
Luckily, he had foresight, early severing ties with his third son, Linyu when sensing impending doom, instructing Xue Sangu to protect him and escape far away, only hoping his third son understands his efforts.
Xue Ping lowered his head, regaining some spirit; as long as Xue Linyu lived, the Xue family’s bloodline persisted.
He laughed silently, recalling past ambitions to reverse fate, now finding it absurdly laughable.
Now all matters conclude today, yet up till now, he couldn’t fathom when the Emperor started laying out the plan.
Perhaps starting from ascension?
Perhaps beginning from the Crown Prince’s ascent?
If so, persevering till now, Xue Ping’s loss is not undeserved.
“Noon!”
A loud shout abruptly awakened Xue Ping.