Chapter 1517 – Cutting Nie Liang, Attacking Yang Tao, Sword Pointing to the World (56)
“You want power, why don’t you just say it out loud?!” Nie Qing completely lost his usual elegance and calm, his eyes bloodshot as he choked up, “If you trusted me even a tiny bit, if you were just a bit honest, I would do my utmost to support you. What you want that I possess, I’ll give you as much as I can. Nie Yang! When have I ever wronged you? But why did you have to take my father away?!”
Nie Qing’s emotions were on the verge of collapse, and everyone present was moved, even the cold-hearted Nie Yang didn’t know how to respond.
Because he knew that what Nie Qing just said was the truth.
“What you want… why not just say it? Why did you have to kill my father, why?!!!”
Nie Yang’s expression dimmed, his lips, pale from blood loss, slightly moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.
Faced with Nie Qing’s questioning, no matter how heartless Nie Yang may be, he felt a heavy stone blocking his chest, making it hard to breathe.
The System laughed mockingly in the shadows, “You’re moved? You actually believed him? As long as Nie Liang is alive, how can Nie Qing take power? Nie Qing’s words are just a deception to you. If Nie Liang lives, he wouldn’t just stand by and watch his precious son support you.”
Why is it so hard to let go once you take hold of power?
It’s not just because power is alluring, it’s also because having power protects oneself.
To put it simply, if Nie Qing convinces his father Nie Liang to gradually hand over power to Nie Yang, wouldn’t he then worry about Nie Yang being detrimental to him after gaining control? Knowing Nie Yang’s temperament, isn’t backstabbing and burning bridges a common thing?
Losing power is like shedding all armor and exposing weak flesh to the enemy.
Nie Yang offered a bitter smile, whether hypocritical or sincere, at least he could express these words. In any case, right now he truly felt it.
Nie Qing sincerely cared for him, but that little bit of good cannot interfere with Nie Yang’s pursuit of power.
“Go ahead and kill me, there’s nothing more to say.” Nie Yang’s voice was hoarse, “I poisoned Nie Liang, I admit it.”
Nie Qing expected Nie Yang to offer some sort of excuse, but was taken aback by his straightforward admission.
He pointed at Nie Yang’s heart, enunciating each word, “Is power really such a great temptation in your eyes?”
Nie Yang replied indifferently, “Isn’t living a life just about making it better for yourself?”
Nie Qing had to admit that Nie Yang’s argument was valid, but he couldn’t accept the means by which Nie Yang pursued power.
Getting to this point through treachery, obliterating one’s conscience, even ruling the world would merely make one a tyrant feared by others.
“Nie Yang.” Nie Qing breathed heavily, tears long dried up, but the bloodshot in his eyes was more alarming than before. He grabbed Nie Yang’s collar, pulling him close, his usually clear gaze tainted with malice, gritting his teeth, “I sever all ties with you, may we never meet again in the afterlife.”
Nie Yang struggled to smile, “Naturally, we won’t meet again. If my little brother is quicker, he might just see Lord Guangshan.”
Wei Ying and Fan Chen’s expressions changed drastically as they listened.
In a fit of rage, Nie Qing kicked the bound Nie Yang to the ground.
Nie Yang’s cheek brushed across the ground as he fell, scraping it on the gravel and drawing blood. He smiled, bent over, and crouched on the ground, using his strength to sit up, casting a pitying glance at Nie Qing, saying softly, “Brother, did you know? Lord Guangshan passed away yesterday during the ugly hour.”
Even as Wei Ying and Fan Chen scolded Nie Yang to shut up, he still boldly finished his statement.
Yesterday… during the ugly hour?
Nie Qing showed a hint of confusion, turning to Wei Ying and Fan Chen.
The seven days of mourning for his father had passed, how could he have passed away yesterday during the ugly hour?
Seeing Nie Qing’s expression, Wei Ying realized he couldn’t keep it hidden any longer and spoke straightforwardly, “The former lord indeed passed away last night during the ugly hour. The previous time… he choked when preparing to enter the coffin, and that’s when he woke up. The former lord commanded us to keep it hidden and strategize in secret, which is why we didn’t inform everyone.”
“Father… even kept it from me?” Nie Qing felt utterly devastated, his already battered heart took another blow.
Fan Chen added, “The former lord’s actions were in no way out of distrust for the lord. In fact, the former lord intended to leak the news of his death to see if those wolf-hearted men could remain calm. Cleaning up these people would ensure a smoother path for the lord in the future. The former lord had the best of intentions.”
Nie Qing couldn’t take in any of it anymore.
Given the situation, his father’s last days must have been spent secretively hidden away somewhere by Wei Ying and Fan Chen, lying alone on his deathbed awaiting the end. The pain of illness could torment the body and spirit, and as a son, just imagining that scene felt suffocating.
At the end of his life, his father had no children attending to him; he couldn’t fathom what that must have felt like in his heart.
After hitting rock bottom with this barrage of blows, he no longer had the heart to deal with Nie Yang.
“Father-in-law, Fan Qing… I leave Nie Yang to you.” Nie Qing tossed the sword from his waist aside, weakly saying, “Follow the plan we made earlier, do what must be done. Take him away from here; I don’t want to see him again. I want to be alone for a while…”
Nie Yang’s eyes widened as he asked, “Why not kill me yourself?”
Nie Qing didn’t even turn around, “I find it too dirty to get my hands involved.”
Seeing Nie Qing leave, Wei Ying sighed, “If this matter can teach the Young Master to be ruthless, it wouldn’t be too bad.”
He had his people put a large sack over Nie Yang and sneak him out of the encampment.
Lying on the cart, Nie Yang fell into a deep, silent thought while the System questioned him in surprise. Nie Qing has gone mad; does he really intend to let you go?
Will you let your father’s killer off the hook? Nie Yang retorted sarcastically, vaguely guessing something, he closed his eyes to conserve strength while memories quickly flashed through his mind—joyful, sad, painful, angry… a medley crafting his life. Right now, wearing Nie Qing’s face, aside from Wei Ying and the others, no one knows I’m an imposter. If I cause a ruckus in the tent and accidentally provoke any of Nie Liang’s former loyalists, Nie Qing wouldn’t be able to explain himself, not even if he spread his arms wide. Naturally, a secret execution must be carried out.
The System, still the System, despite its abilities, was too proud and indifferent to pry into the feelings of mere ants.
This explanation seemed reasonable, and it didn’t pursue the matter further.
Nie Yang snorted coldly, a strange smile curling at the corners of his lips.
Because the System doesn’t bother to dig into the thoughts of an ant, it is destined to fail.
What kind of person is Nie Qing?
He would rather deal with his own troubles than allow the Nie Clan to fall into disorder. If there’s no absolutely perfect way to return power to its rightful owners, Nie Qing wouldn’t dare take a step. Even for the sake of avenging his father, he would grit his teeth and hold back, after all, Nie Qing remains crucial to the current Nie forces.
Nie Qing’s willingness to kill him indicates he has a way to regain his former self.
Either he found a recluse with great power, or… Nie Qing has learned some secret… like a demon possessing Nie Yang?
It’s easy to kill Nie Yang, but getting rid of that demon is much harder.
As Nie Yang deduced this layer of thought, a vision of Jiang Pengji fighting on the battlefield suddenly flashed in his mind.
If he’s correct, Nie Qing plans to eliminate both him and the System.
He wouldn’t tell the System about this deduction.
