Chapter 238: Candle Shadows, Axe Echoes

Wang Xu's heart nearly stopped beating at this moment; the plan advanced!

Wang Xu read Zhao Guangyi's gaze.

That was not a discussion but an order; Zhao Guangyi no longer wanted to hide his talents.

The Jin Prince, who had knelt countless times before his imperial brother, always humble and obedient, at this moment finally revealed the fangs hidden deep within.

Countless thoughts flashed through Wang Xu's mind in an instant.

This is far too crude, so rash; the court officials will surely have doubts.

What to do! Wang Xu's mind raced wildly; then act, Wang Xu had lingered in the court, practicing qin, chess, calligraphy and painting every day—wasn't it all to find someone kind to the Wang Family who could ascend the throne?

Now Zhao Guangyi was right here; their initial few meetings were indeed because Zhao Guangyi was interested in the Institute of Investigating Things' schematics, but over time it had long since soured, and they had continuously plotted to seize the throne!

Wang Xu's reason, within a single second, overwhelmed all fear and hesitation.

Wang Xu gave Zhao Guangyi a barely perceptible nod.

It was that nod that decided the two men's fates, and also the future direction of the Great Song dynasty.

Zhao Guangyi received the response, his heart steadied.

Zhao Guangyi knew that Wang Xu was a clever person; clever people make the most correct choices.

Now, everything was ready, only the moment to act was missing.

Zhao Kuangyin still leaned against the chair back, eyes closed, breathing heavily. The intense swings of alcohol and emotion left him in a half‑coma state.

This was a perfect opportunity.

Zhao Guangyi's gaze swept across the great hall.

Zhao Guangyi saw a decorative Weapon rack standing in the corner.

A jade axe was lodged on it.

The axe handle was carved from the finest Hetian white jade, while the axe head was forged of fine steel, gleaming coldly. It had been commissioned by Zhao Kuangyin after pacifying the south, meant to signify "the axe that decides heaven and earth," and was usually only a display piece.

A faint, icy curve lifted at the corner of Zhao Guangyi's mouth.

That was it.

Zhao Guangyi gave Wang Xu a second signal.

Wang Xu understood instantly.

Wang Xu stood, lifted the wine vessel, walked to Zhao Kuangyin's side, pretending to pour him more wine.

"Your Majesty, the night is deep, the wind and snow are heavy, you…"

Before his words finished, his wrist twitched, and the full jug of wine, unerringly, spilled onto the front collar of Zhao Kuangyin's dragon robe.

"Ah!" Wang Xu let out a startled cry, hurriedly knelt, "I deserve death! My hand slipped! Please Your Majesty pardon me!"

The cold wine instantly soaked the garments, shocking Zhao Kuangyin into a sudden shiver, and he snapped his eyes open.

"You scoundrel!"

Zhao Kuangyin shoved Wang Xu aside, staggered to his feet, pointed at Wang Xu's nose, and raged, "You incompetent, ruinous minister! What use have I for you!"

At that very moment!

At the instant when all of Zhao Kuangyin's attention was drawn to Wang Xu!

Zhao Guangyi moved!

He, like a long‑lying leopard, rose silently, sprinted a few steps to the corner, and snatched the jade axe!

Without any hesitation, he turned, gripped the axe handle tightly, used all his strength, and struck down hard at the back of his elder brother's heart!

"Puff—"

A muffled thud.

It was not the sound of a blade entering flesh, but the sound of a heavy object striking a body.

Zhao Kuangyin's curses abruptly ceased.

His body lunged forward, toppling the wine table before him, shattering cups, plates, and bowls across the floor.

His eyes widened, filled with disbelief.

He slowly, laboriously turned his head.

He saw.

He saw his ever‑humble and obedient younger brother, holding the jade axe stained with his blood, looking at him with a cold, unfamiliar gaze he had never seen before.

"Guang... Yi..."

Blood foam welled in Zhao Kuangyin's mouth; he tried to speak, but not a single word could come out.

He had spent his life on horseback and battlefield, seen countless flashes of swords, evaded countless overt spears and hidden arrows.

He had guarded against all people of the world.

Yet he had not guarded against this fatal blow from behind, from a close relative.

His body swayed, then fell heavily forward.

"Boom—" a sound struck amid the wreckage.

A generation's heroic ruler, the founding emperor of the Great Song, died silently in his own bedchamber just like that.

He died before the person he trusted most.

The hall instantly fell into a death‑like silence.

Wang Xu knelt on the ground, heart pounding; although Wang Xu had already prepared mentally, witnessing the regicide with his own eyes delivered such a massive shock that he nearly suffocated.

Zhao Guangyi stood there, holding the jade axe, his chest also heaving violently.

A few drops of warm blood splashed onto his face.

It was his imperial brother's blood.

He looked at the fallen Zhao Kuangyin, his gaze complex—there was the exhilaration of a great achievement, the long‑suppressed release, and a hint of panic he himself had not even noticed.

But he quickly suppressed that hint of panic.

Once the bow is drawn, there is no turning back.

From the moment he raised the axe, he had no way back.

He turned his head and looked at Wang Xu.

"Wang Scholar, you and I are now grasshoppers on the same rope." His voice was a little hoarse.

Wang Xu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He rose from the ground, walked to Zhao Guangyi's side, and said in a low voice: "Your Highness, now is not the time to talk about this. We must deal with the scene immediately!"

Zhao Guangyi nodded.

He glanced at the jade axe in his hand, then at the blue stone slab on the ground.

A thought flashed through his mind.

He raised the jade axe and, with the tip of the blade, fiercely stabbed the ground beside his foot!

"Screech! Screech! Screech!"

The axe tip struck the hard stone slab, producing blinding sparks and a sharp sound.

He left several clear marks on the ground.

Wang Xu stared for a moment, then immediately understood Zhao Guangyi's intention.

Brilliant!

It is truly brilliant!

If later generations investigate, they will only see the axe marks on the ground and the fallen emperor.

What will people think?

They will only think that the emperor, drunk, argued with the Prince of Jin, and in his fury stabbed the ground with the jade axe, which triggered an old ailment, causing him to die suddenly.

As for the Prince of Jin, at most he would be blamed for angering his imperial brother to death, thus clearing him of the suspicion of regicide.

Candle Shadow Axe Sound.

This scene will become an eternal mystery.

"Wang Scholar," Zhao Guangyi, having done all this, tossed the jade axe aside, looked at Wang Xu, and said, "What should we do next?"