Chapter 138: Fang Xun Driven to the Brink
On the twenty-third day of the third month, news of Cheng Rang's suicide by poison finally reached Li Shun.
His family was not implicated. With Cheng Rang's death, the turmoil appeared, at least on the surface, to have come to an end.
"So he really died? And by taking poison?" Li Qing was stunned upon hearing the news, disbelief written all over his face.
The outcome, however, had long been within Li Shun's expectations. He replied calmly, "Now that he has been branded a major criminal by the imperial court, the people backing him may very well possess the influence to clear his name. But doing so would require an enormous amount of effort and would only create unnecessary complications."
"To people like them, a single life is insignificant. It's far cleaner and more convenient to silence him permanently."
Li Qing's face darkened with indignation.
"Then in that case, Cheng Rang is somewhat pitiful himself. He willingly served as someone else's pawn, yet in the end not only did he gain nothing, he even threw away his own life. The ones truly deserving of hatred are those black hands lurking behind the scenes!"
Li Shun, however, showed little sympathy.
"Once you've chosen to make your move, you should already be prepared to bear the consequences."