You Hit My Heart by Kylie Stanford

Chapter 2078: Burning the Imperial Edict on the Spot Ropponsho Shrine.

Situated at the peak of Yunshan, on the outskirts of the Eastern Capital, this shrine was built on a steep cliff and served as the ancestral temple of the Yuchuan royal family. It housed the memorial tablets of generations of Tanaka emperors. The cold, regal atmosphere was palpable. The night sky was pitch black, devoid of stars and moon, with only scattered candle flames flickering.

A night breeze blew through the lattice windows, causing the sparks to crackle. Reuben chose this location because it was difficult for others to enter. He bowed before the memorial tablets and lit an incense stick.

His father had passed away, and no funeral had been held yet. The coffin was placed in an ice casket due to disputes over succession. Armies from both sides were in a standoff, with civil war imminent. When Clint entered, he saw Reuben paying his respects and sneered. "Coming here alone? Are you courting death?"

Reuben inserted the incense into a bronze basin. "If I feared death, I wouldn't have come."

He turned to face Clint. The brothers had little interaction growing up; there was hardly any bond between them, and they had exchanged few words. Their encounters were mostly at formal royal occasions where attendance was required.

In truth, Reuben didn't know Clint well. Later, their respective supporters pushed them into opposition, creating a rift as vast as mountains and ice between them. Meetings like today's were almost nonexistent. Clint sat on a nearby sandalwood bench. "You do realize that my men surround this place? Do you think I'll let you leave alive?" He leisurely took out a handgun and placed it on the side table. "Killing you requires just one bullet. You won't see tomorrow's sun."

"Before killing me, don't you want to hear why I'm here?" Reuben calmly rolled up his sleeves. He knew he was in danger but had already prepared for the worst.

"Does it matter?" Clint asked nonchalantly. "Once you're dead, the throne is mine without question."

the imperial seal. The

He smiled slightly. "Tell me your

that Dawnblade had been stolen and that Joyce and Darrin had escaped again. Last night, he left for some matters, leaving Eastern Capital in a stalemate; he needed to personally oversee things. Unexpectedly, trouble arose at his residence right after he left-a suspiciously timed event. Joyce was uncontrollable

had neither Dawnblade nor the

elegantly as Reuben frowned slightly; Clint was always unfathomable, never showing panic

and wasn't fit to be emperor. "I don't want to be

laughed suddenly. "After all these years of fighting me, now you

was always you fighting me," Reuben replied calmly

"ADI ever wanted was to save my

mean your supporters feel the same," Clint scoffed, thinking of Reuben's

matters is that I'm here now." Reuben paused and slowly drew out an imperial edict from

eyes narrowed sharply at the

to bring the edict with

his gaze. His father hadn't seen him before dying and left the throne to Reuben instead-an utter disregard for him despite his efforts

urge to kill Reuben right then and