The much-suspected Lin family succeeded in its rebellion. To stabilize the new dynasty and completely uproot the former imperial Li clan's influence, Lin Heng imprisoned Li Zheng, the former crown prince. Once lovers, they now stood on opposite sides. Each held leverage, and they faced off, checking one another at every turn, locked in a fight to the death.
Lin Heng loathed Li Zheng's faithlessness and callousness. He was determined to break Li Zheng, and stopped at nothing to do so. In the end, he realized that in their struggle for power, he too was slowly becoming like Li Zheng, leaving them both battered and broken.
