Chарtеr 381: Тhе Bronze Sраrrow of Сhang'an Sings 35
Тhеrе hаd bееn no movеment outside the door—whеn hаd somеonе аrrivеd?
Lаi Luozhi аnd Yоng’аn ехchаnged a knowing glаnсe thаt said, “Just as eхpeсted.” Yong’аn соvеrеd hеr mоuth in disbelief:
“Sistеr, is it truе?”
Lai Luоzhi fоllоwed with а cоld snеer: “Doеs Рrincеss Chaoуang still have аn ехplаnation?”
Chаоуang lооkеd uttеrlу bеwilderеd: “I, I, I’vе beеn reviеwing memoriаls all this timе. Whеn wоuld I havе hаd thе сhance tо contact the Zhоu clan?”
As Zhоu Xian еnterеd, thе Emрress leaned against Zhang Baohuan’s chest, her body trembling with rage.
Behind Zhou Xian followed Zhou Changqing in full military attire, his expression stern.
“Sister, your health is poor. It’s time to hand the empire over to your brother.”
Zhou Xian had come today and was met with an unexpected surprise—Chaoyang and Yong’an were both present, and Lai Luozhi seemed equally shocked to see him.
Zhou Xian gloated: “Minister Lai has been so loyal to my sister. I must arrange a good future for him.”
Seeing Lai Luozhi’s face turn ashen, Zhou Xian felt immensely satisfied: “What? Weren’t you just accusing me of treason? Since that’s the case, I’ll rebel now, just as you wished.”
“Oh, how can it be called rebellion? This Great Zhou empire has always belonged to us, the Zhou family.”
Zhou Xian had waited his entire life for this day: “We have this place surrounded, Your Majesty. Please write the cession edict.”
Now, he held no reverence for the Empress—the little girl who had been bullied by him and his brothers since childhood had gained power, and they had endured humiliation all this time. Finally, they could hold their heads high again. Feeling triumphant, Zhou Xian saw the Empress unmoving and beckoned to his eldest son, Zhou Changqing:
“Go, assist your aunt with the ink and brush.”
This was to force the Empress to abdicate.
Chaoyang had just risen to intervene when Zhou Xian sneered dismissively: “Don’t bother. You’ll be the first to die.”
Her own uncle spoke of killing his niece as if it were a trivial matter. Staring at Zhou Xian’s white hair, Chaoyang cursed furiously:
“Zhou Xian, you will face retribution.”
“Hahaha,” Zhou Xian showed no anger at Chaoyang’s refusal to call him “Uncle.” Arrogantly pointing at the Empress, he said, “As for retribution, shouldn’t my dear sister face it first? After all, if we hadn’t taken pity back then, where would she have had the chance to enter the palace and ascend the throne?”
Zhou Xian was now utterly brazen, daring to bring up those shameful past events as a casual joke. In the past, to avoid offense, he wouldn’t have dared mention even a word of it in front of the Empress.
“Changqing, why haven’t you made Her Majesty write the abdication edict?”
Zhou Changqing was a man without principles—if his father told him to rebel, he rebelled. Hearing his father’s call, he immediately stepped forward but was intercepted by Zhang Baohuan, who scoffed, “Pretty boy.” Zhang Baohuan stood firm as a mountain, shielding the Empress behind him.
The two exchanged a few moves before Zhou Changqing drew his longsword, slicing Zhang Baohuan’s arm.
“Enough, I will write it,” the Empress closed her phoenix eyes, then suddenly opened them. She took Zhang Baohuan’s arm, her heart aching with pain. Raising her head, her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and with a lift of her chin, she slapped Zhou Changqing across the face.
“How dare you lay a hand on my person, you dog! Have all these years of wealth and luxury been wasted on you?”
Zhou Changqing hadn’t expected the Empress, despite her graying hair, to still possess such strength. His eyes widened in shock, but he was overpowered by the Empress’s imposing aura. Covering his cheek, he unrolled the imperial decree:
“Aunt, you’ve held the throne for so long. It’s time for your nephew to take a turn.”
The Empress picked up the imperial brush and instructed Zhang Baohuan: “Can you still grind the ink?”Zhang Baohuan nodded resolutely. The Empress gave a soft hum, pondered silently for a moment, and then, seeing the flickering lights outside, couldn't help but sigh before dipping her brush in ink to write.
"Wait!"
The imperial brush was interrupted by a voice, leaving a dark dot of ink on the paper. Everyone's gaze followed the Empress as she turned toward the speaker, Lai Luozhi.
Lai Luozhi stood up and walked over to Zhou Xian. His usually downcast, sinister eyes were now misty and filled with malice. Taller than Zhou Xian, he loomed over him, his imposing aura overwhelming Zhou Xian and leaving him tongue-tied:
"Lai, Lai Luozhi, what do you want?"
"Heh heh heh," Lai Luozhi chuckled darkly. "I just wanted to tell the Duke of Rong that you're celebrating too soon."
"What?" Zhou Xian was momentarily stunned. In the blink of an eye, Lai Luozhi let out a sharp whistle, pushed open the window, and released a signal flare that exploded in the sky, forming the shape of a fire moth.
Those outside the door didn't understand its meaning and looked to Zhou Xian for instructions. Zhou Xian didn't know either, but he declared, "Lai Luozhi, you're being delusional. By the time your lackeys from the Judicial Affairs Bureau arrive, it'll be too late."
"Your master is dead. Following him would be an act of loyalty. Alternatively, you could kill them all for me, and I'll grant you an intact corpse."
Lai Luozhi stared at him with a gloomy expression, then swiftly approached him, drawing a short sword from his boot and plunging it into Zhou Xian's heart. Blood gushed out, and Zhou Xian stared at Lai Luozhi in disbelief, unable to utter another word before his life faded away.
Seeing this, Zhang Baohuan reacted just as quickly, snatching Zhou Changqing's sword and killing him in return. Zhou Changqing, filled with regret, gasped:
"Father, I told you to listen to the Taoist priest and come another day, but you insisted on today. Today is inauspicious, unfit for such an undertaking."
With those words, he spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsed to the ground, and slowly closed his eyes.
Beside them, Chaoyang and Yong'an stood frozen, unable to react, never expecting the palace coup to end so swiftly.
Chaoyang's face showed admiration. "Minister Lai's loyalty is unwavering. Truly, he is a pillar of our court."
She then knelt before the Empress and said joyfully, "Mother Empress, we are safe now."
"Hmph, not necessarily." The Empress continued writing without looking up. "What do you think, Vice Minister Lai?"
Lai Luozhi toyed with the blood-dripping short sword and chuckled softly, his voice laced with a cold, sinister air. "Your Majesty is indeed Your Majesty. I presume Your Majesty knows how to draft this cession edict."
Chaoyang was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Yong'an stepped forward, smugly replying, "What do I mean? Can't you see, sister? Since Mother Empress must abdicate, this abdication edict should rightfully be given to me."
"You," Chaoyang glared angrily, "you are not Mother Empress's biological daughter. What right do you have to inherit the throne? Only I am qualified."
Yong'an no longer concealed her intentions. "Minister Lai and I have joined forces. That is my qualification. Did you think that just because you gained Mother Empress's favor, you could rest easy? What a joke."
Chaoyang looked from Lai Luozhi to Yong'an, seething with anger. "You two actually...?"
"Are in cahoots," Zhang Baohuan blurted out, glancing down at the edict the Empress was writing. He positioned himself protectively in front of her. He was, after all, a man of both literary and martial talents, skilled in strategy and combat, but because he was favored by the Empress, everyone assumed he was merely a pretty face.
Yong'an urged the Empress, "There's no time to waste. Write the edict quickly, and I can ensure Mother Empress a life of luxury in her later years."
"Later years?" The Empress sneered, pausing. "You've been biding your time all along, seeking to take my life to avenge your mother, Consort Xiao. Would you truly spare me and grant me luxury?""Since you put it that way, this palace will not deny it. Write it quickly, and I can ensure a trace of your bloodline survives."
Knowing full well that Yong'an's words were all lies, the Empress's phoenix eyes actually sparkled brightly: "Truly?"
Seeing this, Yong'an naturally nodded in affirmation. The Empress then turned to look at Lai Luozhi: "What do you say, Lai Shaoqing? Whose name should be written on this abdication edict?"
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