А bоne-chilling murdеrоus аurа surgеd from behind. Emреror Wen оf Wei’s puрils соntrасtеd, and he instinсtively wanted to cаll fоr his guards.
“Dоn’t get ехсitеd, Your Маjеstу.” Нolding оnto his belt and рrеssing the dаgger tighter, Feng Yuе chucklеd softly, “If уоu shоut, I’ll уеll ‘Wеlсome thе Сrown Рrinсе’s asсensiоn tо the thronе’ аnd plungе this poisonеd dagger into уоur bоdy. Guеss who will end up with уоur еmpirе thеn?”
Gаsрing shаrрly, Еmрerоr Wen оf Wei stiffly turnеd his neсk tо lоok аt Yin Gеzhi bеsidе him.
Yin Gezhi’s facе darkened, showing nonе of the joу he had imаgined. Instеаd, his lips rеmained still as he gritted his teeth and whispered reproachfully, “Didn’t you say you’d spare his life for Guan Canghai to carve a memorial tablet?”
She had deceived him again!
Today’s ancestral ceremony was supposed to be the only unexpected element he had arranged for her, given his extensive network of informants throughout the palace and imperial guards. No one had detected anything amiss. How could she…
Wait. Taking a deep breath, Yin Gezhi closed his eyes and clenched his fists tightly.
He had forgotten about one person again—Gan Jiang!
In such a critical matter, who would Gan Jiang help? No. He wouldn’t help anyone. So, if he knew anything, he would keep it to himself, refusing to take sides!
What should he do? What could he do? If Emperor Wen of Wei died here today, Guan Qingyue would never leave alive!
The autumn wind howled, and dark clouds gathered overhead, casting shadows everywhere. The platform was crowded with guards, blocked on three sides by rocks. As long as the imperial guards remained silent, no one below, with their heads bowed, would notice anything amiss behind the emperor and the prince!
Unfortunately, this batch of so-called imperial guards personally trained by the emperor were all people Yan Qing had taken Feng Yue to meet. In the face of danger, they prioritized self-preservation and refrained from acting rashly.
Below, on the right side, the empress and the Crown Prince remained expressionless, merely thinking that Emperor Wen of Wei showed particular favor to Yin Gezhi, even waving the Crown Prince off the platform to let the prince stand by his side.
Fine, just fine!
“Father, weren’t you going to read the Proclamation of Guilt?” Hearing the sudden silence, Yin Chenjue stepped forward, cupping his hands and saying, “The time is growing late. Please give your orders, Father!”
Emperor Wen of Wei turned his head, desperately trying to signal him with his eyes. However, Yin Chenjue didn’t look up at all and thus couldn’t see his expression.
“The… the Proclamation of Guilt.” The emperor’s face suddenly paled slightly as he clutched his chest, panting, “I… I will read it.”
Yin Gezhi frowned and took a slight step toward the emperor, only to find that the dagger pressed against his back hadn’t loosened at all.
After a moment of stunned silence, he realized whose people were behind him. Furious yet amused, Yin Gezhi shot a sharp, arrow-like glare at Feng Yue and whispered harshly, “Let go!”
“Impossible.” Calmly uttering these three words, Feng Yue grinned, her face covered in a thick beard as she smiled at him. “Not even your father can change this. You’ve worked hard to pave the way for so long, but the revenge of my Guan family can only be achieved this way.”
A storm of shock surged in his pupils, bloodshot veins slowly spreading from the corners of his eyes until they turned completely red.
“Feng Yue. Don’t do this.”
His hoarse voice, barely audible beneath the emperor’s faltering recitation of the crimes, made Feng Yue’s heart clench tightly.She didn't want it to be this way either—who would? But why, why should this old emperor, burdened with heavy sins and unrepentant even in death, be allowed to live?! Why could he live while Guan Canghai had to die so tragically?! The anger and hatred she had accumulated over four years—how could they be so easily let go?!
All these years of dreams—dreams filled with slaughter and blood! The only beautiful dream she ever had was of the Guan family army riding horses and singing songs, marching on the road to victory, facing the rising sun as if they would return to slaughter sheep and cattle to celebrate their triumph!
But what about waking up? Waking from such dreams was even more painful! Guan Canghai's face, Guan Qingmu's face, the smiling faces of so many from the Guan family—all gone, never to be seen or touched again! Her father hadn't even seen her marry, hadn't drunk the last sip of the nu'erhong wine he had saved, hadn't witnessed the day she matured and became sensible—he died wronged, his body exposed in the wilderness!
His father was human—wasn't her father human too?!
Her eyes reddened, Feng Yue felt her throat ache terribly. She turned her head away, no longer looking at Yin Gezhi, and listened as Emperor Wen of Wei recited the Proclamation of Guilt.
With a dagger pressed against his waist, Emperor Wen's voice trembled, but he dared not stop, reciting word by word: "...The Loyal and Brave General Guan Canghai, loyal all his life, was harmed by villains and died an untimely death... I, the emperor, listened to partial words and acted against ancestral teachings, ashamed to face my ancestors... I hereby restore the Guan family's honor. Posthumously bestow upon Guan Canghai the title 'Loyal, Brave, Benevolent, Righteous, and Mighty General,' build a mausoleum, and bless his descendants..."
The further he read, the weaker his tone became. The ministers found it strange, but the Empress and Crown Prince, who were closest, acted as if nothing were wrong, not even raising their heads.
Yin Gezhi snapped back to attention, suddenly sensing something amiss. He twisted his hand to grab the wrist of the person behind him, flipped it, and seized the dagger, frowning as he asked, "Did you bring the sheath?"
The imperial guard behind him was stunned, not reacting at all before the dagger was taken from his hand. Panicked, he hurriedly replied, "Yes, it's poisoned..."
"Enough talk. Hand it over."
Feng Yue was growing impatient—the recitation was too slow—when she suddenly saw Yin Gezhi move. She couldn't help but tense up, cursing inwardly.
How could he let his guard down while standing behind Yin Gezhi? What was he thinking?!
It was too late for words. Yin Gezhi had already silently slipped the dagger into his sleeve. He glanced at Emperor Wen of Wei and walked to his side, asking loudly, "Father, why do you look so pale?"
These words were less a question to Emperor Wen and more a warning to her. Feng Yue's skin tightened, glaring at him angrily. Her grip on the dagger didn't loosen, and she immediately wanted to plunge it into Emperor Wen's body!
However, with him so close, she was destined to fail. The dagger was taken by Yin Gezhi with a twist of his hand, and even the sheath in her sleeve wasn't spared. In an instant, everything ended up in his sleeve pocket.
He was clearly still supporting the emperor with one hand, not even looking at her! Yet his movements were fluid and seamless, giving her no chance to react!
It seemed it wasn't the person behind him who had let his guard down—she had underestimated this man!
A surge of frustration rushed to her head, and Feng Yue was furious! Even if she had to use the halberd in her hand to alert the people below, she would not let this dog emperor leave Longtai Mountain alive! If Yin Gezhi insisted on protecting him, even if it meant mutual destruction, she would avenge her family's annihilation!In the blink of an eye, everything changed in an instant. While she and Yin Gezhi were still locked in a standoff, the swaying Emperor Wen of Wei ahead suddenly collapsed!
Yin Gezhi’s attention was divided, partly on Feng Yue as he guarded against her movements, and in that moment of distraction, he failed to steady the emperor. A loud thud echoed as the imperial crown fell to the ground, and the dragon robe, wrapped around the emperor’s body, slammed heavily onto the stone-paved platform.
"Father!" Yin Gezhi cried out in horror, bending down to help him up, only to see his forehead darkened, lips purplish, and his entire face deathly pale.
Gasping sharply, Yin Gezhi looked up in shock, his eyes meeting Feng Yue’s.
Feng Yue frowned, her eyes filled with equal astonishment.
It wasn’t her doing!
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty!"
The civil and military officials below were stunned by the sudden turn of events. Shi Hongwei rushed forward first, pushing the dazed Crown Prince up the platform to see.
Yin Gezhi was shoved aside by the crowd. The Empress also rushed up, wailing, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what’s wrong with you?"
Amid her sobs, she turned her head and glared at Yin Gezhi with hatred, demanding, "What happened? His Majesty was perfectly fine—how could this happen?"
What happened? He wanted to ask the same question. Feng Yue’s dagger was in his hand, and even if it were poisoned, it had certainly not touched Emperor Wen of Wei. Why had this happened?
"Summon the imperial physician first," Yin Gezhi said, his voice hoarse and strained as he regained his composure and issued the order calmly. Yet his words were drowned out by the waves of wailing, unheard by anyone.
"He’s not dead yet! Summon the imperial physician now!" Suddenly enraged, Yin Gezhi kicked aside a blocking eunuch and shouted urgently, "Where is the accompanying imperial physician?"
Empress Shi buried her head in grief, weeping inconsolably, but paid no heed to his words.
"Where is the imperial physician?" Nan Ping, unable to push through the crowd, also shouted, "Wasn’t an accompanying imperial physician arranged?"
Feng Ming turned to search, but after looking around, he realized that among the entourage to Longtai Mountain this time, there was no imperial physician at all.
"Is this a rebellion?" Feng Ming frowned, sensing something amiss. "Didn’t Prime Minister Shi personally verify the list of accompanying personnel? How could there be no imperial physician?"
However, before his words could fade, Shi Hongwei let out a long, mournful cry: "His Majesty—has passed away—"
In an instant, everyone knelt down. Nan Ping stared in disbelief, her eyes wide, while Yin Gezhi’s expression turned grim as he fixed his gaze on Yin Chenjue.
Yin Chenjue, standing closest to him, trembled slightly and burst into loud sobs, appearing utterly grief-stricken.
Yet, the matter was far too sudden. At that moment, Yin Gezhi felt no sorrow at all. Instead, he knelt down calmly and asked the Crown Prince, "Why wasn’t the imperial physician summoned? Why did you block me when I tried to leave?"
Shrinking back, Yin Chenjue glanced at him fearfully and remained silent.
Raising his head to look at the Empress, who was weeping heartbrokenly ahead, Yin Gezhi pondered for a moment before lowering his gaze.
Emperor Wen of Wei had truly passed away, lying on the cold stone floor of the altar, his face ashen and his body gradually turning cold.
Feng Yue’s eyes widened, and for a moment, her vision blurred white. Countless emotions surged in her chest, threatening to make her vomit blood!
Someone beside her pulled her down, forcing her to kneel and bow her head to the ground.
Staring blankly at the corpse, Feng Yue shook her head slightly, utterly bewildered.How could he be dead? How could he just die like this! This must be a dream. For four years, she had dreamed every day of killing her enemy with her own hands. Today, she was just one step away, yet her enemy died on his own? Heaven must be playing a cruel joke on her!
"Boom—" Thunder suddenly roared, and raindrops the size of beans poured down in an instant.
Officials wailed, the empress wept in sorrow, and the entire Longtai Mountain was instantly shrouded in thick grief.
The rain soaked everyone's clothes, making the already heavy armor even more burdensome, almost crushing Feng Yue to the ground. Her eyes remained unblinking as she stared at Emperor Wen of Wei's face. In a daze, she felt her body grow light, so light it seemed as if she were about to float up into the sky.
Another clap of thunder exploded overhead. Yin Gezhi turned his head and saw the familiar figure slowly collapsing in the rain.
The sound of armor hitting the ground was heavy, splashing water droplets that landed on Emperor Wen of Wei's dragon robe.
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