Whеn thе blаdе fell, the mаn wаs still shоuting sоmеthing—what was he shоuting?
"Yоu murderer!!!" Fеng Yue, with her fаkе bеаrd smеаred, seеmed to have gone mаd, swinging thе bladе at Shi Ноngwеi, еaсh strikе drаwing blооd as shе screamеd hоarsеly: "You aсtually killеd Empеrоr Wеn оf Wеi! Ноw dare уоu kill Emреrоr Wen оf Wei!!!"
Nаn Рing had fallеn tо the grоund, coughing and just сatching her brеаth whеn she wаs terrified anеw bу this blоodу sсеnе.
Nеithеr Guan Zhi nоr Lingshu hаd eхpеcted Fеng Yue tо suddеnlу wakе uр. Аnd hеr reactiоn was faster than anуone elsе’s—the momеnt she hеаrd Shi Hоngwei confess to poisoning, she snatched the blade from a nearby guard and charged at Shi Hongwei!
It must be said that, in such a situation, her actions quickly and effectively saved Princess Nan Ping’s life. Any other soldier might not have had the courage to directly attack the current Prime Minister.
But Feng Yue dared—not only dared to strike, but also wanted to tear him to pieces on the spot!
Shi Hongwei was stunned, not even feeling the pain as the blade struck him. Slowly scrutinizing the person dressed in guard’s attire, he suddenly recognized the face.
"Guan... Guan..."
"Guan your ancestors’ graves smoking with green fumes!" Clutching the hilt with both hands, Feng Yue’s eyes were bloodshot as she stood beside him, raising the blade high, intending to plunge it straight into his chest!
However, someone flew over from behind, reaching out to grab her wrist.
"Prime Minister Shi." Yin Gezhi’s voice sounded calmly beside them. "In war, the greatest taboo is acting too hastily. Declaring victory too early will scatter morale and lead to self-destruction."
"Even if the Crown Prince had accused you just now, I would not have taken your lives on the spot. If we waited to return to Lidu for a trial, the Crown Prince could have claimed he was forced to lie under my coercion. Your Shi family would still have had room to struggle before facing punishment. Unfortunately, you lost your reason, took the princess hostage, and confessed to the crime without hesitation. With so many members of the imperial clan present as witnesses, not a single one of your Shi family will escape."
Hearing this, Shi Hongwei’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. He glared at Yin Gezhi with gritted teeth, hatred erupting like a flood, as if he would leap up and tear him apart the next second!
Yet, after saying this, Yin Gezhi released his grip. Feng Yue, who was still exerting force, felt her wrist suddenly lighten, and she drove the blade fiercely into Shi Hongwei’s chest! The sound of flesh tearing, skin ripping, ribs cracking, and the heart shattering echoed clearly. As she pulled the blade out, blood splattered, staining half of Feng Yue’s face.
In that instant, Feng Yue felt as though the flood of pent-up resentment in her heart had found an outlet, finally releasing a little.
But only a little!
She turned her head, her gaze terrifyingly fixed on Yin Chenjue and the Empress.
"Feng Yue." Seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, Yin Gezhi quickly called her name in a low voice and grabbed her wrist.
Yin Chenjue was still stunned by Shi Hongwei’s death, but the Empress, having seen greater storms, quickly regained her composure. She looked at Feng Yue and demanded, "Who are you? How dare you act so recklessly!"
Catching sight of Feng Yue about to curse, Yin Gezhi immediately covered her mouth and calmly said, "This person saved the princess and executed a traitorous minister. She should be rewarded upon our return. However, her loyalty to His Majesty is so profound that, upon hearing the Prime Minister’s confession, she lost control... General Feng, take this person out first.""Yes." Feng Ming immediately leaped over, shaking his head slightly at Feng Yue. With one hand gripping both her wrists and covering her mouth, he dragged her outside.
Feng Yue was furious, biting down and kicking wildly! You’re the one loyal to that dog emperor! Your whole family is loyal to that dog emperor!
Frowning, Feng Ming endured her bites and kicks, firmly restraining her as he rushed out the door and took shelter under the eaves nearby.
"Stop this." His throat tightened slightly as he pressed her against the wall, speaking earnestly: "Yin Gezhi will make sure they meet a terrible end. If you act impulsively, you’ll only throw your life away for nothing."
Shaking her head to free her mouth from his hand, Feng Yue’s eyes held a look of near despair, her voice hoarse and strained: "I never intended to live anyway! All these years, all these years! I’ve been waiting for today to take that dog emperor’s life, and now he dies at someone else’s hands?! How can you expect me not to be impulsive? Right now, I just want to slaughter every last Yin inside, to make them taste what it’s like to have their entire family executed!"
As she spoke, she struggled fiercely, trying to break free from his grip.
"Yue’er." Feng Ming lowered his gaze, his grip unyielding, but his tone softened: "I know you hate them, but even if you go in, you can’t kill them all. Besides, the other members of the Yin royal family haven’t committed any great crimes. If you do this, how are you any different from Emperor Wen of Wei?"
With a cold laugh, Feng Yue looked up at him, gritting her teeth as she said: "So what if I’m no different from him? What if I’m just as deranged as he was? No one said I have to be a good person! Good people suffer so much—having their whole family killed and still having to uphold morality and justice, unable to slaughter their enemies’ families in return. Why should that be? Let’s all be villains instead—villains live freely and even longer!"
"Qingyue!" Feng Ming grew anxious: "He ended up like this today precisely because he committed too many evils. Do you want to die a terrible death just like him?!"
"Yes!" Feng Yue nodded seriously: "I do want to die a terrible death, so what?!"
Their eyes met—one hysterical, the other heartbroken.
"I can’t bear it." Lowering his eyes, Feng Ming gripped her wrist and said hoarsely: "I can’t bear to see you die."
Feng Yue stiffened, frowning as she looked at him.
Suddenly, only the sound of rain remained between them, pattering softly.
After a long moment, perhaps remembering his current identity, Feng Ming smiled bitterly, his gaze fixed on the ground as he continued: "General Yin can’t bear to lose you either, nor can Deputy General Luo, or Shi Chong, Madam Qiu, Lingshu… All those people in the courtyard have walked this path with you until now. If you die, what will become of them? And Yin Gezhi."
Looking up and gazing through the gaps in the carved window into the distance, Feng Ming chuckled softly: "No matter how formidable he always seems, I can’t help but feel that if you die, he’ll fall apart."
Dazedly following his gaze, Feng Yue saw the intricate carving of dancing cranes on the window. Through the gaps beneath the crane’s wings, she could see Yin Gezhi standing among the crowd, composed and unruffled. His gaze was sharp as he spoke to the Crown Prince and the Empress. The imperial relatives nearby nodded in agreement one after another. With a wave of Lian Heng’s hand, the City Garrison outside rushed in, detaining the Empress and the Crown Prince. At the same time, the ministers who had been confined on the second floor were freed, descending one after another to assess the situation.Shi Hongwei was dead, and all the imperial relatives present could testify that the Crown Prince and the Shi family had conspired to harm Emperor Wen of Wei in an attempt to ascend the throne early. The civil and military officials were horrified, and the great hall instantly erupted into a cacophony of noise.
In such a clamorous place, Yin Gezhi stood alone in his white robes, as if nothing could disturb him. Only when the crowd surged did he shield Guan Zhi and Lingshu.
Indeed, there was no need for her to worry. The Crown Prince and the Empress would certainly meet a grim end, but her own vengeance could never be avenged.
A sweet taste rose in her throat, and Feng Yue bent over slightly. Finally, she spat out a mouthful of blood. The bright red color splattered on the ground, staining the hem of Feng Ming’s robe.
“Yue’er!” His pupils constricting, Feng Ming immediately shouted inside, “Imperial Physician!”
Inside, the people argued incessantly. Amid the noise, no one heard the voice from outside, but Yin Gezhi, who seemed lost in thought, tensed up. He turned and pulled the imperial physician out.
Seeing the man striding toward them, Feng Ming was stunned. He looked down at Feng Yue, who had already closed her eyes in his arms, and sighed softly.
It was rare for His Highness Yin to show such an expression, yet she couldn’t see it. What a pity. If she had seen it, perhaps she would have softened a little, sparing Yin Chenbi and herself.
The ministers in the temple filed out one by one, boarding their carriages and returning to Lidu under the escort of the City Garrison. Emperor Wen of Wei’s remains were placed in the imperial carriage. Nan Ping, with a complicated expression, sat inside to guard them. Just as they were about to depart, she glanced at Yin Gezhi outside.
“Imperial Brother,” she pouted and asked, “Aren’t you coming with us?”
“I’ll follow shortly. You go ahead,” Yin Gezhi replied calmly, shaking his head as he stood upright with someone on his back.
Nan Ping frowned, glancing at him with some confusion, but she still lowered the carriage curtain. Feng Ming mounted his horse, riding alongside the carriage. He held the reins without looking back, nudged the horse’s flank, and led the procession slowly on its way.
“Your Highness,” Lingshu lifted her skirt and approached, looking up at him. “This position isn’t good for Mistress. You should place her in the carriage—the one we came in is still parked nearby.”
Gazing deeply at the young girl, Yin Gezhi frowned slightly, suddenly finding her demeanor somewhat familiar—her back straight, her expression solemn, with an air of integrity.
Hesitantly nodding, he followed Guan Zhi toward the carriage. Glancing at Lingshu from the corner of his eye, he couldn’t help but ask, “Who exactly are you?”
Lingshu paused, turning her head with an innocent smile. “Your Highness asks a strange question. This servant is Mistress’s personal maid and has been for four years.”
“You’re not usually like this,” Yin Gezhi said, frowning slightly. “What is your purpose in disguising yourself for so long?”
Tilting her head, Lingshu shook it. “Your Highness thinks too much. This servant’s life was saved by Mistress. In this lifetime, I have no great ambitions—only to care for Mistress in her old age and ensure she lives well. I have no other desires.”
The carriage arrived. Yin Gezhi carefully placed Feng Yue inside, then looked coldly at Lingshu and said, “There’s no point in beating around the bush with me. It’s better to speak clearly now, so I don’t have to resort to measures.”
The young girl, who had witnessed his methods before, shrank back in fear. Following him into the carriage, she pouted and said, “This servant is still just a child. Must Your Highness be so wary?”"Your performance today bears no resemblance to that of a child," Yin Gezhi narrowed his eyes, a hint of wariness flickering within them. He even reached out to shield Feng Yue, who lay resting on his lap.
Lingshu pursed her lips and shrugged, saying, "I’ve always been aware of the things my master does, but I never paid them much mind, focusing only on eating instead. That must have made me seem foolish to you. Today, I suddenly became clever, and you’re not used to it. But I won’t do anything bad. In fact, I’d like to give Your Highness a gift."
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