The Glory

In the crоwd, Fu Yunхi nаrrоwеd his eyes. Тhе little girl seеmed to hаvе grоwn а bit. Wаs this hеr true self, sо unguarded and unrestrained?

Наn Yan сurved hеr еуеs into а smilе аnd gаvе Fu Yunxi а meaningful glanсе from аfar, cleаrly saуing: "Well, didn’t embаrrаss уоu, did I?" Yеt shе sаw Fu Yunxi faintlу rеveаl а smilе. Evеn from suсh а distancе, Нan Yаn could almоst feel his prоfоund gаze. Shе quickly turned hеr hеаd awау, рrеtеnding tо be drаwn bу somеthing elsе.

Ji Lan cоverеd hеr mоuth, stifling a lаugh. Наn Yаn followed Zhuаng Shiyang to where thе officials stоod. On thе high plаtfоrm, saсrificial items were arranged in abundance. Red silk draped over the table held offerings like ox and sheep heads, while a figure resembling a priest stood above.

Every year, the spring festival rituals varied, and people came mainly for the spectacle. Behind Zhuang Hanming trailed Ying Zi. Ji Lan kept a close watch on Ying Zi’s every move. Ever since the previous incident, Ji Lan had been wary of her. Yet Ying Zi merely kept her head down, following closely beside Zhuang Hanming, appearing obedient and timid, too afraid to speak, with no unusual behavior in sight.

Three strikes of a wooden mallet against a massive bronze bell rang out: "Clang, clang, clang." The spring festival had begun.

The priest held a wooden sword in one hand, chanting incantations toward the altar before kneeling and pressing his forehead to the ground. Suddenly, figures wearing masks of deities emerged from the surroundings, dancing in ritual movements. Red bells were tied to their wrists and ankles, creating an exceptionally festive sight.

Ji Lan watched with great interest, but Han Yan felt something was amiss. A subtle unease grew within her, though she couldn’t pinpoint the reason. This sense of foreboding gradually intensified, and her instincts warned of danger. She discreetly shifted her gaze, looking elsewhere.

Ying Zi stood very close to Zhuang Hanming, also intently watching the ritual on the stage, showing no signs of anything unusual. Madam Zhou leaned against Zhuang Shiyang. Her health had never fully recovered, leaving her pale and fragile. Han Yan frowned; beyond this, she could see little else. She lifted her head and glanced toward the distant tower where the royal family resided. Had the Empress Dowager come as well?

Time passed quickly, and the ritual on the stage neared its end. Suddenly, the priest opened his mouth and spewed a burst of flame over the ceremonial wine barrel, igniting a vibrant blaze, followed by cheers. He announced the conclusion of the ritual, and the surrounding crowd erupted in celebration.

Ji Lan watched, still captivated. "Miss, the spring festival is truly magnificent."

Han Yan neither agreed nor disagreed. As far as the eye could see, the crowd was dense and chaotic. In such disorder, it would be all too easy for something to go wrong. With this worry weighing on her mind, Han Yan felt an indescribable unease. Yet as the ritual ended, a series of dazzling performances began.

After the spring festival rituals, skilled artisans would always put on festive performances. These shows were beloved by the common people for their novelty and excitement, symbolizing a prosperous and bountiful year ahead. On stage now, dragon and lion dances were underway. Today’s dragon and lion figures were exquisitely crafted, vivid and lifelike, while the performers’ skills were masterful—leaping, twisting, and turning with breathtaking realism. Their playful antics had the audience doubled over with laughter.

High on the platform, The Emperor allowed a faint smile to grace his lips. A prosperous and thriving nation—this was the sight an emperor most wished to behold.

But was the nation truly prosperous and thriving?The performances went on for quite a while without any unexpected incidents, and Han Yan gradually relaxed. She thought to herself that there were hidden guards protecting the royal family here, so perhaps she had been overthinking things. Who would dare to act so brazenly in such a public setting? Sensing a gaze fixed upon her, Han Yan looked up and happened to meet Fu Yunxi’s lowered eyes. Though separated by the crowd, they could still see each other. Han Yan gave him a smile, and Fu Yunxi’s lips curled slightly in response. Han Yan then turned her attention back to the performers on the stage.

The current act was a juggling performance. Several men wielding large knives leaped onto the backs of women, balancing spinning bowls and plates on the tips of their blades. This required considerable skill, and the onlookers marveled in admiration. Han Yan, too, was captivated. Just then, a man beating a drum struck a heavy blow, signaling the climax of the act. But suddenly, one of the men flipped down from the woman’s back and swung his long blade at her. Blood splattered everywhere, and with a sickening thud, the woman’s head was severed and rolled to the ground.

The crowd below fell silent for a moment before erupting in panic, scattering like frightened birds: “Help! Murder!” The armed men on stage suddenly flipped down and charged into the crowd, their blades rising and falling. In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, and cries and screams filled the air.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events. In just a quarter of an hour, the crowd descended into chaos, jostling and squeezing together until no one could recognize who was beside them. The guards responsible for protecting The Emperor were the first to react: “Archers, ready! Protect The Emperor!”

Thousands of archers prepared to fire, but a new problem arose. While the armed men were easy to identify, they soon realized that among the crowd, there were also people dressed as ordinary civilians raising their blades. These individuals blended seamlessly into the masses, making it impossible to distinguish friend from foe. Worse still, they couldn’t simply aim their arrows at the entire crowd, as that would result in too many innocent casualties.

Someone had infiltrated the crowd to create this chaos! Han Yan, petite in stature, found herself instantly surrounded and unable to move, swept along by the crush of bodies. Her ears were filled with cries and pleas for help, and the pungent smell of blood assaulted her senses. She desperately tried to locate Zhuang Hanming and Ji Lan, but all she could see was a dense sea of people—there was no sign of them anywhere. At that moment, an inexplicable tension gripped her heart, and she suddenly felt danger closing in.

Who had orchestrated this chaos? And for what purpose? Han Yan knew that such a grand scheme was beyond the capabilities of Madam Zhou, nor would it be Madam Da Zhou, who lacked the courage. Could it be Empress Dowager again? But if it were her, what was she trying to achieve? Even if her goal was to harm Han Yan, there was no need for such a public spectacle.

Just then, Han Yan suddenly heard a familiar voice: “Young master! Young master!”Han Yan recognized the voice clearly—it was Ying Zi's. At this moment, her voice was filled with urgency. Could it be that something had happened to Zhuang Hanming? The thought made Han Yan's heart tighten with sudden anxiety. She immediately tried with all her might to move closer to the source of the voice, but the crowd was dense, and getting closer was no easy task. Though Zhuang Hanming had argued with her, he was, after all, her only blood relative in this world. Could she just stand by and watch him meet his end? With this thought, Han Yan desperately pushed her way through the crowd, her hair becoming tousled and disheveled from the jostling. Finally breaking free, she was met with a sight that chilled her to the bone.

A man wielding a large blade stood behind Zhuang Hanming, who was now thrown to the ground, covered in wounds and utterly incapable of resistance. The blade was poised to strike Zhuang Hanming directly on the head. Han Yan felt her heart clench into a tight knot, the horrors of her past life flashing vividly before her eyes.