Through the folding screen, faint laughter of a pipa-playing woman could be heard from outside the courtyard, exuding a charming and pleasant demeanor. However, inside the room, there was an inexplicable and eerie atmosphere between the two.
Upon hearing Chu Shao's intention to kill her, Tang Ling remained calm and instead smiled as he asked, "May I ask, Princess, how do you plan to kill me?"
"Most likely with a dagger or a sword," Chu Shao unexpectedly answered seriously.
"But there are over thirty hidden guards ambushed around my courtyard," Tang Ling calmly stated. "As soon as I blow the whistle, they will appear. Do you believe me?"
"Certainly, I believe," Chu Shao smiled.
Tang Ling continued, "Since you believe, why do you still want to kill me?"
Chu Shao replied, "Precisely because you haven't blown the whistle, I wanted to test it."
Just as the words fell, a cold gleam flashed from Tang Ling's sleeve and approached her face. The intent to kill was within reach, and Tang Ling reacted swiftly. In just an instant, she flew away from her seat, narrowly avoiding the cold light that came at her.
However, before she could fully stabilize herself, another sharp edge swiftly passed through the air, directly targeting her eyes.
At this moment, Tang Ling could clearly see the flickering silver light at the tip of the blade, even the angle at which it was aimed.
Simultaneously, she understood that Chu Shao's speed was too fast, and it was already too late to dodge.
Avoiding it was definitely impossible. Fortunately, Tang Ling never intended to evade.
She stood in place, allowing the cold light to pierce towards her eyes, without any movement or attempt to pick up the bone whistle in her hand.
"Clang—"
The ornaments at her waist collided, producing a crisp sound like the bubbling of a spring.
The blade rested in front of Tang Ling's light-colored pupils, without further action, only reflecting a shimmering light under the sunlight.
Chu Shao smiled softly and asked gently, "Commander Tang, you clearly had the time to blow that whistle, so why didn't you?"
"Because I feel that Princess does not want to kill me."
Through the glinting blade, Tang Ling calmly met Chu Shao's gaze. "If you wanted to kill me, you wouldn't have deliberately knocked out the guards outside the residence, nor would you have kindly informed me before making a move."
Chu Shao nodded, "Commander Tang, you make sense."
"So, can you put down the dagger now?" Tang Ling asked.
Chu Shao shook her head and moved the dagger to Tang Ling's throat. "Commander Tang, there are too many people outside, I dare not let go."
Tang Ling sighed helplessly, then shouted to the hidden guards around, "I am fine, you can all retreat."
A rustling sound came from outside the courtyard, and after a moment, silence returned. The laughter of the pipa-playing woman had disappeared, and it seemed as if only the two of them remained in the entire courtyard.
Tang Ling said, "Now, can the Princess rest assured?"
Having witnessed the swift retreat of the guards, Chu Shao symbolically praised, "Your subordinates are disciplined, but those few individuals lying outside the wall probably haven't let go of their bows and arrows yet."
Tang Ling apologized, "Please forgive me, Princess. They are not my subordinates but people ordered to monitor me. They do not obey my commands, and I cannot control them."
Chu Shao grasped the key point, "You said they were ordered to monitor you. Whose orders did they receive?"
"It could be anyone," Tang Ling answered openly without hesitation.
After all, she had no clear idea of which side the hidden person outside belonged to.
"In that case, Commander Tang, do you think if I accidentally severed your throat, would they cheer or shoot me with arrows?"
Tang Ling pondered and replied, "In any case, I am an official of the court, so most likely the latter."
However, Chu Shao had a different understanding. "So you mean they are still your people?"
"..." Tang Ling hesitated to speak, then earnestly said, "Actually, they are not."
Chu Shao didn't listen to Tang Ling's explanation and had no intention of lowering the dagger. "Commander Tang, you have so many people around while enjoying music in your own residence. It seems you cherish your life greatly."
Tang Ling smiled and said, "Yes, I fear death."
Chu Shao stared into Tang Ling's eyes and also smiled. "Since you fear death, why did you dare to secretly keep the relics of the National Teacher of Yao Country?"
....
The sharp blade was against her throat.
After a long time, Tang Ling clapped her hands and laughed. "Princess, you've really pinned a big label on me. Unfortunately, the residence of the National Teacher ceased to exist long ago, and everything inside is long gone."
"Even if someone fabricates false charges against me with this imitation, it will only be groundless accusations that can't affect me in any way."
Chu Shao's lips curled into a smile as she looked into Tang Ling's eyes, remaining silent.
"Moreover, I personally set fire to the residence of the National Teacher, and I also threw the body of Nan Jin, who hanged herself, in there. If anyone still questions my loyalty to Qi Country, it can only be said they have a suspicious mind."
Tang Ling seemed to recall the experience of being criticized by her colleagues, sighed, and said, "Of course, I'm used to it. There will always be people who bring up my past as a spy in Yao Country, claiming that a servant should not serve two masters, or a loyal subject shouldn't harbor two intentions."
After listening to Tang Ling's series of explanations mixed with complaints, Chu Shao smiled and moved the dagger away from Tang Ling's neck, sheathing it.
After all, regardless of what Tang Ling said, she had already obtained the answer she wanted in her heart.
Since her goal had been mostly achieved, Chu Shao had no reason to continue standing.
She sat back in her chair, smiling, and spoke, " Commander Tang, actually, before entering this courtyard, I intended to kill you."
Tang Ling looked at Chu Shao, who appeared comfortable sitting in her own chair, and her eye twitched slightly.
After a while, she followed Chu Shao's words and asked, "And then?"
"And then, I changed my mind."
"Why?"
Chu Shao smiled. "Because when I was standing outside the courtyard, I heard the sound of a pipa coming from inside, and suddenly I realized that I shouldn't kill you. Besides, you are far more interesting than I imagined."
The pipa melody and not being able to kill her.
These two things had no causal relationship, but it made Tang Ling burst into laughter.
After listening to Chu Shao's words, Tang Ling replied with a somewhat illogical statement, employing the same tactic. "Princess, do you think I'm far more interesting than you imagined?"
Chu Shao nodded.
Then, with a curious tone, Tang Ling asked, "In that case, did you actually imagine me? I'm really curious, what exactly did you imagine?"
Chu Shao smiled and remained silent.
After all, every time Tang Ling appeared by Xiao Jin's side, she had only imagined various ways to kill Tang Ling in her mind.
And now, Tang Ling, looking at Chu Shao sitting in the chair, finally knew who she resembled.
Resembled, too much.
Sitting there, not even bothering to rise and pay respects if the Emperor himself arrived, as if she alone possessed all the reasoning in the world.
A perfectly fine princess, led astray by Prince Yan.
Thinking of this, Tang Ling teased, "Princess, not only did you repeatedly say that you imagined me, but you even took advantage of Prince Yan's absence from the residence to come find me in secret."
"Aren't you afraid... that she will misunderstand?"
Chu Shao frowned.
What was Tang Ling thinking?
Unexpectedly, Tang Ling continued, "Moreover, this is my private residence. Almost no one knows about the existence of this courtyard. Not only did you come here, but you also knew my whereabouts as if it were common knowledge. Isn't that suspicious?"
"If I were to be labeled as colluding with the enemy and betraying the country, then you, Princess, would be a co-conspirator with me."
After hearing Tang Ling's reasoning, Chu Shao burst into laughter. "To be bound on the same boat as Commander Tang, isn't that an honor for me?"
Tang Ling raised an eyebrow, understanding one thing. "So, you were certain that I wouldn't call someone to capture you, that's why you boldly entered my private residence and threatened to kill me?"
"If you were to capture me and let the Emperor and Princess Zhao Yang know, I'm afraid it would be difficult for you to save yourself."
Tang Ling sighed, "So, am I supposed to just let you go?"
Chu Shao shook her head, "No, Commander Tang, you not only have to let me go, but you also have to help me find something."
"Princess, may I ask why I must help you find this thing?" Tang Ling looked at Chu Shao with a mischievous smile and said, "Almost immediately after someone followed the scent and found this place, but I couldn't conveniently handle those people myself, so I leave it to you."
"Rest assured, they left less than the time it takes to snap your fingers. With your lightness technique, even if we exchange a few more words, you can still catch up to them."
Chu Shao hadn't expected Tang Ling's condition to be so simple, but upon further thought, it made sense.
She agreed without hesitation, then stated what she wanted.
"I want the half piece of jade seal from Yao Country, to be precise, the right seal."
Tang Ling was taken aback, her expression becoming somewhat strange. "Yao Country is already gone, why do you want the right seal?"
"To restore the country."
In front of an enemy minister, Chu Shao casually mentioned the words "restore the country" as if she were talking about eating and drinking.
However, as Tang Ling looked at Chu Shao's expression, she knew that the other party was not joking.
She was actually serious.
After a long time, Tang Ling shook her head.
"I don't believe you."
This time, Tang Ling looked at Chu Shao and changed her address, "Princess Shao, if you really want to restore the country, when Prince Yan escorted the prisoners back to the capital, the Blood Rain Pavilion secretly sent people to abduct Princess Roujia. With your martial arts skills, if you wanted to escape during the chaos, you would most likely succeed eight or nine times out of ten."
A faint smile appeared on Chu Shao's lips. "At that time, I really didn't want to leave."
"Why?" Tang Ling had too many questions, and Chu Shao frowned, growing impatient. "Because there was no need to leave. No matter where I go, it doesn't make much of a difference to me."
"So, do you have it now?" Tang Ling raised an eyebrow.
"Of course." Chu Shao seemed to recall something, her smile becoming even more pronounced.
"I have a precious treasure that shines brightly. It's something I cherish dearly. Even though I know it will eventually shatter and be lost in a place I can't see, having had that moment in my dreams, I seem to be content."
"But later, I stopped thinking that way."
In Tang Ling's eyes, Chu Shao's expression was filled with an indescribable confusion.
"I wondered why I could only seek that one moment. Why couldn't it stay with me forever? Without it, how could I pretend to be content?"
"But things in the world are always like this, rare and precious precisely because they are not common."
Chu Shao shook her head, speaking softly, "Only the weak seek countless excuses. What I want, even if I have to hide it away and lock it up, I will obtain it."
Tang Ling had no interest in meddling in Chu Shao's personal matters, she simply shrugged her shoulders. "Princess Shao, I have no intention of interfering with your plan to keep yourself hidden away, but I must tell you, um... the right seal is not with me."
"Not with you, then where is it?"
Tang Ling looked at Chu Shao's smiling face and felt like Chu Shao knew something, so she carefully chose her words.
"A few months ago, it was indeed with me, but unfortunately, it's no longer here."
To prove that she wasn't lying, she even made a solemn oath, "If I deceive you, may I be struck by lightning and meet a bad end."
"You can find a way to get it." Chu Shao's tone was far from polite, and she couldn't even be bothered to maintain a facade of gentleness.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Tang Ling estimated the time it would take for the scouts to leave and felt that if she kept asking, those people might actually escape.
Helpless, she had to reveal her cards. "His Majesty has given an order, specifically stating that he wants the half piece of jade seal. As a loyal subject, how can I retrieve it?"
Chu Shao stared at Tang Ling for a long time, then spoke softly, "I don't want the right seal anymore. Give me the command token of Jianjia Building."
Tang Ling was taken aback.
"Commander Tang, that is the hot potato given to you by Nan Jin. So, I believe you will give it to me."
....
Recent rains had faded the vermilion paint on the palace walls, revealing a stark white underneath.
Xiao Jin sat in a wheelchair, feigning lameness and saving herself the effort of walking. She leisurely enjoyed the scenery of the palace along the way.
Old Zhang, truly lived up to his reputation as the most diligent person in the Prince of Yan's residence. He pushed Xiao Jin to the entrance of the study and even smiled apologetically, instructing the little eunuch who would be waiting at the door.
"Xiao Fuzi, Please be careful. Her Highness is still recovering from his cough, so don't rush. Take it slowly as you enter."
The little eunuch nodded and bowed repeatedly, "Steward, rest assured. I've been serving in the palace for quite a few years, and I can handle these matters."
Although he responded like this, his peripheral vision couldn't help but sneak a peek at Xiao Jin's pale, somewhat unhealthy face.
However, all he could see was a mixture of seven parts elegance and three parts aloofness. There was no trace of the arrogant appearance that was rumored to have thrown deadly weapons at the palace banquet.
The little eunuch dared not look at the noble figures passing through the palace. After receiving the wheelchair, he carefully pushed Xiao Jin into the Imperial Study.
The passage leading to the inner chamber was quite long, and due to the Emperor's convalescence, it had always been quiet.
Unexpectedly, this master was somewhat different and always said things that made his task difficult.
"How long has His Majesty been awake?"
The little eunuch felt a little uneasy when he realized that Prince Yan didn't refer to the Emperor as "father" but as "His Majesty."
However, he still respectfully smiled and gave a vague answer, "If I may answer, Your Highness, His Majesty has been awake for about an hour."
Xiao Jin frowned slightly, "He just woke up and wants to see me?"
The little eunuch thought to himself, "What kind of question is this?" But he couldn't help but smile, "Isn't it so? His Majesty has always valued Your Highness the most. As soon as he woke up, he didn't even summon the Crown Prince and issued an edict to summon you to the palace."
"If he's in such a hurry, it must mean something serious," Xiao Jin said casually.
The little eunuch was sweating profusely, wishing he hadn't opened his mouth or had these two ears.
So as soon as he pushed Xiao Jin into the inner chamber, he wanted to escape as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, the hoarse voice of Emperor Qi came again, "Xiao Fuzi, light up the lamps so that I can get a good look at the Prince Yan."
Xiao Fuzi quickly went to light the lamps, but his hands were trembling like a sieve. It took several tries before he finally managed to light them.
By the time he finished, his face was already pale, and he knelt down on the ground, constantly kowtowing, "This servant deserves death! This servant deserves death! Even this trivial matter cannot relieve Your Majesty's worries..."
Today, Emperor Qi was exceptionally merciful.
Lying on the bright yellow bed, he noticed that the eunuch serving in the court was so useless, but he didn't get angry.
He weakly raised his hand, "That's enough, withdraw. Later, go to the Ministry of Justice and take twenty lashes."
"Thank you for Your Majesty's benevolence!" Xiao Fuzi felt like he had received a pardon and quickly withdrew.
Knowing that Emperor Qi had something to say to Xiao Jin, he didn't forget to close the door before leaving.
Xiao Jin sat in the wheelchair and watched quietly. It wasn't until Emperor Qi cast his gaze over that she made a bow, "This subject pays respects to Your Majesty."
She pushed both hands forward in a standard salute, appearing very formal.
Unfortunately, there was no intention to bend her body even a little, clearly only doing the surface work.
Seeing Xiao Jin referring to herself as a subject and not as a filial subject, and performing the salute without completing all the proper etiquette, Emperor Qi, perhaps due to confusion from his illness, lifted his eyelids to carefully observe Xiao Jin for a while. He didn't make a move for a long time, seeming exhausted and angry.
It wasn't until the silence in the hall became somewhat eerie that he said, "You may rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xiao Jin put her hands down.
Another long silence followed, and neither of them spoke.
After a while, Emperor Qi struggled to prop himself up on the bed and hesitated before asking, "Prince Yan, why didn't you come closer so that I could see you better?"
Xiao Jin's reply was concise, "I'm still recovering from a cough illness, afraid of infecting Your Majesty."
Upon hearing Xiao Jin's response, Emperor Qi unexpectedly laughed. However, his laughter was strained, triggering an itchy sensation in his throat that led to a violent cough, almost causing him to cough up his lungs.
"Not bad... not bad. Acting so unruly, you truly live up to being raised by Princess Zhao Yang. Naturally, you must oppose me at every turn," Emperor Qi said.
Xiao Jin looked at Emperor Qi, her gaze devoid of warmth, as if observing an object, more specifically, a piece of paper. Indeed, to call someone like Xiao Ye a mere paper figure would be an insult to paper figures.
Thinking of this, Xiao Jin smiled and said, "You are the ruler of Qi Country, and we are mere subjects. Naturally, we dare not oppose you."
"Today you dare not oppose, but what about tomorrow, the day after?" Emperor Qi's voice sounded like a fragmented xylophone, lacking air, but filled with conviction. "The Crown Prince is waiting for my death, and so are you."
"Your Majesty worries too much. Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, naturally able to live a long life," Xiao Jin replied, using a common phrase from the fictional world to placate Emperor Qi just enough.
And indeed, Emperor Qi was overthinking things. Who would be so anxious as to constantly worry about his imminent death? It seemed that his obsession had reached the point of madness.
Afterward, Xiao Jin pondered for a moment and realized that the male protagonist, the good son of Emperor Qi, might indeed be waiting for Emperor Qi's death.
However, combined with the secret revealed in the letter from Prince Shen, she had no idea whether the Crown Prince was truly Emperor Qi's offspring.
Emperor Qi seemed to possess some self-awareness, "Prince Yan, if I live for a thousand years, won't you hate me for a thousand years?"
Xiao Jin continued to appease, "I dare not."
Emperor Qi stared into Xiao Jin's eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "You've always been like this. You show obedience to me on the surface but defy me in secret. After obtaining an official position, it has only gotten worse, always considering yourself a subject. Only when you need something from me, do you refer to yourself as a subject."
"You need not worry. I will no longer ask anything of you in the future," Xiao Jin said calmly. "There is nothing here that I, as your subject, desire. Neither my wealth, power, nor status is bestowed upon me by you."
At this moment, Xiao Jin and Emperor Qi locked eyes, and she spoke the words that the original owner of the body had failed to utter.
"Even the esteemed status as a member of the Tianhuang noble clan is not something I desire. I am not concerned about having anything taken away from me by you. I am only worried about what you want to give me."
For a long time, Emperor Qi cursed weakly.
"You, my rebellious child... you..."
However, Xiao Jin found Emperor Qi's words rather unoriginal. Seeing the creases forming at the corners of Emperor Qi's eyes, she calmly said, "Your Majesty, please refrain from making such repugnant remarks. Who would die because of you? Who would willingly die for you?"
Enough, please.
Emperor Qi saw Xiao Jin's indifferent expression but couldn't help but laugh breathlessly. "It seems like you have known all along. To endure for this long, you do have some skill. You haven't disappointed Princess Zhao Yang's efforts in raising you all these years."
Xiao Jin smiled faintly, "Your words are too heavy. The death of my mother and the upbringing by Princess Zhao Yang, everything was bestowed upon me by you, wasn't it?"
"Yes, when you think about it... you should thank me more. If your mother were still alive, you would be nothing more than a puppet at her mercy. She was always a foolish madwoman. What could a child raised by a madwoman amount to?"
Xiao Jin said coldly, "Even a madwoman is better than a monster."
Emperor Qi seemed satisfied with Xiao Jin's anger. His eyes wrinkled at the corners as he began to reminisce about the past. "The first time I saw your mother, I was amazed."
"I have never seen anyone so beautiful. It was as if she possessed nothing else but beauty. The perfect blend of innocence and foolishness in her demeanor only made her more attractive."
"Since then, I knew that no one could resist a woman so beautifully ignorant, including Princess Zhao Yang. Her gaze towards her was always different."
Listening to Emperor Qi's derogation of Fengxuan, Xiao Jin couldn't help but almost laugh. "In your eyes, does beauty equal ignorance?"
"Of course," Emperor Qi affirmed, "If a woman can be as beautiful as a phoenix, no one would pay attention to anything else about her."
"But a woman as stunning as a phoenix doesn't need any other qualities. Just standing there is enough to please the eye."
Xiao Jin understood.
So Emperor Qi didn't need any qualities. Just lying here was enough to justify his ugliness, wasn't it?
Emperor Qi didn't know what Xiao Jin was thinking, nor did he care whether she understood or not. He continued speaking.
"At that time, I liked the way Fengxuan looked at Princess Zhao Yang. After all, Emperor Taizong was quite promiscuous, and there were countless heirs under his favor. As an unfavored prince, no one had ever looked at me that way."
"But later on, I grew tired of that gaze."
"Princess Zhao Yang was ambitious. Despite being suppressed by Emperor Taizong multiple times, she never reached a point of helplessness. But because of that phoenix(Fengxuan), she was willing to sacrifice Tang Ling, her own pawn."
Xiao Jin unconsciously pushed the wheelchair forward and sneered, "Sacrifice? Isn't the chaos in Yao Country exactly what Emperor Taizong wanted?"
Emperor Qi shook his head. "Princess Zhao Yang has buried her pieces for so many years, and her plans must be far-sighted."
"If Tang Ling could gain complete trust from Nan Jin and control a majority of the power, she would benefit when Nan Jin and the Yao royal family compete for power in the future."
"But unfortunately, at that time, Nan Jin didn't have a ten-percent chance of winning, so Tang Ling persuaded her to make a move in advance, which disrupted the entire plan. Nan Jin won, but at a great cost, and she began to suspect Tang Ling's intentions and kept her away from positions of power for a long time."
Xiao Jin didn't want to speak.
Because in Emperor Qi's description, Tang Ling seemed like a heavenly being. As long as she didn't act prematurely, she would be able to control Nan Jin in the future.
But Nan Jin wasn't a fool. Was it that easy to control?
Fortunately, both Emperor Qi and Emperor Taizong were immersed in their idealized states and didn't notice the mockery on Xiao Jin's face.
"People like Princess Zhao Yang have a definite chance to ascend the throne. I know exactly what needs to be done. Just kill the favored prince of Emperor Taizong and exile all the other eligible siblings from the capital. In this way, Princess Zhao Yang will be the only successor."
Listening to Emperor Qi's words, Xiao Jin felt a chill in her heart.
But Emperor Qi was right about one thing. Xiao Shuang should have killed him back then. That would have prevented all the troubles that followed.
Emperor Qi's hair was all white, but as he spoke about his envisioned plans, he seemed to regain some vitality. His eyes began to sparkle with intensity.
"I... I have thought about it many times for Princess Zhao Yang in my heart. I imagined that one day, when she is pushed to the limit by Emperor Taizong, she will come to me to discuss the matter of usurping the throne. Once it is accomplished, Emperor Taizong will become the retired emperor, and we can share the empire equally."
"But Princess Zhao Yang didn't do that. After struggling for so many years, she suddenly extinguished her ambition for a foolish woman. But I still have the same dream over and over again."
"Even after ascending the throne, I keep dreaming... dreaming of Emperor Taizong sitting on the dragon throne, scolding me mercilessly, saying that I am inferior to Princess Zhao Yang in every aspect, and the only time I surpassed her, I relied on cheap tricks."
Xiao Jin saw Emperor Qi's excited expression and had a gut feeling that it wouldn't lead to anything good.
"What... tricks?" Xiao Jin's voice trembled as she asked, realizing the implications of her question.
Emperor Qi's face, however, showed a smile as if he had returned to the past.
"On that day... Emperor Taizong summoned me to the palace. I actually saw Fengxuan there. She was still as foolish as ever, hiding behind a pillar. The tassels under her jade pendant were swaying, and she hesitated whether or not to let anyone notice her presence."
"She must have come to pay her respects, but when she saw me entering the inner palace, she didn't dare to come in anymore."
"I intentionally asked Emperor Taizong those questions, making sure she could hear and understand clearly. She needed to know that she was just a useless waste, the one who harmed Princess Zhao Yang. Everything was her fault."
"Her biggest mistake was being alive, a burden clinging to Princess Zhao Yang without letting go. What qualifications did she have to stand by Princess Zhao Yang's side and look at her with that kind of gaze?"
"Finally, she realized her mistake. I walked out of the palace, and when I saw the expression on her face, it was pathetic, pitiful. What else could be seen besides despair? Only a person with no usefulness would show such a laughable expression."
Emperor Qi's voice became hoarse as he burst into loud laughter.
The echo lingered in his throat, rumbling like rolling bones.
"I have to thank Fengxuan because, thanks to her, I finally won against Princess Zhao Yang once. She truly is a foolish phoenix, so stupid that even her drugging was done so blatantly."
"At that time, her face was as cold as a corpse. I truly hoped she would die, so Princess Zhao Yang would be free from the burden, and she would willingly accept her defeat to me."
"Then Princess Zhao Yang would understand the cruelty of the imperial family, that only someone like me is of the same kind as her."
"So, Jin'er, do you know? It's a pity that I designed such a perfect scheme, where everything was calculated, but no one knew. Not even the Crown Prince, not even the assassins sent by the Empress. I knew everything."
"The sword that was clearly aimed at your heart was blocked by that foolish woman, Fengxuan. Of course, I know why. That wretched woman! That waste! Even in death, she only thought of you usurping my position and protecting her precious Zhao Yang..."
Before he could utter the last word, he abruptly stopped.
Because in that instant, Xiao Jin suddenly made a swift move, launching an attack at Emperor Qi's neck.
The force behind her action was heavy and swift, as if she wanted to strangle Emperor Qi by grabbing his throat and suffocating him.
The veins on the back of her hand were exposed, and her movements were so fast that they almost left no trace.
But before her hand reached the bed, a sword unsheathed with a sharp sound, even faster than Xiao Jin.
At the moment her hand extended towards the bed, eight snow-white and ice-cold sword blades pressed firmly against her neck.
With the sword blades against her throat, Xiao Jin's movement froze.
She didn't make a sound, as if she had been startled by this situation.
After a moment, she coldly smiled, "I, as a filial child, was just tucking you in, Your Majesty. Yet, not only did you draw your swords, but you also dared to press a sword against my throat. Are you looking for death?"
Upon hearing this, the eight black-clothed men looked at each other and then approached cautiously to examine the situation.
To their surprise, they were dumbfounded.
Because Xiao Jin's hand was perfectly holding the covers, without any deviation. The covers and Emperor Qi's throat were separated by the distance of a golden dragon soaring through the clouds embroidered on the yellow robe.
It was far enough that there was no connection between them. This indirectly indicated that, at least in the previous moment, Xiao Jin had no intention of betraying Emperor Qi.
The sword's edge still pressed against Xiao Jin's neck.
However, at this moment, several black-clothed men felt as if the swords in their hands weighed thousands of kilograms. They dared not move and did not know how to naturally let go.
They were all top-notch experts in the Blood Rain Pavilion, but they had never expected such a turn of events.
Only one black-clothed person wearing a mask quickly grasped the situation.
Through the two holes in the mask, Shen Lan glared at Xiao Jin with gritted teeth.
He thought that he had clearly seen with both eyes that Prince Yan had made a choking gesture just now. But the result was that it was a fake action.
Damn it, was there such an outrageous person? Now his entire year's salary would be deducted.
....
After the disgruntled black-clothed men left, the misunderstanding finally came to an end.
Xiao Jin calmly touched his neck and asked Emperor Qi, "Your Majesty, was my reaction within your calculations?"
Emperor Qi leaned back on the bed, devoid of the hysteria from earlier, but he appeared even older.
He silently looked at Xiao Jin and asked, "When did you discover that I had arranged personnel outside?"
Xiao Jin answered truthfully, "Right when I arrived at the entrance of the Yangxin Hall."
"How did you notice?"
"The eunuchs standing on the steps were unfamiliar, and they kept their heads low as if deliberately avoiding my gaze."
There was one more thing that Xiao Jin didn't mention.
Ever since she absorbed the light from the box during the ceremony, her senses had become even more acute than before.
Therefore, Xiao Jin could sense that, in the gap between Emperor Qi and herself speaking, there was a highly skilled expert slowly approaching the inner hall.
In order to not alert the enemy, Xiao Jin fully cooperated with Emperor Qi's performance during this period, so as not to make the final outcome too monotonous.
After listening to Xiao Jin's explanation, Emperor Qi chuckled and stared at the person in front of him with eyes devoid of clarity. He suddenly asked, "If I say, what if you had really killed me just now, would these black-clothed men have handed you the decree of Yi Chu?"
Xiao Jin raised her chin slightly and looked at Emperor Qi with an extremely indifferent gaze. "Your Majesty, that is not possible, and I don't need nor desire Yi Chu's decree."
"Not desire it?"
Emperor Qi laughed a few times, and a hoarse and unpleasant voice rolled in his throat. "Your mother fought to protect you and schemed for the things related to Princess Zhao Yang for her whole life, and yet you say you don't desire it?"
"Did you really not want to strangle me with your own hands just now and avenge your mother?"
Xiao Jin furrowed her brows and asked softly, "Your Majesty, does killing you count as revenge?"
"Sometimes, wanting to die is quite easy, but lying on the bed like a corpse, struggling to survive, is much harder than death itself."
"Even if you wanted to die, I believe the imperial physicians would not let you die so easily. They are busy using the best medicine to sustain your life and prevent you from going to see Emperor Taizong so early."
"So, when you go to sleep at night, Emperor Taizong still appears in your dreams and scolds you, scolding you for being mediocre your whole life. If he had known, he should have made your maternal aunt the crown princess."
As Emperor Qi listened to Xiao Jin's words, his lips trembled, and he could hardly catch his breath.
After struggling to take a breath, he immediately heard Xiao Jin's voice again, "Moreover, I can see that you are not coveting my mother at all, but..."
"That's enough, shut up!" Emperor Qi suddenly erupted in anger, raising his voice to reprimand Xiao Jin.
Xiao Jin paused for a moment and looked at Emperor Qi with pity. She could even feel a tinge of sympathy for the old man who was on the verge of death.
Unfortunately, she was not a good person, so she certainly wouldn't genuinely sympathize with a dying old man. She smiled and continued speaking.
"Your thoughts towards Princess Zhao Yang, are they admiration or jealousy? What kind of despicable thoughts do you have that require using the Empress as a cover, deceiving the Empress, and deceiving the world? Only you know that best."
"You envy that Princess Zhao Yang is stronger than you, that Emperor Taizong always recognized her. You envy that she is loved by the Empress, while you can only shrink into a corner and watch her find happiness. You have exhausted all means just to barely win against her once."
Xiao Jin spoke expressionlessly, "In the end, what is your purpose in telling me all this? Is it to set a trap for me and witness the shame of your life?"
"Well, Your Majesty, you have indeed achieved that. Now, not only do I find you shameless, but also utterly nauseating."
Xiao Jin stared directly at Emperor Qi's aging face, watching his eyes turn bloodshot, as if he could kill at any moment, staring at her intently.
After waiting for a while, she finally heard Emperor Qi squeeze out a string of words from his chest, "Rebel! Rebel! I shall now issue an edict to strip you of your position and revoke your title..."
Xiao Jin found it boring.
She hadn't attended court sessions at all, so what use was that position to her?
Indeed, merely using words to infuriate someone to death was limited to scenes in movies and dramas.
Someone like Emperor Qi, shameless and with a large heart, couldn't be infuriated to death. It would take knives cutting into his flesh to exhaust his lifetime of anger.
Xiao Jin lowered her gaze and looked at Emperor Qi, who was gasping for breath like a stranded fish, leaning against the bed board.
She felt no pity in her heart, and there was even a slight urge to laugh. "Your Majesty, in fact, I truly hope that you can live a long and prosperous life."
"Don't forget, back when you sent Shangguan Xun to negotiate in, you promised me one condition as the master of the Blood Rain Pavilion."
"I have been waiting for you to wake up and fulfill this promise before you peacefully pass away."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Translator's note: What the heck?! I thought he liked Fengxuan! I didn't expect him to have feelings for his own biological sister. Ewww... Emperor Qi is so disgusting 🤢🤮🤢. It irritates me when he reminisces about the past, using Fengxuan for his perverse thoughts. I mocked him for being arrogant, but it turns out he's as repulsive as feces. He deserves to be provoked by Xiao Jin. Now he can die miserably. This plot twist is incredibly shocking.
TO BE CONTINUE...