Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Gao Qi’s scalp tingled. “You’re one of Prince Zhenbei’s people!”

Sheng Zhaoning still smiled, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

If she could, she would rather have died that winter when she was thrown into Luochuan than to repay Prince Zhenbei for saving her life by committing countless wrongs.

She crouched down, pressing the knife tip against his face and slowly sliding it down to his throat. “Lord Gao, you hid yourself well. I’ve been searching for who sent Prince Zhenbei the military deployment map, allowing him to march his army straight to the Capital and break through it without any effort.”

Five years ago, she had been ordered to infiltrate Shangjing and was Prince Zhenbei’s earliest agent planted in the court. One secret report after another passed from her hands to Liangzhou; one after another, those who opposed the Wei Clan died by her hand. Sheng Zhaoning herself could no longer remember how many things she had done for Prince Zhenbei.

After that, Prince Zhenbei steadily expanded his power, slowly sending many people in, but very few knew her identity.

Even people in Liangzhou didn’t know where she had gone.

Later, she betrayed the Wei Clan.

And Gao Qi, after her departure, had pledged allegiance to Prince Zhenbei, so she hadn’t known he was working for Prince Zhenbei. Only Tao Song, who had been secretly investigating the treason case, uncovered him.

After Wei Yi ascended the throne, everyone who had served the Wei Clan was promoted and given titles, except Gao Qi, who was so terrified of death that he feared being implicated in the treason case. He would rather forgo high office and generous rewards, continuing to serve as a lowly master in the Ministry of War.

“Since you fear death, I’ll make you watch as your flesh and blood are drained inch by inch, like a fish on the chopping block, helpless and at the mercy of the butcher.”

The cold blade traced a long bloody gash across his face. Gao Qi recoiled repeatedly, finally screaming in terror as his courage shattered.

“AAAAAAH! Don’t kill me!”

Sheng Zhaoning’s hand rose and fell, cleanly cutting off his tongue.

A lump of lifeless flesh fell to the ground, writhing disgustingly.

Gao Qi’s mouth was an empty cavity. Without his tongue, in his panic and intense pain, he could only let out hoarse, silent roars from his throat. Thick blood gushed from his mouth, and Sheng Zhaoning tore a strip of cloth from the hem of her garment and stuffed it into his mouth.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you die so easily.”

She wiped the blood off the dagger onto his clothes, her tone soft. “The methods I didn’t use on Xu Fu, I’ll have to use on you.”

Gao Qi’s pupils constricted. He lost control of his bladder, and a nauseating stench immediately spread.

In the Eastern Palace, a brutal slaughter was underway.

…

Under the dense night canopy, a solitary moon hung high, illuminating the long, dark palace passage. Han Xu strode with his blade at his side, followed by Imperial Guards with grim expressions, their black armor gleaming with a dark luster against the distant firelight.

Eunuch Zhao scurried about, dispatching a large number of palace maids and eunuchs to assist the Imperial Guards in searching the palaces.

Wei Yi stood before the steps of Changhua Hall, half his face lost in shadow, an oppressive and gloomy aura enveloping him.

“Report-Yongxin Palace clear!”

“Jingde Palace clear!”

“Yuntai Palace clear!”

“Jianzhang Palace clear!”

“…”

The Imperial Guards returned one by one, having found nothing.

Eunuch Zhao shrank his head, feeling as if the sky were about to collapse. He couldn’t imagine what kind of raging fury would befall everyone in Changhua Hall if Sheng Zhaoning really had escaped.

On the stone steps, Wei Yi closed his eyes, a lethal murderous intent bursting from his brows.

He was a man who had survived countless cold shots and hidden arrows on the battlefield, his innate brutality extremely potent. If Sheng Zhaoning was a pill that kept him suppressed, then at this moment, that pill had shed its disguise and turned into a deadly poison, madly devouring what little reason he had left.

Han Xu stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, I’ve confirmed with the guards at the palace gate. Tonight’s New Year’s Eve banquet hasn’t ended yet, and no one has left the palace.”

Wei Yi’s expression was unreadable. His face was cold and stern, and he remained silent for a long time. After a while, he suddenly opened his eyes, a chilling light emanating from their depths. “To the Eastern Palace.”

He strode down the steps and headed straight for the Eastern Palace.

Eunuch Zhao hurried to follow, silently praying in his heart, “Heaven, please bless us to find Sheng Zhaoning as soon as possible!”

Suddenly, a harsh cold light flashed across Zhao Quan’s eyes. He was dazzled and shut his eyes tightly. When he realized something was wrong, a slender figure was already swiftly approaching.

“Your Majesty, watch out!” Eunuch Zhao cried out in alarm.

Wei Yi’s brow sharpened with ferocity. He twisted his hand back and instantly broke the wrist of the person behind him. A sharp blade clattered to the ground with a clang.

“Ah!” The woman screamed in pain, her face contorted with agony.

Eunuch Zhao, still in shock, lifted his eyes and looked closely-the woman was actually-

“Dan Qing!”

He shouted in disbelief.

Dan Qing was thrown to the ground, her wrist twisted at a grotesque angle. The flickering firelight illuminated her face, filled with hatred and agony, making it look especially ferocious and terrifying.

“Wei Yi, you vile scoundrel, may you die a miserable death!”

Wei Yi looked at her coldly, lifted his foot, and slowly, deliberately stepped on her wrist, grinding down hard.

“Who sent you?”

Dan Qing’s piercing scream tore through the night sky.

“You think you’d only be killed if someone sent me? Wei Yi, you stole and snatched the throne-what right do you have to be emperor!” Ignoring the searing pain in her wrist, she looked up at him, her eyes brimming with venomous hatred.

“This throne originally belonged to the Crown Prince! You killed him, and so I will kill you!”

Wei Yi’s expression was hidden in the darkness. He half-narrowed his eyes, and a fierce light suddenly gleamed in their depths.

“Oh? What a pity that your Crown Prince died a miserable death, hung at the city gate for seven days and seven nights, reviled by the world!”

His smile was utterly cruel. Since his ascension, no one had dared to mention the Crown Prince in his presence, as if it had become his reverse scale.

Wei Yi drew his long sword and stabbed her in the shoulder. He half-bent down and coldly looked at her. “Tell me, where is Sheng Zhaoning?”

Dan Qing’s forehead veins bulged, and her whole body trembled with pain. Suddenly, she let out a piercing laugh, staring straight at him with a trace of savage satisfaction in her eyes. “Hahahaha, Sheng Zhaoning? She’s about to die, you’ll never find her again!”

Wei Yi’s fingers gripped the sword so hard they turned white at the edges. He pulled out the blade, and blood gushed out, pooling on the ground. Under Dan Qing’s gaze of hatred and vindication, the long sword rose again and plunged mercilessly into her heart.

Dan Qing coughed up a mouthful of blood. The intense pain spread from her chest, then quickly turned numb as her life ebbed away, gradually losing all sensation.

Her eyes widened, as if she had finally found release, her gaze softening and growing distant.

In a daze, she seemed to return to that afternoon once more.

A gentle breeze brushed her face, and the sunlight was warm and mild.

“What is your name?” he asked.

“This servant is called Dan Qing,” she answered.