Chapter 466: The Death of Yan Xingning (Part 2) [Happy First Anniversary]

"Don't you know the answer best?"

Yan An drew his sword and approached step by step. Zheng Qiao's blood dripped down the blade, splashing onto the ground.

Zheng Qiao tried her best to dodge.

A surge of despair and ferocity flashed across his face: "I know? What do I know? Wasn't all of this forced upon me? You and your father, my good master, people who were blindly loyal their whole lives, ruined my life! Even at that point, you still had the audacity to hope that such a stupid and disgusting scum would 'turn over a new leaf' and 'return to the right path'! Why should I be the one to shout and kill him when he comes to me!"

Zheng Qiao, her voice hoarse with anger, questioned Yan An: "What he did was a thousand times, ten thousand times more wrong than what I did! Why is he still able to linger on, while everyone—including you, Yan Xingning—pushes all the blame onto me! Why?!"

Driven by rage, he overcame his fear of death, staggered to his feet, pointed at the palace, and said, "I am a tyrant who deserves to be torn to pieces. What is he? You, Yan Xingning and his son, have served him as your ruler. Have you ever entertained the thought of killing him?"

"You keep saying you'll assist me—"

"The entire court praises you; how noble you are!"

"And when have you ever treated me like this?"

"Am I truly your lord, your junior brother, or merely a stepping stone for you, Yan Xingning, to uphold righteousness! A sacrificial offering for your martyrdom!"

The venting and questioning, which were filled with deep resentment, made Yan An stop in his tracks, and his hand holding the sword trembled uncontrollably.

Zheng Qiao certainly wouldn't miss it.

His voice was hoarse and strained, choked with sobs.

"I'm just repaying the humiliation I suffered back then, bit by bit! This is called paying for blood debts! This is a matter of course! What classmates! What refined gentlemen! What benevolence and morality! It was me who was wantonly trampled by that wild boar! It was me whose future was destroyed by him! Yan Xingning, I'm asking you, what did I do wrong? Why should I be humiliated! Why should I be criticized as a sycophant!"

His eyes were red-rimmed, his affectionate gaze concealing countless vulnerabilities and pains, yet he still forced himself not to shed a tear: "Am I to blame for being insulted, despised, scorned, and trampled upon?"

Yan An could no longer maintain his initial indifference.

But I was extremely disappointed.

He said, "That wasn't your fault."

Zheng Qiao thought Yan An had been persuaded.

"Senior brother, I just don't want anyone to control my life anymore! I've truly had enough of being so lowly that anyone can trample on me!" He pointed to the sky and said excitedly, "That day, I swore a solemn oath with my heart that even if I can't stand at the highest point in this life, I won't rot and stink in the mud! Therefore, I need power, I need to stand higher, I need to be so strong that the world fears and submits to me! Senior brother, I don't ask you to understand me, nor do I ask you to put down your sword, but—"

The conversation wasn't over.

But then Yan An raised the sword he had put down once more with unwavering resolve.

“Ah Qiao”.

This was Zheng Qiao's nickname before she was given a formal name.

The only people in the world who would address him in this way are his mother, who passed away many years ago; his mentor, who is now buried in the earth; and his senior brother, Yan'an, who has cared for him like a brother and a father. The moment he heard the address, the color that had risen to his cheeks due to the intense emotions drained away.

"Don't be afraid."

Yan An used the same tone she used to coax her daughter.

"Death is not scary."

The sword tip approached his junior brother, who was cornered.

“As your elder brother, I have failed your father’s dying wish and failed to bring you back to the right path. As a result, you are now still using flattery and shirking your responsibilities. This is my fault. I am incompetent and have failed in my teaching.”

Yan An's voice was weak, his body was covered in large patches of blood, and his appearance was rapidly aging, yet his movements were swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. Before Zheng Qiao's astonished eyes, the cold blade pierced through his chest.

"I have already wronged you in this matter!"

“Brother…fighting and killing each other…it was not my wish, but things have come to this—I cannot let you live any longer in this world, causing harm to more innocent lives and adding to the bloodshed!”

Zheng Qiao didn't listen to what he was saying at all.

He simply lowered his head slightly, looking at his pierced chest.

Hearing Yan An's light, almost relieved laughter, he said, "Once you're in the Yellow Springs, no matter how many... wronged souls and vengeful ghosts come to claim your life, seeking blood for blood... I, your brother, will shield you. This time, this time I will definitely protect you... until the world of the living is at peace..."

"You and I... brothers..."

"To come back to this world again..."

On his deathbed, he seemed to see his two closest relatives, whom he could never make amends for even with countless lifetimes of offerings.

Yan An had regrets: he regretted not being able to see his wife grow old and gray, and he regretted not being able to see his daughter grow up, get married, and start her own family. But he did not regret it.

At least this round can prevent a bloodbath.

He was born amidst the chaos of war, endured the hardships of a turbulent world, and witnessed the joys and sorrows of life.

This was the only gift he could give his daughter.

Zheng Qiao slumped down, head bowed.

A sharp sword pierced through his left chest and heart, as if life was being continuously drained from his body...

Haha, you read that right.

【as if】

Only after Yan An's life was extinguished did Zheng Qiao, who had been enduring for so long, slowly raise her head, her blood-stained face filled with mockery.

This space was sustained by Yan An, and with his passing, the already crumbling illusion blurred even more rapidly, until finally…

A series of hurried footsteps grew clearer, the sound of guards, palace maids, and eunuchs frantically searching for Zheng Qiao.

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty!"

Zheng Qiao raised her hand and looked toward the source of the sound.

A blurry lantern light approached him.

He was also somewhat disoriented due to excessive blood loss.

But with Wenxin and Guoxi "coming online," this injury wouldn't be fatal. He mobilized his spiritual energy in his Danfu Palace, forcing himself to appear unharmed, and pushed Yan An away with one hand.

As Yan An's body fell to the ground, he finally saw what his senior brother looked like now—Yan An was now incredibly old, his once handsome face replaced by countless soft wrinkles, his body hunched over, and so thin that only a skeleton remained.

It's hard to imagine that this frail old man, who looks like he's about to lie in a coffin, was once the unparalleled scholar who was famous throughout the Xin Kingdom.

Zheng Qiao scoffed coldly.

He raised his hand and pulled the sword out of his chest.

It was left near Yan An's body.

Under the panicked and fearful gazes of everyone in the palace, he murmured to the air: "Senior brother, I thought you hadn't gone far yet, hahaha... I'm afraid you'd never have imagined that your junior brother, me! The junior brother who is cursed by thousands and trampled by ten thousand, is not only rebellious by nature and a born bad seed, but even the heart of this person is reversed... hahaha... hahaha..." He laughed wildly, his eyes turning bloodshot.

The laughter sounded like a vengeful ghost to everyone.

The eunuchs, maids, and guards knelt on the ground, not daring to look up at him, until Zheng Qiao had finished laughing, then wiped away the tears welling up in his eyes with his sleeve. He staggered and swayed, looking up at the surroundings; it was an abandoned side hall of the imperial palace.

"The country, the country's leader..."

One of the eunuchs mustered up his courage and spoke up.

"What should be done with this traitor who attempted to assassinate you?"

The air was still.

Everyone held their breath, awaiting Zheng Qiao's instructions, their hearts pounding so hard they felt like they were about to leap out of their throats. They had actually allowed the rebels to almost succeed in their assassination attempt right under their noses; if the tyrant wanted to settle scores, everyone in the palace would be beheaded.

Only by seizing the opportunity to demonstrate loyalty can they have a glimmer of hope.

In just a few breaths, they were drenched in a cold sweat despite the freezing winter weather.

finally--

The eunuch heard Zheng Qiao's indifferent voice coming from above.

"Chop him up and feed him to the dogs."

betray!

No matter how you look at it, it's all betrayal!

What Zheng Qiao cannot tolerate most is betrayal!

"Send men to arrest his wife, daughters, and relatives."

He knew that Yan An had other intentions in going down the mountain, and he also knew that this senior brother was a perfect scholar, and his adherence to righteousness could not be shaken by worldly sentiments. The other party was a complete martyr, and sooner or later he would turn his sword against him.

Although he was mentally prepared, he still couldn't forgive Yan Xingning's complete betrayal when it actually happened.

The person who betrayed him—

Everyone should see what the consequences of doing this will be!

The eunuch stammered, "Yes."

Alone, Zheng Qiao, draped in blood-stained red robes, returned step by step to her palace. Before she could even gather her thoughts, she received a second message—Yan An's wife and daughter were missing, most likely having escaped beforehand under Yan An's manipulation.

How did they manage to escape?

People everywhere were watching the Yan family's every move.

The eunuch who came to inform them stammered.

"Speak!" Zheng Qiao shouted.

The eunuch finally revealed the truth.

Yan An's wife and daughters left openly and legitimately, carrying Zheng Qiao's token. This was because their escorts were...

The eunuch dared not continue speaking.

Zheng Qiao guessed what was going on, and her face turned from white to black.

Finally, he coughed up a mouthful of foul blood.

Hehehehe.

Two betrayals in one night!

One of them was his senior.

One is "himself," to whom he places his trust.

The already violent literary aura almost transformed into a hurricane that would destroy everything. The guards protecting the palace exchanged glances.

They both saw the terror in each other's eyes.

Their king...

It's gotten even crazier.

(ω)

The bento box is heated up, and I even added a big chicken leg.

PS: Yan An's fate here is inevitable, which is somewhat related to his perfect attainment of the scholar's path. Most importantly, before assassinating Zheng Qiao, he actually only had a few months left to live. As for why…

The mysterious scholar is a big spender...

Yan Xingning is different; he's willing to risk his life.

PPS: Although Yan Xingning has left the show, Wu You will still appear in a few chapters, which is also a crucial part of the plot.

PPPS: I'll send Wuyou a chicken leg bento box later.

(End of this chapter)