110 Execution

◎After the rain, the sky cleared and the sun shone brightly.◎

Guo Yun thought he had done a good job, so one day he went to the Prince of Yi's house to embellish what he had done and told him about it.

After much restraint, King Yi finally said, "Thank you, Marquis Huicheng. From now on, our two families must put aside our past grievances and work together."

Guo Yunman responded to the King's reaction, "That's natural, that's natural. It's best if the King thinks that way."

After seeing Guo Yun off, the advisors of the Prince of Yi watched Guo Yun's departing figure and said disdainfully, "Your Majesty, such a person is more likely to cause trouble than to accomplish anything. Do we really want to continue cooperating with them?"

The Prince Yi's voice was sinister: "Once I sit on that throne... the first thing I'll do is slaughter the Guo family, leave no one alive!!!"

He then asked, "Is everything ready with Chen Zhan?"

The advisor said, "We're all ready. Thanks to the Second Prince for scouting ahead, the location where Chen Zhan is being held has been determined."

King Yi said, "To avoid any unforeseen complications, we should act tomorrow."

The aide hesitated and said, "But aren't you supposed to go to the palace with Qu Yan to see the Empress tomorrow?"

"That's precisely the best time."

The advisors quickly understood the king's meaning and flattered him, saying, "Your Majesty is wise."

Jiang Shi still harbored doubts about the rumors, especially about his alleged collusion with the Xiongnu, wondering how the rumors had spread.

His eyes were dark as he said to his aides, “To be on the safe side, tomorrow you take my waist token and have those people wait for me outside the palace. If there is any unusual activity, proceed according to plan.”

The aide's eyes widened. "Ah!" Realizing he had overreacted, he asked, "Is Your Majesty worried about the Queen?"

The advisors also felt that the Empress would not dare to do anything detrimental to the King. Even the Second Prince had to wait for the Emperor to return before making a decision, and at most, he would give the King a few words of reprimand.

Revealing our hand so early is premature; moreover, the situation is not yet so dire that we have no other choice.

"Never mind, perhaps I'm overthinking it. What can an empress dare to do, and what is she capable of doing..."

"That's right, that's right."

King Yi then said, "Since that's the case, let's make tomorrow even more chaotic."

King Yi summoned his advisors and whispered a few instructions in their ears.

The advisor felt somewhat relieved, and the arrangement seemed much more reasonable. "Your Majesty, please rest assured."

On this day, Huang Bing brought news that Qu Yan and Prince Yi had entered the palace.

Finally, the moment arrived, and Qi Gu's heart tightened.

She steadied her wildly beating heart and said, "Let's go, let's go to the dungeon."

The weather in August was sweltering. As soon as you stepped outside the palace, a wave of heat, mixed with moisture, hit you in the face, making it hard to breathe.

Qu Yan and Jiang Shi walked along the deep and heavy passageways of Changyang Palace on both sides.

"Brother Zilie is willing to make this trip for me, I don't know how to thank Brother Jiang."

"No need to be polite, I'm just following fate." Qu Yan said the last sentence very softly, so much so that Jiang Shi didn't hear it clearly.

The weather was extremely hot today. Jiang Shi was not wearing armor, but was dressed in ordinary clothes, though he still wore a long sword at his waist.

Upon arriving at Chengming Hall, both of them were covered in sweat.

Upon entering the hall, a blast of cool air hits you.

Fuming, the eunuch beside the Empress, brought over some refreshing herbal tea and ordered someone to add more ice to the ice basin. "Please sit down and rest for a while. The weather is really unusual today. Her Majesty the Empress will be here soon."

The two sat down to wipe their sweat and drink tea. Qu Yan readily took a couple of sips of tea and then wiped his hands with the handkerchief prepared by Fu Ming.

He covered the teacup with his sleeve, took a sip, and had just put the teacup down when the Empress's carriage arrived.

"May Your Majesty the Empress live a long life," the two said.

"Please rise, both of you. Please sit down."

The two sat down, and the Empress, seemingly unaware of their purpose in coming, asked with concern, "Marquis Yongkang, how have you been lately? What brings you and Prince Yi to the palace together?"

Prince Yi hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, it was all because I, your humble servant, made a mistake and dared not come alone, so I asked Brother Qu to accompany me."

His sincerity reminded the Empress of their first meeting with Jiang Shi.

At that time, Jiang Shi had an honest face, thick eyebrows and lips. He didn't talk much and would just stand there blankly when he saw people.

Back then, he was indeed a loyal and reliable person, and his repeated victories on the battlefield proved that he lived up to his name.

However, people's hearts are fickle. The innocent young man of yesteryear, now tempered by the battlefield and the imperial court, can no longer hide the restless and ruthless heart beneath his honest face.

"You flatter me, Xinchen. You are a meritorious official of the Great Jin Dynasty. Even if you have made one or two mistakes, it is nothing to worry about."

"No, no, I dare not presume. Rumors are rampant outside, and I feel deeply ashamed. Looking back now, I realize that I shouldn't have done that with those six eunuchs."

Since ancient times, the greater the merit, the more one fears such rumors. How could Jiang Shi not know the danger of this? It's hateful that Guo Yun, for his own selfish reasons, made things worse.

"Oh well, it's all in the past. Besides, His Majesty dealt with it before he left, so let's not bring it up again," the Empress said nonchalantly.

However, she did not comment on the rumors.

Jiang Shi brought Qu Yan here today to quell the rumors surrounding the Empress.

Seeing that the Empress did not respond, he said, "I came to the palace this time hoping that Your Majesty could quell the rumors, as these rumors have truly made me feel terrified."

The Empress said, "I have already ordered Marquis Huicheng to thoroughly investigate this matter. I am sure I can clear Prince Yi's name. Rest assured, the truth will come to light when the Emperor returns."

Jiang Shi realized that the Empress was going in circles. He looked to Qu Yan for help, hoping that Qu Yan could put in a good word for him with the Empress.

Emperors have always been suspicious. Even if those rumors were not true, when the emperor returned and heard them, it was enough to plant the seeds of doubt in his heart.

This was extremely disadvantageous to him! Although he believed that the emperor would not touch him for the time being, these rumors could not be allowed to continue.

He looked at Qu Yan, but Qu Yan avoided his gaze. What did that mean? He had clearly promised to help.

Jiang Shi's heart sank, and he looked at the Empress again, "His Majesty's Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai is a good thing, but if he returns to find rumors spreading throughout the capital, wouldn't that affect His Majesty's mood for the ceremony? And Your Majesty is also handling state affairs..."

The Empress understood Jiang Shi's meaning. His Majesty had appointed him to oversee the country, yet she couldn't even handle such a small matter. His Majesty had just performed the Fengshan ceremony; wasn't this a slap in the face to the Emperor?

Qu Yan glanced at Jiang Shi and shook his head inwardly. Jiang Xinchen, the favor you've enjoyed over the years has made you unable to see yourself clearly, nor can you see others clearly.

"Alas, it's all because I, the Empress, am useless."

"No, no, that's not what I meant." That was exactly what he meant.

"Your Highness, please don't be nervous. That's not what I meant."

The Empress looked at the sword at his waist and said, “Prince Yi, this sword of yours has been with you for many years, as long as your horse that was frightened to death by that little eunuch.”

Jiang Shi didn't know why the Empress mentioned the sword at her waist. He placed one hand on the hilt of the long sword and said, "It's all thanks to the Emperor's kindness. I carry this sword with me every day and have gotten used to never leaving it."

The Empress smiled but didn't say anything. She then said, "The tea is quite good today. Please have some tea."

A strange feeling rose in Jiang Shi's heart.

Suddenly, a loud "boom" came from outside Chengming Hall.

The sky grew even darker, and the light inside the Chengming Palace became even dimmer. The Empress ordered the palace servants to light the palace lanterns.

"This rain is good; the crops in the fields don't need to be watered."

Qu Yan said, "If the millet and wheat harvests are plentiful, the famine will be alleviated, and the people will suffer less. This is all thanks to the blessings of His Majesty and the Empress."

"This is a blessing for the Great Jin Dynasty."

The Empress and Qu Yan chatted about unrelated things, one after the other.

Jiang Shi felt increasingly that he had been out of his mind to come here today, grasping at straws in his desperation.

He got up to leave, but the Empress and Qu Yan started chatting non-stop, and he couldn't find a suitable opportunity.

Outside, a sudden gust of wind blew up, dispelling the sweltering heat, and the palace servants hurriedly closed the palace doors.

Jiang Shi heard the door of Chengming Hall creak shut.

For some reason, Jiang Shi's heart skipped a beat. He stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I think I should take my leave first. I am still under house arrest and should not have come to the palace today. As for the rumors, let His Majesty decide when he returns."

The Empress raised her eyelids and looked at Jiang Shi. "Since Prince Yi is here anyway, why don't you sit a little longer? It's about to pour, at least wait for it to stop." Her eyes held an ambiguous meaning: "Could it be... Prince Yi can't wait any longer..."

The empress's gaze sent chills down the spine of Prince Yi. He wondered what was wrong with him today, and he couldn't help but overthink things.

He hesitated for a moment before sitting back down in his chair.

Qi Gu looked up at the large raindrops falling from the sky. The men sent by the Righteous King to break her out of prison had all been executed.

The blood on the ground began to pool into small streams, and a chill spread from the soles of my feet throughout my body.

Atai said, "Princess, now that this matter is settled, please return to the palace. I will go to Chengming Hall to report back."

Qi Gu snapped out of her daze and said, "Okay."

Atai and his men left, leaving only one survivor bound, who seemed to be awakened by the rain falling on his face.

He struggled to his feet on the ground: "Princess, spare my life! The Prince of Yi has arranged for men outside the palace. I will take the princess there in the hope of redeeming myself."

Hongyan held an umbrella over Qigu and said, "Princess, we must not act rashly. Let's go back to the palace first."

Qi Gu looked towards Chengming Hall. It was too late. By now, the Empress Dowager and Sima Hong should have already confronted Prince Yi.

Qi Gu made a decisive decision: "Go find the First Prince and have him summon all the people he can to come with me outside the palace!"

Boom! Another clap of thunder sounded, and this time, a bolt of lightning struck from the horizon, illuminating the sky brightly before it quickly darkened again!

King Yi was terrified; the silence inside the palace contrasted eerily with the thunder and lightning outside.

Having experienced so many life-or-death battles, King Yi felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

"Prince Yi, you were ordered by the Emperor to reflect on your mistakes in your residence, but today you left the residence without authorization. Do you know your crime?" The Empress suddenly attacked from the darkness.

Prince Yi was surprised by the Empress's sudden attack. "Your Majesty, I was anxious because of the rumors going around, so I..." He looked at Qu Yan and said, "Brother Zi Lie can testify for me that I did not leave the manor without reason."

Suddenly, the hall was bathed in white light! A bolt of lightning illuminated the Queen's face, which was not beautiful, but exuded an air of absolute authority and coldness.

In that instant, the Prince of Yi saw the murderous intent in her eyes!

Just then, Sima Hong and Zhang Tian led their men and surrounded Chengming Hall from all sides.

They had him as their target; he was surrounded inside the Chengming Hall!

King Yi finally understood what had happened today, and he quickly drew the long sword from his waist.

"Your Majesty, what does this mean? Does it truly confirm the rumors circulating outside: 'When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are all gone, the bow is put away!'"

Sima Hong and Zhang Jun had already stepped in front of the Empress. The Empress sneered three times, "Prince Yi, you dare to say that!"

"Your Majesty the Empress wants to kill me? Aren't you afraid you won't be able to explain yourself when His Majesty returns?!"

"An explanation? I have no need to explain myself to anyone!"

Prince Yi was sweating profusely. Everything the Empress had done before was an act, and she... probably wouldn't let him off easily!

He looked at Sima Hong, "Sima Hong, it was you who instigated the Empress to kill me!"

Sima Hong glanced coldly at Prince Yi, "Prince Yi, you have committed many unjust acts, you should have known your fate long ago."

Prince Yi felt a chill run down his spine; they weren't even planning to wait for the Emperor to return!

Your Majesty, how dare you!

He looked at the Empress, Sima Hong, and Qu Yan. This was all a scheme of theirs to lure him into a trap!

"How dare you treat me like this! I am a prince of a different surname, personally appointed by His Majesty. I command the Southern Army and have rendered countless meritorious services to the Great Jin! Your Majesty, are you not afraid that in the future people will scorn you for killing meritorious officials? Are you not afraid that the soldiers of the Southern Army will mutini?"

King Yi then said to Qu Yan, "Qu Yan, you have aided and abetted the wicked. Aren't you afraid that one day my fate will be your fate too?"

The Empress stepped forward, with Zhang Jun standing guard beside her. The Empress stood there, her eyes filled with disdain. "No need to sow discord! Prince Yi, do you consider yourself a loyal subject?"

"Haha!" The Empress laughed mockingly twice, saying, "You secretly colluded with the Xiongnu, exchanging salt and grain for horses with them in your fiefdom. Did you really do it so discreetly that no one knew?"

Jiang Shi looked at the Empress in disbelief. How did she know?

Jiang Shi looked at Sima Hong beside him. No wonder Sima Hong wanted to implement state monopoly on salt and iron. So that's why!

"It's you, Sima Hong! No wonder you proposed the state monopoly of salt and iron to the Emperor, so that's why... so that's why..."

“Your Highness, you think you can get away with it? But I have already investigated every single detail thoroughly!”

"It seems that today, you intend for me to die!" Prince Yi appeared calm, but inwardly he was astonished. He hadn't expected that the Empress already knew about those matters. And what about the Emperor? Did he know as well?

Can he hold out until the emperor returns?

Like a trapped beast, the Righteous King roared, "Qu Zilie, I never imagined you were such a hypocrite!"

“Jiang Xinchen, you are blinded by desire, and you can’t see many things clearly.” Even under such tense circumstances, Qu Yan’s tone remained flat.

"Bullshit! I, Jiang Shi, have rendered outstanding service to His Majesty. Without me, there would be no Great Jin. What right do you few have to kill me!"

Jiang Shi flew into a rage, his eyes instantly turning bloodshot. "Hahaha!" He laughed loudly, "Do you really think I'm that stupid as to sit and wait to die! If my men outside the palace don't see me by 11 PM, they will storm Changyang Palace directly, and the Southern Army will avenge me. At that time, rivers of blood will flow. I certainly won't survive, and you won't get away with it either! Hahaha!"

The Empress roared, "Soldiers, the Prince of Yi has colluded with the Xiongnu to plot a rebellion! Kill this traitor and take his head! I will reward you handsomely!"

The Imperial Guards, brandishing their swords, spears, and halberds, charged toward the Righteous Prince!

How could the Righteous King await his execution? He raised his long sword and fought ten against one.

Zhang Jun inherited Zhang Tian's true teachings, and there was also the strangely shaped Sima Hong, whose swordsmanship was fast and ruthless!

He was no match for four hands, not to mention the endless stream of Imperial Guards all around him.

Outside Changxin Palace, Fuming looked into the tightly closed palace doors and heard chaotic fighting sounds coming from inside. The angry roars were from the Prince of Yi, and they were terrifying to hear.

Blood suddenly spurted onto the gate of Chengming Hall, the bright red blood like a red whip, lashing the gate fiercely.

Fuming shivered and turned away.

Inside the palace, Sima Hong and Zhang Jun's swords simultaneously pierced the chest of Prince Yi, pinning him against the gate of Changxin Palace.

The Prince's eyes bulged, and he could no longer hold the long sword in his hand. "Ouch!" A mouthful of blood flowed from his mouth. "Why..." But before he could get an answer, his head tilted to one side, and he was completely lifeless.

A legendary soldier has fallen.

The Empress looked at his corpse. If Prince Yi hadn't underestimated her and entered the palace so easily, the net she had laid for him might not have been able to trap him.

King Yi, you died because of your own arrogance and pride.

Upon seeing that Prince Yi was dead, Sima Hong turned to the Empress and said, "It is true that Prince Yi arranged for people to be outside the palace. Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to send people to suppress the situation and prevent it from escalating."

The Empress nodded. "Jun'er, you and Xiuyuan take my token and leave the palace immediately. You must stop the Prince of Yi's men."

She pointed to the corpse of the Prince of Yi, and said to the Imperial Guards beside her, "Cut off this man's head. If the Southern Army mutinies, we can use it to deter them!"

"Here you go!"

The door opened with a sound. At this moment, the rain had stopped and the sky was bright. The ground was clean from the rain. The palace servants, who had been prepared in advance, entered the hall and silently began to sweep.

[Author's Note]

The next chapter is one of my absolute favorites—Yuan Kuai's ending is here! Stay tuned!