Chapter 455: Only Shock, No Joy

Without Gao Zhaoyue's assistance, Xijin would lose its surprise attacking beast, and the battle between the two armies would return to a state of equilibrium.

But Ji Qingwu still wanted to add significant weight to Bei Li's position, to completely tip the scales of victory.

*

The Xijin Imperial Palace was unusually quiet.

The old emperor's death did not plunge the area into chaos.

Crown Prince Yuwen Tiancheng was not in a hurry to ascend the throne. Instead, he secretly plotted to take advantage of this opportunity to send troops to capture Beili in one fell swoop.

Tonight, a fierce wind is raging, whipping up clouds of yellow sand. The wind is blowing southeast, which is undoubtedly the perfect opportunity for Xijin to launch a surprise attack.

Inside the palace, only the hall where Yuwen Tiancheng was staying was dimly lit, as he had never liked places that were too bright.

Yuwen Tiancheng said to the maid standing by the door, "Go and call Lady Yue over."

The maidservant obeyed and left, returning a quarter of an hour later with a somewhat flustered expression. She said, "Your Highness, I could not find Lady Yue. She is not in the bedchamber."

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Tiancheng frowned slightly and then stood up.

"I'll go take a look."

He hurried through the palace corridors, searching everywhere in the palace, and finally found Gao Zhaoyue somewhere.

A faint candlelight shone through as Yuwen Tiancheng pushed open the door. Seeing her back, he breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Gao Zhaoyue stood quietly with her back to the palace door, her gaze fixed on the portraits covering the walls and the life-sized statues inside.

She asked calmly, "Tiancheng, when was the first portrait you made?"

Yuwen Tiancheng did not answer, but said, "You still found out. Are you surprised?"

Every person in the portrait is her, laughing, crying, or angry, all vividly portrayed. The statue captures her various emotions, as if to etch her soul here forever.

Gao Zhaoyue slowly turned around, her face still bearing traces of tears, her eyes bloodshot.

"There was only surprise, no joy."

Her tone carried a barely perceptible hint of despair and anger.

Yuwen Tiancheng's expression changed. He suppressed the fervor in his eyes and said, "You cried."

Gao Zhaoyue suddenly pressed on, asking, "Why was Tianxin abandoned? Did you send someone to do it?"

Yuwen Tiancheng was silent for a moment, then said, "Why would you ask that?"

His evasiveness did not deter Gao Zhaoyue from pressing for answers.

She had noticed something fishy when she first stared at the portraits.

A beautiful woman dressed as a palace concubine held a small baby in her arms, but her eyes were filled with hatred.

When the woman crouched down to play with the little boy with gray-blue eyes, her expression was filled with jealousy and resentment.

These portraits, though depicting her, seem not to be of her.

Instead, it conveys the artist's emotions through her eyes.

Gao Zhaoyue said coldly, "Actually, you were partly responsible for Tianqing's death." Yuwen Tiancheng was even more hateful than Bei Li. She gritted her teeth, but still couldn't stop trembling.

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Tiancheng's expression changed slightly, but he still tried his best to remain calm.

Why would you say that? Did someone tell you something?

She gritted her teeth and asked, "Bei Li sent a message to Xi Jin, but you held it back and refused to save Tian Qing, didn't you?!" Her eyes were filled with anger and despair.

Yuwen Tiancheng said, enunciating each word clearly, "My fourth brother is no longer alive. Whether I intervened or not, he will not come back. You need to calm down and think about the person who told you this news. What is their intention?"

He approached her and said, "He wants to see our relationship break down so he can reap the benefits and achieve his goals."

Gao Zhaoyue said, "Tell me, did you do it or not!"

Yuwen Tiancheng said ambiguously, "Whether I did it or not is no longer important. Even if I said I didn't do it, you wouldn't believe me, because you're already doubting me."

He touched her face and wiped away her wet tears.

"But no matter what, Tianqing died in Beili. Now all we need to do is deliver a fatal blow to Beili to avenge our fourth brother."

Gao Zhaoyue whispered, "Revenge, huh...?"

Yuwen Tiancheng said, "Yes, tonight our Xijin army will sweep across the northern border. With the heavens on our side and your beast horde assisting us, there will definitely be no problem."

Gao Zhaoyue looked at him.

"dream."

Yuwen Tiancheng's expression instantly cracked.

Because Gao Zhaoyue's lips did not move, it was someone else speaking.

Although his voice was hoarse, it was a familiar tone to him.

Yuwen Tiancheng twisted his stiff neck and saw those gray-blue eyes staring intently at him.

That was Yuwen Tianqing; he was still alive...

Yuwen Tianqing said, "Take your filthy hands off and stay away from my mother."

Yuwen Tiancheng didn't move, but Yuwen Tianqing threw a punch.

Because he had been shot by Ji Qingwu in the Northern Li Imperial Prison and was seriously injured, and had been recuperating in a dark room, his body was thin and had not recovered, and his strength was insufficient, so Yuwen Tiancheng easily dodged the arrow.

Yuwen Tiancheng looked at him standing next to Gao Zhaoyue and said sarcastically, "Fourth brother, you shouldn't have come back."

A blood-red light flashed in Yuwen Tianqing's grey-blue eyes as he said, "If I don't come back, how will I know that my good brother not only wants me dead, but also wants to..."

He glanced at Gao Zhaoyue, his fists clenched tightly.

Gao Zhaoyue said with concern, "Tianqing, your injuries haven't fully healed yet, don't get angry."

Yuwen Tianqing took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

"Let's go!"

"You can't go anywhere."

Gao Zhaoyue heard Yuwen Tiancheng's indifferent voice behind her ear.

“I never expected that my fourth brother would actually come back alive. You are really lucky. Even the Emperor of Beili was willing to let you go. You almost took his life.”

Yuwen Tianqing turned his head, finding it hard to reconcile Yuwen Tiancheng's current strange and eccentric appearance with the gentle and caring older brother he remembered.

After Gao Zhaoyue was given a death sentence, Yuwen Tianqing, although a prince, was disliked because of his disgraced maternal family. It was Yuwen Tiancheng who repeatedly helped him.

After Yuwen Shuo fell, the Crown Prince took over the reins of government and held power. For the sake of Xijin and to solidify Yuwen Tiancheng's position, Yuwen Tianqing was willing to risk his life.

But I never expected that this good brother would be so cruel.

Yuwen Tianqing glared fiercely at the other party and said, "Stop talking nonsense. Next time we meet, I'll take your life too!"

Yuwen Tiancheng sneered and waved his hand, and eight guards stopped them.

"I told you, none of you can leave."

At this moment, a palace attendant rushed forward: "Your Highness, something terrible has happened!"

Yuwen Tiancheng asked, "What's the matter that you're in such a hurry?"

The eunuch gasped, "Your Highness, the Northern Li have launched a night attack!"

How could this be?

Yuwen Tiancheng was suspicious. He rushed out of the palace, glanced at the sky, and was immediately filled with an ominous premonition.

He commanded, "Keep a close watch on them. If they disappear, bring me your heads!"

After saying that, Yuwen Tiancheng hurriedly left.