Chapter 22 The Empress is too ruthless; I dare not provoke her.

Although Ao Bai was in excruciating pain and panicked, his hearing was still intact.

Upon hearing Kangxi's shout and an unfamiliar female voice, he paused slightly.

"Wh...what Nan Nan?"

Jiang Nan ignored them and shouted at the young guards around him who were still trying to lasso Ao Bai with ropes.

"Get out of my way, all of you!"

The young guards immediately understood what was going on when they saw the basin in her hand.

They were instantly terrified and scrambled away in all directions, wishing they could get as far away as possible.

Jiang Nan calculated the distance accurately, stood still, and exerted force with both arms.

They poured the large basin of concentrated sulfuric acid over Ao Bai's head as he struggled on the ground.

After splashing the water, she immediately threw down the copper basin, turned around, and darted behind Kangxi like a rabbit to hide, all in one swift motion.

"Sizzle—sizzle—"

Concentrated sulfuric acid was splashed on Ao Bai's body and face, instantly producing a corrosive sound that made your teeth ache.

A pungent plume of white smoke rose up.

"Awoooooo!"

Ao Bai let out a terrifying scream that was a hundred times more shrill than when he was splashed with lime and kicked in the groin, a scream that was completely inhuman.

He felt as if his skin and flesh were being burned and melted by a hot iron.

The indescribable pain instantly overwhelmed all his reason.

He frantically tried to scratch his face with both hands, but the pain was excruciating whenever he touched the corroded flesh.

He could only roll, convulse, and howl on the ground like a wild beast driven mad by torture.

The scene was horrific.

His chilling screams echoed throughout the entire Wuying Hall.

Kangxi looked at Ao Bai's hellish state and smelled the terrible smell of burning flesh in the air.

Even though he hated Ao Bai to the core, he couldn't help but feel a chill and a trace of sympathy at this moment.

He subconsciously glanced at Jiang Nan, who was hiding behind him, only peeking out half her head.

The ancients were right... the most poisonous heart is that of a woman.

This is...this is too ruthless.

He couldn't help but shiver and secretly made a vow.

I must never offend this girl again. If she were to do something to me... ugh... I don't even want to think about it.

We have to treat her better, even better!

The guards and eunuchs around Jiang Nan looked at her with unprecedented awe and fear…

This Consort Jiang is practically a living Yama.

——————

Feeling a little embarrassed by everyone's stares, Jiang Nan touched her nose and whispered to Kangxi.

"Your Majesty, I'm just doing this to be on the safe side... You see, he's definitely completely incapacitated now, he's in so much pain he's about to die... Why don't you give him and his two guards a quick death?"

She pointed to Ao Bai's guard, who had also been affected by the sulfuric acid and was writhing and howling in pain on the ground.

Kangxi snapped out of his shock, took a deep breath, and suppressed his discomfort.

His gaze returned to its cold, resolute intensity, and he no longer hesitated.

He waved his hand, his voice devoid of any emotion.

“Kill him.”

The guards, who had already prepared crossbows, immediately stepped forward.

Aiming at the throats of Ao Bai and his two guards who were writhing in agony on the ground, he pulled the trigger.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

After a few soft whistles of crossbow bolts piercing the air, the chilling screams abruptly ceased.

Ao Bai's massive body convulsed violently a few times before finally coming to a complete stop.

His face was disfigured beyond recognition by lime and sulfuric acid.

His eyes were wide open, as if he could not believe until his death that he would die in such a humiliating and tragic way at the hands of a little emperor he had never taken seriously.

The Wuying Hall fell silent instantly.

All that remained was the strong smell of blood and the pungent odor of burning flesh, which mingled together and filled the air.

It recounts the brief but extremely cruel massacre that just took place.

The powerful and arrogant Ao Bai met his end.

Emperor Kangxi stood there, silently gazing at Ao Bai's corpse, remaining silent for a long time.

A tremendous sense of accomplishment and a complex mix of emotions he couldn't quite put into words intertwined within him.

Jiang Nan slowly walked out from behind Kangxi, looked at the scene inside the hall, and gently exhaled.

————————

Emperor Kangxi stood in the hall, his chest rising and falling slightly.

His gaze slowly swept over Ao Bai's corpse, finally settling on the sunlight streaming into the hall.

The light seemed brighter than ever before, shining on his young face, which already possessed the majesty of an emperor.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions within him, and raised his voice, regaining the composure and coldness of an emperor.

"Liang Jiugong!"

Liang Jiugong, who had been waiting outside the palace gate with a mixture of fear and excitement, immediately pushed open the gate upon hearing the sound.

He strode in, not daring to look at the horrific scene on the ground, and bowed deeply.

"Your servant is here."

Kangxi's voice was clear and powerful, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness, echoing in the empty hall.

"Issue my decree!"

"Yes, sir!"

Liang Jiugong held his breath and concentrated.

"The regent, Grand Tutor Guarjia Oboi, is arrogant and disrespectful to the emperor, relying on his merits. Today, he dared to hold a weapon in front of the emperor in the Wuying Hall, intending to assassinate me and usurp the throne. His crime deserves to be punished!"

Kangxi's voice was icy, each word like a heavy hammer striking ice.

"Fortunately, my guards were loyal and brave, and killed him on the spot. The traitor Ao Bai was guilty of heinous crimes. Even if he dies, he cannot atone for his sins. His body was dragged to the outside of the Xihua Gate of the Forbidden City and hung on a pole to be exposed to the sun for three days as a warning to others. Let all the civil and military officials and the people of the country see the consequences of treason."

"Furthermore, the Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, together with the Nine Ministers, shall immediately conduct a thorough investigation and arrest of all of Ao Bai's associates in the capital and the provinces. Anyone implicated shall be severely punished without exception."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Your Majesty, Your Majesty. I will go and inform Your Majesty immediately."

Liang Jiugong's voice trembled slightly with excitement.

He knew that from this moment on, the world was truly about to change.

The Emperor intends to use Ao Bai's death as an opportunity to thoroughly purge the court and reclaim the power that has long been out of his control.

He bowed and quickly retreated, his steps more steady and powerful than when he arrived.

The hall fell silent once more.

Kangxi slowly turned around, his gaze falling on Jiang Nan.

The sternness on his face gradually faded, replaced by an irrepressible excitement and an almost dependent sense of closeness.

He desperately needed someone to share this thrilling victory with.

The woman before us is not only the sole witness, but also an indispensable participant.

He walked up to Jiang Nan, his eyes shining brightly, his tone carrying an invitation that brooked no refusal.

"Nannan, come with me to the Imperial Study."

Jiang Nan was taken aback.

"The Imperial Study?"

That was the core area where the emperor handled state affairs, and concubines in the harem were strictly forbidden from entering.

Without saying a word, Kangxi grabbed her wrist, his tone excited.

"Yes, Imperial Study. I will immediately begin reviewing memorials, thoroughly purge the remaining followers of Ao Bai, and reclaim military and political power one by one. I want you to watch from the sidelines as I make decisive decisions and truly take control of the Qing Dynasty."

His excitement infected Jiang Nan, and she couldn't help but laugh too, but she still had a slight concern.

"Your Majesty, is this... in accordance with the rules? The Imperial Study is a very important place. What if those old ministers find out about this and accuse me of interfering in politics and disrupting the court? Will they call me... a wicked concubine who brings disaster to the country?"

As she finished speaking, she couldn't help but add a touch of self-deprecation.

Upon hearing this, Kangxi burst into loud laughter, his laughter filled with unprecedented confidence and arrogance.

"Hahahaha, a vixen? A scourge of the country? I think they're tired of living. I want to see who dares to interfere with my decisions or speak ill of those around me now that Ao Bai is gone."

He gripped Jiang Nan's hand tightly, gazing intently at her.

"You deserve the greatest credit for today's achievement. If it weren't for your ingenious schemes, I don't know how much longer I would have had to endure. I want you to watch from the sidelines. I want everyone to know that you are different from others in my eyes. Who dares to say anything?"

Jiang Nan was amused by his domineering yet childish declaration, and her worries vanished.

A femme fatale is a femme fatale, a source of trouble is a source of trouble.

To be remembered in history, whether it's a good name or a bad name, as long as your name is left behind, that's enough.

She even began to look forward to it with a touch of wicked humor.

"good!"

She readily agreed.

"Then I will accompany Your Majesty to the Imperial Study to see how Your Majesty will display your talents and restore the country."

Emperor Kangxi was in a very good mood and took her hand as they walked outside.