Chapter 172
The lifeless bodies fell, turning into cold, lifeless corpses.
Cai Hui was still fiddling with his Buddhist prayer beads.
A coachman and a servant stood on either side of the old man, protecting him.
Pei Lingjun pointed his long sword, his face icy cold, seemingly incredulous yet somewhat mocking, "Someone as ruthless and cruel as you, who disregards the lives of others, frames court officials, and colludes with the harem to seize power, actually has people willing to risk their lives for you?"
Cai Hui's gaze was deep and fearful. He seemed oblivious to the bloodshed in the courtyard. His brocade robes were spotless, and he kept turning his prayer beads, even appearing somewhat compassionate. Yet, the words he uttered were utterly shocking.
“It’s true what they say, if you don’t cut the weeds at the root, they’ll grow back in the spring breeze…” His hand tightened around the smooth prayer beads, and he lowered his eyes. “If I had known this would happen, I should have killed you back then, so I wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.”
"Unfortunately, it's too late." The young man's eyes were cruel.
Several shadow guards silently approached Cai Hui's two companions. The two were too busy fighting the shadow guards to spare any attention to protect Cai Hui.
"You should have thought of this outcome when you plotted to kill my father and brothers." The young man's gaze slid over the old man's face inch by inch, as if searching for the expression he had when he was still in his prime many years ago.
Cai Hui's eyes flashed with a fierce light as he said viciously, "Pei Yan is an incorrigible man. If your father had been willing to be used by the Cai family, he wouldn't have ended up with his head separated from his body!"
Pei Lingjun was slightly distracted. At that moment, almost at the critical juncture, a dagger flashed by. Cai Hui pulled the dagger from his sleeve and aimed it straight at Pei Lingjun's chest.
"In that case, you shall come with me!"
With a 'clang'.
The sound of sharp blades was crisp and pleasant. The young man's movements were so fast that they were invisible. The silver sword in his hand left afterimages, and only a few cries of pain could be heard.
Blood dripped down, drop by drop.
Cai Hui collapsed to his knees, his tendons and veins severed, blood flowing continuously from the gashes in his limbs.
His face was ashen.
After dealing with the two remaining people, the shadow guards waited silently in the courtyard.
Pei Lingjun squatted down, looked at Cai Hui whose face was ashen, and spoke to him in an almost calm voice, "Do you know how I've survived all these years?"
"The hatred for my father and brothers weighs heavily on my heart, and I dare not forget it for a moment."
"Don't worry, after you leave, I will definitely send the Empress Dowager down with you. You should all kneel before my father and brothers and repent every day!"
Upon hearing the words "Empress Dowager," Cai Hui's ashen face finally showed a slight change.
His eyes trembled violently, and the more he struggled, the faster the blood flowed.
Before the time it takes to drink a cup of tea is up, he bled to death, his body stiffened, and he died.
Pei Lingjun used his silver sword to pick up the fallen Buddhist prayer beads, and sneered, "If one hadn't committed murder and feared the vengeful spirits of the dead, why would one need to wear them every day? It's like burying one's head in the sand."
The young man pulled his blood-stained cloak tighter and burned paper money in front of Cai Hui's body to comfort his relatives in heaven and to resolve their long-standing grudges.
"Father, elder brother, please wait a little longer. I will personally escort the Empress Dowager to see you."
The snow fell silently, and the cold ash in the copper basin was blown everywhere by the cold wind, landing on the already desiccated corpse, creating an eerie atmosphere.
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