Blood Blade
Zhao Youyi and Chu Chanyin stayed in Yunzhou for one day before leading their army toward Yujing Prefecture.
With the enemy at the city gates, the general on the city gates looked at the spirited young woman on the white horse. His family and the Zhao family had once helped each other, but after Zhao Youli's death, he turned a blind eye to the dying Zhao family. Those feelings had probably been severed at that moment.
Zhao Youyi naturally knew the people on the city wall, but he never expected that they would risk their lives for the emperor.
“Brother Bai,” Zhao Youyi said loudly, “we are both from military families, and we should understand what it means to be cooked after the rabbit is caught. If you serve the emperor today, he can kill your whole family in a fit of anger tomorrow. Brother Bai, you should think carefully.”
Zhao Youyi said this on purpose, because no one wants to draw their sword against their own countrymen on the battlefield. If a peaceful resolution can be achieved, that would naturally be the best outcome.
General Bai seemed not to hear her, staring at her without uttering a word. His parents, wife, and children were all in the hands of that scoundrel emperor; how could he possibly escape? He had no choice but to serve that scoundrel emperor.
Seeing that he remained unmoved, Zhao Youyi waved his hand, signaling the army to attack.
The massive army headed straight for the gates of Yujing Prefecture. The imperial army, whose morale had already collapsed, was no match for the Zhao and Chu armies, which had already captured many cities.
General Bai was brought up by the soldiers, who had bound him hand and foot, to show their loyalty. Zhao Youyi looked at the wooden-faced General Bai and then turned his gaze to Chu Chanyin. This kind of verbal sparring was something he was best at.
Chu Chan nodded knowingly, then grabbed General Bai by the back of his collar and carried him to a corner like a sack of potatoes.
Zhao Youyi was quite surprised to see this scene. Chu Chanyin was actually so strong that he could lift General Bai, who was a big guy, with one hand. He used to act so weak and innocent in front of her. He really is a little fox spirit, and a tea bitch at that.
"General Bai, why are you doing this? The world is about to change hands. You should choose a better place to settle down," Chu Chanyin said earnestly, tossing the man into a corner.
With Awan's ascension to the throne imminent, General Bai is a capable man. If he can be won over, it will be of great help to Awan in the future.
“Back then, Brother Nianling was poisoned by the emperor because of his outstanding achievements. Now you are working for the emperor. Even if the Jin Dynasty is saved, your future will be no different from Brother Nianling’s,” Chu Chanyin said.
“It seems His Majesty did not make a mistake in killing him,” General Bai chuckled, raising his eyes to glare at him. “The Zhao family are nothing but traitors, plotting to usurp the throne. Look, isn’t that Zhao woman preparing to storm the capital?”
“The emperor is incompetent and tyrannical, and there should be a virtuous ruler to replace him. My wife is such a person,” Chu Chanyin said with a smile.
"Your Highness, the Prince of Chu, was once a prince renowned for his virtue and wisdom. Now, for the sake of a woman, you are willing to hand over the kingdom that was within your grasp?" General Bai thought he was extremely hypocritical and mocked him mercilessly.
"The empire? The world? What use are they to me?" Chu Chanyin looked at him with a smile. "Moreover, my wife has the talent of an emperor that is rare in a hundred years. I should help her ascend to the high position."
"Aren't you afraid that one day when you go to the underworld, your Chu ancestors will come after you for what you've done?" General Bai was surprised that he really didn't covet power, and that he spoke these words so calmly.
"Then let them settle the score. As long as I have a clear conscience, that's enough." Chu Chanyin had been arguing with him for so long, but seeing that he was unmoved, she simply turned and left.
Zhao Youyi looked at Chu Chanyin, who had returned empty-handed, and smiled reassuringly at him: "It's alright, if he doesn't want to, then so be it."
Chu Chanyin whispered, "He probably has something on the dog emperor's hands."
Zhao Youyi raised an eyebrow with interest: "Then we'll deal with him after we capture Shenjing. For now, let's lock him up."
"Next, we will attack Shenjing and enter the palace."
In the Imperial Palace of Shenjing, the palace servants were in a state of chaos, hurriedly packing up gold and silver jewelry. Consort Wen watched this scene with a cold eye. After a long while, a smile appeared on her lips. She turned around and went to the small kitchen to make a bowl of lotus seed soup, which was the emperor's favorite.
She brought the lotus seed soup to the Hall of Diligent Governance. The emperor was sitting dejectedly on the floor. When he saw her, he looked up in disbelief and said, "Wen'er, why are you here? Didn't I arrange for someone to send you away?"
Consort Wen was served lotus seed soup, but she did not answer his question. "Your Majesty, please drink it."
The emperor looked at the steaming bowl of lotus seed soup and his eyes filled with tears. He was about to become the ruler of a fallen kingdom, but Wen'er still stayed by his side. The concubines in the palace who had families were taken away by their families to escape for their lives, and those who did not have families packed their bags and fled the palace. He never expected that Wen'er would make him one last bowl of lotus seed soup.
The emperor drank the bowl of lotus seed soup in one gulp, smiling like a dog trying to please its master: "Wen'er, I've finished it."
Consort Wen gave a soft "hmm" and looked down at him.
The emperor stood up, wanting to take her hand, but found the distance between them so great. "Wen'er, if there is a next life, I really want to meet you sooner, so we can be an ordinary couple. What do you say?"
Consort Wen looked at him expressionlessly, and slowly uttered two words like a viper flicking its tongue: "Not good."
The emperor stared at her in disbelief. When their eyes met, he realized that there was no love in her eyes, only cold indifference.
"Wen'er, why?" the emperor asked instinctively.
Consort Wen slowly spoke: "I am not Wen'er, my name is Liang Jingyun, and my father is Liang Cai, a minor official you ordered to commit suicide many years ago. You probably don't even remember his name, after all, you have killed countless officials in the years since you came to power."
The emperor stared at her with wide eyes, then immediately turned his gaze to the bowl.
There's something wrong with that bowl of lotus seed soup!
As if knowing what he was thinking, Liang Jingyun chuckled and said, "Don't worry, it's not a poison that will kill you immediately. Someone else should take your life."
"Who are you? What is your purpose?" The emperor took a few steps back and shouted for protection, but no one came.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, all the people here have been replaced by the Princess's people," Liang Jingyun said with a smile.
"Me... I am just the daughter of a disgraced official. My purpose... is naturally to avenge all 310 members of my Liang family and to clear my husband's name." Liang Jingyun's smile slowly widened as she watched him in his disheveled state without blinking.
"Who is your husband?" the emperor asked.
Liang Jingyun did not answer him and turned to leave.
The emperor coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground, watching helplessly as her figure walked further and further away until it disappeared from sight.
His vision went dark, and he could no longer see.
Seven days later, the army stormed into the capital with unstoppable momentum. The people lined the streets to welcome them, and Zhao Youyi and Chu Chanyin's group headed straight for the palace.
Zhao Youyi searched everywhere for the emperor's figure, the blood-stained blade clutched in her hand.
"Are you looking for the dog emperor?" A female voice interrupted her thoughts.
Zhao Youyi saw an extremely cold and beautiful woman, with a cold and aloof expression, like frost and snow that never melts.
"Who are you?" Zhao Youyi looked at her warily.
“I am Princess Yulang’s person,” Liang Jingyun explained.
So this was the emperor's most beloved concubine.
Liang Jingyun locked the emperor in a dark, secret room where the squeaking of rats could be heard.
Chu Chanyin took Zhao Youyi's hand. Because Zhao Youyi had been locked in a secret room when she was a child, she was somewhat afraid of this scene.
By the candlelight, Zhao Youyi saw the emperor, who had been tortured to the point of being emaciated and living a life worse than death.
“You poisoned him,” Zhao Youyi said decisively.
“Yes,” Liang Jingyun gave a strange smile, “we can’t let him have it too easy, can we?”
Zhao Youyi didn't speak, but looked at the emperor's hand. Seeing that it could still move, he breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that he wasn't tortured to death. He even had to write an edict of self-reproach."
"For Zhao Nianling?" Liang Jingyun looked at her.
"How do you know my brother's courtesy name?" Zhao Youyi asked, somewhat surprised.
Generally, only family members or very close relatives can change the characters for "male" or "female".
...
“It’s not important,” Liang Jingyun said.
This was clearly not the time to pursue this issue, so Zhao Youyi had no choice but to ignore it.
Chu Chanyin grabbed the emperor and pulled him to the desk outside, saying, "Write down all your crimes."
The emperor tried to struggle and resist, but he was no match for Chu Chanyin's strength.
Seeing the two women eyeing him covetously, he could only grit his teeth and pick up his brush to write.
“Write down all the crimes you’ve committed over the past ten years, and then hand them over to me,” Zhao Youyi said, enunciating each word clearly.
The emperor raised his head hesitantly: "You, a woman, actually want to ascend the throne?"
Zhao Youyi ignored him, but Chu Chanyin kicked his leg: "Just write what I tell you to write, stop talking so much nonsense."
The emperor stared in disbelief at the King of Chu behind him. He had once been the most powerful contender for the throne, but now he could only watch as a woman ascended to the throne.
"King of Chu, are you really willing to let her ascend the throne?" the emperor asked viciously, trying to sow discord.
"Is there a problem with me helping my wife ascend the throne?" Chu Chanyin replied without changing his expression.
Liang Jingyun glanced at the two of them in surprise, then quickly composed himself.
The emperor gave her a deep look, only to be kicked by Chu Chanyin again.
"Behave yourself and don't look around," Chu Chanyin said.
Under the watchful eyes of the three men, he obediently finished writing his self-reproach edict.
From the officials he killed indiscriminately during his years on the throne, to his abduction of women and extravagant construction projects, and finally to his poisoning of meritorious officials and his incompetence and tyranny.
Seeing that he was no longer of any use, Zhao Youyi decisively pulled him in front of her, chopped off his hands with a knife, and then gouged out his eyes. Blood splattered on her face, and Zhao Youyi instinctively closed her eyes, then increased the force of her knife.
Brother, I have avenged you.
The emperor was carelessly tossed to the ground, his empty eye sockets instinctively glancing at her, then he looked resentfully in Liang Jingyun's direction: "Wen'er, have you ever been even slightly sincere with me?"
Liang Jingyun forced a smile, but his words were icy cold: "Never, every moment I've spent with you has made me feel utterly disgusted."
Chu Chanyin walked to Zhao Youyi's side, took out a clean handkerchief and wiped the blood off her face: "Why let this person dirty your hands?"
“Brother Huai Cong, I want to go see my brother,” Zhao Youyi said.
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