Chapter 41
Unexpectedly, just two days later, a picture book appeared in the city, which described all the details of Huang Ziyan Heng being raped.
Although it was made of the most ordinary paper and ink, the drawings were incredibly lifelike. The brushstrokes conveyed the spirit, and the forms expressed the heart, fully depicting the grievances suffered by the people in the pictures and their misdeeds.
"Phoenix, Yun Song refuses to have your face painted on it. Isn't this yet another way of hurting you?"
"If we don't make this matter known to the whole city, how can we change things?"
Inside the palace, the Empress was furious.
"Guards, burn all the picture books in this city! Not a single one is left!"
Ignoring everyone's attempts to stop him, Yan Heng stumbled and ran towards Huang Shang.
"Mother, you must stand up for Heng'er!"
Huang Shang quickly came to Yan Heng's side.
"Heng'er, don't worry, Mother will definitely find out who's behind this."
Yan Heng suddenly shook off Huang Shang's hand, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably. He spoke with heart-wrenching grief and indignation, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, his voice heavy with sobs.
"I already know why Mother favors my eldest sister. Only Mother and my eldest sister used that incense. Mother doesn't love me anymore, which is why I have to suffer such injustice!"
Tears blurred her vision, but the hatred and grievance in her eyes grew even stronger.
Regardless of the current situation, the Empress had no choice but to appease Yan Heng's emotions. With a wave of her hand, she summoned the guards to lock the eldest princess in a side courtyard.
"Heng'er, Mother will investigate whether this matter is related to her. Let's go and recover first, shall we?"
Yan Heng seemed to have received a satisfactory answer and nodded with a slight sense of grievance.
In an effort to appease the public, Huang Shang announced that two spies sent by an enemy nation had infiltrated the city, spreading rumors and attempting to incite panic. They have been arrested and imprisoned, and will be executed in the autumn.
Yan Lu came to the palace to visit Yan Heng.
"Sister, what do we do now? The Empress has only confined Sister Yuan, and Su Wanxing and Nineteen are going to be executed in the autumn."
I'll see them off.
"No, sister, they are both good people. Can't you think of a way to save them?"
"How can you or I change the Phoenix's decision?"
Is this the only way?
Yan Lu left him with only silence.
At night, Lin Ce secretly went to the princess's room.
"Princess, what should we do now? It seems Her Majesty is still giving the eldest princess a chance to turn things around."
"yes"
"Princess, you don't seem to be in any hurry at all."
"What can I do if I'm anxious? It's just that the thought of not seeing my sister for a year makes me really miss her."
Lin Ce instantly understood the princess's meaning, but he couldn't believe it for a moment. He stiffly knelt down on one knee, and after a while, the shock in his eyes gradually faded and eventually disappeared.
That was the first time Lin Ce realized that no matter what she did, he was actually willing to compromise.
Lin Ce is willing to clear all obstacles for the princess.
Yan Lu lowered her eyes slightly, staring blankly.
Say it again.
He kept his head down, so he couldn't see the strange emotion that flickered in her eyes.
She looked up, unable to see the single tear of unwavering devotion that fell from his eyes.
"Over the past few years, Lin Ce has known that no matter what, he could never stand under the same sun as the princess. Sometimes I've even doubted whether it was really worth it. But as soon as the princess's face appears in my mind, I know that nothing is more meaningful than this moment. The princess is a pure and flawless jade, and all the rights and wrongs should be borne by me alone."
This was the only moment when she didn't know how to respond.
My right hand trembled slightly; I wanted to touch it but dared not.
The raised hand was instantly lowered and hidden behind the back.
Lin Ce composed himself and stood up.
Yan Lu looked at the person in front of her, going from knowing him to feeling like a stranger.
He was so unfamiliar that words could not describe him.
"Princess, take care."
Yan Lu finally stopped him from leaving and slowly buried her head in his chest.
Lin Ce dared not make any unnecessary movements.
He left resolutely.
Lin Ce evaded the guards and arrived at the side hall, knocked the guards unconscious, and pushed open the door to enter.
"Who are you!"
Without saying a word, Lin Ce grabbed Yan Yuan's hand and walked out.
"Let me go!"
Seeing that she was struggling, Lin Ce simply picked up Yan Yuan and, because of his status, easily bypassed the patrolling guards, leading the princess away.
They only put the princess down when they were almost out of the Phoenix Palace.
Where are you taking me?!
"Now that you're out, there's no going back."
"you!"
Yan Yuan realized the man's scheme and frantically ran backwards, but the princess was no match for the physical prowess of the Imperial Guards and was quickly captured.
"You belong to Yan Lu!"
"No, I belong to the princess."
The commotion quickly alerted the other patrolling guards, who surrounded the two.
Lin Ce shielded the princess behind him.
"Princess, it's my fault. I wanted to elope with you, but now that we've been discovered, I have no choice but to fight to the death."
As the sword was drawn, it flashed with a cold light, the sound of it cutting through the air sharp as tearing silk. Dozens of guards surrounded him in a fan shape, their swords flashing and shadows forming a dense net that pressed down on him. Instead of retreating, he advanced, his figure spinning like lightning. He slashed down with his longsword, sweat dripping from his chin, but his breathing was as steady as a rock. Every swing of his sword was precise and clean. Amidst the flurry of sword strokes, two bloody streaks appeared at the same time, and several corpses lay scattered. He stood in the pool of blood, his clothes stained with blood, his posture upright, and the cold glint in his eyes had not faded.
As more and more Imperial Guards surrounded him, Lin Ce knew that his time was coming to an end.
Indeed, the red sun broke through the clouds, and its faint light pierced through the thin mist.
She stood by the railing, her dark sleeves fluttering gently in the morning breeze.
He knew she had arrived with just a glance from afar.
This was the first time she had ever worn clothes of the same color as herself.
He smiled.
He then charged desperately towards the Imperial Guards, dozens of cold blades whistling through the air and instantly piercing through their armor.
The sudden, excruciating pain of his flesh being ripped open caused warm blood to gush out from the sword groove, forming a dark red stream at his feet.
As his last wisp of consciousness faded, he looked at the blurry figure and slowly closed his eyes.
"Princess……"
The princess was still in shock when she looked up and saw her hurrying away.
She knew she had lost.
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