Chapter 229: Unbearable (1)
Dingjing City's rare snowstorm, a rare sight in decades, abruptly ended the next morning. The snow was so thick it reached knee-deep, and in such freezing weather, even the most diligent vendors preferred to stay indoors on the warm kang rather than brave the cold wind and set out to sell their wares.
The night watchman, however, had missed his hour, and hurried off with his gong. The sun had not yet risen, and the sky was still dark, so he tightened his ragged jacket and trudged through the snow, taking slow, steady steps. He passed the gate of Prince Yu's mansion.
The gate to Prince Yu's mansion stood ajar, its "happiness" character only half remaining. The night watchman, seeing no guards, began to wonder. The people at Prince Yu's mansion were known to be extremely menacing, and the night watchman had often been berated by the guards. Yet, he hadn't seen any today, and for a moment, he felt a sense of wonder. Then, upon seeing the remaining half of the "happiness" character, he suddenly understood. Yesterday was the day Prince Yu's mansion welcomed the princess, and presumably the guards had been treated to a feast and wine feast, drunken and intoxicated, hence the absence of anyone.
Thinking of the girl who would marry into the palace and face an uncertain future, the night watchman shook his head and was about to pass by the gate of Prince Yu's palace. A cold breeze blew by, making the heavy door creak, and the black gap seemed to widen a little. The night watchman could not help but be stunned. The door creaked slightly, and for some reason, a strange feeling suddenly surged in the night watchman's heart. He didn't know where this feeling came from, so he stood upright at the door for a long time, until vendors who came to set up their stalls saw him and greeted him, "Li Laosi, what are you doing standing at the door?"
The night watchman's heart leaped, and he suddenly understood the reason for that strange feeling. It was broad daylight, and even if there had been a frenzy yesterday, how could there be no sound at all in the mansion? Even if everyone was drunk and asleep, there would still be dogs and pet birds, but there was nothing. It was completely dead, like a grave.
His hands trembled slightly, and he couldn't help but take two steps forward. As soon as he reached the dark crack in the door, a strong fishy smell hit him in the face, almost making him stumble. The old night watchman pushed the door, but it wouldn't open. Looking down, he saw a square piece of ice stuck in the dark crack.
It was probably because of the snow from last night's wind and rain that it accumulated into blocks and got stuck at the door.
The night watchman widened his eyes, took two steps back, and suddenly let out a scream, attracting people on both sides of the street to look at him.
In the first rays of morning light, the crystal-clear ice and snow appeared exceptionally clear. Thick blood solidified into a thick clot, snaking out a glacial river through the crack of the door, only to abruptly stop just as it was about to burst through the gate. It was as if someone, pursued to the brink of death, struggled for survival, only to be cut off by a door.
Like flowing blood.
…
On the day of the princess's wedding, the entire Yu prince's mansion in Dingjing was massacred. From servants and concubines to cats, dogs, chickens, and ducks, not a single one was spared. The perpetrators, seemingly harboring a deep-seated vendetta against the Yu prince's mansion, slaughtered them all. Their actions were clean and efficient, with each one slain with a single blow. The gold, silver, and jewels in the house were all found, clearly not for wealth.
Prince Yu was presumably a cruel and vicious man, guilty of countless crimes, and had made many enemies. Who knew who was responsible? However, the perpetrator was incredibly bold. To challenge Prince Yu's palace was to challenge the entire Mingqi clan. Everyone knew that Emperor Wenhui valued Prince Yu above all else. For so many years, Prince Yu had been able to reign in the capital with impunity, even the princes were wary of him, simply because he had Emperor Wenhui's backing.
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