Chapter 226: Hidden in the Stool, First Encounter of True Heart
The Gu man who was pinching Shang Yuwan's neck loosened his grip, and Shang Yuwan fell straight down.
But she didn't even have time to cough and hurried to catch the fallen Emperor Chengming.
"You can't die yet, hold on!"
Shang Yuwan pulled Emperor Chengming's arm, trying to pull him to a secluded place, but the other party grabbed her wrist.
"it's useless."
Emperor Chengming's eyes were filled with Shang Yuwan's panicked expression, "...Destiny...is like this, and it cannot be reversed."
Shang Yuwan's lips trembled, "You obviously don't have to die."
As long as Xiao Tong and Xiao Qingji were dead, Emperor Chengming wouldn't have to—"No."
Emperor Chengming's voice grew weaker and weaker. "If I don't die, what if she waits too long and doesn't want to wait for me anymore?"
Shang Yuwan was slightly stunned.
"The edict of apology and the edict of succession are both hidden under the desk stool... I'm sorry... I... can't personally admit to the world... my grave mistake."
Emperor Chengming's voice trembled as he took out a silver jade feather-shaped hairpin and a five-colored blessing stone from his bosom, "I'm sorry..."
"I'm sorry to the Shang family, sorry to your parents... and sorry to you."
"..." Shang Yuwan suddenly burst into tears. Xiao Qinggu was still struggling under the Gu master's hands, and his eyes were full of tears when he looked at Shang Yuwan.
"What's the point of you saying this now!"
Shang Yuwan's eyes were filled with tears. She grabbed the emperor's clothes and shouted angrily: "My home is gone! They are the only family I have left! What's the point of your apology now!!!"
"You ruined the Shang family! You ruined me!!!!!"
Emperor Chengming's eyes gradually lost focus, and finally, he slowly loosened his grip on Shang Yuwan's hand, which drooped weakly.
"My father imprisoned himself in Yanmen for life for you! My mother committed suicide at home so that you could tolerate me!"
"I was sincere to you! The Shang family has been loyal to Dayu for nearly a hundred years!!" Shang Yuwan cried and roared, "Can't you just be worthy of the Shang family?!"
The silver jade feather-shaped hairpin fell to the ground, snapping in two before Shang Yuwan's eyes with a crisp sound. The multicolored blessing stone tumbled to the ground, covered in dirty dust.
Shang Yuwan's chest kept heaving, he was gasping for breath, and his neck was burning with pain.
She felt that she should be happy at this moment.
The edict of repentance was in place, as was the edict of succession. Xiao Qingji was dead, Emperor Chengming was dead, and Xiao Tong was about to die.
Everything was clearly going as she expected, clearly...
Shang Yuwan's heartbeat exploded in her ears, as if it was about to jump out of her chest. Her eyes were sore, but she could no longer shed a single tear.
She lowered her head, gazing at the pale face of Emperor Chengming. Her black and white hair tangled together, drooping down, obscuring Shang Yuwan's distraught expression.
She was not happy at all.
She just felt heartbroken.
She was in so much pain that she wanted to cut her heart out - but her heart was empty. How much pain could it relieve by digging out an empty shell?
Shang Yuwan felt it was absurd.
Everything that happened today seemed like an absurd farce.
Xiao Qingxu heard Shang Yuwan's roar outside, and even though he was in unbearable pain, he subconsciously moved towards the imperial study.
"Brother Xiao!" Ji Suxian hurriedly pulled the man back. Xiao Qingxu was almost beheaded by someone with a knife. "Be careful!"
Bai Xiaoye's strength was almost exhausted, and he had sustained numerous injuries. His hand holding the weapon was shaking. Suddenly, his eyes lit up.
"Your servants are here to rescue you!" Yuan Ji rode his horse and galloped towards this side, followed by a series of guards.
Ju Gongcheng was so happy that he almost jumped up.
Just as Yuan Ji led his men into the battle, Xiao Qingxu quietly avoided the enemy and rushed to the imperial study. Xiao Tong gently put Xiao Qingji down. She was about to stand up with the dagger in her hand, but Xiao Qingji grabbed the corner of her clothes tightly and refused to let go.
"Aunt..."
Xiao Qingji felt a sharp pain in his chest, and kept spitting blood from his mouth. He stared at Xiao Tong with his eyes, "Aunt... why... it's only one step..."
Xiao Tong could have sat on the throne simply by exhausting the Baijialou people, killing Emperor Chengming, and killing Xiao Qinggu and the others. Why did he have to do it at this last step...?!
He still wanted to see her wearing the dragon robe, he still wanted to see her sitting on the throne and calling the wind and rain... Was she so worried about him? Was she so wary of him?!
Xiao Tong looked down at Xiao Qingji, silent, his eyes full of heartache and guilt.
Tears suddenly welled up in Xiao Qingji's eyes.
--No.
In fact, from the moment he led people to the prison to rescue her, he had already paved the way for Xiao Qinggu. When he broke in, the dagger in Xiao Tong's hand was also stained with blood. Her expression seemed to have returned to a certain moment in the past, so Xiao Qingji subconsciously ignored her abnormality.
Now in the imperial study, Emperor Chengming was dead, he was also going to die, and his aunt had taken poison and was dying. As long as they died, wouldn't Shang Yuwan and Xiao Qinggu have the final say on what news would spread outside?
Xiao Tong didn't believe that Xiao Qingxu and his Baijialou would be able to be fully used by Xiao Qinggu in the future. He used Xiao Qingji's private soldiers to weaken the power of Baijialou and also brought all the hatred to himself and Xiao Qingji.
But she believed Shang Yuwan.
Xiao Tong believes that Shang Yuwan will conceal the truth about the Imperial Study for the rest of her life for the sake of Dayu's future and the people's hearts. Xiao Qinggu, for the sake of the greater good, will also keep it a secret.
[In order to fight for the throne, the eldest princess personally killed the deposed crown prince after he murdered Emperor Chengming. Her Royal Highness had been prepared and poisoned the eldest princess in prison. Although she was unable to rescue the emperor in time, she still succeeded in killing the traitor.]
What a good excuse.
What a perfect reason.
Xiao Qingji finally had to admit that he had become Xiao Qinggu's stepping stone without realizing it.
"......aunt......"
Xiao Qingji stared at Xiao Tong without blinking, and the light in his eyes gradually faded.
"When we first met, were you...sincere...to me?"
The two looked at each other, one crazy, the other calm.
"Yeah." Xiao Tong responded softly, "It's sincere."
Before he finished speaking, Xiao Qingji's pupils completely dimmed.
A tear fell from the corner of his eye, and in his empty eyes he saw Xiao Tong turning away.
Seeing Xiao Tong walking towards Shang Yuwan, Xiao Qinggu became anxious and immediately broke free from the Gu man's grip, picked up the long knife, stood behind Shang Yuwan with his back to her.
"Don't come over here! Be careful of me..."
"Wanwan!" Xiao Qingxu dodged the enemy's attack and broke into the imperial study again.
"Big..." Xiao Qinggu's attention was diverted.
Xiao Qingxu suddenly glared, "Be careful!"
Xiao Qingxu rushed over, clutching the soft sword. Xiao Qinggu turned her head sharply to look at Xiao Tong, only to see the cold light of the short sword coming straight at her. Xiao Qinggu had no time to react, and subconsciously counterattacked, stabbing out with the long sword in her hand.
At the moment when Xiao Tong's dagger was about to cut Xiao Qinggu's neck, she suddenly changed her hand gesture, and the sharp edge of the dagger brushed past the neck, without even breaking a layer of skin.
But Xiao Qinggu's knife had already pierced Xiao Tong's body: "Puff!"
Xiao Qinggu's eyes were blank, but a smile appeared on Xiao Tong's lips. She loosened her grip, and the dagger fell to the ground with a clang.
Xiao Qingxu paused.
He saw Xiao Tong's limp hands trying to lift up, wanting to hug the dazed Xiao Qinggu.
But in the end, Xiao Tong chose to let go.
His chin rested on Xiao Qinggu's shoulder, and blood continued to flow from his mouth.
But Xiao Tong smiled.
"The timing... is perfect."
Xiao Qinggu suddenly came to his senses and drew his long sword.
As blood splattered everywhere, Xiao Tong's consciousness gradually became blurred and his body fell down.
Xiao Qinggu suddenly reached out and hugged her, and the long sword fell to the ground.
Xiao Qinggu understood Xiao Tong's intention in an instant, and bloodshot filled her pupils.
Xiao Tong used all his strength to pull up the corners of his mouth and whispered: "You did a good job."
"To be an emperor... one must be hard-hearted..."
As soon as she finished speaking, she collapsed completely, without a sound.
The next second, all the Gu people vomited black blood and fell to the ground and died.
Black blood oozed from Xiao Qinggu's mouth and nose, but she didn't care. Xiao Qingxu glanced at her, put away his soft sword, and walked towards Shang Yuwan, "Are you okay?"
Shang Yuwan slowly raised her head, and Xiao Qinggu was standing with his back to her.
"Your Highness."
Shang Yuwan tilted her head towards Xiao Qinggu and asked in a low voice, "What did you say to her in prison?"
"......" Xiao Qinggu gently placed Xiao Tong on the ground, wiped the black blood from his mouth and nose, and picked up the long knife on the ground, "It doesn't matter anymore."
She walked towards the dead Xiao Qingji and cut off his head with a long knife.
Xiao Qinggu held up Xiao Qingji's head and asked, "Did he keep the imperial edict of succession?" They had talked about tacit understanding before, so Emperor Chengming must have been prepared.
Shang Yuwan's gaze returned to Emperor Chengming's face. "It's under the stool. The edict of repentance is also there."
Xiao Qinggu took out two imperial edicts from under the stool and walked to the outside of the imperial study. "Brother, please take good care of my sister-in-law. I'll go..."
Shang Yuwan suddenly said, "Take the imperial seal. The two imperial edicts are suspicious."
".......Um."
After hearing her words, Xiao Qinggu grabbed the imperial seal from the desk and walked out. She handed the edict of guilt and the edict of succession to Shang Yuwan.
Stepping out of the door, Xiao Qinggu lifted up Xiao Qingji's head, which was still bleeding, with one hand.
Ju Gongcheng was so frightened that his breath stopped for a moment.
Xiao Qinggu suppressed his emotions, took a deep breath, and shouted loudly:
"The traitors have all been killed, why are you still not stopping!!!"
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