Chapter 194 Determination
The lights in the general's mansion were finally extinguished one by one.
The guests in the front yard exchanged pleasantries, like a lively dream that dissipated as the night deepened.
Xie Sangning stood in front of her father's bed, tucked him in, made sure Ru Dong had given him the hangover soup, and arranged for someone to stay with him all night.
After doing all this, she returned to Ruixue Tower, changed into a dark blue, narrow-sleeved outfit, and put on an inconspicuous black cloak with the hood pulled down, covering most of her face.
"Like winter."
“Miss.” Ru Dong appeared silently like a shadow, also dressed in dark clothes that allowed for easy movement.
"Go to the Lin residence. Use the side gate and don't alert anyone."
"yes."
The night was as dark as ink. Ru Dong carried Xie Sangning on his back as they sped down the quiet street. Xie Sangning leaned against Ru Dong's back with her eyes closed. The shadow of her cloak obscured her face, and only her tightly pursed lips revealed the turmoil in her heart.
The contents of the message sent from the palace today have left her unable to calm down for a long time. Just imagining it has been scorching her reason again and again.
A boundless hatred surged and roared within her chest, threatening to tear her apart.
At the Lin residence, the old steward, Uncle Lin, who had already received the news, personally opened the side gate and led Xie Sangning and her servant through the quiet courtyard to the brightly lit study deep inside the Lin residence.
In the study, Lin Zhu had been waiting since receiving the letter. He did not attend the banquet today. He was getting old and no longer had any interest in such banquets, even if it was his granddaughter's husband's celebration banquet.
His emaciated body was wrapped in a thick cotton robe, and he was reading a yellowed ancient book by the bright candlelight.
Hearing footsteps, he slowly raised his head.
"Ning girl, why did you send a message so late saying you were coming? Has something happened at your residence?" He keenly sensed the unusual aura emanating from Xie Sangning.
Xie Sangning raised his hand and slowly took off his hood.
In the candlelight, her face was pale. She offered no pleasantries, no preamble, and went straight to the point:
"Great-grandfather, I want to change the dynasty."
"Snap!"
The ancient book in Lin Zhu's hand fell to the desk with a dull thud.
His old eyes widened instantly, filled with disbelief!
"What...what did you say?"
Lin Zhu's voice was hoarse; he even suspected that he was hallucinating due to his old age and hearing loss!
“I said, I want Pei Yan dead. I want to drag him off that dragon throne and grind his bones to dust.”
"You...you're insane!"
Lin Zhu's withered fingers gripped the armrest of the armchair tightly as he stared intently at Xie Sangning, trying to find a trace of joking or sulking on her face, but he only saw the determination in her eyes.
"Regicide! Treason! These are heinous crimes! Does your father know? Does your brother know?!"
“They will know, and they will think the same way I do.”
Lin's lips trembled, and he could barely speak.
"Ning girl! You...you're confused! Although I also hate him, I have never thought of changing the Pei family's throne. Do you know what you're saying? No matter how incompetent Pei Yan is, he is still a descendant of the Pei family! Didn't we discuss this before? Didn't we agree that the Ninth Prince would ascend the throne? Why are you suddenly so radical!"
Xie Sangning looked at Lin Zhu, who was so excited he almost stood up from his chair, without wavering in her eyes.
She took a step forward, getting closer to the desk:
“Great-grandfather, you asked me why? Okay, I'll tell you.”
"Because of Pei Yan, he is unworthy of being a human being! He is even less worthy of being a ruler! He murdered his brother to seize the throne and forced the late emperor to his death, that is one thing, but it is not enough to make me want to change the dynasty."
"Most importantly, he stole my mother's body! Shortly after my mother was buried, he dug up her grave and stole her coffin!"
boom--!
Lin Zhu gasped sharply, his body swayed violently, and his vision went black instantly!
"Wh...what?!"
Coffin theft?! Grave robbing?! This...this is utterly outrageous! It's blasphemy against the dead!
"What nonsense are you spouting! How can you say such things! Ruyue was clearly buried in the Xie family..."
Xie Sangning interrupted him sharply, her eyes filled with boundless hatred.
"Her coffin was dug up! Her body was sealed away by that beast Pei Yan, hidden in a secret chamber beneath his imperial study! Hidden where he reviewed memorials every day! For ten whole years! Ten years!"
"He treated his deceased mother as his private possession! As his sacrifice! Day and night, he imprisoned her in that sunless hell! He insulted her! He desecrated her! He ensured that she would not find peace even in death!"
Lin Zhu suddenly stood up straight, his eyes filled with disbelief!
His emaciated body fell backward like a withered leaf, his eyes rolling back!
Ru Dong, who had been standing behind Xie Sanning like a shadow, suddenly narrowed her pupils and reacted with lightning speed!
She darted forward and, before the old man collapsed to the ground, steadily supported his emaciated body.
At the same time, his other hand swiftly struck several acupoints on his chest, the technique precise and imbued with a trace of internal force.
"medicine!"
As if waking from a dream, Uncle Lin scrambled to the display cabinet beside him, his hands trembling as he pulled open a drawer, took out a small white porcelain bottle, and poured out a pill with trembling hands.
Ru Dong took it without hesitation, pried open Lin Zhu's tightly clenched teeth, stuffed the pill in, and gently smoothed his throat with her finger to help him swallow.
After what felt like an eternity, Lin Zhu's eyelids twitched violently a few times before he finally managed to open them a crack.
His old eyes were bloodshot, devoid of any sparkle, leaving only a blank stare.
How hateful... how hateful...
"Ning... Ning girl..." Lin Zhu's voice was weak, "Is this true?"
Xie Sangning nodded slowly: "It's absolutely true. My people, with the help of Eunuch Desheng, personally infiltrated the secret chamber of the Imperial Study. Mother... is there. Wearing her wedding dress, sealed on the Cold Jade Ice Platform."
She paused, then continued, "That Granny Qiu was silenced on her way back home shortly after she finished stealing the corpse. Pei Yan, he did everything he could."
The last glimmer of hope was completely crushed.
Lin Zhu suddenly closed his eyes, his body trembling again due to the emotional turmoil, and a sob escaped his throat.
The pain of a parent outliving their child is already the greatest sorrow in the world. Now, to learn that their granddaughter, whom they cherished and raised like a precious jewel, has suffered such an unprecedented humiliation after her death, being so desecrated and utterly defiled!
This hatred, this pain, has surpassed the limits of what language can describe!
No wonder Xie Sangning, who is usually so rational, made such a decision!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
