Only after Su Wanwan had ordered a bowl of "Bright Moon Rising Over the Sea" tea and handed it to Liu Qi did she ask, "Do you still remember what I said back then?"
Liu Qi gave a mocking smirk.
She said she would save his life.
And what was the result?
Family destroyed and people killed.
They became outlaws.
Now they've even become the culprits behind the "massacre of the city."
He picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp: "I remember."
Su Wanwan raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you worried I poisoned it?"
Liu Qi leaned back lazily in his chair, looking down as he said, "My life is worthless anyway, I'm going to die no matter what."
Su Wanwan's expression gradually turned serious. "Liu Qi must die."
Liu Qi froze.
Slowly, I raised my eyes to look at her.
At first, I couldn't believe it.
There was also disappointment, sadness, and much more; it was extremely complex.
Su Wanwan stared into his eyes: "The heinous act of massacring the city is unforgivable."
She won't protect him.
Liu Qi's jawline tightened, and after a long while, he managed a slight smile.
That smile was bitter and sad.
His voice was extremely hoarse: "Don't you want to know if I did it?"
He Ying lowered her eyes to hide her heartache.
In her eyes, Liu Qi had always been an unruly and arrogant character.
He could be associated with murder and arson, or with chivalrous acts.
They don't care about anything.
Even after becoming a rebel and being pursued by the imperial army, he could still come and go freely and be extremely arrogant.
At this moment, however, a barely perceptible hint of grievance was revealed.
"Is there a difference?" Su Wanwan asked calmly.
"It is your fault to condone others using your name to commit crimes."
Liu Qi tilted his head back, his long neck slightly bent, revealing his sexy Adam's apple.
She had her face specially groomed, and her beautiful eyes and eyebrows were styled.
Just by looking at his profile, you can tell that he is a handsome young man, full of energy and untamed spirit.
He just blinked hard.
He said calmly, "Okay."
brush!
He drew his waist knife.
A cold light gleamed inside the room.
Startled, He Ying quickly stepped in front of Su Wanwan, shouting, "Don't be so presumptuous!"
Liu Qi swung his sword down, instantly breaking the tea table in front of him in two.
The ancients had the custom of severing ties by cutting off one's robe.
Now, Liu Qi has broken the table and severed all ties.
He didn't look at Su Wanwan and He Ying again, and turned to leave.
"Stop!" Su Wanwan called out to him.
Liu Qi didn't stop walking; he was about to leave.
Su Wanwan's voice was very soft: "Are you willing to be used by others for the rest of your life?"
“They use your name to do all sorts of evil deeds and hold you responsible.”
Su Wanwan paused, "It's also on my head."
Liu Qi stopped in his tracks and scoffed, "What's the difference?"
"Yes." Su Wanwan remained seated, unmoved.
"Liu Chen, this is your real name. The character Chen represents the North Star and is a metaphor for an emperor."
"You've always been ambitious, haven't you?"
Liu Qi froze, then slowly turned around.
His face showed astonishment.
Is this woman crazy?
Encourage him to rebel, encourage him to become emperor?
She is the Empress of the Great Liang Dynasty!
Liu Qi sneered: "You really are something, you won't stop until you've killed me!"
Su Wanwan's voice rose slightly, her eyes sharp:
"What, scared?"
"The entire population of Zaoqiang County, 4,800 lives, aren't they lives too?!"
Liu Qi's face darkened: "What exactly do you want?!"
Su Wanwan stood up, took a deep breath, and her gaze was piercing:
"What I want is for the royal army to pacify the Central Plains and wipe out all the rebels and bandits."
"It is the vindication of all the wronged."
"Those officials who colluded with the bandits are now living in constant fear and regret!"
"What I want is for the people to be united, for the people to live in peace and prosperity, for there to be no more bandits causing chaos, and for no more corpses strewn across the fields!"
She took out an imperial edict and threw it over.
Liu Qi reached out and caught it from mid-air.
The imperial edict clearly stated:
The crimes of the bandit leaders Liu Liu, Liu Qi, Qi Yanming, Yang Hu, and Li Long are unforgivable. If any soldier or civilian captures the bandit leaders, they will be granted the hereditary title of Commander of a Thousand Households and rewarded with one thousand taels of silver. Civil and military officials will be promoted three ranks and rewarded accordingly. Military officials will be granted hereditary titles, and civil officials will have their descendants inherit the title of Commander of a Hundred Households after being dismissed from office.
If the leaders of the bandits capture and kill each other, they will not only be pardoned, but will also be rewarded according to the above provisions.
Liu Qi casually crumpled up the imperial edict and sneered.
"My head is only worth a thousand taels of silver? Who do you think you are?"
"Nearly ten thousand rebels are right here in the capital region, and they're so worthless in the eyes of the imperial court?"
Su Wanwan: "A bunch of rabble."
"The magistrate of Zaoqiang County died defending the city, and his son was only appointed as a hereditary centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
"You deserve a hereditary position as a commander of a thousand households; you should be content."
Liu Qi held the knife in silence.
Crane Shadow: "..."
Is there anything to negotiate or bargain about?
He Ying felt a chill in her heart.
Although Liu Qi specifically requested to see him.
But ever since he entered the room, his gaze and attention have not lingered on me for even a moment.
"Zhao Sui's banner was to eliminate violence and uphold justice, and to eradicate corrupt officials. Have you done that?" Su Wanwan asked.
Liu Qi's gaze shot sharply at her.
Even at this point, she still wants to use him!
They gave him no way to survive, and refused to offer him amnesty.
Only by continuing to kill, relentlessly breaking through cities and looting, can we deter those high-ranking local officials!
Until finally, with nowhere to escape, he fought to the death, exhausted.
This is the strategy of those in power.
In her eyes, he was just a pawn.
Even if they become outlaws, they must still exert their utmost value, shedding their last drop of blood and sweat in the struggle for power.
He didn't even have the right to stop it.
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