Chapter 99 A Two-in-One Dagger, Poison—How Will He Choose?
"Boom!"
The enormous cloud overhead finally descended, this endless, heavy, black blanket of iron crashing down with overwhelming force, accompanied by pouring rain, booming thunder, and howling winds, all mingling and overlapping.
The entire capital city was like a hell, shrouded and permeated by darkness, with a ghostly, bone-chilling dampness permeating everywhere.
All around, tiny, dark dust particles floated, invisible and intangible, yet they crawled and clung to everyone like ticks, invisibly pinching and biting at people's most vulnerable outer barriers, trying to burrow inside and intensify their attack, opening their bloody maws to invade and devour layer by layer.
The joy and cheers brought to the people by the "death" of the traitor came to an end. The sudden downpour and thunder seemed to foreshadow the beginning of a new round of darkness, making the atmosphere even more heavy and suffocating.
Jiang Shuifu's hand was still on his chest, her hand covered in his hot, vibrant blood, burning hot, and soon it was being washed away by the dripping and splashing rain.
The blood on her hands gradually grew colder and colder, and her fingertips trembled slightly, followed by a series of shivers.
In an instant, her knuckles began to twitch uncontrollably and instinctively, whether from the freezing temperature or the sudden drop in body temperature, she couldn't tell.
Shen Jizhao saw all her trembling and fear. She probably didn't even know that a single, crystal-clear tear hung in the corner of her eye.
He could see her disheveled, trembling eyelashes through her tears, and through those trembling eyelashes, he could see her fear and lingering apprehension. He comforted her:
"Don't worry, it's not dirty anymore."
What's no longer dirty?
Jiang Shuifu followed his gaze slowly, inch by inch, past her tear-streaked face, past her pale lips, and finally stopped at her hand.
Upon closer inspection, she noticed that her hands were no longer oozing blood, no longer sticky and burning; they had returned to their original clear state. Her hands were still fair, pure, and untouched by dust, displaying the beauty of a woman.
What he meant was that her hands were no longer dirty.
He knew she hated him covered in blood, and every time he was injured, she would chase him far away, not letting him get close.
The heavy rain washed away his dirty, pungent blood, and she was no longer afraid.
A tear from Jiang Shuifu suddenly slid down, falling to the ground and splashing water all over the floor. The water splashed onto his feet, stirring up a spring-like feeling in his heart. The spring water churned and bubbled, making a series of clear, gurgling sounds, which revived his heart, which was beating slower and slower.
With a sudden burst of strength, the blood surged again, flowing freely through her fingertips and palms, and the hairpin was pulled out inch by inch, its end growing ever redder.
“They say that killing one person to save ten thousand is the Great Way, and that you should save the world and the nation is the Great Way. But I don’t want the Great Way or the nation. I’m selfish. I only want you. I’m willing to share your sins with you. We are not sinners. We should all see those who have committed heinous crimes receive their due punishment. Promise me, okay?”
At this moment, the thunder and rain intensified. A silver bolt of lightning struck, streaking across the sky and illuminating an evil face. Simultaneously, excited applause erupted, creating an extremely eerie atmosphere.
"Excellent! I am truly moved and amazed by you all. This performance was so wonderful and exciting. All my hard work has finally paid off!"
The crowd quickly made way, stepping back to both sides, widening the passageway left below the stage. People fell silent, all looking up at the man in the center. The man seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere, the stares, and the avoidance.
He had finally waited for this day.
Jiang Shuifu was very familiar with that vicious voice. Sure enough, she turned around and glanced down. It was Prince Yu!
Prince Yu's mouth was crooked from laughing, his face contorted, as he walked step by step down the path where everyone bowed and addressed him as a subject towards the high platform.
He spread his arms wide, the howling wind whipping his clothes, the pounding rain clinging to his robes, but he paid no heed, turning a blind eye to the cold, tilting his head back to gaze at the stormy, night-like sky, welcoming the divine baptism.
To be precise, this was not a gift from heaven, but the result of his long-term planning and waiting for the right opportunity, the achievement of his sleepless nights and painstaking efforts, and the exclusive privilege of a winner that he won entirely through his own hard work and struggle.
Therefore, he is God.
He withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and, amidst the wind and rain, slowly and leisurely stepped onto the high platform. He put great effort into each step, thinking that he must leave his own unique mark, that his mark should be left throughout the entire Da Bei.
The closer Prince Yu got, the more excited he became, his steps growing smaller and smaller, fully demonstrating his confidence and determination to win. Now, the entire Da Bei was nothing more than a piece of cake for him.
He stopped a few feet away from him, leaned forward, and looked at him with a mocking and contemptuous gaze.
His lips curled into a wide, upturned smile, a smile that was both extremely pleased and extremely sinister.
“Chen Jizhao, aren’t you the chosen one of heaven? Aren’t you the darling of the emperor? Aren’t you the one who receives all the favor? Aren’t you the noble crown prince who stands above everyone else and enjoys the worship and shouts of the masses? Aren’t you the proudest serpent born from the true dragon emperor? Look at yourself now, isn’t it laughable? Isn’t it pathetic? Isn’t it lamentable?”
Shen Jizhao remained silent; to be precise, he was unable to speak.
Blood was flowing from his chest. As soon as the dazzling red pomegranate hairpin was pulled out, the flesh and blood were instantly blurred. He never expected that his blood was no less vibrant than a bright red gemstone.
His breath grew weaker and weaker, and his body was extremely powerless; he might die at any moment.
Prince Yu smiled as he admired the dying man's posture. He slowly approached, but when he got close, he suddenly stopped, as if he had seen or smelled something rotten and unclean. He pinched his nose, waved his hand, and his eyes curved into a wide smile, filled with undisguised mockery, ridicule, and glee.
Shen Jizhao was already emanating the smell of impending death, the stench of decay.
He was extremely pleased, very pleased.
The person before them, who was no different from a corpse, was the Crown Prince, who was born into a position of supreme power. He was the only legitimate son of the royal family, whom they, as illegitimate sons, could only dream of. For many years, he had been subservient to others, but now, they could finally trample him underfoot and crush him mercilessly.
He stood still, spread his sleeves wide, then put them behind his back, exuding the air of a victor:
"Shen Jizhao, in just a few months, I have brought you down from your lofty pedestal, turning you into a prisoner who has incurred the wrath of the heavens and the people, and can only flee in terror. You are far too weak, far too useless! How can someone like you, with such methods, be worthy of that position second only to the emperor! You cannot hold your position!"
Shen Jizhao was indifferent to his mockery, his sarcasm, and the indignation revealed in his words. His eyes were drooping, and all he could see was that pure white furry hem.
The fur on the cloak had been soaked and wilted, and could no longer hold its head high to resist external attacks and protect its master.
He wondered when the rain would stop.
Seeing that the man was unmoved by his words and seemed not to hear them, Prince Yu approached resentfully, grabbed the defeated man by the neck, and glared at him viciously, saying:
"Father should see you like this, let him see your utterly wretched, broken state! I wonder if he even recognizes that the person in front of him is his most favored son, his only favored son. What makes you so special? What makes you so special that you can so easily gain Father's favor? What makes you so special that you can so easily obtain the position that we, the other dozen or so brothers, dream of but can't even dream of? What makes you so special!"
Prince Yu, as if possessed, gripped Shen Jizhao's neck tightly. Seeing Shen's face flush red and him struggling to breathe, he grew increasingly excited, his tone becoming more and more wicked:
"You should know the current situation in the capital. It's all under my control, including the palace. So, are you worried about Father?"
He scoffed:
"How could you be worried? You are heartless, ungrateful, and unfilial. How could you care about Father's life or death? Father is a man who values power and profit over feelings. What do kinship and blood ties matter to him? In his eyes, no one is more important than the throne. From childhood, none of us brothers were spared his indulgence. With his approval, we fought and competed, hated and envied each other. I always thought so. But I never expected that one day I would overestimate his ruthlessness. You let go of the auspicious omen, the auspicious omen that symbolized the prosperity of the country. Such a treasonous act should have been punished on the spot, or at the very least, you should have been stripped of your position as crown prince and demoted to a commoner. But Father, he didn't. He was furious, his veins were bulging, he smashed treasures and memorials all over the place, and ordered the deaths of many people, but he still suppressed it for you. No matter how much I fanned the flames, he still protected you. There was no other way but for me to personally expose your 'treason.' I never knew that he still had a son!"
Upon hearing the inside story, Shen Jizhao raised his eyes slightly, a hint of doubt in them. Then, seeing the deep anger and resentment in Prince Yu's eyes, he realized that what he was saying was true.
His father was secretly protecting him, protecting his son.
Seeing his half-believing, half-doubting expression, Prince Yu grew even more frantic. He didn't believe it? Why didn't he believe it? He hated those who reaped all the benefits yet acted completely oblivious and innocent. He pinched harder and harder.
"But why you! Why only you! You are the legitimate son, you are noble, your bloodline is the purest, so you are worthy of being his son? I will kill his only son, I will sit on that supreme throne, I will prove that his choice was completely wrong!"
The poison in Shen Jizhao's body was about to explode, and the black veins on his neck were throbbing violently with an unusually high frequency and amplitude. Jiang Shuifu watched closely from the side, not blinking, her heart in her throat.
Prince Yu felt the explosive force of his men's attack and stopped. He still needed to deliver Shen Jizhao's body to his father, the Emperor, and he couldn't let him die without a complete corpse.
He had returned to normal, barely managing to wrap his arms around his neck, and said with a smile:
"The woman you desired, the woman you flattered, the woman you protected, the woman you saved—it seems she has no feelings for you, no love for you. For her, you were willing to obey my orders, willing to abandon your people, willing to venture to the far north, willing to wander from place to place, enduring beatings, torture, and humiliation. Yet she delivered the fatal blow. How does that knife feel? Does it hurt? I, the king, am eager to know! I, the king…"
Before the last word had even faded, Prince Yu's eyes widened in utter disbelief, his gaze bulging and his body staggering, almost losing his balance.
He shifted his gloating and satisfied gaze from Shen Jizhao, then turned his head inch by inch to the woman behind him who had remained silent and indifferent.
The woman smiled too, a radiant smile, a satisfied smile just like his:
Does it hurt?
Prince Yu was extremely surprised to see the hairpin stuck straight in his back.
He never expected her to strike him when he wasn't looking. This woman was utterly arrogant and ignorant. He wanted to use every kind of torture on her, but he was in so much pain that he was sweating profusely and couldn't utter a complete threat. He could only vomit in a pathetic state.
"You...you..."
Jiang Shuifu continued pushing the hairpin further in, relentlessly drilling into his back and twisting his skin, while simultaneously answering the question he had posed to Shen Jizhao:
"Now you know!"
He should know now whether it hurts or not.
This hairpin was pierced with tremendous force, leaving Jiang Shuifu's palms red. It pierced deep into Prince Yu's back, with only the fiery red pomegranate gemstone still exposed, like a leech sucking his blood.
Prince Yu stared menacingly at the hairpin that was gouging out Jiang Shuifu. The hairpin was precisely inserted into his back, in the same spot where he had stabbed Shen Jizhao with an arrow.
She was avenging Shen Jizhao.
The fact that she was vengeful and capable of revenge made him look at her with new respect. He stared at her with even more predatory eyes, wishing he could break her pride and injure his hands, so that she would live in darkness every day to satisfy his anger.
His gaze was terrifying, yet she showed no fear. Disgusted, she released her grip, refusing to give him a second glance, and leisurely walked towards Shen Jizhao. He could only turn back, his eyes fixed on her. With her back to him, she spoke sharply, each word distinct and stern:
"You don't need to thank me. The fact that this hairpin didn't pierce your neck and lifeline wasn't out of mercy, but because you don't deserve it. You are the true sinner of Da Bei. You will live, you will live to suffer the people's scorn, attacks, and killings, and then die in disgrace! Because this is what you deserve!"
Prince Yu freed one hand and slapped the damned woman behind him with his internal force. He was sure she would suffer internal organ damage and broken ribs, but he failed.
Because, Shen Jizhao, who was tightly bound, suddenly broke free of the ropes, and all the ropes on his body snapped and shattered.
Prince Yu's hand had already reached out, and when he was halfway through channeling his energy, a powerful force forcefully pushed him back, forced him back, and blasted him away.
He was blasted far away, rolling off the stage several times, the hairpin inside his flesh churning and piercing him deeply, until he finally stopped, gripping the ground tightly with both hands.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked up sharply like a wolf, his eyes filled with vengeance.
But the next moment he broke into a smile, his eyebrows and eyes widening as he let out a sigh of relief.
The man, having broken free of the ropes, spread his arms wide, his body no longer restrained. But what followed was a surge of blood and qi, and the writhing, twisting worms. The worms suddenly moved to his heart, about to crawl out through the hole Jiang Shuifu had poked.
As soon as the Gu worm crawls out, it will die, and he will die too, exploding from the body.
As expected, the Gu worm, knowing its host was near death, quickly crawled out with its fat body. The moment it saw the light of day, Jiang Shuifu's eyes widened, and she lost all strength. She saw Shen Jizhao suddenly spit out a continuous stream of blood, which stained the entire platform red, along with her white cloak.
She was stunned but didn't forget to catch him. However, he took a difficult step and shielded her behind him, his tall figure blocking her way, his eyes sharp and piercing.
Although she couldn't speak, her eyes clearly warned Prince Yu: Don't touch her!
Jiang Shuifu felt his protection and care. Her eyelashes fluttered helplessly and fearfully, covered with his blood droplets, cold and unwarm.
When she came to her senses, the man in front of her had already fallen down. Without thinking, she immediately caught him, caught his empty body, and caught his tightly closed eyes.
When did she become able to catch him?
He can't subdue her anymore!
He fell onto her snow-white cloak, the scattered drops of blood now stained large patches of red, resembling from afar vast expanses of plum blossoms, blooming proudly and stubbornly spreading across the snow at an astonishing speed.
The snow-covered ground is as red as maple leaves.
Her hands trembled as she reached out to touch his face, his eyes, his lips, but dared not touch his nose…
"Shen Jizhao, you've dirtied me! Get up and wipe me clean..."
The situation had reached a tense standoff. Prince Yu's men surrounded the area, and He Beiqing and his men also surrounded it again, resulting in a stalemate between the two sides.
The people lingered in the rain, determined to see Shen Jizhao dead before they could rest; only with his death could they survive.
Seeing this, Prince Yu stood up and reassured the people:
"Now, the mother Gu is dead, the traitor is dead! You are saved!"
The people beamed with joy, their eyes filled with longing for survival and happiness at the impending peace.
Prince Yu raised his hand, signaling them to be quiet, and then solemnly made a promise:
"From this day forward, I will protect you!"
The people knelt down again, shouting and praising him; such voices could be heard throughout the capital.
Another "god" has been created, just like the one initially created for Shen Jizhao.
.
Soon, Prince Yu won over the hearts of the people, and their health improved significantly. Smiling faces returned to the streets.
Sure enough, the traitor died, the gods calmed their anger, and life got better.
The capital city was thriving, and everything was gradually returning to normal.
However, no one mentioned Shen Jizhao anymore, and no one remembered him anymore.
It was as if he had never been here, never been the universally praised Crown Prince.
The Imperial Palace.
The emperor was effectively placed under house arrest, forbidden from stepping out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation until he issued an edict of abdication.
Having sat firmly on the dragon throne for decades, the emperor naturally would not yield. His imposing aura was unleashed without reservation, filling the entire hall with the wrath of a true dragon.
"Unless you commit patricide, I will never abdicate!"
Prince Yu found it laughable:
"Punishment? I would never do that! I will rightfully ascend the throne and become a wise and benevolent ruler whose name will be remembered for all time! Father, I am your child too, so why can't I sit on the dragon throne?"
Prince Yu's expression became increasingly distorted, or rather, he was finally able to reveal his inner thoughts without any concealment.
The Heavenly Family's Ruthless Way:
“I have no son who betrayed the country. You colluded with the Kingdom of Wusu to usurp the throne, harming my people and my subjects. You are no longer my son. I will strip you of your title, demote you to slavery, and exile you for life. You are nothing but a sinner!”
Prince Yu had long anticipated his ruthlessness. He took a few steps back, looked up at the sky, and laughed:
"Hahaha, cripple me? Exile me? Father, you're being too cruel! I'm your son too! You've harmed your people? You've harmed your subjects? Stop pretending to be a wise ruler. When have you ever cared about them? When have you ever given them a second glance? The one you care about is your eldest son lying on his sickbed, beyond saving!"
The emperor's gaze sharpened as he looked down at him, but the emperor was no longer afraid. He waved his gleaming bright yellow robes.
"Father really values him. He's just a dead man, yet he's kept alive on a century-old ice bed. It's a pity he can't live. I won't allow it. As soon as he wakes up, I will give my ninth brother a dagger and a cup of poison, and let him choose! Father, do you think he will choose which one?"
The emperor was not angry; a breath escaped from his lips.
"Are you blaming me? I am the emperor, and only then the father. I have many sons, but I know each and every one of you very well. I see who is skilled in martial arts, who is good at literature, who is kind-hearted, who is ruthless, and who is most suitable to be the crown prince... I see it all and remember it all. Your nature is too wicked. You are ruthless and unwilling to give up. This is indeed enough to secure your throne. However, a person who sits on the throne cannot only have means, but also benevolence. I do not have this quality, so I hope the next emperor will have it... This battle is destined to be won by me, and it is destined that Da Bei will win. Your actions are no different from seeking a tiger's skin. Being a son of a concubine is not so bad. Stop now, Wu'er."
Prince Yu was startled upon hearing the words "Fifth Son," but he was not moved.
"Is Father worried about his son? Does Father fear his son's death? But wasn't this all caused by Father? As Father's son, what is there to fear if I fail and die?"
Prince Yu is gone, gone swiftly, leaving the imperial family with only his departing figure.
As the emperor watched his retreating figure, he suddenly thought of the children when they were young. Back then, they liked to hug his legs and call him "Father" with a mixture of fear and admiration, but he sternly criticized them all, saying that they should call him "Father Emperor."
Before he knew it, he had arrived at the East Palace, before the ice bed:
"Jiu Zhao, is that what you think too? Am I a bad father? Am I wrong to let you brothers fight each other and sit on the sidelines watching the tigers fight? But I never wanted you to die. I will save you."
Over the years, the princes have been engaged in fierce competition, and every ambitious candidate has survived countless assassination attempts, but they have all survived because he will save them.
Royal hunts are the best opportunity to test a man's mind and strength. Even if his sons are no match for the beasts, he will not watch them die; he will save them.
He originally thought that this was fatherly love.
But, isn't that right?
...
Jiang Shuifu stayed by Shen Jizhao's side almost every day during this period. After the Gu worms crawled out, he fell into a coma.
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