Chapter 255
In response, Concubine Xu didn’t panic or show any signs of weakness. Instead, she remained motionless, allowing Lin Qingyang to hold her hostage. She continued to gently stroke her belly with an unchanged frequency, a smile playing on her lips, as she spoke in a melodious voice, “Venomous snake? What do you mean?”
“A venomous snake in collaboration with the Regent of Tianheng Kingdom,” Lin Qingyang coldly probed. In truth, he wasn’t completely certain yet, but Concubine Xu’s reaction was more impressive than her father’s. Considering Jing Rouyin’s mention of a mysterious figure, Concubine Xu seemed the most likely candidate. Shocked as he was, Lin Qingyang’s intuition suggested that she might indeed be the venomous snake.
Concubine Xu paused for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she calmly admitted, “Regarding the Regent of Tianheng Kingdom, it’s true that he has aided me. But how did you find out? And why label me with such an unflattering title?”
Lin Qingyang’s breath caught in his throat as Concubine Xu’s aura suddenly shifted. He no longer felt like he was holding a fragile woman hostage; instead, it was as if he had a true venomous snake in his grasp.
“Ah, could it be that Chu Lishu found out?” Concubine Xu mused, seemingly unfazed. “It’s odd; I should have hidden it better. No wonder Yu Suoxi warned me about Chu Lishu’s existence hindering my plans. Such formidable individuals indeed need to be dealt with. But fortunately, he has served his purpose. Without him and Prime Minister Li… hehe… I wouldn’t have reached this stage for who knows how many years. I must thank him for clearing the obstacles for me.”
“You… and to think I saved you back then!” Lin Qingyang felt utterly played, too enraged to come up with anything more than that futile remark.
Concubine Xu smiled faintly, her tone gradually becoming earnest. “I genuinely thank you for that. I have no martial skills, and Concubine Mei’s swift manipulation of those around me caught me off guard. Sometimes, despite all our calculations, we can’t escape fate. A frozen lake nearly claimed my life, which I find quite amusing to imagine. Thanks to your intervention, I didn’t perish there. So… I won’t kill you. As for your cousin, Chu Lishu, someone even Prime Minister Li can’t control, he’s too dangerous. I cannot let him live.”
“Isn’t it ironic? Now it’s about whose life will be spared. Do you think you can handle Chu Lishu?” Lin Qingyang’s eyes flashed with determination. His emotions were indescribable. The so-called fate was to make her, a pawn, disappear. But he had changed the fate of Concubine Xu, yet he unexpectedly left behind a venomous snake.
The dagger almost grazed Concubine Xu’s neck, but she remained unfazed. “Young Master Lin, it’s better not to struggle. I’m afraid you might hurt yourself.”
“Be clear, the ones in the advantageous position now are the supporters of the Fourth Prince!” Lin Qingyang sneered, holding Concubine Xu hostage as he moved towards the exit. Though he said so, he was already worried about Chu Lishu. Since he had discovered the snake, there was no need for him to stay here. He needed to find Chu Lishu.
“Tell your people not to follow us. Otherwise, I don’t mind risking the life I just saved.”
Concubine Xu cooperated, waving her hand and ordering, “You stay here to look after the Empress Dowager. Don’t worry about me.”
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager immediately exclaimed in anger, “You…”
Lin Qingyang was surprised. “Aren’t you afraid?”
“I trust you. You are Wenze’s friend. As long as I cooperate, I believe you won’t easily harm the weak. Aren’t you the one who even protected Jing Rouyin?” Xu Pei said.
“Huh, you seem to be more terrifying than any strong person now,” Lin Qingyang said and then swiftly left with Concubine Xu.
He wanted to go see Chu Lishu. The Emperor was over there, and Empress Cheng and Yuan Ye went too. The three of them together would surely hurt Chu Lishu’s feelings. Lin Qingyang had to be by his side.
The Empress Dowager realized the situation was dire, but she was already powerless to resist. The guards at the door were all left by Concubine Xu.
“Grandmother, what’s going on?” The Fourth Prince left behind was completely bewildered by the turn of events.
The Empress Dowager looked at the Fourth Prince with surprise. Why… since Concubine Xu was treacherous, why did she not threaten Prime Minister Li and the others with the Fourth Prince? Wasn’t Duke Wei Guo’s residence hostile to Prime Minister Li?
As she pondered, there was suddenly commotion at the door. The Empress Dowager looked over and her expression turned grim. The person who entered was none other than Duke Wei Guo.
Duke Wei Guo walked in and respectfully greeted the Empress Dowager before inquiring about the situation with the guards around. Upon hearing that Concubine Xu had been taken away by Lin Qingyang and not allowing anyone to follow, he simply nodded.
“What’s this? As a father, aren’t you worried at all?” the Empress Dowager scoffed.
Duke Wei Guo’s residence chuckled, “My daughter is more capable than I am. We all listen to her, so whatever decision she makes, she’s confident about it.”
“Heh, so are you and your daughter planning a rebellion too?” the Empress Dowager questioned.
“Your Highness misunderstands. The rebellion is led by Prime Minister Li and his Fourth Prince faction. What does that have to do with us?” Duke Wei Guo’s residence replied with a smile.
“Just now, Xu Lanxin admitted it all. What Tianheng Kingdom, what Prince Regent, you’re simply colluding with the enemy and betraying the country!”
Faced with the Empress Dowager’s questioning, Duke Wei Guo remained unruffled and replied directly, “It’s just normal dealings with neighboring countries. We are people of the Great Zhou, naturally loyal to the Great Zhou. Your Highness can rest assured about that.”
The Empress Dowager scrutinized Duke Wei Guo with a stern expression. “What… What exactly do you intend to do?” The Empress Dowager wasn’t naive; the actions of Duke Wei Guo and his daughter didn’t seem like they were supporting the rightful emperor.
“Obviously… it’s to wait until everything settles down and help my grandson become emperor,” Duke Wei Guo replied slowly.
“You plan to harm the Emperor and then support an unborn child to ascend the throne?” The Empress Dowager chuckled at the absurdity. “Even if Xu Lanxin is carrying a prince in her belly, it’s only been a few months. Can she bear the burden of the throne for him? Have you asked the officials and generals in the court whether they agree?”
“Whether they agree or not, with the Empress Dowager’s assistance, after experiencing three generations of emperors, your words naturally hold weight. As long as you support it, everything will naturally fall into place.”
The Empress Dowager sneered, “Do you think I’m someone who fears death? You underestimate me too much.”
“That’s true. When it comes to ruthlessness, who can surpass you? But everyone has weaknesses, and at least there’s one thing you care about.” Duke Wei Guo remarked as he handed over a box. In front of the Empress Dowager, he slowly opened the lid.
A bloody hand appeared inside, shocking the Empress Dowager. She wanted to look away, but then her gaze froze as she recognized the jade ring on the severed hand—it was unmistakably…
“You… you…”
“The Empress Dowager will cooperate, won’t you?”
The Empress Dowager slumped down, shaking with rage and disbelief. Their family, the only bloodline of the Xie family…
The Fourth Prince immediately supported the Empress Dowager, anxiously asking, “Duke Wei Guo, why would you do this? Did the Emperor wrong you? Is the throne so important?”
“If it’s not important, why is your family so busy?” Duke Wei Guo sneered. “Bring him in.”
As he spoke, someone from outside brought in a frantic struggling person.
“Mother Consort!” The Fourth Prince exclaimed in shock and immediately rushed forward. The newcomer threw Concubine Mei towards the Fourth Prince, and the two crashed to the ground.
The Empress Dowager was powerless to resist, only able to watch helplessly. If both Concubine Mei and the Fourth Prince were in the hands of Duke Wei Guo, it would be difficult for the Fourth Prince’s faction to prevail. What’s worse, both the Fourth Prince’s faction and Duke Wei Guo faction were now after the Emperor’s life.
“Empress Dowager, think carefully. Apart from my yet unborn grandson, there is no one else left to inherit the throne.”
The Empress Dowager, fearing for the Fourth Prince’s safety, immediately looked over, only to see Concubine Mei holding onto the Fourth Prince anxiously, her expression very troubled.
“Watch them closely!” Duke Wei Guo commanded as he was about to leave.
The Empress Dowager, struggling to maintain her composure, couldn’t help but speak up: “Duke Wei Guo. Back then, your family and the Xie family almost became relatives by marriage. Xie Lanxin and my nephew were even betrothed since childhood. Later, when your engagement was called off, my nephew still spoke well of you. How could you be so cruel to him, all just to pressure me?”
Duke Wei Guo finally sighed and turned to say, “Blame yourselves for causing too much trouble. But, rest assured, as long as you cooperate, Xie Yiqing’s life can still be spared. After all, my daughter still finds him useful.”
…
“Where are we going?” Xu Lanxin asked calmly.
“To Qin Zheng Palace!” Lin Qingyang replied directly.
Xu Lanxin was slightly taken aback and slowed her pace, “Could it be that Chu Lishu is there? He wouldn’t be going to protect the Emperor, would he?”
Lin Qingyang thought the pregnant woman was getting tired, but he didn’t accommodate her, instead increasing his pace, half dragging her along.
Seeing Lin Qingyang ignoring her, Xu Lanxin continued, “Lin Qingyang, I heard that you admire your cousin, but there hasn’t been any evidence found. I also heard that you used to have feelings for my brother. Is that true?”
Lin Qingyang didn’t expect Xu Lanxin to be chatting with him at such a time. “How is that any of your concern?”
“Of course it’s relevant… He’s my brother after all. If you two have a good relationship, you could better assist me in the future.”
“Concubine Xu, you’re changing too quickly. I’m not used to it. Are you going crazy? Do you think that’s possible?” Lin Qingyang couldn’t believe that Concubine Xu was so deranged. “It seems like you and Yu Suoxi are birds of a feather after all.”
“I was just telling the truth, that’s all. Yu Suoxi is truly insane, not me. I know what I’m doing.”
“Oh, and what are you doing? Plotting to usurp the throne? Betraying the country?”
“Heh, to sum it up, it’s just like those concubines in the palace, helping my son become emperor.”
“You’re the most favored right now, you could just live peacefully…” This was also what Lin Qingyang couldn’t understand the most. Whatever they were plotting, at least from the perspective of Duke Wei Guo’s residence, supporting the emperor would be more convenient.
“Heh, who could bear being a woman to their enemy? I wished for his death day and night. Not only him, but also the royal family, I find them all disgusting. That’s why I said I’m grateful to Chu Lishu. Without the help of such a talented individual like him, I wouldn’t have escaped from this misery so quickly.”
“Do you have a feud with the Emperor?”
Now, Concubine Xu remained silent, instead shifting the topic, “What about Chu Lishu? Does he have a grudge against the Emperor? He seems to be helping Prime Minister Li, but in reality, he’s doing his own thing. The changes in the Six Ministries must have been orchestrated by him, right? This… he wouldn’t be wanting to become Emperor himself, would he? Or perhaps he wants to be like Yu Suoxi, to become a regent, to intervene in court affairs, and support a puppet Emperor, to prove his capabilities?”
Concubine Xu didn’t respond, and Lin Qingyang naturally wouldn’t fall for her leading questions. Instead, he continued on the same line of questioning, “I can’t believe how cunning you are. It seems like no one in the entire court has ever suspected anything, right?”
“I’m not stupid either. When Prime Minister Li made his move, it was around the time you all arrived. Naturally, I knew Chu Lishu wasn’t an ordinary person. But as for the matter regarding the Six Ministries, it was indeed a clever individual who informed me about it. Otherwise, I might have missed it.” Xu Mei chuckled.
“Yu Suoxi?”
“Not him,” Concubine Xu replied with a smile.
Lin Qingyang’s expression subtly changed, realizing he couldn’t get any more information. He had to change the subject. “Since you’re not collaborating with Yu Suoxi, what’s your relationship with him then?”
“Four years ago, he saved my life, and since then, we’ve kept in touch. He lent me some power, probably just to see how a weak woman like me would fare, nothing more.” Concubine Xu said casually, indicating that she wasn’t really close to Yu Suoxi.
Lin Qingyang immediately pursued, “You just said Yu Suoxi told you that Chu Lishu would hinder your plans. Was it during this year’s Longevity Festival that he informed you?”
“Yes, we met then. I already had no intention of keeping Chu Lishu around, but Yu Suoxi just confirmed what I already suspected.”
Lin Qingyang gritted his teeth, wondering what Yu Suoxi wanted to achieve. He instructed Concubine Xu to deal with Chu Lishu, but didn’t reveal Chu Lishu’s identity to her. Lin Qingyang felt like he was hitting his head against a wall trying to understand. After all, who could comprehend the actions of a madman?
“Is there anything else you want to ask? Go ahead and ask, but I may not answer,” Concubine Xu said with a smile, clearly aware that Lin Qingyang was trying to pry information from her.
Looking at the ongoing battle on the road leading to Qin Zheng Palace, regardless of which side he encountered, it was actually safe for Lin Qingyang given his current identity.
The only complicating factor was his act of holding Concubine Xu hostage, but now there was no time to worry about that.
“One last question, was Xu Wenze involved?”
Concubine Xu chuckled, “You seem to care quite a lot about my brother. Do you really like him? Don’t worry, my brother is too straightforward and innocent. He wouldn’t agree to our plan. So from the beginning, I had my father keep an eye on him, and then I used him to create a false impression for the people around us. Isn’t it true that you, Chu Lishu, Yue Chen, and Huo Luo were all deceived?”
Lin Qingyang found the sound of Concubine Xu’s laughter grating. It turned out they had been manipulated from the start, even used as pawns. Once they cleaned up everything, these people would emerge to reap the benefits, thinking it would all play out to their advantage.
Lin Qingyang didn’t believe that Duke Wei Guo’s residence could handle the Four Princes’ faction, which held military power. Even if Concubine Mei and the Fourth Prince were held hostage, it would only create further opposition. The lack of military strength was the greatest weakness of Duke Wei Guo’s residence.
As for Chu Lishu, he had already been wary of them all, so there was no need to worry. Lin Qingyang decided not to panic. After all, looking at the situation now, the most surprising aspect was just the revelation that Concubine Xu was the “snake” in the grass.
Lin Qingyang and Concubine Xu hurried along the road and inevitably encountered the rebel army.
Fortunately, they first encountered Prime Minister Li and Zhao Cheng, who obviously had the upper hand. The imperial guards were ineffective and no match for them. They were quickly subdued.
Prime Minister Li was also dressed in military attire. Upon seeing Lin Qingyang, he immediately exclaimed with joy, “Well done! I was just about to deal with that old fox Duke Wei Guo. Qingyang’s hostages arrived just in time. What about the Fourth Prince and Concubine Mei?”
“Concubine Mei’s whereabouts are unknown, and the Fourth Prince is with the Empress Dowager,” Lin Qingyang replied. He had considered whether to bring the Fourth Prince along, but if he did, it might lead the enemy to perceive the prince as a threat. Since Lin Qingyang lacked martial skills and was already at his limit with one hostage, he couldn’t possibly bring the Fourth Prince. Therefore, the prince had to stay with the Empress Dowager.
Prime Minister Li frowned slightly and immediately asked Zhao Cheng, “Where are the reinforcements you sent? Why haven’t they arrived yet?”
Zhao Cheng muttered something in response, prompting a dissatisfied grunt from Prime Minister Li, who didn’t press further.
Lin Qingyang glanced at Zhao Cheng, feeling uneasy since he hadn’t died. However, since Chu Lishu had decided to use Zhao Cheng for now, Lin Qingyang figured it wouldn’t be an issue.
“Alright, give us the hostage. Qingyang, are you coming with us or…”
Lin Qingyang thought for a moment, deciding to hand over the “Snake” to Prime Minister Li for safety, while he himself could go lightly equipped to confront Chu Lishu.
Just as he was about to release his grip, a piercing scream shattered the air. “Lin Qingyang, don’t let go, they’re in cahoots!”
Lin Qingyang recognized the voice as Lu Shi’s immediately.
Fortunately, Concubine Xu was not skilled in martial arts, and the others were still some distance away, allowing Lin Qingyang to continue holding onto her.
Looking up, he saw Lu Shi had just leaped over a wall, landing with almost no balance left. He was covered in blood, his face pallid, clearly at the end of his strength.
“Take her and run, go see the master, I’ll hold them off!” Lu Shi’s face was determined, already holding a blade as he stood in front of Lin Qingyang.
Even now, Lin Qingyang hadn’t quite grasped what was happening, but he obediently acted immediately.
On the other side, Prime Minister Li looked bewildered. “What’s going on?”
At that moment, Concubine Xu, who was about to be taken away, spoke slowly. “Forget it, it’s about time. Let’s do it.”
With just one sentence, Lin Qingyang immediately tensed, tightening his grip around Concubine Xu’s neck, expecting people to jump out from all directions at any moment.
But instead, Lu Shi stepped back, facing the group led by Prime Minister Li and Zhao Cheng.
In a flash of silver, blood sprayed, and dozens of heads rolled to the ground.
A scream pierced the air as Prime Minister Li, clutching his torn throat, looked at Zhao Cheng in horror, disbelief filling his eyes. “Wh-why…”
Zhao Cheng slowly raised his head, a mocking smile on his face. “With you here… Mei’er will never give up, let alone willingly become my wife. How could my son ever return to me, right?”
Prime Minister Li glared angrily, his eyes filled with intense unwillingness, before collapsing.
Lin Qingyang, ignoring the chaos, only wanted to escape quickly, but they were surrounded by soldiers. Lu Shi, wanting to fight, was now powerless, his injuries too severe. His clothes soaked in blood, he could only brace himself against the approaching enemies, even though he was barely standing.
Zhao Cheng turned to look at Concubine Xu, his expression dark and his face bearing terrifying scars, completely different from the past Zhao Cheng.
“General Zhao, rest assured, I keep my word. After everything is done, you can go to the Queen Mother’s side and naturally get what you want,” Concubine Xu said with a smile.
“I’ll go to Qin Zheng Palace first,” Zhao Cheng said.
“Not necessary, you just need to clear out nearby resistors. As for me… don’t worry about it,” Concubine Xu said with a smile. Zhao Cheng nodded and left with some of his men, leaving others behind to guard them.
Seeing this, Lu Shi immediately counterattacked, but the remaining guards were all at the level of assassins, and Lu Shi couldn’t handle them now.
“Stop!” Seeing Lu Shi about to be killed, Lin Qingyang quickly used Concubine Xu,’s call.
“Alright, stop. He’s just a minor guard,” Concubine Xu spoke up. Then, she turned to Lin Qingyang, who was trembling with emotion behind her, and asked slowly, “What do you think now? Do you still think… we will lose?”
“You… are together?” Lin Qingyang finally understood what Lu Shi meant.
“My goals align with General Zhao’s. Naturally, we’re on the same side.”
“Goals…” Lin Qingyang suddenly realized something from Zhao Cheng’s words earlier. “Could it be… Concubine Mei and the Fourth Prince are… are…”
“How so? Are you scared now?” Concubine Xu chuckled.
Gritting his teeth, Lin Qingyang said, “What do I have to fear? You’re still in my hands. Since you’re all together, he can’t just let you go unchecked, right? Everyone step back, or I’ll end her life!”
Lin Qingyang immediately shouted at the soldiers surrounding them, leveraging the hostage situation to the fullest. The soldiers indeed hesitated and backed off. Lin Qingyang glanced at the unconscious Lu Shi and reluctantly fed him a ginseng pill. With great effort, Lu Shi managed to open his eyes and uttered, “Don’t worry about me, Master is in danger, go quickly!”
Suppressing his sorrow, Lin Qingyang realized that Zhao Cheng had turned against them, siding with Concubine Xu’s faction. Concubine Xu had decided to kill Chu Lishu here. Lin Qingyang knew he had to find Chu Lishu first, or it would be very dangerous.
Holding Concubine Xu hostage, Lin Qingyang headed towards Qin Zheng Palace, with the soldiers following closely behind.
Concubine Xu seemed to stroll leisurely, saying, “Since we still have some distance to go, why don’t I talk to you? You must have a lot of doubts about Zhao Cheng and us.”
Lin Qingyang’s emotions were in turmoil. He didn’t understand why Concubine Xu was wasting time on idle chatter with him, but he couldn’t be bothered to interrupt her. He could only hope that Chu Lishu would quickly deal with the situation on his end.
“It all started with an accident. General Zhao made a mistake while drunk, and that led to the birth of the Fourth Prince with Concubine Mei. At that time, she needed General Zhao’s support and the presence of the child, so she swallowed her pride and didn’t let Zhao Cheng know about the accident, instead using the child in her womb to secure her position as a consort. I accidentally discovered the identity of the Fourth Prince and, after investigating, decided not to let General Zhao remain deceived. So, after he left for the east, I informed him. That’s when General Zhao realized the extent of his manipulation. He deeply loved Concubine Mei, yet she and Prime Minister Li treated him with disdain, and then they turned around and used his son to vie for the throne. So, he had a new goal – to reunite with Concubine Mei and the Fourth Prince.”
A courtier wanting to marry a consort and acknowledge a prince is almost impossible, unless Concubine Mei and the Fourth Prince fake their deaths and change their identities, or unless Zhao Cheng seeks to usurp the throne.
Zhao Cheng, however, had no ambition to become emperor. He only wanted his own small family, so he chose the first option and cooperated with Concubine Xu.
Concubine Mei and Prime Minister Li were proud and would not easily submit, so Prime Minister Li had to be eliminated to deprive Concubine Mei of her support. Then, Concubine Xu and her child would be supported to ascend the throne, securing Zhao Cheng’s position as the Grand General and leaving Concubine Mei and the Fourth Prince with no chance of seizing power, completely devoid of hope, and forced to depend on him.
Zhao Cheng knew that even if he played the role of a lapdog and helped his son ascend, allowing Concubine Mei to become the esteemed Empress Dowager, she would never spare him a glance. So, to gain this detestable woman, Zhao Cheng could only break her wings and ensure she never soared above him.
In the future, Concubine Mei could only be the wife of a general, and the Fourth Prince could only be a junior general. That’s what Zhao Cheng wanted.
Concubine Xu’s proposal aligned with his desires, so he obediently feigned death and cooperated with all of Concubine Xu’s plans.
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyang struggled to maintain his composure despite his emotions roiling inside. He forced himself to stay calm. “But, Zhao Cheng, I’ve told you that as long as you’re in my hands, everything will still…”
Before he could finish, they had already reached Qin Zheng Palace.
“Who said it’s only Zhao Cheng?” Concubine Xu chuckled. “There’s another person in the palace who has pledged allegiance to me and is particularly useful.”
“Who?” Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but ask nervously.
“Chief Steward Sheng.”
Lin Qingyang was stunned. Chief Steward Sheng had been banished to do miscellaneous tasks… Before he could ponder further, alarm bells rang in his mind. It was a sign that Chu Lishu was in mortal danger.
His face turned pale, but just then, Concubine Xu spoke softly, “We better not get any closer. It’s too dangerous. I suspect it’s happening right now. I initially wanted the Emperor, Empress Cheng, and Yuan Ye to pass away together. Unfortunately, Chu Lishu is here too, so I’ll take care of them all at once…”
With Concubine Xu’s words barely fading, accompanied by a deafening roar, Lin Qingyang once again felt the ground tremble from the explosion. A wave of heat rushed towards them, nearly knocking them both off their feet.
The alarm bells in his mind were now ringing in unison, indicating that the male lead’s vital signs were rapidly deteriorating.
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