Ninth Imperial Glorious Phoenix Chapter 796

Chapter 796: H*ll is a Thought Away

<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>

Du Ming heard many exclamations and screams, all urging the student in front of him to quickly dodge. He turned a deaf ear, his only thought being to carry out the Great Empress Dowager's command. However, a long blade intercepted his sword from the side.

This blade, inlaid with gold and silver, gleamed in the sunlight, dazzling Du Ming's eyes. He looked at the owner of the blade in disbelief. "Your Highness? Are you really going to do this?"

Yuwen You clenched his lips tightly, his face unnaturally flushed. His hand holding the blade was steady. He didn't answer Du Ming's question but ordered his men behind him, "Bind this traitor who seeks to incite chaos and push him forward for public display!"

Being bound for public display meant death. Du Ming tried to persuade Yuwen You to reconsider. "Your Highness, are you really sure about this? You..."

Yuwen You shouted to his subordinates, "What are you waiting for?!"

Then Du Ming was disarmed and thrown to the ground by someone. His hands were tied behind him, and he was pushed forward. He looked resentfully at Yuwen You and shouted, "Your Highness, it's you..."

Yuwen You swung his long blade, smashing the hilt onto Du Ming's mouth. With a dull thud, blood mixed with fallen teeth filled Du Ming's mouth. He couldn't say anything, just whimpering. What he originally wanted to say was, "Your Highness, it's you who ordered me to do this," and then force Yuwen You to go down with him. But now there was no chance. He watched in despair as he and his cronies were pushed to the front. The terrified student was surrounded by his friends, pointing at him and shouting, "It's him! He wanted to kill me!"

Yuwen You turned his face slightly, expressionless. "He's from Zhongshan Wang's territory, trying to incite chaos and ruin the Regent’s reputation, to allow the Xiongnu dogs to rampage freely!"

"Kill this treacherous scoundrel!" It's not clear who made the first move, but the students, along with the Longlin Guards and the Imperial Guards, surged forward. Du Ming and his cronies quickly fell silent.

On the high wall not far away, Yue Guo Gong An Zhengping put down the crossbow in his hand and said indifferently, "His luck is quite good. Quickly pass on the news here to the Regent."

To be honest, An Zhengping was surprised that Yuwen You would change his mind at the last moment and turn against them. He was a bit curious about what the Regent Wangfei had said to Yuwen You just now to make him change his mind. But these were all unimportant now. It was best to resolve a crisis like this lightly. The situation in the capital was so tense that it was on the brink of explosion, fragile and unable to withstand turmoil. So, as much as possible, they should maintain peace.

Mingzhu entered the palace through another gate, bypassing Yuwen Chu, and went straight to Changxin Palace. Ji Hui was playing the zither, and the Great Empress Dowager greeted her warmly, "Come over here, listen, how does it sound?"

Mingzhu sat down beside her. "Miss Ji Hui is outstanding in both appearance and zither skills, so naturally, it sounds excellent."

The Great Empress Dowager sighed lightly. "It's a pity, it's been many years since I've seen you dance."

Mingzhu said, "If Auntie wants to see, it's not difficult at all. I can dance for you."

The Great Empress Dowager waved her hand. "Forget it. In the current national crisis, this old lady is seriously ill and bored. Listening to zither music is fine, but if you start singing and dancing again, it wouldn't be proper."

Mingzhu smiled. "Auntie seems to be in good spirits lately. It seems that your quiet rest has been effective."

The Great Empress Dowager was somewhat surprised but remained composed as she glanced at her and then said, "Indeed, the medicine from Jiang Zhouzi is excellent. After not worrying about external matters, I've been able to eat and sleep well, and my spirits have gradually improved."

Mingzhu asked, "So, Auntie doesn't know anything about what's happening outside?"

The Great Empress Dowager smiled. "To say I don't know would be deceiving. I know a little bit. You know, there are always people who are dissatisfied and want to tell me about external matters, but I truly haven't paid much attention."

Mingzhu nodded. "That's good, then I can rest assured." She then turned to Ji Hui. "Miss Ji, I heard that the orchids you grow are excellent. Can I have a look?"

Ji Hui had already noticed her when she entered. She stopped playing the zither immediately, stood up, and gave her a courteous greeting with a smile. "It's a great honor for a Wangfei to appreciate it. But at this moment..."

Mingzhu smiled. "It's alright. We're all here to serve the Great Empress Dowager. Naturally, we must make her happy before doing anything else. I'll wait." She glanced at Ji Hui's zither. "Duyou, Miss Ji's zither is an heirloom."

Ji Hui graciously said, "It was a gift from my father." Seeing Mingzhu's eager expression, she gestured for her to take a seat. "I've long heard that Wangfei is proficient in music. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to ask for your guidance. Since it's such a coincidence today, please enlighten me a little."

Mingzhu smiled more warmly than ever. "I wouldn't call it guidance, but playing the zither together is fine."

Playing the zither together? Ji Hui was a little dazed. Did the lofty Regent Wangfei, who had never bothered with her before, want to be friends with her?

"What's wrong, Miss Ji Hui? Unwilling?" Mingzhu's fingers pressed on the zither strings, plucking a high note.

Seeing those chubby and fair hands, and then looking at Mingzhu's face and figure, Ji Hui inexplicably felt that the lofty Regent Wangfei seemed much friendlier, so she smiled and said, "Please don't hesitate to instruct me, Your Highness."

Mingzhu sat down gracefully, tested the tone, and smiled at the Great Empress Dowager. "Auntie, are you ready? Brace yourself for the demonic sound."

The Great Empress Dowager seemed unaware of her deliberate attempt to be friendly with Ji Hui and kindly said, "You're such a playful child. Even if you play the demonic sound, I still think it's the most pleasant."

Mingzhu smiled and closed her eyes to play a tune called "Moon Over the Mountains". She wasn't actually proficient in playing the zither, certainly not as good as Ji Hui, but she felt her emotions were on point. It was perhaps the best zither performance she had given in her two lifetimes.

After the piece ended, she apologized, "I'm embarrassed."

Ji Hui's eyes showed surprise. "I had only heard that Wangfei excels in playing the pipa, but I didn't expect you to play the zither so well. In this setting, it truly evokes deep emotions."

Mingzhu calmly said, "Yes, I thought of how hard our soldiers and people of Great Xia are enduring, so I played this piece. If it's not good, please don't laugh."

The Great Empress Dowager lightly said, "Who said it wasn't good? It was really excellent."

Mingzhu deliberately asked her, "Auntie, do you think the Xiongnu will reach the capital?"

The Great Empress Dowager was somewhat displeased. "I haven't been involved in politics for a long time. You should ask the Regent about this." Implicit in her words was that Yuwen Chu, not her, was the one responsible for the defeat.

<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>