Amidst a chorus of gasps, Sun Cai and the Empress Dowager rushed forward first.
But it was too late. Blood sprayed forth as An Sheng collapsed slowly to the ground.
In her final moments, she seemed to see her general once more—
Clad in silver armor, standing beneath the shade of a tree in the imperial garden, bowing to her—
"This humble general, Yan Xu, greets the Princess."
His features were as gentle and handsome as ever.
So she reached out, longing to touch him one last time…
Thud.
Her wrist fell limp, her breath ceasing entirely.
"Qin'er!"
"Mother!"
The Empress Dowager and Sun Cai wailed in grief, while the Emperor hurried over, stamping his feet in frustration.
The hall was filled with complex expressions, but Yan Zheng merely pulled Chu Ruoyan back a few steps, ensuring An Sheng's blood wouldn't stain them.
Chu Ruoyan pressed her lips together and squeezed his hand tightly in return.
To the Emperor and Empress Dowager, An Sheng had been a traitor in life—but in death, she was still their daughter and sister.
To the assembled courtiers, she was the imperial family's eldest princess, the tragic heroine of tonight's bloody drama.
But to Yan Zheng alone, she was the murderer of his elder brother, the destroyer of his family.
And worse, this enemy had once shared a past with his father…
Fearing his discomfort, Chu Ruoyan didn’t even mind that her own father was still gripping him tightly.
Yan Zheng felt the warmth in his palm and glanced down, offering her a faint smile. "It’s nothing."
His father had long been little more than a distant shadow to him.
If, in his youth, he had once admired the man and aspired to become a renowned general like him…
Years of estrangement had long since worn away such sentiments.
"With you here, I’m fine."
They shared a quiet smile, a moment of rebirth amidst the bloodstained palace.
Meanwhile, Wei Lian, sensing the tide turning, attempted to seize the Emperor and flee—
Only for a flash of steel to sever his remaining hand!
The shadow guard finally revealed himself, standing coldly at the Emperor's side. Old Xu wiped his brow. "You brat! Why didn’t you act sooner? You nearly scared this old man to death!"
The shadow guard frowned and gestured sharply.
Old Xu huffed. "What do you mean, 'no one was in real danger earlier'? You little—"
Amid their bickering, the capital patrol arrived and hauled Wei Lian away.
Gong Shang and Yu Hui exchanged glances, then resolutely shut their eyes.
Thud.
They bit down on the poison hidden beneath their tongues, dying instantly.
Only Sun Cai jerked his head up, his hatred burning toward Yan Zheng. "You killed Mother! YOU KILLED HER!!"
Yan Zheng scoffed, not even deigning to respond.
Chu Ruoyan couldn’t hold back. "Sun Cai, wake up! Your mother was Granny Sun, not the Princess!"
"No! NO! My only mother was the noble Princess, not some lowly servant!" Sun Cai snarled, his face twisted with rage. "Kill me! Go on, kill me! If you don’t, I swear I’ll avenge her one day—I WILL!"
"Avenge her? You?" Yan Zheng’s derisive chuckle ignited Sun Cai’s fury.
He snatched up An Sheng’s fallen sword and charged—only to be kicked flat by the shadow guard before he could take a step.
As the guard raised his blade for the kill, Yan Zheng stopped him. "Wait. I promised Granny Sun I’d spare his life."
Old Xu frowned. "Young master, leaving roots unburned invites disaster!"
Before Yan Zheng could reply, Chu Ruoyan interjected, "Old Xu, Sun Cai’s matricide is unforgivable, but An Sheng twisted him into this. Rather than execute him, why not imprison him somewhere… and teach him the duties of a proper son?"
She nodded to the shadow guard, who understood instantly.
Swish—swish—swish!
In three strokes, he severed Sun Cai’s tendons, rendering him helpless.
"AAAAAH—!!!"
As screams tore through the hall, Yan Zheng added coldly, "Lock him in the dungeons. Let him spend his days worshiping Granny Sun’s memorial tablet to atone." Only then did he turn, feigning deference, to the Emperor. "Does Your Majesty approve?"
The Emperor and Empress Dowager were too lost in grief to care.
"Handle it as you see fit," the Emperor muttered, waving a hand. "We must retire."
The crowd bowed. "Farewell, Your Majesty! Farewell, Empress Dowager!"
Yan Zheng oversaw the aftermath—sending the injured Empress Pei and Princess Qingping to the infirmary, clearing the corpses, preparing the Fifth Prince’s funeral—before finally turning to Old Xu.
"Don’t worry, young master," Old Xu assured. "I’ll make sure this wretch reflects properly!"
"I’ll never—ugh!" Sun Cai was knocked unconscious before he could finish, dragged away unceremoniously.
Prince Qin approached then, offering a stiff bow. "Chief Minister Yan, my earlier misunderstandings… I apologize."
Yan Zheng acknowledged him with a nod, his demeanor cool toward all who came to repent.
Meanwhile, Duke Zou, Xu Yan, and other officials who had sided with An Sheng now scrambled to flatter him.
"Chief Minister Yan, your patience and strategy exposed the traitors’ plot and saved the throne!"
"Indeed! Your brilliance turned the tide—we are in awe!"
"That vile traitor deserved worse than death—we’d tear her apart ourselves—"
Their groveling sickened Prince Qin, but Yan Zheng merely remarked, "Traitor? His Majesty has yet to decree it—yet you’re all so certain?"
Duke Zou and the others broke into cold sweat. Right—the Emperor had never officially branded the Princess a rebel!
They backtracked hastily. "Ah, of course! We merely meant to praise your wisdom—"
Yan Zheng cut them off. "Don’t you have duties to attend to?"
Realizing their blunder, they stammered, "Y-Yes! At once!" and scurried away.
Prince Qin frowned. "You’re letting them go?"
Yan Zheng ignored him, explaining instead to Chu Ruoyan, "Half the court supported An Sheng. Investigating all of them would—"
"I understand," she said softly.
The law couldn’t punish everyone—doing so would collapse the government.
She hesitated, then suddenly shivered, a chill piercing her chest.
"What’s wrong?" Yan Zheng noticed instantly, but she shook her head. "Nothing… Father!"
Chu Huaishan and Grand Tutor Rong approached at last.
Grand Tutor Rong’s face was stormy. "A brilliant scheme, Chief Minister," he spat. "My daughter’s betrothal to you is hereby void!" He couldn’t forgive Yan Zheng for using Rong Su as a pawn.
Yan Zheng bowed deeply. "Necessity forced my hand. I beg your forgiveness."
With a scoff, Grand Tutor Rong stormed off.
Chu Huaishan opened his mouth—but Chu Ruoyan cut in. "Father! He was wounded earlier… for your sake!"
Chu Huaishan: "…What?"
