"Father—"
As soon as Song Liu and Song Hui arrived at the Purple Palace Hall, they saw Prince Heng already pressed down on the punishment bench. He had been stripped of his princely robes, leaving only his undergarments.
Song Yu, who had been trying to stay unnoticed, shuffled over to the old man. "Didn't the Sect Leader prepare any other methods to deal with Prince Heng?"
"A-Huan mentioned earlier that her tutor was investigating."
The old man was rather terse, but the coldness in his eyes made Song Yu feel things were definitely not that simple.
This old man had chosen the ruthless method of destroying families and wiping out lineages to deal with those court officials. Merely taking Prince Heng's life seemed somewhat out of place.
Song Yu decided to wait and see.
"Song Liu, Song Hui, do you object to Our decision?"
At the sound of Emperor Yuanyou's voice, Prince Heng... oh no, Song Heng's struggling movements halted abruptly. He looked at his son and daughter. "I am suffering punishment in your grandfather's stead. You two are auspicious signs, blessed with good fortune. Do not let your fate be damaged because of me."
With that, he spoke to a young eunuch nearby, "Hold them back."
Seeing this, Emperor Yuanyou snorted coldly. "Carry out the punishment."
Auspicious signs indeed, pah.
Gu Zheng personally carried out the punishment, using ten-tenths of his strength. With the first strike of the rod, Song Heng felt as if his internal organs had been displaced.
A military execution by rod did not have a set number of strikes; it continued until death.
At first, Song Heng could endure without making a sound, but gradually, the intense pain blurred his reason, and screams began to escape his lips.
It was at this moment that Song Shihuan arrived at the Purple Palace Hall.
As soon as she entered, everyone saw their Emperor squeezing his way through to run up to the Crown Prince. He took the Princess's hand with one hand and covered her eyes with the other.
The Crown Prince, a step too slow, stamped his foot in annoyance, then used both hands to cover the Princess's ears instead.
The assembled ministers: "..."
That wasn't all. Several disciples of the Qingyun Sect, reacting quickly, also ran over to surround the Princess, seemingly competing in a subtle contest of wills. Within moments, their Crown Prince was squeezed out of the circle.
His expression was one of shame and irritation.
Heavens, if the Princess wanted a star from the sky, these people would probably start climbing without a second thought.
It was rare for everyone's thoughts to wander at such a moment.
In the entire hall, only Song Liu and Song Hui were weeping bitterly for Song Heng.
...
Just as Song Heng was beaten to his last breath, the old man's voice slowly rang out.
"Wait."
The punishment rod in Gu Zheng's hand stopped mid-air. Everyone's gaze turned towards the source.
They saw the old man walk up to Song Shihuan and gently pat her head. "Master taught you, 'to drive a dog into a dead-end alley...'"
"'...is to invite a desperate counter-attack.'"
Song Shihuan answered almost without hesitation.
"Today, Master will teach you something more. If your strength is such that you can regard your opponent as an ant, then you may indeed drive the dog into the dead-end alley, to eradicate the threat forever."
"Qingling."
"Your disciple is here."
Qingling put away his gentle smile and took out a small booklet from his sleeve.
"Our Qingyun Sect has also investigated the Prince Heng residence. We discovered that Song Heng has made many covert moves, using both favors and threats to grasp the weaknesses of several individuals, forcing them to do his bidding." Qingling looked at Song Liu. "Surprisingly, Song Liu and Song Hui were also involved."
"Using their age advantage to interact with peers from noble families, extracting secrets and leverage. We reasonably suspect this family harbors intentions of rebellion."
Song Heng, with only one breath left, tried to speak upon hearing these words but found he could no longer utter a sound.
Song Liu, terrified, turned and tried to run outside, only to be stopped by the guards at the hall's entrance.
After reading the small booklet in Qingling's hand, Emperor Yuanyou's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
"Song Liu, have you been to a blacksmith's shop?"
"I... I just wanted to forge a suitable weapon."
Song Liu suddenly felt tongue-tied, unable to explain himself clearly.
His visit to the blacksmith's shop... indeed wasn't solely for forging a weapon.
"Song Hui, have you made contact with the pastry shop frequented by the Gu family's pearl?"
Song Hui's face turned deathly pale, stammering, unable to speak.
"Song Liu and Song Hui harbor impure intentions, damaging the royal family's reputation. They are granted the privilege of taking their own lives."
Emperor Yuanyou's voice, crystal clear, reached Song Heng's ears. Song Heng felt his eyes were about to burst from their sockets.
His son and daughter... his only two blood descendants...
"Continue the punishment."
Hearing this, Gu Zheng raised the punishment rod even higher than before. Remembering the mention of the pastry shop, a look of utter contempt, as if viewing the dead, flashed in his eyes. He mustered all the strength in his body and brought the rod down heavily upon Song Heng.
Life was extinguished.
Only then did Gu Zheng let out a heavy sigh. Daring to set his sights on his daughter? He would find a Taoist priest later to ensure Song Heng was reborn in the animal realm.
May he never be human again.
"Your Majesty, the man is thoroughly dead."
Wu Qi's voice sent a shiver through the hearts of all present.
"All of you, disperse."
The words were like a great pardon. One by one, they eagerly scrambled out of the Purple Palace Hall.
Too terrifying. Upon returning home, they must write 'do not offend the Princess' into the family rules.
...
Song Liu and Song Hui were taken to the imperial prison. That very night, eunuchs arrived at their cell holding white silk and poisoned wine.
"His Majesty is benevolent and kind, granting you the privilege of choosing your manner of departure."
Song Liu and Song Hui's teeth were chattering. "Beating my father to death, and now wiping us out as well—this is called benevolent and kind?"
"How dare you!"
"Just based on your grandfather who deserted, it would be enough to send you both on your way. Yet you were not content, insisting on offending those you should not have. His Majesty has already granted you ample dignity."
"Choose quickly."
Seeing their prolonged hesitation, the young eunuch began to grow impatient.
"I can't die. I haven't even had my coming-of-age ceremony yet."
Song Hui suddenly broke down. "If only we hadn't come to the capital. If only we hadn't come to the capital."
The eunuch wore a look of accustomed indifference. The will to live is human instinct. Usually, in such situations, they simply chose for them.
"You two, force the poisoned wine down their throats."
With that, two more young eunuchs approached Song Liu and Song Hui.
As the poisoned wine was forced into their mouths, they heard the eunuch's shrill voice once more:
"Blame your own greed. You offended the Princess—the heart and soul of the Emperor and the Crown Prince, the only female disciple of the Qingyun Sect."
"One should revere such a person, not cross her."
Under the moonlight, the breaths of Song Liu and Song Hui gradually ceased.
The farce concerning the royal recognition came to a complete end.
And the auspicious reputation they had once been so proud of vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, back in the Purple Palace Hall...
"No, A-Huan must stay in the side chamber tonight. We haven't had a chance to talk with A-Huan for a long time."
"No, A-Huan must return to the Eastern Palace tonight. Why stay in someone else's place when she has her own courtyard?"
"No, tonight our Qingyun Sect is taking A-Huan out to enjoy the sights of the capital."
The three parties glared at each other, then turned their gazes towards...
Song Shihuan, who was trying to sneak away quietly while pulling Shen Qingping along.
Heh heh.
Song Shihuan offered an awkward yet polite smile.
