Chapter 573: Chapter 573

"Do you want to perish with me? Hahaha, does Xie Xun have the heart? He is about to become the supreme ruler, owning all under heaven, everything and everyone belong to him. Would he let you die? You don’t understand power because you’ve never had it? The greater the power, the greater the gains, and the greater the greed. Xie Xun doesn’t want you dead; he can defy ancestral rites, ignore the laws and destiny, and isn’t afraid of affecting the new dynasty’s fortune. The Astronomical Observatory long told him that with both new and old emperors in heaven, chaos would ensue, but he doesn’t care. He dares not kill me. Lin Helin, Zhang Boju, and others advised him many times to kill me, but he doesn’t. I want the world to see what differences there are between Xie Xun and me." Yuwen Jing looked at Fengyu with mad, yet sickly eyes, retaliating against Xie Xun and Fengyu. "Fengyu, if a life could save yours, would Xie Xun kill an innocent? If ten newborn babies could save your life, do you think he would snatch those babies just to save you? Would he? I think he would. Hahahahaha..."

Yuwen Jing laughed maniacally, while Fengyu felt a chill down her spine. Now that Xie Xun had ascended the throne, with overwhelming power, if she didn’t live past eighteen, would Xie Xun choose to use innocent lives to save hers?

Is this a choice for Xie Xun?

Fengyu felt a bit of fear.

"You want to ruin Xie Xun?" Fengyu looked at him coldly, "You live, bringing him endless harm, and you can’t stand living worse than death, wishing for his ruin. Yuwen Jing, you truly are vicious, but you’re mistaken. Even if Xie Xun ascends the throne today, he won’t kill the innocent like you wish. Someone like you belongs in hell and isn’t worthy of dragging him down with you."

"You truly underestimate power, Fengyu... My obsession with Shu’er began when I became Crown Prince. Wasn’t I once the elegant Princely Heir? In Ningzhou, I guarded the city with my father. Whatever the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry needed, we provided money and manpower, hoping they could defend Ningzhou. Our Prince Manor never caused trouble for the Iron Cavalry, nor did we ever covet the throne. When Feng Shu was promised to Xie Zhang, I felt anger, regret, and hatred, but I never planned against the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion until I became Crown Prince, which stirred my greed. The world is mine, Yuwen Jing’s; why shouldn’t Feng Shu be? Thus, I went my own way, taking risky steps. In Ningzhou, I was praised, beloved by the people as the Princely Heir. Now I’ve become the tyrant you all speak of, killing the innocent. That dragon throne corrupts the mind, and I will show the world that Xie Xun and I are no different."

"Bewitching lies!" Fengyu remained resolute, unmoved. "Your intentions are impure, yet you blame the dragon throne for corrupting the mind. Yuwen Jing, you are truly disgusting. Is it hard to face your own defeat? Is it hard to accept being the ruler of a fallen nation? You once had the chance to be a wise ruler, but you gave it up. You had the best Crown Princess Consort and the support of the Lin Family. If not for your schemes, even the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion would have been your ally for the Crown Princess Consort and Abao’s sake. But your ambition, your desires, destroyed everything. Now you shift all blame onto my sister. It’s shameful, but rest assured, Xie Xun is not like you. Unfortunately, you won’t see it."

"What, want to kill me? Go ahead..." Yuwen Jing’s madness unnerved even the nearby guards, fearing he’d lose control and kill Fengyu, so they remained on high alert.

"I won’t kill you, but I want you to see Xie Xun ascend the throne with your own eyes. Release him, I want to take him somewhere."

Yuwen Jing’s limbs were bound by iron chains, and if released, he might harm others. The guards followed Xie Xun’s order that Yuwen Jing wasn’t to leave Yangxin Palace even a step, but now Fengyu wanted to set him free.

The guards were troubled!

"Rest assured, if Xie Xun holds you accountable, I will bear it. Unlock his chains."

The guards exchanged glances. They had followed Fengyu’s orders for years; she had never done anything detrimental to Xie Xun. Reluctantly, they complied, unlocking the chains, while sending someone to inform Xie Xun.

"What do you intend to do?" Yuwen Jing squinted.

"You’ll know soon enough." Fengyu led him out of Yangxin Palace. His legs and arms remained bound by chains, dragging with a heavy sound across the cold stone. Yuwen Jing finally exited Yangxin Palace, couldn’t resist looking up at the sky. Dawn hadn’t yet broken, but the palace was brimming with joy, bustling with eunuchs and palace maids preparing for Xie Xun’s coronation. The prosperity of the new dynasty starkly contrasted Yuwen Jing’s fallen state.

Yuwen Jing was still clad in the bright yellow dragon robe, though bloodstained, recognizable by the palace maids and eunuchs, who stood along the palace path curiously watching Yuwen Jing, once quivering before him.

They whispered amongst themselves, eyes carrying traces of pity, fueling Yuwen Jing’s rage. "Fengyu, are you humiliating me?"

"What, you’re unafraid of death but fear humiliation?" Fengyu turned, head slightly raised in mockery. "You still have self-respect, interesting."

Yuwen Jing’s face darkened. A guard nudged him with a sword hilt, warning, "Behave yourself!"

Fengyu led Yuwen Jing onto the city wall, where Forbidden Army guards appeared surprised but dared not intervene.

This was the eastern inner palace wall, from the highest point of which one could see Taihe Palace and the square. Officials crowded the square, having risen early to kneel before the emperor. Standing higher, though Fengyu couldn’t discern every official, their ranks were evident by their robes. Regardless of hopes, all intended officials attended today.

The sides of Taihe Palace Square were also lined with ritual musicians, whose sounds reached the wall. Fengyu said, "Yuwen Jing, see, these are Xie Xun’s subjects now, not yours. You are unfit to be a ruler."

"Do you think, while I live, there are sincerely loyal ministers to Xie Xun? They’re merely forced to support him. As long as he dare not kill me, he’ll never securely hold the throne. Wait and see, Grandmaster Zhang and others will certainly challenge, refusing his claim. Bringing me to the wall is merely to witness Xie Xun’s embarrassment!" Yuwen Jing sneered.

Fengyu pursed her lips, silent and calm, gazing into the distance. Xie Xun had concluded the ancestral rites, arriving from the Ancestral Temple, clad in a black and gold dragon robe, exuding calm prowess. As the new emperor entered, the accompanying music swelled with grandeur, filling Fengyu with immense relief.

"The ministers’ coercion, the pressure of public opinion, Xie Xun will make a fool of himself at the coronation. He dare not kill Grandmaster Zhang, nor act against civil and military officials. In others’ eyes, it is mere usurpation, while I still live. When Xie Xun returns in disgrace, I’ll tell him only the blood of ten newborns can save you. Do you think he’ll go mad, wonder why, having ascended, he’s still a puppet to others, subject to the old ministers’ balance? I am the supreme ruler, yet unable to protect the woman I love," Yuwen Jing maliciously said. "If he succumbs to slaughter, public outcry would doom the new dynasty’s fortune. Xie Xun couldn’t withstand the rhetoric, ending as I did."

Fengyu remained utterly calm. Indeed, Xie Xun’s coronation met turmoil, as the accompanying music abruptly ceased. In the front row, Grandmaster Zhang led a group of old ministers, kneeling, vehemently voicing unknown grievances. Taihe Palace Square bristled with tension, and even without seeing Xie Xun’s face, Fengyu sensed his anger.

"See, I was right. This coronation is no more than a farce," Yuwen Jing declared. "Fengyu, neither you nor he will meet a good end."

"Yuwen Jing, everything you’ve said is correct!" Fengyu coldly stared at him. "But you’ve erred in one thing; Xie Xun dares not kill you, but I will!" The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the noᴠelfire.net

Standing on the wall, just as she spoke, Fengyu pushed Yuwen Jing over the edge, coldly watching his continually falling figure, seeing his disbelief and discontent. She looked down as if regarding an ant, watching calmly as he plummeted from the wall, his blood staining the ground.

All grievances, schemes, hatreds, settled into dust.

Sister, brother-in-law... Marquis, madam... rest easy now, Yuwen Jing can no longer harm Zhixu. He and Second Brother, Ruyi will all be well.