Chapter 419 – That rotten Zhangjun Prince (2)
Slightly stunned by Ning Yuxuan’s words, Ji Man lowered her eyes.
The sound of Zhao Li’s howling could be heard throughout Wangyue Building’s surrounding area. By the time a group of soldiers had rushed over and surrounded the building, Ji Man had already taken out a dagger.
Nie Qingyun had entered the palace at top speed. His armor was still stained with blood. After reaching the third floor of Wangyue Building and seeing the emperor that was numbly hugging Pengyue on the bed, he slightly paused for a moment before taking out his saber.
“Qingyun.” Ning Yuxuan furrowed his brow and asked, “Will you and Sangyu listen to my advice?”
Nie Qingyun glanced at him in surprise, but he still had a solemn expression as he pursed his lips and answered, “The two of us have been living in degradation for such a long time for the sole purpose of claiming this scoundrel’s life. If you want to plead on his behalf, you might as well not say anything.”
Ning Yuxuan shook his head. “I’m not asking you to show mercy for his benefit. I’m saying this for you and your sister’s benefit. No matter what, Zhao Li is Zhangjun Prince’s biological brother. It shouldn’t be the two of you that kill him.”
The chance to collect their blood debt was right in front of them. Who would be willing to listen to his words at this time?
Ji Man chuckled. “I don’t care about anything else. I want to be the one that kills him.”
Marquis Moyu’s expression stiffened. In the end, he sighed and moved aside.
Alarmed, Kangyuan rushed over to protectively stand before Zhao Li. “What are you going to do? How can you possibly be thinking of killing the emperor?”
“The new emperor has probably already sat down on the throne.” Ji Man slightly smiled and said, “The person in front of us is merely our mortal enemy.”
“No!” Kangyuan shook her head. She pleadingly looked at them as she said, “Don’t hurt the emperor. If… if you want to kill someone, kill me instead.”
“Take her away, far away from Wangyue Building. This emperor’s life, you can take it if you want.” Zhao Li slowly put Pengyue down and turned his head. His reddened eyes actually showed relief. “This emperor wants to die here. This place is better than other places, but this woman…”
He pointed at Kangyuan and continued, “Take her far away. Even in death, this emperor doesn’t want to see her again.”
Kangyuan was shocked. She blankly turned her head to look at him. “Your Majesty?”
“Okay.” Ji Man agreed, went outside to issue the order, and someone came back inside with her and started dragging Kangyuan away.
Kangyuan widened her eyes. In a heart-broken voice, she shouted, “Your Majesty, why are you treating me like this? Why? Yu-er just wants to be with you!”
Although her voice gradually came from further away, it sounded increasingly mournful. The doors to Wangyue Building were closed. Ji Man and Nie Qingyun stood in front of Zhao Li and looked at him while holding sharp blades.
Zhao Li chuckled as he asked, “Are you going to kill this emperor with a thousand slow cuts, or give me a quick death?”
Nie Qingyun’s eyes reddened. His blade went towards Zhao Li’s abdomen. He wanted to slice him in half at the waist.
“Don’t,” Zhao Li lowly said, “If I don’t have my legs on the path to underworld, this emperor might not be able to catch up to her.”
Nie Qingyun ignored him. He directly stabbed him in the abdomen, then followed with several additional strikes. He specifically chose spots that wouldn’t be fatal. Slice by slice, he would collect on the debt that was owed to Nie Clan.
Ji Man had never killed someone before. Although she had taken out a dagger, she was hesitant about actually stabbing someone. Ah, what a gutless weakling. She said that she hated this person to death, but she still couldn’t lay her hands on him.
Sweat had pooled on Zhao Li’s head from the pain, but he didn’t make a single sound. When his strength was almost gone, he braced himself so that he could fall down at Pengyue’s side.
Seeing this, Ning Yuxuan lightly called out, “Enough.”
Turning the dagger, Ji Man finally mustered up her courage and sliced his neck.
Zhao Li’s body stopped twitching. He somewhat gratefully looked at Ji Man. He wanted to turn his head to look at Pengyue, but he didn’t have the strength.
Blood was pooling onto the floor, and the bed was stained red too. Ji Man blankly looked at this scene before closing her eyes.
This great vengeance had been satisfied. Did the deceased souls of Nie Clan’s members feel a slight relief?
The sound of jumbled footsteps suddenly came from the staircase. It sounded as if many armed people were rushing over here.
Marquis Moyu’s expression changed. He grabbed the dagger from Ji Man’s hand and pushed her far away.
The doors crashed open, and Wu Yong led a group of people inside. As soon as he saw the scene inside the room, he waved his hand and said, “Seize those two people that are holding weapons. They killed the emperor.”
“Yes!”
Ji Man froze in surprise. Leaning against the wall, she watched as the group of soldiers came into the room and seized Nie Qingyun and Ning Yuxuan.
What… what were they doing?
“Arrest that other person and bring all of them to the imperial prison. They’ll await their judgment there.”
As she was taken into custody, Ji Man blankly looked at Ning Yuxuan, who was frowning. While Zhangjun Prince was sitting down in Zichen Hall, these three were being sent to the imperial prison.
The three of them were locked up in separate, neighboring cells. When the jailers had left, Ning Yuxuan wryly smiled, “I knew that Zhao Zhe would have some hidden trick.”
Nie Qingyun had always been a straightforward and honest person. He couldn’t figure out what was going on. “Didn’t he agree for us to kill Zhao Li? Why did he have us arrested afterwards?”
Ji Man figured out the key point and bitterly laughed. “Sure enough, no one from the imperial family can be trusted.”
No matter what, Zhao Li had been an emperor that hadn’t abdicated yet. Furthermore, he was Zhao Zhe’s younger brother. Zhao Zhe wanted to kill him, but he was worried that people would curse him if he didn’t show mercy to his brother. So, Zhao Zhe had borrowed their hands to kill Zhao Li. Thus, he could push all the blame onto them.
That rotten Zhangjun Prince.