Chapter 608 - Killing to Stabilize His Position
Don’t kill anyone else! Ji Yunshu spoke cooly, voice slightly hoarse.
Jing Rong’s cold, bloodthirsty eyes met her tearful and pleading eyes. When had he wished to kill people? When had he ever wanted to push people to desperate measures? Everything he had done was forced by circumstance.
“Let them go.” Ji Yunshu pleaded again with red eyes and trembling lips.
Jing Rong frowned ruthlessly. “Do you know what you are saying?”
“The people implicated by the Imperial Duke’s case are numerous. Plenty of people have already died because of it, so why add a few more cold bodies to the death toll?”
“So?”
“Even if you kill these few hundred people now, there are far more people who are still loyal to the Imperial Duke. You cannot kill all of them.”
You can’t kill all of them! This sentence landed as heavily as a ton of bricks.
Ji Yunshu put her thin hands on Jing Rong’s palms and pulled harder, trying to lower down the hand that was about to give an order.
Jing Rong’s eyes were still so cold and hard, “You want this prince to release them, but it’s the same thing as freeing the tiger back into the mountain. It will result in endless trouble.”
She shook her head desperately, “It won’t, I assure you.”
“How can you be so sure?”
She paused for a while, and with firm eyes she took out the jade pendant, “I swear upon this.”
At that moment, Jing Rong’s harsh attitude and his determination to kill slowly vanished. He also lowered his hand.
Ji Yunshu finally took a deep breath. She took a few steps forward, and looked at each and every person present, “You regard me as the Little Heir because of the jade pendant; if you really do recognise my position as the Little Heir, you must listen to my commands.”
Those people were practically fatty meat sizzling in the pan, with no chances of survival. They glanced at each other before focusing on her.
She turned her gaze to Wen Panshi, “The Emperor has handed over the case of the Imperial Duke Residence to Prince Rong and I. When I return to the capital, I will do my utmost to uncover the truth behind the case. Was it truly due to the battle between the dragons and tigers of the Imperial Family? Or were there other secrets behind it? Everything will be made public on the day when the truth is revealed, and the 70-odd people who died in the residence will surely be vindicated. However, you were dead set on the opinion that the Emperor murdered them to stabilize his position. You also felt the conclusion is forgone, so you did not hesitate to send so many people to their deaths.
“Even if you were in the right, so what? The imperial court has hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Can you defeat them? The capital is also heavily guarded too, which means you cannot easily break in either. Even if you decided to attack, it would only lead to unnecessary bloodshed and loss of life in the capital. The dynasty that you conquered would be supported by nothing but mounds of cold corpses.”
“Little Heir...”
“I am asking you to pull back. Don’t make more people die in vain for a matter that hasn’t been ascertained. I will definitely find out the truth behind the Lin Capital Case. If the Emperor really killed the Imperial Duke merely to stabilize his position, then there is no need for you to rebel, for the civilians will likely do the job for you.”
Ah! Wen Panshi’s cheeks trembled slightly and lowered his eyes. That face full of wrinkles suddenly appeared decades older. He remained silent for a long time.
Ji Yunshu then turned to Jing Rong, “Let them go.” She pleaded yet again.
Jing Rong stared with blazing eyes at the armoured soldiers around them, who had been ready to throw their lives away, “You are all rebels and thieves that plotted to overturn the dynasty. What you have done is a major offence. If the news reaches the capital, your lives are as good as lost. This prince should also just execute all of you to avoid future trouble and serve the Imperial Court by removing you troublemakers. But...”
He paused for a moment, “The Imperial Duke, or rather, Imperial Uncle, was the person this prince respected the most. When I was a child, he once said two sentences with this prince. One sentence is, ‘The heavens aid those who wish for it and not those who wish for chaos.’ The other sentence is: ‘Even if I faced death, I would protect my troops and my generals.’
“This prince can only sigh in admiration for one who is so generous and visionary. You rebelled for the Imperial Duke’s sake and were willing to die for him, and even have someone pleading clemency for all of you. Fine, this prince promises to spare your lives, but I will not set you free. You will be detained in jail to await this prince’s deliberation and decision.”
Lin Feng turned anxious when he heard these words. He was not willing to accept such a conclusion. “Kill us if you can. You can dream of us surrendering to you.”
“So, you are asking for death?”
“Even if I was shot to death by arrows, I would never bow down to you.”
“Shut up.” Wen Panshi abruptly yelled, “You almost killed the Little Heir for your own selfish desires. What your father wanted was not for you to avenge him. What he wanted was for you to assist the Little Heir!” You bastard.
Lin Feng was speechless, but his face was full of hostility.
At this time, Jing Rong’s hand raised again, “This prince has already given you a chance, but you don’t seem to need it, then...”
Seeing this situation, the archers on the roof immediately readied their bows and arrows, waiting for his signal.
Wen Panshi spoke suddenly and ordered, “Put down your weapons.” The armored soldiers threw their long swords to the ground with a clatter, their sharp edges glinting coldly.
Jing Rong curled his lips, sneered coldly, and put down his hand. The archers also withdrew all their arrows.
However, Lin Feng kept his sword in hand. His eyes were red, jaw tightly clenched, and the veins in his forehead and temples stood out starkly. He didn’t want to admit defeat!
He held up his sword and scowled at Jing Rong with hatred, “You dogshit thief, I must kill you.” He grit his teeth and struck towards Jing Rong with his sword like lightning.
Jing Rong didn’t bother to dodge and watched the sword stabbing towards him.
Everyone held their breath and hissed in apprehension, not for Jing Rong, but for Lin Feng. They knew that he was merely sending himself to his own death!
Unexpectedly, a dagger reached Lin Feng faster than the archers on the roof. That dagger curled around Lin Feng’s neck in a half-circle and made a neat stroke across. A gash opened and fresh blood spilled starkly from his neck to the cold armor.
The killer was none other than Zhao Huai! He used the dagger his father had left him. The sword in Lin Feng’s hand fell to the ground while his body toppled backwards.
“Lin Feng!” Wen Xian screamed. He rushed up to support Lin Feng, and lay him on the ground.
“Lin… Feng?” His lips trembled. He pressed tightly on the incision on his neck with one hand, and cried out, “Lin Feng, you can’t die, please don’t die!”
“Uh...uh...”
“Lin Feng...”
“Uh...”
Lin Feng’s eyes rolled back, his whole body twitched, and blood was sprouted constantly from his mouth. He desperately stretched out his hands to grasp Wen Xian’s sleeves and gripped tightly, scrunching the sleeves into a ball. Before he could even take another breath, he choked and his body turned rigid. He died right there with his eyes wide open.
Wen Xian stayed there, completely lost. Only after a while did he finally raise a hand to close Lin Feng’s eyes. He then picked up the sword that had been bathed in blood and stood up, glaring at the culprit, Zhao Huai. His eyes were full of killing intent. He brought the sword up and aimed it at Zhao Huai.
“Why? Why?” He questioned him loudly.
Zhao Huai looked indifferent, and said, “Those who dare to hurt the Little Heir deserve to die.”
“You...” He was about to raise the sword to kill Zhao Huai when Wen Panshi stopped him. “Stop it.”
“But he killed Lin Feng!” Wen Xian hissed with a trembling voice, tears streaming down.