"It's alright. I was just startled when I heard that His Majesty had been assassinated. He'll be fine."
"That's good."
Ye Lingfeng nodded, then looked outside the hall. At the entrance, Shi Zhu, Shi Ju, and several subordinates had already escorted Sima Yuan into the main hall. As soon as Sima Yuan entered the main hall, the Empress Dowager's head buzzed, and she slumped heavily into her chair. Sima Yuan had actually been captured by them. What should they do?
Ye Lingfeng glared coldly at Sima Yuan, then spoke in a gloomy tone.
"You audacious Sima Yuan, how dare you order assassins to kill me! You damned thing, I will tear you apart with five horses and leave you with no whole body."
Ye Lingfeng spoke in a sinister tone. Upon hearing his words, Sima Yuan's face twisted in pain, and he shouted, "Your Majesty, I am a citizen of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Your Majesty has no right to treat me like this. If you kill me, the Great Zhou Dynasty will surely become hostile to Bei Lu. Can Your Majesty bear to see the people of the world suffer?"
As soon as Sima Yuan spoke, the Empress Dowager realized what was happening and then addressed Ye Lingfeng.
"Yes, Feng'er, we must not kill Sima Yuan. If we kill him, how will we, the Northern Lu, explain ourselves to the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty? If we are not careful, it could lead to a war between the two countries."
"A war between two countries? Feng Zixiao dares to instigate a war between two countries. Sima Yuan actually dares to bring assassins to kill me. I suspect that it was Feng Zixiao who had this idea. The eyes of the world are discerning. Even if there is a war between two countries, the world knows who is right and who is wrong. I am not afraid, so Sima Yuan must die."
As Ye Lingfeng spoke with murderous intent, Sima Yuan and the Empress Dowager couldn't help but tremble slightly.
Sima Yuan felt weak all over at the thought of being killed. Although he was not particularly afraid of death, people still want to live when faced with death, so Sima Yuan began to plead.
“Your Majesty, I did not intend to kill you. I intended to assassinate Ji Hailing. She harmed my son before, so I resented her and wanted to kill her.”
"How do you know that Ling'er is Jiang Hailing from the Great Zhou Dynasty? And who leaked this information to you?"
Ye Lingfeng asked coldly, and Sima Yuan was taken aback. He hadn't expected Ye Lingfeng to ask such a question and was momentarily stunned.
"Guards, drag Sima Yuan away and tear him apart with five horses."
Ye Lingfeng's face turned ugly, and his aura of violence suddenly emanated from him. He shouted and ordered Shizhu, who was sitting below the main hall, to obey. Shizhu stepped forward, grabbed Sima Yuan, and dragged him out of the hall. Not only did Sima Yuan's expression change, but even the Empress Dowager's expression changed, though she held back and said nothing.
Sima Yuan stared at the Empress Dowager, and seeing that she remained silent, he grew anxious and cried out, "Your Majesty, you cannot kill me!"
His shout caused the Empress Dowager's body to tremble slightly. She then abruptly ordered the eunuchs and palace maids in the Cixi Palace: "Everyone, step back."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Seeing the scene before him, Ye Lingfeng realized that the Empress Dowager had something to say, so he waved his hand, signaling Shi Zhu and the others to leave.
Inside the hall, besides Ye Lingfeng, there was Sima Yuan and the Empress Dowager.
Once the hall was empty, Sima Yuan no longer cared about the Empress Dowager's feelings and cried out, "Your Majesty, you can't kill me! You can't commit patricide!"
"Parricide?"
Ye Lingfeng's face suddenly turned ugly, and he quickly stood up, pointing his long, slender hand directly at Sima Yuan: "You said patricide, what do you mean by that?"
This time, without Sima Yuan saying anything, the Empress Dowager slowly rose, looked at Ye Lingfeng, and said with heartache, "Feng'er, actually you are not of royal blood. You are Sima Yuan's child. Back then, Sima Yuan was an envoy sent by the Great Zhou Dynasty to Beilu. The Emperor held a banquet in the palace, and both I and Lord Sima drank some wine, so we got drunk. Later, we, we, and then you came into being."
"No, how could this be?"
Ye Lingfeng had considered many possibilities, but he never imagined that he wasn't a descendant of the late emperor, but rather Sima Yuan's child. Although he had previously suspected that Sima Yuan was his father, he now hated being Sima Yuan's child and refused to believe it.
"Impossible, I don't believe it. I remember when I tested my blood with the late emperor, our blood was compatible."
"That was done by the Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager spoke with a pained expression and a look of remorse: "This is my fault. I didn't want to tell you, but you can't kill Lord Sima. He is your father."
"No, I don't believe it."
Ye Lingfeng simply couldn't accept this fact. In the end, he wasn't the late emperor's child, but Sima Yuan's child. How could he accept this? He could accept that he was Sima Yuan's child before because his mother had been Sima Yuan's woman, but now it was different. His mother was a concubine in the palace, yet she had a relationship with Sima Yuan. How could he accept this?
"Feng'er, it's true."
The Empress Dowager continued speaking, and Ye Lingfeng's head began to ache. He covered his head with both hands and roared in the hall, "No, if he were my father, why would he order assassins to kill me? Even tigers don't eat their cubs, let alone humans. So he is not my father at all."
"Feng'er, it is your mother's fault. Your mother confesses to you. Because I hate Ji Hailing, I ordered Sima Yuan to kill Ji Hailing. Your mother knows that your martial arts are unfathomable and those people could not possibly harm you. I only want to get rid of her."
The Empress Dowager knelt down as she spoke, her face covered in tears.
Inside the main hall, Ye Lingfeng could no longer bear the shock and rushed out. He then ordered Shizhu and Shiju outside the hall to imprison Sima Yuan.
Inside Cixi Palace, a cold glint flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes before she watched as Shizhu and Shiju led the person away.
Ye Lingfeng returned to the Imperial Study and flew into a rage, smashing everything inside. Shi Zhu and Shi Ju were afraid that he would hurt them, so they quickly sent someone to Liuyue Palace to fetch the Empress. At this time, Hai Ling had just woken up. Upon hearing the eunuch's report, she could no longer sit still and immediately led Shi Mei and Shi Zhu to the Imperial Study.
Inside the Imperial Study, Ye Lingfeng's voice could be faintly heard. His roar was like a lion's roar, suppressed and painful, and each cry was like a wounded wild goose chirping softly. Although Hai Ling had not yet entered the Imperial Study, she knew that something must have happened, and it must be related to the Empress Dowager. Could it be that the Empress Dowager said something?
Hai Ling was already thinking to herself when she hurriedly led her people over. Outside the study, Shi Zhu and the others quickly greeted Hai Ling.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."
What's wrong with the Emperor?
"Previously, the Emperor ordered me to bring Sima Yuan into Cixi Palace. Later, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor ordered the servants in Cixi Palace to leave, so I don't know what happened inside. When the Emperor returned, he went berserk. I was afraid he would hurt me, so I sent someone to invite the Empress."
Upon hearing this, Hai Ling knew that Ye Lingfeng must have been provoked, and that the provocation came from the Empress Dowager and Sima Yuan. They must have said something that caused Ye to be provoked.
"I understand. I'll go in and take a look."
Hai Ling walked into the Imperial Study. Shi Zhu, fearing that the Empress might get hurt, led the way. As soon as they entered the Imperial Study, an object was thrown at them. Shi Zhu reached out and brushed it aside; it turned out to be a pen holder. Looking around the Imperial Study, it was a mess, with not a single place intact.
Ye Lingfeng's eyes were bloodshot, his expression was cold, and his whole body exuded a chilling aura. At this moment, he did not see clearly that it was Hai Ling and the others who walked in from outside the door. He was only focused on roaring, "Get out! Didn't I say that no one is allowed to enter without my order?"
Upon hearing this, Shi Zhu dared not speak and stepped aside. Hai Ling glanced at the study before speaking.
"Night, what happened?"