Le Jianghu de Feng Qingcheng et Mo Xibei

Chapitre 96

Although Ying desperately wanted to kill them, he considered that they were, after all, the Emperor and Empress of Beifeng. Therefore, following Qingfeng's instructions, he released their speech-impairing pressure points and threw them into the snow. A short while later, the sound of the Emperor and Empress laughing loudly echoed from the snow…

The Ecstasy Pill contains both Qingfeng's concoction of "Bone-Rotting Powder," a torturous poison that causes unbearable pain, and Jite's creation of humor. When combined, the two poisons allow the user to experience the agonizing agony amidst laughter. This was a new remedy Qingfeng and Xiaojie created specifically to punish the most heinous criminals. The fact that his parents were the first to test it on was incredibly ironic for Qingfeng!

"Ying, did you see that Xiao Jie was responsible for the deaths of those guards?" Qingfeng asked.

Ying shook her head and calmly analyzed:

"I thought so at first, but it doesn't seem like it. If Xiaojie is out of danger, she will definitely come back to wait for us, or at least send a signal flare to warn us. It seems she must have been taken away by someone else? But who could have taken her? Could it be someone from the Second Prince's faction?"

"Ying, I've already killed the Second Prince. That old man made me the Crown Prince in front of all the ministers and ordered me to kill the Second Prince." Qingfeng said calmly, "I think Xiao Jie is in their hands. No matter who wins, we won't be able to escape unscathed. The only way now is for us to wipe them all out, so I followed the old man's wishes and got rid of the Second Prince."

“You did the right thing. Now, how do you plan to find Xiaojie?” Ying nodded in agreement with Qingfeng’s approach and asked.

"The person who dared to kill the Empress's shadow guards and take Xiao Jie away in the palace must be one of the Second Prince's men. So I'm thinking of issuing an edict in my capacity as the Crown Prince, stating that if Xiao Jie is found before sunset, the Second Prince's treason will not be pursued further. Otherwise, we will investigate to the end. Do you think this will be effective?"

"Yes, it will definitely work." Before Qingfeng could finish his question, Ziying had already confirmed his plan.

"Well, those ministers should have returned to the main hall by now. I'll go there first. You take my token and go to the Second Prince's residence to see if Xiao Jie is there," Qingfeng instructed.

The Crown Prince's decree immediately sent shockwaves through the entire court. Ministers were all inwardly astonished; strange things happened every day, but today was particularly unusual. A perfectly good sacrificial ceremony had been disrupted by an inexplicable, earth-shattering "earthquake!" Then, the First Prince inexplicably held a sword to his own mother, the Empress's, neck. Next, the Second Prince attempted to use this to eliminate the First Prince and the Empress, while the usually idle First Prince, with a mere flick of his wrist, obliterated dozens of elite imperial guards, practically divine soldiers. This was the most terrifying aspect.

Immediately afterward, the emperor sided with the eldest prince, publicly appointing him as crown prince and personally issuing an edict ordering him to handle the chaos of the day. The crown prince, after instantly killing the second prince, who was ten feet away at the scene of the commotion, did not punish the other accomplices. Instead, he declared, "Cancel today's sacrificial ceremony! All of you, return to the main hall immediately to await further orders!" Then, carrying the emperor in one hand and the empress in the other, he flew away like an eagle.

When they stumbled back to the main hall, still breathless, they heard this unbelievable pronouncement. Throughout history, royal families have produced countless rulers, but in every instance, the victor has utterly eradicated the vanquished! Yet now, their crown prince has declared that finding a woman from a foreign tribe could avert a bloody massacre caused by a rebellion! Such a bizarre tale must be unique in the entire world!

However, despite their astonishment, not one of them dared not respond enthusiastically to the Crown Prince's call. The Second Prince's faction, needless to say, had thought they were doomed, but suddenly saw a glimmer of hope. Why wouldn't they seize it?

The Emperor's faction was equally apprehensive. They knew from the Crown Prince's consistent attitude towards the Emperor and Empress that they were not actually on the Crown Prince's side. Naturally, they would not let go of such a good opportunity to curry favor with their new master.

*************************************************

When Leng Jie, dressed in a Taoist robe, returned to the palace, it was already dark. By then, the entire palace, or rather, the entire capital city, had practically been turned upside down.

She emerged from the secret passage leading from Danlu to the emperor's inner chamber, her first priority being to retrieve her equipment. Although she had obtained some weapons from the Imperial Uncle and Grand Preceptor, none felt as comfortable as her own. She quietly returned to the empress's palace. The entire palace was brightly lit and bustling with activity. Yet, the emperor and empress's chambers were utterly deserted.

The palace guards were searching the emperor and empress's palace, and Qingfeng and Ziying, having already concluded that Xiaojie was in the hands of the second prince's men, found this palace to be the only one spared.

Leng Jie easily found all the equipment except for the pistol in the Empress's palace. The Emperor and Empress were not there, and the outside was still in chaos. Leng Jie wondered if this palace turmoil was far from over. Although she desperately wanted to find the Empress immediately to vent her anger, she knew she had to return to Qingfeng Palace first.

She flew all the way to Qingfeng Palace, only to find guards, palace maids, and eunuchs searching everywhere. They seemed to be digging deep, so she assumed they were looking for some treasure!

She landed directly from the rooftop in the backyard of Qingfeng Palace. She saw no one, but suddenly heard two voices laughing so hard they were almost breathless. "The Bliss Pill!" Qingfeng had actually found a test subject! She immediately leaped towards the source of the laughter.

You wouldn't believe it until you see it! It's not like enemies meeting with such intense hatred. Leng Jie, deliberately laughing, asked the two little balls of flesh huddled together in the snow, humming softly:

"Old hag, how does the Bliss Pill taste?"

Upon hearing Leng Jie's voice, the Empress abruptly looked up. She wanted to beg for mercy, but her mouth was already twisted in a grimace, and her voice was hoarse from laughing. She could only twitch her jaw and plead with Leng Jie through her eyes.

"Hmph! Now you know how to beg for mercy? I kindly helped you cure your illnesses and poisons, and wholeheartedly saved your lives. I never had any intention of harming you. But instead of being grateful, you schemed against me time and time again. What's even more outrageous is that you, you old hag, actually dared to leave me with those stinking men. Didn't you think about the consequences of doing that? Or were you so confident that you could control my senior brother, your son?" Leng Jie angrily accused her, then sneered disdainfully.

"Did I forget to tell you? Anyone who dares to scheme against me will be punished by heaven!"

"Ha, ha!" Whether from Leng Jie's words, shame, or anger, the Empress suddenly laughed twice, then her whole body convulsed, her legs stretched out, and she fainted.

"Hmph! Want to die? Not so easy! Dying like this would be too good for you!" Leng Jie took out a small bottle from the equipment she had just retrieved, poured out an antidote, and slapped it down the Queen's throat. Then she pounded hard on the Queen's chest, quickly waking her up.

Her words terrified the old emperor! He had always thought he was ruthless enough as an emperor, but he never imagined his sons would be even more ruthless than him, and this girl was even more ruthless, not even sparing him death. He truly regretted provoking this female demon, but there's no going back in this world.

Leng Jie had been busy for a long time, and finally attracted a eunuch from Qingfeng Palace. Upon seeing Leng Jie, the eunuch immediately exclaimed with delight:

"Miss is back! Miss is back!"

This immediately attracted several eunuchs who had just returned from searching for someone outside.

"Yes, I'm back. Where are my senior brother and Young Master Ying?" Leng Jie then realized that she hadn't seen Qingfeng and Ziying for so long.

"Miss, I'm so glad you're alright!" Hearing the shouts, Hongmei ran over, excitedly rushing to hug Leng Jie, and said guiltily, "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"What are you apologizing for? This has nothing to do with you," Leng Jie comforted her, hugging her back. Leng Jie understood her feelings as she watched herself being taken away, unable to save others. Although they weren't particularly close, they would remember even the smallest kindness shown to someone like her living at the very bottom of society.

"Miss, the Crown Prince and Young Master Ying have both gone to look for you. The entire capital is searching for you!" a eunuch replied.

Leng Jie then realized that those people were looking for her.

With a "bang," a beautiful burst of sparks shot into the sky from Qingfeng Palace.

One Hundred and Twenty-Five Passionate Breeze

A signal flare fired above Qingfeng Hall attracted a lot of attention. However, only three people knew its meaning.

One was a purple-clad figure directing soldiers in the Second Prince's residence, digging three feet into the ground to find the person. Upon seeing the signal flare, he said nothing and vanished into the night, leaving a group of astonished soldiers to continue digging…

One was Qingfeng, who was leading a large-scale search of the palace. When he saw the string of sparks rise above Qingfeng Hall, he turned to a minister beside him and said:

"Pass down the order: no need to search anymore. The decree issued this afternoon is in effect. At midnight, martial law will be declared throughout the city."

"Yes, Your Excellency! But the Crown Prince..." The official wanted to ask if the person hadn't been found yet, but when he bent down and looked up, there was no sign of the Crown Prince anywhere!

The other two were Emperor Jinghe Xuanyuanli and his attendant Yangpu, who had rushed from the battlefield of Xiping to Beifeng. As soon as they entered the capital, they saw soldiers and private troops everywhere, conducting searches. At the city gates, young women were strictly forbidden from leaving. Yangpu even joked, "Is the Emperor of Beifeng currently recruiting beauties to expand his harem?"

Xuanyuan gave him a cold glare but remained silent. He was also puzzled; how could the capital, a place of ice and snow, be in such chaos? Had they just happened to be caught in something? He was silently hoping that Xiaojie, Qingfeng, and Ziying were alright when Yangpu suddenly exclaimed:

"Sect Leader, look quickly!"

Xuanyuan instinctively looked in the direction he was looking and blurted out:

"Signal flare!"

"Could it be the Third and Second Sect Masters?" Yang Pu asked in surprise.

Xuanyuan gave him an approving look, then casually pulled aside a soldier who was staring blankly at the sky and asked:

"Where was that place where the fireworks just shot into the sky?"

The stunned soldier suddenly heard a clear voice and involuntarily blurted out:

"The royal palace!" The soldier, snapping out of his daze, immediately asked warily when he saw that the person asking the question was a stranger dressed in foreign attire:

Who are you? Why should I tell you?

His answer was the sound of whips cracking and hooves thundering as horses galloped away!

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After firing the signal flare, Leng Jie immediately ordered the eunuchs to prepare water for her bath. She desperately wanted to wash away the bad luck she felt. At the mine, she had been filled with too much worry, doubt, and hatred, which was why she had stubbornly ignored the fact that those dead men had embraced her. Now, seeing that the emperor and empress had been punished, and learning from the eunuchs that the second prince was dead, it meant that this royal war was completely over. With the knot in her heart untied, what followed was nausea and lingering fear.

She washed herself in three large tubs of hot water filled with plum blossom petals, yet still felt nauseous. She didn't consider herself a germaphobe like Xuanyuan, but she didn't know why; just the thought of being violated and hugged by three lecherous, disgusting men made her want to vomit. Even though she had no idea what they looked like. She thought it might be morning sickness! But she couldn't bear to think about what would happen if she were actually raped by those men; would she raze the entire Beifeng to the ground? Or perhaps…

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The loud knocking drew Leng Jie out of her reverie.

"Xiao Jie! Are you alright?"

"Xiaojie! How are you?"

Before she could respond, Qingfeng and Ying's anxious voices rang out.

"I'm fine," Leng Jie quickly replied. Although she wanted to stay in the water longer, she couldn't now. She thought that if she didn't get up soon, Qingfeng and the others might just barge in. So, as she stood up, she added:

"Just a moment, I'll be right there."

She was absolutely right. If she didn't come out soon, Qingfeng really would break down the door and go inside.

Ziying and Qingfeng returned to Qingfeng Palace one after the other. As soon as they arrived, they shouted:

"Xiao Jie! Xiao Jie!"

Hongmei, who had been waiting outside Lengjie's door, immediately ran out upon hearing the sound and happily replied:

"Your Highness, Master Ying, Miss is back safe and sound!"

Where is she?

Where is she?

The two asked the question at the same time.

Hongmei's face darkened for a moment, and after a pause, she looked at the cold, clean door and replied worriedly:

"As soon as Miss returned, she asked me to prepare water for her bath. But she's already changed the water three times and is still bathing in it. I'm worried..."

Before Hongmei could finish speaking, Ziying and Qingfeng exchanged a glance! Had the problem they had been worrying about finally come true? Had Xiaojie done something foolish? The two thought simultaneously. Then, they rushed towards the door, followed by those earth-shattering knocks.

Leng Jie dressed quickly as always. In less than two minutes, she was standing neatly in front of Qingfeng and Ziying, greeting them with a bright smile.

"Senior brother, Brother Ying!"

What happened? Shouldn't she be crying? Why is she forcing a smile? Zi Ying thought in astonishment. His self-blame and guilt deepened. At the same time, his pity for her intensified. Why did such a good girl have to suffer such harm? He really wanted to chop the Empress up and feed her to the dogs right then and there!

"Xiao Jie, why are you still so strong at a time like this?" Looking at Leng Jie's cold smile, Qingfeng's heart was bleeding, as if it were being ripped out. He hated himself for not protecting her. He resented himself even more for having such beastly parents. His eyes were filled with love, regret, and pain.

"I'm so sorry! I made you worry!" Leng Jie saw that their expressions were strange and pained, and knew they were genuinely worried about her. She quickly apologized.

An apology startled them both once more, but it also pulled them back from their reverie. Zi Ying shook her head repeatedly, murmuring in a barely audible voice:

"You have nothing to apologize for! We are the ones who apologize to you. We failed to protect you, which is why you suffered so much."

Qingfeng was heartbroken and speechless. He reached out and pulled Xiaojie into his arms, holding her tightly. He seemed afraid that if he let go, she would fly away like a swan. For a long time, he was unwilling to let go.

Sensing their self-reproach and worry, Leng Jie's heart warmed instantly. A surge of warmth rushed to her nose and eyes. Her nose stung, and her eyes immediately welled with steaming tears. She couldn't help but hug Qingfeng tightly.

Only when Qingfeng let go did she push him away. She then rushed to Ziying, giving him a warm hug as well, looking at them gratefully, and said, her voice choked with emotion:

"Thank you! Thank you for your concern!"

Although Zi Ying was somewhat taken aback by Xiao Jie's sudden hug, he, who always considered himself her older brother, gently returned the embrace. He patted her back and comforted her.

"It's alright! From now on, Brother Ying will never let anyone hurt you again."

Tears finally broke through the last barrier, cascading down like a river bursting its banks, unstoppable. Leng Jie thought, she should be happy in this world! Because there were so many people here who genuinely cared for her. In truth, she had never been greedy. She didn't want much, did she?

Seeing Xiaojie finally burst into tears, the two grown men were even more heartbroken and at a loss. Ziying wanted to comfort her, but he couldn't find the right words to express himself. He could only look to Qingfeng for help. But Qingfeng's appearance worried him just as much. Qingfeng's face was ashen, and his whole body was trembling uncontrollably.

Qingfeng received Ziying's pleading look and tried to calm his own heartache. He knew Xiaojie needed encouragement, not pity or sympathy. He gently pulled the tearful Xiaojie away from Ying, holding her close in his arms. He took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away her tears and snot, softly saying, "Don't cry, sweetie! Your senior brother will..."

"Pfft!" Leng Jie burst into laughter through her tears at Qingfeng's words. Was he kidding her? Did he think she was a little kid to be coaxed? She was about to become a mother! Without any hesitation, she pulled up Qingfeng's gold-embroidered dress, wiping away her tears and snot. Then, she glared at the dress and complained disdainfully:

"Senior brother, your ghost clothes are too stiff, like you've changed your skin. Look, they've even rubbed my face raw!"

Uh! Qingfeng was suddenly taken aback! He looked at the dress stained with tears and snot, then at Xiaojie's face, which was red from crying or wiping, and handed her a handkerchief, shaking his head and saying, "Then I won't wear clothes like this anymore!"

Leng Jie took the handkerchief, wiped her nose, and then smiled teasingly: