In one night, the world had changed hands.
The Guang Yan had killed his father and tried to usurp the throne. The Fourth Prince, Guang Shui, brought along Guide Zhonglang to arrest and convict him. Before Emperor Wenxuan passed away, he had already written an imperial edict to change the crown prince. After entering the imperial mausoleum, the coronation ceremony was held as usual, but the person who ascended the throne was no longer a Guang Yan but a Guang Shui.
No one in the imperial court dared to object.
Guang Shui's way of doing things was completely different from his magnanimous appearance. He was decisive and ruthless. When he was capturing the Guang Yan last night, he had already captured all of the Guang Yan's trusted aides. The Guang Yan army was not strong to begin with. If it was because of Xu Jingfu, they still had the support of the He family, but after He Rufei's accident, the Fuyue Army's military power was taken back and could not be used by the Crown Prince.
Guang Shuo's actions were swift and decisive, causing people to feel a chill down their spines. The courtiers discussed fervently. The Fourth Prince's imperial aura was beginning to show.
As for the previous Emperor's edict ordering people to be buried with him, it was also found to be fake. Concubine Lan, Ni Guiren, and dozens of other women were able to keep their lives. When the news reached the ears of the commoners, they all said that the Fourth Prince was benevolent and wise.
The commoners never cared who sat on the throne. As long as they had clothes to wear and food to eat, it did not matter who was the Emperor.
The courtiers also did not object. Currently, in the Da Wei imperial family, the Fifth Prince, Guang Ji, was still young. The only person who could hold the fort was Guang Shui.
Emperor Wenxuan entered the imperial mausoleum. In Qinglan Palace, Concubine Lan took off her heavy ceremonial robe. Just as she sat down, someone walked in from outside.
It was Ni Guiren.
"Congratulations, Elder Sister, for getting what you wanted." Ni Guiren walked to the small table and sat down. She put on a fake smile and said, "Soon, this concubine will have to call Elder Sister Empress Dowager."
Concubine Lan looked at her, her eyes as gentle and calm as before. "Noble Lady Ni, aren't you still alive?"
Noble Lady Ni was stunned.
That day, Wei Xuanzhang had killed himself in front of Chengle Palace, causing the conflict between the Crown Prince and Da Wei to reach its peak. The Crown Prince was so violent and paranoid, and she was going to follow Emperor Wenxuan into the dark tomb tomorrow. In the end, Noble Lady Ni cooperated with Concubine Lan.
Guang Ji's words were false, so the edict of succession might not be true. At the end of the day, all the Guang shuo wanted was an excuse, a legitimate excuse.
In actuality, at that time, Noble Lady Ni was also determined to fight with her back to the river. She thought that since she was going to die anyway, she might as well give it her all. But deep down, he did not think that Guang shuo would succeed.
However, Guang shuo succeeded.
It was said lightly, but after a short night, Noble Lady Ni finally realized that if it had been a last-minute idea, if Guang shuo had only fought for his mother, he might not have been able to win over Guide General and General Fengyun in such a short time.
Concubine Lan had probably foreseen what had happened in the Throne Room last night many years ago.
Thinking deeper, perhaps Concubine Lan was not completely unaware that Emperor Wenxuan had died at the hands of the Guang Yan.
Guang shuo's silence and gentleness, his leniency and disregard of court affairs, Concubine Lan's indifference and gentleness, and Emperor Wenxuan's love and sincerity were all arranged by Concubine Lan a long, long time ago. From the beginning to the end, it was not Guang shuo's acting skills that were too good, but Concubine Lan's idea. Even her son did not know about it.
Empress Zhang might have guessed right about one thing. Concubine Lan was not indifferent, but she did not care about ordinary favors. If she wanted to fight, she would fight for the most honorable position in the world for her son.
Therefore, the Crown Prince was destined to lose because he did not have a mother who could endure for so many years without revealing any flaws.
Guang Ji was still young, and from today onwards, no one in the entire Da Wei's imperial family would be a match for Guang shuo.
Noble Lady Ni slowly felt a chill in her heart. The woman in front of her had a gentle appearance. She had never seen her reprimand anyone in all these years, but it turned out that she was the most terrifying one.
"It's good that this concubine is alive." Noble Lady Ni lowered her head, and there was a trace of humility and fear in her voice. "From now on, this concubine will follow Concubine Lan well. Guang Ji … I hope Concubine Lan can take good care of him. "
Concubine Lan did not speak, and only looked out of the window. After a long time, she turned her head back, as if she had heard Noble Lady Ni's words clearly. She nodded slightly, closed her eyes, and said, "Okay."
The Crown Prince's residence was in chaos.
The servants wept and were dragged away by the soldiers. The Crown Princess screamed as she was taken away. Before she left, she scratched the wall with her nails, leaving a long mark.
Someone walked slowly, all the way to the last room at the back of the courtyard.
This was a secret room. The Crown Prince's Guang Yan temperament was fierce and ruthless. If someone offended him, he would kill them directly to vent his anger. If it was worse, he would lock them up in the secret room of the Crown Prince's residence and torture them.
Now that the Crown Prince's residence was in trouble, the soldiers were busy arresting the family members in the residence, and no one paid attention to this place.
The young man walked slowly, his clean boots stepping on the wet ground. The secret room was very dark, and there was only a dim light. Dark traces could be seen, either dried or glowing. It seemed to be human blood.
This place was built like a prison. The rooms were separated by iron bars, and there were no guards. Hearing someone move, the people in the room did not react. At most, they raised their heads slightly, and then quickly lowered them. The people here were already dying, and they did not think that anyone would come to save them.
Despair filled this place.
He walked slowly. Every time he passed by a room, he would stop in front of the door and carefully examine it, as if he was trying to identify the appearance of the person inside. When he found that it was not, he would walk away.
They walked through the rooms one by one until they reached the last room.
There was a figure curled up on the ground, lying on her side like a child. Her hands were hugging her shoulders, and her head was buried very low in her chest. Her clothes were untidy. Although she did not move, her body began to tremble slightly.
Chu Zhao stopped in his tracks.
He looked at the figure inside. After a while, he opened the door.
The person inside still did not move. She did not even look at him. Chu Zhao walked in front of this person and slowly knelt down. It seemed that he wanted to comfort her, but he did not know where to start. After a while, he said gently, "Ying Xiang."
The person in front of him trembled violently.
"Ying Xiang," Chu Zhao paused, and said, "The Crown Prince is dead. I'm here to bring you back."
He reached out and wanted to help Ying Xiang up, but he was blocked by Ying Xiang. She seemed to have no strength, and this little bit of resistance was useless. Chu Zhao helped her to sit in front of the stone wall, and helped her to brush away the messy hair in front of her eyes. Then, he was stunned, "You …"
"… Don't look …" Ying Xiang said weakly.
It turned out that her beautiful and charming face was covered with terrible knife marks. Because she was not properly treated, the knife marks had not scabbed and were dripping with blood. At a glance, she looked like a female ghost who came to take her life. It was shocking and horrifying.
Chu Zhao's heart trembled.
The night before the Guang shuo went to Chengle Palace, Chu Zhao went to the Fourth Prince's residence.
He had already seen clearly that the Guang Yan could not win against the Guang shuo. Empress Zhang was also not a match for the Concubine Lan. He really did not have any other choice. Even if he followed the Guang shuo now, the Guang shuo would not use him again. But if he followed the Guang Yan, he would just be tied to the Guang Yan and die together.
When Xu Jingfu was alive, he told him that no matter what, he had to learn to make choices.
He chose to do his last business deal with the Guang shuo.
He revealed the Crown Prince's military arrangements and betrayed the Crown Prince in exchange for a condition that would allow him and Ying Xiang to live. He no longer hoped to have any achievements in his official career, because it was already impossible. Although survival was a bargaining chip, and he did not know if it would succeed in the end, at least he could survive for now.
At that time, the Guang shuo looked at him, as if he did not expect Chu Zhao to raise such a condition. He only asked, "Fourth Young Master Chu, since you value your servant girl so much, why did you take the initiative to send her to the Guang Yan's side?"
"Since you sent her to be your informant, you should not have any other feelings. Now that things have come to this point, other than asking for this woman, you do not have any other desires.
Chu Zhao said warmly, "This subject does not understand either."
To him, there was nothing in the world that he could not use, and there was no person that he could not use. But every time, at some point, he would leave behind some weak spots that should not have existed.
He Yan was like this, and so was Ying Xiang.
He looked at Ying Xiang in front of him, and for a moment, he did not know how to react.
Ying Xiang only glanced at him, and then quickly lowered her head, as if she was afraid that she would dirty Chu Zhao's sleeves, and did not say anything else.
Outside, the sound of soldiers scolding and servants crying could be faintly heard. Ying Xiang listened carefully for a while, and then said, "… Is the Crown Prince dead?"
Chu Zhao came back to his senses and said softly, "Yes. You can leave the Crown Prince's residence. "
When Ying Xiang heard this, she did not show a happy expression. Instead, she seemed to take a step back and said, "No …"
"Do you not want to go back with me?" Chu Zhao asked.
"Fourth Young Master," her voice was as soft as the most fragile silk, as if it would shatter with the slightest pull. Ying Xiang said, "This servant cannot leave."
Chu Zhao was stunned, "Why?"
As if she had experienced a great struggle, Ying Xiang slowly reached out her hand and pulled up her sleeves. Chu Zhao's eyes suddenly widened. The originally flawless skin on her sleeves was now unrecognizable, as if it had been burned by fire, and also as if it had been smashed, and showed signs of ulceration.
"The Crown Prince fed this servant a poison with no antidote," Ying Xiang said, "This servant … is a person who is waiting for death."
The Guang Yan hated her betrayal and disloyalty, and had countless ways to torture disloyal people. Ying Xiang's appearance was extremely beautiful, so he destroyed her appearance. He also made her die in the most heartbreaking and cruel way — — watching the last inch of her perfect skin fester, and finally die, was disgusting and nauseating.
Killing someone's heart, that was all.
In an instant, Chu Zhao was extremely confused. He had not felt this way for many years. He looked at Ying Xiang, not knowing what to do, and said, "Don't worry, when we get out, I will find a doctor to treat you."
"It's no use," Ying Xiang smiled bitterly, "This servant knows very well that I can't be saved."
The burning torches on the wall swayed quietly, illuminating half of her bloodstained face. It was terrifying, and she no longer looked as beautiful as before.
Chu Zhao looked at her in a daze. He knew that Ying Xiang would not have a good ending after falling into the Guang Yan's hands, but he never expected that it would be like this.
She was not dead, but she might as well be dead.
"This servant … has one more thing to ask."
"Say it," he said.
"This servant doesn't have much in her life, only her appearance is acceptable." Ying Xiang stretched out her hand, as if she wanted to touch her face, but her hand stopped in midair, "Now that my appearance is ruined, and I have taken an incurable poison, this servant does not want to die horribly. Fourth young master … can you give this servant a quick death?"
"You want me to kill you?" Chu Zhao looked at her in shock.
"This servant's life was originally saved by fourth young master, and now that I die in fourth young master's hands, it can be considered complete. Moreover, "the woman's voice was soft," fourth young master is not harming this servant, you are helping this servant. "
Chu Zhao said, "I won't kill you."
"Then I ask fourth young master to leave." The servant, who was used to being submissive to him, showed a tough expression for the first time, "This servant will stay here, and will not go anywhere."
"Ying Xiang," Chu Zhao was helpless for the first time. He controlled his temper and said softly, "Your injury is not irreversible. There are many doctors in Shuo City, and they can cure you."
"Even if they can cure me, what can they do?" Ying Xiang smiled softly, "This servant has no appearance now, and I can't even take care of myself. If I stay by young master's side, I will not be able to be used by young master, and I will only be a burden."
Chu Zhao heard this, and his expression changed slightly, he said, "You stay by my side, only to be used by me?"
"Young master does not keep useless people by his side." Ying Xiang replied.
These words were like a needle hidden in cotton. And he was speechless.
"This servant was sold as a commodity by my father in the past, and it was young master who saved this servant. From now on, young master is this servant's benefactor, and this servant will not hesitate to go through water and tread on fire for young master. At that time, this servant did everything willingly, but now, when I am about to die, this servant wants to be able to decide my own fate. " Ying Xiang looked at him, and that pair of beautiful and gentle eyes, for the first time, seemed to be burning like a flame, "please grant my wish, young master."
Their eyes met, and Chu Zhao could clearly see that in her eyes, there was a desire to die.
For the first time, he discovered that Ying Xiang was so stubborn and stubborn.
"Please grant my wish, young master." The woman in front of him knelt down with difficulty, and with her movements, the terrible scars on her body gradually became visible, exuding the smell of dirty blood. It was just like the first time she met Chu Zhao, and was bought by Chu Zhao, when she knelt down in fear and unease.
She did not have long to live, and even if she did not die now, she would not live for long.
Chu Zhao closed his eyes, "I promise you."
"Thank you, young master." Ying Xiang said softly.
Chu Zhao reached out to help her up from the ground. Ying Xiang staggered and raised her head, and in the next moment, the hand that went around her back suddenly pushed forward.
When the tip of the knife entered her flesh, it was silent.
She did not even have time to say anything, and was pushed forward, falling into Chu Zhao's arms. Chu Zhao let go of his hand, held her in his arms, and half knelt on the ground.
"… Thank you, young master …" Ying Xiang looked at him, and smiled at him with difficulty, "This is the first time that young master has granted this servant's wish."
Her body was covered with new and old blood, and the blood stains rubbed against Chu Zhao's clean robe, like mottled flowers reflecting on it. The man lowered his head to look at her, and his eyes were a little helpless.
It was this little bit of helplessness that fell into Ying Xiang's eyes, and made her heart ache for a moment.
She liked Chu Zhao, and from the first time she saw Chu Zhao, she fell in love with him. In that desperate situation, when he was pushed into the fire pit by his father, there was a young and handsome boy who threw him a life-saving straw. She grasped this straw, and also fell in love with this person.
She loved his gentleness, and she also loved his ruthlessness. She loved his cold and heartless heart that seemed to be tolerant, and she also loved the moment of weakness and helplessness under his invincible protection.
This was such a complicated person, and the more complicated he was, the more unfortunate he was. Fate made him conflicted, and the Chu Zilan that others saw was only the fake Chu Zilan. Only she knew the real Chu Zilan, and the real Chu Zilan was not a good person, but she still fell in love with him without hesitation.
These years, Ying Xiang stayed by Chu Zhao's side, and she was made difficult by Madame Chu, teased by the three legitimate sons of the Chu Family, and targeted by Xu Pingting. In the end, she was even sent to the Crown Prince's residence. She had never regretted coming to this point.
Because from the beginning, she had nothing to lose.
She hated and resented him, but it was not comparable to love. This love was hidden carefully, and it was extremely humble, and it came fiercely, making her feel that it was unreasonable. She had never said it out loud. She had loved him for so many years, quietly and soundlessly.
Chu Zhao was so smart, it was impossible for him not to realize that she loved him.
"Young Master …" She said with difficulty, "Can this servant … ask you a question?"
The man's voice was very soft, and he was as gentle as ever to her, "Ask."
"Did Fourth Young Master … know early on that Miss Xu would send this servant to the Crown Prince's residence?"
Chu Zhao lowered his head to look at her.
Waves of emotions appeared in his light-colored eyes, which were like fluorite. He did not answer, but Ying Xiang instantly understood.
"… I see." After saying this, she slowly closed her eyes, and her breath gradually weakened until there was no more life.
In the dark room, the man dressed in green quietly lowered his head to look at the woman in his arms. What appeared in front of his eyes was the sobbing he heard many years ago, when he stood in front of the colorful paradise of the human world. He looked in the direction of the sound, and saw a delicate girl looking at him, beautiful and peerless.
He had saved her, but he had also harmed her. If he had not intervened at that time, perhaps Ying Xiang would have been happier than she was now. Unlike now, even if it was her last moment in the human world, she still had to die with bitterness.
She did not do anything wrong. If she really wanted to say something, it was because she fell in love with a person like him.
After an unknown period of time, Chu Zhao bent down and stood up, picked up Ying Xiang's body, and slowly walked out of the dark room, step by step, towards the outside.
When he was at the end of his road, he made the last deal with the Fourth Prince, and all he asked for was a little bit of pity and warmth. But now, this warmth was gone. The last person who depended on him for survival was also gone. In this game of chess, he gained nothing.
The whole game was lost.
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