Late at night.
Houtu Empire's capital, the city that never sleeps.
This was the most prosperous city in the world, with a large population, a developed economy, and an extremely rich nightlife. This was a paradise for the upper class, and even for the ordinary people. After all, it was the Empire's capital, the only one in the world. The government was clean, prosperous, and magnificent. It was the empire's economic, cultural, and political center. Since ancient times, countless poets had praised its picturesque scenery.
Apart from the fact that some low-level people would freeze to death in winter, it basically had no shortcomings.
Now it was late at night, but the wonderful nightlife had just begun. The important people sought pleasure in high-end clubs and private mansions, and the ordinary people could also go to the roofs to listen to plays and drink wine in the taverns. They didn't have to work early and late, and their lives were relatively more comfortable.
While the people of the Empire were enjoying themselves, the magnificent Imperial City was quiet. The most powerful man in the mortal world lived here. This was the center of the world, and the world's largest war machine obeyed the orders here. This was the Imperial Forbidden Palace, the world's most mysterious forbidden area.
A person knelt alone outside the Imperial Palace.
He had been kneeling for a long time.
In his entire life, he had never been in such a sorry state. He had never been so terrified. He knelt in front of the palace while the imperial guards looked on coldly. They treated him like air. No one came to ask about his well-being. No one even asked why he was kneeling here. His mother who loved him dearly, his uncle who obeyed him in every way, and his loyal followers, none of them came. No one could help him.
Because he had brought an unprecedented defeat to his father and the royal family.
His body was shivering, and he didn't know whether it was because of the cold or because of fear.
Recalling the scene of that night, the shivering and lingering fear still lingered in his heart. Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and lightning flashed. In the lightning that filled the city, the powerful troops were turned to ashes in an instant. No matter if it was a well-trained elite army or a capable person with excellent martial arts, no one could resist the power of heaven and earth.
And his enemy was the one who controlled the power of heaven and earth.
At the thought of this, fear and regret gnawed at his heart.
More than that, he was at a loss.
Why was it like this? How could it be like this?
How could he be so strong?
Wasn't the Holy Sword with us?
He didn't even have a Saint Sword, so how could he still do this?
If the heavens were to give him another chance to start all over again, he would never underestimate his enemy like this. He would never be so arrogant and conceited. There were no ifs. Fate would not give anyone a second chance. There was no medicine for regret in this world.
King Zhongshun's head was pressed firmly against the ground. His body was trembling slightly. He had been kneeling for a very long time. He was admitting his wrongs and begging for mercy.
His recklessness and impulsiveness caused the layout of Jinling to be ruined, and his father fell into an extremely passive position. Not to mention the ordinary casualties, he also acted on his own initiative to invite Li Yuanba to help, which directly led to the death of the bravest prince in the royal family. He caused the death of his own elder brother … …
Therefore, he knelt here and begged for his father's forgiveness. He wanted to say that it wasn't because he was incompetent, but because Jia Ying was too cunning and too powerful. He had a lot of things to say. In short, he wanted to see his father first. In short, he wanted to see his father first … not only to beg for forgiveness.
But also, he wanted to live.
That night, Li Yuanba died under the lightning, but he was spared. King Zhongshun knew that there was only one reason he was spared, and that was that Jia Ying had discovered the problem with Granny Shi's body. So, she asked him to return to the capital and bring a message … That was all.
He did indeed bring the message, and he did it as soon as possible. But after a few days of trepidation, a piece of news exploded in his ears like thunder — Granny Shi was still dead.
His vision went dark and he almost fainted.
It's over.
The operation in Jinling this time was to use the people of the Rongguo family as an excuse. It was unethical to attack one's own family, and it was no different from tearing off all pretense of cordiality. But since ancient times, the winner was king and the loser was a bandit. As long as they won, everything was fine. But they didn't win. They lost miserably, and Granny Shi was still dead.
No matter who it was, they would link the two together. They let you go to save Granny's life, but Granny was already dead. So why should I keep you alive?
He felt that Jia Ying would never let him go.
He would definitely be killed.
Although this was the capital, under the feet of the Son of Heaven, and he was a dignified prince, a King personally conferred by His Majesty the title of King Zhongshun. Logically speaking, no matter how audacious a person was, they wouldn't dare to openly attack a prince's residence in the capital and kill a member of the royal family.
But King Zhongshun wasn't sure. He didn't dare to take the risk. Thinking back to the thunderstorm that filled the sky that day, the dazzling sword qi that slashed out with a loud bang, and the scene of Li Yuanba's death, these scenes had tormented him for the past few nights. He didn't dare to gamble with his own life that Jia Ying would abide by the law.
Thus, there was only one chance to live.
Imperial Father, only Imperial Father can save my life. I'm his son. He already has one son dead. Is he going to watch another one die before his eyes?
Even if he doesn't have any father-son feelings in his heart, even if he wants to kill me, he's the sovereign of the empire. Will he let two of his sons die in the hands of the same person?
He's the emperor. How can he let his reputation be tarnished like this?!
With such thoughts in mind, King Zhongshun grasped at the last straw of hope.
I have to see Imperial Father … I don't want to die, and I don't want to wait for death. Even if I'm not the emperor, I don't want to die like this. I don't want to fall into the hands of that person …
Relying on his desire to live, he persevered alone in the cold wind.
He had been kneeling for a long time.
His heart echoed, and he muttered, complaining about his father, hating Jia Ying, and lamenting his fate. He used this method to divert his attention, forcing himself to remain clear-headed.
After an unknown period of time, he heard a series of footsteps.
King Zhongshun perked up.
But in the next moment, his heart sank slightly.
Because the footsteps were very slow, indicating that the person was walking very leisurely. If the eunuchs in the palace were under the orders of the emperor, they wouldn't dare to walk so leisurely. Moreover, the footsteps were very light, indicating that …
He slowly raised his head.
The first thing he saw was a pair of exquisite white women's boots. He jerked his head up. A woman in a sword gown was looking down at him from above. This angle made him feel even more humiliated. He felt like a dog wagging its tail and begging for mercy … After such a thing happened, the last thing he wanted to see was his brothers and sisters. He couldn't stand their pity, ridicule, indifference, or joy.
Especially this woman in front of him …
No matter what, he didn't want to see her.
But it had already happened.
He slowly lowered his head again. Gritting his teeth, he said, "If you're here to see me make a fool of myself, then you've already gotten what you wanted. Are you happy?"
"I'm not that bored."
Empress's voice was very cold, without a trace of a smile. "You've messed up everything. We have to clean up your mess, and we have to reluctantly fight under the disadvantage you've caused. Just dealing with this is enough to make one's head hurt. Who has the time to see you make a fool of yourself?"
King Zhongshun's heart twitched violently.
He would rather Empress mocked and ridiculed him than hear her complain like this. What's with this tone?
You're not Father!
You're not even the Crown Prince!
Don't use this kind of tone to lecture me, as if you're the Crown Prince who has to clean up my mess!
King Zhongshun clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and said, "A loss is a loss, I have nothing to say!
But if Jia Ying is this strong, why didn't anyone tell me?
You still have the nerve to talk about me!
Didn't your operation at Bai Castle also fail?
I stalled Jia Ying in Jinling, but you still failed to take Xichuan, didn't you?
If you were in charge of Jinling's affairs, would you have done better than me? "
Empress looked at him coldly. "Yes, I would."
King Zhongshun was startled at first, then he sneered, "You can talk about it later, of course you would!"
The Empress Concubine shook her head, as if she didn't want to argue with him, "There's no point in talking about this now. Now that things have already been decided, you messed things up. Moreover, the matter of Jin Ling could have had several endings, but you just had to create the worst one … If it wasn't for your rash actions, if it wasn't for you forcing Rongguo Manor too much, Old Granny Shi wouldn't have done that kind of thing!"
King Zhongshun was at a loss. "What kind of thing?"
Empress took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the boiling anger in her heart. She really wanted to take out the Tianyuan Saber and cut this piece of trash alive. How did things get to this point?
Everything was going smoothly, and Granny Shi's reaction was expected. She should have stabbed Sun Lang after the dust settled, but why did she change her mind?
Unfortunately, he was already dead, and perhaps there would never be an answer to this question.
The matter was settled.
The final killing move arranged on Granny Shi didn't work, and it actually helped Sun Lang, completely freeing him from his old nightmare. Now that many people knew the so-called true identity, and it was Granny Shi's last wish, if the imperial court forced it to be true, with Sun Lang's violent temper, he might really flip the table …
How hateful.
Sun Lang was hateful, and this piece of trash in front of her was no better. Empress narrowed her eyes, dark malice spreading in her heart. This piece of trash's mistake couldn't be redeemed even if he died a hundred times. Now it was time to make use of this piece of trash, and let him display his last remaining value.
She said faintly, "Father asked me to bring you a message …"
King Zhong Shun's eyes suddenly lit up, like a starving person who saw a delicious meal. That kind of light that thirsted for life was incomparably dazzling. When people were in despair, it was indeed easy for them to do crazy things … Regarding this, the Empress Concubine did not doubt at all.