Chapter 66: Captives

The Ziying Hall has descended into a human purgatory. Dozens of palace maids and courtiers’ corpses lie strewn on the ground, with spilled wine mixing with the trickling blood.

Amidst cries of “protect the emperor,” wails of agony persist. The crowd surrounds the emperor, fighting and retreating, but there’s no retreat left.

The Ziying Hall is now surrounded by the chaotic forces of the prince.

Yu Yuan, his official robe stained with blood, leads the remaining Imperial Guards at the forefront, exuding an imposing aura as if a single man could guard against ten thousand.

Yu Xinyi and Ning Zizhuo protect the women behind, and besides them, surprisingly few officials and warriors dare to step forward to stop the rebellious army.

Yu Xinyi holds a rolled blade against a pillar, while Ning Zizhuo, panting heavily, holds a bow and arrow snatched from the rebels. The quiver at his waist is almost empty.

The emperor probably didn’t expect that, in his final moments, those who fought desperately in front of him were not just a few loyal guards but also a frivolous young man and the father-daughter pair he had suspected and oppressed, the Yu family.

Only at this moment did he realize who the trustworthy and straightforward people were. They resisted for two quarters of an hour, but only two quarters of an hour.

After a fierce battle, death and injuries are everywhere.

The Imperial Guards are all dead, and Yu Xinyi and Ning Zizhuo are also seriously wounded, their weapons confiscated by the rebels.

“You… hmph!”

The prince grabs Yu Xinyi’s high-tied ponytail, looking at her defiant eyes and saying viciously, “When I ascend the throne, I’ll deal with you properly!”

The emperor sits disheveled behind the dragon case, his once black hair now scattered with streaks of white, as if he aged ten years in an instant.

Hundreds of courtiers and their families in the hall have become hostages in Ning Tan’s hands. These people come from prestigious backgrounds, including relatives of military commanders. In Ning Tan’s hands, they could easily become leverage to threaten and turn these military commanders.

The situation is extremely unfavorable.

Ning Tan selects a male and a female hostage from the captives and addresses the emperor, “Father, the situation is irreversible. Why resist stubbornly? Pass the throne to your son, and he will allow you to live out your remaining years in peace… If you refuse, these people will bear the consequences!”

Having said that, he unsheathed his sword and swiftly executed the two elegantly dressed hostages on the spot. The people in the hall trembled and wailed even louder. Yu Xinyi watched helplessly as the two were killed, gritting her teeth, “Beast!”

Ning Zizhuo, dragging her broken leg, quietly moved closer and held Yu Xinyi’s hand to help stop the bleeding.

Ning Tan paced restlessly in the hall, his disheveled hair dancing in the northern wind, making him look terrifying like a ghost.

“Father, you, who are wise, valiant, benevolent, and kind, are unwilling to save your subjects?” He let out a bitter laugh, almost hoarse, “Why don’t you act like a true emperor, stepping forward to protect your subjects! I’ve almost killed them all!”

Behind the dragon case, the emperor, with swollen cheeks, chose silence. Faced with abdication and his subjects, he still chose the former.

Despair shrouded everyone in the hall, their expressions withered, still awaiting the loyal troops.

But Yu Xinyi knew the Imperial Guards couldn’t act without the three-sided military token. Moreover, the families of the Imperial Guards’ leaders were held hostage by Ning Tan, and their location was unknown. Fearing the consequences, they dared not make any reckless moves.

As time passed, in the midst of the fierce battle, nearly half of the rebels following the prince were casualties. Yu Yuan and others gained no advantage and were exhausted.

The sky gradually darkened, and the hall was filled with an indescribable smell of blood. KThe prince went out for a while and returned, killing several more people.

With a knife at his throat, the emperor still refused to abdicate. He resembled an old wolf, stubbornly biting onto the last shreds of his imperial dignity.

Ning Tan, in frustration, repeatedly pulled at his hair, shouting desperately to the Ministry of War’s Attendant, “Find the imperial seal, force him to write the abdication decree!”

“Your Majesty, forgive me.” The Ministry of War’s Attendant raised the sword in his hand, its blade reflecting a chilling light.

In the critical moment, a knife pierced through the Ministry of War’s Attendant from behind, the point emerging from the front. The sword fell from his hand, and the rebel spat out blood, collapsing to reveal a handsome young man in purple attire standing at the entrance, even without armor, just in regular clothes. His dark hair was partly tied, partly loose. If not for the blood splattered on his face and the sleeves turned dark, Ning Tan would have thought he casually strolled here.

“How… how did you get in?”

Ning Tan widened his eyes and immediately shouted, “Guards! Kill him!”

The rebel forces guarding outside the hall showed no response.

Not knowing why his forces suddenly became silent, Ning Tan retreated while angrily shouting, “Where are the archers? Where is Li Mao?”

No one answered him.

“The one thousand rebels outside the hall, it seems my elder brother won’t be able to rely on them.” Ning Yin, accompanied by only a few subordinates, arrived, walking on the winding blood river. Bodies fell in front of him, creating a vivid red carpet.

“Your son arrived late, please forgive me, Father.”

He spoke calmly, his dark eyes without a ripple.

The emperor’s expression was extremely complex. After using all means throughout most of his life to silence him, the one coming to his rescue in the end was the son he considered a disgrace. Was he here to save him? The emperor wasn’t sure. But in the current predicament, the seventh prince was indeed the last straw he could grasp.

The emperor’s chest heaved, and he hoarsely said, “My son, help me capture the rebels, and I will bestow upon you the title of Benevolent Prince, with a fief of ten thousand households.”

Ning Yin’s lips twitched. At this moment, he was willing to acknowledge this son. Unfortunately, it was too late.

Wang Lingqing, guarding the rear entrance of the hall, saw that the prince’s situation was hopeless. Terrified, he dropped his weapon and fled.

The prince, protected by a few loyal guards, continued to retreat, desperately shouting, “Mother! Mother, help your son! Have you forgotten how your son came into this world?”

He hoped for a miracle, pleading for his mother to help him even if it was for the sake of their shared secrets. But before he could finish, a short blade flew and pierced Ning Tan’s chest.

His eyes widened in disbelief, he stiffened, looking down at the line of blood on his chest. Ning Tan’s heavy body fell forward, and a dark red pool slowly spread beneath him.

His eyes remained wide open, blood foaming from his mouth as he whispered, “Mother… why…”

He reached out towards the figure in the corner, as if trying to grab something, but it was all in vain.

The emperor watched his suddenly deceased son, his dry lips moving for a while before he slumped back into the dragon throne, allowing the dispersing rebels to trample over the prince’s corpse.

Ning Yin smiled.

The bloodstained smile contrasted with his cold, pale complexion, radiating a bizarre and beautiful madness. The game of mother and son six years ago, where they harmed him, he had finally settled score by score.

It was truly wonderful.

“Lower the weapons, calm the wind.”

Ning Yin called his subordinates from the Imperial Guards, stationed among the rebels, and ordered, “Hurry up and eliminate all the ‘traitors’ for His Majesty.”

Outside the Ziying Hall,

General Yu Huanchen led his guards, surrounding the one thousand surrendered rebels. After disarming them, he instructed Qingxiao, Qin Lan, and others to rescue the trapped father and Yu Xinyi from the hall.

As soon as they rescued the people, a series of increasingly intense screams echoed from inside the hall. Surprised, Yu Yuan wanted to go back instinctively but was firmly held back by General Yu Huanchen.

The military flags rustled, and with a gust of cold wind, the first scattered snow of the year fell.

“It’s snowing, so cold!”

Hutao rubbed her hands, closed the door, and turned to see the phoenix crown and festive wedding attire still untouched on the table. She sighed inwardly.

Hutao picked up a small heater and placed it in the slightly cool hands of Yu Lingxi, coaxing, “The most skillful embroiderer in the capital worked on this wedding dress for three months! It’s so beautiful, why not try it on, Miss?”

“No need,” Yu Lingxi replied indifferently, still waiting for news from the palace.

“Give it a try, Miss. You’ll look incredibly beautiful in this dress! If it doesn’t fit well, I’ll have the embroiderer make adjustments.”

Hutao’s idea was simple; she wanted to lighten Yu Lingxi’s mood. Girls are generally happy when they see beautiful clothes and jewelry.

Unable to resist Hutao’s persistence, Yu Lingxi reluctantly said, “You go out first; I’ll try it on myself.”

Hutao crisply acknowledged and went outside to wait.

After a while, Yu Lingxi stood up, removed her fox fur and outer clothes, and walked to the neatly folded wedding dress, running her fingers over it. Standing in front of the full-length copper mirror, Yu Lingxi watched the fiery red reflection of herself and felt a moment of confusion.

The wedding dress was beautiful, adorned with pearls and magnificent golden threads. The layers of the skirt flowed down, vibrant and elegant, seemingly gathering all the brilliance of the world in one body. However, all Yu Lingxi felt was the weight and unfamiliarity.

In less than half a cup of tea’s time, she couldn’t wait to take it off and toss it aside. As her fingers touched the waistband, she heard a startled cry from Hutao outside.

Yu Lingxi turned around, only to see someone breaking in through the door. Then she felt a sharp pain on her neck, and everything went black as she lost consciousness.

Two hours later.

Yu Lingxi was awakened by voices.

She was bound, lying on the cold ground. A black cloth bag covered her head, leaving only a small hole for breathing.

Beside her, a slick voice said remorsefully, “Criminal Wang Lingqing, coerced by the Crown Prince, was forced to commit this offensive act against divine authority. Regretting his actions, he humbly comes to apologize to His Highness!”

Wang Lingqing?

Under the black cloth bag, Yu Lingxi was slightly taken aback. She had initially thought someone had instructed Wang Lingqing to kidnap her to force her father to surrender. Now it seemed otherwise.

If the Crown Prince had encountered trouble, and Wang Lingqing was pleading to “His Highness” in such a low and apologetic manner, it could only mean…

Yu Lingxi stopped struggling and suddenly became quiet.

Wang Lingqing pushed Yu Lingxi out, continuing his obsequious tone.

Coquettishly, “This is just a little token from a humble servant.”

Yu Lingxi was pushed to the ground and silently cursed Wang Lingqing in her heart. What did it have to do with her if he was apologizing?

Wang Lingqing said, “I heard that when His Highness was in exile, he once fell into difficulty and became a servant to this lady, suffering humiliation. Now, I offer this lady as a gift of surrender to His Highness.”

“…” Alright.

After two lifetimes, she still couldn’t escape the fate of being a “gift.”

Finally, the silent figure in front of her made a move. Yu Lingxi heard the steady footsteps approaching. The wind rustled his heavy robes, accompanied by the familiar woody scent as cold as snow.

Then, a bright light flashed, and someone removed the black cloth bag covering her face.

The sky was dark as ink, but the torches in the courtyard illuminated everything. The snow fell like blossoming flowers, covering the ground. Under the courtyard’s light, it turned into a beautiful pale gold.

In the courtyard, a group of people knelt down, all bowing towards Ning Yin’s direction. He touched his jaw, leaning over to look at the red-clothed beauty with disheveled hair.

His gaze swept over Yu Lingxi’s delicate and charming face, landing on the golden embroidered wedding dress she wore. In Ning Yin’s pitch-black eyes, a hint of flaming red seemed to flicker, gorgeous yet chilling. He half-closed his eyes and suddenly chuckled.

Yu Lingxi had no doubt that the madman, who would seek revenge for the smallest grudge, must be extremely delighted to see her in such an unfortunate state.

“Why did you make yourself so miserable?” he sneered.

Ning Yin’s dark eyes seemed to flicker with a hint of red flames, both beautiful and cold.

He chuckled softly, “How did you end up in such a sorry state, huh?”

Yu Lingxi didn’t doubt that the vengeful little lunatic must be ecstatic to see her in this sorry state.

“Why did you make yourself look so pathetic, hmm?”

Ning Yin sneered, his gaze lowering to her wrists.

The girl’s fair and tender skin was tightly bound with rough ropes, already leaving several rounds of swollen and bruised broken skin, looking quite pitiful.

His indulgent gaze fell silent, staring at the bruised marks for a long time. The cold gleam of a short blade flashed, and the thick rope on Yu Lingxi’s wrist broke.

Seeing that Ning Yin did not reject this “gift,” Wang Lingqing couldn’t help but feel happy, and hastily expressed loyalty, “Minister Wang Lingqing is willing to abandon the dark and turn to the light, to give my all for Your Highness!”

Hearing this familiar phrase, Yu Lingxi’s lips twitched.

Ah, even immortals can’t save you now.

“Oh?”

Ning Yin squinted his eyes, lightly smiling, “Then, let it be so.”

In the next moment, Yu Lingxi was embraced in a cold and spacious hug.

“Kill them all.”

Ning Yin said indifferently, raising his hand to lift the edge of his cloak, shielding her from the splattering blood.

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