Return of the Pearl

Yongcheng suddenly turned his head to look at Yongyan, and their eyes met, instantly exchanging a look full of sinister and calculating thoughts.

There seemed to be an undercurrent in those eyes, filled with desire and obsession for power.

Immediately afterwards, Yongsheng focused his gaze on Qianlong again. His eyes were as cold as ice cones. He stared at Qianlong intently and said word by word, "Please abdicate, Your Majesty!"

Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying endless pressure and threats. His voice was low and hoarse, like the whisper of a devil, echoing in the air and making people shudder.

Qianlong's face was so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip out of it. His face was as cold as a stone sculpture. He stared at Yongsheng and Yongyan with a deep expression. His cold eyes revealed endless majesty and anger, which made people shudder.

He looked at them coldly, his voice as piercing as ice, as if it could freeze people's souls. He spoke slowly, each word carrying a bone-chilling chill: "What if I don't write the abdication edict?" The voice seemed to come from the underworld, full of determination and irresistible power.

An extremely hideous smile instantly appeared on Yongsheng's face. The smile was twisted and terrifying, like an evil ghost from hell. He waved his hand violently, his movements were swift and manic, as if he wanted to destroy the whole world.

He shouted frantically: "Charge in and kill Concubine Xian!" The voice exploded in the air like thunder, full of violence and cruelty. His eyes were full of madness and murderous intent, which made people shudder.

The soldiers rushed to the delivery room like a tide. Their footsteps sounded like thunder, neat and heavy. Their figures were like a group of hungry wolves, pouncing on the fragile target with the determination to destroy everything.

At this critical moment, Qianlong's eyes suddenly became extremely sharp, as sharp as an eagle. He waved his hand lightly. The movement seemed casual, but it carried unquestionable majesty. He made a gesture to An Yi.

Almost at the same moment, the sound of bowstrings snapping suddenly rang out in the air like the whisper of death. The sound was sharp and rapid, making people's hearts tighten involuntarily. Sharp arrows shot out from the air, speeding like lightning, shooting towards Yongsheng, Yongyan and the guards they brought with them with fierce momentum.

The sharp arrows were as dense as a rainstorm, drawing streaks of cold light in the air. They hit their targets accurately with a dull sound. Yongsheng, Yongyan and their guards fell to the ground one after another under the impact of the sharp arrows. Their bodies were pierced by the sharp arrows, and blood gushed out like a spring, staining their clothes scarlet.

Painful groans emanated from their mouths, the sound was shrill and miserable, like the cry of a night owl, piercing the silent sky. The sound seemed to be telling of the injustice of fate and the endless sorrow for their tragic end.

Their bodies were twisted like branches ravaged by the wind, struggling painfully on the ground. Their limbs were twitching, like dying beasts making their last struggle. The twisted posture was unbearable to look at, but it also made people feel the sadness and helplessness of the passing of life.

Yongsheng's face was filled with a mixture of pain and despair, a pain that penetrated deep into his bones. His eyes gradually became dull and lifeless, like a candle that was about to go out, and the breath of life slowly faded from his body like quicksand.

There was still a trace of ferocity on Yongyan's face, which was his last struggle of unwillingness and resentment towards his fate. His mouth was wide open, as if he was trying to say something, but he could only make a few weak and intermittent gasps, as weak as a candle in the wind.

Their bodies were lying on the ground in various postures, but all of them revealed the breath of death. They were surrounded by a shocking pool of blood, like a tragic red sea, emitting a heart-wrenching bloody smell. The strong smell permeated the air, making people feel disgusted and almost vomiting.

The concubines were horrified by the tragic scene. Some collapsed to the ground, their bodies stretched to the limit; some covered their mouths tightly, tears of fear streaming down their faces like a dam bursting. Those tears were filled with helplessness and fear at this cruel reality.

Xiao Jian stood aside, quietly looking at the bodies of Yongsheng and Yongyan. Their tragic deaths caught his eyes, and a complex and indescribable emotion surged in his heart. He was shocked by Qianlong's decisiveness;

At the same time, he was also extremely pleased that his sister could find a brave and resourceful husband like Qianlong. He knew that his sister's future might be more stable because of this, which also made him feel a little relieved that he had always been worried about his sister.

Concubine Ling stood there quietly, her gaze fixed on the bodies of Yongsheng and Yongyan. Endless sadness and sorrow surged in her heart, drowning her like a surging tide. Her eyes were empty and confused, as if she had lost her soul.

She knew clearly that these archers were not newly transferred by the emperor. She clearly saw that they had been lying in ambush in Changshou Palace for a long time. The emperor had long seen through their intention of rebellion. Although he had previously said with certainty that he would give them this chance, in fact, they had already embarked on a dead end and could not turn back.

"Now that things have come to this, how can I turn back..." Concubine Ling murmured to herself, her voice full of bitterness and helplessness.

What shocked her even more was that the emperor was so cruel as to order them both to be shot on the spot. Even a tiger wouldn't eat its own cubs... How cold-hearted was the emperor... Her heart was filled with shock and disbelief.

She pondered secretly, her heart filled with sadness and despair. Thinking that she only had two princesses, she couldn't help but feel sad. She slowly raised her hand and gently stroked her belly, where her hope for the future had been nurtured, but now there was only desolation.

"From now on, just put aside all your worries and live a good life with these two princesses... I really don't want to fight for anything anymore..." Her voice was low and hoarse, like a sigh coming from the depths of her soul.

Her eyes were filled with confusion and loss, as if she had lost all hope for the future. In that moment, she seemed to see her former self, fighting for favor and status by any means necessary, but in the end, gaining nothing, leaving only exhaustion and pain. She suddenly felt so ridiculous, so pathetic...

Qianlong issued the order with a stern face and a low and powerful voice: "Bury their two bodies properly, but do not let them enter the imperial mausoleum." This order was like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart.