So satisfying! The Great Demon King wiped out everyone equally!

Upon hearing that the emperor was aware of the matter, Xiao Yunzhou's face instantly darkened to a grim degree. He abruptly flicked his sleeve and roared, "None of those who spread rumors will escape! Issue my order: immediately send men to arrest them all. Anyone who disobeys will be executed without mercy!"

Lord Fang looked troubled and stammered, "Your Highness, the entire...the entire capital is talking about this matter, it's really difficult to arrest them all. Besides, we must find the source of the rumors first."

Xiao Yunzhou frowned, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. He truly couldn't fathom who was behind all this. And who had killed those assassins from the Zhao family—was it Prince Ning, Prince Chen, or even his beloved father, the Emperor? He still didn't know…

Suddenly, he thought of Zhao Linglong at the manor. "It must be the work of the remnants of the Zhao family! Immediately send men to the manor on the outskirts of the capital to capture Zhao Linglong for me. There must be no mistake!"

After a moment's hesitation, Lord Fang said, "Your Highness, Chen Yan'er has now been discovered, and her location has been exposed. Your Highness, Chen Yan'er must not be allowed to live. Only if she dies can this matter be left unverified."

Xiao Yunzhou's face grew increasingly gloomy. He narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a cold voice, "Let Yan'er pass away peacefully, without suffering the slightest pain."

After saying this, Xiao Yunzhou's face was also full of pain. "Yan'er, I have wronged you. I will definitely avenge you. Don't worry, you will not be alone on your way to the underworld."

Lord Fang cupped his hands and replied, "Yes, Your Highness, I will take care of it immediately."

At this moment, a servant ran up and reported, "Your Highness, His Majesty the Emperor requests your presence at the Empress's palace."

Xiao Yunzhou's heart sank. He took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and then slowly made his way to the palace.

Canglan then turned off the projected image.

"Xiao Yunzhou, how cruel you are! Now that the truth has been revealed, you're leaving me to die alone." With that, she trembled with rage and swept the tea set off the table, sending porcelain shards flying everywhere amidst the crashing sounds.

Chen Yan'er collapsed onto the bed, utterly dejected, tears streaming down her face like broken beads.

It turns out that Canglan had already guessed that Xiao Yunzhou would send someone to kill Chen Yan'er, so he came to the brothel first to see if Chen Yan'er would be as love-struck as Zhao Linglong, and also to take the opportunity to make Xiao Yunzhou or Zhao Linglong a target of hatred.

"Xiao Yunzhou, you once said you would protect me for life, but now that something has happened, you choose to sacrifice a weak woman like me. You are so heartless for the sake of power."

"You ungrateful wretch! If I hadn't saved you from drowning when you were little, I wouldn't be suffering from all these chronic illnesses, coughing incessantly every winter. And yet you treat me like this now, where is your conscience?" Chen Yan'er grew angrier and angrier, her voice becoming increasingly shrill, her eyes filled with boundless hatred, as if she wanted to tear Xiao Yunzhou to pieces.

Canglan, standing to the side, said sarcastically, "Husbands and wives are like birds in the same forest; when disaster strikes, they fly away separately. Besides, you two aren't even husband and wife."

"And you're not even dead yet, and you're already finding a stand-in who looks seven or eight parts like you. Let alone if you were dead, how many women who look like you would he find to disgust you?"

Chen Yan'er gritted her teeth in hatred: "He clearly swore eternal love to me, yet he's still entangled with that Zhao Linglong. That bitch Zhao Linglong, even after her entire Zhao family was wiped out, she still clings to Xiao Yunzhou. If I were her, I would definitely tear Xiao Yunzhou to pieces!"

Canglan clapped and praised, "That's the kind of reaction a normal person should have."

Overwhelmed with grief, Chen Yan'er said in a trembling voice, "My whole life has been ruined by my father. I went from being a young lady waiting to be married to this prostitute. The man who once vowed to be with me for life has long since found someone else. Now that the truth has come out, all he thinks about is sending me to my death."

Suddenly, Canglan sensed someone on the roof and immediately made a move, stabbing a dagger into the roof beam. With a cry of "Ah!", a hidden assassin fell to the ground.

"Your Yunzhou sent people to kill you? Didn't they say they wanted you to leave safely?"

Immediately afterward, a low shout came from outside: "Make your move!" Instantly, a group of men in black rushed in. Cang Lan moved like lightning, wielding a sharp blade, and in just a few moves, he killed the assassins who rushed in one by one, each strike a fatal blow to the throat.

Shocked, Chen Yan'er showed no fear. She knelt down with a thud and said, "I will never forget your life-saving grace. I beg you to take me as your disciple. I will make Xiao Yunzhou pay the price!"

As Cang Lan wiped the blood off the knife with a cloth, he said, "I'm not trying to discourage you, but with your abilities, it will take you more than ten years to get revenge. Xiao Yunzhou is the Crown Prince now, what do you have to kill him with? You might as well take the money Xiao Yunzhou has given you over the years and run away. You are free now, the sky's the limit!"

After hearing this, Chen Yan'er fell into deep thought. "The sky's the limit?" But she had already lost her home and was an orphan. Where could she possibly fly to? She could only eke out a living. Even if she were to die, she would watch Xiao Yunzhou die first!

Then, Chen Yan'er slowly raised her eyes, her eyes flashing with intense hatred. She stared intently at Cang Lan and said, word by word, "Benefactor, I know you are Zhao Linlang, the young lady of the Zhao family. I ask for nothing else, only that when you take revenge and eliminate Xiao Yunzhou, you let me know, and I will personally watch him die!"

"Okay! I promise you!"

"Thank you, my benefactor."

Chen Yan'er then resolutely turned and left the brothel. She found a safe place and hid.

................................................

Fengyi Palace

The Empress looked at the Emperor with a pained expression. "Your Majesty, please let the Crown Prince in. He has been kneeling outside for half an hour. How can his body withstand this?"

The emperor glared angrily and snorted coldly, "It's all your fault! You raised him to be so audacious! For a woman, he indiscriminately killed innocent people. Zhao Shibao was dutiful to the court, yet his entire family was brutally wiped out overnight. Doesn't his behavior discourage the trusted ministers of the court? He's utterly foolish!"

The Empress hurriedly defended the Crown Prince, "Your Majesty, this cannot be entirely blamed on the Crown Prince. If it weren't for Chen Yan'er seducing the Crown Prince behind his back and whispering in his ear, how could the Crown Prince have done such a foolish thing for her?"

The emperor sighed slightly. After all, this was the son he valued most, and the crown prince was also the one who most resembled his child. He then ordered someone to let the crown prince in.

Eunuch Gao accepted the order and left. A short while later, he returned with Crown Prince Xiao Yunzhou. Xiao Yunzhou walked into the palace step by step, knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your subject greets Father and Mother."

The emperor cut to the chase and asked, "How will you handle this matter?"

Xiao Yunzhou lowered his head, his face filled with shame, and said, "Your subject knows his mistake. Your subject should not have killed the Zhao family, who were loyal to the court, for the sake of a woman. Your subject was just blinded by greed at the time. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

After a brief pause, Xiao Yunzhou continued, "Your Majesty, I have ordered Chen Yan'er to be secretly executed, so that there will be no evidence against her. This will prevent any trouble from arising. I have also ordered the execution of several people who spread rumors, as a warning to others. In this way, no one will talk about this matter anymore, nor will they know the truth."

After hearing this, the emperor sighed slightly, "I'm glad you're not that muddle-headed, but you must remember to think things through before you act in the future, so as not to leave any handle for others to use against you. I will send people to investigate those who spread rumors behind your back. You should stay in your residence for the next few days and come out when things have calmed down."

Xiao Yunzhou respectfully replied, "Your subject will humbly follow Your Majesty's teachings." Then, Xiao Yunzhou slowly withdrew.