After being exiled for eighteen years, the prince returned to the capital as a veritable immortal.

"Human nature is perilous."

"The heart that seeks the Way is perilous."

……

Hu Die's voice was melodious, but her volume was not loud.

It spreads out like ripples only by the lotus pond.

It stands to reason.

The Hundred Flowers Pavilion is several dozen feet away, so they shouldn't be able to hear it.

Unfortunately.

The Hundred Flowers Pavilion was unusually quiet; even breathing could be clearly heard.

Empress Yu Gou's face turned ashen as she glared hatefully at Zhou Yi and the other two.

A few lines from the Tao Te Ching, repeated over and over, made her head buzz.

At that moment, she felt extremely regretful.

Having already left the attic, why come back to watch the commotion?

Jiang Chong's death is tantamount to losing his left and right arms, which will surely enrage Emperor Wu.

If he were to personally come, she would certainly be reprimanded, and might even lose the Emperor's favor.

The two imperial concubines looked anxious, sharing the same worries as Empress Yugou.

Even the three princes felt remorse.

Only three or four brothers could succeed him as crown prince.

The Empress Wu would not go so far as to massacre them.

However, it is still highly likely that some counties will be stripped of their fiefdoms.

The emperor was furious, and blood flowed like rivers.

Almost without exception.

It seemed that only mass killings could quell his inner rage.

The eunuchs, palace maids, and Embroidered Uniform Guards were terrified.

Once the Martial Emperor is enraged...

The guards and servants present will all become addictive victims of the slaughter.

Similar situations have occurred countless times.

Everyone was panicked, but one person stood out.

Yang Lie, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, clenched his fists, his eyes revealing excitement.

The three top leaders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard were all killed by the Imperial Grandson.

As the fourth-in-command, shouldn't it be his turn to step up?

Yang Lie made up his mind that as long as the Empress Wu issued an order to arrest the Grandson Si.

No matter what, we must snatch the task of interrogating the imperial grandson from the Imperial Guards.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard had a thousand ways to extract the confessions they wanted from prisoners.

Yang Lie felt a surge of pleasure as he glanced at Zhou Yi, who stood with his hands behind his back by the lotus pond.

I'm sorry, Imperial Grandson.

You avenge your entire family, and I, the garrison commander, will also avenge Eunuch Jiang.

……

Royal study room.

Green bricks and blue tiles, with a clay sculpture of the mythical beast Chiwen sitting on the roof ridge.

The candlelight inside the house shone through the large windows into the courtyard.

these years.

The Empress was spending increasingly more time in her study.

Now, except for attending court, he almost always eats and lives there.

A whooshing sound rang out.

The head of the Imperial Guards arrived suddenly, knelt in the center of the courtyard, and his voice was filled with panic:

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!"

"Humph!"

A cold snort rang out, revealing the Empress's displeasure:

"Captain of the Imperial Guards, what kind of behavior is this, all flustered and disrespectful!"

The head of the Imperial Guards instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

If the Martial Emperor becomes displeased, his head will surely be chopped off.

Therefore, six or seven Imperial Guard leaders have died in the line of duty.

Fortunately.

This time, the Martial Emperor did not unleash his power.

The eunuch Ji Yu's captivating voice rang out:

"What is it? Report to me."

"Your Majesty, Eunuch Jiang, Eunuch Jiang... Eunuch Jiang, he..."

Overwhelmed with fear, the head of the Imperial Guards began to stammer.

He was terrified that the moment he uttered those words, a dragon claw would burst through the window and crush him.

"How is Steward Jiang?" Ji Yu's voice was already impatient.

"Eunuch Jiang...Eunuch Jiang, he was killed by His Highness Prince Yi!"

"..."

The study was silent for a moment, as if no one was inside.

"Crack!"

The head of the Imperial Guards could tell that it was the sound of porcelain breaking.

The teacup must have been crushed.

"boom!"

Almost at the same time.

It looked as if some furniture had exploded; a broken table leg shot out of the window and embedded itself in the bluestone floor directly in front of it.

Then.

Silence fell in the room once again.

The head of the Imperial Guard knelt on the ground, trembling with fear, not daring to break a sweat.

It feels like a century has passed.

"Squeak-"

The study door opened, and a figure in a bright red palace robe emerged.

Ji Yu beckoned to the head of the Imperial Guards with a finger: "Let's go."

The head of the Imperial Guards finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

Clearly, Ji Yu had received Emperor Wu's decree to personally handle the case of Jiang Chong's murder.

It's best if someone takes over something like this, which could easily cost you your head.

……

She arrived gracefully in a fiery red palace robe.

Inside the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, long sighs of relief echoed.

call--

Fortunately, the Empress did not come in person.

Everyone felt as if they had survived a disaster, and their hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, were finally at ease.

but.

The fact that the Empress's personal eunuch came in person indicates that the punishment must be severe.

A multitude of gazes shot towards the lotus pond, converging on the figure in the black python robe. Some were filled with regret, some with pleasure, and some with schadenfreude...

Zhou Yi and his two companions returned to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

Ji Yu followed suit.

He glanced at Jiang Chong's corpse lying on the ground, his face turned cold, and he covered his nose with the corner of his bright red sleeve.

Jiang Chong was Ji Yu's master.

Ji Yu's success today is inseparable from Jiang Chong's strong support.

Everyone believed that even if it was to avenge her master, Ji Yu would not let Si Huangsun go.

"Humph!"

Ji Yu snorted coldly and said, "His Majesty's oral decree—"

The crowd knelt on the ground and shouted:

"Long live my emperor, long live, long live!"

The moment of sentencing has arrived.

The Grandson of the Emperor cannot escape His Majesty's heavy responsibility.

Excitement flashed in the eyes of the Empress and the two Imperial Concubines.

Yang Lie, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was extremely excited.

The ladder to heaven is about to descend.

We must seize the task of interrogating the imperial grandson as soon as the verdict is announced.

Knowing that he is not good at speaking, and that he is prone to stuttering when he is nervous.

He repeated the words in his mind over and over again.

Ji Yu said:

"It's all gone."

Broken up?

The Empress, the Imperial Concubine, the Prince... everyone was stunned.

Just forget it?

With his left and right arms severed, why didn't the Emperor pursue the matter?

This must be the sun rising in the south.

Everyone was completely baffled and found it unbelievable.

Only Yang Lie kept reciting the speech in his mind, completely ignoring what Ji Yu was saying.

He suddenly stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Ji Yu, and said:

"Eunuch Ji, my subordinate Yang Lie, the Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, has volunteered to interrogate Prince Yi of Liangzhou..."

This person is going to interrogate the Imperial Grandson?!

Even the Emperor Wu said, "Let's disperse."

Surprisingly, one stubborn big-headed bird jumped out.

Under the gaze of all eyes, Yang Lie finally came to the jot down the Emperor's decree.

—Let's call it a day.

Broken up?

Yang Lie collapsed on the spot, his body giving way.

The grandson of the emperor killed Jiang Chong, yet he escaped unscathed.

But he had offended this ruthless man to the point of no return.

Everyone's attention shifted from this goofball back to Ji Yu.

No one can understand.

Why is the tyrannical and bloodthirsty Emperor Wu being so agreeable this time?

Am I dreaming?

The fourth prince raised his hand and touched the female prime minister's ample bosom, nearly breaking his fingers in the process.

"Oh, oh, it's painful yet pleasurable!"

He grinned and said, "It's not a dream."

The Third Prince bowed to Ji Yu and asked:

"Eunuch Ji, could you please repeat His Majesty's exact words?"

Seeing the eager looks in everyone's eyes, Ji Yu hesitated for a moment, then imitated the Martial Emperor's tone and said:

“A mere lackey, so be it.”

So you just killed him?!

So, were trusted eunuchs so worthless in Empress Wu's eyes?

still is……

The Imperial Grandson, would he be viewed with even greater favor?

hiss--

Everyone gasped in shock.

The Empress and the three princes pondered this.

If they had killed Jiang Chong, they would not have let the matter drop so easily.

A chill ran down the spines of the four.

Is this decision to establish an heir going to encounter unexpected complications?

……

What exactly is Empress Wu planning?

This result.

Zhou Yi was equally surprised.

Since everything was alright, he stepped outside.

The others also quietly withdrew.

The emperor's grandson did not pursue the matter, and Yang Lie recovered from his shock.

He ordered his Embroidered Uniform Guards to clean up Jiang Chong's body.

"Brothers, give Commander Jiang a proper burial!"

He just finished speaking.

Si Xuan walked over, pointed at him, and said:

“Jiang Chong is a filial son, isn’t he? Not bad, you’re the one who’ll carry the corpse and follow us.”

The Embroidered Uniform Guards were taken aback.

After their leader died, his body was dragged away and whipped.

Yang Lie gave a wry smile; how could he dare to say no?

He obediently carried Jiang Chong's body on his back and followed the three at a distance.

Zhou Yi had already sealed Jiang Chongqiao acupoints, preventing his three souls from dissipating.

He wanted to extract his soul to offer sacrifices to his parents and the whole family.

While we're at it, let's also study how to create evil.

after all.

The remains of a grandmaster are not easy to obtain.

"Your Highness, please wait."

Just as she stepped out of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, Ji Yu called out from behind:

"His Majesty has issued an imperial edict."