Chapter 412 - 314: Rong Jing’s Breakdown (Part 2)
Rong Jing calmed the turbulent waves within his heart. Ever since returning to Qianyuan Hall from the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, he had maintained a peculiar state of excitement that now seemed to gradually subside.
Zhang Shi swallowed hard, suppressing the immense fear within him, and gritted his teeth: "But I discovered there’s nothing wrong with the Sweet Pine Fragrance, it’s the incense burner... the incense burner the Empress gifted Your Majesty, that’s the problem!"
...
"Zhang Fengcai, clean it up."
Within Qianyuan Hall, the lights flickered, casting a dark and oppressive atmosphere.
Zhang Shi’s body had already turned cold, with blood flowing from his neck, spreading in bubbles, filling the hall with an intense scent of blood.
Beside the body was a small pile of crushed incense ashes and a toppled incense burner.
"As you command." Zhang Fengcai lowered his gaze, resembling a stiff puppet, his face devoid of any expression.
Yet, as the eunuchs carried Zhang Shi’s body out, passing by him, he couldn’t help but glance at it.
Zhang Shi’s delicate face was filled with horror, his eyes wide, as if unable to comprehend that he was poised for great fortune, yet met such an end.
He shook his head, thinking to himself that Xiao Shi was just a child, unable to understand the terrors of the Emperor.
Zhang Fengcai didn’t know exactly what Zhang Shi had uncovered, but knew it must have involved crossing the Emperor’s line... whether good or bad, when the Emperor is pleased, he’s capable of killing.
"Gift the incense burner... to the Empress."
Rong Jing suddenly spoke, his voice suppressing madness and coldness.
"Yes, I’ll handle it right away." Zhang Fengcai’s eyes flickered with a hint of fear, quickly nodding, picking up and securing the incense burner.
When he returned to Qianyuan Hall, the Emperor exuded a manic yet suppressed aura, making the entire hall feel like an ice cave.
Zhang Fengcai trembled as he looked at Rong Jing, sensing that the Emperor’s flushed complexion resembled drunkenness, to the point he wanted to summon an Imperial Physician.
"Your- Your Majesty... do you want a sober soup?"
"I... what was I about to do..." Rong Jing muttered as if deaf to the world.
He lowered his head, seeing a smear of blood-red cinnabar beside him.
"Yes, I need to confer Wu with a title."
As he spoke, Zhang Shi’s recent revelations echoed in his ears, causing a sharp pain in his head, his peach-blossom eyes bloodshot.
That woman, clearly already abolished, lived like a corpse for so many years, yet he never imagined she had retaliated so early...
It seems only Rong Heng truly obeys him.
He could give him everything... as long as he listens like he did in childhood!
Zhang Fengcai glanced at Rong Jing’s complexion, vaguely guessing that perhaps Zhang Shi’s findings were related to the Empress, and the Empress likely did something to defy the Emperor, further provoking today’s Emperor.
Later, he would personally deliver the incense burner to the Empress to see her reaction, hoping to deduce something.
Just when Zhang Fengcai thought conferring Prince Xiang as Imperial Brother was a settled matter, a strong gust suddenly burst into the hall!
"Your Majesty, Commander Song is here—"
Commander Song stood before Rong Jing, before the eunuchs outside hurriedly announced his arrival.
Once again interrupted by an unexpected visitor, Rong Jing’s mind teetered on a strange edge.
He abruptly tossed away his pen and ink, his scarlet eyes fixed fiercely on Commander Song, clutching a blood-stained sword, directly pointing at him:
"You also wish to defy me?"
Zhang Fengcai, terrified, dropped to his knees with a "thud," afraid the Emperor might kill Commander Song on a whim, knowing Song would not resist.
If Song died, in the future, he’d face the Emperor alone... suddenly Zhang Fengcai thought of resigning.
Commander Song hurried back to the Capital City, without delay, entering the palace in haste, weary from travel, even lacking time to change clothes.
With his remaining phoenix eye, he stared at the sword unflinchingly close, his voice gravelly like coarse sand: "If Your Majesty wishes to kill me, I’ll die, unwilling to sully Your Majesty’s sword."
Rong Jing’s expression remained shadowy and cold, the sword tip pressing two inches closer: "Is that so."
Commander Song’s breath didn’t waver in the slightest, steadily gazing at Rong Jing, retrieving a slip of paper from his sleeve to present: "I investigated a brothel named Crow Building in the Capital City; it’s Zhou Xing’s venture, and Minister Zhou is Prince Xiang’s ally!"
Rong Jing’s pupils contracted, the sudden news causing his sword-wielding hand to tremble, with a "clang," the long sword fell to the ground.