Chapter 603: Sang Zhi Awakens 4
At the foot of the mountain, by Lou Mountain Academy.
"What did you say?"
"Young Master, the young lady of the General’s Manor is dead."
"No, that’s impossible. You’re lying! How could she be dead? You’re lying!" Gao Qi grabbed the attendant’s clothes in a death grip.
"Young Master, it’s true. The news is all over the Capital City. The General’s Manor has already hung up the white lanterns..."
Upon hearing this, Gao Qi froze, unable to process it for a long time.
The day before yesterday, he’d heard something had happened at the General’s Manor. After making inquiries through various channels, he learned that Ye Qianning hadn’t been thrown in prison.
Today was the eighth day of the sixth month. He had waited a long time at the foot of the mountain on his way to the school. Even though he knew she probably wouldn’t show up, he still wanted to wait, just in case.
He never imagined that the news he’d be waiting for was that of her death.
"Impossible... I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it..." Gao Qi turned and climbed into his horse-drawn carriage.
"Young Master, where are you going? Aren’t you going to the Academy?"
"Drive. To the General’s Manor."
"But the Academy..."
"Drive!" Gao Qi roared.
The attendant didn’t dare say another word. He jumped onto the driver’s seat, pulled the reins, and turned the carriage around.
’This is so confusing,’ he thought. ’Back home, the master was overjoyed. Why is the young master so furious? The young lady from the General’s Manor had previously brought people to storm the Prime Minister’s Manor, creating a huge feud. Now that she was dead, shouldn’t the young master be ecstatic?’
---
Inside Lou Mountain School, the students in Ye Qianning’s class fell briefly silent upon hearing the news before breaking out into sighs and surprised murmurs.
"Is it really true? How did she die?"
"Such a young person. It’s a real shame."
"She was too flashy, wasn’t she? It just goes to show, you can’t get too arrogant just because of your status, or you won’t even know what hit you."
"Isn’t that the truth? Just a few days ago, she was using her status to force Prime Minister Gao to divorce his wife. For a mere child, her methods were far too vicious. It’s better to be low-key... OOF—"
Before the student in the back could finish his sentence, a fist landed on his face, knocking him onto a desk.
"Qian Zhuye, why did you hit me?!" the student shouted, clutching his face and glaring.
"This young master saw you were asking for a beating, so I decided to give you one," Qian Zhuye said, his expression utterly grim.
"You... I’m going to tell the teacher..."
Qian Zhuye strode over and grabbed him by the collar. "Go ahead, tell the teacher. But if this young master hears you gossiping about Ye Qianning again, this young master will rip out your tongue."
"I... I... WAAAAH..." The student had wanted to argue back, but the moment his eyes met Qian Zhuye’s murderous gaze, he burst into loud sobs.
Qian Zhuye shoved him away and scanned the room.
The students all fell silent, sitting obediently in their seats.
Clenching his fists, Qian Zhuye turned and walked out of the school hall.
Sang Qi, who was sitting in the front row, heard the news with shock in his eyes. He remained in his seat, his mind a complete mess. ’She’s dead...’
’Ye Qianning is dead...’
He wanted to pick up his brush and write something on the Xuan paper, but Ye Qianning’s chubby little face suddenly appeared on the sheet before him.
Startled, he quickly threw the paper away.
"Crown Prince, you dropped your paper." A student behind him, unable to see Sang Qi’s expression, saw the Xuan paper fall. He stood up, picked it up, and placed it on his desk.
Sang Qi whipped his head around and glared at him.
The student’s heart jumped in shock. "C-Crown Prince..."
"Who told you to pick it up? Who told you to pick it up?!" Sang Qi shot to his feet, shoved the student aside, and roared.
The student, yelled at and completely bewildered, was terrified.
Only after roaring did Sang Qi realize he had lost his composure. He turned and hurried out of the school hall.
---
「Imperial Palace」
Sang Zhi had just neared the palace gates when he was intercepted by hastily arriving Hidden Guards and forcibly taken back to Dragon and Qilin Hall.
The Beili Emperor was on his way to Noble Princess Consort Zhan’s chambers when he heard that Sang Zhi had woken up. His initial joy was immediately followed by worry when he heard that the Eighth Prince had left the hall without permission.
He immediately ordered the Hidden Guards to bring him back, then turned around without a moment’s hesitation and headed back toward Dragon and Qilin Hall.
He had even forgotten that Consort Yuan was with him, not remembering her until he had walked a great distance.
Consort Yuan stood in place, waiting for the Beili Emperor to look back. Unfortunately, he never did, even as he disappeared around a distant corner. A chill seeped into her from the depths of her heart.
’So much for sweet nothings. So much for honor and favor. It’s all fake.’
’In the face of power, she was nothing more than an ant in his eyes—utterly disposable.’
’She should have known this all along!’
"Your Highness, about Noble Princess Consort Zhan..." a young eunuch ventured.
"Let’s go. We’ll go have a look."
Consort Yuan withdrew her gaze. ’Noble Princess Consort Zhan will probably be very disappointed when she doesn’t see the Emperor. The thought is rather amusing.’
「Dragon and Qilin Hall」
Before the Beili Emperor even stepped inside the hall, he heard the sound of a child’s furious roar from within.
He paused for a moment before entering.
"Get out of my way!" Sang Zhi wildly swung a longsword at the Hidden Guards.
The Hidden Guards dodged, not daring to strike back.
"Eighth Son," the Beili Emperor called out in a low voice.
Hearing the voice, Sang Zhi turned, his sharp gaze fixed directly on the figure dressed in bright yellow.
The Beili Emperor met his gaze and his heart skipped a beat. ’The boy’s eyes seem different. They aren’t gray anymore, but black—as black as an abyss.’
"Eighth Son, how are you feeling? Is there any discomfort in your eyes?"
Sang Zhi just stared at him coldly.
"Eighth Son, put down the sword. Be careful you don’t hurt yourself." As he spoke, the Beili Emperor started walking toward him. "You were tricked into leaving the palace this time, and your Father-Emperor was very worried. You can’t be so reckless today."
Sang Zhi tightened his grip on the longsword, his eyes betraying no emotion. As the Beili Emperor drew near, he suddenly raised the sword and thrust it violently toward him.
"Emperor, look out!" A Hidden Guard, aghast, instantly moved to block the Beili Emperor, grabbing the blade of Sang Zhi’s thrusting sword with his bare hand.
With a flick of his wrist, the Hidden Guard disarmed Sang Zhi, and the longsword fell from his grasp.
The Beili Emperor was utterly stunned. When he recovered, he looked at Sang Zhi, his voice dangerously low and severe. "You want to kill Us?"
"I want to leave the palace," Sang Zhi said coldly.
"We will ask you again: did you want to kill Us?"
"So what if I did?"
"We are your Father-Emperor! You dare to attempt regicide? Are you not afraid We will have your head?" the Beili Emperor thundered, enraged.
Sang Zhi showed none of his previous timidity. He stared at the Emperor, his voice tinged with contempt. "Do you dare kill me?"
"You... What audacity!"
"I want Yuan Yintang dead. I want everyone who besieged her to die. Anyone who laid a hand on her at Four-direction Mountain—I want them all dead," Sang Zhi said, his icy voice strangely light.
The Beili Emperor glared at him.
"If you can’t do it, then I will destroy these eyes before I ever let you have them." Sang Zhi pointed to his own eyes, a faint smirk playing on his pale lips.
The Beili Emperor was shocked. ’He knows!’
"If you want the map to Penglai, then do as I say."
"Do you think We would let you run wild over something so illusory?" No one had ever dared to speak to him in such a tone.
Sang Zhi’s eyes remained placid. He straightened his clothes. "I am leaving the palace. It would be best not to stop me. Otherwise, if I go mad and accidentally destroy that map... well, that wouldn’t be good."
The Beili Emperor gritted his teeth in fury, wishing he could execute him on the spot.