I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?

"If you kill me, the Emperor will not spare you, nor your families." Though Yuan Yintang knew this in his heart, he couldn’t help but voice the threat in a desperate bid to survive.

"You should be worried about your own family," Qian Fanji said coldly.

"How could your life alone ever compare to my daughter’s? Even if your entire alchemist clan died a hundred times over, it wouldn’t be enough," Zhan Chi said fiercely.

Gu Shuo just watched coldly, his body radiating a thick killing intent.

Yuan Yintang had never encountered such insane people. ’My alchemist clan will be in a world of trouble now that we’ve been targeted by this group. I have to find a way back to the palace.’

"No need to look. No one is coming to save you today. Die!" Zhan Chi rose onto his toes, and his longsword flashed with a silvery light.

Seeing this, Yuan Yintang retreated again and again, using his Qinggong to evade in a hurry. But then another wave of Sword Qi came from behind. He couldn’t dodge in time, and the incoming blade sliced his arm clean off.

THWACK!

Pain surged through him as the arm still clutching its sword flew past his eyes and landed on the ground.

"Ahhh...!"

Before Yuan Yintang could even react, Zhan Chi’s longsword plunged into his chest, and his screams became incessant.

"Don’t let him die so easily," Qian Fanji said.

Zhan Chi twisted the longsword in his chest, then yanked it out and went for his legs.

"Ahhh...!"

Another heart-wrenching scream tore out as the tendons in his feet were severed.

"Why are we keeping him alive? Even killing him isn’t enough to quell my hatred." Still not satisfied, Zhan Chi stabbed him twice in the thigh.

Luo Wen, Du Yi, and Ying Ge also looked as if they wanted to personally subject him to death by a thousand cuts.

"Take him. We’re going to the Prefectural Yamen," Qian Fanji ordered.

Zhan Chi and Gu Shuo sheathed their longswords.

Luo Wen reached down, grabbed the man who was on the verge of passing out, and began to drag him down the street.

Around midnight, the street in front of the Prefectural Yamen was packed with people shouting in protest.

Official Song was trying his best to persuade the Eighth Prince to enter the yamen, but the prince refused to budge.

The deafening shouts were like a fire roasting him alive. The Emperor had yet to send a decree, and he was truly at his breaking point.

THUD!

"Ahhh...!"

A figure crashed down from the sky in front of the yamen gates. The man was a bloody, mangled mess, causing the crowd to cry out in alarm and stumble backward.

Official Song, also badly frightened, quickly ordered his men to go and see who it was.

"Re-Reporting to you, my lord... it’s Yuan Yintang."

When the crowd heard it was Yuan Yintang, the fear in their eyes instantly turned to fury, and they spat viciously on the ground.

"Pah! What goes around comes around! Heaven spares no one. He deserves to die!"

"Looks like he’s not dead. He’s still moving."

"Not dead? Then beat him to death!"

"Everyone, please calm down," Official Song said as he stepped forward. He could tell at a glance that Yuan Yintang was on the brink of death.

’Who could have possibly injured the Emperor’s current favorite this badly?’

"This man is a murderer who fled to escape justice. We ask that the Prefect bring him to trial."

The voice rang out, and Official Song looked up to see Qian Fanji, Gu Shuo, and Zhan Chi emerging from the crowd. His expression changed instantly.

"Minister Qian, this... this is..."

"This man is a murderer," Qian Fanji stated.

Official Song swallowed hard, unsure how to handle the situation.

"Official Song, what is the crime for murdering the family member of an imperial court official?"

Official Song’s expression was uglier than words could describe. ’Minister Qian is well-versed in the national laws. How could he not know what the crime is? Why is he asking me?’

"Official Song, for a person like this, the punishment should be death, should it not?"

"Official Song, the evidence is irrefutable. This man’s crimes are heinous. He should be beheaded by rights."

"Official Song has always been impartial in his enforcement of the law. Surely he would not shelter a murderer."

Official Song was being forced onto a pedestal of righteousness, and his heart was filled with bitterness.

’How did I get stuck with this mess?’

’Why hasn’t the Emperor sent his decree yet?!’