Chapter 231: You sure you are ready for this?
Midnight cloaked the palace in a heavy hush. The walls of the once-grand court, now battered and cracked, loomed over the encampment where Hua Jing and the others waited. Torches flickered in the cold night breeze, and the quiet murmur of soldiers moving around the perimeter lent the air a muted tension. They were vigilant, their swords glinting under the lantern glow.
Hua Jing stood still, her red robes a vivid slash of color amid the sea of armored men. She kept her gaze locked on the dark horizon. Though the battle had ended hours ago, the war was far from over. The traitors who had tried to steal the empire still lurked in the shadows.
She refused to let her mind drift to Zhao Yan’s still body in the physician’s care. Every time the thought of him flickered across her heart, she felt the ground slipping away beneath her feet. She had to stay anchored. She had to keep her focus on what had to be done.
Most of the imperial consorts had already fled, seeking shelter in distant family estates and hometowns. Their once-lavish rooms were left in shambles, their silken robes and perfumes scattered like dust. Hua Jing couldn’t find it in herself to care. Let them run, let them vanish. Their loyalty had always been to comfort, never to the empire.
The other royals who had remained behind—cousins of the late emperor, distant uncles and aunts—huddled within the inner chambers. They watched the soldiers from behind carved screens, their faces pale with fear. Some had tried to flee but were dragged back by loyal guards. The empire was being born anew, and there was no place for those who had always watched and waited to choose the stronger side.
In the midst of it all, Hua Jing held herself still. She was searching for the man who had done this—the one who had fired the arrow that struck Zhao Yan down. She had seen his face, just for a moment, and that was enough. She would remember it to her last breath.
The night was cold, a biting wind cutting through her bloodied robes. But she didn’t flinch.
Wei Ling approached her, his steps careful, his face shadowed with fatigue. He stopped at her side and said quietly, "We’ve confirmed it. The traitors have regrouped near the south wall. They’re cornered but still dangerous."
She nodded once, her jaw set. "Good. We will finish this before dawn."