Wei Zhen spat out a mouthful of blood, and two streams of blood mist erupted from his back.
The next moment, Wei Zhen’s body swayed, and he collapsed to the ground.
Zheng Fan was unsure of Wei Zhen’s rank as a Qi cultivator, though it hardly mattered now; he was already dead, having taken his own life.
Previously, by daring to stand before Lord Jingnan, he had already gambled with his life. He knew that Lord Jingnan not striking him personally didn’t mean he was safe; Lord Jingnan would never let him leave this place alive. He was merely a eunuch; the hierarchy of superior and inferior could not be defied! If he didn’t kill himself, his foster father, Wei Zhonghe, would have had to personally clean house. He didn’t want Wei Zhonghe to kill him, as that would only cause his foster father more pain.
At the moment Wei Zhen fell, Wei Zhonghe’s mouth opened slightly, his eyes tinged with red.
Shortly after, Tan Guang, the Third Prince’s mentor, rose and picked up the teacup beside him, saying, "It was our lack of foresight that has harmed His Highness."
With that, he drained the tea from the cup in one gulp.
The Third Prince, who was prostrated on the ground with his hands raised as if to receive an edict, then said, "It is I, Cheng Yue, whose abilities were lacking, and I have failed to meet the expectations of my masters."
"No, Third Prince, you embody the cultural essence of our Great Yan and can usher in an era of peace and prosperity for our Great Yan. We willingly follow Your Highness! Your Highness, do not despair. Know that when Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility upon a man, it first visits his mind with suffering, and his sinews and bones with toil. On the Island in the Lake, please, Your Highness, read more books."
"Cheng Yue thanks Master for his teachings. The Island in the Lake is quiet and indeed suitable for study."
"In that case, this servant shall depart first. Your Highness, take care."
As he finished speaking, a trickle of fresh blood spilled from the corner of Tan Guang’s mouth. Clutching his chest with one hand, he staggered back a few steps. "Take... care..."
Tan Guang fell to the ground.
The Third Prince, still prostrated on the ground in the posture of receiving the edict, closed his eyes and whispered, "Master, take care."
Wei Zhonghe took a deep breath, avoiding the sight of Wei Zhen’s body on the ground. Instead, he placed the imperial edict into the Third Prince’s hands.
"Commoner Ji Chengyue, the Spy Bureau’s prison carriage is waiting outside the princely residence. Come with me."
Ji Chengyue slowly rose to his feet.
Wei Zhonghe glanced at Lord Jingnan, who was still seated, and said with an apologetic smile, "My Lord, you must be weary from your journey. His Majesty said that today is when Her Majesty the Empress returns to her maiden home to visit her family. It is a day for family reunions and enjoying domestic bliss. Therefore, His Majesty will not summon you for an audience at the palace today."
After speaking, Wei Zhonghe gave a slight bow to Lord Jingnan, then turned his head and urged, "Commoner Ji Chengyue, are you not coming with me?"
Wei Zhonghe led the way, with the Third Prince, Ji Chengyue, following behind him. The source of thɪs content is 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭⚑𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥
From this day forward, one of the seven princes of Yan would be struck from the rolls. Whether Ji Chengyue would ever leave the Island in the Lake in this lifetime remained to be seen. Even if the current Yan Emperor were to pass away and one of his brothers were to ascend the throne, it was highly unlikely that an edict would be issued for his release.
Zheng Fan mused to himself. He often lamented to Blind Bei that when facing Hui Wenzu, the Sixth Prince, and later Lord Jingnan, he always felt like a gambler at a poker table, repeatedly forced into all-or-nothing situations. Looking at it now, even a prince was no different from a gambler at the table. One wrong move, and everything was lost.
However, just at that moment, a voice cut in.
The speaker was Lord Jingnan.
Instantly, hundreds of personal guards, including Zheng Fan, turned sideways to block Wei Zhonghe and the Third Prince Ji Chengyue, who was behind him.
A surge of anger flared within Wei Zhonghe. As the esteemed Director of the Ministry of Rites, even imperial princes and concubines in the palace had to address him respectfully and cautiously as "Eunuch Wei." When had he ever been subjected to such treatment? But Wei Zhonghe also knew full well that this group of border soldiers recognized only their general’s military command and cared little for any imperial edict.
Swallowing his anger and maintaining his deferential demeanor, Wei Zhonghe turned to Lord Jingnan, who was still seated, and said, "My Lord, is there anything else you require?"
Lord Jingnan did not look at Wei Zhonghe. Instead, he placed the horsewhip he had been holding onto the stone table and said slowly, "This edict... I do not accept it."