FID – Chapter 885

Chapter 885: Destroy Your Entire Family — Very Fair

No one knew who the Prince Yan’s residence had offended, or perhaps those in high positions had simply lost their patience. Last night, assassins infiltrated the Prince Yan Manor, attempting to kill both the Prince and his heir. 

It was said many people died, and when the city guards arrived the next day, the manor was stained with blood everywhere.

Both Prince Yan and his son disappeared during the assassination attempt and have gone missing.

The city guards searched all over the capital but found nothing. After a brief and hasty search, they sounded the retreat.

They seemed utterly unconcerned about the disappearance of Prince Yan and his son.

After all, they were members of the Nanling royal family. Even though Dowager Consort Liu had fallen, as long as their identity remained, no one dared openly disrespect or harm them.

Yet, the guards’ attitude was clear.

So the common people speculated that such blatant negligence by the guards must have been ordered from above, or the matter was being swept under the rug following the direction of those in power.

The one who held a deep grudge against the Prince Yan Manor was, naturally, none other than the King.

So gradually, people began to speculate that Prince Yan and his heir were already dead.

Given the King’s usual way of doing things, how could he possibly allow those he disliked to live, especially since Prince Yan had always been his enemy?

While this major incident was causing a huge stir in the city, the palace was just as abuzz.

“Everyone outside is saying that Prince Yan and his heir are dead. I think it’s probably true. Otherwise, the city guards at least would’ve searched thoroughly. How could they not find a single trace?”

“I think so too. With that one having fallen, Prince Yan and his son lost their biggest support. It was only a matter of time before something happened to them. Serves them right, honestly. Back when they were in power, they were so arrogant and offended countless people.”

“How many concubines and servants in the palace were beaten or killed just because she was in a bad mood? She committed so many sins. If retribution didn’t fall on her, it landing on her descendants is still karma catching up. The Liu branch of the capital’s Liu family is now completely wiped out.”

The voices of conversation at the palace door faintly drifted into the inner hall. At first, the withered, haggard woman paid no attention, but the moment she heard ‘Prince Yan’, her eyes suddenly flew open wide, and her whole body began to tremble.

She rushed forward, flinging open the inner hall doors, and lunged at the two eunuchs gossiping outside. 

With her disheveled hair and bloodshot, ferocious eyes, she clawed at their faces and bodies with sharp nails. “What nonsense are you spewing? What are you saying?! How dare you curse my son and grandson?! Dead, you say? Huh?! You’re lying! You filthy dogs, I’ll have you flogged to death!”

At first, the eunuchs had held back out of respect for her status. But hearing that even in her current state she dared to threaten them with flogging, their tempers snapped. They shoved her violently to the ground and mocked her: “Nonsense? Lying? Let us tell you. Your son and grandson are dead! Not even their bodies were found! The whole Prince Yan Manor was soaked in blood! Those assassins killed everyone they saw, with no survivors left! What, do you think your precious bastards grew wings and flew away? That they could escape? And you still want to have us flogged? Wake up! Do you even know what you are now? You’re living worse than a dog! Hah! Do you still think you’re the noble Lady Liu? You’re just a crazy hag rotting away in the Cold Palace, waiting to die!”

The more they shouted, the more they enjoyed it. The two eunuchs’ faces lit up with satisfaction. In the past, they’d had to grovel in front of Consort Liu, terrified that one misstep would lead to a beating or even death. Now, at last, the tables had turned.

“Hahaha! This is all karma! You killed so many people before, so this retribution is long overdue! You and your wretched family are getting off easy! You probably don’t even know, huh? When the Prince Yan Manor was attacked, the imperial court didn’t even issue an order to investigate thoroughly. They just wrapped it up as some random vendetta between martial factions! Prince Yan and his son bore your sins as your descendants. They were never going to live long!”

Lying on the floor in a disheveled heap, Dowager Consort Liu listened as the two eunuchs took turns ridiculing her, their words cruel and mocking. But all she could hear echoing in her mind was: Prince Yan and his son are dead!

Prince Yan and his son are dead!

Impossible. Impossible! Her son and grandson couldn’t be dead! How could assassins have gotten to them?!

Someone was pulling strings in the shadows. Someone wanted to cut off her bloodline!

Feng Qingbai—it must be Feng Qingbai!

That night… Feng Qingbai must have found out the things she had said to the Empress Dowager. He was taking his revenge!

“I want to see the Emperor! I want to see the King of Nanling! Call them out! Tell them to come see me! Bring them before me!” she screamed, suddenly scrambling up from the floor and charging out like a madwoman.

The two eunuchs panicked and rushed forward to grab her, dragging her back and throwing her into the hall before locking the doors tight.

Even so, they broke into a cold sweat.

They were the ones in charge of guarding Qingning Palace. If this crazy old woman managed to escape, they would be the ones held responsible.

A light punishment might be a beating; a heavier one could be execution. It wasn’t out of the question.

The two eunuchs exchanged a glance and didn’t dare say another word, afraid of provoking the madwoman inside into another frenzy.

Though rumors about the Prince Yan Manor were spreading like wildfire, no one dared to speculate openly about the mastermind behind it.

Because almost everyone had silently agreed on who it must be.

Besides, was that person someone to be spoken of lightly?

That night, when the palace was deep in silence, the eunuch on duty outside Qingning Palace was dozing off.

A figure slipped silently into the hall.

By the dim candlelight, the old woman sitting within opened her bloodshot eyes and looked toward the intruder in terror. She rose to her feet stiffly.

The tip of a sword, glinting coldly in the faint light, pointed straight at her throat.

“W–Who are you?! How did you get in?!” Dowager Consort Liu stumbled backward as the figure approached.

The stranger’s eyes, the only part visible beyond a face covering, were chillingly expressionless—utterly devoid of emotion.

Only the dead had eyes like that.

“Dowager Consort Liu. It’s been a while,” said a voice flat and devoid of any inflection, like it came from a machine.

Despite the clear and pleasant tone, Dowager Consort Liu’s heart plummeted.

“Gong Ling!” After working together for so many years, how could she not recognize his voice? “What are you doing? Do you want to kill me?!”

The man stepped closer again, saying nothing.

“Who sent you to kill me? Was it Feng Qingbai?! Put the sword down first. Whatever he paid you, I’ll pay double!”

Gong Ling was an assassin, the master of Cangying Pavilion. 

Once his sword was drawn, it never returned to its sheath without blood.

“No one paid me. I’m killing you because you deserve to die.”

With nowhere left to retreat, her back pressed against the inner wall, the icy tip of the blade now touched the skin of her throat. She could already smell the scent of blood. Dowager Consort Liu’s teeth began to chatter.

“Gong Ling, we’ve worked together for so many years. If you’re going to kill me, at least tell me why!”

“Why?” His deep, mechanical voice let out a low laugh, laced with hatred and mockery. “I’ve come on behalf of the more than three hundred lives of Baicao Valley, to collect yours, Consort Liu. Is that reason enough?”

Liu Consort Dowager’s pupils shrank sharply. “Baicao Valley? You’re from Baicao Valley!”

“You wiped out my entire Baicao Valley,” the man said coldly. “So I’ve wiped out the Liu family of the capital in turn.”

With a flick of his wrist, the blade thrust forward.

“Very fair.”