From Cold Palace Princess to Celestial Empress Ch. 29
Thud!
A dull sound came from within Chen Yu. His face turned pale, his pupils dilated, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, followed by a crimson substance seeping out, staining the ground red.
In an instant, Chen Yu’s breath vanished, dead beyond dead.
Ye Ruoshui bent down, took the brocade box containing the Mending Pill from Chen Yu’s corpse, and handed it to Xiao Minghuang.
“Well done!”
Xiao Minghuang patted Ye Ruoshui’s soft hair as a gesture of encouragement.
Ye Ruoshui, who hadn’t even blinked while killing someone, now had a slight blush on her cheeks, her small face full of shyness, like a young girl in love.
Lin Wanqiu stood by, witnessing all this, her eyes revealing a hint of complexity.
“Miss Ye is really… adorable…”
She turned her gaze to Chen Yu, who was now a corpse, and sighed softly.
“Her Highness was already willing to spare you, why did you have to be so stubborn?”
She was perceptive and sharp-minded, realizing that Xiao Minghuang’s goal was merely the Mending Pill.
Objectively speaking, the Chen Family did not deserve annihilation.
Although the Chen Family head’s identity as an evil cultivator had been exposed, it was impossible for the entire vast Chen Family to be evil cultivators.
If it weren’t for Chen Yu’s constant cursing of Xiao Minghuang, he wouldn’t have met such a tragic end of death and the extermination of his clan.
Regardless, the Chen and Lin Families were both part of Beiyang City, with a long-standing friendship. Seeing the Chen Family’s downfall now, it was hard not to feel a pang of sympathy.
However, she would not plead for mercy. She understood the principle of eradicating the root of the problem.
After Chen Yu was trampled to death, the onlookers displayed expressions of shock and complexity.
“A mere maid by Ninth Princess’s side possesses such strength. The Royal Family is truly unfathomable!”
“Ninth Princess is decisive in her actions. It seems the Chen Family cannot escape this calamity.”
“The evidence against the Chen Family head is irrefutable, but could such a large family truly collude with evil cultivators and betray the country? Or is this just an excuse for Ninth Princess to seize the Yuan Mending Pill”
Not only the onlookers, but even Lin Wanqiu harbored doubts.
At that moment.
Xiao Minghuang stepped onto a high platform, drawing everyone’s attention.
She pulled out a stack of papers from her sleeve, the letters found in the storage bag of the evil cultivator leader.
Xiao Minghuang glanced at the crowd and declared loudly:
“In my hands are the evidence of the Chen Family’s collusion with evil cultivators and betrayal of the country. If anyone has doubts, they may come forward and see for themselves!”
After a while, three elderly men with graying hair stepped out from the crowd.
These three were the heads of the other three major families of Beiyang City, who had always shared a close bond with the Chen Family. If the Chen Family was involved in such treachery, they too might be implicated. Thus, they were eager to learn the truth to clear their names.
The three family heads examined the letters one by one, then revealed expressions of shock and anger.
“The Chen Family has committed such heinous acts!”
“The Chen Family head secretly instructed evil cultivators to plunder and sacrifice commoners to cultivate evil arts. Such crimes are unforgivable!”
“Not only that, the Chen Family head colluded with the Golden Elephant Kingdom, attempting to hand over a recently discovered spirit vein. If not for Ninth Princess’s timely discovery, this spirit vein would have been lost to Beiyang City!”
When mentioning the last point, the three family heads lowered their voices, as if not wanting others to hear.
After reviewing the letters, the three family heads respectfully bowed to Xiao Minghuang and said, “The Chen Family’s crimes are grave. We request the extermination of the Chen Family as a warning to others!”
Xiao Minghuang, however, shook her head and said indifferently:
“Matters of Beiyang City should be handled by City Lord Lin.”
“As you command!”
The implication of Xiao Minghuang’s words was clear to the three family heads.
They immediately joined the siege against the Chen Family head. With the addition of three powerful cultivators, the Chen Family head quickly ran out of spiritual energy. In desperation, he resorted to evil arts but was still no match. In the end, Lin Zhengquan struck him down with a spear.
After the Chen Family head’s death, Lin Zhengquan collected his storage bag and magical longsword, presenting them to Xiao Minghuang.
“These are the remnants of the evil cultivator. Please, Your Highness, inspect them.”
Though it was called an inspection, it was essentially offering the Chen Family head’s entire inheritance to Xiao Minghuang, a gesture of presenting borrowed flowers to the Buddha.
The fact that the head of one of Beiyang City’s four major families was an evil cultivator was a significant matter. If it reached the capital, the court would surely send investigators, and the Lin Family and the other three major families would inevitably be implicated. It was better to downplay the matter and let it pass quietly.
All those present were officials from the city lord’s mansion and members of the three major families, so there was no risk of leaking information. The only person who needed to be taken care of was Xiao Minghuang.
Xiao Minghuang, having come from afar, was unaware of the intentions of the three major families and was hesitating whether to accept the offerings or not.
Lin Wanqiu stepped forward and whispered an explanation into her ear.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang showed a look of understanding and, looking at Lin Zhengquan and the heads of the three major families, said solemnly:
“The Chen Family harbored evil cultivators, colluded with the enemy, and betrayed the country. Their crimes are unforgivable. The city lord and the three major families have done well in eliminating the traitors.
As she spoke, Xiao Minghuang took the storage bag and the treasured longsword.
“These items are evidence of the Chen Family’s crimes. I will take them back to the capital and hand them over to the Three Judicial Courts for processing.”
“Your Highness is wise and discerning, with impeccable strategies. We, your humble servants, will obey your orders!”
Although Xiao Minghuang claimed she would hand the items over to the Three Judicial Courts, everyone knew that the spirit stones, pills, and the precious mid-grade Yellow-tier longsword in the storage bag would inevitably end up in her own pocket.
Without waiting for the next morning, the city lord’s guards moved out overnight, catching the Chen Family members in their sleep and imprisoning them in the dungeon.
…
Due to the incident with the Chen Family, the banquet was interrupted halfway through.
Xiao Minghuang also lost interest and decided to return to her room to rest.
Although she had already reached the Qi Refining Realm, she had not yet reached the level where she could abstain from food, be unaffected by the seasons, or remain tireless.
After several days of travel, a fierce battle in the wild forest, and the thrilling events at the banquet, Xiao Minghuang was utterly exhausted and only wanted to sleep soundly.
“City Lord Lin, I leave the matter of the Chen Family entirely in your hands. I will not interfere further.”
City Lord Lin understood her implication and was immensely grateful. The unspoken meaning was that he could distribute the Chen Family’s assets.
It was worth noting that the Chen Family had lived in Beiyang City for nearly a hundred generations, amassing an unimaginably vast fortune.
“This time, I’m really going to strike it rich!”
However, such a massive fortune could not be enjoyed alone. After sharing with the relevant stakeholders, what remained in his hands…
Was still a considerable amount.
Thinking of this, Lin Zhengquan couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.
He glanced at Lin Wanqiu, who stood obediently beside Xiao Minghuang, and felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
If it weren’t for his daughter, how could he have established a connection with the Ninth Princess, and how could he have had the opportunity to dismantle the vast Chen Family and share in the profits?
“Wanqiu, quickly escort Her Highness back to rest.”
Lin Zhengquan instructed cheerfully.
Lin Wanqiu naturally nodded and led Xiao Minghuang back to their residence.
After they left, everyone present couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
“City Lord Lin, it’s truly a great fortune that your daughter has gained the favor of the Ninth Princess. With Her Highness as our backer in Beiyang City, we no longer have to worry about the court withholding our spirit stones!”
“City Lord Lin, could you share a bit about the relationship between your daughter and the Ninth Princess? It would put our minds at ease.”
Hearing this, Lin Zhengquan frowned. The engagement between the Ninth Princess and Lin Wanqiu was known only within their family and had never been disclosed.
At the banquet today, the Ninth Princess had not publicly announced this matter.
If he were to reveal it now, it might seem like he was overstepping his bounds.
This made him hesitant and unwilling to speak openly.
After pondering for a moment, Lin Zhengquan smiled and replied:
“Ninth Princess and Wan Qiu hit it off immediately, becoming as close as sisters. Everyone can rest assured!”
At this point, however, he changed his tone, his gaze serious as he swept it over the people present.
“Although Beiyang City has the Ninth Princess as its support, we must still act with caution in the future, especially within each family. Something like what happened with the Chen Family must never occur again!”
Hearing this, the expressions of those present turned solemn, and they responded earnestly:
“City Lord, rest assured. We will return home and thoroughly investigate our own family members. Something like the Chen Family incident will never happen again!”
Seeing this, Lin Zhengquan’s expression softened, and he said:
“It’s good that you all understand. From now on, Beiyang City will be under the command of the Ninth Princess, and we must not bring shame to Her Highness. It’s getting late, everyone should go back and rest.”
“We take our leave.”
After everyone had left, a look of joy once again appeared on Lin Zhengquan’s face.
“From now on, the status of Beiyang City should be able to stabilize.”
PS: Delighted to have a big shot’s support.
《Yi Sir, Run!》
“Let’s do an interview. Miss Yi Lu, why do you say you don’t want to fall in love?” The reporter held up the microphone, presenting it to Sarkaz.
The latter was stunned for a moment, then after a while, said, “Because I’m not a Perro.”
“?”
The reporter was puzzled, asking awkwardly yet politely, “I’m sorry, could you clarify a bit more?” Yi Lu was silent for a moment before speaking again:
“I don’t like eating bones.”
Reporter: ...
“Could you… be a bit clearer?”
“Alright. Women are all pink skeletons, men are all blue skeletons…”
“So… you mean—you’re not ancient… ahem, so you don’t like bones?”
“Mhm.”
Yi Lu nodded faintly. The next second—
Boom—!
A frenzied beggar squad leader made a dazzling entrance!
The energetic black-haired dog adeptly stuffed the unconscious Sarkaz into a sack, hoisted her over her shoulder, and walked alongside the sneering Du Bin into the depths of Rhodes Island’s main ship.
The reporter was stunned for a moment, then quietly packed up the recording equipment, silently lighting a metaphorical candle for the Sarkaz in her heart.
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
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