...
As the Retired Emperor of Xiyun, Su Haoyu’s funeral was naturally conducted as a national mourning.
On the day of Su Haoyu’s burial, civil and military officials, princes and nobles, and an army of one hundred thousand soldiers accompanied him. The cries of the people shook the heavens and earth, and the mourning music seed to echo throughout all of Xiyun.
On the way to the imperial mausoleum, a guard urgently reported to Su Chengyu: "Your Majesty, two assassins could not withstand the round-the-clock torture and have confessed everything."
Su Chengyu’s face instantly turned murderous as he asked, "Who is the mastermind?"
Standing beside Su Chengyu, Xiao Changyi shared the sa expression of ruthless intent, as though he would tear the mastermind who plotted Su Haoyu’s death into pieces.
The guard replied, "The Emperor of Chilin! They were sent by the Emperor of Chilin! They also revealed that the crude map of the Imperial Palace in their possession was drawn by the traitor Linghe! Furthermore, they confessed that the Emperor of Chilin had sent assassins twice before: once to assassinate the Prince and Princess, along with the Seventh Prince of Dongqing Kingdom, Dongfang Tianyang; another ti to attempt the assassination of the Prince and Princess at Princess Yao’s wedding. Additionally, the Emperor of Chilin had dispatched groups to operate within Xiyun’s borders, one of which included the bandits massacred at Everlasting Mountain."
Everything matched up!
It was all done by Chilin!
No wonder those bandits had such fine blades.
His four children were nearly scared to death by those assassins at Tobanya and ng Zhuqing’s wedding, and now, his foster father was dead...
New grudges and old hatred made Xiao Changyi’s cold gaze turn crimson. Suddenly, Xiao Changyi raised his hand, halting the funeral procession in its tracks.
With a voice like a god of slaughter, filled with righteous indignation, Xiao Changyi loudly declared, "The assassins have confessed. They were sent by the Emperor of Chilin. Chilin has killed our Retired Emperor. Such humiliation must not go unanswered. We must raze Chilin to the ground to avenge this national insult!"
Chilin killed the most revered person in Xiyun. For Xiyun, this was a national disgrace. Only by razing Chilin could they redress this humiliation.
Father’s vengeance, national disgrace—he would avenge them both!
When everyone heard Prince Yi Xiao Changyi say it was the Emperor of Chilin who sent the assassins, no one doubted his words. Instantly, hatred for Chilin burned fiercely in everyone’s hearts.
The crowd erupted in furious unison, shouting, "Raze Chilin to the ground! Raze Chilin to the ground!"
Without razing Chilin, the national disgrace could not be washed away!
Seeing the crowd’s fury, Su Chengyu, consud by his desire to imdiately kill the Emperor of Chilin to avenge his father, declared with conviction: "If Chilin is unrighteous, then Xiyun shall not show rcy! Today, before the Retired Emperor’s coffin, I hereby appoint Prince Yi Xiao Changyi as the Great General to Raze Chilin (’Zhulin’), confer upon him the Tiger Talisman, and command him to lead an army of 400,000 soldiers. Depart on the appointed day, and raze Chilin for the Retired Emperor, and for the nation!"
Xiao Changyi imdiately clasped his hands, dropped to one knee, accepted the Tiger Talisman, and solemnly declared, "I accept the command. I shall raze Chilin to avenge the Retired Emperor and redress the national disgrace!"
At that mont, everyone raised their arms in fervent chants, their voices shaking the heavens and the earth: "Raze Chilin! Raze Chilin! Raze Chilin!"
Chilin had not only insulted them directly but had also killed the most revered person of Xiyun. If they did not raze Chilin, they would struggle to quell the fury of Xiyun’s citizens, and other kingdoms would look down on them.
Moreover, if this vengeance went unanswered, today it was Chilin—but tomorrow, it could be another nation committing the sa affront.
Razing Chilin would also serve to intimidate other kingdoms!
...
When Su Haoyu’s coffin was finally placed in the imperial mausoleum, to be buried forever, Xiao Changyi could no longer restrain his emotions and broke into tears.
Ever since Su Haoyu passed, Xiao Changyi had not shed a single tear. Even though his eyes had reddened, not a drop had fallen. But now, as he thought about his father who had loved and cherished him being buried eternally in the depths of the earth, never to exist again, no matter how much he tried to hold back, he could no longer endure it.
User Comments
0 comments from readers