Inside the blood-soaked Muge City.
A lofty palace within the city.
It is the temporary palace where Prince Mu Junze of Beimu Country is staying.
At the entrance of the grand hall.
High atop the stone steps.
Bodies lay all around.
Not a single one alive.
Countless blood flows down the steps, trickling lower and lower.
Song Yanqing steps over the corpses, advancing one step at a ti.
Everyone has fallen.
Only one man is on one knee on the ground, using a bloodied Treasure Sword to prop up his body.
The blood on the Treasure Sword continues to flow down ceaselessly.
It’s unclear whether it’s his blood, or soone else’s.
Song Yanqing walks up to him.
Kneeling on the ground, "Prince, the Beimu army has surrendered and admitted defeat, the Prince of Beimu Country has been captured, and is now outside the hall gates awaiting your decision."
Song Yanqing’s words.
Seem to not reach Xiao Jinxing’s ears at all.
His body is covered in bloodstains.
His face is marked with blood.
His eyes are full of bloodshed.
If it weren’t for the close proximity, Song Yanqing truly believes that the Prince before him now is akin to a living dead.
He has been killing for three days and nights.
Without rest or sleep.
Killing relentlessly.
Until he’s utterly exhausted, and only now has he stopped.
Clearly his body can’t bear it any longer, yet he simply refuses to fall.
"Prince, that’s enough," says Song Yanqing.
He can fully feel the tragic pain in the Prince’s heart.
That night after seeing the Princess’s corpse, he turned around.
The cruelty emanating from the Prince.
He knew then that the Prince would really beco reckless, ready to destroy heaven and earth.
Indeed.
A whole city was slaughtered.
An entire city.
Whether innocent or not remains unknown.
Song Yanqing extends his hand.
Reaching for the Prince’s blood-red hand.
His hand is wounded too.
But the Prince probably can’t feel the pain anymore.
He makes a forceful effort.
Using all his strength to pry open the Prince’s tightly clenched hand.
Gripped so firmly, the fingers seem to have stiffened.
He had noticed it from the start.
No matter how dangerous the battlefield was.
This hand never once loosened its hold.
Now.
Perhaps due to extre fatigue.
Song Yanqing is able to forcefully pry it open.
It is a.
Blue silk scarf.
One needs not guess to know to whom this scarf belongs.
Song Yanqing’s eyes flutter slightly.
He notices words on the scarf, as if written in blood.
The handwriting is not pretty.
So one can easily recognize it as the Princess’s handiwork.
It reads, "Xiao Jinxing, be a good Emperor."
In an instant.
Song Yanqing’s tears burst forth.
Originally he thought that after several days, and after such cruel warfare, his heart could beco numb.
But upon seeing these few words.
His entire being is overwheld.
He wonders.
With what kind of sentint did the Princess write these words.
With no resentnt.
Only with the great righteousness of the nation!
"I regret it," Xiao Jinxing suddenly speaks.
The murmuring voice, so low, yet so clear.
Song Yanqing ca back to his senses.
He put the green silk handkerchief, written with blood, back into Xiao Jinxing’s hand.
He just felt that this thing in the Prince’s hand might help the Prince regain his sanity.
But it made him, unable to remain calm.
Xiao Jinxing felt the softness of the handkerchief in his palm, lightly, very lightly, he gripped it tighter again.
As if, it still held the warmth of Ye Qichi.
"For the sake of revenge, I’ve endured humiliation and bided my ti, plotting every step, I have never regretted," Xiao Jinxing’s hoarse voice, it was uncertain if it was his physical weakness, but no emotion could be discerned from it, "But now I regret, giving up Ye Qichi."
Song Yanqing nodded.
Silently nodded.
He knew all the pain in the Prince’s heart right now.
"I thought, with her unique physical condition, I thought, Xiao Jinsen would have so restraint towards her, I thought I couldn’t let go of the kingdom I’ve struggled so hard to build, I thought I couldn’t utter the words for Bai Mowan to sacrifice herself..." Xiao Jinxing’s vision blurred.
It was unclear if it was tears.
Or fatigue causing his vision to dim and darken.
"Actually, for Ye Qichi, I could have done anything," Xiao Jinxing said, "It’s just that I, hesitated."
"The Princess didn’t bla you," said Song Yanqing.
Even though he didn’t know exactly what had happened on the city wall.
He vaguely guessed that the Princess must have sacrificed herself for the Prince.
"Right, she doesn’t bla ," Xiao Jinxing said, "Because, she had no expectations of , I never gave her my trust."
Song Yanqing didn’t know how to comfort him.
He even felt, as if there was nothing to comfort.
The Prince’s treatnt of the Princess... was always like that.
"Then do one thing that will make her trust you," Song Yanqing said helplessly.
In Xiao Jinxing’s eyes, those lifeless eyes, there suddenly appeared a flicker of focus.
"Be a good Emperor," Song Yanqing said bluntly.
It would not be in vain, the Princess’ sacrifice.
Xiao Jinxing did not reply.
Song Yanqing also kept quiet.
An endless silence.
For a long ti.
Xiao Jinxing suddenly moved his body.
His stiff body, but now he still managed to stand up.
Song Yanqing was beside him.
Always feeling that he could collapse at any mont.
But at this mont, suddenly, he stood up straight.
He dragged his sword, stepping over the corpses scattered on the ground, step by step, he walked outside the palace.
At the entrance.
The Bai Family generals, Little Wu and Yuan Wenkang, along with many trusted aides, waited for him at the door.
Everyone had faces filled with worry.
The Prince didn’t allow any of them to get close.
It was also at great risk that Song Yanqing took the initiative to see the Prince.
Fortunately.
The Prince ca out.
Song Yanqing also didn’t et with an accident.
"Prince!" Everyone saw Xiao Jinxing at that mont.
All knelt on the ground.
Each person bore the weight of exhaustion, bloodstains, and sweat all over their bodies.
Xiao Jinxing’s gaze flickered slightly.
He looked towards Mu Junze.
Mu Junze was in a sorry state at this mont.
Knowing the situation was hopeless and seeking escape, he was caught by the Bai Family’s army and brought back.
At this mont, seeing Xiao Jinxing’s sinister and terrifying appearance, he collapsed in fear.
In alarm and panic, he hastily said, "Release this Prince, and I will give you two more cities, do whatever you want, you like killing, I can deliver my people before you, at your rcy to kill, just let go, and everything is up for discussion!"
Xiao Jinxing just listened coldly.
His expressionless, frozen coldness made others feel a shivering chill.
Mu Junze quickly added, "If you still think it’s not enough, this ti if you let go, I will request my father to make Beimu Country a tributary to Daxuan Kingdom, and pay tribute to Daxuan Kingdom every year, the Prince can ask as much as you like, no no no, not ask— whatever conditions you have, this Prince will agree, just as long as you release !"
"Afraid of death?" Xiao Jinxing suddenly spoke.
At the mont when Mu Junze was breaking down due to terror.
He suddenly heard Xiao Jinxing’s voice.
"Afraid, afraid of death," Mu Junze quickly replied.
Where was there any semblance of a Prince’s dignity.
At this mont, he was worse than a dog.
"If you were afraid of death, you shouldn’t have provoked ."
"I won’t dare again in the future," Mu Junze said imdiately.
"There is no ’in the future’ anymore," Xiao Jinxing lifted the Treasure Sword that was dragging on the ground.
Because.
Ye Qichi was no longer here.
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