Chapter 727: I Can

The old woman stood behind Consort Rong, staring at her intently, a disdainful expression on her face.

After today, Your Majesty, you Empress Dowager may soon be beheaded.

She lifted her hand to touch her cheek, saying that since you entered the cold palace, these days have been a harsh slap, and the old servant will repay it with her own hands.

Suddenly, a clamor of shocked voices erupted outside Hua Rong Hall.

Lin'er? Is that you?

Consort Rong spun around abruptly, hurried to the main hall entrance, and several eunuchs rushed to block her with outstretched arms.

"Not allowed!"

"Empress Dowager, you should return; don't trouble the servants any further."

Consort Rong's expression grew tense, she lifted her head in hope, staring anxiously toward the direction of Hua Rong Hall's gate.

Outside Hua Rong Hall, the Imperial Guard's hands gripping their swords were slick with cold sweat, staring rigidly ahead.

A rigid figure was slowly walking toward them from the stone path of the Imperial Garden.

The person had long hair loose, lips blood‑red, a streak of blood hanging from the corner of the mouth, dripping drop by drop onto the collar of the shirt over the chest.

He dragged a steel knife with his right hand; the tip scraped the ground, emitting a sharp, screeching sound like fingernails on a stone slab.

Even stranger, a tuft of white fur floated ahead of him.

It turned out to be a completely snow‑white little fox!

It held its head high at the front, occasionally circling back around his feet, with two small horns standing on its head that glimmered faint white light in the sun.

The Imperial Guard trembled, their sword tips all pointing at the figure, yet none dared to step forward.

"Isn't that Ninth Prince!"

"Wasn't he already self‑immolated in prison out of guilt?"

"Ghost! It's Ninth Prince's ghost!"

"No, his feet cast a shadow! It can't be a ghost!"

"But he's dead! Could it be crawling up from underground?"

"Fox! Look at the horns on that fox's head! Isn't that the Fox Immortal that's been talked about in the Palace?"

"Could it be that it belongs to Ninth Prince?"

"So this fox isn't an Immortal; it's an underworld envoy!"

Although the knives in their hands all pointed at Xiao Ran, the tips trembled uncontrollably up and down.

Xiao Ran did not pause, and walked stiffly through the gate of Hua Rong Hall.

The Imperial Guard surged in behind, spreading out in a fan shape around him, yet keeping at least ten steps distance.

The leading Imperial Guard gritted his teeth, mustering courage to shout, "Ninth Prince, what do you want to do?"

Xiao Ran continued robotically, stopping outside the main hall.

A few eunuchs, arms outstretched to block Consort Rong, stared at Xiao Ran with mouths agape, trembling all over like a sieve.

Consort Rong looked at Xiao Ran, her face full of horror, her heart nearly leapt out.

Has Ninth Prince become a fierce ghost?

She glanced at the surrounding Imperial Guard, their faces panicked.

Let it be a fierce ghost! As long as it lets me leave here to find Lin'er, what fear does a ghost have?

If it truly is a fierce ghost, I'll accept it!

Xiao Ran dragged the knife, stepping toward her.

The eunuchs finally reacted.

Two of them went "plop" and collapsed, fainting.

Another turned to run but slammed his head into the doorframe, ignoring the pain, rolling and crawling out.

The last one stood upright, his trousers soaked in a wet patch.

Consort Rong looked at Xiao Ran, her voice trembling: "Ninth Prince, do you know where Lin'er is? I need to find him."

Xiao Ran halted, his gaze hollow, his neck stiffly moving downward.

"Take me away!" Consort Rong lifted her foot and stepped over the threshold.

A hand suddenly seized her sleeve from behind, gripping tightly.

"Empress Dowager! No!" The old woman's face had long lost its usual haughtiness, her features twisted by fear, "You cannot leave! If you go, my old life will be over!"

Consort Rong shook her forcefully, but the old woman clung on, refusing to let go.

Xiao Ran advanced step by step toward her, the knife tip sparking tiny flames on the ground.

So this must be the old woman Tuan Tuan mentioned, the henchman of King Chen and King Qing.

He stopped in front of the old woman.

The old woman raised her head, meeting those hollow eyes, her lips trembling: "Ninth… Prince, old… old servant…"

Xiao Ran slowly raised the steel knife, hovering in the air for a moment.

Then the blade descended, chopping her down to the ground.

The old woman's scream had just begun when it abruptly stopped, her body slipping softly to the ground.

Fresh blood splattered half of Xiao Ran, yet he didn't even blink.

The surrounding Imperial Guard quickly fell back, moving even farther away.

Xiao Ran stared at the corpse on the ground, tilting his head.

Then he slowly turned, moving like a rusted puppet, extremely eerie.

He first moved his shoulders, then his waist, finally shifting his stiff knees step by step.

He walked step by step toward the outside of the hall.

Consort Rong glanced at the corpse of the old servant on the ground, lifted her head, and hurriedly followed.

The two had just arrived at the entrance of Splendid Appearance Hall when more Imperial Guards, hearing the noise, surged from all directions, blocking the gate completely.

Consort Rong's heart leapt into her throat.

Xiao Ran slowly raised his hand, leveled the steel blade, and slowly pointed the tip to the left.

Everyone's gaze involuntarily followed that direction.

All that could be seen on the left side of Splendid Appearance Hall was a gray‑white plume of smoke slowly drifting upward.

"Flood!"

"Where did the fire come from?"

"Yes, it's the Ninth Prince! He, he caused a flood with just a raise of his hand!"

Everyone stood frozen in place, their eyes full of fear.

Xiao Ran's knife in his hand slowly moved, the blood‑stained tip slowly slicing past each Imperial Guard's eyes,

Suddenly, he slowly tilted his head back, his eyes rolling upward, his pupils gradually being swallowed by the eye sockets, leaving only a pure white expanse of sclera.

He slowly turned his head, as if using those eyeless eyes to stare at every face before him.

The Imperial Guards' fear reached its peak, yet none dared to desert their post and retreat.

Just then, Xiao Feifei leapt up, letting out a series of sharp cries, "Ying ying ying."

"Clang."

A steel blade fell to the ground, and an Imperial Guard turned and ran: "Ghost! A vicious ghost is killing people!"

The shout was like a basin of cold water splashed into boiling oil, and the rest of them scattered in panic.

"Clang."

"Clang……"

Swords and blades littered the ground, everyone turned and fled at top speed away from Xiao Ran.

"Ghost!"

Wails and fleeing footsteps mingled together, and in the blink of an eye, the entrance to Splendid Appearance Hall was empty.

Xiao Ran dared not relax, continuing with stiff steps, step by step into the Imperial Garden.

He glanced through the gaps of hair scattered before his face, took in his surroundings, and quickened his pace.

Consort Rong followed closely behind him.

Upon reaching the fake mountain, he grabbed Consort Rong's sleeve, pulled open the hidden door, and dragged her into the Tiger Cave.

Consort Rong had never seen such a sudden, face‑changing turn of events, and she was completely dazed.

Then a white furry ball bumped against her foot; Consort Rong steadied herself against the wall, nearly fainting from fright.

Soon, two figures stumbled in.

Xiao Ningyuan and Chen Hao were covered in black grime on their hands and faces, leaning against the stone wall, gasping heavily.

Xiao Ran shoved the hidden door shut, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.

Xiao Ningyuan said: "I've never set fire to the imperial palace before!"

Chen Hao gave Xiao Ran a thumbs‑up: "Great! That was awesome! All those stories we read weren't for nothing!"

At the same moment, Xiao Lin sat alone in the imperial carriage, heading toward the city wall.

He clutched the cloth tiger in his arms, his little face deathly pale, tears streaming down as he kept whispering, "Mother Consort! Mother Consort!"

A clear voice rang out: "Loosen up, little eleven! I can't breathe!"