Chapter 749: Who Is It? Come Out!

The butcher furrowed his brow: "What are you doing at my doorstep?"

Chen Wang tossed the fire poker into the cabinet, rose slowly, and, by the candlelight, sized up the hulking man before him who was half a head taller.

He was shirtless, with two greasy, muscular arms—a butcher, nothing more.

Chen Wang's gaze was contemptuous: "What am I doing? How could you question me?"

"You are merely a lowly commoner, yet you dare be disrespectful to me? Do you know who I am?"

The butcher gave him a quick once‑over.

His hair bun was half undone, his face streaked black and red, his body smeared with blood, his feet unsteady, and he swayed even while standing.

In that state, you still dare to call yourself me?

"Me?" the hulker scoffed, pointing his cleaver forward so the tip nearly jabbed Chen Wang's nose, "With your temperament, you call yourself me?"

"I think you're just a petty thief looking to set fire and loot in the chaos!"

Chen Wang stepped back half a pace under the pressure of the blade tip.

"You!" he forced himself upright, "I am the Regent King Chen Sheng! You dare…"

"Regent King?" the butcher spat, "A Regent King who doesn't stay in his own residence, runs to my doorstep to burn the broken cabinet I tossed?"

He showed no concealment of his contempt: "I've lived half my life and never heard of a Regent King who runs around at midnight setting fire at other people's doors!"

He stepped forward a few more paces, his broad shoulders and round waist pressing against the alley wall, candlelight climbing from his chin upward, his face full of flabby flesh trembling, looking especially ferocious:

"What are you, that you dare impersonate a Regent King?"

Chen Wang opened his mouth, yet didn't know how to retort.

He glanced at the cleaver before him, instinctively reached for his waist, and his hand landed on a sword hilt.

The butcher's eyes bulged, the blue veins on his forehead popped out, and his voice rose sharply.

"You come to my house to set fire and still want to draw a blade? My wife and child are sleeping inside!"

"Your damn self not only loots during the fire but also tries to hurt people?"

Chen Wang tried to draw his sword, but a sudden darkness clouded his vision.

He clutched the wall, gasping for breath.

After a day's bitter fight, not a drop of water touched him, not a grain of rice entered him; now even the strength to stand is nearly gone—how could he still draw his sword?

The hulker looked at his wobbling form, showing no mercy: "Got you, huh? Any Regent King is just a thief! What's that, feeling guilty?"

"Doing such petty skullduggery, come! Let me bind you honestly, and tomorrow morning I'll send you to face the authorities!"

Face the authorities? No way!

Chen Wang snapped to clarity, yanked his sword out with a whoosh, and without further argument thrust it forward.

The butcher swung his cleaver to block.

His arm strength was astonishing; after stopping the soft sword, the blade traced an arc and sliced down cleanly.

Chen Wang hurriedly stepped back, but the alley was narrow, and his retreat caused his back to slam into the cold wall.

No retreat left.

He widened his eyes as the blade's light magnified rapidly within his pupils.

The strike, heavy and forceful, swept downward and solidly cleaved his chest.

He lowered his head, watching fresh blood gush from his chest, and slid down the wall onto the ground.

He never imagined in his dreams that he wouldn't die by Xiao Jieyun's imperial decree, nor by Xiao Yuanhang's Dragon‑song spear.

Instead, he died in a nameless back‑alley, at the hands of an ordinary butcher.

Killed by a commoner he never cared about, not even worth a second glance.

"Clang—"

The companion sword he had taken to battle fell to the ground along with his body.

The butcher spat, turned around, stamped out the flames in the broken cabinet with a few steps, didn't glance at him again, and walked back inside.

At the same moment, in Zichen Hall, candles blazed brightly.

Xiao Jieyun sat regally on the Dragon Throne, cradling Tuan Tuan, gently stroking her crown of hair.

He glanced at the jade seal on the Dragon Desk and whispered, "Are you sleepy?"

"I'm not sleepy!" Tuan Tuan nuzzled his chest, hugging Xiao Feifei, shifting around, finding a comfier pose and nesting in.

She blinked her big eyes, looking toward the hall: "Imperial Uncle, what a bustle!"

Xiao Jieyun gave a slight smile: "Returning from today's great victory, after a long separation, we should gather properly; make yourselves at ease."

Xiao Ningyuan was speaking animatedly: "You didn't see! When Lu Qi rushed into the secret chamber, Xiao Ran and I thought it was rebel troops that had broken in!"

"Xiao Ran had already drawn his sword, but what he saw was Lu Qi's big face!"

He turned to Lu Qi: "It's the first time I think your face is actually that handsome!"

Xiao Ran 'pfft'ed: "You didn't say that just now!"

"You clearly said, 'Lu Qi, I will never call you ugly again'!"

"I didn't say it!" Xiao Ningyuan's face flushed bright red, "Never said it!"

The crowd burst into laughter.

Lu Qi crossed his arms, a smile curling his lips.

Feng Zhou's face flushed with excitement, both hands gripping Xiao Er's sleeve: "Xiao Er! Where are those sky‑fire tubes? Still on the city wall?"

"Could you bring me two back? I want to open them and see what mechanism is inside!"

Xiao Er, half laughing, half crying, said: "Lord Feng, could you loosen your grip on me first?"

"The sky‑fire tubes are on the city wall; they can't grow legs and run. Going tomorrow to check is fine."

"Tomorrow? I can't wait!" Feng Zhou released his grip, then turned to Lu Qi, "Brother Lu! Can you come with me right now?"

Lu Qi rolled his eyes: "No."

Eunuch Cheng stood beside the Dragon Throne, lifting his sleeve to continuously wipe the corner of his eye.

Since stepping into the all‑too‑familiar Zichen Hall, his tears have not ceased.

"His Majesty, this old servant never thought I could still stand here in this lifetime."

His voice choked: "When this old servant knelt here and was driven to the cold palace by those two Ni Ze, I thought I would never return."

Tuan Tuan hurriedly comforted him: "Old man, don't cry; isn't this a return?"

Xiao Jieyun turned his head toward him: "You old thing, you've been wronged."

Eunuch Cheng hurriedly knelt down: "His Majesty has exhausted this old servant!"

"The old servant being alive to see His Majesty return to the palace is already a tremendous blessing; there is no grievance at all!"

Chen Hao sat upright, saying nothing.

Xiao Ran nudged him with his elbow: "I will plead to Father Emperor on your behalf; this matter was done by your father king, what does it have to do with you? Don't worry."

Chen Hao silently nodded; his father king was utterly defeated, and now his whereabouts are unknown.

Xiao Ran looked at him for a moment, said nothing more, and simply placed his hand on his shoulder, pressing firmly.

Bai Buluo sat beside Xiao Yuanhang, glanced around, and asked: "Where is the little prince who took the fake death potion?"

"He returned to his own palace together with his Mother Consort."

Bai Buluo looked at Tuan Tuan curled in the Emperor's arms, hummed: "Aren't you going to hurry and bring your daughter over?"

Xiao Yuanhang gave him a sideways glance: "I think it's you who wants to hold her, right?"

Bai Buluo grinned: "Sooner or later I'll have to take Tuan Tuan back to my Gui Zi, so I won't have to compete with all these people here; even your Emperor won't spare my daughter."

Xiao Yuanhang helplessly rolled his eyes at him.

Xiao Ningchen entered, kneeling on one knee: "His Majesty! The scattered soldiers and wanderers throughout Jingcheng have been cleared; at the latest by the day after tomorrow, we can post the peace proclamation."

The hall fell silent.

Xiao Jieyun nodded: "Very well, you've worked hard; sit down and rest."

"Yes!"

Xiao Ningchen sat beside his father, scanning the crowd: "Where are Third Brother and Seventh Prince?"

"Both of them suffered severe leg injuries; His Majesty has permitted them to lie in the side hall, so they need not come here."

Xiao Ningchen nodded.

Tuan Tuan cheerfully shouted: "Second Brother!"

Xiao Ningchen looked at his sister and gave her a warm smile.

Suddenly, his complexion changed; he sprang up, drew his side‑blade with a whoosh, and stared intently at the inner hall's doorway: "Who's there? Come out!"