Chapter 128: Storming the Imperial Harem

【Go on, Xu Chengyuan is no woman with soft hands, and right now, with the pain of losing his son, he has even less reason.】

【To protect Xiao Chuan, the Dog Emperor had him summoned to the palace overnight and kept him in the Yangxin Hall for a lecture.】

【Even the people who carried Xu Mingde's corpse back were implicated by Xu Chengyuan and killed.】

The Barrage was in an uproar.

Cold sweat seeped from Wan Tang's palms, and her fingertips trembled slightly, but her face remained as calm as still water.

Such an opportunity would not come a second time.

Xu Chengyuan's grief over losing his son, Wang Jingyi on the verge of collapse, Xu Luoyan's boundless hatred.

If she didn't trample them completely into the mud today, it would be her own death tomorrow.

"Master..." Xiao Shunzi's voice was tight, his face deathly pale, "Xu Chengyuan has arrived. The imperial guards can't stop him at all."

"Right now, he's practically the war god of our Fengqi Kingdom. Even the Xiao Family has to avoid his edge for now."

Li Ping'er was also panicking, grabbing Wan Tang's sleeve: "Your Highness, let's take shelter for now!"

Li Ping'er and Xiao Shunzi's faces were full of worry.

Although Wan Tang could give them a very reassuring feeling, even making them feel that she could foresee the future.

But Xu Chengyuan was now truly at his peak. With Xu Mingde dead, he had forcibly stormed the Imperial harem.

Seeing the scene at this moment, who could predict what Xu Chengyuan would do?

Li Pin was so frightened her face turned pale, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

She grabbed Wan Tang's hand, her fingertips icy: "Sister, Xu Chengyuan has gone mad! He even dares to break into the harem."

"If we clash head-on with him now, we'll suffer for it."

"After all..."

Li Pin cautiously glanced at Wan Tang and didn't dare continue.

Wan Tang was, after all, just an orphan girl.

And how could the Lin Family possibly stand against Xu Chengyuan head-on?

Despite everyone's persuasion, Wan Tang remained unmoved.

Before her words faded, heavy footsteps came from outside the hall, the clashing of armor drawing closer like a death warrant.

But Wang Jingyi suddenly laughed.

She staggered to her feet, her hair disheveled, yet a mad light burst from her eyes: "Hahaha... the master is here!"

"Bitch, your time is up!"

She pointed at Wan Tang, her voice hoarse like a vengeful ghost, "I want to watch you being cut into a thousand pieces!"

"Avenge my son!"

Xu Luoyan also struggled to crawl up. Though her skirt was soaked in blood, she laughed ferociously: "Father is here... Father will definitely kill you!"

She stared fixedly at Wan Tang's belly, "Everyone die! Everyone go die!"

Wan Tang looked at them quietly, then suddenly let out a soft laugh: "Is that so?"

She turned and walked slowly toward the main seat, her skirt brushing over the mess on the floor.

Each step was extremely steady, as if beneath her feet was not a pool of blood, but a path of splendid prospects.

"Today, I insist on seeing," she raised her eyes, a cold gleam in them, "whether it is I who dies, or you who fall into eternal damnation!"

The hall doors burst open with a crash, and Xu Chengyuan stepped in, clad in black iron armor, the sword at his waist still bearing traces of blood.

His brow was sharp as a blade, a cold light in his eyes, and the murderous aura around him almost solidified into substance.

In an instant, all the Guanren in the hall knelt prostrate, holding their breath.

Li Pin's face was deathly pale, her fingernails digging deeply into her palms.

Xiao Shunzi's back was drenched in cold sweat, not daring to lift his head.

Li Ping'er was trembling all over, barely able to stand.

"Father!" Xu Luoyan cried out and rushed over, "What about brother?"

Wang Jingyi staggered and grabbed Xu Chengyuan's arm guard, her fingernails scraping against it with a piercing sound: "Is Mingde... is he really..."

Xu Chengyuan closed his eyes, his jaw tight, and finally nodded heavily.

"Ah!"

Wang Jingyi let out a heart-wrenching scream, pounding on Xu Chengyuan's chest, "Didn't you say you would protect him? How could this happen?"

Xu Chengyuan grabbed her wrist in one hand, his voice hoarse: "He embezzled disaster relief silver behind my back! Xu Yanchuan caught him red-handed!"

He suddenly punched a pillar, wood chips flying, "That unfilial son!"

The hall fell into dead silence, only the heavy breathing of the three members of the Xu Family audible.

Everyone kept their heads down, not daring to breathe loudly.

"Can't figure it out?"

Wan Tang's voice drifted lightly, like a drop of ice water falling into boiling oil.

Xu Chengyuan whipped his head around, his eyes cutting into her like knives.

Li Pin was so anxious beside her that her eyes were nearly blinking themselves blind, but Wan Tang leisurely smoothed her hair by her temple.

A smile curled at the corner of her lips: "I have a bit of an idea."

She paced slowly and deliberately, her embroidered shoes stepping over the mess: "The gambling den boss came to collect debts, the flower girl at the House of Blossoms got pregnant..."

She suddenly lifted her eyes, a cold light flashing in them, "If Xu Mingde didn't embezzle, what would he use to fill that bottomless pit?"

The veins on Xu Chengyuan's forehead bulged, and his hand was already on his sword hilt.

But Wan Tang's smile grew even brighter: "Come to think of it, Xu Mingde didn't take after you."

Her voice suddenly turned cold, "After all, toward that courtesan, he was truly sincere."

Crazy, crazy—Wan Tang fainted.

Is it really that you don't want to play? This way?

So far, Xu Chengyuan hasn't actually killed anyone; after all, no one dares truly provoke him, so it should be fine!

Wan Tang, upon hearing, "No killing?"

Wang Jingyi, hearing that, trembled all over, lunged at Xu Chengyuan and shrieked sharply, "Xu Chengyuan! You bastard! Is your household short of a bit of silver?"

She clawed his face hard with her nails, leaving a bloodstain, "You let me stay in the Imperial harem to keep the Emperor steady, but you? Is this how you protect our son?"

She screamed hysterically, looking like a madwoman, with no trace of a noble lady's composure.

Wan Tang watched with cold eyes, a slight curl at her lips, and calmly said, "What's so strange about that?"

She stepped forward slowly, her voice gentle yet each word cutting, "Xu Mingde is merely a waste who only knows how to eat, drink, and play; the truly talented one is Xu Yanchuan."

Her gaze swept over Xu Chengyuan, and she smiled meaningfully, "In looks, Xu Yanchuan is flawless; in ability, who has been doing the Xu Family's work these years—you don't realize that?"

She paused, her eyes deep, "Come to think of it, Xu Yanchuan looks more like his son."

Wang Jingyi jerked her head up, pupils snapping shut as if struck by lightning.

She stared fixedly at Xu Chengyuan, her voice icy, "That's right… are you also disdaining that our daughter is no longer favored?"

Xu Luoyan's face turned instantly death‑pale, her nails digging deep into her palm.

Xu Chengyuan's complexion turned iron‑blue, unable to argue, "What nonsense!"

His gaze toward Wan Tang was already like a blade.

Wang Jingyi, however, seemed completely mad, sneering, "Xu Chengyuan, don't forget, I have…"

"Shut up!" Xu Chengyuan barked, seizing her wrist and lowering his voice, "This is the Imperial palace! Discuss whatever else back there!"

Wang Jingyi was startled by his shout, then recovered, a trace of malice flashing in her eyes, but she never spoke again.

Xu Chengyuan forced her outward, Wang Jingyi staggered to keep up, and before leaving she turned back, staring at Wan Tang with hatred boiling in her eyes.

What does Wang Jingyi have in her hand?

Wan Tang is certain Xu Chengyuan would not be a sentimental man; Wang Jingyi must be holding leverage over him.

If that's the case, she must not be allowed to leave.

【Dog Emperor, how could he come?】

【Was it the sound they heard, coming to save Tangtang?】

【Unfortunately useless; even if he comes, how could he stop Xu Chengyuan?】

Spit!

How could Chu Yunzheng come for her?

Wan Tang does not believe!

But…

No one dares to publicize Xu Chengyuan's forceful intrusion into the Imperial harem; they turn a blind eye and the surface remains calm.

With that, the situation becomes awkward.

Wan Tang's eyes chilled, and she shouted sharply, "Without the Emperor's decree, who dares to take her away?"

She raised her hand and waved; the guards outside the hall immediately drew swords, but hesitated when meeting Xu Chengyuan's Yin Zhi gaze.

"Get out of the way!" Xu Chengyuan drew his long sword with a metallic clang, its cold light sharp, killing intent radiating, "Today I'll see who dares to block me!"

The guards' faces turned pale, their grip on the blades trembling slightly, caught between advance and retreat.

Wan Tang didn't retreat a step; instead she stepped forward, the bruises on her neck glaring in the candlelight, "General Xu, what a magnificent presence!"

"Trespassing the Imperial harem is already a capital crime; now you dare to kill in front of me?"

She sneered, her gaze like a blade, "Xu Answering is pregnant, the lady accompanies, this is the Emperor's order!"

"Today, no one may think of taking her away!"

Xu Chengyuan's eyes blazed with murderous intent, his sword tip pointing at Wan Tang, "You bitch! Do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you?"

The cold gleam of the blade reflected on Wan Tang's face, yet she didn't blink, instead curling her lips, "General Xu, go ahead and try."

Xu Chengyuan, enraged, twitched his wrist, ready to thrust.

"Xu Qing."

A deep, authoritative voice suddenly came from outside the hall.

Chu Yunzheng stood with his arms crossed, not knowing how long he had been there.

His gaze lightly swept over the sword in Xu Chengyuan's hand, his tone eerily calm, "Your sword—who is it pointing at?"