Chapter 264: Let Me Live

Wan Tang's pupils contracted sharply, as if all the blood in her body froze at that moment.

She looked at the Empress Dowager's arm tightly gripping Minghui, and at her daughter's small face flushed with fear.

Then she looked at Hui Guifei, standing with a sword, willing to clash head‑on with the Empress Dowager for her.

Xiao Yurou, you're about to put both Sister Hui and Minghui to death!

She jerked her head up, her gaze piercing the face of Xiao Yurou, full of malice and triumph.

"Ah!"

Wan Tang let out a low roar unlike a human voice, using all her strength to shove Xiao Yurou, who was blocking her, away forcefully!

She staggered forward, lunged to Hui Guifei's side, and in Hui Guifei's astonished stare snatched the long sword from her hand.

"What are you doing?!" Hui Guifei was stunned by the fierce madness in Wan Tang's eyes.

Wan Tang turned back and gave her a tragic, shattered smile.

Her voice was as light as a sigh: "Sister Hui, it seems Minghui will again be temporarily placed under your care."

Having said that, she snapped her head toward the Empress Dowager clutching Minghui, the last hint of hesitation in her eyes turning to ash, leaving only a reckless gamble.

Her hands trembled violently from exhaustion and excitement, yet she gripped the heavy long sword tightly, closed her eyes, and let out a heart‑rending shout:

"Let go of Minghui!"

Before the sound faded, she ignored everything, holding the sword like a moth to flame, and charged straight toward the Empress Dowager's direction.

Clearly she was risking her own life, yet still intent on snatching her daughter back from the Empress Dowager.

Hui Guifei was still several steps from the Empress Dowager; there was no time to block, so she could only watch Wan Tang rush toward the Phoenix Throne like a madwoman.

"Madman! You madman!"

The Empress Dowager was terrified by Wan Tang's all‑or‑nothing charge, her face turning ghost‑white in an instant.

Where had she ever seen such a reckless display?

Seeing the cold, flashing blade tip bearing down on her face, she instinctively loosened the arm that had been gripping Minghui and even staggered back a step in panic.

Now!

Hui Guifei reacted in the blink of an eye, leapt forward in a single arrow‑step, and securely pulled the rescued Minghui into her arms.

Yet Wan Tang's forward momentum was too fierce; even though the Empress Dowager had let go,

the sword tip in her hand still, by inertia, brushed across the Empress Dowager's neck, which had tilted back in fright.

A thin line of blood instantly appeared on the Empress Dowager's well‑kept neck, oozing dark red droplets.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

Wan Tang, drained of strength, released her grip; the long sword "clang" fell to the ground.

She gasped heavily, her face as pale as a ghost, her body swaying as if about to collapse.

Only her eyes remained fixed, staring dead‑on at Minghui cradled in Hui Guifei's arms.

After confirming her daughter was safe, she seemed to have all her energy drawn out, and slowly closed her eyes.

"Go!" Wan Tang mustered her last ounce of breath and barked at Hui Guifei, who held Minghui.

Hui Guifei gave her a deep, extremely complex look.

It held shock, emotion, and resolve.

She no longer hesitated, clutched the sobbing, heart‑rending Minghui, turned and burst through the stunned palace staff, disappearing swiftly into the wind‑and‑snow night beyond Cining Palace.

Minghui's cries faded away.

The scene fell into dead silence, then erupted into even greater chaos.

"Traitor! Traitor! Bring this regicide rebel to me!"

The Empress Dowager clutched the burning thin scar on her neck, both startled and angry, her voice sharp and altered.

Xiao Yurou also recovered from her initial shock, a flash of wild joy and malice crossed her eyes.

She immediately shrieked, "Quick, seize Virtuous Consort. She attacked the Empress Dowager with a weapon; her crime is heinous."

The stunned palace staff and guards finally surged forward, seven‑handed and eight‑footed, pinning the exhausted, kneeling Wan Tang hard onto the cold stone slab, the icy board biting painfully.

The pain in her body reminded Wan Tang clearly.

The desperate situation she had created—completely severed from the Empress Dowager and even the Xiao Family—had finally been achieved.

As long as Xu Yanchuan can endure at the Northern Border, hold his position, and ignore his sister who attempted to assassinate the Empress Dowager, then their sibling "victim" and "deceived" statuses can be cemented.

Even if the Emperor is suspicious, without solid evidence, to stabilize the court and the Northern Border troops, he cannot act against Xu Yanchuan for now.

As for the Emperor's lingering apprehension because of his lineage…

Wan Tang sneered inwardly.

She is no longer the concubine who could only rely on the emperor's favor.

She now controls a massive commercial network, and the secret information about various court factions transmitted from Huang Feihu's side…

Xu Yanchuan has let the hundred‑thousand soldiers at the Northern Border truly feel that following him means full pay, generous treatment, far better prospects than serving the scheming, grain‑deducting nobles at court!

When soldiers fight, besides the patriotic zeal, isn't it also to provide a good life for their families?

She has already let them taste the sweetness.

This concrete benefit binding them is far more powerful than empty slogans of loyalty.

Just as her thoughts were racing,

"Dong!"

A sharp pain shot through the back of her head!

Xiao Yurou, taking advantage of the chaos, pretended to step forward to inspect, but a cold ruthlessness flashed in her eyes.

She quietly picked up a heavy door bolt from the ground and, with all her strength, hammered it onto Wan Tang's occiput.

Wan Tang didn't even have time to let out a muffled groan; darkness fell, and she lost consciousness completely.

Tangtang, wake up quickly, don't keep sleeping.

In this freezing dungeon, if you don't wake up now, you'll truly sleep forever.

You'd better get something out and bring it in; after the Dog Emperor learns about you, he'll go mad, and he's now searching for you.

Unfortunately, you're not even in the Imperial Palace; you're now in the Xiao Family's dungeon, so how could he find you?

Cough cough cough…

A violent bout of coughing yanked Wan Tang from a deep coma.

Bone‑piercing cold seeped in, penetrating her thin garments, chilling her teeth into a tremor.

She strained to lift her heavy eyelids, her blurred gaze adjusting to the dungeon's dim light.

The air was thick with a foul mix of rot and blood.

"Huh, awake?" a coarse, guttural voice sounded nearby.

Wan Tang followed the voice and saw a hulking, ferocious‑faced brute sitting on a nearby haystack.

He held a rust‑spotted dagger, repeatedly sharpening it on a rough whetstone.

The brute glanced at her, his eyes fierce, mouth twisted to reveal yellow teeth, and snarled, "Hold your tongue, you bastard!"

"When our lady sits gloriously on the Empress's throne, I'll send you off, so you can share some of the good fortune!"

Wan Tang squinted, forcing herself to endure a headache and dizziness, while sizing him up.

"Where… is this?"

"Hmph!" the brute sneered disdainfully, his hand still moving, "A dying man asks so many questions, what's the point?"

"Anyway you won't live many days; knowing so much would only make it harder to bear."

Finishing, he seemed irritated by her chatter, rose, and walked a few steps to Wan Tang's side.

He roughly clamped her jaw and shoved a filthy rag hard into her mouth.

"Ugh…" Wan Tang gagged at the stench, feeling nauseous; she tried to struggle but was weak, only managing a muffled whimper.

The brute looked satisfied at her suffering, clapped his hands, and sat back down.

Inside Yangxin Hall, the pressure was terrifyingly low.

Chu Yunzheng kicked the rose‑wood imperial desk before him; petitions, brushes, ink, and tea cups crashed to the floor in a chaotic mess.

His chest heaved violently, his eyes a swirl of raging fire and a deeper, indescribable agitation.

Xiao Luzi knelt among the shards, his body trembling like leaves in an autumn wind, tears streaming, his voice choked and broken:

"Emperor, calm your anger! Emperor, please understand!"

"Your Majesty… Your Majesty was forced into a corner with no choice."

"She saw Hui Guifei draw a sword against the Empress on behalf of the Prince, about to cause a disaster; she acted to protect Hui Guifei."

"To prevent her from bearing the monstrous charge of assassinating the Empress, she was forced to seize the sword, shocking the imperial carriage!"

He kowtowed heavily, his forehead instantly bruised purple, "Your Majesty's loyalty to the Emperor is truly unwavering, with no ulterior motives."

"Everything she did was for the Emperor, to spare him difficulty!"

Seeing Chu Yunzheng's expression still grim, Xiao Luzi hurriedly produced a prepared excuse.

He urgently tried to distance Wan Tang from Xu Yanchuan, saying, "As for General Xu… I've served the Your Majesty so long, I've never heard a single word about General Xu from her."

"Your Majesty doesn't even know General Xu's background."

"She prepared winter clothes, donated supplies, solely for the border soldiers defending the nation, with no selfish motive!"

As he spoke, as if recalling something, he hurriedly fished a neatly folded paper from his chest.

His trembling hands presented it: "Emperor, please look!"

"This is a donation certificate, issued by Your Majesty in the name of Ci'an Charitable Hall, bearing your name on it."

"Even the smallest civilian charity, Your Majesty records under your name, claiming to accumulate popular merit for you."

"Your Majesty's heart holds only the Emperor at all times."

Xiao Luzi spoke without a single lie, honestly recounting.

Chu Yunzheng's gaze fell on the certificate, reading his own name clearly inscribed.

His eyes flickered wildly—anger, suspicion, compassion, tenderness…

The torrent of emotions crashed like tides within his chest.

Xiao Dongzi, standing nearby, held his breath, daring not to exhale, cautiously observing every subtle change on the Emperor's face.

The hall fell into death‑like silence, broken only by Xiao Luzi's suppressed sobs and Chu Yunzheng's heavy breathing.

After a long while, Chu Yunzheng seemed to have exhausted all his strength, slowly closing his eyes; when he opened them again, a somber resolve filled his gaze.

His voice hoarse, he spoke:

"Send my decree: Virtuous Consort… was attacked in the palace, abducted by villains, whereabouts unknown."

"Order the Capital Magistrate's Office and the Five City Military Command to conduct a full rescue; if alive, bring them to be seen; if dead, bring the corpse."

Having finished, he seemed drained of strength, slumped back onto the Dragon Throne, his fingers absent‑mindedly tracing the cold carved dragons on its armrest.

His gaze drifted to the swirling snow outside the hall, murmuring to himself in a voice so low only he could hear:

"Wan Tang, you must keep me alive…"

"I still need to hear your own explanation."