Chapter 302: Why Did You Return?

Su Yanci!

Su Yanci returned…

Wan Tang's vision flickered with darkness.

Golden Throne Hall, the clashing armies, Chu Yunzheng's anxious face…

All the scenes began to warp and overlap, finally merging into a blur of light and shadow.

Wan Tang summoned all her will, directing her gaze toward the voice kneeling on the ground.

She stared deeply at him.

Her cracked lips twitched slightly, yet no word could emerge.

Why?

Come back?

Clearly she had already broken free from this cage, clearly she could go to a broader world—why, then, must she return?

Wan Tang's consciousness faded.

Her body went limp, and someone cradled her in their arms.

The scent of dragon's amber clung to Chu Yunzheng, lingering at the tip of the nose.

"Master…"

Xiao Shunzi, seeing this, let out a concerned exclamation.

Chu Yunzheng embraced Wan Tang; bright red blood slipped through his fingers, dripping to the ground.

His Yin Zhi eyes stared straight at Su Yanci.

Su Yanci's face bore no expression; his eyelids drooped, carefully concealing every emotion.

"You… are still alive?" Chu Yunzheng's first question.

Su Yanci's voice rang strong: "After surviving great calamity, I returned by luck."

"I returned without intending to expose Yan Wang's rebellion, then met General Xu, and we planned to trap a turtle in a jar."

"General Xu specially ordered me to lead one hundred thousand elite troops to hide among the people. Then he can peacefully guard the border."

"Thus, not only can we eliminate internal chaos, but also keep the border peaceful!"

When Su Yanci spoke, his tone was even, revealing no flaw.

It was Chu Yunzheng whose eyes suddenly widened.

A tremor entered his voice: "You mean all this was arranged by Xu Yanchuan?"

"So those troops sent to the Northern Border didn't simply vanish, but were deliberately sent?"

Su Yanci solemnly nodded: "Yes!"

"At that time I thought to first report to the Emperor."

"But General Xu said I was already a dead man; only a dead man can act so flawlessly."

"Only then would Yan Wang reveal his flaw, allowing us to capture him in one net."

"With this, Fengqi Kingdom can finally attain true peace."

After speaking, Su Yanci lifted his head.

Those eyes left no trace of deceit; he asked, "Emperor."

"This is the Tiger Tally General Xu gave me, saying that when Yan Wang is captured, I should return it to the Emperor."

"I beg the Emperor to treat his unilateral actions leniently."

Su Yanci finished, raising both hands high with the Tiger Tally.

Chu Yunzheng's body trembled violently.

He stared dumbfounded at the scene, at the Tiger Tally in Su Yanci's hand, and at the massive army behind him…

The breath of the one in his arms grew ever weaker.

"No…"

Chu Yunzheng let out a low growl: "What have I done…"

He clutched Wan Tang tightly, shouting urgently into her ear: "Tangtang, hold on for me; I command you to stay alive."

If Wan Tang also perished, how could he face that heavy Tiger Tally?

"Impossible!"

Yan Wang heard this and roared.

The air inside the hall solidified.

"Liar…" Yan Wang snarled through clenched teeth, his gaze fixed on Wan Tang.

He was only a step away from his scheme, yet what did he wait for?

If those troops came to support him, would he lose?

"Mo Family, shameless!"

Yan Wang's fury became uncontrollable, his reason gone.

He seized a guard's strong bow, nocked an arrow, his movements stiff with rage.

The bowstring creaked, the arrowhead's cold glint aimed straight at Wan Tang's brow.

He wanted this woman, who had ruined everything, to die instantly.

Li Ping'er stumbled in, her dress soiled.

After the Gongmen was breached, she began to flee.

Upon hearing Yan Wang's position, she deliberately ran the opposite way toward here.

If Yan Wang wins, this world will belong to Yan Wang and his sister.

She only hoped to walk together with them, but what she saw was this life‑and‑death standoff.

Li Defu, crawling and rolling, grabbed his daughter: "Ping'er, run quickly; the tide has turned, saving your life is paramount!"

She stubbornly shook her head, her gaze never leaving Yan Wang.

Seeing her obstinacy, Li Defu was also tear‑streaked: "You are my lifeline; you must not get hurt!"

The bowstring was drawn to the full.

Li Ping'er suddenly broke free, stumbling forward.

She ran to the spot between Yan Wang and Wan Tang.

She didn't understand why Wan Tang and Yan Wang were so tense, and she helplessly pleaded: "Don't do this."

"Please, don't kill her."

"She is a traitor!" Yan Wang's voice fell coldly.

Li Ping'er, eyes full of tears, looked at him: "Prince, please, stop!"

"The tide has turned; let it end here. Ping'er is willing to share his rise and fall."

"Even if it means death!"

She spoke the request; Yan Wang's gaze was icy: "What are you, anyway?"

Sneering: "If you want to live, get out."

"My arrow won't pause for anyone."

Desperately she closed her eyes, tears still wet, arms still outstretched.

"Whoosh!"

The arrow sliced through the air, striking the heart with precision.

Li Ping'er's body shivered and she fell limply to the ground.

Her plain clothes instantly burst into a glaring scarlet.

She struggled to turn her head, looking toward Wan Tang.

She tried hard to lift a faint smile.

"Sister…"

"I'm sorry."

"Since the first time I saw Yan Wang, I have loved him."

"Now I realize some love truly is fatal."

She strained to crawl toward Wan Tang.

She reached out, trying to grasp Wan Tang's hand: "Sister, please, let me call you sister…"

Chu Yunzheng's eyes were filled with disgust.

Just as Li Ping'er's hand was about to touch Wan Tang's hand,

Chu Yunzheng suddenly lifted his foot and brutally stepped on the back of Li Ping'er's hand.

He crushed it mercilessly.

Blood spread out, staining the cold marble white jade with color.

Li Ping'er slowly closed her eyes; in her mind only the line Wan Tang loved to recite before the Ginkgo tree:

"May there be a way in this world to have it all, without betraying the Tathagata…"

"Ah!"

Li Defu let out a roar, hobbling wildly, and finally crashed hard onto the ground.

He pounded the ground desperately; the only proof that he was a man turned into a pool of blood.

The dust settled.

Chu Yunzheng's face was as still as water; he raised his hand and swept toward the sky.

"Whoosh… Boom!"

A streak of bright red flame sharply tore the dimming heavens, exploding with a roar and bathing the surroundings in blood‑red light.

Heavy, orderly footfalls rolled in from all directions like thunder.

Armor gleamed, swords and spears like a forest, and in an instant they sealed the arena completely.

The pressure from tens of thousands of troops made the remaining Yan Wang followers collapse instantly.

And this was merely the tip of the iceberg.

Outside, there were even more people.

"Take them down!"

Ouyang Qing barked a command, and with a host of commanders surged like tigers down a mountain, charging straight at the core.

Yan Wang had not time to react further before he was pinned down; the situation was settled.

Only then did Chu Yunzheng hoist Wan Tang sideways, shielding her, and walked step by step to the still‑struggling Su Yanci.

Seeing his friend's pale yet resolute face, the usually composed Chu Yunzheng found grief flickering in his eyes.

He inhaled deeply and gave Su Yanci's shoulder a heavy pat.

All the words boiled down to four characters.

He paused, then repeated it, as if confirming the fact:

"Now you're back, that's good."

A drop of blood fell onto Su Yanci's face.

It was as if a mountain had dropped, making his kneel even more bent.

His voice trembled; his once‑clear thoughts suddenly scrambled.

The precise, cunningly worded argument, at the moment of speaking, hoarsely said, "Your Majesty, your aura is weak."

Emperor, save the person!

Chu Yunzheng, as if just awakened from a dream, looked at Wan Tang's pallid face and lost his composure.

Doctor!

Xie Taiyi!

Save the Empress, preserve the Prince…

Kunning Palace.

On the first day the new Empress entered the palace, the entire palace was filled with the smell of blood.

Even though war flames raged, the entire Imperial harem was in chaos.

Only Kunning Palace remained as new as ever.

The sleeping palace was permeated with a heavy, thick scent of blood.

The physicians gathered around the Empress Dowager's Bed, busy, while the palace maids hurried in and out carrying basins of bloodied water.

The bloodstains on the brocade quilt kept spreading, shocking to the eye.

Xie Taiyi suddenly let out a mournful wail, trembling as he lifted a fetus drenched in blood.

That was Wan Tang's child!

It was also the San Huangzi that everyone had been eagerly awaiting.

He knelt before Chu Yunzheng, raised both hands, and wept silently.

Chu Yunzheng stared at the tiny body, staggered backward, and his back slammed hard against the palace wall.

The fetus was fully formed, its eyebrows and eyes clearly visible, looking strikingly like Wan Tang.

Only its head had been pierced by an arrow.

The mighty emperor dared not look, turning his head aside.

After a long while, he hoarsely asked, "How is the Empress?"

Xie Taiyi fell to the ground and wept, "Your Majesty's will to survive is weak; it seems… impossible to reverse fate…"

Chu Yunzheng suddenly grabbed his collar, his eyes blood‑red, "Preserve the Empress."

"If she is in trouble, I will have your entire clan buried with her."

【Tangtang, don't die, wake up quickly! Even without the San Huangzi, you must become Empress Dowager.】

【Even if you are an orphan again, at least Su Yanci has returned! He actually came back long ago, silently guarding you in the Capital. Knowing you had an accident, he immediately stepped forward. If you die, what is the point of his return?】

【How is the upstairs talking, what does "again" mean? Tangtang is not alone; behind her now are people loyal to her and people waiting for her protection. Tangtang, for Minghui, for Hui Guifei, for Su Yanci, you must stay alive.】

…

The Barrage's sound is so noisy.

Wan Tang only felt her whole body in great pain.

She felt as if she were sinking into a soft black swamp, wanting only to sink down.

But the Barrage's sound was unbearably loud, hurting her ears.

She just wanted to open her eyes quickly to block out those sounds.

Half‑dazed, she opened her eyes, and Xie Taiyi was right beside her.

"Your Majesty, you finally opened your eyes, Your Majesty…"

"Emperor…"

Wan Tang's voice was so weak it was almost inaudible.

Chu Yunzheng hurried forward, ignoring the blood‑soaked bed, and tightly grasped Wan Tang's hand.

Wan Tang's hand was terrifyingly cold; she struggled to speak, her breath like a wisp, and said, "Emperor, I fear I can no longer live."

"I, your humble servant, earnestly request two things of you."

"As long as it is Tangtang's request, I will definitely Answering." Chu Yunzheng's voice rang strong.

Wan Tang opened, "Allow Minghui to grow healthy, never to be married off."

"Good!" Chu Yunzheng answered at once.

Wan Tang's gaze was weak as she looked again at Xie Taiyi.

She slowly said, "Xie Taiyi has been kind to me; please allow Xie Taiyi to retire home, grant him a thousand taels of gold, and a death‑exemption talisman."

Chu Yunzheng was stunned!

He never expected that Wan Tang was already dead, with only two requests.

Yet they had nothing to do with him.