Chapter 216: Truly a Disgusting Person

The Virtuous Consort's face was so pale it lacked a trace of color; she had not expected Xiao Youlan to mention that she should go as well.

Feeling the multiple gazes landing on her, the Virtuous Consort was extremely embarrassed, "This... I don't think I need to go, do I?"

The Emperor swept a cold glance at her, "Naturally you must go, how could it work if you don't?"

The Virtuous Consort shook her head desperately.

The Emperor ignored her, moved to get off the bed, and called out to those around him: "Someone! Change my clothes! Bring the Virtuous Consort along as well!"

But the people serving in the palace had all been killed, and not a single person responded to him.

The Emperor realized this a beat too late, was slightly stunned, and darkened his expression a little.

Xiao Youlan keenly captured the change in the Emperor's expression, turned his body unhurriedly, and said toward the outside of the palace gate: "Someone come in and change the Emperor's clothes."

Two attendants soon entered from outside the gate; they had both followed from the Eastern Palace. With lowered brows and submissive eyes, they first bowed to Xiao Youlan, then walked toward the Emperor.

The Emperor's expression was clearly ugly to the extreme.

He could not help but look at Xiao Youlan, this eldest legitimate son of his who had been regarded as his pride and example since childhood.

In the past, he felt Xiao Youlan was sensible and intelligent; having such a son, everyone would envy his good fortune.

Later, the Emperor discovered the rebellion and stubbornness Xiao Youlan hid beneath a docile exterior, and he was not a little angry.

At this very moment, the Emperor looked around at the corpses in the palace and those two attendants from the Eastern Palace, and he had a strong feeling in his heart—this imperial palace, this world, already mostly belonged to Xiao Youlan.

It appeared he was still the Emperor, but he had already lost control; Xiao Youlan was the one who commanded everything.

This realization made the Emperor feel restless and also desperate.

Because the current Emperor was too old, and Xiao Youlan had already grown up.

Times were different now; he was no longer the child who couldn't protect his beloved little cat and only dared to hide under the covers and secretly shed tears.

The Armory.

Xiao Mingyu sat on a chair that had been specially moved over, watching the last assassin he brought pick up a weapon, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint smile.

"Look," Xiao Mingyu began, his words addressed to Nan Lizhu beside him, "these weapons, whether bows and arrows or Gunpowder, are the best in Fengdu and even the entire Ye Dynasty. Even if Nan Xueyin is well-trained and lethal at killing, she has no way to defeat these people equipped with weapons all at once."

Nan Lizhu's heart was stirred with stormy waves.

What!

Is Sister Xueyin really that lethal at killing!

Truly, I never expected that such a beautiful and gentle Sister Xueyin would actually be an Assassin...

And an Assassin for the Duan Prince Mansion at that!

However, in order not to leak the true situation, Nan Lizhu tried very hard to put on a cold and aloof appearance and gave a cold snort.

Xiao Mingyu raised his eyebrows, "What, you don't believe it? You probably haven't seen Nan Xueyin kill anyone, have you?"

Nan Lizhu was stunned.

What!!

Killing!

Where would she have witnessed killing? She hadn't even seen a chicken being slaughtered!

Not noticing any reaction from Nan Lizhu, Xiao Mingyu spoke to himself: "When she first started killing, she would be afraid. Actually, her strikes were already very clean—a single blow to kill. Whether it was slitting a throat or stabbing into a chest, she did it cleanly and neatly. But every time she finished killing someone, she wouldn't speak for a long time and would have to wash her hands for a long time. This habit lasted for several years."

He fell into deep thought, "I can't even remember when she stopped doing that; it seems it was when she was sixteen? I forced her to kill that family of six, and the youngest child was only three..."

Nan Lizhu's eyes were about to pop out.

What!!!

Sister Xueyin has killed so many people!

For so many years!

And she even killed a child...

But it sounded like the Duan Prince forced her to do it.

Nan Lizhu had interacted with Sister Xueyin; she knew Sister Xueyin was a gentle and kind person who couldn't even bear to step on an ant, so how could she kill people herself!

It must have been forced!

Thinking this, Nan Lizhu glared fiercely at Xiao Mingyu.

What a disgusting person!

To think such a person could actually become a Prince.

Xiao Mingyu did not notice the change in Nan Lizhu's expression; he was already immersed in his own memories.

He discovered that, over these years, the person who had accompanied him the longest was none other than Nan Xueyin.

She had already been by his side when he did not yet have so much power and status.

Other women approached him only to gain certain benefits because they coveted his power and status or cared about his appearance and physique.

The women of the past were like this, the singers and dancers in the brothels were like this, and Hua Lianying and Yan Zhirong were both like this.

Only Nan Xueyin was different.

She killed for him and protected his safety.

Even for things she didn't like to do, she did them very well for his sake.

She did all of this without seeking any benefit, simply because she hoped he would be well.

Xiao Mingyu felt a sense of loss; why on earth had he only realized this now?

But thinking about it again, he felt very happy.

Now that Nan Xueyin had not yet married Xiao Youlan, his preparations from all those past years had finally come in handy at this moment. As long as he killed Xiao Youlan and seized the throne, he would keep Nan Xueyin by his side in the future, and sooner or later, he would make her fall in love with him again.

She had already loved him once, so naturally, she would love him a second time.

"Prince."

The Hidden Guard responsible for scouting the latest situation in the surrounding area ran over hurriedly at this moment.

Xiao Mingyu then slightly reined in his thoughts and looked over, "What is it?"

The Hidden Guard looked flustered and said, "A large troop of people is rushing over on Tianwu Main Street!"

Xiao Mingyu frowned and asked immediately, "Is Nan Xueyin with them?"

The Hidden Guard wiped the sweat from his forehead, "This... this subordinate has never seen Miss Nan before, so I don't know what she looks like."

Xiao Mingyu looked at him as if he were looking at an idiot, "The palace guards are all men; if there is a woman among them, then naturally that is Nan Xueyin."

The Hidden Guard seemed to have a sudden realization, "Ah... this..."

Xiao Mingyu could not be bothered to say more to him and asked again, "Roughly how many people are there? Where have they reached?"

The Hidden Guard wiped away another large handful of sweat, "This... this subordinate, this subordinate did not count carefully; as soon as I saw the people, I hurried back to report to the Prince..."

Xiao Mingyu:...

His operation this time was rushed; although he had been training various Assassins and Hidden Guards over these years, their quality was uneven, with some being clever and others being foolish.

The one right now was among the most outstanding of the foolish ones.

Seeing Xiao Mingyu's terrible expression, the Hidden Guard hurriedly said, "This subordinate knows I was wrong! This subordinate will go and scout again and report back!"

After speaking, he turned on his heel and ran.

Xiao Mingyu's brow had not even relaxed for a moment when another Hidden Guard ran over from the other side, "Prince! Miss Nan is killing her way over from the north!"

The north was the direction they had entered from.

Tianwu Main Street was to the south; it seemed Nan Xueyin and Xiao Youlan had chosen to split their forces into two paths.

Xiao Mingyu made a prompt decision and stood up, "I want her alive! You can injure her, but do not injure her too severely!"

The Hidden Guard acknowledged the order and was about to go pass it on.

"Wait!"

Xiao Mingyu called him back again, his tone sinister, "She is not obedient enough; if she puts up a desperate fight, minor injuries will not be enough to take her down... then do this: as long as you can bring her to me alive, you may use any means! As long as she doesn't die, it doesn't matter how severely she is injured!"