Chapter 268: Corpse shattered into myriad pieces

Corpse shattered into myriad pieces

Yin Fengzhan's appearance has always been outstanding. Not to mention women seeing him, even men are heartily convinced! But usually, Yin Fengzhan is too cold, too steady, his aura too strong, so people dare not approach!

Although Yin Fengzhan today wore only plain clothes, simple in style without any flashiness, he nevertheless revealed an indescribably awe-inspiring aura. He wore a jade crown, his jet-black hair tied up neatly, his flawless, peerless handsome features shining in the sunlight, exuding a heroic vigor like that of a deity!

So, the originally haughty mysterious girl couldn't help but freeze at this moment. In the next instant, a blatant joy flickered in the depths of her beautiful eyes!

The mysterious girl's thoughts were not hidden in the slightest. Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan didn't say anything, but Pei Yaoguang beside her couldn't help but snort coldly, and even Shui Yun instantly showed a hint of annoyance in her eyes!

But the mysterious girl was completely unaware, her bright eyes continually fixed on Yin Fengzhan; after a moment, she suddenly raised her eyebrows and smiled charmingly.

Who are you?

Whether she was asking knowingly or not, the mysterious girl still posed the question as if it were obvious, as though she hadn't seen Yin Fengzhan and Nie Jinxuan whispering just now. At this moment, looking at the mysterious girl's smiling face like a flower, Yin Fengzhan merely narrowed his eyes coldly.

Yin Fengzhan remained silent. Seeing this, the mysterious girl couldn't help but pout cutely, then continued speaking with a smile.

"Speak up! Who are you? What's your name? I'm Lanru..."

The mysterious girl openly showed her affection for Yin Fengzhan. But before she could finish speaking, Yin Fengzhan suddenly pressed his thin lips together and coldly interrupted her.

"I don't want to know who you are! But you'd better remember: if you dare lay a hand on my woman again, I will make you die without a burial place!"

Yin Fengzhan never speaks boastfully. At this moment, after his words fell, he didn't give the mysterious girl any chance to speak, turned and walked back to Nie Jinxuan's side, then grabbed her hand.

"Return to the palace!"

Saying that, Yin Fengzhan directly pulled Nie Jinxuan outward; being pulled by Yin Fengzhan in front of everyone, Nie Jinxuan naturally couldn't say anything else, so she merely nodded and followed him out of the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion.

……

Yin Fengzhan took Nie Jinxuan and left, leaving the mysterious girl dumbfounded on the spot!

Obviously, the mysterious girl never expected Yin Fengzhan to treat her like this! At this moment, seeing Yin Fengzhan and Nie Jinxuan leave, Pei Yaoguang paced over to her.

"Hmph~! What are you still looking at? Even if you keep looking, they're gone!"

Pei Yaoguang mercilessly mocked the mysterious girl in front of everyone. Upon hearing this, the mysterious girl snapped to attention and immediately glared at Pei Yaoguang, shouting:

"What are you? Get lost!"

"Hmph! Get lost? Who are you telling to get lost?!"

Saying that, Pei Yaoguang stepped forward and directly approached the mysterious girl.

"Woman, still the same saying! This is Eastern Mausoleum, no place for you to run wild here! Also, I advise you: if it's not yours, behave yourself, lest you embarrass yourself..."

It's obvious that Pei Yaoguang is warning the mysterious girl not to harbor fantasies about Yin Fengzhan!

"Of course, if you don't heed the advice, that's fine! But I can guarantee you: if you dare touch that woman who just left, even a single hair, then my emperor will not only shred your corpse into myriad pieces, but even your country will have no peace!"

Pei Yaoguang is one of the few who know why Yin Fengzhan delayed agreeing to ascend the throne. Thus, in his view, Yin Fengzhan, for the sake of that Nie-surnamed woman, doesn't even care about the lofty throne, so what wouldn't he dare do?!

"Empire and beauty—most people choose the empire, but in Yin Fengzhan's eyes, even the most prosperous myriad miles of empire are not worth a single hair of that Nie-surnamed woman!"

Pei Yaoguang can't comprehend this feeling! But he'd stake all his family's wealth on it: if this death-defying girl who doesn't value human life dares to touch Nie Jinxuan, the enraged Yin Fengzhan will not only shred her corpse into myriad pieces and flay her skin to feed dogs, but will surely lead the imperial army in person to crush her nation's lands!

Of course, Pei Yaoguang says this not out of concern for the mysterious girl, but to prevent her from pulling tricks. So after his words fell, he didn't wait for her reply, gave another cold snort, and shifted his tone.

"Anyway, judging by the situation, even if you wanted to play tricks, you probably couldn't pull it off! After all, killing someone requires paying with your life..."

Saying that, Pei Yaoguang instantly curled his lips into a slight smile at the mysterious girl, then raised his voice to say:

"Men, seal this place for me! Before the truth comes out, no one is allowed to leave this place even half a step!"

Nie Jinxuan returned to the palace with Yin Fengzhan.

Upon returning to the palace, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but look up at Yin Fengzhan.

"Fengzhan, have you already figured out that girl's background?"

Along the way, Yin Fengzhan didn't say anything to Nie Jinxuan, but she intuitively felt he must know something. Upon hearing this, Yin Fengzhan glanced at Nie Jinxuan, then waved his hand, sending all the palace attendants away!

After those attendants left, Yin Fengzhan then turned and sat in the nearby chair.

"Her name is Xiao Lanru!"

"Xiao?! That's not..."

The surname Xiao is rare in Eastern Mausoleum; when mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is Western Di, because Xiao is the national surname of Western Di!

Nie Jinxuan's thoughts, Yin Fengzhan naturally understood; he then nodded.

"Hmm, she is Princess Lanru of Western Di, highly favored there, but due to her violent temperament she has also caused much trouble. She is the sole maternal younger sister of the newly enthroned Third Prince Xiao Zhe of Western Di!"

"Oh, no wonder her temperament is so unruly, completely disregarding human life... But Fengzhan, given how tense our relations with Western Di are now—we've even sent troops—how could Western Di send a princess at this time?! Could it be that..."

Nie Jinxuan was unsure what Western Di intended, but upon hearing this, Yin Fengzhan suddenly gave a cold smile.

"This time we dispatched troops promptly, exceeding Western Di's expectations; thus, in their view, they also can't fathom our motives, so they deliberately sent someone over! After all, envoys are not harmed in wartime between states—it's the rule—so Western Di assumed that even if we really went to war, I wouldn't harm those people! However, the imperial documents never mentioned Princess Lanru..."

Logically, given Princess Xiao Lanru's status, if she were to come, the imperial documents should mention her. Yet the documents contain not a word, while she has already arrived—this can only indicate one thing!

Nie Jinxuan is smart; upon hearing Yin Fengzhan say this, she immediately understood.

With war imminent, Western Di sending a princess is obviously a ploy! If we win, they'll take their princess back; but if the war turns against Western Di, they'll foist Princess Lanru upon Yin Fengzhan!

Thinking this, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but laugh.

"So saying, Western Di is making two-handed preparations~!"

Nie Jinxuan's laugh carried a hint of teasing; seeing her laugh, Yin Fengzhan immediately turned and gave her a white-eye.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing."

"Still laughing about nothing?"

"How? Not allowed to laugh?... But seriously, that Princess Lanru is quite beautiful; if Western Di truly wanted a marriage alliance..."

It's rare to have a chance to tease Yin Fengzhan; Nie Jinxuan naturally wouldn't let it pass. But upon hearing this, Yin Fengzhan directly snorted coldly.

Yin Fengzhan didn't speak, but the coldness on his face clearly showed his annoyance toward Princess Lanru! Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan also couldn't be bothered to press the matter, and gently shifted the topic:

"However, Fengzhan, Western Di is so cunning, you must be on guard! Moreover, since Western Di sent an envoy this time, my father likely..."

Upon mentioning Nie Wenhao, Nie Jinxuan paused slightly, but then pressed her lips and looked at Yin Fengzhan. At that moment, meeting her gaze, Yin Fengzhan immediately reached out and pulled her over.

"Hmm, I know what to do!"

At night, all was silent.

The entire Eastern Mausoleum Capital was shrouded in darkness, the crescent moon on the horizon hiding behind thick clouds, making everything seem even more eerie and elusive.

At that moment, in a side room of the rear courtyard of Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, candlelight flickered, and under that dim yellow candlelight, Western Di's Princess Xiao Lanshu sat in a chair, throwing a tantrum!

"Hmph~! The damned bastard, actually not even putting this princess in his eyes……"

Xiao Lanshu's cursing naturally referred to Pei Yaoguang. Because she never expected that a mere Prefect of Jingzhao like Pei Yaoguang would actually seal off Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion!

Of course, given the skills of Pei Yaoguang's men, they were naturally no match for Xiao Lanshu's followers. But although Xiao Lanshu was violent and arrogant, she was not a fool. So even though she was furious, she did not rashly charge out like her subordinates.

After all, as they said, this is the Eastern Mausoleum, not Western Di. And the reason she dared to bring people to Heavenly Fate Inn to kill before was because she had reckoned that even if Nie Jinxuan and the others knew in their hearts she was the murderer, they could not produce any evidence.

But Xiao Lanshu never expected that merely looking at the corpse, that woman would actually know so much! And she even captured one of her own attendants!

Thinking of this, the already angry Xiao Lanshu lifted her hand and fiercely grabbed the teacup on the table, then smashed it to the ground.

"Hmph, just who is that damned woman? How could merely glancing at a corpse actually let her find our people?!"

You must know, Xiao Lanshu had already planned everything before going to Heavenly Fate Inn, and when she struck she left no clues! So after her angry outburst, Xiao Lanshu immediately lifted her head and glared at Ha Duo before her.

"Ha Duo, have you investigated clearly? Just who is that damned woman?"

Ha Duo was Western Di's Top Warrior; back then, the Old Lord of Western Di valued him, recruited him into the palace, and made him Leader of the Western Di Imperial Guard. But later, a chance encounter let Xiao Lanshu meet him, whereupon Xiao Lanshu directly took him from the Old Lord's hands.

This shows that Xiao Lanshu was indeed very much * in the Western Di imperial court. And from then on, Ha Duo has always followed Xiao Lanshu, never leaving her side.

At this moment, faced with Xiao Lanshu's questioning, Ha Duo, standing before her, couldn't help but glance at her, then lowered his head and said.

"In reply to the Princess, that woman's name is Nie Jinxuan; she was originally the Third Miss of the Prime Minister's Manor, later gaining the favor of the former Emperor of the Eastern Mausoleum, who bestowed upon her the title of Marquess of Pacifying the State. It is said she possesses a supreme skill in corpse examination, unmatched, having solved many major cases, and being upright, she is deeply trusted by the Eastern Mausoleum from the imperial family down to the commoners."

"Enough! I don't want to hear all that!"

Ha Duo was merely speaking the truth, but this only made Xiao Lanshu even more furious! However, after a moment, Xiao Lanshu calmed down, then pursed her lips.

"Ha Duo, I ask you: is the child in the belly of that woman surnamed Nie the Eastern Mausoleum Emperor's?"

"Yes."

"Has she been made Empress?"

"Um…… not yet……"

As if knowing Xiao Lanshu's thoughts, Ha Duo couldn't help but lift his head to glance at her again, then after a slight hesitation, still gently advised.

"Princess, I have privately inquired about this Nie Jinxuan; it is said the Emperor of the Eastern Mausoleum loves her very much *, and although she has not yet been made Empress, everyone in the Eastern Mausoleum knows she is the designated Empress candidate! Moreover, you yourself saw what happened in the courtyard today, Princess."

"Moreover, just now my subordinate received news that our dynasty's envoy is about to enter the capital, so at this critical juncture, Princess, it would be wise to be more cautious; otherwise, if we somehow stir up trouble again, then……"

Ha Duo meant well too. But at this moment, hearing Ha Duo's words, Xiao Lanshu coldly stared at him, until Ha Duo fell silent. And then, Xiao Lanshu slightly narrowed her beautiful eyes.

"Speak! What will happen then? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Pressuring Ha Duo, as the words fell, Xiao Lanshu immediately rose from her seat, walked over to Ha Duo, then after silently staring at him for a moment, suddenly raised her hand and slapped Ha Duo hard!

Xiao Lanshu's strike was fierce! In an instant, she broke the corner of Ha Duo's mouth! But Ha Duo, standing in place, merely lowered his head, motionless, not uttering a sound.

But at this point, after slapping Ha Duo, Xiao Lanshu still felt it wasn't enough, then she backhanded him once, and only then did her eyes turn icy as she said:

"How I should act doesn't need a lackey like you to remind me! You just need to do as I say; no need to speak otherwise!"

Xiao Lanshu said sternly; as the words fell, seeing Ha Duo offer no resistance as always, Xiao Lanshu satisfiedly pursed her lips, then walked back to her seat and sat down.

"But what you said also makes sense; now, because of the incident with those lowly fellows at Heavenly Fate Inn, the stench I've brought upon myself has also made the Eastern Mausoleum Emperor dissatisfied with this Princess, so this Princess indeed cannot act rashly at this moment……"