Chapter 225

Long Yelin said: "Even a vicious tiger does not eat its cub; your actions cannot be described even with the word 'poison.' Although you made me crown prince, you have always suspected me in every way. I have been crown prince for eighteen years; since Dakang's founding, I fear no one surpasses me. You killed my close ministers, insulted my wife, and utterly disregarded the two words 'human ethics.' Even so, I have remained loyal to you, but you should not have listened to slander and deposed me as crown prince."

Long Xuan'en coldly said: "Observing your conduct today, my initial deposition of you was indeed correct."

Long Yelin said: "Although you did not kill me, you have suppressed me in every way; exiling me to the western borders is not enough, and you have sent people to harm me repeatedly along the way. If not for heaven's mercy, I do not know how many times I would have died." He coldly stared at his father, his eyes full of killing intent, with no trace of father-son affection left.

Long Xuan'en said: "You plot to usurp the throne; how could you possibly win the hearts of the people?"

Long Yelin said: "You are obstinate and self-willed, foolish and corrupt, licentious and extravagant, greedy for power and position; seeing the splendid rivers and mountains left by our ancestors deteriorate day by day in your hands, Da Yong rises in the north, the northwestern barbarians hoard energy and sharpen their weapons, one day they will march south; the southwestern tribes harbor ill designs, silently nibbling at our lands; the western Sha Jia grows stronger, yet you pay no heed to these dangers, indulging day after day in wine and women; if Dakang continues to let you squander thus, the day of its downfall is not far off."

Long Xuan'en chuckled: "To add a crime, what need for lack of excuse? You harbor great ambition, long desiring the throne; why need so many pretexts?" His withered hands took up the edict Long Yelin had prepared; after looking it over, he slowly nodded and said: "You won't kill me?"

Long Yelin said: "Although you are unkind to me, I cannot treat you unjustly; hand over the Heirloom Jade Seal, and peacefully serve as your Retired Emperor; I will guarantee you enjoy your twilight years."

Long Xuan'en pressed his lips tightly: "Ye Qing is your brother of the same blood; why must you inevitably place him in a deadly situation?"

Long Yelin calmly said: "The one who killed him is you, not me!"

Long Xuan'en sighed: "You could exile him to the borders; why must brothers slaughter each other?"

Long Yelin sneered: "Do you think you still have the qualifications to negotiate terms with me?"

Long Xuan'en fell silent; at this moment he was like a mud Buddha crossing the river, unable to save himself, let alone control the fate of his other children. Long Xuan'en said: "If Ye Qing is killed, Dakang will surely fall into turmoil."

"The Dakang of tomorrow will be my Dakang; since I dare to ascend this position, I have the ability to control the world."

Long Xuan'en burst into hysterical laughter, nearly mad. Long Yelin was startled by his madness, anger welled up in his chest, and he shouted: "What are you laughing at?"

Long Xuan'en coughed violently; after the coughing, his face, overly flushed from drink, showed a slight reddening. He shook his head and said: "You are still so arrogant. Do you really think you have such great ability? As the saying goes, a father knows his son best; I have some understanding of your brothers' temperaments. Your mind is narrow, you are cruel and violent; if you ascend the throne, you will surely unleash a massacre, at which point heaven will be angry and the people resentful, the soldiers will desert, and the officials will grieve. The day of Dakang's downfall is not far."

Long Yelin slowly nodded, then suddenly lifted his foot and kicked hard at Long Xuan'en's abdomen. This kick bent Long Xuan'en's body like a shrimp, his right hand propped on the ground as he coughed incessantly, even bringing up blood.

Long Yelin said: "This kick is for my deceased wife; remember this well—from now on, you are not to call yourself 'Zhen' in my presence!"

A splendid flash of lightning tore the night curtain; after the lightning and thunder, the long‑brewing downpour finally fell, dense raindrops lashing the land with unstoppable force, the ground quickly covered in water, trees wildly swaying in the violent wind as if trying to break free of some terrible bond, yet no matter how they struggled they could not escape the shackles of the earth beneath their feet.

Thunder shook heaven and earth; the sleeping Hu Xiaotian felt the whole ground tremble, he suddenly opened his eyes—the tent interior was pitch black, outside the wind and rain howled fiercely. The tent flap was torn open by the gale, wind and rain driven into the tent. Hu Xiaotian rose, intending to close the flap, but looking out through the gap he saw a figure stubbornly standing not far away in the storm—it was Qin Yutong in disguise. Hu Xiaotian donned a raincoat and a bamboo hat, then stepped outside the tent.

From time to time came the neighing of startled horses; all nearby campfires had been doused by the heavy rain; in the distance a troop rode against the wind and rain, holding pine‑torches, on night patrol.

Qin Yutong heard the movement behind her, turned her head, and saw Hu Xiaotian stepping through the mud to her side; she said softly: "With rain this heavy, why not rest inside? What are you doing out here?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "The thunder is so loud I can't sleep..." Before he finished, a rolling thunder exploded nearby; in the flash of lightning he saw Qin Yutong's eyes twitch involuntarily. Hu Xiaotian said: "Why don't you rest a while? I'll keep watch here."

Qin Yutong laughed and shook her head: "I'm not sleepy!"

Hu Xiaotian glanced at the carriage where Xi Yan was and asked: "Is Xi Yan causing any trouble?"

"Still behaving fairly well."

Suddenly a terrified shriek came from inside the carriage—Xi Yan's scream. Qin Yutong and Hu Xiaotian exchanged a glance and almost simultaneously rushed toward the carriage. Hu Xiaotian had taken only a few steps when his foot landed on something soft; sensing something odd, he looked down and, upon seeing what lay beneath his foot, gasped—it was a green snake wriggling there. He hastily pulled his foot back; the snake suddenly reared its head and struck at his right leg.

A flash of cold light—Qin Yutong had drawn her sword just in time, slicing the green snake at its seventh inch, cutting it in half.

Hu Xiaotian secretly breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, but before his emotions could settle he saw countless green snakes wriggling toward their camp, surrounding it. If there were only one snake it wouldn't be frightening, but seeing writhing snakes on all sides—tens of thousands of them—the mass of snakes surged relentlessly toward the camp.

Elsewhere others also spotted the snakes, someone shouting: "Snakes! So many snakes!"

Qin Yutong took a torch from nearby and handed it to Hu Xiaotian; Hu Xiaotian waved the torch back and forth, driving back the snakes approaching him, yet looking at the tide‑like swarm of snakes surging forward, he could not help but feel apprehensive.

Hearing someone shout "Protect the Prince of Zhou, Thousand Years!", the archers also began to draw their bows, nock arrows, and shoot at the snakes on the ground. In the wind and rain came continuous cries of anguish—clearly soldiers had been bitten by venomous snakes; some were struck down even before waking from sleep, many dying on the spot. The awakened soldiers hastily rose to defend; torches sprang up across the camp, and they waved them to disperse the venomous creatures surging from all directions like a flood.

Hu Xiaotian wondered inwardly; he could hardly imagine that such a rainy night would produce so many venomous creatures. Qin Yutong pulled a handful of steel needles from her deer‑skin pouch at her waist, flicked her right hand, and dozens of needles shot out like lightning, pinning the surrounding green snakes to the ground. Hu Xiaotian exclaimed in admiration: "Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover—I never expected Qin Yutong's needle‑throwing skill to be this superb; a casual toss rivals a mechanical crossbow." He instinctively felt his waist; the Violent Rain Pear Blossom Needles given to him by Senior Eunuch Ande Quan were still there, and they could be useful at a critical moment, but for now there was no need to draw them, since Qin Yutong was beside him protecting him, making action unnecessary.

The venomous snakes seemed driven by some mysterious force; despite being constantly shot, they showed no intention to retreat, continuing to press toward the camp's center. Qin Yutong fired three successive volleys of steel needles, forcing a narrow passage through the swarm, and she shouted loudly: "Quick, to the carriage!"

Hu Xiaotian brandished his torch and jogged along, slipping through the narrow gap, quickly arriving at the carriage where Xi Yan was. He tried to pull back the curtain, but found two green snakes already clinging to the vehicle, raising their heads and flicking their tongues as they attacked him. He thrust the torch forward, striking the head of one venomous snake, and a pungent burnt smell rose.

Qin Yutong followed, slashing the other green snake in two with her sword, drew back the curtain, and saw Xi Yan sitting motionless, her pretty face bearing a half‑smile. Qin Yutong flung another set of needles, repelling the snakes' advance, and said in a low voice: "Bring her out."

Hu Xiaotian stepped forward and seized Xi Yan; at that moment he heard her sigh softly: "Either release me, or tonight we will all die here."

Hu Xiaotian lifted her onto his right shoulder; Xi Yan possessed martial skill, but her meridians had been sealed by Qin Yutong's silver needles, leaving her unable to exert any power. She gritted her teeth and said: "Hu Xiaotian, your death is not far off."

Hu Xiaotian gazed at the relentlessly approaching venomous snakes, recalled that Xi Yan belonged to the Wuxian Sect, and suspected that she was secretly behind this; hearing her actually threaten him, he raised his hand and slapped her buttocks hard twice, making her clench her teeth in anger as she shouted: "Lecher!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Be sensible and disperse these venomous snakes quickly, or I'll strip you naked and throw you in to feed the snakes."

Xi Yan coldly replied: "If you want to kill me, just do it; why bother with humiliation? Do you really think I fear death?"

While they traded barbs, Qin Yutong kept her eyes on the snakes' movements and noticed that the venomous snakes were spontaneously dispersing around them, leaving a clear space about a zhang in diameter. As Hu Xiaotian carried Xi Yan forward, the snakes made way for them—this was naturally not due to Hu Xiaotian; certainly something on Xi Yan's body prevented the snakes from attacking.

Hu Xiaotian also noticed this, secretly delighted; he had not expected this demoness to be such a treasure, capable of serving as a snake‑repellent at a critical moment—he must hold her close.

Xi Yan, slung over his shoulder with her head and face downward, pouted, and Hu Xiaotian gave her buttocks another slap, saying: "Tonight we're all in the same boat—if I'm unharmed, you'll be safe; if I come to harm, you can only join me in death."

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