Chapter 275: Jiang Jiang Mingyu's Revenge Completed, Fei Hou's Suffering Beyond Words

Fei Hou was forced to his knees on the ground, his head bowed, his eyes staring lifelessly at the floor, his ears hearing no sound, his mouth unable to speak a word, his mind filled with only a blank void, his body chilled by only a coldness, his surroundings shrouded in only darkness, his world

containing only one sentence, echoing endlessly in his mind, stabbing endlessly at his heart, tormenting endlessly his soul, consuming endlessly his life.

"Living is the punishment you gave me; the human world is the hell you sent to Jiang Mou."

These were words he had once spoken to Jiang Jiang Mingyu, words he once thought were the greatest mockery of Jiang Jiang Mingyu, words he once thought were the greatest revenge against Jiang Jiang Mingyu, words he once thought were the greatest victory over Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

He did not know that these words were actually the greatest mockery of himself, that these words were actually the greatest retribution upon himself, that these words were actually the greatest failure of himself.

He did not know that the punishment he gave Jiang Jiang Mingyu was actually a punishment for himself, that the hell he sent to Jiang Jiang Mingyu was actually a hell sent to himself.

He did not know that Jiang Jiang Mingyu's living was actually a kind of strength, that Jiang Jiang Mingyu's human world was actually a kind of struggle.

He did not know that his own living was actually a kind of cowardice, that his own human world was actually a kind of corruption.

He did not know that the gap between him and Jiang Jiang Mingyu was actually the gap between himself and himself, that the contrast between him and Jiang Jiang Mingyu was actually the contrast between himself and himself.

He did not know that everything of his was actually his own choice, that everything of his was actually his own result.

Seeing him struggle to stand up, Liao Goudan, who had rushed over upon hearing the noise, kicked him hard. His foot, like a block of iron, stomped on Fei Hou's chest; like a hammer, smashed Fei Hou's heart; like a nail, pinned Fei Hou's soul; like a ball of fire, burned Fei Hou's life. His foot made Fei Hou's body suddenly sink, made Fei Hou's breath gasp urgently, made Fei Hou's blood spurt out, made Fei Hou's pain scream out. His foot made Fei Hou's pride become humble, made Fei Hou's dignity become absurd, made Fei Hou's power become ridiculous, made Fei Hou's wealth become useless. His foot made everything of Fei Hou become void, made everything of Fei Hou become meaningless, made everything of Fei Hou become priceless, made everything of Fei Hou become nothing.

"Damn it, you prisoner dare to fart in front of my lord? Do you think I won't chop you to pieces right now?" Liao Goudan said hatefully. His words were like a gust of wind blowing in Fei Hou's ear, like a knife cutting Fei Hou's face, like a drop of poison dripping on Fei Hou's heart, like a clump of mud thrown on Fei Hou's body. His words made Fei Hou's ears unable to hear clearly, made Fei Hou's eyes unable to see, made Fei Hou's nose unable to smell, made Fei Hou's mouth unable to taste. His words made Fei Hou's senses become numb, made Fei Hou's thoughts become confused, made Fei Hou's emotions become out of control, made Fei Hou's behavior become crazy. His words made everything of Fei Hou become senseless, made everything of Fei Hou become ignorant, made everything of Fei Hou become unreasonable, made everything of Fei Hou become unintelligent.

Speaking, he raised his sword to strike, but was stopped by Jiang Jiang Mingyu. Jiang Jiang Mingyu sneered: "Letting him die so easily would be too kind to him! I want him to taste the pain of failure; only that is true revenge!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes were cold; Fei Hou trembled in fear...

Jiang Jiang Mingyu stared at Fei Hou kneeling on the ground, his eyes sharp with cold light. He wished to chop Fei Hou into a thousand pieces, but then thought of a more suitable way to take revenge.

He spoke coldly: "Fei Hou, on that day you said living was a punishment to me and the human world was a hell you sent me. Today I will return these words to you exactly as they are."

His tone carried a chilling murderous intent.

He calmly ordered Li Goudan: "Go tattoo the words 'Emperor Fei Hou of Great Feng' on him in large characters, then exile him to the northern frontier, forcing him to beg amidst the people's curses, living out his days tortured by humiliation. Watch him closely; do not let him end his life easily, for that would be meaningless."

Li Goudan chuckled wickedly: "My lord is wise; I will go handle it immediately. I will ensure he cannot live and cannot die!"

Saying this, he grabbed Fei Hou by the collar and dragged him away with a sinister grin.

Fei Hou's eyes widened as he struggled desperately: "Jiang Jiang Mingyu, kill me quickly! I would rather die than endure humiliation!"

But his wails ultimately vanished into the wind. Jiang Jiang Mingyu watched coldly from the side, a chill rising in his heart.

At this moment, Tu Tu Kesiluo asked: "How should these close aides of Fei Hou be dealt with?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not even look at them, stating indifferently: "Execute them all; they share the same guilt as Fei Hou."

Fang Hang quickly led men to seal the city gates and executed all of Fei Hou's relatives. Dozens of close aides were also beheaded.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes were cold, unmoved by this bloodshed. He waved to Zhu Ge Yu, and the group slowly walked into Jingcheng.

Familiar street scenes and buildings appeared before Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes again; he sighed lightly, knowing that all of this had finally returned to his hands.

After enduring thousands of hardships, he had finally fulfilled his wish to save the people and punish the guilty. Standing on this hot land, his heart held only the relief of setting down a heavy burden, not a shred of joy.

Because too many hardships still awaited him ahead to face and solve. The path of the rebel army was far from over, and his mission was far from complete.

With a complex expression, Jiang Jiang Mingyu arrived at the familiar streets of Jingcheng; gazing at the imperial palace where Fei Hou had once been surrounded by crowds, he could not help but feel deeply moved.

He softly instructed Zhu Ge Yu: "Let us enter the imperial palace and take a look."

The two slowly walked through the palace gates; the silent scene of emptiness before their eyes made Jiang Jiang Mingyu's heart sink.

He pointed at the city wall and sighed lightly: "On that day, Fei Hou insulted me here and then sent me away to Linzhang."

Recalling the humiliations he had suffered here in the past, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's expression became slightly complex. Those vivid scenes played back frame by frame in his mind like a movie.

From initial ignorance to later defeat. Every bit he experienced in this imperial palace had settled into an indelible mark in the long river of time.

Zhu Ge Yu stood silently, his eyes calm as water. Once, he too was only a poor scholar expelled from his home; for the ideals in his heart, he gambled everything to follow Jiang Jiang Mingyu in the rebellion.

Now having flattened the seemingly unshakable Great Feng, Zhu Ge Yu's heart was filled with mixed feelings. Along this journey, countless companions were lost, but "one general succeeds while ten thousand bones wither"; the cost of sacrifice was all worth it.

Both men harbored their own thoughts, sinking into deep memories. After a long while, Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head slightly, waking Zhu Ge Yu.

"Let us go; we continue forward."

This magnificent palace before them had once accumulated countless corrupt treasures and filthy crimes. Now to wash it clean and reshape its glory is the true meaning of Jiang Jiang Mingyu's uprising this time.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu entered the imperial palace; before his eyes lay a mess. This place had once been the place he dreamed of, the goal he fought for, the price he paid. This place had once been the nest of his enemies, the throne of his foes, the object of his revenge. This place had once been the center of the world, the worship of all people, the supreme glory.

But now, this place had become a ruin, a wasteland, a pile of garbage. He saw the palace gates smashed open, the gold paint peeling from the doors, the dragon patterns on the door pillars broken. He saw the palace halls burned down, the glazed tiles on the roofs shattered, the colorful paintings inside the halls faded. He saw the palace walls breached, the tiles on the walls falling off, the flowers and grass inside the walls withered. He saw the inner courtyards looted, the ponds in the courtyards dried up, the treasures inside the courtyards scattered.

He entered the Zhengdian of the palace; before his eyes lay chaos. This place had once been the place he revered, the goal he feared, the object he challenged. This place had once been the stage of his opponents, the trump card of his rivals, the source of his pressure. This place had once been the symbol of power, the display of majesty, the embodiment of dignity.

But now, this place had become a farce, a joke, a pile of trash. He saw the dragon throne in the Zhengdian overturned, the brocade on the chair torn, the carpet under the chair damaged. He saw the screens in the Zhengdian smashed, the paintings on the screens smeared, the secrets behind the screens exposed. He saw the eunuchs and maids in the Zhengdian killed, their clothes torn, their bodies trampled. He saw the ornaments, documents, and seats in the Zhengdian piled up haphazardly, like a huge garbage dump.

He stood in the center of the Zhengdian; in his eyes lay coldness. He felt no emotion for this place, no pity, no attachment, no regret. He felt only one sensation toward this place: boredom. He felt this place was too plain, too boring, too tasteless, too dull.

The so-called Emperor, the so-called Lord of All Under Heaven, was merely this. He had no longing for this title, no interest, no desire, no meaning. He felt only one sensation toward this title: uselessness. He felt this title was too hypocritical, too heavy, too binding, too useless.