Chapter 388: Some die, some merely survive!

After a great battle, more than half of the entire Southern Mountain Villa was destroyed.

Also, a heavy rain fell.

So, in the sunken areas of the ground, bloody red wastewater covered the earth.

Corpses were piled high, stacked in the open ground outside the villa.

Except for some masters collected by their own families, the rest could no longer be distinguished as friend or foe, nor male or female, old or young.

All members of the Zhong family were captured on the spot.

All Lotus Sect followers were executed on the spot.

Although Emperor Yan was uninjured, having just recovered from a serious illness, this ordeal left him utterly weak; he could only lie down and give orders.

"Zhong family……everyone……"

"Whether master or servant, male or female, old or young, all shall be thrown into the Heavenly Prison!"

"The Zhong family's rebellion is an indisputable fact."

"Father Emperor——it was they themselves who plotted rebellion, wanting to kill the son and the Empress——"

"Now, it should be the son's turn to kill them, right?"

Emperor Yan seemed to go mad, his eyes bloodshot as he roared angrily at the canopy.

All around was deathly silence.

The Crown Prince buried his head low, clutching his palms tightly.

When Emperor Yan shouted "Crown Prince" again, only then did he fearfully lift his head, hastily kneeling and approaching the imperial bed.

"Father Emperor, your subject is here!"

Emperor Yan's gaze was gloomy and cruel as he fixed on the Crown Prince: "Listen, Yin'er."

"Some things can be used to their fullest potential, as long as they help you stabilize, grasp, and obtain what you desire."

"Just don't let it turn around and bite you."

"There are too many people with ulterior motives in this world."

"Do not be bewitched by things that stray from your original intent, and you will not easily lose your way."

"Yin'er……the realm Father Emperor has laid out for you is to be guarded by you, not to be handed over to those of other surnames!"

"You must know Father Emperor's painstaking efforts!!"

"Yin'er, do you understand Father Emperor's words?"

"The one who holds the pieces, do not let yourself become another's piece!!!"

When Emperor Yan spoke with excitement, he half rose and grabbed Duan Rongyin's collar, his eyes brimming with tears.

Duan Rongyin looked at Emperor Yan, his face full of shock.

Could it be that Father Emperor knows, knows something?

But Emperor Yan did not scold him outright.

He merely lay down again, utterly exhausted.

He let out a long sigh.

"Yin'er, my realm will only continue along the orthodox path."

"I hope you can understand Father Emperor's painstaking efforts."

The Crown Prince knocked his head heavily to the ground with a "bang."

"Father Emperor……your subject……your subject is guilty!"

He began to sob softly; the agitation, guilt, shame, and emotion in his heart instantly turned into a surge of mixed feelings.

Emperor Yan lowered his hand, reaching toward his head.

"You are my Crown Prince. No matter when, whatever mistake you make, I will forgive you."

"Now, you shall preside over state affairs in Father Emperor's stead. The Zhong family's rebellion—I want you to investigate it thoroughly!"

"Can you handle this?"

The Crown Prince raised his hand, sweeping his arm across his face to wipe away all tears.

"Father Emperor, rest assured; your subject will devote himself wholeheartedly and investigate this matter to the fullest!"

Emperor Yan widened his eyes and said hatefully: "Do not let me down."

"Return to court!"

This scene of fatherly kindness and filial piety, of deep affection, moved the Empress and the others to tears.

Even the Fourth Prince, Duan Rongxuan, kept raising his arm to wipe his own eyes.

But each time his arm covered his face, his expression showed extreme resentment.

Only he himself understood how much hatred filled his heart at this moment.

Use things to their fullest!

Piece!

Father Emperor, Mother Empress, am I also that piece in your hands?

Just so that your most beloved eldest son may return with proper status, to make room for him and let him earn the merit of rescuing the emperor—that piece!!

Duan Rongxuan is full of hatred, unknown to anyone.

Only Duan Rongshi, likewise a son of Emperor Yan, now kneels silently in a corner, saying nothing, only watching them.

His cold-eyed observation seems as if none of this concerns him at all.

At once, Emperor Yan's command made all officials of Southern Mountain Villa follow the imperial family back to the Imperial Capital.

This time, all the aristocratic clans who came to Summer Contempt, except for the exceptionally self-sufficient Xiuli Jiangjun Fu, every family suffered enormous losses.

Some households lost more than a dozen servants.

Several masters have died.

Some mourn and hate, while others are numb and unaware.

"It's filthy! Hurry, hurry and leave this place!"

"Don't go out the main gate; I heard they're digging pits and burying corpses over there."

"Are they going to bury them right at the main gate? Will we still have this Southern Palace Villa afterwards?"

"Who knows? This isn't something we should worry about..."

"The damned Zhong family, it's all their fault!"

"Just wait, the Zhong family will surely be exterminated to the ninth degree!"

However, many in the crowd then fell into deathly silence.

Because the Zhong family's in-laws have extensive ties.

In the imperial capital, when speaking of the nine-clans extermination, no fewer than twenty families would be implicated!

Just like right now, in this Southern Mountain Villa, there are several in-laws of the Zhong family...

Their faces were ashen, like walking corpses, showing despair.

Li Qingluo supported Pei Lao Furen as they walked slowly toward the back door in order.

She looked somewhat anxious, continually lifting her head to look around, but she didn't see Pan Li and the Southern Ping Young Lady.

Fortunately, she saw Cui Ninth Daughter.

Cui Ninth Daughter's eyes were red and swollen, her arm wrapped in bandages, obviously injured.

She followed the Cui family from far behind with a numb expression; it seems the Cui family also met with misfortune.

Li Qingluo also didn't dare to leave the group rashly, so she whispered two sentences to Que'er.

When Que'er returned, her expression already bore grief: "Miss, the Cui family's Eleventh Miss has unfortunately... perished."

Li Qingluo had not seen Eleventh Daughter at the Cui residence just now; although she had already guessed, hearing the truth still made her heart sink heavily.

Pei Lao Furen also sighed sadly: "What a pity..."

Cui Eleventh Daughter was the legitimate second daughter of the Cui family's main line; she was straightforward, innocent and lovable.

At such a young age, like a flower, she was thus cut down in this turmoil.

Zheng Mama: "The Lotus Sect and the Zhong family are truly hateful! They deserve death!"

Que'er: "Miss, I just passed by and heard them say, that noble person of the Pei family is also... gone."

Que'er was referring to Pei Zixuan.

She was taken from the hunting grounds by the Crown Prince and handed over to the Empress; perhaps they never intended for her to survive.

It wasn't necessary for the Empress to act herself.

When the incident occurred, as long as she was abandoned and ignored, it was extremely easy to lose her life.

Li Qingluo felt nothing about it; Pei Zixuan had already become her enemy, so her death was just death.

However, Grandmother's expression still looked rather unpleasant.

They are all Pei family members, connected by blood, and not something strangers can easily overlook.

Li Qingluo then had Que'er go inquire about the rest of the Pei family.

Que'er returned saying that aside from the Pei Duke and his wife sustaining minor injuries, the rest were fine.

Moreover, the Pei heir also intervened to save the Cui family.

Pei Jingzhe this time displayed great talent; not only did he help the Cui family, he also earned great merit for rescuing the imperial carriage.

The Pei family producing such an eldest legitimate son is indeed fortunate.

Unfortunately, all the males of the Pei family have been infected with the Gu toxin of Zulya; it's unknown whether Pei Jingzhe, upon returning to Jinling, has also shown symptoms.

Finally, it was Li Qingluo's group's turn to reach the side gate; just as they were about to leave, shouting came from beside a water well.

"You wretched thing, actually hiding here!"

"What a lowly life, just because you're still alive!"

"Come out!"

"If you don't hurry up and follow us away, I'll chop you up!"

Li Qingluo followed the sound and saw Liu Qingzhu covered in bloodstains and disarray.

It's unknown how she managed to escape this disaster.

It looks like she crawled through a pile of corpses.

"Spare me, spare me. Please, just treat me as if I were dead——"

Perhaps she saw over here an old acquaintance she once knew, as well as Li Qingluo, whom she utterly despised.

Liu Qingzhu's face flashed with a conflicted ferocity.

In the end, the desire to survive overcame her shame; she flung herself to the ground and kowtowed to the crowd: "Save me——"

"Su Seven——"

"Huang Four——"

"Save me, please save me——"

"I don't want to go back to the Fourth Prince's mansion, sob sob——"

"I'd rather be dead than alive; truly, I'd rather be dead! Please, for the sake of our past affection, save me——"

Pei Lao Furen shook her head and sighed: "Sinful, retribution."

However, the two young ladies who were asked for help by Liu Qingzhu felt only ill omen.

"Go, give her a little lesson, so she dares not directly call our young ladies' names in the future."

"What lowly thing, even worthy of mentioning the past?"

"Really disgusting."

The servants of the Su and Huang families all rushed over and punched and kicked this Liu Qiongzhu.

The people of the Fourth Prince's mansion stood to the side, watching the fun.

Liu Qiongzhu's miserable cries came in waves; she glanced toward Li Qiongluo, then quickly looked away.

She knew that the person who hated her most in this world was Li Qiongluo herself.

So, even if she bit her own tongue until it bled, she did not humiliate herself by bowing to her.

Li Qiongluo looked toward Zheng Mama and whispered a few words.

Zheng Mama nodded immediately and quickly walked over.

Zheng Mama soon had everyone stopped.

Facing the hostile gazes of the Su and Huang families, she merely smiled and said, "With so many people watching, bullying a poor girl like this—do you really think it makes your family mighty?"

"It's getting dark soon. I urge you all to hurry and follow your masters away."

After driving everyone away, Zheng Mama then gave half a tael of silver to the servant woman who had come to seize Liu Qiongzhu.

"Granny, why not just treat her as dead?"

"You know our young lady bears a grudge against her. Give us a chance to torment her properly."

That granny felt embarrassed: "But… so many people saw this; I can't well explain it to my master."

Zheng Mama said: "Then just say that on the way back she suffered serious injuries…"

Saying this, Zheng Mama stuffed another half tael of silver into her hand.

All together, that came to seven or eight taels.

Only then did that granny's face break into a smile.

"She's just an ill‑omened thing; bringing her back will only annoy our mistress, won't it?"

"I say, with injuries that severe, she's as good as useless!"

That granny then kicked Liu Qiongzhu hard in the legs twice before leaving.