Chapter 543

Li Qingluo still hadn't spoken when Que'er couldn't help but roll her eyes first.

Yo, at this time you're still showing off? I thank you.

If we hadn't been kept beside the Seventh Princess, Your Highness, our young lady would have already escaped.

Now you're the ones asking people to do things—speak more politely!

And you still want to question us afterwards? Let's first see if we can survive till tonight before we talk about it.

Besides, your princess has always owed us a favor—now we're supposed to feel grateful to you first?

When asking for help, you must have the proper attitude.

The Seventh Princess's face showed embarrassment.

As a princess, she must never have experienced such embarrassment and humiliation.

Meanwhile, her palace maids and granny, in a panic, actually knelt down to Que'er and Li Qingluo.

"Please, please, save our master——just now the servants spoke wrongly, the servants beg your forgiveness——"

Saying this, the group of palace maids and granny began to kowtow.

Li Qingluo leapt down and in one motion shoved the Seventh Princess onto her back.

Alright.

I originally wouldn't abandon the Princess, Your Highness—I went up first just to scout the terrain, to see if you could climb up.

Hold on tight.

Having said that, she turned and quickly climbed up the rockery.

The Seventh Princess shrieked repeatedly; she hadn't even steadied her footing on the rockery when two more princesses came up from below.

Save us, also save us——

Li Qingluo looked at Jin Ying and A Lan; the three exchanged a glance, then all went down to rescue people.

Not only the masters, but the palace maids also brought many up onto the rockery.

Soon, the rockery was crowded with people.

When Marquis Wei Wu arrived here, he found everyone had fled to the rockery; since he hadn't intended to make things difficult for a group of women, he quickly gave up on this side.

He drew his sword and charged at those princes.

"You, the Zongzheng clan, want to force our Wei Wu Hou mansion to death—then let's meet the same fate via different paths——"

These years, Marquis Wei Wu has long become a pawn of the Chu Emperor.

When his eldest daughter was granted in marriage to the Fourth Prince, he was forced to board the Fourth Prince's ship.

But he has always been loyal to the emperor and patriotic, only wishing to guard the frontier.

He did not want the entire marquisate to participate in the succession struggle.

However, Zongzheng Wuxie harbors great ambition.

Marquis Wei Wu also early on saw that what the Chu Emperor truly wanted to temper was still the Crown Prince.

Even if Zongzheng Wuxie does a lot more, he may still end up just a traitor!

And because of the Fourth Prince's consort, their Wei Wu Hou mansion will become traitors!

At that time, Marquis Wei Wu realized he either had to help the Fourth Prince carve a bloody path out, or else just wait for the Fourth Prince's defeat and perish along with the whole mansion.

But how could he resign himself to that?

He assisted two emperors, for the great meritorious deeds in the war of Great Chu—surely he deserves some favor from the Chu Emperor?

"Until just now, the Fourth Prince seemed about to be unseated by the Witchcraft Technique, and he himself was apprehended on the spot by the Chu Emperor without mercy."

Only then did Marquis Wei Wu and his son angrily counterattack, hoping to stake everything in one final effort for the whole family.

Today, if they father and son cannot break out of the encirclement, the entire Wei Wu Hou mansion will surely face extermination!

Thinking of this, Marquis Wei Wu, grief-stricken, seized the Second Prince's neck and raised his blade, ready to behead him.

Seeing this, the Chu Emperor, eyes red, pointed at Marquis Wei Wu: "Marquis Wei Wu, you dare!! You dare to strike, I will have your entire Wei Wu Hou ground to ashes!!"

With that sound, Duan Rongshi also struck down the heir of Marquis Wei Wu to the ground.

Seeing this brave cavalry general actually possess such skill, Marquis Wei Wu couldn't help but wryly smile.

Ha, haha——

No wonder you would seize us father and son without mercy.

Originally from your entourage, and now you have produced such a divine general.

But young man, Zongzheng Langri today treats us father and son this way, and in the future will also treat you this way.

Duan Rongshi pointed his sword at the heir of Marquis Wei Wu's neck and coldly said: "Stop the nonsense. You have lost."

Marquis Wei Wu: "Lost?"

If you dare kill my son, I will kill the Second Prince!

Your Majesty, you surely won't even disregard your own son, will you?

The Chu Emperor was so angry that the flesh on his face kept trembling.

Marquis Wei Wu, you dare threaten me——

Come, have him shot to death for me—I want him to become a bloody hole! Kill!!

Second Prince: "Father, save your servant——"

However, the Chu Emperor had no intention of sparing his son's life; he hated Marquis Wei Wu even more for daring to threaten him like that!

Only saw him wave his hand, and behind him dozens of the Imperial Forest Army, ready in formation, sprang out.

Seeing this, the heir of Marquis Wei Wu on the ground turned deathly pale.

As it turns out, all of this really was in that tyrant's calculations!

Even if this Li Wu doesn't break out, perhaps I could never kill him……

No matter whether he had long planned it, this tyrant will surely today drive father and son to their deaths on the Snow‑Treading Platform.

"No……"

"Father——run——"

The heir of Marquis Wei Wu turned his head; amidst the shrill cries, the arrows behind the Emperor of Chu had already turned into a rain of arrows, all shooting toward Marquis Wei Wu.

Marquis Wei Wu clung tightly to the Second Prince; even if they jumped into the wine pool, they were instantly turned into a porcupine, countless arrows piercing their hearts.

He lay in the wine pool, arrows covering his body like a thicket of thorns.

The ruthless Emperor of Chu turned this general, who had once guarded the entire Chu dynasty with his life, into a corpse soaking in the wine pool.

Together with his own second son, they died with eyes wide open, unable to rest in peace.

The heir of Marquis Wei Wu let out a mad‑like howl.

"No——!!"

Duan Rongshi kicked his head with a foot, sending him tumbling down the steps.

Standing on the steps, Duan Rongshi raised his head to look toward the artificial hill.

Although he said nothing, Li Qingluo, who had been watching this side, suddenly understood his intent.

She swiftly lifted her hand, pulled her sleeve, the sleeve‑arrow sliced through the darkness, and one arrow pierced deep into the chest of the Marquis Wei Wu's heir, who had just struggled to his feet.

The heir of Marquis Wei Wu stared wide‑eyed, incredulously lowering his gaze to the fresh blood trickling from his chest.

Duan Rongshi quickly stepped forward and struck him with a palm, knocking him into the wine pool.

Soon, the heir of Marquis Wei Wu fell still.

Duan Rongshi slipped his sword behind his back, turned, and reported to the Emperor of Chu: "Your Majesty, the rebel Marquis Wei Wu and his son have been slain on the spot; please advise."

The Emperor of Chu said: "Hang the corpses of Marquis Wei Wu and his son at the western city gate, expose them for three days to warn the populace. Exterminate every member of the Marquis Wei Wu's household!"

"Punish the nine clans."

"The Fourth Prince need not come to see me again."

"Imprison him in the heavenly prison for life—never to set foot outside again!"

The Empress and the Crown Prince wore smiles they could not contain.

But Jin Yun, upon hearing this result, wore a look of disappointment.

Li Qingluo said: "Don't rush; we still lack the final spark."

That witchcraft plot, though devised by myself and Jin Yun,

but the affair provoked by the Marquis Wei Wu's father and son was something Li Qingluo had never anticipated.

Now, confining Zongzheng Wuxie completely in the heavenly prison is already an unexpected gain tonight.

She also felt regret for the Marquis Wei Wu's household in her heart.

Though they were people of Chu, as loyal soldiers who loved their country and guarded the borders for decades, they met such an end.

She only hoped that her arrow just now would not betray the deep meaning in Duan Rongshi's gaze when he looked toward her.