Chapter 891: Will You Regret It?

At Zhang Zijin's realm, he could naturally tell whether Pan Yun was telling the truth or lying.

Precisely because she stood upright and accumulated virtue, with more virtue still flowing toward her, he was willing to turn a blind eye to the Empress Dowager's several secret messages and the requests from Long Hushan.

Zhang Zijin stared at her steadily for a long while, until she grew uneasy, then he withdrew his gaze and said coolly: "What are you afraid of? The new Emperor trusts you deeply; nearly half the civil and military officials in court owe you favors, and many still revere your loyalty and righteousness. Today, you are even more favored than the Zhang family's ancestors—perhaps even more than the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi himself."

Pan Yun hurriedly said: "Only a Zhang may become Zhang Zhang Tian Shi; I am merely a student of the Long Hushan Academy."

Zhang Zijin snorted: "Don't put on airs before me—how many did Zhang Li kill at Long Hushan?"

Pan Yun muttered: "Isn't Zhang Li also surnamed Zhang?"

Zhang Zijin waved his hand: "Go. Since you've begun this, keep moving forward—don't look back, don't regret."

Pan Yun rose silently, took two steps, then couldn't help turning back: "What if I've made a mistake? Still no turning back?"

Zhang Zijin replied: "Have you made a mistake?"

Pan Yun's face hardened; she said firmly: "No."

"Then do you regret it?"

Pan Yun: "No regret."

"Even if you are ruined, disgraced, and bring ruin to your family, your sect, your friends?"

Pan Yun hesitated—this was what she had all along feared.

She bowed deeply to Zhang Zijin, then turned and left.

Zhang Zijin watched her walk out; the open door slowly closed.

The imperial palace at midnight was silent, all gates shut tight, yet Pan Yun moved as if through an empty realm, gliding past every lock.

This was a small courtyard hidden deep in the inner palace, with three rooms on each of three sides; each room held three or four breathing sounds, but from the leftmost small room came a dull "thump," causing Pan Yun's steps to halt.

She paused, intending to walk on, but heard feet scrabbling against the floor and muffled, desperate scratching.

She frowned, spun around, leapt up, flew over the roof, and landed in the courtyard; in a flash, the door burst open with a "boom" as her Qi shattered it, revealing the four figures inside.

An old female official stood with hands clasped behind her back; facing her were two eunuchs, each holding one end of a white silk cord, straining to strangle the woman between them.

The door suddenly smashed open; the female official and the two eunuchs were startled, their hands loosening, turning in shock to stare.

? C〇

The woman, her neck bound, collapsed to her knees, gasping wildly with her mouth open before bursting into violent coughs.

Slowly, her mind and strength returned; she lifted her head toward the doorway.

Standing at the door was a woman in a Daoist robe, bathed in pale moonlight, like a divine being descending; without hesitation, she crawled toward her on hands and knees.

The two eunuchs snapped back to sense, immediately grabbed her, and dragged her back.

The old female official stepped sideways to block the woman, glared at Pan Yun, and barked: "How dare you! Who are you, intruding into the inner palace at night? Withdraw at once!"

The woman struggled to reach out to Pan Yun, trying to speak but unable to form words, her eyes fixed on her, tears streaming down.

Pan Yun walked slowly toward her, glanced lightly at the old female official—and the woman's body trembled, frozen in place.

Pan Yun waved her hand, sending the two eunuchs flying; she reached out, lifted the woman, studied her face, wiped away her tears, and turned to the old female official: "Who sent you? How dare you use private torture and execute a palace official within the palace? How bold!"

The woman immediately tugged Pan Yun's sleeve and shook her head slightly.

Had she not been so old, Pan Yun, seeing her so heartbreakingly weeping and subjected to such cruelty, would have suspected the new Emperor had already done something vile upon ascending the throne.

But seeing the woman's advanced age, Pan Yun suppressed her suspicions.

She casually tore off their sashes and bound all three, about to throw them to the Northern Pacification Office, when the woman stopped her, shaking her head and barely whispering: "No…"

"Why not?"

The woman gave a bitter smile: "I was going to die anyway. Thank you. I'm just… not ready to go."

Pan Yun studied her, then turned to the old female official, still unyielding despite capture, and reached out to search her.

The old female official cried out: "How dare you treat me like this—"

But Pan Yun patted her down thoroughly, pulling from her sleeve a token and a last will.

"Sui Shu?" Pan Yun looked at the woman. "Is it you?"

Sui Shu saw the will, turned pale, yet nodded.

Pan Yun smiled, holding up the will: "It says here: you were deeply favored by the Emperor, unable to bear his passing without a companion, and voluntarily chose to follow him into death to serve him still."

The more Pan Yun spoke, the whiter Sui Shu's face became, until not a trace of color remained.

Pan Yun curled her lips, turned to the old female official: "I never imagined the Empress Dowager cared so much about whether the late Emperor had someone to serve him in the afterlife. It must be my fault—had she any doubts, why didn't she come to me, but send you instead?"

Pan Yun's lips curled in a cold smile: "I should have gone to see the Empress Dowager myself—to answer her questions."

The old female official met her cold gaze and shuddered; before she could react, Pan Yun seized her and flew out; two pebbles shot through the air with a "whoosh," striking the two eunuchs with "pap, pap," freezing them in place.

Sui Shu stared, stunned, until a cold wind blew in through the door, snapping her back to awareness.

The Empress Dowager had not yet slept; in a small room to the left of her palace stood a Buddha statue, and now she knelt before it, earnestly praying and confessing.

Pan Yun slipped silently through layers of white gauze, entered the Buddha hall, saw the statue, and laughed softly—then hurled the old female official with a "thump" at the Empress Dowager's feet.

The Empress Dowager gasped, recoiled sharply; guards outside heard the noise and rushed to enter, only to find the door vanished; when they finally found it and pushed through, they arrived in another palace entirely.

Pan Yun ignored the guards endlessly circling outside, fixing her gaze on the terrified Empress Dowager.

"I thought you wouldn't be frightened—you've killed many people, surely not the type to fear."

Hearing her voice, the Empress Dowager steadied herself slightly, then recognized her: "You're Pan Yun?"

Pan Yun's face was expressionless: "Indeed, this humble Daoist."

The Empress Dowager clenched her prayer beads, her gaze laced with hatred: "Was it you who saw the late Emperor last? What did he say?"

Pan Yun's eyes held mockery, unhidden: "The late Emperor's final meeting was before the three armies—everyone saw it; this humble Daoist did not."

Pan Yun leaned close, eyes locked on hers: "As for his final words—I was not there, but I heard them: he ordered Kuang Ye to open the gates of Datong."