Chapter 266: Wuqing's background

After resting for a while, Lin Fan prepared to embark on his journey again.

"I am planning to go to the Great Song capital, Shangjing. Who among you will accompany me?"

"Let Huang Rong go. Look at how proud she looks!"

Yang Yan smiled and teased Huang Rong, who was full of sweetness just now.

"I won't. I'm developing a new pastry recently and want Brother Fan to taste it."

"Really? Is it delicious?"

Little Dragon Maiden leaned toward Huang Rong, her eyes shining as she asked.

Li Mo Chou shook her head, always feeling that her junior sister had been led astray. Little Dragon Maiden wouldn't turn into a "little steamed bun" in the future, right? Ugh, just thinking about it was scary!

Then all the women returned to the portable small world, and only Wuqing stayed by Lin Fan's side.

"Wuqing—no, I should call you Sheng Yayu. Yayu, do you want to know the truth about the massacre of your family back then?"

Lin Fan held Wuqing in his arms and rode the Night-Shining Jade Lion toward Shangjing City.

"Just call me Wuqing. When we first met, you called me Wuqing! As for my background? My Sheng family was wiped out, leaving only me. It was Uncle who arrived to save me and avenged me. Is there something wrong with that?"

Wuqing was astonished. Was there something wrong with her background?

"No. When Zhuge Zhengwo arrived back then, you should have already been dead. It was one of the killers who suddenly had a change of heart, showed mercy, let you go, and protected you, which is why you were able to survive. Otherwise, by the time Zhuge Zhengwo arrived, your Sheng family would have surely been wiped out to the last person."

The truth might be cruel, but Lin Fan felt Wuqing had the right to know.

"But Uncle told me he had killed all the killers who wiped out my family."

Wuqing, in Lin Fan's arms, trembled all over, then said in a melancholy tone.

"That was him lying to you. He didn't kill a single one, because they were all in the same group. The difference was that the first twelve were sent to wipe out your Sheng family, while Zhuge Zhengwo was sent to stop them."

"What? How is this possible? Uncle and the killers who wiped out my family are in the same group? Under the same person? Who was the killer who showed mercy, and why did he let me go in the end?"

"Since Zhuge Zhengwo is in the same group as them, then as for who the killer who showed mercy was, you have to look at who has been best to you since you were a child."

Lin Fan sighed and hugged Wuqing tightly to prevent her from losing her composure and falling off the horse after learning the truth.

"Are you saying Tie Youxia, Brother Tie Shou? Why?"

Wuqing's voice was shrill. The uncle she regarded as a father was actually in the same group as those who wiped out her family, and Tie Shou, whom she had always treated as a brother, was one of the true culprits. This was truly a devastating blow to her.

"Back then, there were eight incorruptible officials in the capital who were preparing to jointly impeach Qin Gui for colluding with the Jin people. Who knew that someone among them would leak the secret? Not only did they not hand over all the evidence to the Emperor, but they also ran to Qin Gui to tip him off. Qin Gui learned of this and sent people to kill all 183 people from seven families in one night. Only one family was safe and sound—your father, the second-place scholar Sheng Dingtian's family."

"On the surface, it looked like your father was greedy for power, defected to Qin Gui, and sold out his friends for glory. The Emperor was furious and ordered Prince An to gather twelve experts to wipe out your Sheng family. One of them was Tie Youxia. He was actually a survivor from one of the eight incorruptible officials' families, originally named Kong Balang. He should have taken revenge by wiping out your Sheng family, but seeing you reminded him of his own family's encounter, so he couldn't bear it and saved you."

Lin Fan gently rested his chin on Wuqing's head, wanting to give her some comfort.

He could feel Wuqing's body trembling violently, but the truth was just that cruel. He had to let Wuqing know; otherwise, if Wuqing accidentally learned the truth later, she might think he had intentionally hidden it from her.

"Then Husband, my father... did my father really..."

Wuqing's voice trembled. She wanted to know the truth, but she was also afraid to know it.

"It's fake. Your father was innocent; he was just a tool used by Qin Gui to kill someone. The Emperor Zhao Gou was his blade. This is killing the person and destroying their heart. Your father and the others were incorruptible officials who impeached Qin Gui for the Emperor Zhao Gou, yet Qin Gui used the Emperor's hand to wipe out your Sheng family. He just wanted to use this matter to tell the world that loyal officials have no good end."

"The Emperor is cold and heartless. He sent the eight incorruptible officials to collect evidence of Qin Gui's collusion with the Jin people, but after the other seven families were silenced, he suspected your father and sent people to wipe out your Sheng family. But he was also worried that this move would cause dissatisfaction among the loyal officials and righteous people in the court, so he hypocritically sent Zhuge Zhengwo to stop it. Unfortunately, if not for Tie Shou's mercy, by the time Zhuge Zhengwo arrived, everything would have been too late."

"The Sheng family was wiped out, Qin Gui was happy, and Zhao Gou vented his anger. The ones who are always hurt are the small people at the bottom. What incorruptible officials and loyal officials? They are just blades in the Emperor's hands. Qin Gui was powerful, and Zhao Gou couldn't afford to offend him. Even if he was forced by a conspiracy, he still sent people to wipe out the Sheng family, who were loyal to him."

These infamous foolish emperors in history—serving as a loyal official under them was like having one's head tied to one's pants. They were amiable when they needed you, and they would execute your whole family when they didn't. The ugly face of those in power was evident.

"Then why did the Emperor leave me, the daughter of a traitorous official, and let me grow up in the Divine Marquis Mansion?"

Wuqing's voice was hoarse. She had shed enough tears today. Lin Fan was riding the horse, circling Wuqing's waist, and could feel large teardrops falling onto his hand one by one.

"Wiping out the Sheng family was to bow to Qin Gui and ease the situation in the court. Leaving you behind was to put on a show for the loyal officials and righteous people so they wouldn't lose heart and turn against him. This is the art of the Emperor. Even if Zhao Gou was foolish and incompetent, the art of the Emperor was deep in his marrow, just like an instinct."

"Husband, what should I do?"

Wuqing was like a helpless little beast, hiding in Lin Fan's arms, begging for protection.

"This depends on your choice. As long as you want revenge, then what does it matter if I kill Qin Gui and Zhao Gou for you? After the battle with Di Shitian, I have had a breakthrough. Within three days, I will definitely be able to advance to the Heaven-Human Unity realm. By then, even if it's an Earth Immortal, I will have the power to fight!"

Lin Fan said in a heroic tone.

Killing a treacherous prime minister and an emperor—as long as he was willing, who in the world could not be killed?

"Husband, you are so good. But my father was a loyal official his whole life. As his daughter, I don't want him to have a bad reputation after he dies, so let's kill Qin Gui. This traitor harmed loyal officials and threw the world into chaos; he deserves to die!"

Wuqing, with tears like rain, looked pitifully at Lin Fan and said.

"Fine, you say kill Qin Gui, then we will kill Qin Gui!"

Damn Qin Gui, for actually making his woman shed tears. Just wait; when the time comes, he would even split the earthworms in Qin Gui's mansion in half.

If Zhao Gou dared to stop him, he would kill him too. Treacherous officials and foolish emperors were all the same—they deserved to die.

Wuqing's emotions gradually stabilized, and Lin Fan also gradually accelerated. The two of them on one horse headed toward Shangjing City. ===== CHAPTER 268 =====