A fortunate imperial guard who hadn’t been bitten trembled, his lips quivering as he spoke with difficulty, “We saw those snakes disappear with our own eyes! They really vanished on their own! What do we do now? Silver-ringed snakes! They’re highly venomous! They can kill!”
Imperial Physician Chen frowned disapprovingly. “If they exist, they exist. If they don’t, they don’t. How could they just disappear? Don’t spout such nonsense! If the Emperor hears this, he’ll have your heads!”
The group of imperial physicians didn’t believe their story either. How could the snakes just vanish for no reason? Yet if there were no snakes, the wounds were undeniably real!
Several physicians huddled together to discuss what to do, but this potent venom was incredibly difficult to handle. Unless they could find a poison master from the jianghu, but those martial artists had always been at odds with the imperial family and would never help.
Deputy Commander Liu looked at his brother on the ground, whose face had already turned bluish-purple, and then at the physicians shaking their heads one after another. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.
It’s over. The Liu family is finished this time.
In the vast General’s Mansion, news of what had happened quickly spread to the imperial guards stationed at the outhouse in the side courtyard and the officials in charge of the exile. Their faces instantly paled.
A routine confiscation had suddenly turned into the commander being poisoned by a deadly venom, and the deputy commander had made everything in the armory disappear.
Would they even make it out alive?
Seeing that the situation here was already settled, Xie Zhizhi returned to the armory, took away all the chests, not even leaving a single lock behind, and quietly slipped back to the Original Host’s room.
Finding that Jing Yi and Jing Er were no longer there, she cleared out all the items in the room.
Then she sneaked into other guest rooms, the general’s master bedroom, the Original Host’s brother’s room, and the kitchen, emptying them all before leaving the General’s Mansion.
Next step: head to the palace.
…
The Palace.
Imperial Study.
Beside the vermilion palace pillars stood a majestic and imposing dragon throne, upon which the Emperor of Daxing sat.
The old emperor was over forty, short and stout, with a square face full of fleshy folds. His eyes, wrinkled and layered, held a yellowish gleam, reflecting the shrewdness of a ruler and the cunning cruelty of a schemer.
He glared at the imperial guard reporting below, slammed the table in anger, and stood up abruptly. “What did you say? Repeat it for me!”
The imperial guard shrank back fearfully and repeated what he had just said.
“Your Majesty, when the imperial guards went to confiscate the General’s Mansion, they found the study emptied out. Silver-ringed snakes also appeared and bit the commander. The imperial physicians have already gone to treat him. And… the imperial guards sent another message, saying… saying the deputy commander secretly emptied out everything in the armory.”
“And… and… Xie Xiao… Zhizhi couldn’t be found anywhere in the entire General’s Mansion. Moreover, those snakes mysteriously disappeared as well. The imperial guards say there’s… there’s a ghost in the General’s Mansion.”
As the guard uttered the last word, his heart filled with anxiety. The Emperor’s gaze was terrifying, as if he wanted to devour someone. The guard kept his head lowered, not daring to look up.
“Outrageous! What ghost? The armory is so large, where could everything have gone?” The Emperor flew into a rage, his fleshy face trembling as he sneered coldly. “The deputy commander emptied the armory? The study was emptied too? Do the two Liu brothers have that much capability? Do they think my hundred or so imperial guards are nothing but air?”
The Emperor didn’t believe in ghosts or deities at all. Instead, he was furious that the imperial guards were blaming everything on a ghost. Talk of ghosts and deities was a major taboo for the imperial family!
This whole group must have a death wish!At present, the most important task is to exile the guards and servants of the General’s Mansion, as well as the collateral branches of the Xie family. Otherwise, where would the Emperor’s dignity lie?
Xie Zhizhi is foolish and brainless, only concerned with trivial matters of affection. She cannot accomplish anything significant, and there will always be a way to find her and eliminate the threat once and for all.
The Emperor did not take Xie Zhizhi seriously at all and could not understand why the State Preceptor kept emphasizing the need to kill her.
“Convey my orders! Immediately exile the Xie family’s nine clans, with supervising officials closely following to oversee the process! No delays! The scandal that occurred at the General’s Mansion must never be made public, or where would the Emperor’s dignity lie? If anyone spreads rumors because of this, the blame will fall entirely on your head! Also, issue an immediate warrant for Xie Zhizhi’s arrest!”
“Imperial Guard Commander Liu Fu mismanaged his duties, leading to the imperial guards spreading falsehoods, fabricating facts, and losing ten thousand taels of gold. He is ordered to return to the palace immediately to receive punishment! If he dies, the Liu family need not live either! They shall be exiled alongside the Xie family!”
“Yes!” The imperial guard in attendance nodded repeatedly, fearing the flames would reach him. After bowing, he immediately left the study.
The Emperor’s murky yet shrewd eyes surveyed the silent and cold imperial study. His deep-seated suspicion would not allow him to overlook anyone who might betray him!
After a long pause, he spoke cruelly: “Shadow One, anyone who dares to spread rumors of ghosts and gods in Daxing or betray me shall be executed without mercy!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” A dark figure accepted the order and left the palace.
The Emperor, filled with rage, glared sharply at the memorials on the desk and swept them to the ground with a crash, scattering them everywhere.
The Eunuch stood nearby, not daring to speak.
The Emperor pondered again and again. How could the imperial guards under his command dare to conspire together to betray him? Otherwise, how could the vast study and armory be emptied by just the two Liu brothers alone?
Did they truly think he had grown old and foolish?
And to use snakes to cover their tracks?
Their calculations were utterly mistaken!