Chapter 571: The Death of Empress Dowager Yuan

The sound of flesh tearing rang out as the hairpin plunged deep into his chest. The National Advisor looked down at the bloody wound in his chest, his eyes filled with utter disbelief.

He had never dreamed that Empress Dowager Yuan would kill him by her own hand.

Empress Dowager Yuan, her strength nearly gone, collapsed weakly to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

She turned her head to look at Hua Feixue, a bitter smile on her face.

"I... I have fought against others in the palace my entire life. I never dreamed that in the end, I would be defeated by you. This... this is my punishment."

All the experiences of her life flashed before her eyes.

Her naive youth, the nervous trepidation of first entering the palace. After tasting the sweetness of power, her ambition swelled ever larger, even to the point of vainly hoping to find the treasure map and divine sword in the forbidden grounds to unify the world.

But in the end, it was nothing more than a fleeting fantasy, a dream that would ultimately come to nothing.

Empress Dowager Yuan closed her eyes, unwilling to accept her fate.

The National Advisor, having been stabbed through the heart with injuries too severe, also closed his eyes in resentment.

Nanny An, seeing that both Empress Dowager Yuan and the National Advisor were dead, shook with fear. She immediately dropped to her knees and begged Hua Feixue for mercy.

"Spare my life, Your Highness the Crown Prince! This servant knows the evidence of Empress Dowager Yuan's partisan scheming, embezzlement of military supplies, and wrongful execution of officials over the years. As long as Your Highness spares this servant's life, this servant will present all this evidence to Your Highness."

Hua Feixue looked down at her, his face calm and unruffled, but in his heart, he felt nothing but disgust.

What he hated most was this kind of servant who betrayed their master for personal gain.

He had thought Nanny An was loyal to Empress Dowager Yuan, but now it seemed she was nothing of the sort.

A mocking smile curled at the corners of Hua Feixue's lips as he agreed.

"Very well. As long as you write down in detail, as a written confession, all the evidence of the Old Witch's crimes and the misdeeds she committed over the years, and press your fingerprint, and hand it over to me, I will consider sparing your life."

Hearing this, Nanny An was beside herself with joy. She quickly said, "Rest assured, Your Highness. This servant will definitely write down all the evil deeds the Empress Dowager has done and tell you everything."

After she spoke, Hua Feixue had someone bring paper and a brush, and had her begin writing down evidence of Empress Dowager Yuan's crimes over the years.

He needed such a formal indictment to proclaim to the world what Empress Dowager Yuan had done, to clear the Chu imperial clan's name, and to give justice to those innocent people who had died at her hands.

Nanny An held the brush and wrote for a full hour before finishing the list of Empress Dowager Yuan's crimes.

This included how Empress Dowager Yuan had poisoned the Late Emperor, imprisoned Emperor Chu, forced the Empress to her death, and murdered princes and princesses, detailing the entire process.

After Hua Feixue finished reading, his hands trembled with rage, for Empress Dowager Yuan's methods were even crueler than he had imagined.

A flicker of anger surged in his deep, dark eyes. Then Nanny An asked cautiously, "Your Highness, I have done everything you asked. Now can you let me go?"

Now that Empress Dowager Yuan was dead, she had no reason to stay in the palace. She only wanted to leave the palace, change her name, and live the life of an ordinary commoner.

Hua Feixue looked at her with piercing eyes and sneered, "Very well. I'll send you on your way right now."

As his words fell, he signaled to the guard beside him, who immediately stepped forward and slit Nanny An's throat in one stroke.

There was no trace of emotion or sympathy in Hua Feixue's eyes.

"I only said I would consider not killing you. I never said I wouldn't let others kill you."

As Empress Dowager Yuan's right-hand woman, Nanny An had committed no fewer evil deeds than her mistress. In fact, she had done many things on Empress Dowager Yuan's behalf.

Such a person deserved to die. Hua Feixue had never intended to spare her.

Once he had the evidence, he handed it all to Shen Xiangming.

"General Shen, relay my orders. Take this evidence of Empress Dowager Yuan's crimes to the government offices and have it written into public notices, proclaiming them one by one to the world."

"Furthermore, there's no need to keep the Yuan family around any longer. Take your men and confiscate their property as well!"

Shen Xiangming could barely contain his excitement. He said respectfully, "This subordinate obeys, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

He had long been dissatisfied with the Five Great Families, but they were too powerful. Even though he was resentful, he couldn't make a dent against them.

Unexpectedly, this time, with Ji Yuntang and Hua Feixue taking action, they had wiped out the Five Great Families entirely.

He immediately led his men to seize the family's property.

Hua Feixue had people carry away the bodies of Empress Dowager Yuan and the National Advisor, wrap them in straw mats, and, after the indictment was proclaimed to the world, throw them into a mass grave.

As he was looking at Yuanchao, Xie Liuzheng walked in and said, "Your Highness, wait a moment."

Hua Feixue looked at him suspiciously. "What is it, Lord Xie?"

"Could I be allowed to bury Yuanchao's body?"

Xie Liuzheng had learned from Ji Yuntang that Yuanchao had come to see him as his first friend.

He hadn't committed any heinous crimes, and Xie Liuzheng couldn't bear to watch his body be thrown into a mass grave, devoured by wild dogs and crows.

Hua Feixue didn't refuse this request. He could understand how Xie Liuzheng felt at that moment.

"Very well, I'll allow it."

After the arrangements were made, only the finishing touches remained. Hua Feixue handed it over to Yuan Jiuan to handle, and also had him purge the remaining members of Empress Dowager Yuan's faction in the court.

He now trusted Yuan Jiuan completely.

But he also had Ji Yuntang to thank for getting Yuan Jiuan to help him so quickly.

Hua Feixue said to Ji Yuntang, "Let's go. It's time I fulfilled my promise to you."

He was referring, of course, to opening the forbidden grounds and helping Ji Yuntang get the Dragon Scale Herb.

Ji Yuntang curled her lips into a smile. "Very well, I've been waiting impatiently!"

Hua Feixue led Ji Yuntang to the forbidden grounds of the Xishu Kingdom's imperial palace.

From a distance, she could already see an ancient observation platform standing in the middle of the forbidden grounds.

On either side of the platform were written eight large characters.

Blood Moon Secluded Valley, Sacred Light Forbidden Hall.

In short, this valley was called the Sacred Light Forbidden Hall, and it could only be opened on the night of the blood moon.

Ji Yuntang looked up at the sky. Tonight there were no stars or moon, and certainly no blood moon.

She felt the so-called blood moon was nothing more than a ruse, designed to keep those with ulterior motives from setting their sights on this forbidden ground.

Ji Yuntang said to Hua Feixue, "You try it. If your blood really can't open this sealed place, we'll think of another way."

Hua Feixue nodded, took out a dagger, cut his hand, and let his blood drip into a groove on the surface.

The groove didn't react. Hua Feixue made another cut, letting the blood from his wrist flow faster.

This time, the groove finally responded, emitting a faint golden glow.

Hua Feixue's heart leaped, and he reached out to push the door open, when suddenly a strong force came from behind—Ji Yuntang shoved him hard.

"Watch out!"

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