Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 477 Old Grudges Remain
Li Zhao was deeply shocked.

He finally understood why Xue Sui possessed such methods and character, and why so many talented individuals were hidden in the Old Mausoleum Swamp. It wasn't just an assassin organization, but a deeply rooted intelligence and restoration dark web.

The air was still, and the taut string seemed about to snap at any moment.

Blind Jing Shan turned to Emperor Chongzhao and continued her unfinished accusations.

"But the road to restoring the kingdom is by no means easy. Your Li family has been ruthless, sending secret guards and hounds to hunt down the remnants of the previous dynasty... That traitor Xiao Yan even infiltrated the Old Mausoleum Swamp to spy on me, and he killed my fourth sister..."

"I know nothing, Qihuang, I know nothing about these things..." Emperor Chongzhao's throat tightened, and he tried to get up, but was forced back down by the dagger at his neck.

"After I ascended the throne, I issued an edict designating the old mausoleum marshland as a forbidden area of ​​the court, forbidding anyone from setting foot there without authorization, and ordered officials to offer sacrifices every year..."

"Shut up!" Jing Shan interrupted sharply, her lips trembling with anger.

She looked at Emperor Chongzhao, the man she had hated her whole life.

"Li Qi, you issued an edict designating the Old Mausoleum Marsh as a forbidden area and sent officials to offer sacrifices every year. Was it truly to appease the spirits of the dead? Or were you afraid that the two hundred thousand wronged souls would come after you in your dreams? You know the answer better than anyone else!"

Emperor Chongzhao's face was ashen, and his lips moved slightly.

"Qihuang, if I told you... that I was the one who secretly advised you to go to Puji Temple to fast and pray for Emperor Yong before the palace coup, would you believe me?"

Jing Shan retorted sharply, "Still lying. If it weren't for the abbot's secret assistance back then, I would have died by your guards' swords long ago..."

Emperor Chongzhao closed his eyes, unable to bear looking at her resentful face any longer.

"The day before the palace coup, I sent people to Puji Temple, ordering them to escort you away from the capital to avoid disaster in Jiangnan... But the people I sent returned to report that you had vanished without a trace... I thought that you ultimately did not believe me..."

Looking at Jing Shan, who was filled with boundless hatred, he spoke with great sorrow.

"Later, I searched for you everywhere, but there was no news... until I received news that you had met with misfortune, only then did I give up my hopes..."

"You're not looking for me, you're clearly hunting me down—"

Jing Shan's voice was shrill, like torn silk, "The soldiers of the new dynasty are searching for the remnants of the previous dynasty inside and outside the capital, not even sparing three-year-old children... My fourth sister and I are hiding in a cave in the Western Mountains, surviving by gnawing on tree bark and drinking snow water, and we were almost discovered by your secret guards several times..."

Her shoulders trembled violently, and her breathing became rapid. "Tell me, what were you doing then? Were you in the manor, embracing beauties, drinking fine wine, and living a life of debauchery? Or were you helping your father plot how to eliminate them all?"

Emperor Chongzhao breathed a heavy sigh of relief and said weakly, "Qihuang, I am to blame for what happened at the Old Mausoleum Swamp... but I never intended to take your life... I thought you would understand that I was also acting against my will at that time..."

"I understand? I understand the wolfish ambitions of you father and son? I understand that you would kill all the loyal and innocent soldiers and slaughter all the innocent soldiers for the throne?" Jing Shan's voice was shrill.

"Li Qi, your hypocritical act disgusts me more and more."

Emperor Chongzhao stopped arguing, his eyes filled with despair.

"Karma...this is all retribution..."

He murmured, his voice so low it was almost inaudible, “I…I was young then, and although I felt the methods were cruel and against the natural order, I…I was blinded by imperial power and acquiesced…After ascending the throne, in order to consolidate my power, I was timid and hesitant, and kept covering it up…I am guilty.”

A cold laugh escaped Jing Shan's throat. "Can a single word of guilt outweigh the lives of two hundred thousand innocent souls?"

"The person I have wronged the most in my life is you, Qihuang." Emperor Chongzhao stroked the edge of the bed, his eyelids half-closed, and a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Since you've come to take my life today, so be it. Anyway... I owe you one..."

Jing Shan stared at him with her blind eyes, as if suppressing surging hatred, "Look at your crumbling empire, look at your abandoned and deserted state, look at your terminal illness and withered appearance, Li Qi, how much forgiveness can your life earn?"

Emperor Chongzhao remained silent, then collapsed slumped down in despair.

He valued his reputation above all else and never imagined that one day he would be stripped bare and humiliated in front of everyone, leaving him with absolutely no dignity...

After a long while, he struggled to lift his eyelids and looked in Jing Shan's direction. Even though he knew Jing Shan couldn't see him, he still mustered all his strength to give her a slight smile.

"Your Highness, draft the decree."

Li Zhao stepped forward, but Emperor Chongzhao suddenly coughed, his voice weakening. "I... am issuing an edict of self-reproach. I proclaim to the world that the case of the Old Mausoleum Marsh was my fault. I failed to stop my father and Xiao Song's conspiracy back then, and afterwards, I covered up the truth for the sake of power, causing loyal officials to be wronged and soldiers to die tragically... I... am ashamed before the world..."

“Too late.” Jing Shan interrupted abruptly. “Do you think a simple edict of self-reproach can erase the blood feud of 200,000 people? Li Qi, your repentance is worthless.”

"Then, Qihuang... what will it take for you to give up?" Emperor Chongzhao asked, with his last hope.

Jing Shan raised her head, her voice resolute.

"From this moment forward, the throne shall be abdicated to the descendants of the Dayong royal family, restoring the legitimate lineage of Dayong—let the new ruler cleanse the filth, purify the world, restore the innocence of the deceased, and bring peace to the hearts of the living."

Emperor Chongzhao paused for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.

"Even if I were to issue an edict, among the court officials and the people of the land, who would recognize a suddenly appearing orphan of the previous dynasty? And..."

As she spoke, she looked at Li Zhao again, pointing at him with a complicated expression.

"Qihuang, he... is my retribution. Now, the affairs of the Great Liang Kingdom are entirely in the hands of the Crown Prince, and I alone cannot make decisions..."

Jing Shan seemed to have anticipated his words, and with a cold smile, she suddenly turned her gaze to Li Zhao.

"Your Highness, what will you choose?"

Her voice carried a hint of cold mockery, as well as a penetrating pressure.

"Do you intend to resist stubbornly, watch your father die on the spot, and bear the name of unfilial piety? Or do you fulfill your filial duty, realize the times, and live out your remaining years in peace?"

Li Zhao's lips curled up, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Old man, if you want my life, why bother taking Father hostage? Just do it directly. Let's see... whether you have the ability."

"Ignorant brat, how arrogant!" Jing Shan sneered, with a strange hint of pity in her eyes.

"Do you think you can escape today? So what if you've laid a net of heaven and earth? No matter how high your martial arts are, can you be faster than my disciple's sword? Faster than my Big Dipper Seven Gates' ultimate killing formation? Even if you dodge all of that... can you escape the Love Silk Gu that my disciple planted?"

"So?" Li Zhao spoke slowly, his sharp gaze fixed on her, "You went to great lengths to cultivate Ping An, sending her to the capital to get close to the royal family, all for the sake of restoring the country from the very beginning?"

“Indeed,” Jing Shan readily admitted. “She was my most prized disciple, and also my sharpest blade, meant to sever the Li family’s dynasty. Alas…”

Her tone suddenly turned cold.

"This knife is utterly useless. In the end, it fell in love with the son of my enemy. Thirteen, you have disappointed your master greatly."

She spoke the last sentence towards the palace gate.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Xue Sui had been standing at the door at some point.

Her wedding dress was a striking red, her phoenix crown had been removed, and the long sword in her hand was stained with blood, indicating that she had rushed in. Her breath was slightly short, and her skirt was covered with dust, but her dignified demeanor was not diminished in the slightest.

“Master.” Xue Sui’s voice was a little hoarse.

As she walked into the hall, her gaze swept lightly over the hostage emperor, then over the tense Li Zhao and Tian Shu, and finally settled on Jing Shan's face, which was filled with hatred.

"I have disappointed you."

Her voice was not loud, but clear and firm.

"I cannot give you Li Zhao's life."

She paused, exchanged a glance with Li Zhao, took a deep breath, and her voice became even more somber.

“But my life was given to me by my master. If my master feels that I am disobedient and unfilial and wants to expel me from the sect... I will have no complaints.”

　Li Zhao: Peace has come, that's good. Come on, let's go to the bridal chamber first...

　　Xue Sui: !!!
　　(End of this chapter)