Chapter 38：Curtain Closes

The guests inside the banquet hall had all loosened up when the Emperor arrived with great fanfare earlier.

The imperial guards faded away but the guests didn't see the reason for it which was the threatening figures teeming in the shadows.

Now, his Majesty was even laughing and joking with the lower officials which they didn't get to do during normal days at the court.

The tension earlier flew with the wind. They didn't even know what the Empress and the others were worried about.

The Emperor's presence reassured the officials and their families.

But then, they suddenly heard the war drums resounding. The people who were having fun were all alarmed. What was it this time?

The floor even vibrated as the sounds of countless horses galloped just outside the palace walls.

Emperor Du Liang sighed. "Aish, they really did it. Zhen was hoping against all hopes that Our sons weren't that foolish. What wishful thinking..."

Only Eunuch Min Tong who was by his side all this time heard the Emperor's tiredness.

A few days ago, he almost lost his life but was saved by the Xiu people. They hid him in an unknown corner of the palace. While the Emperor pretended to be sick.

And just last night, Imperial Consort Fa visited his Majesty to offer a tonic which the Emperor drank wholeheartedly. The imperial consort never knew that the tonic she offered had been replaced as she walked over to the Sacred Sky hall.

Anyone wouldn't notice the difference. After all, the ones who replaced it could only be described as ghosts.

The Emperor then died earlier this afternoon.

As far as Eunuch Min Tong knew, there was really a corpse inside the dragon chambers that looked like the Emperor. Who knew what demonic methods his Majesty did to achieve this?

And then, bi xia travelled down the secret passageways of the royal palace to appear here at the banquet hall.

Emperor Du Liang was a master of games. If one wanted to play him, one needed to be ready to fight against a big boss dressed as a small fry.

But there were just some people who were clearly only at level 15 but thought they could do level 100.

Moments passed by and the sounds of fighting intensified that they were clearly heard even with the royal palace's thick walls.

All the officials and their families started to fear for their lives. Was there a rebellion?

But why would someone want to revolt? His Majesty was still alive and kicking!

The Emperor's lighthearted voice soothed everyone. "Beloved subjects, do not fret. Those who have sinned will pay for it tonight."

The guests felt goosebumps rising even though the Emperor's voice was cheerful. How could they not fret? Didn't half of them support the third prince? If the commotion outside happened to be the third prince's efforts to get the throne, they would be the first ones to die inside this hall!

"Someone, fetch Zhen's family. Really, why aren't they here yet? Tsk, tsk, can this winter banquet happen without them?"

A eunuch ran out as though his butt was on fire and his Majesty only watched with twinkling eyes.

He leaned his elbow on the throne's armrest and propped his chin on his fist as he waited.

No one knew what he was thinking about.

The hall was bright and warm despite the snow falling from the dark sky outside. The music never halted since the Emperor arrived and the wine didn't stop pouring. It was as though the palace was disparate to the anarchy outside these walls.

But none of the guests could complain. Why would they? Something was evidently wrong but the highest person in the hall was carefree like this. They could only suck it up and let their worries fill their heads.

Soon, the eunuch who was ordered to call the royal family and the top ministers was back.

But the scene following him was totally unexpected.

Imperial guards were dragging people who upon closer look, were the Empress, Imperial Consort Fa, their sons and daughter-in-laws, along with the left prime minister and other ministers who were close with the third prince.

Their appearances were nothing compared to what they looked like earlier. They were reduced to messy prisoners and some of them were even injured.

The imperial guards were rough in their manhandling and didn't care whether they were cold or not, wounded or not as they marched on towards the Emperor.

His Majesty who was on the raised platform looked down at his wives and sons who were tied and hauled. While all the other consorts and imperial sons and daughters knelt while trembling in front of him.

It was clear they wanted to plead for their innocence but couldn't find the voice to. In front of Da Xia's nobility, the imperial family and the top officials were lowered into this.

Yin Hua Lei who was behind everyone else slowly made her way to the front.

Everyone saw how the Gao Le princess who seemed to be the only one who was spotless and immaculate*, reverently knelt on one knee below the throne.

Her right hand formed a fist on her chest. It was the supreme salute of a military official to the sovereign. But it also carried her most genuine sympathy and consolation.

"My Lord, your Majesty... this subject has all the evidences to convict the Empress Yi An, Imperial Consort Fa, Third Prince Xia Yu Sheng, Ninth Prince Xia Yu Heng and Ninth Princess Consort Bai Chen Rong and the following ministers of colluding to harm the Monarch of Da Xia."

With a solemn face, she then kowtowed to the Emperor.

"Asking your Majesty for judgment!"

Yin Hua Lei knew... no matter how playful the Emperor displayed himself to be, being betrayed by those closest to you was still the most hurtful thing someone could experience.

Although her personal feelings really wanted to make these people pay, she couldn't shake the fact that they were supposed to be her uncle's family. She couldn't even imagine how horrible he felt right now.

Lord Yin Fang Qi took the responsibility of recounting all the offenses made by these people and the guests who weren't in the know couldn't help but be sickened and dismayed.

These were the people they normally looked up to but what had they done?

Causing the Emperor's detriment while also fighting amongst themselves. And there were even rebels outside right now.

Just where did they get the guts to plan all of these?

Throughout this time, Yin Hua Lei remained parallel to the floor. She couldn't share her Uncle Emperor's burden so she could only show her veneration.

It was her only way of comforting him.

"The facts speak for themselves. Do you have anything to say?" The Emperor asked the condemned in a solemn tone.

The Empress and Xia Yu Sheng were very unwilling but they understood the severity of their actions. They couldn't take anything back now that the light had been shed.

The third prince was a prideful individual. He did everything for his ambitions but he also knew that he couldn't blame anyone else.

His mother was the same. Empress Yi An first thought that since the Emperor was unqualified, she could put her son up there. Who knew that the most powerful man in Da Xia was only biding his time?

It was their defeat.

They didn't shout or wail. Even if they were executed, they wanted to die with dignity as Da Xia's former Empress and prince.

But Imperial Consort Fa thought otherwise. She wasn't a noblewoman to begin with. She was merely a priestess who became the victim of the Emperor's lust.

"You beast! I will kill you! I'll kill you!" The hatred she accumulated over the years bared its head.

She wanted a simple life back then but the Emperor suddenly came and took her away.

The innocence she protected dearly was lost. And the life she dreamt of was forgotten.

Now, she was convicted of a crime punishable only by death. How could she accept it?

The imperial consort became more violent, looking like a trapped beast.

Xia Yu Heng pitied his mother and gazed at his father with venom. "After taking everything away from her, you still want to kill her? Don't you know shame? Are you even considered human?!"

His voice was coarse and his right arm hung lifelessly by his side.

The imperial father who endlessly pampered him all his life was nothing but a fatuous ruler in his eyes.

But the Emperor only smiled with a sour look.

"Heng'er, did your mother tell you that Zhen never forced her? That she was the victim of some minister's scheme to control Us and was thrown on Our bed? Zhen admits our fault but your mother only blamed Us even after that minister was already punished and gone from the face of the earth. Zhen always asked forgiveness over the years but your mother's heart is closed... We don't blame her though. It's just disappointing to see Our son be so lost in his hatred."

Emperor Du Liang then turned to Bai Chen Rong.

"And you... Zhen thought that your love was pure and honest. But you're also one of the factors that pushed Our son to the point of no return. We acknowledged your high ambitions and even secretly protected you from your family but you don't know how high the sky is."

Faced with this realization, Bai Chen Rong was thunderstruck. She couldn't even speak and tears flowed from her porcelain cheeks.

Did she really bring calamity over their heads?

Her gaze went over the woman she considered to be a lowly rival.

If she heeded her warning, would it all boil down to this?

In the end, her desire to prove herself was also the reason for their demise.

When she first woke up in this world, there was the promise of new beginning. But why did it feel that it was just the same as her last life?

No... she looked at her husband. The most rewarding experience she had in this life was Xia Yu Heng. The love she never thought could exist for her was present in Xia Yu Heng's embrace.

Why didn't she just cherish this? Was it too late now?

No! She was still alive. There was still hope.

"Your Majesty! Chen Rong... It's all Chen Rong's fault! The ninth prince and the imperial consort only followed Chen Rong's plan! I will carry the weight of my sins all alone. Please! The ninth prince is your Majesty's son, please have mercy on him. It's all me, please..."

Chang wangfei suddenly kowtowed and pleaded like crazy.

She knew that if she could be the excuse, Xia Yu Heng could live. Moreover...

Bai Chen Rong's hand hovered over her abdomen.

"No! Rong'er, what are you saying?!" Xia Yu Heng became frantic and the imperial guards forcefully held him down.

He repeatedly shouted.

But Bai Chen Rong escaped the clutches of the royal guards and knelt next to Yin Hua Lei.

Yin Hua Lei was unresponsive but she understood her. A mother, in moments of crisis, only had their thoughts for their child. Wasn't she just like that?

"Yin Hua Lei, you're also a mother. I'm begging you..."

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*She was wearing dark clothes, remember? So the blood is not easily seen