Ning Dao Covered with Snow

Chapter 382 Death
Yan Ciwan slowly said, "Yan Tingyu and I are not only sisters, but also enemies. I went to see her specifically to settle old scores. Her identity has been exposed, and she can no longer escape unscathed. In utter despair, she had no choice but to end her own life."

Li Cunxing shook his head: "Impossible, this can't be true!"

Yan Ciwan calmly retorted, "How could I possibly lie in front of the Sage and the Grand Secretary?"

Li Cunxing first went to see Si Buping, and then turned to look at the emperor. Seeing that neither of them made any move, his heart sank.

Because he knew that the emperor and Si Buping's attitude was tantamount to admitting that what Yan Ciwan said was true.

Li Cunxing was so overwhelmed by the blow that he swayed twice and almost fell over.

Fortunately, Si Buping reacted quickly and reached out to help him up.

"Your Highness, are you alright?"

Li Cunxing brushed Si Buping's hand away, his face full of dejection, his eyes filled with disappointment and anger: "She lied to me from beginning to end. I trusted her completely, and all my sincerity was wasted."

Yan Ciwan's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but reason made her keep her mouth shut.

Although she had no affection for Yan Tingyu, death is like the extinguishing of a lamp, and all past grievances are wiped away. The unbearable suffering Yan Tingyu endured in his life will also vanish with him.

In this way, at least Yan Tingyu's last shred of dignity can be preserved.

Li Cunxing looked at the emperor high above him and asked in a hoarse voice, "Father, did you already know everything all along?"

The emperor knew what he was thinking and said slowly, "I reminded you that the Crown Princess might have a problem, but at that time you were only thinking about your Crown Princess and you didn't take my reminder seriously at all."

"Father, you can just tell me directly!"

The emperor said earnestly, "Ah Xing, you are nineteen years old this year. You are no longer a child. You must learn to see with your own eyes and think with your own brain. You can't rely on others to tell you everything. If you can't even see the person next to you in your bed, how can I entrust this country to you in the future?"

Li Cunxing was speechless, feeling utterly ashamed.

He knew that his performance had disappointed his father.

The emperor sighed: "This is a good lesson for you. I hope you can learn from it and never be so foolish and careless again."

"Thank you for your guidance, Father. I will remember it."

Li Cunxing left the Sizheng Hall in a daze.

The emperor looked at Yan Ciwan and asked, "When you went to see Yan Tingyu, what did you say to her? Why did she suddenly choose to commit suicide?"

“I asked her why she wanted to harm me. She said she had been jealous of me since she was a child because I had obtained everything she had always dreamed of but had not cherished it. After learning that my mother might have betrayed the Queen of Xizhou, she developed a murderous intent towards me.”

Upon hearing this, the emperor's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, and he slowly asked, "And then?"

"She originally suspected that the Sage might already know her true identity. When she saw me appear, she knew she was right. She realized that the crime of deceiving the emperor was a capital offense and she would inevitably die. Continuing to live would only cause trouble for the Western Continent, so she chose to end her own life."

After hearing this, the emperor sighed softly: "You are hiding something."

Yan Ciwan and Si Buping both felt a jolt in their hearts.

Does the emperor already know the whole truth?

Just as the two were frantically racking their brains for how to cover up their lie, they heard the emperor continue, "Yan Tingyu should have told you why she went to such lengths to marry the Crown Prince, right?"

Yan Ciwan nodded gently: "Mm."

"Since you said so, why didn't you tell me?"

Yan Ciwan wondered, could the emperor's mention of concealing this matter refer to this incident?

She quickly calmed down and explained in a soft voice, "This matter concerns the power struggles in the court. I am just a weak woman and dare not speak recklessly."

"You dared to venture into the Five Gods Sect's headquarters alone, how could you be a weak woman? Aci, you are the smartest and bravest woman I have ever seen. It's just a pity you are not a man, otherwise I would really like to make you my successor."

Yan Ciwan lowered her head: "Your Majesty flatters me. I am not as good as Your Majesty makes me out to be."

“Aci, now that you know Yan Tingyu’s plan, you should understand that the King of Xizhou has long harbored ill intentions. In addition, since he knows about my past with your mother, he hates me even more. He must really want to seize power, but he just needs a suitable opportunity. Now, Yan Tingyu has handed the opportunity to him, and he will definitely not let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Yan Ciwan's heart skipped a beat when she heard this. She met the emperor's gaze and suddenly understood what he meant.

She exclaimed in shock, "Your Majesty means that the King of Xizhou intends to use Yan Tingyu's death as an excuse to start a rebellion?"

"It's very possible."

Yan Ciwan's mind conjured up the tragic scene of people being displaced after the war, and her heart sank to the bottom.

Is the hell on earth I saw in my dream about to become a reality?

Seeing her silence, the Emperor assumed she was frightened and gently comforted her, "Don't worry, although the King of Xizhou holds considerable military power, I have long been prepared. Once the King of Xizhou raises an army, I will announce to the world that Yan Tingyu has impersonated you, officially bestow upon you the title of Princess Nianqing, clear your name, and expose the King of Xizhou's wolfish ambitions. In this way, he will be at a moral disadvantage. I will then send Fu Zheng with troops to quell the rebellion. We will surely win this battle!"

By the end, he had a confident smile on his face.

Yan Ciwan did not want war; she did not want to see bloodshed and devastation.

But she knew that no matter what she said, the emperor would not change his mind. The King of Xizhou was his greatest threat, and he had long wanted to get rid of him.

"Yan Tingyu deserved to die. I have already suppressed this matter and will not let you be implicated. Go back and take good care of your injuries. I will visit you again when I have time."

Yan Ciwan took her leave, and Si Buping pushed her out. Just then, a young eunuch rushed into the Sizheng Hall and knelt on the ground to report.

"Your Majesty, a fire has broken out at the Fu residence, and General Fu's father has tragically perished."

Yan Ciwan immediately turned to look at the young eunuch. How could Fu Zheng's father be dead? What happened to the guests who went to pay their respects? Were there any injuries or fatalities?
She was very worried about the safety of the Xiao family, but this was the Sizheng Hall, and she had no right to ask questions at will. She could only shut her mouth and let Si Buping push her away from the Sizheng Hall.

After leaving the palace, Yan Ciwan sat in the carriage and said to Dong Li, who was driving, "To the Fu residence!"

Upon hearing this, Dongli hesitated for a moment: "The Fu family is in chaos right now. You are injured, and it would be bad if you were bumped into by someone."

Yan Ciwan emphasized, "Just go when I tell you to!"

Dongli rarely saw her so stern, and was startled. He dared not say anything more and obediently drove the carriage toward the Fu residence.

Happy Dragon Boat Festival everyone!