Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Inside the Fengxian Hall, there was a deathly silence.

Only the muffled "boom, boom" of the palace gates being slammed against each other, like the urgent drumbeats of death, struck the hearts of everyone.

Shen Qingci squatted down to be at eye level with Bao'er.

The hall was dimly lit, and the glow of the ever-burning lamp danced on her face, making her two pairs of eyes appear exceptionally serene.

"Baby." Her voice was soft but clear, "Don't be afraid, look at your mother."

Bao'er's face was pale, and her lips were clenched tightly.

But there wasn't much fear in those big eyes.

Instead, there's a kind of focus that transcends his age...

He nodded, his little hand gripping Shen Qingci's clothes tightly.

"Tell your mother,"

Shen Qingci looked at him,

"Can you sense... anything special about this hall?"

She paused, then chose two words that the child could understand:

"Especially 'bright' or...especially 'old'."

Bao'er blinked.

He first looked around blankly—

A high dome, imposing beams and pillars, and layers upon layers of densely packed black memorial tablets.

Then, he closed his eyes.

Long eyelashes cast two shadows on her pale face.

Everyone inside the hall held their breath.

Even the sound of the rebels banging on the door outside seemed to fade into the distance.

Nangong Ye stared intently at his son, his hand on the hilt of his sword, veins bulging.

Old Man Li was hunched over, his old eyes cloudy.

But he stared intently at Bao'er.

There was a kind of almost devout expectation surging in his eyes.

Time slips away, little by little.

Bao'er's little face gradually wrinkled up.

He seemed to be trying to "listen" to something.

It also seems like it's trying hard to "see" something.

Sweat seeped from his forehead.

Its little body began to tremble slightly.

"Bao'er?" Shen Qingci held his hand; that little hand was icy cold.

Bao'er did not open her eyes.

Only his little head began to slowly, very slowly turn.

From left to right.

From the front to the back.

Then--

Stop.

He stretched out his little hand and pointed to the high platform where the memorial tablet was enshrined—

That highest point.

Above the memorial tablet of "Empress Dowager Duanhui".

A huge plaque with black background and gold lettering.

The plaque bears four large gilded characters:

"Ancestral virtues will endure."

That was an important ancestral temple artifact, personally inscribed by the founding emperor, and hung there for three hundred years!

"There..." Bao'er finally spoke.

Her voice was soft and gentle, with a child's unique sweetness.

But it made everyone's hearts clench!

"There...is a golden one..."

His little face scrunched up even more, as if he were trying hard to discern:

"Big bird..."

"She's crying..."

Golden...

Big bird?

Crying?!

Everyone was stunned.

"A big bird?" Nangong Ye frowned. "What big bird? Bao'er, explain yourself clearly—"

"It's not a bird," Eunuch Li suddenly said.

His voice was hoarse, yet it carried an almost trembling excitement.

He walked forward step by step, until he reached Bao'er's side.

Following the direction Bao'er pointed, I looked up at the huge plaque.

The plaque looked heavy and solid, and its back was pressed tightly against the wall, making it impossible for it to hide anything.

But Eunuch Li's eyes were frighteningly bright.

"What you're talking about, young master... isn't a bird."

He slowly knelt down and kowtowed deeply towards the plaque.

Then, looking up, tears streamed down his face:

"It's a phoenix."

"Yes... I am from the Nangong clan, the empress of the founding emperor—Empress Xiaoci Gao..."

"Phoenix Seal!!!"

Phoenix Seal?!

The Phoenix Seal of the Empress Dowager?!

Hidden behind the plaque that reads "Ancestral Virtues Endure"?!

"That's impossible!"

Prince Su, Nangong Lie, exclaimed in disbelief.

"Empress Xiaoci's phoenix seal was buried in the imperial mausoleum long ago! How could it possibly be here?!"

"It's not the one that was buried with us," Eunuch Li shook his head, his voice low. "It's... another one."

He turned around, looked at Nangong Ye, looked at Shen Qingci, and said, word by word:

"Emperor Taizu and Empress Xiaoci Gao shared a deep and profound affection."

Before Empress Gao passed away, Emperor Taizu was devastated.

He ordered someone to use the remaining material from the He Shi Bi jade to forge a replica of the phoenix seal that was buried with the deceased…

"Spare Phoenix Seal"

"This seal shares the same origin, material, and craftsmanship as the Imperial Seal of the State."

"Emperor Taizu once said: If future generations are unworthy, causing the imperial seal to be covered in dust and the country to be in turmoil—"

Using this phoenix seal as proof, we requested the items he left in the ancestral temple…

He paused, then took a deep breath:

"The final edict!"

The last dish—

A will!!!

Everyone was struck dumb!

The late Emperor Taizu's edict?!

Hidden behind the plaque in the Fengxian Hall?!

Using... the spare Phoenix Seal as the key?!

"The key..." Shen Qingci suddenly realized, "Eunuch Li, the 'Heavenly Eye' you mentioned earlier—"

"It's the mechanism behind this plaque."

Eunuch Li nodded, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.

"This plaque is hollow, and contains hidden mechanisms."

Only by pressing the Phoenix Seal into a specific position can it be opened and the Emperor Taizu's edict retrieved!

He looked at Bao'er, his eyes filled with shock and awe:

"The young master can sense it... because that phoenix seal shares the same origin as the Imperial Seal! Both possess sentience!"

"It's crying... because it's waited three years! It's waited too long!"

"It's waiting—for the one who can truly take charge!"

Inside the hall, there was a deathly silence.

Only Bao'er's soft voice still echoed:

"It said...it's so sad..."

"It said...someone locked it up in a dark place..."

"It said...it wanted to come out...to help Daddy..."

Nangong Ye trembled violently!

He stared intently at the plaque, at the four gilded characters "祖德流芳" (Ancestral Virtue Endures).

Emperor Taizu's Last Edict...

The final move...

Right there?!

Right above the ancestral tablets of his Nangong clan?!

"Li Dequan!" he hissed, "You can actually retrieve the Phoenix Seal?!"

Eunuch Li kowtowed: "This old servant...can!"

"But—" He looked up, a resolute glint in his eyes,

"Once the mechanism of this plaque is activated, it cannot be restored."

Moreover... the commotion would be enormous and would surely alert the rebel army outside the palace!

He looked at the palace door, which was teetering on the verge of collapse after being knocked down:

"Your Majesty, Her Majesty—"

"Is it a gamble, to open the plaque and obtain the imperial edict?"

"Or... hold out and wait for reinforcements?"

Outside the palace, the roars of the rebels grew ever closer:

"Break! Break through my path!!"

"Whoever captures Nangong Ye alive will be granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households!!!"

Inside the hall, everyone's eyes were focused on Nangong Ye.

The focus is on Shen Qingci.

Shen Qingci slowly stood up.

She carried Bao'er and walked to Nangong Ye's side.

Then, I looked up at the plaque.

Looking down upon those who have looked down upon countless descendants of the Nangong clan for the past three hundred years—

Written by Emperor Taizu.

"open."

Her voice was calm, yet resolute:

"Today, let our ancestors see—"

"Who among their descendants is—"

"Truly worthless!"

"Who deserves it—"

"Kneel here in the Fengxian Hall and beg for forgiveness!!!"