Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Chapter 98 A Murderous Trap in the Side Hall! Ye Huang Poisons Herself: Tell Me, Who Sent You?

The atmosphere at the palace banquet became increasingly subtle after Sun Jingting was rendered speechless by his rebuttal.

The music resumed, and the dancers gracefully entered, their flowing sleeves fluttering, attempting to dilute the invisible tension.

But as everyone toasted and drank, their eyes couldn't help but drift towards that serene red color.

Ye Huang sat upright at the table, seemingly oblivious to the gazes around her.

She held her chopsticks, picking only the bamboo shoot closest to her, chewing slowly and gracefully, her posture impeccable, yet also aloof and unapproachable.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

From the women's section, a low gasp suddenly came, accompanied by the crisp sound of porcelain shattering on the ground.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

Liu Ruyan, who had been sitting at the lower end of the concubines' seats, stood up in a panic. The front of her moon-white palace dress was stained red with spilled wine.

At her feet was an overturned golden cup, its contents dripping down the edge of the table.

"Oh dear! I have been disrespectful!"

Liu Ruyan's pretty face flushed red, with a mixture of panic and shyness. She hurriedly curtsied towards the throne.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me, I... I accidentally knocked over the wine cup."

Nangong Ye frowned slightly, glanced at her, and said nothing, only raising his hand to indicate that it was alright.

Liu Ruyan seemed even more flustered. She nervously twisted her handkerchief, her gaze drifting towards Ye Huang's direction. She bit her lip and timidly spoke:

"Madam Yehuang, I am truly sorry... Just now, when I got up, I accidentally splashed some wine onto your skirt."

Your clothes are so beautiful, yet I... I am truly guilty.

Everyone's gaze immediately followed her words and focused on Ye Huang's skirt.

Sure enough, the hem of the fiery red palace dress was stained with a few drops of deep purple wine. Although not obvious, they still stood out starkly against the pure red background.

Ye Huang lowered her eyes and looked at the hem of her skirt.

He looked up again and gazed at Liu Ruyan.

Liu Ruyan felt a chill run down her spine when she saw her calm, expressionless gaze.

He forced himself to maintain an apologetic and uneasy expression on his face.

"The side hall has a special room for changing clothes, which is equipped with clean clothes and warm water."

"How about...how about I accompany Madam to tidy up? That way we can make amends."

His words were impeccable and sincere.

Many people in the hall felt that although Consort Liu had lost favor, she was still sensible and knew how to make amends for her mistakes.

Only a few insiders—such as Xiao Jue, Shen Anbang, and Liu Chengming, who had been keeping his eyes down and remaining silent—had a hint of coldness flash in their eyes.

Looking into Consort Liu's eyes, which seemed flustered but concealed an uncontrollable malice and expectation, Ye Huang suddenly smiled softly.

"Your Highness, Consort Liu, you are too kind."

She stood up.

"It's just a few drops of wine, no need for Your Highness to accompany me personally. I'll be right back."

"This..." Liu Ruyan seemed to want to say something more.

Ye Huang nodded slightly towards the throne: "Your Majesty, I will take my leave for a moment."

Nangong Ye looked at her, his gaze deep, his thin lips moving slightly as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only said, "Granted."

Ye Huang said no more, turned around, and followed a eunuch who had been waiting nearby to the side of the main hall.

A figure in red, her silhouette resolute.

As Liu Ruyan watched her figure disappear behind the door, her fingertips dug deeply into her palms, barely managing to suppress the almost uncontrollable smile that was curving her lips.

She sat back down, picked up the newly replaced wine glass, her fingertips trembling slightly with excitement.

Go ahead.

Go ahead.

In the side hall... there's a "big gift" waiting for you.

---

The corridor leading to the side hall, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the main hall, appeared exceptionally secluded and quiet. Only a few dim palace lanterns cast flickering shadows on the walls.

The eunuch leading the way kept his head down, walked hurriedly, and remained silent.

Ye Huang followed at a leisurely pace, her gaze calmly sweeping across the shadows of the pillars and the blurry darkness at the corner.

After turning the third corner, a small, slightly ajar vermilion door appeared ahead.

"Madam, the changing room is inside. Hot water and clothes are ready. I'll be waiting outside."

The eunuch stopped and bowed, speaking in a high-pitched voice.

Ye Huang glanced at him, said nothing, and pushed open the door to enter.

The side room was small and simply furnished.

A soft couch, a bronze mirror, a bronze basin filled with hot water, and a set of neatly folded plain clothes.

The windows were tightly closed, and a faint, sweet, smoky scent filled the air.

She turned around and gently closed the door.

A soft "click" sounded.

It was the sound of the door latch being fastened from the outside.

Ye Huang didn't even twitch her eyebrows.

She walked to the bronze mirror, looked at her reflection in the mirror at her wine-stained skirt, and then reached out to untie the intricate belt around her waist.

His outer robe slipped down, revealing a sharp, dark red outfit underneath.

Almost at the same instant the red-clad woman landed—

boom!boom!

The hidden compartments in the walls on both sides suddenly popped open!

Two dark figures shot out like venomous snakes that had been lying in wait for a long time!

The cold light in his hand was chilling, aimed straight at Ye Huanghou's heart and neck!

The movements were fast, ruthless, and precise, clearly those of a well-trained assassin, and their perfect teamwork sealed off all her evasive angles!

But Ye Huang seemed to have eyes in the back of her head.

She didn't even turn around.

Just as the blade was about to strike her, she twisted her body at an incredible angle, like a fish swimming in water, deftly dodging the two fatal blows.

At the same time, his right hand, which had been hanging by his side, shot out like lightning—

It was neither a parry nor a steal.

Instead, he joined his index and middle fingers together and, with ghostly speed, pointed at a spot on the left side of the assassin's ribs!

Uh!

The assassin groaned, feeling a numbness in half of his body, and his movements instantly became sluggish.

The moment a look of horror appeared in his eyes, Ye Huang's left hand arrived, her five fingers forming a claw, precisely gripping his wrist holding the knife and twisting it!

Click!

There was a heartbreaking sound of bone cracking.

The long sword clattered to the ground.

Without pausing, Ye Huang used the force of twisting her wrist to pull the man forward, and silently hooked her right foot up, kicking him hard in the back of the knee!

The assassin screamed and fell to his knees.

At that moment, the assassin on the right delivered his second blow, aiming straight for Ye Huang's face!

Ye Huang tilted her head slightly, and the blade grazed her ear, severing a few strands of her flying hair.

She turned to the side and slammed her right elbow like a hammer into the other person's chest at the Tanzhong acupoint!

boom!

The assassin was struck as if by a heavy blow, staggering backward, his blood churning.

Ye Huang had already followed him closely, her left hand forming a sword-like gesture, aiming for his throat!

The assassin hurriedly raised his arm to block, but it played right into his hands—Night Phoenix's fingertips suddenly changed direction, piercing the numb tendon on the inside of his arm!

My right hand suddenly felt weak and powerless.

Ye Huang's right hand had already quietly reached his waist, and with a flash of cold light at her fingertips, a silver needle as thin as a cow's hair silently pierced into an acupoint on his lower back.

The second assassin also collapsed to the ground, his eyes filled with terror and disbelief.

From the start of the attack to the moment the two men fell to the ground, only seven or eight breaths had passed.

It was so fast it was dazzling.

Ye Huang stood up straight, her breathing completely undisturbed.

She walked to the copper basin, slowly washed her hands, and then took out two small porcelain bottles from her bosom.

She first walked up to the first assassin whose wrist had been broken, squatted down, pried open his mouth, stuffed a blood-red pill into his mouth, and forced him to swallow it.

"Heart-Eating Pill. Without the antidote within half an hour, the heart meridians will rupture and death will ensue."

Her voice was calm and even, as if she were describing the weather.

"Now tell me, who sent you? What's the plan? Are there any other ambushes in the side hall?"

The assassin was deathly pale, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, and the excruciating pain in his wrist and the sudden, throbbing pain within his body nearly drove him to the brink of collapse.

He struggled, still trying to hold on.

Ye Huang wasn't in a hurry; she simply watched him quietly.

Soon, the assassin's face turned from white to green, his whole body began to convulse violently, and painful hoarse sounds came from his throat.

"I'll talk... I'll talk!"

He finally couldn't hold on any longer and his voice was hoarse.

"It's...it's Consort Liu! She told us to lie in ambush here...and wait for you to come in and change your clothes, then...then we'll make our move."

They'll stage your "accidental death" or "being caught in an affair"... There are people waiting outside the window... They'll attract guards and women..."

"How can we contact the person outside the window?"

"Using...using a cat's meow as a signal...three long meows followed by one short one..."

Ye Huang nodded and put another slightly larger black pill into his mouth: "This is a temporary antidote. I'll give you the real one after this is done."

She then approached the second assassin and repeated the same method.

The information obtained is basically consistent.

After asking the question, Ye Huang stood up, walked to the window, and listened intently.

There was no sound outside the window.

She raised her hand and gently tapped three long taps followed by one short tap on the window frame in a specific rhythm.

A moment later, a barely audible response came from outside the window, like a stray cat passing by.

A cold smile curved Ye Huang's lips.

She changed into the same gorgeous dress she had just worn, and in front of the bronze mirror, she tidied her slightly disheveled hair.

She then took out a small jade box from her sleeve, scooped out a little transparent ointment, and applied it to the wine stains on the hem of her palace dress.

The deep purple stain faded at a visible speed and eventually disappeared, leaving only a damp mark, which quickly dried in the air.

The red dress is still as new as ever.

She carefully rolled up the outfit she had changed out of and stuffed it into a hidden compartment under the soft couch.

Then he walked to the door, raised his hand, and gently knocked.

"Madam, is it ready?" came the cautious voice of a eunuch from outside the door.

"Alright." Ye Huang's voice was calm as usual.

The latch was pulled open.

Ye Huang pushed open the door and walked out, still wearing that fiery red dress, the skirt was clean and tidy, her hair was neatly styled, and even her breathing was steady without any abnormality.

The eunuch leading the way glanced at her quickly, then lowered his head just as fast. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he dared not ask any more questions. He simply bowed and said, "Madam, please follow me back to the palace."

Thank you for your trouble.

The two returned along the same route they had taken.

As she turned a corner, Ye Huang paused almost imperceptibly.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a barely noticeable, fresh bloodstain in the corner of the wall, and half a piece of black clothing hastily stuffed into a crack between the bricks.

She withdrew her gaze but did not stop walking.

It was as if I hadn't seen anything.

---

When I returned to the Taiji Hall, a soothing piece of court music was playing inside.

Ye Huang's return went almost unnoticed. Only a few people who had been staring intently at the side door suddenly had their pupils contract.

Liu Ruyan was holding a glass of wine, but her fingertips were trembling violently, and the wine was constantly swirling in the glass.

When they saw that perfectly unharmed, even more composed than when she left, gracefully take her seat,

The wine glass in her hand fell to the table with a "clatter," splashing wine onto her front, but she didn't even notice.

Her pretty face instantly drained of all color, turning ashen white.

She stared intently at Ye Huang, her eyes filled with unbelievable horror and... a deep-seated fear.

How is that possible?!

Those two men... were top-notch agents she had picked out from the Liu family's hidden network at great expense! There were also backups outside the window!

How could it be... how could she have returned unharmed?!

Ye Huang seemed to sense her gaze, turned her head, and looked at Consort Liu.

Eyes facing each other.

Suddenly, Ye Huang turned to her and, very gently and slowly, curved the corners of her lips into a smile.

She revealed a perfect, elegant, and appropriate smile.

But the smile didn't reach his eyes.

Deep within his cold pupils, Liu Ruyan's terrified face was clearly reflected, as if he were looking at a... overconfident, utterly ridiculous clown.

Liu Ruyan trembled all over, as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and she lowered her head sharply, no longer daring to look.

My heart was pounding wildly in my chest, almost shattering my ribs.

she knows.

She is finished.

This woman... she's not even human!

She's a demon! She's an evil spirit!

Ye Huang withdrew her gaze, picked up the glass of wine on her seat, and took a small sip.

Hmm, the wine is getting a bit cold.

But the flavor seems to be... richer and more mellow than before.