Quick Transmigration: Playing the Role of a Devoted Tool

Qi Ran watched as the emperor's breathing grew weaker and weaker, and watched as the greed in his eyes was gradually replaced by regret and resentment.

As he breathed his last, a single, cloudy tear rolled down his cheek.

The hall fell completely silent.

The eunuch who had been hiding in the shadows immediately stepped out and wrapped a white silk ribbon around Qi Ran's neck. The cold fabric clung to her skin, and a feeling of suffocation instantly washed over her.

Qi Ran closed her eyes, thinking that everything was about to end.

Just then.

With a soft "poof" sound.

The blood splattered on Qi Ran's face was warm.

The pressure on his neck suddenly disappeared.

He opened his eyes and saw a eunuch lying on the ground with a sword stuck in his chest, the blade still trembling.

Gu Qing stood at the door, his black armor stained with the chill of the night dew, and the sword in his hand dripping blood.

Behind him, a dense swarm of soldiers surged in, instantly surrounding the bedchamber. The crisp sound of swords being drawn echoed throughout, blocking all exits.

No one can get out.

Shu Jing squeezed through the chaos, clutching a bright yellow imperial edict in his hand.

He unfolded it and glanced at it. It read "Passing the throne to the Crown Prince" and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

He walked to the candlelight, threw the imperial edict into it, and flames shot up, quickly burning the rolled-up paper to ashes.

Then, he took out another scroll of imperial edict from his sleeve, held it high, and his voice pierced the deathly silence of the hall, clearly reaching every corner:

"His Majesty's will! The throne will pass to the Ninth Prince, Gu Qing!"

At the same time, outside the palace, at the Crown Prince's residence.

Gu Wensi lay on the bed, his face bluish-purple, with black blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

He was poisoned and has held on for three days.

Chunsheng stumbled in, carrying news from the palace. Before he could finish speaking, Gu Wensi's eyes widened in shock and resentment.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but only spat out a mouthful of black blood, his head lolled to the side, and he was completely lifeless.

Those eyes remained open until their death.

The night wind blew through the palace walls, stirring up the remaining candles on the ground, causing the embers to flicker.

Overnight, the emperor passed away, the imperial edict changed hands, and the crown prince died suddenly.

The sky over the capital has completely changed.

The next morning, the army surrounded Gu Liaoyuan's residence.

The Fourth Prince was strictly forbidden from leaving the mansion.

Gu Liaoyuan was anxiously scolding and beating his servants until he saw a eunuch leading a group of soldiers in, at which point he immediately panicked.

He staggered toward the side door, his boots making a frantic sound as they pounded on the flagstones, not even caring that the hem of his robe had been caught and torn by the threshold.

But as soon as he rushed out of the corridor, he was met and pinned down by two soldiers as tall as iron towers.

A large, iron-like hand gripped the back of his neck and arms, and slammed him to the ground.

His knee slammed heavily against the stone surface with a dull thud, and the pain made his vision go black.

"Release me! How dare you!"

He struggled and twisted his body, veins bulging on his forehead, his voice distorted with fear, "I'm a prince! My father won't kill me!"

Lin Shou slowly emerged from the shadows, carrying a cup of dark, poisoned wine.

The white jade wine cup gleamed coldly in the dim light under the eaves. The wine inside was as sticky as ink, with a few thin black strands floating in it. If you got close, you could smell a pungent bitter almond aroma.

He stood in front of Gu Liaoyuan, looking down at him, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about something trivial.

"Your Highness, things have come to this point. Drinking it is the most dignified ending."

Gu Liaoyuan looked up at him, his chest heaving violently: "Dignity? Why should I care about dignity?"

"By the benevolence of the new emperor."

Lin Shou's fingertips traced the rim of the cup. "If you drink this wine, His Majesty will pardon your concubines and children, ensuring their safety for life."

These words seemed to hit Gu Liaoyuan's funny bone.

He suddenly burst into wild laughter, laughing so hard that tears were almost streaming down his face, and his chest heaving violently.

"Concubines? Children? Those useless wretches don't deserve to die! I don't care!"

He abruptly stopped laughing, his eyes turning fierce and urgent.

"Where is my mother? Where is she? Father loves her the most, he would never allow you to harm me! You must have forged the imperial edict!"

Lin Shou's eyes remained unwavering as he uttered a few words, which, like a knife chilled to the bone, precisely pierced Gu Liaoyuan's heart.

"The one who wants to kill you isn't the late emperor, but the new emperor, Gu Qing. As for Consort Xiao..."

He paused, looking at Gu Liaoyuan's suddenly pale face, and slowly said, "She is vicious and framed loyal officials. She had already passed away half an hour ago, before Your Highness."

"impossible!"

Gu Liaoyuan's voice suddenly rose, trembling with sobs, "You lied to me! My mother, she..."

"There's no point in lying to you."

Lin Shou stepped forward and offered the wine glass, the rim of which almost touched Gu Liaoyuan's lips.

"If you drink it now, you can keep Consort Xiao company on your journey to the underworld, so you won't be too lonely."

Gu Liaoyuan abruptly turned his head to dodge, twisting his body wildly, letting out a beast-like roar: "I won't drink! I want to see the new emperor! I want to see my father!"

But his struggles were futile against the well-trained soldiers. The soldiers holding him down tightened their grip, their knuckles almost digging into his flesh, rendering him immobile.

"If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences." Lin Shou's tone turned cold.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a soldier freed one hand and roughly grabbed Gu Liaoyuan's chin.

Gu Liaoyuan clenched his teeth desperately, but only heard a crisp "crack" sound.

His jaw was forcibly removed, his mouth was forced open wide, and he felt a piercing pain in his jaw. Saliva mixed with cold sweat dripped down the corners of his mouth, making him look utterly pathetic.

Without further hesitation, Lin Shou pinched Gu Liaoyuan's nose and slowly poured the poisoned wine into his mouth.

The sticky liquid slid down my throat, and a spicy and bitter taste spread instantly.

Gu Liaoyuan tried desperately to vomit, but the soldiers held him down tightly, and he could only make whimpering sounds, his face covered with tears and snot.

The soldier released his grip as soon as the poisoned wine was poured down his throat.

Gu Liaoyuan collapsed to the ground, desperately trying to put his jaw back in place, but he couldn't manage it.

Soon, the poison began to take effect.

It felt as if countless sharp knives had pierced his abdomen at the same time. The excruciating pain caused him to curl up and convulse violently.

His skin turned bluish-purple at a visible speed, his lips turned black, and black blood kept gushing from the corner of his mouth, flowing down his jawline onto the bluestone slab and pooling into a black bloodstain.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't make a complete sound; he could only squeeze out a "hoarse" sound from his throat, like a broken bellows.

His fingers scratched wildly at the ground, his nails digging into the cracks in the stones, breaking off several pieces of his nails, leaving his fingertips bleeding profusely.

His eyes were wide open, and his pupils were dilated with pain.

The room was filled with fear, resentment, and despair, staring intently at the direction of the corridor, as if trying to etch the figures there into their very bones.

This agonizing struggle lasted for almost the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Gu Liaoyuan's convulsions gradually weakened, his body went from stiff to limp, and finally he stopped moving completely.

Black blood was still seeping from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes remained wide open, filled with a resentful rage that he died with his eyes wide open.