The confrontation between the two was left undisturbed. It seemed to be escalating, silencing everyone present, even the music had stopped.
Just then, a maidservant cautiously hurried over from behind. She whispered something into Chiyan’s ear, and in a moment, her eyes changed. She coldly scanned the man seated at the very top.
Xie Beihan’s gaze shifted, and he raised his cup to her, his eyes carrying a slight warning.
The atmosphere in the hall grew tense, everyone harboring their own intentions. As their eyes met, sparks of conflict began to fly.
Suddenly, there was a sharp crack.
“Let’s talk. How do you all propose we handle this border affair?”
All eyes immediately turned to the man cradling and caressing a cat. Their expressions varied as a cacophony of opinions arose.
After all, this border had been subject to constant warfare, ostensibly for territorial expansion, economic growth, and to prevent powerful incursions from enemy nations that would disturb the peace.
In this current Kyushu conflict, which family wasn't vying for a piece of the pie?
But this Great Liang, where did they even begin? They seemed to have no strategy, yet they had won several victories. This feast of Hongmen was merely a pretense for discussing border affairs.
They had but one goal: to kill the Prince of Dingbei and carve up Great Liang.
As everyone spoke, eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department directed young maids to serve dishes.
A young eunuch, with lowered eyes, poured wine for Xiao Chizhan. Suddenly, a sharp blade appeared in his hand, and he lunged, aiming directly for the man’s neck.
The sudden turn of events startled everyone, their faces changing dramatically.
Xiao Chizhan, however, seemed to find it amusing. He couldn’t help but laugh, his pale, ghastly hand snapping the young eunuch’s neck.
The blade clattered to the ground, its heat splashing onto his robes.
This scene had unfolded too quickly.
Light streamed in as the palace gates burst open. Thousands of soldiers in chilling armor surged into the hall with a roar. The gleam of their swords surrounded all the envoys from Kyushu.
Everyone’s faces contorted in horror and disbelief at the sudden turn of events. Their throats tightened, and some of the more timid shrieked at the sight of the bloody head.
Someone roared, “Prince of Dingbei, what do you intend to do?”
With so many Great Liang soldiers storming in so swiftly, Xie Beihan narrowed his eyes slightly, silently turning the thumb ring on his finger.
“In the heavily guarded Eastern Palace, there were assassins attempting to assassinate our Great Liang’s Prince of Dingbei. What do you think we intend to do?”
“Crown Prince, what is your explanation?!”
Great Liang struck first, its spearhead pointed directly at Xie Beihan.
Xie Beihan let out a cold, eerie laugh and rose.
“Guards!”
The Imperial Guards instantly poured in, fortifying the entire hall as if it were an impregnable fortress.
“This Crown Prince will naturally provide Great Liang with an explanation.”
Xiao Chizhan coldly stood up, slowly walking out with the cat in his arms.
He held a chillingly sharp long sword in his hand. His excessively alluring eyes were filled with a bloodthirsty killing intent. The cold blade flashed in an instant, striking terror into everyone.
This was happening in broad daylight. Was this madman going to kill them all here?
“For this battle, everyone’s heads seem to be clinging quite precariously.”
His chilling, sinister words, tinged with a faint smile, echoed in the terrifyingly silent hall. Hearing his words, everyone’s faces paled.
What did he intend to do?!
In the next second, before anyone could react, a cold blade suddenly attacked.
All the envoys from Kyushu were instantly taken hostage, their faces slick with cold sweat, filled with terror. Staring at the head on the ground, they were speechless for a long time.
Xie Beihan showed no surprise, smiling faintly as he looked at Xiao Chizhan.
“Your Highness, this assassin has not yet been interrogated, so a conclusion cannot be prematurely drawn. This Crown Prince will certainly provide Your Highness with a satisfactory answer.”
“This Prince came to Northern Qi to discuss border affairs, and the Crown Prince has given me a tremendous surprise. If it weren’t for my quick hands, the head on the ground could have been mine.” He paused, a sinister smile playing on his lips. “Everyone present is a suspect.”
The moment he finished speaking, suddenly, the north erupted in flames, smoke billowing everywhere, shocking everyone.
“Fire! The palace is on fire!”
Piercing, sharp cries came from all directions.
Xie Beihan’s expression sharpened. His narrowed eyes began to gleam with killing intent. How dare they set fire to his Eastern Palace!
“Detain them for now!”
The Imperial Guards and the Great Liang army immediately became locked in a standoff.
Tantai Ye stepped out and looked at the departing figures. He nudged Xiao Chizhan’s arm with his elbow and raised an eyebrow. “You go follow them. I’ll handle things here.”
Xiao Chizhan coldly sneered, carrying the cat as he walked out. “Don’t kill them yet. I want them alive.”
Throwing live people down, how beautiful would that blood pit be?
Guangyang Hall was heavily surrounded, not even a fly could escape. The envoys from various countries were forcibly detained within the hall, causing a cacophony of吵闹声.
The entire Eastern Palace was ablaze, the fire spreading for miles, with the Imperial Storehouse burning the fiercest.
Ye Luan heard the commotion of the fire and rushed out.
Damn it.
How could such a large fire spread in such a heavily guarded palace?
“Miss, follow me.”
Guards from the Imperial Storehouse rushed towards her.
Ye Luan quickly followed him out, cursing under her breath, wondering who was so despicable as to set fire to the Eastern Palace.
A crescent moon hung diagonally in the night sky. Under the ink-black darkness, the entire Eastern Palace was engulfed in flames. Several batches of Imperial Guards breached the west gate.
Everyone rushed to extinguish the fire, and the palace was in utter chaos.
Ye Luan hurriedly emerged from the Imperial Storehouse, the area with the most intense flames. She had barely taken a few steps when she rounded a corridor and saw a man in a black robe, playing with the cat in his arms, strolling towards her.
Her pupils contracted. Her limbs suddenly stiffened, and all the blood in her body seemed to rush to her feet. She froze in place.
Xiao Chizhan!
He had changed so much. Although his features and appearance were exactly the same, his entire demeanor was more dangerous than before. His black robe made him look like a life-snatching Asura who had crawled out of hell, his aura terrifying and chilling.
Xiao Chizhan sensed the gaze and looked sideways, his eyes meeting directly with hers, those clean, bright eyes.
In an instant, it was as if everything around them fell silent.
The air flowed with a dead quiet stillness. Only the rustling of leaves could be faintly heard, making it exceptionally jarring.
“Luan Luan!”
Xiao Chizhan’s breath hitched, and he froze in shock.
He looked at the figure he had yearned for day and night. His red eyes radiated disbelief, a bloody glow. Various complex emotions roared wildly within him, spreading through his limbs and bones.
Was he hallucinating?
The cold moonlight spilled onto the ground, casting shadows on both of them.
Xueqiu, with a sudden whoosh, leaped from Xiao Chizhan’s arms. Pitter-pattering on its short legs, it ran towards Ye Luan opposite them, biting at her robes with its teeth.
“Meow meow—”
Ye Luan clenched her palms, arming herself with calmness and rationality, and turned to leave.
Xiao Chizhan stood there, lost and bewildered, a cramping pain in his chest.
Seeing her about to leave, he immediately went to grab her. “Luan Luan! It’s you!”
His wrist was firmly grabbed from behind.
Ye Luan turned back coldly. “I don’t know you. You have the wrong person.”
Xiao Chizhan gazed greedily at the living person before him. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and his dry voice was filled with a frenzied, pathological obsession, a possessiveness.
“Luan Luan—”
Just then, a figure in purple gracefully approached from the archway. Seeing the two entangled in the garden, the voice was cold.
“Your Highness, this is my betrothed Crown Princess. You have the wrong person!”