r18novel Chapter 108 An Artistic Feast
Chapter 108 An Artistic Feast
Chapter 108 An Artistic Feast
Two days later.
Taigokuden Hall, Kyoto Imperial Palace.
News of the attack on the eldest princess in Chizhou reached the capital last night.
The atmosphere at the morning court session this day was so heavy it was almost palpable.
Her Highness the Princess traveled safely from the capital to Yingzhou, but upon arriving in Jiangnan, where the Jiangnan Navy was stationed, she was attacked by hundreds of assassins.
This shocked the entire court.
Emperor Qing, seated on the dragon throne, had a grim expression, his voice laced with suppressed rage: "Hundreds of assassins! Right under the noses of the Jiangnan navy! What were the Chizhou garrison doing! Was the Chizhou prefect blind?!"
As soon as the words were spoken, a censor from the Censorate stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty! The Princess was assassinated in Chizhou, and the Chizhou garrison failed to provide timely assistance, clearly indicating lax training and poor discipline!"
"The prefect of Chizhou has failed in his duties, allowing over a hundred assassins to infiltrate the area!"
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you issue an edict to thoroughly investigate the Chizhou garrison and severely punish the prefect of Chizhou, as a warning to others!"
As soon as he finished speaking, several more officials stepped forward to echo his sentiments.
"I second that proposal!"
"Jiang Fuhai, the military commander of Chizhou, cannot escape blame!"
"This must be thoroughly investigated!"
"With the Jiangnan navy so negligent, how can it protect the southeast?"
Emperor Qing listened, his expression calm and unwavering.
He looked at Prime Minister Su Shenzhi, who was sitting in the first seat on the lower left.
"Prime Minister," Emperor Qing began, "what is your opinion?"
Su Shenzhi cupped his hands, his voice calm and unhurried: "Your Majesty, the Jiangnan navy is vital to the southeastern coastal defense and the grain transport system, and its handling should not be hasty. I believe that we should thoroughly investigate the matter before making a decision."
Emperor Qing's expression darkened slightly.
He turned his gaze to the others: "What about the others? What are their thoughts?"
No one responded immediately.
A murmur of discussion arose from below the hall.
A moment later, Censor Lai Mingcheng stepped out from the Censorate's ranks.
"Your Majesty," Lai Mingcheng's voice was loud and clear, filled with righteous indignation, "I request permission to personally travel to Chizhou to thoroughly investigate the assassination attempt on Her Highness the Eldest Princess!"
He raised his head, his gaze intense: "Whatever the reason, the Chizhou garrison failed to send troops to protect Your Highness in time, causing Your Highness to be in danger. This is an indisputable fact."
"But as Prime Minister Su said, the Jiangnan navy is a delicate matter that affects the whole situation. Even if they are to be punished, they should be made to accept the punishment willingly."
As Lai Mingcheng finished speaking, a hint of satisfaction flashed across Emperor Qing's eyes.
Regardless of the outcome, the imperial court has every reason to adjust the Jiangnan navy; he has finally managed to pry open a crack in this iron plate.
"Lai Mingcheng's words are reasonable." Emperor Qing nodded. "The Jiangnan navy is a vital national asset; it cannot be ignored, nor can it be treated unfairly. Does anyone else have anything to say?"
The officials below the hall exchanged glances and bowed one after another, saying, "We second that proposal."
Su Shenzhi remained silent.
Liu Hanjiang, the Minister of Revenue, and Guo Huai, the Minister of Rites, also lowered their heads and remained silent, their expressions calm.
Their objective was never the Jiangnan navy.
In Qin Ye, at the Privy Council.
Civil officials and military generals have never been of one mind.
What they really want is to diminish the power of the Privy Council.
This time, Qin Ye left the capital without informing the Prime Minister's residence and happened to appear in Chizhou, which coincided subtly with the timing of the Princess's assassination attempt.
Even if he was acting on His Majesty's secret orders, they had a hundred ways to make him in a mess he couldn't get rid of.
Emperor Qing looked at the court officials below who had reached a consensus and slowly said, "In that case, draft an edict. Appoint Lai Mingcheng, the Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, as Imperial Commissioner to immediately proceed to Chizhou and take full charge of thoroughly investigating the assassination of the Princess. All officials and troops stationed there must cooperate without fail."
"Your Majesty is wise!"
Chizhou, Linjiang Villa.
Wu Feng sat cross-legged on a blue stone in the courtyard, his eyes slightly closed.
The sunlight shone on him, making his face look somewhat pale, but his breathing was already steady and long.
After two days of recuperation, his nearly depleted internal energy has been mostly restored, and the stinging sensation in his meridians has disappeared.
He circulated his Qi, and his true Qi flowed slowly through his meridians, like spring water melting ice, gradually repairing the damage he had suffered from the day's overexertion.
A muffled groan could be faintly heard coming from the neighboring courtyard.
Wu Feng didn't even lift his eyelids.
He knew what that sound was; that madman Li Yunrui was enjoying an artistic feast in the side courtyard.
He couldn't appreciate this grand feast.
Moreover, he only found the opportunity to cultivate while Li Yunrui was away.
A secluded courtyard.
Deep inside, in a dimly lit room.
The room was small, with only an oil lamp lit in the corner, its flame flickering uneasily and casting long, distorted shadows on the wall.
A heavy, pungent smell of blood filled the air, so sweet it was nauseating.
Today, Li Yunrui wore a crimson palace dress, the color of which was as intense as dried blood.
She sat in a large chair in the center of the room, her left hand casually supporting her chin, and her right hand resting on the armrest.
Slender fingers tapped lightly on the wooden handrail.
It makes a regular, soft "tap, tap" sound.
A few meters away from her stood a sturdy wooden frame.
A person was tied to the wooden frame.
It was the gray-clad, ninth-rank assassin who attacked the ship that day.
His gray clothes were already torn to shreds.
The exposed skin was covered with crisscrossing wounds, some so deep that the bone was visible.
Fresh blood flowed down his body, accumulating into a thick, dark red pool at his feet.
His mouth was tightly stuffed with a dirty rag, and he could only utter muffled, painful whimpers.
Bloodshot eyes stared fixedly ahead, filled with pleading, anger, and the terror of impending death.
Li Yunrui had already recognized him.
When His Majesty was seriously injured and fell into a coma, she was summoned to Chang Le Palace by the Empress Dowager.
One of the two unfamiliar ninth-rank experts guarding His Majesty's room had this face.
Therefore, she had no intention of interrogating him.
There is no need for interrogation.
She just wanted to watch.
The doctor who was on board stood beside the wooden frame, holding a thin, gleaming knife in his hand.
His movements were steady, and his gaze was so focused that it was as if he were sculpting a work of art rather than cutting up a living person.
The blade fell, gently slicing off a thin piece of flesh from the assassin's shoulder.
The assassin's body tensed abruptly, a more piercing howl escaped his throat, veins bulged on his forehead, and sweat mixed with blood streamed down his face.
Li Yunrui watched quietly.
Her beautiful face even carried a faint trace of illness.
The smile was beautiful, with slightly upturned eyes and moist red lips, but deep in the depths of her eyes was an empty, joyful coldness.
The firelight danced in her alluring eyes, reflecting an inhuman brilliance.
At that moment, she was as if she were watching a meticulously prepared performance.
"Tap, tap, tap—"
The sound of fingers tapping on the armrest and the faint sound of a blade cutting through flesh intertwined in the deathly silent room, creating an eerie rhythm.
Another cut.
Blood drips.
The curve of Li Yunrui's lips seemed to deepen.
She leaned forward slightly, her voice gentle yet chillingly cold: "Does it hurt?"
The man in gray made a "hoarse" sound from his throat.
"This is just the beginning." Li Yunrui leaned back in his chair. "Continue."
The doctor remained indifferent, moving the tip of his knife to the next spot.
Another stroke.
"Ugh!!"
Blood splattered and splashed on the ground, spreading into several dark flowers.
Li Yunrui's eyes brightened slightly, his expression growing increasingly sickly. These flowers are truly beautiful.
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