klisemfg Chapter 210 The Death of Lord Changping and Lady Hu
Chapter 210 The Death of Lord Changping and Lady Hu
Upon hearing this, Li You was taken aback by Li Xin's bold suggestion, but after a moment's thought, he realized that Li Xin's words made sense. Therefore, he gritted his teeth and said, "General Li, I have no objection to your decision. If the King blames us, I am willing to share the responsibility with you!"
Hearing this, Li Xin was deeply moved. He reached out and patted Li You's shoulder forcefully, saying loudly, "Good brother! I never expected you to be so responsible at such a crucial moment! But don't worry, I will take full responsibility for this matter and you will not be implicated in the slightest!"
Li You said with a smile, "General Li, I have always held you in high esteem. Today, we have found common ground, so I will take the liberty of making a suggestion: from now on, let us address each other as brothers. What do you think?"
Upon hearing this, Li Xin's eyes flashed with delight, and he quickly replied, "That would be wonderful, younger brother greets elder brother!" With that, he clasped his hands in a fist salute to Li You.
Seeing this, Li You quickly reached out and grasped Li Xin's hand, excitedly saying, "Haha, my good brother, please don't stand on ceremony! From now on, we are family!" The two smiled at each other, and the distance between them instantly shortened.
After everything was settled, Li Xin immediately sent his soldiers to invite Changping Jun, Huhai, and the others to come. After all, keeping them in that small and simple tribe was not as safe and secure as living in a sturdy and spacious city. Moreover, with the addition of these Japanese natives, the further renovation of the city could finally be officially put on the agenda. Therefore, Li Xin decisively entrusted all related matters to Li Youlai for overall coordination and arrangement.
As night fell, Lord Changping and his entourage finally arrived. They had a lot to pack, so they traveled slowly. By this time, Li You had already meticulously prepared a grand victory banquet to reward the soldiers and celebrate that they finally had a stable place to stand.
At the banquet, everyone was in high spirits, clinking glasses and drinking heartily. Laughter and cheerful voices filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere. However, amidst this joyous and peaceful ambiance, Lord Changping seemed somewhat out of place. He sat alone in a corner, silently chugging one cup of wine after another, his eyes occasionally glancing at Li Xin and Li You, who were chatting and laughing not far away. A feeling of inexplicable frustration welled up within him.
Before they knew it, the banquet was drawing to a close. Everyone rose and left their seats to rest in their rooms. Lord Changping, however, had drunk too much and was now completely unconscious. He staggered to his feet and, with the careful assistance of his guards, managed to walk towards his quarters. The quarters arranged for him were the most spacious and luxurious besides the Emperor's palace. Thus, escorted by his guards, Lord Changping finally stumbled into his room.
The maidservant quickly and efficiently tidied the room until it was spotless and in perfect order. Inside, the faint candlelight flickered gently, as if performing a tranquil dance. Changping Jun was about to close the door.
However, at that moment, in his dazed state, Changping-kun suddenly glimpsed a blurry figure rapidly approaching from a distance. The figure moved like a ghost, its speed astonishing. Before Changping-kun could fully discern who it was, in the blink of an eye, the person was already within arm's reach.
Changping-jun instinctively opened his mouth, wanting to scream, but just as he was about to utter a sound, a cold light flashed, and a sharp blade mercilessly sliced across his neck. In an instant, warm blood gushed out, splattering onto the half-closed door, forming a gruesome bloody picture. At the same time, the previously faintly flickering candlelight was extinguished by the sudden blood, plunging the entire room into darkness and deathly silence.
Changping didn't even have time to utter a single scream, nor to show any expression of fear or pain. Everything happened so fast that when his head detached from his body and rolled to the ground, his face remained calm, his eyes only slightly open, seemingly oblivious to this sudden misfortune. The head, now without support, rolled several times on the ground before finally stopping, still silently staring ahead.
Changping-kun's body fell heavily to the ground with a dull thud. But after a while, he gradually felt the excruciating pain begin to spread from the broken bone. However, the pain did not last long; soon, his consciousness began to fade.
In his final moments, countless images flashed through Changping Jun's mind. These images included his past glories, the hardships he had endured, and the family and friends who had stood by him through thick and thin. However, all these images ultimately vanished like shooting stars, except for Hu Ji's words of advice, which were deeply imprinted in his memory and frozen in time for eternity.
The woman, dressed in gorgeous clothes and lightly made up, appeared at the victory banquet. However, she only made a token appearance, sitting in her seat for a few minutes before quietly getting up and leaving.
She hurried back to the residence prepared especially for her. Although it was far less luxurious and magnificent than the Qin royal palace, it was a world of difference compared to the dilapidated thatched hut she had once lived in, which leaked every time it rained. This improvement in her environment truly lifted Hu Ji's spirits considerably.
After washing up, Hu Ji gently lay down on the bed. However, the bed was as hard as ever, making it difficult for her to adjust. She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep for a long time, a vague sense of unease rising in her heart. So, Hu Ji began to calm down and think about her next steps.
As she was lost in thought, a strong wave of drowsiness gradually washed over her. Hu Ji's consciousness began to blur, and her eyes slowly closed. In that half-dreaming, half-awake state, she suddenly felt a strange gaze fixed intently on her.
Hu Ji's heart tightened, and she instinctively tried to open her eyes to see what was happening. However, just as she made that movement, a sharp, piercing pain shot through her chest! Hu Ji was utterly shocked, her eyes wide as she watched helplessly as bright red blood gushed from her chest. Then, she tasted a strong, metallic flavor of blood in her mouth.
Due to the suddenness of the incident and the excruciating pain, Orchid's facial muscles were contorted and deformed from extreme agony. She tried her best to shout for help, but it was as if something was tightly blocking her throat, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not make a sound.
Gradually, Hu Ji felt the world before her becoming increasingly blurry, and endless darkness surged towards her like a tide, quickly engulfing her. In this moment when her life was about to end, a thought flashed through her mind like lightning: [I...I haven't become Empress Dowager yet! How can I die like this?] This thought was like a sharp thorn, deeply piercing her heart.
Becoming Empress Dowager was once her highest dream and pursuit. It symbolized power, status, and glory—the pinnacle she longed for. For this, she fought and schemed relentlessly, willing to sacrifice everything. However, fate seems to always play tricks on people; just when she was one step away from her goal, death mercilessly descended.
Hu Ji was unwilling to accept it! Her eyes widened slightly, trying to see a glimmer of hope through the thick darkness, but it was all in vain. She recalled all the hardships and tribulations she had endured, those days of intrigue and deceit, all of which had now vanished like bubbles. And her unfulfilled dream of becoming Empress Dowager was shattered forever with the passing of her life.