Chapter 5: King Dowager Luo YuThe enemy soldiers began to surround them on all four sides and the few officials standing behind Qianhe Liyou could not conceal the panic on their faces as despair began to fill their eyes. These officials were not exactly loyal to the Empress nor the Imperial family, but their relations with the Situ family made it so that they could not choose anyone but the Empress. If the Empress dies, they die with her. So at this moment, all of them could see their impending deaths as the nooses around their neck began to tighten.
Long Xizhao"s expression also had a touch of anxiety. She knew that the Empress has a secret army made up of 50, 000 troops. This was a well-kept royal secret and she knew about it only because she overheard it when the Empress was drunk once. She never told anyone else and just now, she thought that the Empress had something planned, something that had to do with the secret army and so she decided to take the gamble. Yet, even as Situ Changqin"s troops surrounded them, she couldn"t even see a hint of the Empress"s so-called secret army. She looked over at the Empress whose face still wore the same cold expression as before and believed that the Empress must have a plan up her sleeve. Otherwise, the Empress would not be so calm, at least she hoped that"s the case…..
“Qianhe Liyou, how do you want to die?” With forces all around her, Situ Changqin became even more arrogant and she no longer disguised her blatant bloodthirstiness. She believed that this forced abdication has been successfully carried out, that she was undoubtedly the final winner!
“Ai, if I really wanted to die, do you have what it takes to kill me?” Qianhe Liyou sighed and the cold aura around her carried a trace of loneliness. A long time ago, she thought she had died. However, after ten thousand years of cultivation, ten thousand years of loneliness, the word "Death" was simply a luxury to her!
She can"t die, she can never die, for this is her destiny!
“What do you mean?” Situ Changqin didn"t understand and neither did the people around her.
“Empress, I will take you away from here!” Qin Ning had waited and waited, thinking that the Empress had a plan, but it seems that something was wrong with the Empress! Although he did not love the Empress, he would do what he must to help the Empress escape!
Qianhe Liyou glanced at Qin Ning, shook her head slightly and said quietly to Situ Changqin, “Have you ever heard the phrase "To catch bandits, first catch the ringleader"? As long as you land in my hands, why should I be afraid of your subordinates?”
“How arrogant, you think you can capture me? What a joke!” Even as she said that, Situ Changqing retreated a few steps and furtively hid herself behind a few soldiers.
Qianhe Liyou smiled, very faintly, and although it was a little stiff, to her it can be called a real smile.
Qianhe Liyou was originally a beautiful woman, but her disgusting personality made people ignore her looks. Therefore, her beautiful smile surprised everyone present and they suddenly remembered that before she was the Empress, she was considered the number one beauty in the country.
While everyone was stunned by her blinding smile, Qianhe Liyou finally made her move. Like a shadow moving in the darkness, she easily pa.s.sed through the layers of soldiers and stopped right in front of Situ Changqin!
Horror! Fear! These two emotions appeared in everyone"s heart at the same time, their hearts racing furiously with painful thumps.
“You! You….” Situ Changqin was too scared to even speak.
Qianhe Liyou, as the Empress of the country, of course has learned some martial arts but her skills had always been mediocre. This was a fact everyone in the entire country knew, but at this moment this fact no longer was the truth. The useless Empress in their minds had changed to an Empress who conceals her strengths and bides her time for the perfect moment to strike!
With just one hand, Qianhe Liyou was able to grab the struggling Situ Changqin"s throat and as Situ Changqin"s guards tried to save their leader, she easily flew into the air and stepped over their heads to land in the exact spot she was standing in not too long ago. She returned to the entrance to her chambers and calmly stood her ground.
“Surrender now and put down your weapons. Zhen doesn"t care how many idiots die today, but parents and husbands may also be buried with you today if you do not surrender!”
“Don"t listen to her nonsense. Except for the Imperial Guards, the entire city is in my hands! There is no army that will come to save you! If you let me go now, I can promise that you"ll keep your life. However, if you think that you can quell this mutiny just by killing me then you are simply too naive. The soldiers who have rebelled with me all understand that they will not live if they surrender now! How can someone as cruel as you let these people live? Even if I die, they will finish the job and slice your body into a million pieces! Your harem of beauties will become military prost.i.tutes, and even the n.o.ble King Dowager Luo Yu will suffer the same fate! Although he is a little old, his charm and reputation as the most beautiful man in the country will serve him well! I believe that the soldiers will all want a taste of him-AHHHHH!”
Situ Changqin was already fl.u.s.tered due to her sudden capture, so her words were quite harsh as she tried to instigate the soldiers into attacking. She wanted to use them to force Qianhe Liyou to let her go. However, the more she spoke, the more impatient Qianhe Liyou became and she didn"t give Situ Changqin a chance to finish.
She didn"t want to listen to this babbling nonsense anymore and since this person"s existence held no value to her, Qianhe Liyou simply tightened her left hand and broke Situ Changqin"s neck in one clean snap! Her cold expression was the same as the G.o.d of death, exuding a ghastly aura, and shocked everyone who witnessed her killing.
When Situ Changqin stopped breathing, Qianhe Liyou gently flicked her arm and threw the corpse into the group of rebels!
Everyone was in an uproar, and the rebels were also stimulated by the sudden death of Situ Changqing, especially the ones who had followed the commander for decades. They rushed over at the Empress, their eyes blood-red and their faces grim. Qianhe Liyou naturally noticed this hostile change and her eyes became colder, a trace of red appearing in her pupils. She was ready to kill her way out of here!
At this moment, a loud commotion was raised behind the rebel army and everyone stopped in confusion, wondering what happened when they heard a voice call out,
“Anyone who lays down their weapons and surrenders will be forgiven of all crimes!” An elegant male voice that held tremendous power rang out in the loudness and stood out even among the thousands of soldiers.
All noise died down as their eyes swiveled over to the man who spoke!
A gorgeous purple-golden outfit hugged the person"s figure, making them look both graceful and elegant, yet their outstanding appearance and indifferent expression made one feel as if the person was above the matters of mere mortals. As if he was an existence not of this world, but a fairy descendant from the heavens. One could only look from a distance, but not approach. It was as it would be a blasphemy if they looked at him directly.
There was no need for anyone to announce this man, as everyone knew who he was. Apart from the number one most beautiful man, who else can have such charm!
Qianhe Liyou"s eyes pa.s.sed the thousands of soldiers to look directly at this charming person, her cold and indifferent gaze adding a trace of warmth. A strange golden light circulated in her deep black eyes, as if a huge wave rippled through the depths of a cold ocean.
The silence lasted for only a moment as the sound of weapons falling to the ground rang out. The officials standing behind Qianhe Liyou marveled at Luo Yu"s influence. Without even a single word, he was able to force these rebels to lose their will and surrender!
Luo Yu looked almost mythical as he stood there among the thousands of soldiers and horses. His indifferent expression was filled with courage, and with just one word he was able to capture the hearts of millions. No matter which dynasty it is, for a man to hold this much power, especially a man from within the harem, such a thing could be regarded as a legend. A myth that will be pa.s.sed down for hundreds of years to come.
“Long live the King Dowager! May he live for thousands and thousands of years!” The officials all knelt unanimously, their voices filled with respect and sincerity.
Qianhe Liyou"s eyes never left Luo Yu as she watched him slowly approach. Seeing this graceful person stand in front of her with such a caring expression on his face made Qianhe Liyou feel a little strange.
“Are you unhurt, my daughter? The 50,000 imperial soldiers have been sent by me to quell the rebellion within the palace, the Empress does not have to worry no more.” The worry and love in Luo Yu"s eyes are very sincere. He looked at his daughter in front of him, his indifferent eyes taking on a trace of tenderness.
Qianhe Liyou looked into those tender eyes and the warmth flowing out of them. She raised her hands to gently cover that gaze filled with brightness…..
Everyone froze at her strange actions. Even the cold-hearted Luo Yu showed a trace of confusion. However, this expression only made Qianhe Liyou feel that the person in front of her was even cuter!
Although it is very strange for her to call a forty-two-year-old man cute, no one can change her opinion. Not to mention, the people in this world can live to about 150 years old, so they are still considered young even at the age of forty. Luo Yu looks even younger with his handsome looks, his outer appearance suggesting he is only around his early thirties at most. Standing beside Qianhe Liyou, he looked more like an older brother than a father.
“Daughter?” Luo Yu asked awkwardly. He felt most helpless in front of this Empress, his own daughter. He never would"ve thought that an indifferent person like him and a coward like the former Empress would actually give birth to such a child who is so…..irritable, cruel, vicious, fickle….it had simply broken his heart. His daughter killed her other sisters, brothers, and eventually even her own mother until she was the only one sitting on the throne. He had thoroughly given up in despair over reforming this daughter of his but even so, when he learned about the rebellion, he worried for his child and did everything he could. He had always been a cold and indifferent person, and he had married someone he didn"t even love, but he still gave this child his everything…..
“Royal Father, I have troubled you. You can go rest now, this child will take care of everything.” She naturally withdrew her hand and spoke softly, as if nothing had happened just now.
Luo Yu still carried doubt in his eyes, but after thinking about it, he replied with only one sentence: “Let these soldiers go, they had no choice in the matter.” After saying these words, he turned and left, taking his attendants with him and leaving the rest of the panicked crowd behind him.