Keyboard Immortal

Chapter 2250: Vengeance

The things that had happened that night were still fresh in Liu Ning's memory. There wasn’t a single living member of the Liu clan left. Even some officials who were relatively close to the Liu clan had been eliminated.

Fortunately, she had known about the relationship of the Sang clan’s women with Zu An and won in her gamble. The two of them had managed to save her.

That Sang Qien was quite smart. She managed to analyze the events of the court quite clearly.

Zheng Dan was also quite formidable. She actually managed to establish such a large and powerful underground force in a place like the capital! Otherwise, there's no way I would’ve been able to escape from the pursuit of those soldiers.

After associating with the two women, she couldn't help but sigh in amazement again.

Did Zu An save the universe in his past life or something? Why are there so many beautiful women fully devoted to him?

At first, the time she had spent with the two of them was quite happy. However, when she heard the rumors about Zu An and Bi Linglong, her heart had immediately sunk. In that instant, a lot of details connected together. She suddenly realized what had happened.

I’m so stupid, really…

Even though the opinions differed and they were all just rumors, with many people thinking that they were spread just to defame both parties' reputation, she had immediately realized they were true.

That guy Zu An dares to even touch me, so why would he let go of the more intimate and younger Bi Linglong?

She had previously thought that Bi Linglong trusted him a bit too much, but she'd just assumed it was because Zu An worked in the crown prince’s Eastern Palace. He had also earned those achievements in the crown prince’s secret dungeon, so it made sense Bi Linglong trusted him so much. Now, though, it seemed that the two of them had already gotten together a long time ago!

When she heard Sang Qien’s pleading, she'd initially planned on waiting to get revenge. She had intended to wait for Zu An to return. But when she learned about his relationship with Bi Linglong, she knew she couldn't wait any longer. If both of them were still there, who would he end up helping?

She'd even felt a bit of fear. Bi Linglong was younger than her, and while she herself was now a stray, the other party was still the noble empress. She felt that if she were a man, even she would likely choose Bi Linglong. She didn’t want to place Zu An in such a predicament, and she was even more scared of him making that choice at all.

She didn’t have a clan anymore, nor did she have her father and brothers. She didn’t have anything left. She didn’t want the very last person close to her to disappear too.

That was why after she fully recovered, she had secretly left the place that Zheng Dan was hiding her in. She could only get revenge herself!

The Bi manor had a lot of powerful individuals protecting it and had heavy security. Furthermore, Bi Qi was a powerful cultivator himself, so there was no chance for her to get closer at all. But the Imperial Palace was different. As long as she was a bit more careful, it wouldn’t be too hard for her to infiltrate inside at all.

According to the surrounding discussions, she realized that Bi Qi had entered the palace today. If she wasn’t mistaken, he was here to see his daughter. This father and daughter pair were definitely scheming together. Bi Qi couldn't bring his guards into the inner palace, right? That was the best chance to strike.

As she looked at the Palace of Peace, Liu Ning sneered. This was where she had lived, after all, and she had stayed in this place much longer than that lass Bi Linglong.

At first, she hadn’t wanted to hand over the palace, but she couldn't hold off the officials’ advice, saying that not doing so was against the rules, going against the wishes of the ancestors. She had been pestered beyond endurance, and moved away from this place in the end. And yet shortly after, all of those things had happened.

She knew about a secret path in the Palace of Peace, but because the handover hadn’t been all that pleasant, she hadn’t told Bi Linglong about it.

Thank goodness I didn’t tell her. It’s perfect for sending this father and daughter pair to the afterlife!

She secretly moved to a more remote palace and turned a few stones at a rather unremarkable rock garden in a special way. A formation soon revealed itself. She took out her personal keepsake and placed it at the eye of the formation. With a faint flicker of light, the formation parted to either side as a door opened.

Liu Ning looked around cautiously, making sure that no one had noticed her. Then, she entered the path. She had prepared a few things inside; if someone had passed by, it would have left behind a trace. She secretly examined those markings and saw that there wasn’t anything strange about them, which allowed her to sigh in relief.

…

Meanwhile, after Bi Linglong had given Zhang Zitong careful instructions and was about to have her leave, a voice suddenly called, “His majesty has arrived!”

Bi Linglong’s expression changed. She quickly said to Rong Mo, “Go and stop him. Tell him that I don’t feel too well today and that it's unsuitable for me to meet him.”

“Okay.” Rong Mo was Bi Linglong’s personal aide, and knew that she only loved the regent. Why would she meet with that stupid emperor?

Zhang Zitong watched all of this with shock.

The empress and his majesty are only united in appearance, while divided at heart! It seems the rumors of her being with the regent are most likely true.

“You should act like a maid for now, so it won’t look weird if we end up meeting them.” Bi Linglong sat down in front of her table and began to sort through the memorials on it. However, she felt a bit anxious for some reason.

…

Outside the Palace of Peace, Zhao Ruizhi and Bi Qi were both stopped outside.

“How dare you! You dare to even stop his majesty?!” Zhao Si shouted.

He was the son of King Yi. In the past, because of his family background, he had been chosen to become a high-ranking officer of the guards. It was precisely he and his brother who had used that ‘slander’ against Zu An to persuade Zhao Ruizhi to approve the imperial edict. After that instance, King Yi and the other brothers had received tremendous rewards, immediately becoming far more influential.

Because of what happened, Zhao Ruizhi trusted him a lot, feeling that Zhao Si was one of the few talents who could help him in fending off the great evil that was the regent. That was why Zhao Si had been greatly promoted and kept at the emperor’s side to serve him.

Zhao Si had, of course, been extremely delighted. Compared to burdensome governmental affairs, he now only had to properly pamper this stupid emperor. Furthermore, the authority he had at the emperor’s side couldn't compare to serving as an official anywhere else.

That was why he immediately leaped out when he saw that there were guards in the emperor’s palace who stopped him. His aptitude wasn’t that great, but he had received a lot of resources growing up that granted him his mediocre cultivation today. If he didn’t express his loyalty here, what other use did he have?

The empress’ guards, Jiao Sigun and Pu Duandiao, also broke out into cold sweats. “We ask for your majesty’s forgiveness. Her highness gave strict orders to not meet anyone today. If we let anyone inside, there is only death awaiting us.”

“You scoundrel, is his majesty the same as other people?” Zhao Si cursed. “You all fear the empress, but you don’t fear his majesty?”

“This lowly official wouldn’t dare!” Jiao Sigun and Pu Duandiao continued to bow, holding their hands in front of them. They were incredibly worried.

We're just two lowly guards, so how could we dare to do something like that?

“Her highness has been hiding in the palace since this morning and hasn’t allowed anyone in. Is she meeting with someone else?” Zhao Si remarked with a sneer.

Jiao Sigun and the others were shocked. Who in the palace didn’t know about the scandal involving the empress and the regent? This accusation really was ruthless.

Just then, a clever voice retorted, “Her highness is feeling out of sorts right now, and yet you're making insinuations against her? Those are crimes punishable by death!”

Rong Mo ran over angrily and stared at Zhao Si.

This guy really is up to no good.

Zhao Si was also furious.

This little girl actually dares to shout and quarrel with me?

He was about to say something when a group of soldiers rushed over.

“Miss Rong, what happened here?”

The group was the Armed Escort Army led by Wang Bolin and Zhang Zijiang. After the coup that had taken place that night, if not for the fact that they had been protecting the empress, they would likely have already been forced to remove their armor and return to their farms. Then, some random imaginary charges would place them in jail. As such, they knew they didn’t have any way out. They had to follow the regent and the queen to the end.

The queen had arranged for the Armed Escort Division to remain nearby, as if she was guarding against something. When they sensed that something strange had happened, they quickly rushed over. Upon seeing that it was the emperor’s group, they quickly bowed respectfully.

When he saw this group of people, Zhao Si became even angrier. “What, are you all here to help the empress block his majesty too?”

“We wouldn’t dare!” Wang Bolin and Zhang Zijiang were starting to get a huge headache. They both sensed Jiao Sigun and Pu Duandiao’s awkwardness.

“Enough,” Bi Qi put a stop to Zhao Si escalating the situation further. He looked at Rong Mo and said, “Little Mo, his majesty and I have important matters we need to meet with Linglong about. Please pass on this message.”

When she saw the clan lord speak, which she had feared the most, Rong Mo felt a huge amount of pressure. While she was at a loss for what to do, the empress called out from inside, “You can let them in.”

…

Meanwhile, Liu Ning was carefully moving underground. The Imperial Palace was full of powerful cultivators and alarm formations. The slightest mistake would easily result in her exposure.

Eventually, she finally arrived at the Palace of Peace. At the other end of the passage was a wardrobe. She could vaguely hear that Bi Linglong was speaking with a woman.

She was about to open the wardrobe and end the empress' life when a eunuch’s shrill voice called out, “His majesty has arrived!”

She frowned, planning to wait first. If the emperor was here, that meant he would definitely have his guards with him. More people meant more variables.

Liu Ning was extremely annoyed by the eunuch’s shrill voice. The one she hated the most after the Bi clan’s father and daughter pair was Eunuch Lu. She had thought that he was her loyal hound and trusted him greatly. She had never expected him to betray her.

If it hadn't been for him coordinating both inside and outside, she wouldn’t have only realized that something was wrong after the palace gates were lit aflame. Unfortunately, she had no idea where he had run off to, and she couldn't find him at all. That was why she could only kill the Bi clan’s father and daughter first.

…

Meanwhile, hiding outside the Palace of Peace was a beautiful figure in the shadows. When she saw Zhao Ruizhi and Bi Qi enter the Palace of Peace, she couldn't help but frown. “Should I help or not?”