bullyxtreme Chapter 296 Liu Hongyan's Last Hope
Chapter 296 Liu Hongyan's Last Hope
Zhao Qingxue closed her eyes.
I took a deep breath.
When I opened my eyes again, there was a complex calm in them.
She didn't say anything more.
He simply turned his head and looked at the officials who were still kneeling in the hall.
I looked at those trembling figures.
Look at those bowed heads.
Look at those eyes that no longer dare to look up.
Then, she heard Qin Mu's voice again.
The sound was very soft, yet it was exceptionally clear in the deathly silent hall.
"My beloved ministers."
He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Does anyone else have any objections?"
Inside the hall, there was complete silence.
No one moved.
No one speaks.
Even their breathing was kept to a minimum.
Those ministers who were just now weeping, roaring, and drawing their swords against each other.
At this moment, everyone was looking down at their toes.
No one dared to look up.
No one dared to look at him.
Qin Mu smiled gently as he looked at them.
The laughter was soft, yet exceptionally clear in the deathly silent hall.
He didn't say anything more.
He simply leaned back in his chair, resting his chin on one hand, in a languid posture.
Sunlight streamed in through the window and shone on him.
The moon-white figure was outlined with exceptional clarity.
It also illuminated the half-smile on the corner of his mouth.
In that curve, there is satisfaction and appreciation.
There was also a faint, amused smile.
......
at the same time.
Deep within the imperial prison.
Liu Hongyan huddled in the corner, hugging her knees and shrinking herself into a small ball.
She had been sitting like that all night.
From the time Zhao Qingxue left until now.
She hadn't closed her eyes once.
He just stared intently at the tightly closed iron gate.
waiting.
Praying.
Fear.
The redness and swelling on her face had subsided somewhat.
But those bright red handprints are still clearly visible.
A thin scab had formed on the wound at the corner of my mouth.
Her clothes were wrinkled beyond recognition and covered in dust.
She curled up like an abandoned, trapped animal.
Zhao Qingxue said that His Majesty had agreed.
Zhao Qingxue said that she would be summoned tomorrow.
But tomorrow——
When will you arrive?
Why has it taken so long?
Could something have gone wrong?
Could it be...?
Countless thoughts surged through her mind, almost overwhelming her.
She desperately told herself that it wouldn't happen.
Zhao Qingxue is an empress; she keeps her word.
Since Qin Mu has agreed, he will not go back on his word.
But that unease clung to her like a venomous snake.
I can't shake them off no matter what I do.
Time slowly slipped away amidst the torment.
I don't know how much time has passed.
It might take one hour, or it might take two hours.
Liu Hongyan huddled in the corner, her body trembling slightly from the cold.
But she didn't sleep.
He just stared intently at the iron gate.
waiting.
finally--
With a loud "clang".
The iron gate was pushed open.
Liu Hongyan's pupils suddenly contracted!
She suddenly stood up!
He stared intently at that door!
then,
A hint of confusion flashed in her eyes.
The person who came in was not Zhao Qingxue, whom she had expected.
Instead, they were two Imperial Guards.
They carried a person and strode into the cell.
The man was an old man, wearing a scarlet official robe, which was covered in dust and wrinkled beyond recognition.
His hair and beard were disheveled, and his face was thin; at that moment, his face was filled with extreme anger and sorrow.
He was supported by two imperial guards and staggered forward.
He walked and cursed angrily:
"A tyrannical ruler!"
"Thief!"
"You'll die a horrible death!"
His voice was hoarse and shrill, echoing in the deep prison, sounding particularly mournful.
"Even as a ghost, I will not let you go!"
"Won't!"
The two imperial guards remained expressionless, simply supporting him as they continued walking forward.
They walked to the cell next to Liu Hongyan's and stopped.
Open the cell door.
He was shoved inside!
The old man staggered into the cell, nearly falling over.
He steadied himself by holding onto the stone wall.
Then, he suddenly turned around!
He gripped the iron bars with both hands and roared angrily towards the outside:
"You tyrant! Did you hear me?!"
"I curse you! I curse you to be childless and without descendants! I curse you to die a horrible death!"
His voice grew sharper and more shrill, until it was almost a scream.
The roar echoed through the prison, lingering for a long time.
But the two imperial guards had already turned and left.
The iron gate slammed shut behind them with a clang.
It cut off the sunlight from the outside world, and it also cut off the last glimmer of hope.
The old man gripped the iron bars, staring at the closed iron gate.
Her body slowly slid down.
Kneeling on the ground.
He covered his face with his hands.
It emitted suppressed, broken sobs.
Liu Hongyan stood in her cell, watching this scene through the iron bars.
Her eyes widened in disbelief, her pupils filled with shock.
This is……
Ministers in the imperial court?
Although she didn't recognize the man, she could tell from his scarlet official robe, his thin face, and his angry shouts...
She was certain that this was a minister in the imperial court.
Moreover, he was a minister who opposed Qin Mu.
At that moment, he was locked up.
Just like her.
He became a prisoner.
Moreover, it's clear that his fate was far worse than hers.
Liu Hongyan's fingers clenched tightly inside her sleeve.
This realization cast a shadow over the nascent hope in her heart once again.
In the next cell, the old man was still kneeling on the ground.
He covered his face with his hands, his shoulders trembling violently.
Suppressed sobs could be heard intermittently.
The deep, dark prison felt particularly desolate.
Liu Hongyan looked at him, at his appearance.
A deep sense of sorrow welled up in my heart.
It's not about feeling sorry for him.
Rather, she seemed to see a shadow of her future self in it.
Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after, maybe some other day.
She will be like him.
They are being held here.
Waiting for death that may come at any time.
Liu Hongyan slowly slid down and sat on the ground.
Leaning against the cold stone wall.
Huddled in the corner.
He hugged his knees with both hands.
He curled himself up into a tiny ball.
Those beautiful phoenix eyes gazed at the tightly closed iron gate.
Looking at the old man kneeling on the ground in the next cell.
Listen to his suppressed, broken sobs.
In my heart, I prayed silently.
We pray that Zhao Qingxue will keep her word.
She prayed that Qin Mu would really spare her.
I pray that she will survive.
Time slowly slipped away amidst the torment.
The sobbing from next door gradually subsided.
Finally, it turned into occasional, suppressed sobs.
Liu Hongyan leaned against the stone wall, motionless.
He just stared at that iron gate.
waiting.
I don't know how much time passed.
It might take one hour, or it might take two hours.
The iron gate was finally pushed open again.
Liu Hongyan's pupils suddenly contracted!
She suddenly stood up!
He stared intently at that door!
A woman's figure slowly came into Liu Hongyan's view.
.......
The iron gate was pushed open with a clang, and the rusty hinges emitted a sharp scraping sound that echoed for a long time in the dark prison before gradually fading away.
The morning light streamed in from outside, making the slender figure standing on the threshold exceptionally clear.
The light was pale gold, carrying the unique chill and gentleness of an early winter morning, slanting into this dark and gloomy prison cell.
Dust swirled in the beam of light, like countless tiny gold dust particles, slowly drifting down.
Liu Hongyan's pupils suddenly contracted.
She has been in this cell for far too long.
So long that her eyes had grown accustomed to the dimness, to the faint, ever-present flame of the oil lamp on the wall.
The sudden ray of morning light was so bright that she could barely open her eyes.
She subconsciously raised her hand to shield her eyes, her fingers stiff and numb from not moving for a long time.
But she still kept her eyes wide open, staring intently at the figure through her fingers.
She was a palace maid.
She wore a plain blue palace dress, with simple silver cloud patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs, the lowest-ranking style in the palace.
A dark cloth belt was tied around her waist, with a small wooden tag hanging from it, engraved with the number of her position.
Her hair was styled in the most common double buns, secured with two wooden hairpins, without any extra ornaments.
She was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with delicate features and a submissive and cautious demeanor typical of palace maids.
The morning light shone on her face, making her young face almost transparent, revealing fine downy hairs and a small patch of skin behind her ear illuminated by the light.
She stood on the threshold, her gaze sweeping across the cell before finally settling on the figure huddled in the corner.
Liu Hongyan.
She curled up like that, hugging her knees with both hands, shrinking herself into a small ball.
The lake-blue brocade dress was wrinkled beyond recognition, the hem was covered in dust, and there were several tears from something, revealing a white petticoat underneath.
The jade belt around her waist was askew, having long since come loose, hanging to one side and swaying gently with her slightly trembling body.
The jade pendant he always carried had long since been lost in some corner of the cell.
Her hair was disheveled and draped over her shoulders, with a few strands clinging to her pale cheeks, stuck together by dried tear stains.
That once beautiful face was now swollen and red, with a bright red handprint spreading from her cheekbone all the way to her ear.
A thin scab had formed on the wound at the corner of his mouth, leaving a dark red mark on his chin.
She curled up there like an abandoned, wounded, trapped animal.
The palace maid's gaze lingered on her for a moment, a barely perceptible hint of pity flashing in her eyes.
But soon, that pity was replaced by a deeper caution.
She stepped into the cell.
The light blue embroidered shoes made a very soft "tap-tap" sound on the cold stone slabs, but it was particularly clear in the silent prison.
She walked up to Liu Hongyan and stopped.
Looking down at her, his voice was soft yet clear:
"Miss Liu, please come with me."
Liu Hongyan's body trembled violently.
She opened her mouth, as if to say something.
But my throat felt as if it had been sanded by sandpaper, so dry that I could barely make a sound.
Like a bird that has been trapped in a cage for too long, it has even forgotten how to sing.
The palace maid did not urge them.
He just stood there quietly, waiting for her.
Liu Hongyan took a deep breath.
She leaned against the stone wall and slowly stood up. Her legs were numb from sitting for so long that she had almost lost all feeling, and her knees ached with a sharp, stabbing pain.
She gritted her teeth, leaned against the wall, and slowly straightened up.
The lake-blue dress slipped off her body and hung wrinkled at her feet.
She looked down at her disheveled appearance and a self-deprecating smile appeared on her lips.
The most capable assistant in the North, the Crown Prince's most trusted assassin, now stood here like a beggar.
The palace maid stepped forward and reached out to support her arm.
The hand was steady, the force was just right, not too strong, and it firmly supported her swaying body.
"Be careful, young lady," the palace maid whispered.
Liu Hongyan glanced at her but didn't say anything.
He simply let her support him as he walked step by step toward the prison gate.
With each step, the shackles on his feet clanged and clattered.
In the cell next door, the old man who had been locked up overnight heard the commotion.
He lunged at the iron bars, gripping the cold railings tightly with both hands.
His thin face was covered with tears and dirt, his beard was disheveled and stuck to his chest, his official hat was nowhere to be found, and his gray hair was scattered loosely.
"girl!"
His voice was hoarse and shrill, carrying an almost frantic urgency.
"Young lady! Where are you going? Has His Majesty summoned you? Could you please pass on a message for me? Could you tell His Majesty that I know I was wrong! I shouldn't have talked back to him! I beg him for mercy! I beg him—"
His voice grew louder and sharper until it was almost a scream.
The sound echoed through the prison, causing dust to fall from the walls.
His attempt to die in the imperial court was a rash act, but now that he has survived, he realizes the preciousness of being alive.
So he regretted it.
He wanted to live.