Before the sword light could even fall, a fierce shout suddenly rang out. The kicked-in palace doors shattered completely, and a bulky, fat man, surrounded by a crowd of people, rushed inside.
Pei Hengyu turned his head to look. The fat man had a wide forehead, round eyes, and an overly plump head that made the priceless jade crown on it look utterly vulgar.
As soon as he entered, he kicked over the clothes rack standing inside the door. Every single soldier following him had a large character for "Ji" stamped on the front of their tunic.
Judging by this attire, the newcomer was none other than the head of the Ji clan—Ji Chengyuan!
Oh! It was certainly lively today, Pei Hengyu thought with a mischievous twist. Why wasn't it the Empress catching them in adultery, but rather the Imperial Uncle?
Yuwen Junan had his back to the newcomer, his gaze still fixed on Pei Hengyu's eyes, which seemed to hide countless stars, his expression stern and cold.
"Yuwen Junan!"
Ji Chengyuan shouted from behind Yuwen Junan. "You ungrateful scoundrel, you killed Xiaorou, and today I am going to avenge her!"
Who? Who did Yuwen Junan kill?
Pei Hengyu looked into Yuwen Junan's eyes, as if asking: What he's saying isn't true, is it? Have you lost your mind, going off to kill a Ji family woman?
During the palace banquet at the beginning of the year, after Yuwen Junan had poisoned Pei Hengyu into unconsciousness, he had met with desperate resistance from the Imperial Guard.
Using the Ji clan troops lying in ambush nearby, he had wiped out the Imperial Guard loyal to Pei Hengyu, thereby seizing actual control of Shangjing.
As soon as the news broke, troops from all directions mobilized, stationing themselves outside the city walls of Shangjing under the banner of executing a traitor.
Leading the Ji clan forces, Yuwen Junan had personally gone out of the city to meet the enemy. Winning every single battle, he carried out a bloody suppression against all who resisted, and only then managed to secure his seat on the dragon throne!
Therefore, the Ji clan army was the only military force in Yuwen Junan's hands!
However, this army was not loyal to Yuwen Junan; it was loyal to the Ji clan!
Not only because the Ji family woman had used her personal fortune to sustain this army, but also because the soldiers themselves were drawn from the nine clans of the Ji family.
Thus, the reason the Ji clan troops followed Yuwen Junan through thick and thin relied entirely on the Ji family woman's infatuation with Yuwen Junan.
To kill the Ji family woman was to sever the sole bond between Yuwen Junan and the Ji clan army.
Was Yuwen Junan out of his mind to have killed Ji Fangrou?
"Idiot!"
Yuwen Junan didn't even turn his head as he said, "How many times do I have to tell you? The person I killed wasn't your sister! That person was not Ji Fangrou!"
What did that mean?
Yuwen Junan admitted that he had killed someone, yet he insisted that person wasn't the Ji family woman!
If it wasn't the Ji family woman, why would Ji Chengyuan mistake her for Ji Fangrou? Could the head of the Ji clan not even recognize his own biological sister?
If it was truly as Yuwen Junan claimed, and the person he killed wasn't Ji Fangrou, then just who was it that Yuwen Junan had killed?
Pei Hengyu's mind raced through countless thoughts in a split second, yet he still remembered to press his fingertips against the dragon's head on his chest, signaling the Silver-Patterned Coiled Dragon to come out quickly and watch the spectacle together!
However, Ji Chengyuan, who was consumed by the agonizing loss of a close family member, could not process any of this. All he wanted was for Yuwen Junan to die!
"Do you take this general for a blind fool? I happily sent my sister into the Imperial Palace, yet you murdered her!"
"I'll say it again!" Yuwen Junan's patience was exhausted, a fierce murderous intent staining his voice. "The person I killed is not Xiaorou!"
"Enough of your nonsense!" Ji Chengyuan drew his saber and pointed it at Yuwen Junan. "Today I am going to avenge Xiaorou! Men, kill him for this general!"
A cold flash of light—Tianxing descended abruptly. Pei Hengyu's eyes widened; he wasn't afraid to die, but he still wanted to watch the show a little longer!
"Clang~~~~~~"
The expected pain did not land on his neck, nor on his chest. What had been split open was the chain!
Before Pei Hengyu could figure out what trick Yuwen Junan was playing, Ji Chengyuan's soldiers swarmed forward, their broadswords sweeping in like an autumn wind as they slashed at Yuwen Junan's back.
Yuwen Junan spun around abruptly, a surge of killing intent erupting from his entire body. Tianxing sliced through a soldier's throat, and blood splattered out, staining the bed curtains a deep crimson.
Inside Hehuan Palace, the candlelight was dim and the light was murky.
Wave after wave of soldiers poured through the palace doors, rushing into the inner hall, only to be continually pierced through by Tianxing.
The moon rose, and its ghostly light filtered through the lattice windows, casting a brilliant crimson glow across the inner hall.
Batch after batch of soldiers died beneath the blade of Tianxing. The murderous intent, resembling a roaring tiger, tore and shredded every living thing that drew near.
"Bang..."
Pei Hengyu was still watching the spectacle when a muffled thud exploded right beside his ear. A broadsword grazed his cheek, whistling past the side of his head, and severed half of the hanging curtain.
It caught fire from the overturned candles, and Hehuan Palace was illuminated brightly!
Yuwen Junan crouched halfway atop a pile of corpses nearly as tall as a man, the armor on his left arm hacked through with a finger-length crack.
"He... is he blocking blows for me?"
Pei Hengyu looked in disbelief at the crack in the armor, once again shocked by Yuwen Junan's actions!
"Yuwen Junan, you have a weakness too!" Ji Chengyuan roared with bloodshot eyes, as if he had discovered a monumental secret, completely ignoring the raging fire. "Men, kill him for this general! Kill the one by the bed first!"
Pei Hengyu's breathing hitched. Weren't they here to kill Yuwen Junan? Why were they coming after him?
This show was no longer fun to watch!
Hehuan Palace fell into an eerie silence. The sounds of slaughter seemed to come from another world as the soldiers exchanged glances, cautiously edging toward the bed.
Before the blade could fall, Yuwen Junan whirled around, scooped up Pei Hengyu, and charged outward!
"Stop him!" Ji Chengyuan panicked, being pulled backward by his soldiers as they retreated. "Archers! Archers, loose your arrows at my command!"
The autumn wind wailed and the cold moon hung boundless in the sky. More and more soldiers gathered outside the hall, and cold arrows, as if endowed with eyes, sealed off every single exit.
Pei Hengyu grew tense. Suddenly, he was terrified—terrified that Yuwen Junan would die right here. Pressing close to Yuwen Junan's ear, he whispered softly, "Don't mind me, save yourself and go!"
Yuwen Junan did not reply. He held Pei Hengyu in his left arm while his right hand gripped Tianxing.
The dense, blinding sword light formed an unbroken net, firmly protecting Pei Hengyu. Even when the armor on his body was hacked through with gaping cracks, Yuwen Junan never once let up.
The moon's reflection in the firmament had grown hazy and indistinct, and grayish-black clouds gathered in midair. The early dawn had yet to show its face. Pei Hengyu had no idea what was wrong with Yuwen Junan, who was being stubbornly unreasonable.
Seeing that Hehuan Palace was already ablaze, Yuwen Junan simply couldn't carry him out!
Pei Hengyu suddenly exerted force, twisting his upper body sideways, and caught with his own back the cold arrow meant for Yuwen Junan!
It hurt so much!
Pei Hengyu thought to himself, suppressing the taste of blood rising to his throat as he smiled and said, "I'm done for, but you can still make it—hurry up and leave!"
The raging fire swallowed the pure white hair. Holding Pei Hengyu, Yuwen Junan let Tianxing slip from his palm. Cold arrows pierced through flesh and blood; this time, Yuwen Junan neither blocked nor dodged!
"Is he dead?" Ji Chengyuan pushed aside the soldiers beside him, dragging his bulky frame forward to inspect Yuwen Junan amidst the flames. "Xiaorou! Did you see this? Your elder brother has avenged you!"
The eyelids that Yuwen Junan had lowered suddenly snapped open, cold light flashing fiercely within his eyes. His splayed fingers abruptly clenched, his wrist flipped, and Tianxing, with its sword tip pointing backward, flew out directly from the blazing fire.
"General, watch out..."
A soldier hurriedly reached out to pull Ji Chengyuan back, but it was already too late. In the fleeting moment when everyone's guard was down, Tianxing claimed Ji Chengyuan's life.
The head of the Ji clan didn't even have time to cry out for help before a single sword pierced straight through his throat!