She waved her hand, her crystalline nails flashing. The soldiers looked at her slender fingers—snow-white and clean, unstained by dust—and all felt it would be shameful to raise weapons before such hands. They stood silently motionless.

Yelu Qi trembled slightly, turning his head to look at her figure blocking Gong Yin, pursing his lips.

Gong Yin remained silently still, his gaze falling on the long hair behind her. His fingers hidden in his sleeves moved for a moment, as if wanting to reach up and stroke her hair, or as if unable to suppress the surging in his heart.

The people’s indignation was stirred again by these words. Masses of people surged forward, blocking in front of Jing Hengbo.

“What crime does Your Majesty have? Saving so many people is actually a crime?”

“Who has the right to judge Your Majesty?”

“To get past Your Majesty, you’ll have to walk over our corpses first!”

“You brat!” An old man suddenly walked out from the crowd trembling, wheezing as he approached the military formation. He reached out and grabbed a soldier’s ear: “You little brat, you’re driving me to death! Kneel down!”

Jing Hengbo stared in shock—was this really necessary? So fierce?

“Hey, hey, old sir, don’t be rash…” Before she could stop him, with a thud, the soldier knelt down and respectfully called out: “Grandfather!”

Jing Hengbo: “…”

“You still have the face to call me grandfather? You almost lost your grandfather!” The old man struck his grandson’s knees hard with his walking stick, making crackling sounds. “Tonight at the night market, our whole family of eight was here. Without Queen Your Majesty, four pairs would be dead now! You brat! How confused have you become? Our family sent you to be a soldier to protect home and country, to protect Dige and people like our family. Who gave you permission to be those officials’ thugs, those masters’ weapons? Who taught you to point blades at people and women? To do such confused, upside-down things that can’t tell right from wrong? If you keep being so senseless, you might as well strip off your military uniform right now—this old man will take you home to farm!”

“Grandfather!” The soldier looked embarrassed, desperately dodging his spry old grandfather’s wild stick swinging. The old man huffed angrily and said loudly: “Don’t call me that! Fool! A bunch of fools! You soldiers—have you forgotten that Dige also has your relatives and friends? If not for Your Majesty, do you know you would have lost many relatives and friends too? This is a benefactor! A benefactor! After being soldiers for so many years, have you only learned to repay kindness with enmity?”

The soldiers turned red with shame, all hanging their heads, unable to argue. The hot blood and anger initially stirred up by Cheng Gumo were now doused by the people’s scolding. Many became dejected, beginning to feel this dispute was groundless and inexplicable.

But the people’s anger was truly aroused. More and more surged forward. Jing Hengbo glanced at the soldiers beginning to retreat, looked at the indignant people, and let out a long breath of relief.

This crisis had passed.

“Fellow townspeople, thank you, thank you all.” Jing Hengbo smiled and waved repeatedly. “Please go home to wash and change clothes. Some people are injured—State Preceptor, please arrange for medical hall people to provide free treatment.”

“Your Majesty, just seeing you makes our pain disappear.” Someone in the crowd answered loudly, and the people burst into laughter.

Jing Hengbo also laughed. She understood this wasn’t flirtation but another kind of closeness and warmth. Perhaps starting today, Dige’s people had changed from accepting her as a queen to accepting her as a person.

She smiled and glanced at Gong Yin, expecting him to frown upon hearing such words. Instead, she saw the corners of his eyes slightly curve with a gentle arc, seeming quite pleased.

This made her heart even more joyful and settled. Momentarily carried away, she stepped forward and supported the old man who had beaten his grandson and scolded the army to calm the situation, laughing: “Don’t hit him anymore. It’s not your grandson’s fault. Isn’t it good that he’s thought it through? Come, rest a bit.”

The old man chuckled, silently patting the back of her hand. The aged, blue-veined gnarled hand gently overlapped with the snow-white, tender young hand.

Suddenly all around fell silent. People automatically moved aside, hundreds of gazes focused on these two hands. Many hearts were touched. Though they hadn’t thought clearly what this represented, they felt warmth and joy.

A harmonious atmosphere formed like warm, flowing water. Gong Yin’s expression became gentle and relaxed. In the distance, Yelu Qi also stood still, no longer causing trouble. He folded his sleeves, watching Jing Hengbo with complex eyes.

But a wind sound suddenly pierced through the crowd, shooting toward Jing Hengbo!

“Whoosh!”

Gong Yin suddenly looked up and saw Cheng Gumo, who had lost his last support and was striking out in mad fury from disappointment and anger.

The moment he looked up, he also saw Jing Hengbo’s shocked and conflicted expression.

The hidden weapon shot toward her. She could teleport away, but if she left, the weapon would strike the old man!

Gong Yin immediately acted.

Silver-white chain light flashed as Jing Hengbo and the old man were swept away, sent far from the crowd. In midair, Jing Hengbo instinctively lowered the old man down. With a pat, the old man landed steadily. She herself, having exerted force in midair, flew out a bit further, falling toward the street entrance.

Deep in the alley, a carriage was charging wildly toward them.

But no one noticed at this moment.

Jing Hengbo hit the ground with a bang. Fortunately, Gong Yin had used appropriate force—the fall wasn’t too heavy. She just felt dizzy and disoriented, lying on the ground gasping for a few breaths.

She wasn’t in a hurry to get up. Should she run back to the front and let Cheng Gumo see her and get angry again? Better to secretly leave now. The carriages were all resolved anyway.

Thinking this, she suddenly felt something was wrong.

Carriages…

Were all the carriages really resolved?

Three routes had gone out first, three carriages each. The fake monk had completely intercepted one route. After reaching Liuli Workshop, she had finally intercepted all three carriages from another route. Then the yellow-robed knight had intercepted but missed one carriage, causing the disaster at Liuli Workshop. Hmm, three routes, all accounted for.

But why did she still feel something was wrong?

In the distance, she vaguely heard Gong Yin’s voice mixed with rumbling wheel sounds: “Arrest him!”

He must be dealing with Cheng Gumo. This was the best opportunity—Gong Yin naturally wouldn’t let it pass.

Wait, rumbling wheel sounds?

Jing Hengbo suddenly turned back, then saw a grayish-black carriage! Racing from deep in the alley! The speed was astonishing—just in the time it took to turn her head, the horse’s front hooves had already swept past her!

In an instant, like lightning striking!

She understood where the problem was!

Sang Tong’s carriage!

She hurriedly tried to crawl up—she couldn’t teleport without standing. But it was too late. The carriage was brushing past her when hands reached down from the carriage shaft, grabbed her shoulder pressure point with a snap, and with a bang, dragged her into the carriage!

Jing Hengbo tumbled into the carriage in darkness and confusion. A pair of thin hands like bird claws immediately gripped her throat.

Sang Tong’s laughter no longer held its former elegance. It was harsh like a night owl’s, full of the joy of chance encounters and great revenge achieved.

“Ahahahaha, I never expected to meet Your Majesty! Like this, please join us on the road to death!”

…

In the crowd, Gong Yin was ordering Cheng Gumo’s arrest.

With Jing Hengbo sent to safety, the urgent matter was resolving this dangerous figure Cheng Gumo so she would have no future worries.

This time the Kanglong Army smoothly accepted the treatment of Cheng Gumo. Gong Yin also didn’t want to make Kanglong too disheartened, only announcing Cheng Gumo’s suspension pending investigation, with another deputy selected to temporarily lead the Grand Governor position.

When selecting someone, his gaze swept over the faces of a row of officers. Suddenly he discovered an oversight—all the officers here were both his trusted subordinates and Cheng Gumo’s. At this moment, he couldn’t find a single opponent of Cheng Gumo to temporarily replace his position.

This was partly because Governor Cheng had been in the army long, with deep-rooted status and prestige. It was also because previously he had trusted Cheng Gumo’s loyalty and for army stability, hadn’t guarded against him or deliberately arranged power struggles, purposely creating an extremely united Kanglong Army like a solid iron plate.

When there were no conflicts, such choices were correct. But now that trust had cracked, the disadvantages of this arrangement became apparent.

As Gong Yin arranged for soldiers to disperse the crowd and send injured people for medical treatment, he pondered how to resolve Kanglong Army’s hidden dangers. Suddenly he felt something was wrong.

Why hadn’t Jing Hengbo come over yet?

He suddenly turned his head.

At the same time, Yelu Qi, who had entered his carriage preparing to leave, turned toward the street entrance.

Ahead, a line of dark roof eaves suddenly showed bird-like shadows sweeping across. Someone shouted: “Hey hey! Damn, there’s still another one! Stop! Stop for this monk!”

In the shouting came rumbling sounds as a carriage raced toward them.

The people who had been dispersing in small groups heard this carriage sound and all reflexively shuddered, looking back in alarm.

The same grayish-black carriage as the earlier flame coffin! Another one had appeared!

More critically, this carriage was wide open on all sides. They could vaguely see inside—someone seemed to be pressed spread-eagle against the carriage wall, with something gleaming at their throat.

This was what most people could see in their hurry.

But Gong Yin and Yelu Qi’s eyes flashed with fierce light.

They had clearly seen who was in the carriage.

It was Jing Hengbo!

The one holding her hostage was actually Sang Tong, cackling with a sharp blade at Jing Hengbo’s throat.

“Stop that carriage!” Gong Yin shouted fiercely, leaping up.

“Stop!” Sang Tong’s voice carried shrilly: “Anyone who moves and I’ll press the knife down immediately!”

Everyone on the street froze. Gong Yin and Yelu Qi, who had already leaped up, paused in midair and landed. The fake monk who was flying in pursuit of the carriage also tumbled down.

“Stop!” Gong Yin immediately ordered.

Everyone stiffened in place, watching that carriage drift like wind past the road entrance, heading toward the south of the city.

The people breathed a sigh of relief—this death carriage had actually chosen not to self-destruct in Liuli Workshop!

But their hearts were immediately seized again.

They heard mad laughter and shrill warnings from inside the carriage.

“Gong Yin, next we’re going to Yuzhao Palace. Are you coming?”

“Our carriage will crash and be destroyed in front of Yuzhao Palace. How fortunate to have the Queen accompany us in the crash.”

“Gong Yin, if you get back ahead of time and commit suicide in front of Yuzhao Palace, when we see your corpse, we might throw the Queen out first. But that’s just might—believe it or not, up to you.”

“If what we see in front of Yuzhao Palace isn’t your corpse but army troops, then only the Queen’s corpse will be thrown out.”

“If anyone dares attack or obstruct us along the way, only the Queen’s corpse will be thrown out.”

“You decide, hahahaha.”

…

Liuli Workshop fell into deathly silence.

Trouble arising from within, completely unexpected.

No one had thought that after wave after wave of incidents were resolved, there would still be such a death carriage!

Everyone looked toward Gong Yin.

The snow-white figure seemed to show no surprise or hesitation. His body swept up and he lightly flew out, following the carriage’s direction.

People stared blankly at his disappearing figure, then like awakening from a dream, suddenly exploded.

“What’s happening!”

“The Queen has been kidnapped!”

“This carriage is the same as before—it must be the mastermind appearing, hating that the Queen ruined his plan, taking advantage when we weren’t paying attention to kidnap the Queen.”

“Heaven, those conditions just now… isn’t it death either way?”

“How did we not look back then!”

“Don’t say so much. The Queen was kidnapped because of us—we can’t ignore it. Fellow townspeople, let’s follow!”

“Chase after them! There are many of us—maybe those people will be scared and release the Queen.”

“Let’s go!”

As soon as they decided to go, the people who had just dispersed preparing to go home and rest rolled up their sleeves, strode forward, and joined the crowd. Old people leaning on walking sticks, women dropping their baskets, vendors throwing down their tools, lightly wounded people being bandaged by arriving doctors at the roadside—they pushed the doctors away and followed.

“Hey, hey, your wound isn’t bandaged yet…”

“Lives are at stake!”

The wounded person threw down this sentence and hurriedly ran into the crowd. The pursuing crowd grew larger and larger, flowing endlessly from Liuli Workshop like a dark mass, gradually covering the entire network of Dige.

Countless people ran out of their homes in alarm, frantically asking, “What’s happening? What’s happening?”

After hearing people in the crowd explain the recent events, they were filled with righteous indignation: “Too vicious! I’m going with you too!”

People kept joining. The procession grew longer and longer. The front had reached Cangjing while the rear in Liuli Workshop hadn’t yet departed.

Officials at all levels along the way were alerted, and the accompanying Kanglong soldiers began maintaining order. But most people were quiet, just silently, grieving, striding forward straight toward Yuzhao Palace.

When passing East Qing Workshop, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted: “This is the Sang family residence! I remember now! I’ve seen those carriages at the Sang family before! My family used to deliver firewood and rice to them specifically. I saw this carriage carefully hidden in the back courtyard. This carriage belongs to the Sang family!”

This sentence was like sparks flying, igniting the people’s fury.

“Damn the Sang family! Utterly heartless and insane!”

“Their own family is ruined, so they want all of Dige to be buried with them?”

“How can such a family be allowed to remain in Dige? To make dozens more such carriages to burn down Dige?”

“Tear it down!”

“Right! Tear it down!”

One voice and ten thousand responded. Masses of people surged toward the already empty Sang family residence. The few remaining guards fled at the first sign of trouble. Even some Kanglong Army who had received Gong Yin’s orders to seal the Sang property deliberately disappeared, leaving a magnificent residence that occupied half an alley to the angry people. The crowd surged like a tide through those bronze lion ring purple-red gates, swept like a storm through the Sang family’s pavilions, tiles, curved corridors, and returning bridges. When they emerged like a storm, the entire Sang family looked like it had been swept by wind, struck by lightning, and trampled by ten thousand giants. Shattered furniture and objects rolled everywhere on the ground. Carved screens and windows were riddled with countless pitiful holes. The formerly famous, scenically beautiful lotus pond of Dige was covered with floating clothing, at first glance looking like countless scattered corpses.

Even iron-gated century-old great households would ultimately be buried under the fury of ten thousand people.

The people who had demolished the Sang family, again carrying various objects looted from the Sang residence, caught up with the main procession.

A black dragon of human tide spread continuously from Liuli Workshop’s city center along the city’s main roads, thrusting straight toward the most crucial place of this imperial city: Yuzhao Palace.

…

Inside the carriage, Jing Hengbo also heard the clamoring sounds behind them.

Sang Tong had released her and tied her up, placing the knife at her throat. This was a more relaxed position that also allowed her to look down and examine this most hated enemy.

At this moment, Jing Hengbo rather regretted not bringing Feifei and Er Gouzi when teleporting. If those two were here, there might be some good solutions.

Across from her, Sang Tong’s clothes were bloodstained and she was badly injured, but seemed to have taken some medicine. Her spirits were not only good but seemed somewhat manic. Jing Hengbo suspected she might have taken some kind of drug that stimulated physical strength.

She really regretted that her earlier knife thrust had been too hasty, not aimed properly. One fatal stab would have ended all this trouble.

Hearing the clamoring sounds, she half-turned to look back, seeing through the wide-open carriage window countless people tightly pursuing behind them.

Though the people couldn’t catch up with this speeding carriage, Gong Yin had ordered soldiers to relay messages along the route. People along the carriage’s path quickly learned what had happened, and many opened their doors to chase after it. Jing Hengbo heard someone shout among the chaotic voices: “Your Majesty, don’t be afraid! You will be saved!”

“The Sang family will die horribly and face divine punishment!”

Jing Hengbo smiled, feeling that while doing good deeds and getting herself trapped was somewhat of a loss, seeing and hearing this made it seem not so much of a loss after all.

She heard someone else shout: “Your Majesty, quickly ride your divine bird and fly away!”

“Your Majesty, quickly use your divine eye to stare that woman to death!”

Jing Hengbo burst out laughing.

Divine bird? Er Gouzi?

Divine eye? Taking Polaroid death portraits?

Thinking of this, her heart stirred slightly.

“Laugh,” Sang Tong said coldly beside her. “If you don’t laugh more now, you’ll never have another chance to laugh in this lifetime.”

“Who says so?” Jing Hengbo said lazily. “I’ll laugh until the end, laugh until I’m old, laugh until I have no teeth left, and still be the most beautiful old lady.”

“Perhaps that can be your dream for the next life,” Sang Tong said. “Unfortunately, in this life, I won’t live to become an old lady, so you’re even less qualified to live that long.”

“Huh,” Jing Hengbo said strangely, “aren’t you already an old lady?”

Sang Tong stared at her viciously, like a dying snake eyeing its prey.

Jing Hengbo seemed completely unaffected, continuing to say with apparent envy: “Speaking of which, you really got the better deal. You’re already so old and ugly anyway, living doesn’t have much meaning, yet you can still die spectacularly. Worth it. But me—young and beautiful like a flower—having to die with you like this, don’t you think that’s cruel?”

“Don’t you think you’re the cruel one? Your actions, your words—always so vicious,” Sang Tong said coldly. “The entire Sang family was destroyed by your hands. Hundreds of Sang family members were forced to die together. These are all your sins, yet you still have the face to banter with me here?”

“Grandpa Marx taught us,” Jing Hengbo said with a smile, “killing one family of bad people saves ten thousand households of good people. Your Sang family died by the hundreds, but tens of thousands are chasing behind this carriage. What is popular sentiment? This is popular sentiment.”

“How easy it is to deceive the ignorant masses! How easily they change! These people once knelt and bowed before my Sang family’s carriages, grateful and thankful! Just wait and see—when you fall from power, whether these followers will still be at your feet.”

“I’m afraid you won’t live to see it,” Jing Hengbo laughed.

“You won’t live to see it either,” Sang Tong slowly ground her neck with the knife’s back. “Yes, very touching, isn’t it? Today it seems you’ve indeed used my Sang family’s affair to win popular support. Previous generations of queens never seemed to have such fortune and reputation…” She laughed mockingly, “Too bad it came too late. Enjoy this moment well—in another quarter hour, you can wait for your next life to buy people’s hearts again!”

“Don’t grind wrinkles into me,” Jing Hengbo only said this one sentence, then closed her eyes and ignored her.

She had to think about what to do.

Sang Tong’s conditions were too malicious—she absolutely couldn’t let her succeed. Besides, she absolutely didn’t believe that if Gong Yin committed suicide in front of Yuzhao Palace, Sang Tong would throw out a living Jing Hengbo.

Sang Tong’s desire to kill her definitely exceeded her desire to kill Gong Yin.

She hoped Gong Yin wouldn’t be that stupid—he shouldn’t be that stupid.

Of course, the best method would be to escape beforehand…

She heard someone moving around—the other two death warriors. Sang Tong seemed very agitated, scolding: “Be quiet.”

Jing Hengbo’s fingers, tied and pressed beneath her, kept moving, hoping to find some object she could grasp to cut her ropes.

But there were no sharp objects in the carriage. Across from her, Sang Tong’s mind seemed to have fallen into madness, constantly toying with the fire starter in her hand. Jing Hengbo watched fearfully, afraid she might accidentally drop it and end everything.

Her searching fingers suddenly touched something hard. She paused, initially hoping it was a Swiss Army knife, then remembered it wasn’t a knife—it should be a recording pen.

When leaving the palace, she always brought some treasures from her box, prepared for deceiving people, playing ghost tricks, or swindling—sometimes without even thinking clearly what she wanted to use them for, just keeping them handy.

Not being a knife disappointed her a bit. What could this recording pen do?

Sang Tong’s agitation was so obvious. She played with the fire starter, her fingers trembling, the knife at Jing Hengbo’s neck sometimes tightening, sometimes withdrawing. Her gaze wandered everywhere, occasionally falling toward outside the city.

“The young master should have gotten out by now,” she suddenly said.

The other two didn’t dare respond. After a long while they stammered: “…Should be possible.”

Sang Tong sighed disappointedly and struck Jing Hengbo’s face hard with the knife’s back. “It’s all this wretch’s fault for ruining my plans!”

Jing Hengbo’s face immediately swelled slightly, with faint red blood vessels showing through her snow-white skin, looking quite conspicuous.

Sang Tong’s gaze fell on those red blood vessels, her eyes slowly turning evil and venomous.

Jing Hengbo’s heart cried out in alarm—this old witch wasn’t going to have an evil fit and, like villains in those melodramatic TV shows, want to slash her face to vent anger, was she?

Women loved to have issues with their own insufficiently beautiful faces and others’ overly beautiful faces!

“Want to hit me?” She raised her eyes with a slant, her gaze more evil than Sang Tong’s. “Hit me! Hurry up and hit me again!”

Her face showed small, barely concealed excitement that looked like longing.

Sang Tong was startled, her expression turning hesitant.

“Do you also want to slash my face?” Jing Hengbo pressed relentlessly. “Then slash it! Quick, use your knife, your nails, any sharp instrument that can slash faces!”

Sang Tong stared at her incredulously, not understanding what medicine she was selling in her gourd.

In the carriage’s dim light, Jing Hengbo’s bright face color set against her half-smiling red lips had a rather eerie feeling.

A Sang family death warrior beside them couldn’t help quietly reminding Sang Tong: “Family head, this Queen is said to be quite supernatural. Don’t get too close to her—be careful not to fall for her tricks.”

Sang Tong paused, moved her body backward, and sneered: “Whatever tricks she plays, however many tricks—she can’t escape turning to ash soon!”

Though her words were harsh, the knife at Jing Hengbo’s neck steadied and no longer moved that cold, gleaming blade toward her face.

Jing Hengbo breathed a sigh of relief inside. Looking up at those two death warriors and hearing Sang Tong’s phrase “turning to ash,” she saw rather gloomy expressions on their faces.

Her heart stirred.

She had wondered before why these Sang family death warriors could later drive carriages unhesitatingly to their deaths, never changing their resolve even when blocked. People going to die usually relied on momentary courage—once obstructed, they might very well give up. Moreover, these weren’t even Sang family members, just household servants. She didn’t believe that with Sang Tong’s character, she could make people so devoted they’d seek death without wanting to live.

She also couldn’t understand why Sang Tong could confidently let these people carry out certain-death missions.

So if those groups acting separately were under Sang family control and had no choice but to die, what about these two in front of her?

Looking at their expressions, they actually didn’t want to die.

Since they could follow Sang Tong onto the carriage, they must be trusted confidants among confidants. So was it possible that, like in martial arts novels, the outer subordinates were all poisoned while only the most trusted, closest subordinates were given antidotes?

In other words, these two were different from those death warriors—they had a chance to live.

She wanted to verify this.

“Eh,” she stared at one of them, “earlier I saw those Sang family carriage drivers all had faint black auras on their faces. Why don’t you have any? You’re not impersonating them, are you?”

“Nonsense,” that person immediately said. “That’s because they took red pills, while we didn’t…”

He seemed to realize he’d said something he shouldn’t have and immediately shut up, looking uneasily at Sang Tong. But Sang Tong was absent-mindedly staring hard outside the city gates, not paying attention at all.

Jing Hengbo smiled. Just as she thought.

More and more people followed behind the carriage. Army cavalry crisscrossed back and forth, dispersing crowds from afar, but indeed none dared attack. They looked like they were protecting this carriage. Sang Tong seemed to enjoy this feeling, a cold smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

“Look, escorted by ten thousand troops, crashing into Yuzhao Palace—how magnificent! The Sang family hasn’t been this magnificent in a long time. Too bad Tianxi can’t see it.”

Jing Hengbo found this woman’s melancholy muttering voice unlucky to hear. Her belly must be full of unwillingness now.

Tianxi? Oh, Sang Tianxi, her precious young master. From her tone, she could hear extreme importance and doting love for this young master.

Jing Hengbo suddenly smiled slightly.

“Yes,” she shrugged, very regretfully taking up the conversation, “not only can’t see it, can’t hear it either.”

“Shut up!” Sang Tong irritably scolded.

Jing Hengbo obediently shut up.

After a while, Sang Tong turned and scolded her again: “What do you mean hear or not hear? He’s already left the city! Even if my entire Sang family dies, it doesn’t matter as long as he lives. You, Gong Yin, everyone in this Dige who opposed my Sang family—sooner or later you’ll all die!” Her fingers excitedly seemed ready to point at Jing Hengbo’s face. “Right, you don’t need to wait—you’ll die immediately first, hahaha.”

Jing Hengbo clearly saw the slightly indignant expressions on those two Sang family subordinates’ faces when they heard “even if everyone dies, it doesn’t matter.”

“I mean,” she said slowly, “your Sang family’s trouble came too fast, your downfall too quick. Gong Yin didn’t give you much reaction time. You and your young master must have many important things you didn’t get to say, right?”

Sang Tong’s whole body shook.

She’d been touched at a painful spot. She stared hatefully at Jing Hengbo and said angrily: “You still have the face to say that! If not for you people, how would I have been unable to even…”

She stopped halfway, her face showing infinite regret and hatred.

Sang Tong was usually calm and elegant, but after successive great changes and facing life and death, her mentality was abnormal. Jing Hengbo could clearly read all her thoughts.

She laughed to herself.

Good.

This was the beginning.

“If,” she met Sang Tong’s hateful gaze without retreating, enunciating clearly, “I could let you leave the words you want to say as instructions for your young master?”

Sang Tong shook again, then angrily said: “You’re thinking of having those two relay messages? Nonsense! Can those two leave the city even one step?”

The two who had just had hope kindled on their faces looked gloomy again.

“Of course it’s not them delivering the message. Some words you absolutely can’t let them convey, right?” Jing Hengbo said lazily. “I can let your words remain in a box. You only need to leave this box. You and your son naturally have places of understanding—in the future he’ll know where to find that box, right?”

“What do you mean?” Sang Tong asked incredulously. “You’re saying… a box that preserves sound?”

“You could put it that way.” Jing Hengbo squinted. “I have some supernatural abilities, as you know.” She coaxed persuasively: “Besides, a box that preserves your voice would also leave your son an eternal keepsake—this is different from having people relay messages!”

Sang Tong’s face rippled like water, seemingly finally moved for an instant. Jing Hengbo secretly sighed—even the most vicious people still had love for their children. The momentary maternal radiance on her face was gentle as water, like all mothers in the world.

But after a long while, Sang Tong still snorted and shook her head: “No, this is too miraculous. I don’t believe it. Stop playing tricks and get away from me!”

“Do you remember the painting I showed at the welcoming ceremony? Actually that was also my box artistry—that was a box that preserves images. When people pass before that box, they can leave their exact likeness. You saw that picture too—it didn’t look painted at all, did it? That’s the box’s function. From across the great ocean, the most miraculous box blessed with divine power by the gods.”

“Hearing is false, seeing is believing,” Sang Tong seemed somewhat convinced, sneering as she reached out. “Bring the box.”

“You’re going to kill me anyway—why should I give it to you?” Jing Hengbo shook her head.

“I’ll search you!”

“Even if you find it, you won’t know how to use it, and you’ll lose the last chance to leave words for your son.”

Sang Tong hesitated slightly, finally saying coldly: “Speak. What do you want? Spare your life? Impossible. You and my Sang family have deep hatred. Even if my whole family dies, I’ll drag you down with me. I won’t let you go just because I want to leave words for my son. Give up that thought.”

“I know, I know…” Jing Hengbo impatiently interrupted her. “I have just one request—crash if you want to crash, drag me to death if you want, but don’t force Gong Yin to commit suicide, okay?”

“I didn’t expect you to have such deep feelings for the State Preceptor,” Sang Tong sneered. “Don’t you want to fight for a thread of survival? Maybe if Gong Yin commits suicide, I really will let you out of the carriage.”

“You won’t. Why drag another person to death unnecessarily?”

“If Gong Yin doesn’t die, my son will ultimately find it hard to leave the city gates.”

“Your son is so clever—what’s the big deal about leaving a city gate?” Jing Hengbo looked outside the carriage. “Hey, decide quickly—it’ll be too late if you wait.”

“First demonstrate preserving sound for me to see.”

Jing Hengbo turned on the recording pen behind her back and began singing “Uneasy.”

“Ah oh, ah oh ei, ah si de ah si de, ah si de ge de ge de, ah si de ah si de ge wu, ah oh, ah oh ei!”

The three people in the carriage showed expressions of not wanting to listen.

After singing, she closed her mouth and turned on the recording pen.

“Ah oh, ah oh ei, ah si de ah si de, ah si de ge de ge de, ah si de ah si de ge wu, ah oh, ah oh ei!”

The three stared at her tightly pressed lips, expressions shocked.

They could tell it was her terrible tune, even the tonal rises and falls were identical.

“Ventriloquism?” Sang Tong murmured.

In her heart she knew it couldn’t be ventriloquism—ventriloquist voices were usually strange.

And even if someone repeated the same sentence, the tones would never be completely identical.

This miraculous Queen indeed had miraculous things in her hands.

“Bring it!” Sang Tong’s eyes were red. “I want to leave words for Tianxi!”

“I can only operate this. You just speak. If you’re worried, you can block my ears.” Jing Hengbo wouldn’t yield.

Sang Tong looked ahead—armies gathered around them, the imperial city square was in sight. They were almost there.

“Slow down,” she instructed her two subordinates.

The people and army watched in surprise as the carriage that had been racing like a ghost suddenly slowed down. People stared at the carriage hopefully, expecting it to stop and the Queen to step out gracefully.

But though the carriage slowed, it never stopped.

…

Atop the palace walls, Gong Yin stood tall in snow-white robes, gazing into the distance.

He had arrived at Yuzhao Palace one step ahead, immediately ordering the withdrawal of guards from Yuzhao Palace square and reinforcing the palace gates. He had wanted to make other arrangements, but time was too tight.

Standing atop the palace walls, watching that carriage race toward them, his eyes were as calm as a snow-covered lake.

Meng Hu stood beside him, his face uneasy. Sang Tong’s words echoed in his ears like a curse. He didn’t know how to untie this deadly knot—could it really require…

Looking at Gong Yin’s profile that showed no emotion whatsoever, even having followed Gong Yin for many years, he couldn’t fathom his master’s mood at such a moment.

His master always became more decisive when facing greater events, and the more decisive he was, the calmer he appeared. But this moment’s decision seemed to carry ominous implications no matter how one thought about it…

Gong Yin suddenly focused his eyes.

The carriage ahead was beginning to slow!

Meng Hu’s eyes showed joy—once the carriage slowed, there would be time to prepare certain things, like the giant city crossbows that needed startup time, or the Kanglong Bee Stings that had been mobilized but hadn’t had time to arrive in the rush.

“Spider Web” and “Bee Sting” were two major secret formations within the Kanglong Army. Nominally belonging to the Kanglong Army but independent of Kanglong command, the former specialized in intelligence and information, the latter excelled at assassination and infiltration. They were personally selected by Gong Yin from Kanglong Army elites. A small number of people knew of these two organizations’ existence, but no one had ever seen them personally.

“Full speed startup of city crossbows—no need to hide anymore. After Bee Sting arrives, have them find ways to infiltrate the square.”

“Yes.”

A white shadow flashed as Gong Yin swept down from the palace walls.