Two military generals in battle dress suddenly entered from outside, saying in deep voices: “Your Majesty, the rebel forces outside have all been captured and await Your Majesty’s judgment.”
The Qin King snorted coldly, turned to Qin Zhiyan and said: “Yan’er, this time it’s thanks to you. You go handle it.”
Qin Zhiyan responded solemnly, then turned to face Qin Zhiye and said indifferently: “Those who commit many injustices will bring destruction upon themselves. Fourth Brother, you should confess your wrongs to Father.”
Having said this, he stepped aside to allow Qin Zhiye to kneel before the Qin King. The Qin King frowned and said angrily: “This beast—even a hundred deaths couldn’t atone for his crimes. He who is not of our kind will surely have different intentions. I knew long ago that wolf cubs can never be tamed. I should have killed him early on!”
Qin Zhiye’s face was pale, his eyes completely bloodshot as he stared viciously at the Qin King.
Seeing his expression, Qing Xia felt alarmed and was about to step forward to speak when she suddenly noticed Qin Zhiyan’s grip on her hand tighten, almost imperceptibly shaking his head.
The Qin King continued shouting angrily: “You actually had the wolf’s heart to want to kill me—you’re worse than pigs and dogs, just like your mother, all barbarian bastards. Even being cut into a thousand pieces wouldn’t be enough!”
Qin Zhiye’s eyes turned blood-red, staring at the Qin King’s face like a vicious wolf. All the painful hatred hidden in his heart for decades suddenly surged forth. His fists clenched tighter and tighter, the fury of complete failure burned his heart like wildfire. He stood before the Qin King, gritting his teeth tightly.
Just when no one was paying attention, Qin Zhiye suddenly leaped forward, and a sharp dagger immediately plunged deeply into the Qin King’s throat.
A stream of blood immediately shot skyward!
Amid everyone’s screams, Qing Xia was startled to notice the corners of Qin Zhiyan’s mouth slightly curve upward.
A stream of blood shot skyward as everyone screamed and rushed forward. Several of the Qin King’s bodyguards stood right beside him, yet facing Qin Zhiye’s attack, they showed no reaction whatsoever. But at this moment, no one could pay attention to such details. The Qin King lay on the ground, blood from his neck spurting out like a fountain. Qin Zhiye gripped the dagger, his face covered in crimson liquid, his expression like that of a madman as he laughed shrilly: “Die! You die!”
Military Commissioner Liu Changyong shouted angrily: “Someone! Seize this rebel traitor!”
Large numbers of soldiers immediately rushed in, heavily surrounding Qin Zhiye and his followers. The Qin King lay covered in blood in Minister Huang’s arms, his body convulsing continuously. The old minister wept as he called out the Qin King’s title. Blood continued spurting from the Qin King’s neck, his eyes cloudy, but he still struggled to extend his finger, pointing distantly toward Qin Zhiyan standing to the side.
Qin Zhiyan’s face showed grief, his eyes red as he knelt on the ground, saying sorrowfully: “Father, hold on. Your son has already sent someone to find the Grand Elder. You’ll be fine.”
The Qin King struggled to grasp Qin Zhiyan’s hand, as if he had thousands of words to say but couldn’t utter a single one. Those eyes were full of trust and hope, not at all like those of a dying man, but rather like someone who had completed a task, full of satisfaction and relief. Fine blood foam emerged from his mouth as he mumbled incoherently.
Qin Zhiyan said in a deep voice: “Father, what do you want to say?”
The Qin King’s face was flushed red, yet he couldn’t speak a single word. Seeing the Qin King’s expression, Minister Huang had a sudden inspiration and spoke: “Does Your Majesty wish to pass on the throne?”
Hearing this, the Qin King nodded heavily, but as soon as he moved, even more blood gushed forth. Qin Zhiyan frowned, extending his palm to cover the Qin King’s wound, saying painfully: “Whatever it is can be discussed later. Father, you’ll be fine.”
Treasury Manager Yu Yong said: “Your Majesty, do you wish to pass the throne to Prince Xuan?”
Hearing this, the Qin King’s eyes immediately brightened as he nodded with difficulty. Qin Zhiyan looked shocked, frowning as he said: “Father, I’m severely poisoned and won’t live long. Father is in his prime and will surely be fine.” By the end, his voice choked with emotion, barely able to form sentences. Nearly all the important civil and military officials were present, and seeing this, none could help but shed tears.
Liu Changyong said solemnly: “Your Highness need not decline. You should accept this responsibility in times of crisis and restore order, otherwise even in death, His Majesty cannot rest in peace.”
The Qin King’s eyes suddenly radiated enormous brightness as his hand gripped Qin Zhiyan’s tightly, holding so firmly it seemed he wanted to crush his palm.
Qin Zhiyan’s eyes reddened as he finally nodded heavily, gathering his robes to kneel on the ground and kowtow, saying: “This minister respectfully accepts Father’s imperial decree.”
As soon as the words fell, the Qin King’s face immediately showed a trace of comfort and satisfaction. He slowly nodded, then closed his aged eyes. This Northern Qin Emperor who had dominated for decades finally ended his life in this manner, closing those sharp eagle-like eyes that had surveyed the world.
“The Great Emperor has passed!”
The long cry immediately rang out, followed by countless old ministers prostrating themselves in tears. Heavy weeping spread far from the Northern Qin Ancestral Temple, echoing through the crowded Xuanwu Long Street where tens of thousands of common people and soldiers spontaneously knelt on the ground. The cacophony grew louder as funeral bells tolled from the four city gates.
The Qin King had passed—the entire nation was in mourning!
Suddenly, with a muffled thud, one of Qin Zhiye’s personal guards took the initiative, slashing down a Great Qin soldier with one blade. His movements were agile and nimble like a swimming dragon or lightning flash. The Qin soldier screamed as his shoulder was severed, blood immediately spurting out like a thick river. Over twenty of Qin Zhiye’s personal guards erupted into action, quickly cutting a bloody path. A small personal guard with a bright long blade slashed like a cornered beast—short in stature but ruthless in methods, with a sharp voice suddenly crying: “Protect His Highness’s escape!”
The twenty-plus men immediately split into two groups—one protecting Qin Zhiye’s retreat while the other blocked the Qin army in the great hall.
Liu Changyong snorted coldly and said sternly: “Archers prepare—kill on sight! Life or death matters not!”
Icy arrows immediately flew like a swarm of locusts, densely shooting toward Qin Zhiye and his men. The front ranks of over ten men instantly became like sieves, their bodies full of sharp arrow shafts, riddled with countless holes. The small personal guard swayed, chest, abdomen, and thighs filled with arrow holes. He slowly lowered his head, eyes somewhat dull, as if wanting to examine his wounds. Just then, a Qin soldier suddenly thrust out a long spear, piercing through his shoulder and pinning him firmly to the door pillar behind.
The small guard’s hat immediately fell off, waterfall-like long hair instantly cascading down. Though covered in blood, one could still see she was actually a young woman.
Qin Zhiye had already escaped to the doorway under others’ protection when he heard the commotion and immediately turned back. He saw the woman’s long hair scattered, a mouthful of blood spurting out, flowing down terrifyingly over her chin and neck.
“Bizhu!” Qin Zhiye’s eyes nearly split with rage as he suddenly shouted loudly.
Hearing his voice, the woman slightly turned her head back, her eyes gazing quietly at him. For a moment, she seemed to see again the grasslands of her homeland, to see again that boy practicing with his blade at the horse grounds in the deep night. The grasslands were so beautiful then—the sky so blue, clouds so white, the grass so green and lush, his eyes so resilient and determined. But sadly, they could never return. Endless blood and gore swirled before her eyes—those burning flames, those screaming crowds—all seemed to come from another world. The woman suddenly smiled bitterly, then roared toward heaven, suddenly exerting force. Her shoulder immediately penetrated the long spear shaft as her five fingers formed claws, savagely crushing the Qin soldier’s neck.
With a tremendous bang, Bizhu slammed hard against the heavy palace gate, her voice shrill, veins bulging on her forehead as she used all her strength to desperately close it.
That gate which required ten men working together to close actually began creaking and groaning under the push of this frail woman.
Liu Changyong raged: “Quickly! Kill her—don’t let them escape!”
Wave after wave of arrows shot fiercely upward. The woman’s body was already riddled with holes, yet she still struggled to push the massive gate. At the entrance, only five personal guards remained beside Qin Zhiye, each fighting desperately against the charging Qin army.
“Bizhu!” Qin Zhiye turned back, his bloodshot eyes reaching out as he desperately tried to break through the crowd toward the woman.
Bizhu didn’t raise her head, only desperately pushing the massive gate. Her body was already pierced with countless arrows, yet she showed not the slightest wavering. The gate was being closed bit by bit, about to reach the crowd when the woman suddenly raised her blood-covered face and cried harshly: “Go!”
“Bizhu! Let me go!” Qin Zhiye was like a crazed lion, desperately pushing and pulling at the personal guards restraining him, loudly calling the name of the woman he had known since youth but had neglected for too many years.
“Go!” Bizhu raised her face, blood congealed on it as tears flowed down, making the bloodstains muddy and turbid. There weren’t many Qin soldiers in the ancestral temple, but all the powerful figures were here. As long as they escaped, there was hope for survival. All pain seemed to leave her at once as unknown strength supported her mad rush forward, forward, ever forward, closing that massive gate bit by bit.
Qin Zhiye’s men along with some Qin soldiers were all pushed outside by the massive gate. The gap gradually narrowed as Liu Changyong and others roared behind them. Qin soldiers frantically rushed forward, countless battle cries ringing in their ears, but none of this mattered anymore.
The woman in guard’s military uniform looked at the ever-narrowing gap before her, watching Qin Zhiye outside being pulled by his followers onto a war horse’s back, watching them fight valiantly to carve a bloody path through ten thousand troops. Her heart was nearly melted as she smiled slightly, her gaze gradually becoming cloudy. The Mongolian long songs from memory once again echoed in her mind. How many years ago, how many years ago, she had stood before that stubborn, cold youth wearing a bright red riding skirt, spinning in fierce dance like a flame bird of the grasslands.