Chapter 179 The Curtain Falls
In the Hundred Flowers Hall, candlelight flickered and the aroma of wine filled the air.
Ji Changming raised his wine cup for the second time, deliberately shaking his wrist and spilling the wine on the floor.
He looked up at Yang Hong, frantically signaling with his eyes, but Yang Hong continued to gaze out the window, as if indifferent to everything inside the hall.
Ji Lingxiu gave a light smile, her fingertips stroking the wine cup as she said faintly: "Brother, you've spilled your wine."
Ji Changming's face sank, and he sneered: "What, can't this Prince even hold a cup steady? Do I need you to remind me?"
Ji Lingxiu lifted her gaze, her eyes like water yet holding a hint of sarcasm: "Brother is joking. I was just afraid you'd drink too much and be unable to walk later."
"Heh, unable to walk?" Ji Changming scoffed. "This Prince has fought on battlefields for years and has never once been drunk."
"As for you, hiding in Immortal Spirit City for ten years, I'm afraid your tolerance has regressed, hasn't it?"
Ji Lingxiu unhurriedly poured herself a cup of wine, took a light sip, and then said leisurely: "Indeed, I certainly can't drink as much as Brother."
"After all... I've never had the last drink of a defeated army."
Ji Changming's expression changed drastically, and he slammed the table: "Ji Lingxiu! What do you mean?!"
Ji Lingxiu remained calm, only a trace of coldness appearing in her eyes: "Why the anger, Brother? I'm just curious."
"How did the one hundred thousand elite troops of the Zhen Nan Army get completely wiped out in the battle of Lingzhou?"
Ji Changming's breath hitched, a flash of panic in his eyes, but he quickly forced himself to be calm.
"The battlefield is a place of constant change. How could someone like you, hiding in the rear, possibly understand?"
Ji Lingxiu shook her head gently and sighed: "Yes, I don't understand... but Brother, do you truly understand?"
Just as Ji Changming was about to rebut, the silent Yang Hong suddenly withdrew his gaze and sighed lightly.
His gaze swept over Ji Changming, actually containing a trace of pity.
Ji Changming, completely unaware, thought Yang Hong was finally about to make his move.
He hurriedly raised his cup for the third time, smashing it fiercely to the ground.
"Uncle! Quick! Help me capture this bitch!" he exclaimed excitedly.
However, his hand was grabbed by Yang Hong.
"Your Highness..." Yang Hong's voice was low and weary. "It is time for your execution."
Ji Changming was stunned.
His pupils contracted sharply, the expression on his face changing from smugness to bewilderment, and then from bewilderment to terror.
"Unc... Uncle?" His voice trembled, as if he couldn't believe his own ears.
"What... what are you saying?"
Yang Hong did not answer, only slowly raising his other hand as a blinding golden light condensed in his palm.
Ji Changming finally realized something was wrong and began to struggle frantically: "No! You can't do this! I am Prince Qi! I am your nephew!"
"You promised my mother you would protect me!!"
A flash of pain crossed Yang Hong's eyes, but his hand did not hesitate in the slightest.
"Your Highness, you... are too disappointing."
As the words fell, he slapped his palm down on Ji Changming's head.
Bang!
With a dull thud, Ji Changming's body suddenly stiffened, and the light in his eyes rapidly faded.
His lips trembled slightly, as if he still wanted to say something, but in the end, he just slowly collapsed, like a puppet that had its soul pulled away.
A generation's Prince Qi was thus killed, as casually as someone swatting a fly, with a light and effortless motion.
Ji Lingxiu quietly watched all of this, without a single ripple in her eyes.
She sighed lightly, shook her head, and said: "Truly... a waste."
Ten years.
Her other brothers, more or less, had already sensed something.
Even the most outstanding among them had begun to secretly scheme, trying to leverage the situation.
They attempted to truly secure a place in the future chaos, turning from chess pieces into chess players.
But only Ji Changming was still living in a dream.
Did he really think the Zhen Nan Army was inexplicably wiped out?
Did he really think Immortal Spirit City would grant his every request?
Did he really think... he was still that high and mighty Prince Qi?
Ridiculous.
It was precisely because of his stupidity that he was treated as a sacrificial piece, casually discarded onto the chessboard.
Otherwise, with his background, even if he couldn't escape the fate of a chess piece, he could have at least... become an important piece that wasn't so easily discarded.
Unfortunately, he didn't even have that much value.
Ji Lingxiu withdrew her gaze, looked at Yang Hong, and said faintly: "General Yang, do as you please."
Yang Hong was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice: "Does Your Highness not intend to recruit me?"
A sarcastic curve appeared on Ji Lingxiu's lips: "Recruit you? Does General Yang think my Immortal Spirit City is lacking one who betrays their master?"
Yang Hong's figure stiffened slightly, and he said with a bitter smile: "Why must Your Highness be so harsh? This subordinate general was just..."
"Just what?" Ji Lingxiu interrupted him. "Forced by circumstances? Or not of your own accord?"
She shook her head lightly.
"Ten years ago, when the Imperial Guard Army fought a bloody battle at Heavenly Capital City, did General Meng ever feel he was not of his own accord?"
The candlelight cast flickering, uncertain shadows on Yang Hong's face.
He was silent for a long time, finally just giving a deep bow: "This subordinate general is no match for General Meng."
He bent down to pick up Ji Changming's corpse, his movements as gentle as if handling some fragile treasure.
"Your Highness the Princess, this subordinate general takes his leave..."
As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped: "Also, not everyone has the same luck as Your Highness."
"Some roads, once taken, are difficult to turn back from."
Ji Lingxiu did not answer, only quietly gazing at the deepening twilight outside the window.
Yang Hong sighed and finally disappeared with Ji Changming at the end of the corridor.
In the Hundred Flowers Hall, the candlelight still flickered, and the aroma of wine still filled the air.
Only, two people were now missing.
...
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