Chapter 191: A Vicious Tiger Devours Its Cub
Chapter 191: Chapter 191: A Vicious Tiger Devours Its Cub
The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow at her, her gaze filled with probing curiosity and a hint of derision...
’Sacrifice the soldier to save the general.’
’Who is being sacrificed? And who is being saved?’
Liang Wan’s lips trembled. Her voice was a little hoarse. "Are you going to kill him?"
She never imagined that the letter the Grandmaster had entrusted to her on his deathbed was actually a request for the Empress Dowager to kill Lu Xiu.
The Empress Dowager’s face was impassive. She did not deny it.
Liang Wan broke into a cold sweat. "Setting aside the fact that the treason accusations haven’t been investigated, the blood letter from the General of Cavalry is also highly suspicious. If we just take the time, we can certainly get to the bottom of all this and prove the Grand Commandant was framed. If the Lu Family abandons him—kills him—now, wouldn’t that be playing right into the mastermind’s hands?"
The Empress Dowager’s gaze was complex. "Are you suggesting we help clear his name?"
Liang Wan said firmly, "Yes. If he were truly colluding with the enemy, he would only need to lay down his arms, open the gates, and let the Beizhou army cross the border. Why would he still be desperately holding the line at the front?"
The Empress Dowager smiled faintly and shook her head. "And what if his name can’t be cleared?"
Meeting that gaze, a bold thought suddenly struck Liang Wan. ’Perhaps the Empress Dowager and the Grandmaster knew about everything Lu Xiu was doing all along.’
’They knew exactly what he was up to. Not only did they pretend not to know and refuse to stop him, but they also intentionally used him. Or perhaps they were—’
Liang Wan didn’t dare think any further. Her heart sank deeper and deeper.
The Empress Dowager said no more, only glancing coolly at a palace attendant. "Serve the wine."
Liang Wan’s face went white in an instant. She dropped to her knees with a THUD. "I beg Your Majesty to spare my life!"
The Empress Dowager glanced at the trembling figure on the floor and smiled. "How could I possibly let you live?"
’It’s true. Those who know too much don’t live long.’
A palace attendant brought forth a cup of wine.
A chill shot through Liang Wan’s heart. She clenched her fists and looked up. "You cannot kill me, Your Majesty."
The Empress Dowager looked as if she had just heard the world’s greatest joke. She looked down at her and laughed coldly. "And why can’t I?"
Liang Wan took a deep breath, enunciating every word. "Because in this world, the only one who can kill him is me."
The Empress Dowager’s eyes were filled with contempt, her tone dismissive. "You?"
Liang Wan nodded. "Not only can I kill him, but I can do it without losing a single soldier."
The Empress Dowager snorted, her expression noncommittal.
Unflustered, Liang Wan continued, "You want to kill him simply because even if he returns, death is inevitable. So why leave behind a weakness that others could use to threaten you and His Majesty? Am I right?"
The Empress Dowager’s expression turned frigid. Her eyes bored into Liang Wan as if she wanted to devour her whole.
Liang Wan showed no fear. "Rather than wait for someone else to kill him, it’s better for the Lu Family to strike first. The threat would be gone, the Lu Family’s position would be secure, and most importantly, you and His Majesty would be safe. Of course, this must be handled discreetly. Otherwise, it will lead to gossip, which would be its own hidden danger."
The Empress Dowager regarded her coldly. "It doesn’t have to be you."
Liang Wan stared steadily back at the Empress Dowager and smiled. "Your Majesty certainly has countless masters at your command, but besides me, who could possibly get close to him when his guard is completely down?"
She then played her next card. "You could try, of course. But if the first strike fails and he learns of your intent to kill him, what do you think he’ll do? Do you think he’ll march his army straight to Jinye?"
"A general in the field is not always bound by his sovereign’s command. Even if you strip him of his rank now, what good would it do? You can’t afford to wait for him to be summoned back to Jinye, can you?"
The Empress Dowager’s brow furrowed slightly. Her gaze was heavy, and she said nothing.
Liang Wan knew she had guessed the Empress Dowager’s thoughts correctly.
The Empress Dowager studied her. "Even a single day as husband and wife creates a lasting bond, yet you show no attachment at all. And after how he used to protect you."
Liang Wan just shook her head and smiled. ’Even a vicious tiger won’t eat its own cubs, yet she was willing to strike at her own kin. What does someone like me, with my ambiguous status, even count for? This is just the pot calling the kettle black.’
"I have told you before, Your Majesty, even an ant will cling to life. I love the Grand Commandant, but I love my own life more. I will never sacrifice my life for any man."
The Empress Dowager scrutinized her for a long moment, then broke into a smile. "You and I are very much alike."
Liang Wan prostrated herself. "I would never dare compare myself to Your Majesty."
In her downcast dark eyes, a faint, cold light shimmered.
The Empress Dowager’s eyes remained fixed on her as she unconsciously twisted the ruby ring on her finger. "How can I trust you? What if you change your mind at the last minute, or run away with him? Wouldn’t I be..."
Liang Wan looked her straight in the eye. "I will not run away."
The derisive smile in the Empress Dowager’s eyes did not fade. She merely glanced at the palace attendant. "Go and get something else."
The palace attendant took the wine cup away and returned with a small, brown pill.
Liang Wan’s heart trembled.
The Empress Dowager lowered her gaze, looking at the gem on her hand. "When you return, I will give you the antidote."
Before she could struggle or bargain, two palace attendants stepped forward and restrained her. Another pried open her mouth and forced the pill inside.
The Empress Dowager’s voice was chilling. "This pill won’t kill you. But when its effects take hold, your skin will itch so unbearably that you’ll have no choice but to scratch yourself raw, leaving bloody marks all over. In the end, there won’t be a single patch of smooth skin left on your body. You’ll look as wretched as a demon from hell."
A palace attendant gripped her chin fiercely and tilted her head back. The tiny pill slid down her throat and into her stomach.
Liang Wan collapsed to the floor, her eyes red as she looked up. "Rest assured, Your Majesty. I will be back to claim my reward."
The frustration that had been on the Empress Dowager’s brow was gone. "Delays breed trouble. You should depart as soon as possible."
Liang Wan knelt properly again. "Yes."
After leaving Renshou Palace, Liang Wan stumbled away. She ran until she found a secluded corner where no one was around, then squatted behind some flowering shrubs, stuck a finger down her throat, and tried to make herself vomit.
She dry-heaved again and again, trying desperately to expel the pill, retching until she nearly brought up bile, oblivious to the tears streaming down her face.
Finally, utterly spent, she wiped at her tears and gasped for breath.
Suddenly, a hand tapped her on the shoulder.
Liang Wan frantically wiped her mouth. She looked back, her eyes blurred with tears, and was so startled by the sudden sight of a scarred face that her heart skipped a beat.
Seeing that he had frightened her, a flicker of embarrassment crossed the eunuch’s eyes, and he lowered his head in shame.
Liang Wan clutched her chest, catching her breath. Her eyes held a hint of apology. "I’m sorry, I just—"
Hearing Liang Wan speak, he turned his head to the side and waved his hands at her repeatedly, anxiously gesturing about something. This revealed the unscarred half of his face, which was fair-skinned and slightly flushed.
Liang Wan was surprised. ’He’s mute?’
She wiped away her tears and studied his profile. If not for the scarred other half of his face, he would have been a handsome man.
’Like a piece of fine, uncut jade, cruelly ruined. What a shame.’
Seeing her silence, the eunuch waved a hand in front of her eyes.
Liang Wan snapped back to reality. He was gesturing with his hands, seeming to ask why she was vomiting and if she was feeling unwell.
Her expression shifted. "Could I trouble you to get me a cup of fresh water?"
The eunuch nodded.
Liang Wan looked back at the mess she had made on the ground.
As she stood up, she surveyed her surroundings. This seemed to be the area of the inner palace gardens where the flowers and plants were cultivated.
The eunuch returned, holding a cup of water.
Liang Wan took a small packet of powder from her sleeve, poured it all in, then pulled a hairpin from her hair and used it to stir the water.
Under the eunuch’s astonished gaze, she raised the cup and drank it all in one gulp.
’Good thing I came prepared.’
She wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, cleaned the hairpin, and stuck it back in her hair.
Only then did she smile and give the eunuch a slight bow. "I ate something foul earlier. Thank you for the water, you’ve been a great help."
As if afraid of scaring her again, the eunuch kept his face turned to the side while facing her.
He waved his hand, indicating that no thanks were necessary.
Liang Wan handed the cup back to him, took two steps forward, and hesitated for a moment before speaking. "You helped me today. If you don’t mind, could you let me see your face?"
The eunuch’s expression darkened.