It was false to say Liang Yi Zhi was not moved. Who could remain indifferent to a woman who devoted herself entirely to him?
Thinking this, Liang Yi Zhi suddenly pushed Feng Chu Chu away and whispered, "I've suddenly thought of a way."
Feng Chu Chu was startled. "What way have you thought of?" she couldn't help but ask.
"A way to protect everyone in the Feng family."
Perhaps it was because Liang Yi Zhi spoke with such seriousness that Feng Chu Chu suddenly believed him.
"Really?" Feng Chu Chu asked.
Liang Yi Zhi replied, "I'm not entirely sure. I'll have to go ask Madam."
Xue Zi Ning saw Liang Yi Zhi arrive and led him into the inn. "Young Master Liang, is there something urgent that brought you here?"
Liang Yi Zhi nodded. "I wished to see the Imperial Envoy, but seeing as he was not here, I had to trouble Madam."
"What is it?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Liang Yi Zhi remained silent, only looking outside.
Suddenly, a sound came from outside. Xue Zi Ning jolted, and Liang Yi Zhi lowered his head, looking at her. "Madam, I apologize..."
Xue Zi Ning felt a mist drift before her eyes. She fainted.
Seeing Xue Zi Ning slumped over the table, Liang Yi Zhi stepped forward and nudged her. Finding her to be alright, he then called out to the outside, "Come in!"
A man walked in from outside. Liang Yi Zhi stood up and looked at the man. "The person you want is here. I've captured her for you. Where is my sister?"
Feng Chang Shan sneered. "Next door."
As Liang Yi Zhi walked out the door, he glanced at Xue Zi Ning, slumped over the table, and whispered an apology.
Feng Chang Shan looked at the woman on the table, disbelieving. "Are you truly the Empress?"
But he would receive no answer. However, whether this woman was the Empress or not, he could not let her live. She knew too much about him.
She had to be eliminated quickly.
"Guards..." Feng Chang Shan called out.
Soon, people entered from outside. "My Lord..."
"Get rid of her!" Feng Chang Shan said slowly.
"Lord Feng, since you know I am the Empress, how dare you be so arrogant and overbearing? I truly underestimated you."
Feng Chang Shan trembled and looked up to see the woman who had been slumped over the table now open her eyes. He stumbled back several steps. "You... how are you awake?"
"Because I was never unconscious from the beginning to the end," Xue Zi Ning said slowly.
Feng Chang Shan gritted his teeth. "He lied to me."
"Feng Chang Shan, there's a saying: Those who do many unrighteous deeds will ultimately perish by their own hands. Today is your death day," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
Feng Chang Shan took a step back. "Protect me..."
Before his words had fallen, the silver whip at Xue Zi Ning's waist had already lashed out, coiling around Feng Chang Shan's waist.
Feng Chang Shan cried out in pain. Xue Zi Ning kicked him down and placed him under her foot, saying coldly, "Feng Chang Shan, today is your death day."
"You... you can't do this. You can't slaughter innocents..."
Xue Zi Ning sneered. "Why can't I? Others cannot, but I can, because..."
She lowered her head and looked at Feng Chang Shan, saying word by word, "Because I am the Empress of this Chang Jiu Kingdom, the ruler of all under heaven."
"You..." Feng Chang Shan gritted his teeth, his gaze suddenly tightening. "Is that so? But Your Majesty, you truly cannot kill your subordinate. Otherwise, everyone in the Feng family will be buried with me."
"What do you mean?" Xue Zi Ning raised an eyebrow and looked at Feng Chang Shan coldly.
Feng Chang Shan laughed heartily. "Before I left, I informed the hidden guards at the manor that if I did not return in time, no one in the manor would be spared."
"Feng Chang Shan, you truly never learn," Xue Zi Ning said angrily.
Feng Chang Shan sneered. "To meet with Your Majesty, I had to have a backup. I knew Your Majesty cared for Chu Chu and would definitely spare Chu Chu's life. Therefore, only I would die. To protect myself, I had no choice but to resort to this. Honestly, it is Your Majesty's unfairness. These are crimes punishable by the extermination of nine generations of relatives, yet Your Majesty shows favoritism and corruption by wanting to release the Feng family members except for me. This has given me an opportunity."
"Feng Chang Shan, you are truly despicable and shameless," Xue Zi Ning couldn't help but curse. This was the first time she had encountered such a heartless person, willing to sacrifice everyone for his own selfish gain.
"Your Majesty, in truth, we are not so different. Your Majesty also used schemes to save those close to you."
"I am nothing like you. You use your family, you use those closest to you. You will be punished."
"Punishment? I am not afraid. So many people are accompanying me."
Xue Zi Ning sneered. "Do you think I act so carelessly and with so many loopholes?"
Feng Chang Shan was taken aback and looked at her. "What do you mean?"
Xue Zi Ning clapped her hands. "Let them in!"
Feng Chang Shan saw people who should have been killed by his hidden guards at the Feng manor now appear here.
Madam Feng's face was filled with disbelief. "My Lord, I truly did not expect this. I did not expect you to be this kind of person."
After decades of marriage, she thought she was the person closest to Feng Chang Shan. Only now did she understand. Her self-deception was utterly laughable. Perhaps in Feng Chang Shan's heart, she had always been an expendable pawn.
"Madam, I..."
"Don't say anything more. I know everything," Madam Feng interrupted him. It was false to say she wasn't hurt.
"Mother, it's not worth being sad over someone like this," Feng Chu Chu's eyes held not only hatred but also resentment. Because she had such a father, her life had been so difficult and bumpy. And now, her father wanted to drag them all down with him to their deaths. She had truly never met such a father before.
"Father, was there ever a moment you truly felt any pity for me?" Feng Chu Chu asked word by word.
Feng Chang Shan turned his face away and sneered. "Pity you? Why? You are a daughter, not a son. Can you bring honor to our ancestors?"
Feng Chu Chu took a step back. Even though she knew the answer, she still wanted to ask again, only stopping when she was deeply wounded.
"I understand. Mother, let's go," Feng Chu Chu said, helping Madam Feng to leave.
Feng Chang Shan knew his cause was lost and closed his eyes. Then he suddenly opened them and said, "I wish to die by Liang Yi Zhi's sword."
Xue Zi Ning looked at Liang Yi Zhi. Liang Yi Zhi was startled, not expecting Feng Chang Shan to ask him to act. To be honest, Liang Yi Zhi did not wish to act. On one hand, Feng Chang Shan was Feng Chu Chu's father. If he took action, he felt he would be uncomfortable facing Feng Chu Chu afterward. However, with only him and his sister left in the Liang family, such a cruel act could not be left to his sister to perform; it could only be completed by him.
Liang Yi Zhi raised the sword in his hand and looked at Feng Chang Shan. His hand could not bring itself to strike.