Chapter 598: I Will Spare Your Life
"Yes, yes, of course. We will take our leave."
The Imperial Physicians scurried out in terror, only letting out a collective sigh of relief once they had turned away from the door.
The Beili Emperor leaned over the bed, carefully scrutinizing the small figure lying there. Though his face was pale, Sang Zhi was undeniably the most delicate and handsome of all his princes and princesses.
His mother had been a renowned beauty in East Shu. It was a shame she was said to bring misfortune.
Now, it seemed, her fate wasn’t one of misfortune after all. Rather, it had been a ruse—a supposed curse used to deceive everyone.
’Come to think of it, in ten years, I’ve never once properly looked at this child’s eyes.’
As the Beili Emperor thought this, he reached out to touch the corner of the boy’s eye. ’Who would have thought a child’s eyes could hide such a great secret?’ "When the Eighth Prince awakens," he asked, "will we be able to take them?"
Yuan Yintang, who was standing to the side, stepped forward upon hearing this. "As long as the Eighth Prince is willing, they can be taken at any time."
The Beili Emperor’s fingers brushed over Sang Zhi’s eyes again and again. ’The moment he awakens is the moment Beili will possess the map to Penglai Mountain. With the map to the Immortal Island comes access to innumerable treasures.’
’Beili will instantly rise above the other two kingdoms, and it will only be a matter of time before I unite the world under my rule.’
"Your Majesty, Noble Princess Consort Zhan requests an audience," Mr. Li reported.
The Beili Emperor’s hand froze. The greed in his eyes vanished in an instant. He pulled his hand back. "I will not see her."
Mr. Li bowed and slowly backed out of the room.
"What exactly happened at Four-direction Mountain?" the Beili Emperor asked, turning to Yuan Yintang.
"To answer Your Majesty, bandits set the mountain on fire."
"I’m asking about Ye Qianning. Were you the one who shot her dead?"
"I was not."
"I want the truth."
"I would not dare deceive you in the slightest. I truly did not kill Ye Qianning. The real culprit is someone else." Yuan Yintang’s arrow had been dodged by Ye Qianning.
The Beili Emperor stared at him. Seeing Yuan Yintang’s expression remain unchanged, his trust in the man grew. "Then why did you order the attack on Qian Fanji and his group?"
"Your Majesty, I was frantic with worry for the Eighth Prince and mistook them for being in league with the bandits. At the time, the Eighth Prince seemed to be under some kind of threat and stubbornly refused to come with me. That is why I ordered my men to attack." Yuan Yintang paused, then added, "Every single one of them was ruthless. If they hadn’t been with the bandits, if they hadn’t kidnapped the Eighth Prince, why didn’t they explain themselves? Why did they kill so many soldiers who were fighting for Beili?"
The Beili Emperor fell silent for a moment. "Your pill-refining family has rendered a great service by finding the map to Penglai Mountain. So, regardless of whether you’re telling the truth about this incident, I will spare your life."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my life." Yuan Yintang kowtowed.
"Rise. The fewer people who know about taking the Eighth Prince’s eyes, the better. I am entrusting this entire matter to you."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty."
Mr. Li entered from outside the hall, a hesitant look on his face.
"What is it?"
"Noble Princess Consort Zhan is kneeling outside the hall, begging for an audience with Your Majesty."
The Beili Emperor’s brows furrowed.
"Your Majesty, the Noble Princess Consort is with child. Perhaps you could..." Mr. Li ventured.
The Beili Emperor was clearly displeased. He glanced at Sang Zhi, who still showed no signs of waking, then turned and walked toward the hall’s entrance.
Yuan Yintang moved to follow.
"You will remain in the hall," the Beili Emperor said, glancing back.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yuan Yintang stopped in his tracks.
Mr. Li observed discreetly. ’Judging by the Emperor’s attitude... whatever the Noble Princess Consort is pleading for will likely be useless.’
Outside the hall, Noble Princess Consort Zhan knelt ramrod straight in a simple white gauze robe. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and her fingers were clenched tightly within her sleeves. Her expression was cold, yet filled with a steely resolve.
Although the Zhan family hadn’t sent her any word, news of what had happened on Four-direction Mountain had still reached her.
The Emperor had not punished Yuan Yintang in the slightest for committing such an atrocity in public. How could she possibly stomach such an injustice?