Chapter 149 Shock

Chapter 149: Stunned

The outcome of the clash was sealed.

Xiao Jing was subdued by Liu Qingci's men and pinned to the foot of the imperial steps.

He knelt there, a complete wreck, struggling with all his might but to no avail.

Xiao Yan flexed the fingers he had used to twist Xiao Jing's wrist, and his knuckles cracked softly.

He casually wiped his neck, his fingertips touching a thin wound—not deep, just a scratch on the skin, now oozing tiny beads of blood that stuck to his fingers.

When Xiao Jing had pressed the sword against him, he hadn't been careful with his strength, leaving a shallow cut on his neck that stung slightly.

It was a minor injury, hardly worth mentioning. But when he looked up, his gaze passed over Xiao Jing's kneeling back, over the crowd of people filling the hall, and met Liu Qingci's eyes.

Those eyes were fixed straight on him—or rather, on the bloodstained wound on his neck.

The rims of his eyes were still red.

Xiao Yan lowered his hand and gently shook his head at Liu Qingci, his gaze reassuring him.

The movement was slight, a silent exchange of glances between the two of them, telling him he was fine.

Liu Qingci's taut nerves finally relaxed, and he nearly collapsed, only managing to stay upright with his father's support.

"Qingci, what's wrong with you?" Liu Wenyuan furrowed his brow deeply, his voice barely hiding his anxiety.

Too many things had happened today, but what surprised him most was that his own son had gotten involved too.

And in this manner.

Countless questions surged in Liu Wenyuan's mind, but he didn't have the energy to dwell on them now, his only concern being his son's well-being.

"Father, I'm fine." Liu Qingci shook his head, straightened himself up, and the pallor from his shock had eased somewhat. "There are imperial physicians I brought outside. Please take care of the injured Minister Zhang."

After saying this, Liu Qingci had already composed himself, showing no trace of his earlier loss of composure.

He turned to face the civil and military officials gathered in the hall.

"Honored officials," he said, his voice still a bit hoarse but carrying an undiminished authority. "Prince Rui has committed treason and is now subdued. His Majesty has been recuperating in the traveling palace. I have sent men to escort His Majesty back, and within an hour or two, His Majesty will return to the palace."

The hall rippled with whispers.

"His Majesty... is alive..." someone muttered.

"His Majesty is coming back..."

Liu Qingci's gaze swept over the kneeling figures, over the bloodstained court robes and panicked faces, and said with pointed meaning: "What happened tonight is Prince Rui's fault alone. It has nothing to do with you, honored officials. Return to your posts, attend to your duties. After His Majesty returns, he will render a fair verdict."

When his words fell, a long sigh of relief echoed through the hall, and some people collapsed to the floor.

A few of Prince Rui's followers, who had been poised to fight to the death, lowered their heads with ashen faces.

They understood what Liu Qingci meant.

He was telling them that as long as they stayed quiet now, there would be no settling of scores later.

But those four words, "make a fair judgment," hung over them like a sword hanging over their heads. The sword hadn't fallen yet, but everyone knew it would eventually.

At least for now, they dared not make any rash moves.

Liu Qingci said nothing more.

He turned and walked toward the hall doors. The black-armored soldiers silently made way for him and followed behind.

He stood on the threshold, facing the boundless square outside the Golden Throne Hall.

On the square, the sounds of battle were slowly dying down.

Countless torches burned in the night, illuminating the dense, dark silhouettes of fighting men stretching from the hall entrance all the way to the outer palace gates, dense as a black tide.

Standing there, Liu Qingci's voice thundered in the night: "Prince Rui, Xiao Jing, has been captured!"

His clear, cold voice cut through the dead silence of the night, reaching everyone's ears clearly.

The soldiers still locked in stalemate on the square froze.

They stared at the figure at the entrance to the Golden Throne Hall, at the silent, mountain-like black-armored soldiers behind him, and looked around in confusion, unsure what to do.

Liu Qingci's voice rose again, louder than before: "His Majesty will return to the palace shortly! Lay down your weapons, and all past offenses will be forgiven!"

When his words fell, the first clatter of a weapon hitting the ground sounded on the square.

Then the second, the third—countless more.

Liu Qingci's pale blue robe was filled by the wind, flapping wildly, making his shoulders look thinner, his waist narrower, as if he might be blown away at any moment.

Xiao Yan gazed at that figure, listening to his voice carried in from outside the hall—clear and steady, cold and composed.

The voice was nothing like the way he usually spoke, without those soft, drawling tones, without the mumbles that trailed off when he was embarrassed. Every word was crisp and clear, like a blade slicing across ice—sharp and startling.

At that moment, looking at that figure, something rose from deep within him, lodging in his throat, couldn't swallow it down or bring it up.

It wasn't heartache, wasn't pride—not any of the familiar emotions he could name.

It was something else.

It was the wonder of watching a tree grow from a seed into a towering giant, the grandeur of seeing a stream merge into a great river, the stunned wonder of witnessing someone step from behind him to before him—in front of everyone.

"Wow! Xiao Liu is amazing! (˶╹ꇴ╹˶)" Little K was bursting with vicarious pride.

Its little orb bounced excitedly in Xiao Yan's mind, flashing like a blazing meteor.

"The original novel totally did him dirty! How could Xiao Liu be locked up in a small dark room by Xiao Jing?! Host, am I right or what? Xiao Liu was always like this! All that stuff in the original novel about being imprisoned, controlled, and forced by that freak Xiao Jing—all a bunch of bull! Look at him! Just look at him!"

Xiao Yan smiled faintly, his eyes glued to that silhouette, unable to tear them away.

Little K was still thrilled: "Host, do you want to know how Xiao Liu came to save you? I have a new skill! I can show you a replay!"

Xiao Yan's eyes flickered with surprise.

Eager to show off its new skill, Little K didn't even wait for Xiao Yan's answer before starting to replay the scene in his mind like playing a film.