Chapter 244: The Falling Blade

“Bring me my long saber!”

The voice rang out beside their ears, and the sounds of laughter in the hall instantly froze.

Zhang Ze raised his head and saw Li Chengyuan, who had been surrounded by beautiful maids, stand up and shout, raising his hand.

Li Chengyuan’s eyes were somewhat unfocused.

“How much has he drunk?” Zhang Ze asked.

An attendant whispered, “Only two cups.”

Two cups? Li Chengyuan’s alcohol tolerance was high; he wouldn’t be drunk even after two jars. He wasn’t drunk, yet he was inexplicably brandishing a saber.

This wasn’t normal.

Zhang Ze narrowed his eyes.

“Inspector General,” the attendant asked in a low voice, “should we stop him?”

Zhang Ze glanced around. In the hall, some guests were embracing beautiful maids and laughing, some were gathered together chatting, and some were drinking alone. At this moment, they were all looking at Li Chengyuan, their expressions varied.

His gaze landed on Zhou Jingyun. Zhou Jingyun immediately looked at him, smiled, and even raised his wine cup to him.

It seemed very normal.

But he no longer trusted his own eyes.

Was all of this real?

“No need,” Zhang Ze said slowly, raising his wine cup and fixing his gaze on Li Chengyuan.

Although Li Chengyuan’s words were somewhat abrupt, the servants quickly brought the long saber. This was the saber that had been used to execute Empress Jiang, and Li Chengyuan often showed it to his guests.

Li Chengyuan lifted the long saber, which was being carried by two servants, with one hand, his posture steady. A round of applause erupted in the hall.

Putting aside everything else, although Li Chengyuan was getting on in years, he was stronger than anyone present.

Li Chengyuan held the long saber high, watching the applause of the people in the hall, his heart filled with pride.

He had been strong since childhood and was willing to endure hardship and train diligently. From the moment he joined the army, he was praised as a natural-born soldier.

Of course, he wasn’t satisfied with just being a soldier. He wanted to be a Grand General, the most formidable military general in the Great Zhou.

Just being a general of the Imperial Guards couldn’t satisfy him.

Li Chengyuan let out a loud shout, took a step forward, and swung the long saber. It stirred up a fierce wind, the candles in the hall flickered, and countless shadows danced chaotically.

“Excellent saber technique!”

“What strength!”

Countless shadows and shouts were mixed together; they were cheering, shocked, and fearful.

He stood alone, invincible. Li Chengyuan watched as the shadows before his eyes intertwined and merged, transforming into fleeing eunuchs and palace maids. As his saber flashed, blood splattered, and cries of anguish filled the air.

Li Chengyuan couldn’t help but laugh loudly.

“Li Chengyuan, don’t waste time here,” a voice called out from ahead.

Li Chengyuan looked up and saw Zhang Ze waving to him in the distance.

“Hurry up, don’t let anyone escape,” he shouted.

Li Chengyuan looked ahead. More people were running there, saber lights and sword shadows flashing. They seemed to be blocking something, protecting something, but…

These people couldn’t stop him anymore.

Li Chengyuan laughed heartily, wielding his long saber and charging forward. Countless shadows were cut in two by the saber light, blood and flesh flying everywhere.

That person, they couldn’t escape. Where was that person?

Li Chengyuan’s thoughts stuttered. He raised his head, and suddenly his vision went dark. The next moment, the darkness coalesced into a human figure, looking down at him from above. Applause rang in his ears.

“Excellent saber technique, what strength.”

A clear female voice.

At the same time, the figure emerged from the thick ink.

Li Chengyuan only felt his vision brighten, and he saw a familiar face.

That person.

His knees buckled, and he knelt down. The long saber in his hand hit the ground with a crisp sound.

“Excellent saber technique, what strength,” the face said with a smile. “Li Chengyuan, are you willing to lead the Imperial Guards for me?”

He was willing, of course he was willing. That was the Imperial Guard, the Emperor’s personal troops.

“But that’s not enough, is it?” the female voice continued, sighing. “People are all like this, always wanting more, their desires insatiable.”

No, he wasn’t. He just… Li Chengyuan abruptly stood up, pointing the long saber in his hand at the woman in front of him.

“I act on behalf of Heaven, supporting the Great Zhou, restoring clarity to the court!” he shouted. “You, the Demon Empress, deserve to die!”

As his shout echoed, the figure before him fell to the ground.

Yes, the Demon Empress deserved to die. The Demon Empress was dead. Li Chengyuan’s heart pounded wildly. He leaped forward, swinging his saber to strike, but the figure on the ground scattered and then coalesced, reaching out to block his saber.

Li Chengyuan’s body froze, his immense strength blocked.

“Deserve to die?”

“There are many people in this world who deserve to die.”

As the voice spoke, the figure approached him. The distance was so close that Li Chengyuan could clearly see her face.

It wasn’t Empress Jiang’s face.

The face before him smiled faintly.

“Aren’t you the same?”

“Li Chengyuan, look up.”

Li Chengyuan subconsciously looked up. The dimness faded, and the surroundings were brightly lit. At the same time, a wave of applause surged toward him.

“Bravo!”

Li Chengyuan shuddered violently, watching as the figure holding his saber faded. The long saber suddenly lost support, and his immense strength pulled it downwards.

No!

Li Chengyuan’s eyes widened.

“No!”

Zhang Ze abruptly stood up.

But it was too late. The long saber slashed down directly. Li Chengyuan, who had raised his hands, only had time to let out a shout before blood splattered in the brightly lit hall.

The noisy applause ceased, followed by piercing screams.

✿✿✿

Zhang Ze stood frozen in place. The cacophony seemed to fade into the distance, and he could only hear his own heart pounding. Li Chengyuan’s body, split in two by the long saber, also became blurred.

The long saber was picked up.

It was a slender hand.

The long saber seemed weightless in her hand.

“Back then…”

The female voice came.

“He struck my corpse with this saber.”

Zhang Ze slowly raised his gaze and saw the person standing in front of Li Chengyuan’s body, or rather a foot, a bare foot with a jeweled chain around the ankle.

His gaze didn’t rise further. He watched as the long saber fell, striking Li Chengyuan’s corpse once more.

“Now, we’re even,” the female voice said. “He struck me, and I struck him.”

Even with his head lowered, Zhang Ze could feel her gaze on him, like a saber hanging over his head.

“You knew beforehand that Li Chengyuan would damage the pleasure boat, didn’t you? And you watched the spectacle from the sidelines?”

Zhang Ze lowered his head. “Yes.” His hands clenched at his sides.

The saber above his head didn’t fall.

“Then don’t just watch the spectacle this time. Take care of the aftermath.”

Zhang Ze bowed his head even lower, slowly kneeling down. “Your servant obeys.”

As his knees buckled, he pitched forward and suddenly came to his senses.

“Inspector General—” An attendant supported him.

Screams and chaos surged towards him like a tidal wave. The attendants around him protected him tightly, preventing him from being bumped by the people running around the hall.

Zhang Ze slowly straightened up and saw a woman’s figure, like mist, dissipating amidst the chaotic crowd.

People were running and bumping into each other, tables, chairs, fine wine, and delicacies were overturned. Zhou Jingyun sat still, still holding his wine cup, the maid behind him had collapsed to the ground.

“Marquis Zhou’s Heir, Marquis Zhou’s Heir.” Someone squeezed over, thinking he was frightened, and tried to help him up. “Are you alright?”

Zhou Jingyun shook his head. “I’m fine.” He sighed again. “I didn’t expect to be attending the Grand General’s feast so soon again.”

The person was stunned for a moment, remembering that Zhou Jingyun had indeed spoken about attending a feast with Grand General Li.

He looked through the chaotic crowd and saw that Grand General Li’s body had been surrounded. Li family’s descendants and their family physician had all arrived. However, it was clear that whether they cried or the physician tried to treat him, it was useless.

Grand General Li was dead.

A funeral feast was inevitable.

This was truly a case of speaking one’s misfortune into existence.

The person looked at Zhou Jingyun again and couldn’t help but take a step back. Was Marquis Zhou’s Heir a jinx?

The chaos spread from the Li family’s mansion, accompanied by running servants. The news spread like the wind in the dark night.

The carriage yard in the back was no exception.

The Li family’s servants, the guests’ servants, were all running around in a frenzy. Some were going inside to pick up their masters, and some were rushing home to report the news.

People were running, horses were running, it was a scene of commotion.

The originally calm horses were startled and restless, neighing and stamping their hooves. The carriage lurched forward, and Bai Li, who was leaning against the interior, suddenly pitched forward, her hands instinctively grabbing her knees. The paper on her lap seemed to have been soaked and softened by water, tearing with her movement.

Bai Li opened her eyes. Her vision adjusted to the dimness, and she brushed away the torn pieces of paper, listening to Jiang Yun outside shouting at the horses. With his shouts, the restless horses calmed down, and the carriage stabilized.

“Young Lady Bai,” Jiang Yun’s voice came in a low tone, “are you alright?”

Bai Li hummed in response and reached out to lift the carriage curtain, looking outside.

The carriage yard was brightly lit, with many people running back and forth. Many people were also gathered together, discussing the incident. Carriages were being led away, and the direction of the Li family’s mansion was filled with noise, people constantly rushing out.

“Something happened at Grand General Li’s house,” Jiang Yun whispered to her, standing by the carriage. “Let’s wait here for a while.”

Jiang Yun’s face was anxious, and he kept looking towards the mansion. If he didn’t have to guard her, he would have already gone to the mansion to look for the Marquis’s Heir.

As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Li’s eyes lit up. “The Marquis’s Heir is back.”

Jiang Yun hurriedly looked over and saw Zhou Jingyun rushing towards them from the direction of the mansion, his posture as upright as ever, but his pace was fast.

It seemed he was also worried about her.

Bai Li jumped out of the carriage and looked at Zhou Jingyun as he approached. “Marquis’s Heir.”

Without waiting for her to ask, Zhou Jingyun took the initiative to explain. “Grand General Li was wielding his saber and accidentally killed himself.”

Jiang Yun, standing beside them, looked surprised and shook his head. “One should accept old age, and besides, martial prowess is not a child’s play to be flaunted.”

Bai Li looked at Zhou Jingyun and asked, “Did the Li family let you leave? Was there any trouble?”

Zhou Jingyun smiled. “In front of everyone, everyone saw it. He was the one who insisted on wielding the saber and lost control. How could they not let everyone leave?” He paused. “Indeed, some members of the Li family said they wanted to investigate everyone present, but Zhang Ze stopped them, saying that he would investigate, not only the guests present but also the descendants of the Li family. The Li family panicked even more and stopped caring about everyone, so we all dispersed.”

A smile appeared on Bai Li’s face, and she nodded. “Good, he’s obedient this time.”

Zhou Jingyun didn’t respond, nor did he ask who she was referring to. He looked at Bai Li, extended his hand towards her, and said softly, “Let’s go back quickly.”

Bai Li nodded with a smile and raised her hand to place it in his. Just as she extended her hand, a clear bell chime rang in her ear.

Bai Li’s expression froze, her vision distorted. The night, the crowd, the horses, Jiang Yun, all vanished in an instant.

She looked at Zhou Jingyun in front of her. His smile remained, but his eyes were dark and lifeless, like a stone statue.

She abruptly stepped back.

The moving crowd, the neighing horses, all froze in an instant, even the night wind stopped.

Li Yu, who had just sneaked in, also froze beside a carriage, his face becoming stiff. But after a moment of trance, his eyes regained their alertness.

The scene before him was as still as death.

His eyes first filled with fear, then quickly turned serious.

He slowly raised his eyes to the night sky above.

Two moons hung in the night sky, one curved like an eyebrow, the other round as a pearl.