Jing-wang felt shocked and tumultuous inside. He didn’t know why Xiao Yu would end up in the 6th Prince’s hands. However, he needed to take Xiao Yu back as soon as possible and save the Emperor at the same time.
Jing-wang had previously taken note of the distribution of the guards inside the hall. Now, he already had a plan.
“…… I know 5th elder brother cares about this fish very much and really wants to take this fish back. However, I’m afraid it won’t be that easy.” Mu TianXiao(6) continued to fiddle and play with the gold chain on the crystal bottle, smiling like a victor and looking down at Jing-wang with contempt.
“However, seeing how 5th elder brother had “helped” me into prison before, I am also willing to “help” you back. If 5th elder brother can experience all of the suffering I had experienced inside the Imperial Prison as well, who knows, maybe I might be lenient and return this fish back to you.” The 6th Prince opened his mouth wide and grinned, as if even he was touched deeply by his own sincerity.
Jing-wang: “……”
Li Yu also speechlessly listened to the 6th Prince’s words. Li Yu was very indignant. However, his fish fins were too short. He couldn’t make a middle finger with it. Trash Mu TianXiao(6), how dare you use him to threaten his hubby. Li Yu was only afraid that Jing-wang might take it seriously and really end up doing what the 6th Prince said.
QQ, he didn’t want his hubby to get bullied. Someone like the 6th Prince definitely can’t be trusted!
This won’t do. Fish must save hubby!
Li Yu flattened his fish body and targeted his tail angrily at the 6th Prince.
“TianXiao(6), it’s only a fish. You don’t need to trouble him.” The Emperor really couldn’t take it and scolded the 6th Prince lightly.
The 6th Prince didn’t even look up and replied sarcastically: “As Father said, it’s only a fish. If 5th elder brother doesn’t pay any attention to my words, what can I do to him? Father, I know you’re biased. Yet you’re not even willing to let him feel this little injustice?”
The Emperor was angry at the 6th Prince’s attitude, but was also afraid to make things worse for Jing-wang. He can only stop talking.
The 6th Prince looked towards Jing-wang leisurely again: “Please decide quickly, 5th elder brother. Or else my mood might go bad and who knows, I can change my mind.”
Jing-wang already confirmed that the Emperor was being coerced by Concubine Zhang. The 6th Prince was also threatening him with Xiao Yu. Jing-wang pressed his lips together, gaze ice cold. He reached his hand to the bottom of his robe and slightly bent his knees.
This movement made him look like he was about to kneel. The 6th Prince was extremely pleased and laughed smugly. Because normally Jing-wang wouldn’t even allow him to have a 2nd glance of the fish inside this crystal bottle, the 6th Prince deliberately wanted to infuriate Jing-wang. Therefore, he opened the cover of the bottle and reached his fingers towards the fish’s soft tail.
He wanted Jing-wang to experience personally that everything was under his control now. Even Jing-wang’s favorite pet fish needed to listen to him and endure whatever he wanted to do.
However, just as his fingers were about to touch the fish, a change occurred abruptly. This fish forcibly jumped and actually broke through the crystal bottle. With wide eyes, the 6th Prince watched this fish fly up and immediately thought this scene seemed deja vu. However, there was no time. One silver light wrapped up in a strong gust of wind later, the 6th Prince had no time to react and he was already slapped firmly across the face by something that felt hard as steel. Instantly, he saw stars exploding before his eyes!
The 6th Prince held his sharply throbbing face in shock. He was finally able to see clearly that, not only did Jing-wang’s fish break free the crystal bottle unexpectedly, it even dared to slap him vigorously– and while using that seemingly harmless and soft looking fish tail!
After one swing, the fish didn’t actually stop. It was still flailing in midair. Taking advantage of the 6th Prince’s distraction, this fish used an unavoidable lightning speed to slap him a second time!
Ganqing Palace was originally very quiet. After two clear, crisp “pa pa” sounds later, the 6th Prince’s cheeks started swelling immediately to the naked eye.
Everyone present all heard this and saw this. The 6th Prince had, for some reason, been slapped in the face by a fish. Concubine Zhang furrowed her brows. The Emperor desperately controlled himself to not let the corners of his mouth curve upwards.
Marquis An(2), who was slightly further away, also saw this. Marquis An’s befuddled mind had a slight impression with this scene. He actually started clapping and saying with a laugh: “Well done, nice job!”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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This was a testament to Jing-wang’s skills. Right in front of everyone, the 6th Prince actually fell under his control.
“What……what do you plan to do?” Mu TianXiao(6) swallowed his saliva. The cold dangerous light of the dagger made him utterly terrified.
He was capable of mercilessly wrapping a chain around his own wife’s throat. Yet having a dagger pressed against his neck was enough to scare him so much that his legs turned weak.
However, who wouldn’t be scared in this kind of situation?
Jing-wang held the dagger and pressed it against the 6th Prince’s throat with one hand. With his other hand, he caught the fish that was still flailing in midair and hid it behind his sleeve.
Li Yu knew that the Emperor was being threatened; Jing-wang needed an opportunity. He himself was also unable to stand being touched by the 6th Prince. Therefore, why not just create an unimaginable chaos himself.
Jing-wang often cleaned up after his previous messes. He wasn’t unfamiliar with Li Yu’s method of doing things. Before Li Yu broke out of the bottle, he also saw Jing-wang move slightly, as if he was about to act. Li Yu needed to distract the 6th Prince’s attention for Jing-wang!
Li Yu glanced around and found an area on the ground with a thick heavy rug ahead of time. When he jumped out, he headed towards the direction of the rug, doing his best to protect his belly. Originally he had planned to land on the rug after slapping the 6th Prince twice. Jing-wang had a hidden weapon on him. He would definitely seize this opportunity. Li Yu could take the chance to randomly jump into a corner somewhere and pull out some of the freshwater from his interdimensional space.
Fortunately he only stored a crystal bottle and fish tank in his interdimensional space. The rest of the space was all filled with fresh water. Currently, the crystal bottle has already broken. However, the fish tank was still present. He could transfer the fish tank outside. As long as he hid in the fish tank, he’d be temporarily safe.
Not out of Li Yu’s expectations, he and Jing-wang’s hearts were connected. Jing-wang was able to take control of the chance that he had desperately created. Not only did Jing-wang use a dagger to seize the 6th Prince, he also caught fish. Delighted, Li Yu wrapped his tail tightly around Jing-wang’s fingers.
Although it was a crucial moment between life and death, Jing-wang still used his thumb to gently caress fish’s head.
Jing-wang used his body and sleeve to block the view. Li Yu seized the moment to pull out the fish tank and hop into it.
His heart still pounded in the aftermath, but thank god, hubby was fine. The little sweetie pie was also fine. QQ fish did it!
“Jing-wang, just what exactly do you plan to do!” The 6th Prince was extremely terrified, yelling and screaming nonstop.
Jing-wang glanced past the 6th Prince and looked at Concubine Zhang in the eye with his ice-like gaze.
“Release father.” Jing-wang said in a heavy voice.
The 6th Prince was Concubine Zhang’s son. Since Concubine Zhang can use the Emperor as hostage, Jing-wang naturally can also use the 6th Prince as hostage to negotiate with Concubine Zhang.
Hearing Jing-wang’s hoarse voice, the 6th Prince was briefly stunned. He glanced towards Jing-wang with fear and trepidation.
Wasn’t Jing-wang a naturally born mute? Why can he suddenly speak?
Everyone in Ganqing Palace all heard Jing-wang talk out loud. They all turned pale in shock.
So Jing-wang’s mutism was actually cured!
The people at Ganqing Palace were all Concubine Zhang’s subordinates. The fellow concubines were actually all seized as hostages by Concubine Zhang as well. If Jing-wang were able to save the Emperor, the concubines would be pretty happy with that outcome. They secretly prayed for everything to go smoothly for Jing-wang.
The 8th Prince’s gaze was burning. He was a child. His line of sight was not the same as everyone else. Jing-wang was in control of the 6th Prince. However, the 8th Prince’s eyes were only on the fish tank that was blocked behind Jing-wang. He didn’t know where the fish tank came from, however, the fish that just slapped the 6th Prince in the face must have fallen inside the fish tank.
If 5th elder brother and 6th elder brother started fighting, what about the fish?
The 8th Prince really wanted to help Jing-wang. Ignoring his mother, Concubine Lu’s, repeated warning, he bent down and secretly ran over there. Grabbing the fish tank, he ran back again.
Because he was small in stature and also a kid, no one was able to stop him in that moment!
Jing-wang: “……”
The 8th Prince was hugging the fish tank without letting go. Jing-wang decided he really needed to view this little brother in a new appreciative light.
Now Jing-wang had nothing to worry about. He looked towards Concubine Zhang and then said again: “Release father.”
The dagger pressed more firmly against the 6th Prince’s throat. A stream of bright red blood poured out.
The 6th Prince instantly yelled out in pain: “Mother, save me quickly!”
The 6th Prince was very afraid that Jing-wang was going to kill him and hoped Concubine Zhang would save him. However, Concubine Zhang only had a dark expression on her face, and remained wordless.
The 6th Prince gradually started to feel unease in his heart.
He had suddenly been invited out from the Imperial Prison. The person who freed him had told him that his mother, Zhang-shi, had gained power. At first, Mu TianXiao(6) didn’t believe it. However, when he saw Zhang-shi sitting comfortably next to the Emperor’s side with his own eyes, while the Emperor held a loathing but helpless expression, Mu TianXiao(6) had no choice but to believe it.
This mother was no longer the completely useless, meek and obedient woman that he had disdained in his memories.
Mu TianXiao(6) didn’t know when this change had occurred.
However, he was very thankful for this change. He was Zhang-shi’s son. Since Zhang-shi controlled the Emperor, she was definitely going to help him seize the throne. All he needed to do was sit back and wait for his prize.
However, there was only one thing that the 6th Prince didn’t really understand. Zhang-shi had hidden herself this deeply without revealing anything, why did she still refuse to help him when he was scheming for the throne?
Or perhaps, this was all part of Zhang-shi’s grand plans. Seeing how he had fallen for Jing-wang’s schemes from the very beginning, seeing how the Emperor was already biased towards Jing-wang, it was basically impossible for his original plans to have succeeded.
The only choice was to save a trump card for the last critical moment. Just when the Emperor and Jing-wang had thought that he had failed completely. Then Zhang-shi would have a chance to act and destroy them with one strike.
The 6th Prince had considered this carefully again. Actually, even though Zhang-shi had feigned ignorance and he didn’t notice it at all, all of his subordinates had originally come from Zhang-shi. It’s not that Zhang-shi didn’t help him. However, for the sake of victory, she had to hide even from himself.
With the thoughts above, Mu TianXiao(6) did his best to convince himself to accept the fact that Zhang-shi had possibly prepared for all of this to happen.
He had made all of these excuses for Zhang-shi, however, Zhang-shi never actually said anything to him, not even one sentence of explanation. Mu TianXiao(6) grew apprehensive of this mother of his, who had managed to successfully trick even the Emperor himself, and didn’t dare to ask too much. In other words, as long as he was free and could ascend the throne in the end, what couldn’t he accept?
But right now, Jing-wang was holding him hostage in order to threaten Zhang-shi in return. Yet Zhang-shi was unresponsive to his pleas for help. This made Mu TianXiao(6) strangely start to panic.
Although he still called the current Zhang-shi, mother, he actually couldn’t figure her out at all.
“Your highness Jing-wang.” Zhang-shi, who had been silent all this time, suddenly smiled: “Why would you think I would exchange with you?”
“You only have a prince in your hands, while in my hands, I have the ruler of a nation.”
Zhang-shi lightly clapped her hand. A hidden archer inside the main hall of Ganqing Palace immediately shot out an arrow.
Without any warning at all, the 6th Prince was hit by the arrow, blood spurting out of his chest. The 6th Prince’s eyes widened as he looked at his own injury. This was a cruel arrow, sent out under his mother’s approval.
“Mother, you… you…….” He called strenuously in the end and then pitched over head first.
No one in Ganqing Palace had expected Concubine Zhang would kill even her own son. Instantly, everyone felt like they were all in peril, and trembled all over.
“Even malicious tigers do not eat their young! Why did you kill TianXiao(6)?!” The Emperor couldn’t believe it.
Even though the 6th Prince had once attempted to kill him, the Emperor never thought about killing him.
However Concubine Zhang, in order to avoid being dragged down, easily exterminated the captured 6th Prince. The Emperor was no match for the ruthlessness of this woman’s actions.
“Even malicious tigers do not eat their young? That’s just one life. You eradicated Lou Lan. A hundred thousand peasants lost their lives. Aren’t you far more malicious than a tiger?” Concubine Zhang chuckled.
What she received in return was only the Emperor’s furious glare.
Hearing Zhang-shi’s words, Jing-wang faintly furrowed his brows and asked experimentally: “You’re from Lou Lan– you’re Concubine Mei?”
“That’s right.” Concubine Zhang admitted it without hesitation. She had hidden for half of her life. Now there was no reason to hide anymore.
She reached up and wiped her face, pulling off a thin layer of skin.
Zhang-shi was originally born from a family of servants. Her skin was slightly dark, with an honest face. However, after the face mask was removed, a deathly pale skinned and beautiful countenance was revealed that was obviously not Zhang-shi’s face.
“I am Concubine Mei.” She said: “However, I don’t personally like this title. I am the daughter of the King of Lou Lan. You can call me, Princess Langya.”
Previously, Li Yu had already speculated with Jing-wang that the force constantly trying to assassinate Jing-wang and had poisoned Jing-wang was somehow related to Lou Lan and to Concubine Mei.
However, the reality was that Concubine Mei, who should have already died, was still alive. She was actually the leader of this force and had been hiding inside the Imperial Palace all of these years as the 6th Prince’s mother, surviving using the identity of the transparent little Zhang-shi.
The reason for her existence was probably just for this moment, to get revenge on the Emperor.
Then just how did Concubine Mei– Princes Langya– become Concubine Zhang?
Ooh I like this twist! It wasn’t obvious yet isn’t completely out of left field. It makes sense now why they repeatedly emphasised that Concubine Zhang was once the empress’ maid. There must be a connection.
+1
Holy shit, what a reveal!
Thank You for the chapter (=^w^=) ❤
thanks for the chapter!
Holy fuck 😱 I was NOT expecting that!
Its fun seeing old comments ahaha
Right?!it feels too cringe looking back on ur old self😬😂
Plot twist!!!!
OH
Oh I was suspecting that Concubine Mei was alive but didn’t expect that she is Zhang
Oooooh I was suspecting Concubine Zhang this whole time and I was right but for all the wrong reasons!! This is a great twist hahaha
The concubine zhang’s doings reminds me of the story of the first female emperor of china 🤔😲
The name Princess Langya is soo prettyyy😳