ebookland Chapter 75, 9th Lifetime: The Plan to Destroy the Royal Palace, A Madman's Revenge Strategy
Chapter 75, 9th Lifetime: The Plan to Destroy the Royal Palace, A Madman's Revenge Strategy
Chapter 75 The Plan to Destroy the Royal Palace: The Mad Queen's Revenge Strategy
In the pitch-black night, the wind howled and howled through the streets. The door to the secret hideout was flung open with a bang, and the young prince was like a kite with a broken string.
He was roughly thrown in by several members of the Dark Pavilion, tracing a comical and pathetic arc in the air before crashing to the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Ouch! You bunch of blind fools, are you trying to kill me, the young prince?!" the young prince shouted at the top of his lungs, rubbing his sore bottom as he struggled to get up.
He squinted around furtively. In the dim light, the shadows in the corners looked like menacing monsters, making him shudder. He muttered to himself, "It's over, it's over! I've really fallen into a wolf's den! Why am I so unlucky? I should never have followed my father's foolish ways. God, you can't do this to me!" At this moment, he was a far cry from his usual arrogant self; he was nothing more than a terrified mouse, trembling uncontrollably.
Just then, a steady, powerful footstep sounded, unhurried yet resonant, striking the young prince's heart. There stood Luo Qingci, dressed in a black, fitted outfit, her posture upright, as she strode in with a cat-like gait.
She exuded a powerful aura; despite being a woman, her presence overwhelmed everyone present. She walked to the main seat, sat down gracefully, her movements conveying an undeniable authority. The young prince couldn't help but swallow hard, feeling a chill run down his spine.
"Tap, tap, tap," the celadon fingers gently tapped the armrest, the crisp sound echoing in the quiet room, each tap like a heavy hammer blow to the young prince's heart. Upon hearing the sound, the young prince's shoulders jerked, he almost jumped up, his eyes widened like copper bells, his face filled with terror.
"Young Prince, I have a super fun little game here, would you like to try it?" Luo Qingci smiled, a smile as beautiful yet dangerous as a rose with thorns. Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, yet it carried a chilling sense of oppression, as if she could crush the young prince at any moment.
Upon hearing this, the young prince froze instantly. Then, he shook his head wildly like a rattle-drum, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. He stammered, "Aunt... Aunt, please have mercy on me! I have no interest in playing games right now. I have an eighty-year-old mother waiting for me to return and take care of her."
"I haven't even had a child yet. Please, for my sake, for all my loneliness and misery, let me off the hook! I promise I'll turn over a new leaf, eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures every day, and never fight cocks, walk dogs, or bully people again. If I break my promise, may I be pecked by chickens and chased and bitten by dogs every day!" His mournful face was scrunched up, his features squeezed together, looking like a flattened bitter gourd. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he was just short of bursting into a wail.
Luo Qingci seemed not to hear his pitiful pleas for mercy and continued, "The game is very simple. You just need to tell me clearly and plainly all the shameful and sordid things that happen in the Prince's mansion. If you tell me well, I might take pity on you and let you go back to continue your carefree life; if you don't tell me well..."
She paused deliberately, her eyes suddenly turning sharp as knives, staring straight at the young prince. The young prince was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud, his crotch soaked.
The young prince's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly became extremely tense. His face was filled with conflict and pain, his features almost contorted into a pretzel. He knew perfectly well that betraying the prince's mansion was tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin, but if he didn't speak up, this young lady in front of him would definitely not let him off easily, and might even tear him to pieces at any moment.
After hesitating for a long time, he said with a sob in his voice and with his last glimmer of hope, "Grandma, I'll talk, I'll talk, okay? You have to keep your word! If you still don't let me go after I tell you, I... I'll haunt your dreams every day as a ghost, making sure you never have a moment of peace! No, I promise I'll obey and won't dare to utter a single complaint. I'll do whatever you ask me to do!"
Then, he poured out all the dirty secrets of the Prince's Mansion, including embezzling military funds, colluding with foreign enemies, and oppressing the people.
As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Luo Qingci's expression. Whenever he saw her frown slightly, he would lower his voice a few decibels, like a frightened rabbit.
Seeing her nod slightly, he quickly sped up his speech, afraid that speaking too slowly would upset her. He looked like he was walking a tightrope, being extremely careful.
As Luo Qingci listened, she nodded slightly, occasionally revealing a look of sudden realization, as if to say, "So that's how it is."
A disdainful sneer would occasionally appear on his face, a smile that seemed to mock the foolishness and greed of the Prince's mansion, as he thought to himself, "With such petty tricks, they think they can outsmart me? How naive."
After the young prince finished speaking, she stood up and walked gracefully to him, looking down at him with a mocking air. "Young prince, I didn't expect you to know so much. You must have done a lot of bad things with your father, right? Do you always feel so powerful and invincible when you do bad things, that no one can do anything to you?"
The young prince was so frightened that he hurriedly waved his hands, shaking his head like a rattle drum, his eyes wide open, and said innocently, "No, no, I only overheard a few words, I really didn't participate! I was just a bystander. Every time they discussed those bad things, I hid far away, wishing I could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. I swear, I swear! I swear to heaven, if I participated, may I be chased and pecked by chickens and bitten by dogs every day!" He looked as if he was about to raise his hands, put three fingers together, and swear to the sky.
Just then, members of the Dark Pavilion rushed in and whispered a few words in Luo Qingci's ear.
Her face instantly darkened like the sky before a storm, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes. She said coldly, "You old fox, you actually had this trick up your sleeve! It seems I have to teach you a lesson, or you'll really not know how many eyes Master Ma has!"
It turns out that when the prince learned that the young prince had been captured, he not only did not intend to rescue him, but also wanted to kill him to silence him and frame Luo Qingci, killing two birds with one stone. He thought he could completely solve this problem and take the opportunity to eliminate his rivals.
Luo Qingci sneered, already having a plan in mind, like a chess master who had already calculated every move to come.
She turned to the young prince and said, "Young prince, it seems your father has already abandoned you. But it doesn't matter. As long as you cooperate with me obediently, I will not only protect your life, but also let you live a life of luxury and continue to enjoy yourself. How about it?"
Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope flashed in the young prince's eyes, but it quickly dimmed again. He smiled bitterly and said, "Grandma, what other choice do I have now? Please don't tease me. I'll definitely obey! If I don't, you can turn me into a big fat pig and have people chase after me to slaughter me every day!"
Subsequently, Luo Qingci, along with the young prince and members of the Dark Pavilion, began to set a clever trap. She deliberately spread the news that the young prince had suffered greatly at her hands, was on the verge of death, and was about to die.
As expected, the prince took the bait. Upon hearing the news, he flew into a rage, pacing back and forth in the room, shouting, "Whoever dares to touch my son, I'll make sure they die a horrible death!"
His face turned as red as a ripe tomato, and the veins on his neck bulged out; he almost exploded on the spot.
He arrived in a large group of guards to rescue them, thinking, "How dare you mess with me! I'll show you what I'm capable of!" But as soon as he entered the encirclement, he was surrounded by members of the Dark Pavilion like dumplings.
The prince looked at the young prince, who was bound hand and foot, and his face turned ashen with rage. His finger trembled as he pointed at Luo Qingci, and his voice was shrill with anger: "You vile woman, how dare you scheme against me! Today is your death day! I will tear you to pieces to avenge my son!"
His appearance was just like that of an enraged bull, eager to rush up and tear the Luoqing porcelain to pieces.
Luo Qingci remained calm and composed, leisurely straightening her sleeves before slowly saying, "Your Highness, you should worry about yourself first! Young Prince, tell me, how does your father usually treat you?"
As she said this, her eyes were filled with mockery, as if she were watching a wonderful farce, thinking to herself, "This is going to be a good show."
The young prince looked at the prince, then at Luo Qingci, gritted his teeth, and a resolute expression appeared on his face, as if he had made a great decision: "Father, you don't care about my life or death at all for your own benefit. When I was captured, not only did you not save me, but you also wanted to kill me to silence me. I... I hate you! For so many years, all you have seen is power and money. When have you ever cared about your son? When I was a child, I wanted a toy, but you wouldn't buy it for me. You always just brushed me off!"
As she spoke, she wiped away her tears with a wronged expression, looking like an abandoned child, her shoulders trembling.
Upon hearing this, the prince's face flushed red and then paled, like a palette of colors. He roared, "You unfilial son, how dare you betray me! Wait till I get back and teach you a lesson! I'll lock you up and show you the consequences of betraying me!"
The sound was so loud that it nearly deafened everyone around, and even shook the dust off the roof.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Luo Qingci loudly proclaimed, "Guards, look at this! This is your loyal prince, who would even abandon his own son for his own sake. Are you still willing to risk your lives for such a person? If you follow him, who knows, one day you might end up like the young prince, discarded like trash! What will happen to your families then? What will your future hold?"
Upon hearing this, the guards exchanged bewildered glances and began to waver. Some whispered among themselves, saying, "What she said seems to make some sense," while others lowered their heads in deep thought, pondering their future and wondering if they had followed the wrong person.
Just as the prince and his guards were in a state of chaos, Luo Qingci gave the members of the Dark Pavilion a wink, a wink that sounded like a super signal flare being fired.
The crowd swarmed forward like tigers descending a mountain, subduing the prince and his confidants.
The prince collapsed to the ground, his eyes vacant, as if he had lost his soul, muttering to himself, "It's all over, all over... My whole life's work, all ruined... Why am I so unlucky..."
Luo Qingci walked up to the prince, squatted down, and gently patted his face, saying mockingly, "Your Highness, when you were trying to wipe out my Luo family back then, you should have thought this day would come. In this world, no one can escape retribution! Good deeds are rewarded, and evil deeds are punished. It's not that retribution won't come, it's just that the time hasn't arrived yet. Now, it's time for you to pay your debts!"
Having said that, she stood up and ordered the members of the Dark Pavilion: "Take them all back. I want them to enjoy their remaining days! Let them know the consequences of offending me! I want them to regret ever being born!"
In this contest with the Prince's Mansion, Luo Qingci emerged victorious. But she knew this was just the beginning; many more enemies lurking in the shadows awaited her.
However, she showed no fear whatsoever, her eyes radiating determination and confidence, as if declaring to the world: "No matter how many difficulties and obstacles lie ahead, I will overcome them all and make all those who have hurt me pay the price! Who will be next? I can't wait! I want to see who can pull any tricks on me now!"
Luo Qingci remained vigilant. She knew that the Prince's mansion was deeply entrenched, and even if she brought down these individuals, there might still be complex forces lurking behind them. She decided to strike while the iron was hot and use the evidence she had to further expose the Prince's mansion's crimes.
Luo Qingci first disguised herself and infiltrated the elite circles of the capital. With her extraordinary wisdom and exceptional social skills, she navigated the complex relationships with those high-ranking officials and nobles who regularly maintained close ties with the Prince's mansion.
At a lavish banquet, Luo Qingci deliberately revealed some scandals about the Prince's mansion, seemingly unintentionally sowing discord among the guests. Upon hearing this, the powerful and wealthy individuals began to scheme, and their attitudes towards the Prince's mansion subtly shifted.
At the same time, Luo Qingci had members of the Dark Pavilion cleverly spread evidence of the Prince's Mansion embezzling military funds and colluding with foreign enemies to the imperial court.
Immediately, the court was abuzz with discussion, and accusations against the Prince's Mansion rose and fell. Upon learning of this, the Emperor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation of the Prince's Mansion.
The Prince's mansion was now in complete chaos, like a frightened bird. Those forces that had once been allied with the Prince's mansion, seeing the situation was dire, turned against him one after another. Upon learning this news in prison, the Prince was so enraged he vomited blood, yet he was utterly helpless.
After experiencing all these events, the young prince both feared and respected Luo Qingci. He proactively provided Luo Qingci with more clues about the hidden forces within the prince's mansion, hoping to atone for his sins through this act.
Luo Qingci looked at the young prince and a meaningful smile appeared on her lips: "You're smart enough to cooperate. Maybe I can spare your life."
With the help of the young prince, Luo Qingci followed the clues and uncovered the hidden forces within the prince's mansion. In every operation, she planned meticulously, relying on her resourcefulness and decisiveness to leave her enemies helpless.
Finally, thanks to Luo Qingci's meticulous planning, the Prince's Mansion was completely destroyed. The once invincible Prince's Mansion no longer exists.
Luo Qingci stood before the ruins of the Prince's mansion, her eyes resolute yet cold: "This is the price for hurting my family. No one will escape."
However, Luo Qingci knew that her path of revenge was not yet over. In this complex court and martial arts world, there might be other forces with whom she had grudges.
But she was fearless. She turned and left, ready to face the next challenge, because she was Luo Qingci, the crazy queen who would fight to the death and never give up until she achieved her goal.
Just as Luo Qingci was about to leave the ruins, a mysterious figure slowly emerged from the shadows. Moonlight shone on him, outlining his slender form.
He crossed his arms, a playful smile playing on his lips: "As expected of Luo Qingci, your methods are truly clean and efficient. However, with constant strife in this world, do you think you can rest easy after dealing with the Prince's mansion?"
Luo Qingci looked at the newcomer warily, her eyes sharp: "Who are you? Stop with the pretense." She wondered to herself whether this person who suddenly appeared was friend or foe. Judging from his calm demeanor, he must be no ordinary person.
The mysterious man approached unhurriedly, tilting his head slightly to look at the bright moon in the sky: "Who I am is not important. What is important is that I know some things that interest you. For example, the Prince's Mansion was not the only one that framed your Luo family back then."
Luo Qingci's heart skipped a beat, but she remained calm on the surface. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Oh? Then tell me, who else is there? Don't keep me in suspense, or you won't be leaving unscathed."
On the surface, she remained calm, but inside, a storm was raging. She had initially thought the Prince's mansion was the only one behind it all, but it turned out there were other forces at play. At this moment, her mind raced, trying to figure out the purpose of the person before her—was he genuinely telling her the truth, or was he plotting something else?