Beside the lotus pond, Yu Xiyan coldly handed Liu Ying a pill, signaling her to feed it to Jiang Youjun.
Very quickly, Jiang Youjun's complexion became ruddy, clearly no longer in danger of his life, but he hadn't yet regained consciousness.
Liu Ying's expression was now extremely dispirited. Everything that had just happened had shattered her heart. She could only hold Jiang Youjun and keep weeping.
Yu Xiyan just watched Liu Ying coldly, without saying a word.
She had originally thought she had encountered a pair of Dao companions with a bond stronger than steel, but she hadn't expected this to be the outcome.
However, she didn't know what to say, and perhaps she wasn't even qualified to blame the other person.
After all, Yu Xiyan herself had been just like Liu Ying, with no differences between them, and neither had cherished the one who loved them.
After a long while, she slowly spoke, "Live well with him. You shouldn't let him down."
Unexpectedly, Liu Ying shook her head, saying, "It's impossible to go back. I'm already carrying my senior brother's child. How could I face being with Jiang Youjun again?"
Yu Xiyan felt cold all over. Looking at Liu Ying's weak and helpless appearance, she couldn't muster any sympathy.
A married woman, secretly carrying another man's child behind her husband's back?
She only felt disgusted.
At the same time, there was also a small measure of relief that she hadn't gone all the way with Lin Feng in her previous life.
Previous life.
After Shen Zhao's death, she returned to the palace to announce his death to the world, listing the various crimes he had committed.
"Imperial Edict: Shen Zhao was a traitor, colluding with foreign enemies to harm the royal family, attempting to subvert the dynasty, inciting the Western Buddha Sect Nation to start a war. His crimes are unforgivable, and he is to be executed."
However, the expected cheers from the people did not reach her ears.
Instead, upon learning of Shen Zhao's death, the millions of people in Chang'an, regardless of their social status, all took to the streets and knelt before the palace gates, mourning and crying out against the injustice done to Shen Zhao.
Even the officials of the court spoke out in unison, protesting the injustice done to Shen Zhao. Among them were even those who had previously disagreed with Shen Zhao's political views, but now they were weeping and wailing in court.
"What are you doing! Shen Zhao dominated the court for many years, and any one of his crimes is a capital offense. Have I made a mistake by executing him?"
"Your Majesty, what crime did the Great General commit?
As a scholar, he cleared away the stubborn policies of the aristocratic families, established the imperial examination system, founded schools, and laid the foundation for talent reserves for the country. From then on, scholars and commoners studied together, making the country increasingly prosperous.
"Agriculture. He improved rice strains, increasing yields by over three times without relying on the mystical sects. The common people no longer had to worry about famine.
Commerce. He combined it with industry, preventing merchants from being limited to small profits, allowing the path of commerce to fulfill its proper value. It also supported countless landless people and increased the national treasury's income daily, eliminating financial worries.
Military. He unified all under heaven, expanding the territory. The Nine Hells, the Demon Realm, the Great Wilderness, and the Sea Domain all submitted. In his lifetime, he destroyed sixty-seven kingdoms, increasing the Great Yin Dynasty's territory tenfold.
The population numbered in the billions, making it one of the top powers on the Immortal Martial Continent.
May I ask, Your Majesty, what crime does the Great General have?"
"He killed the late Emperor, insulted the Empress Dowager to death, and brutally murdered the Imperial Prince, severing our dynasty's dragon veins. Aren't these facts?"
"Has Your Majesty investigated thoroughly? The Great General treated the late Emperor like his own father, respected the Empress Dowager, and was also a close friend of Prince Xuan.
As for the dragon vein, it's utter nonsense. If the Great General truly had ulterior motives, why would he wait until now?"
"Your Majesty, why do you listen to the words of a lowly person and harm the pillars of our Great Yin Dynasty!"
"Minister Cheng, are you questioning me? Do you still want to keep your position as Minister?"
"Your Majesty cannot tolerate a peerless talent like the Great General, how can you tolerate this old official? This old official is here today to submit his resignation. This kind of court, it's better not to stay."
"You…"
More officials submitted their resignations one after another.
At that moment, Yu Xiyan instinctively panicked. She hadn't expected Shen Zhao's influence in the court and among the people to be so terrifying, that even after his death, so many people would speak out for him.
The people even erected statues to commemorate Shen Zhao. Yu Xiyan repeatedly forbade it, but it still didn't improve. The common people still secretly enshrined Shen Zhao's portraits at home, and many students were speaking out for Shen Zhao in public.
Later, it was Lin Feng who used thunderous methods to suppress the ten thousand "rebels" in Chang'an, before this arrogance was suppressed.
Just doing this further chilled the hearts of the court officials and the common people.
Many people quietly left Chang'an, and in just a month, the once-prosperous city became desolate.
At the same time, after receiving the news of Shen Zhao's death, the Po Jun Manor directly disbanded on the spot without even greeting the court, showing no respect whatsoever.
With the dissolution of the Po Jun Manor, whose reputation spread throughout the Nine Realms, the Great Yin Dynasty could no longer assemble such a staunch army, which made countless hostile forces eyeing the Yin Dynasty begin to stir.
Faced with such a situation, Yu Xiyan was indeed panicked. Even her own younger sister, Yu Xiyao, hated her for killing Shen Zhao, and angrily said, "Elder Sister, are you truly so heartless? You didn't hesitate to kill your brother-in-law for a Lin Feng. You'll see, you will eventually be punished."
After saying this, Yu Xiyao did not look back and went to the Qingyu Nunnery to shave her head and become a nun, completely severing ties with the royal family.
Abandoned by all, the national situation was on the verge of collapse almost overnight. Naturally, Yu Xiyan had no mood to talk about love with Lin Feng. At the same time, she felt a strong sense of guilt for Shen Zhao's death, and naturally repeatedly refused to take that final, substantive step with Lin Feng.
Recalling the scenes of the past life, Yu Xiyan could only sigh softly. Finally, she glanced at Liu Ying and said coldly, "In this life, you missed the person who loved you the most."
After saying that, she left without looking back.
Only in that fleeting moment, Yu Xiyan's eyes were already clouded with tears.
"Shen Zhao, I regret it, I truly regret it."
In front of the Tang Clan's gate, Shen Zhao and Ding Buer, weighed down with packages, stared at the opulent gate, not quite believing what they were seeing.
After a long while, Ding Buer asked uncertainly, "Young Master Shen, are you really going through with this?"
Shen Zhao said, "What? Do you think you have a way out at this point?"
Ding Buer waved his hand and said, "Actually, I thought about it carefully. You're better suited for the role of son. Look at me, I'm almost fifty. Who would believe me if I went in like this? It would be so embarrassing if we were exposed."
Shen Zhao said, "If you're exposed, it's because your skills aren't up to par. Don't blame others. You need to keep up with the times and play your role well. Hurry up and stop wasting time."
After saying that, he kicked Ding Buer, sending him stumbling forward two steps, directly kneeling in front of the Tang Clan's gate.
The two servants at the door were about to ask what was going on when Ding Buer instantly got into character, wailing loudly, "Father! I've finally found you! Oh, my mother's death was so tragic!"
The two servants immediately had black lines on their faces, looked at each other, and exchanged glances of disdain. "Where did this idiot come from?"
Ding Buer cried his heart out, with tears and snot flowing, beating his chest and stomping his feet, and cried out to the sky, "Father! Do you remember that night on Qingming Mountain, by the lake, with the wind and rain?
That was my mother! My mother always thought of you, but for your future, she kept your identity a secret.
It wasn't until her death that she told me I had a father, a great man, and told me to come and seek refuge with you. You can't just ignore your son!
I've suffered a lot on this journey."
Imagine a nearly fifty-year-old, balding old man crying in the street and yelling that he's looking for his father. It was quite a scene.
Soon, Ding Buer's performance attracted countless onlookers pointing and whispering.
After all, everyone in the city knew that Tang Clan's head, Tang Ao, was a notorious playboy who hadn't changed his ways. No one knew how many illegitimate children he had outside, but there were at least eighty if not a hundred.
But seeing someone like this, a nearly fifty-year-old man, come knocking on the door in such a high-profile manner was indeed a first.
The household guards saw that the situation was getting more and more chaotic and immediately turned around and went through the main gate.
Before long, the gate was completely opened, and a middle-aged man of about forty walked out, followed by a large group of Tang Clan disciples.
"What are you looking at! Go do what you're supposed to do!"
The middle-aged man shouted, directly dispersing the crowd, and then strode to Ding Buer, and said in a deep voice, "Are you the one who brought so many people to the Tang Clan?"
Ding Buer shook his hair and looked at the middle-aged man, "It's me. And who are you?"
The middle-aged man replied, "I am Tang Qin's fourth son. You can call me Tang Si (Tang Fourth)."
Upon hearing this, Ding Buer grabbed his leg, wiping his tears and snot all over his trousers, and cried, "So you're my nephew! I've finally found family."
Tang Si's face instantly turned green. He suddenly had an uncle?
Regaining his composure, Tang Si kicked Ding Buer away, roaring, "Daring to impersonate a Tang Clan member and take advantage of me! Looks like you don't know the Tang Clan's methods!"
With that, Tang Si flicked a Golden Needle at Ding Buer.
However, the Golden Needle turned to powder the instant it touched Ding Buer.
Startled, Tang Si immediately flicked out three more Golden Needles.
As a result, the Golden Needles once again stirred up a cloud of powder when they touched Ding Buer's body.
"What's going on? Why is there something so weird about you?"
Tang Si asked with a face full of disbelief.
In fact, this was an Armor that Shen Zhao had racked his brains to create for Ding Buer, possessing the ability to shatter any hidden weapons.
If Ding Buer hadn't only been at the Body Tempering Realm and couldn't withstand the effects of higher-grade Armor, Shen Zhao would have really liked to equip him with a suit of reflective armor, directly letting Tang Si taste his own medicine.
Shen Zhao immediately stepped forward and said to Tang Si, "Hey, brother, you actually resorted to such a ruthless move just to recognize a relative? He's your uncle, doesn't the Tang Clan even spare its own family?"
Tang Si's eyes turned cold, and after sizing up Shen Zhao for a moment, he asked, "And who are you?"
Shen Zhao: "I'm Tang San's bodyguard."
"Tang Third?"
Tang Fourth scratched his head, then suddenly understood and pointed at Ding Buer, asking, "Him? Tang Third?"
Ding Buer immediately stood up. "Yes, nephew. I'm just one character away from Tang San, who always plays the wooden zither. You can call me Third Uncle. Third Uncle is very easygoing and won't mind what you did before."
"You look nothing like anyone from the Tang Clan! If you dare to impersonate a Tang Clan member again, watch out..."
Tang Fourth postured as if he would strike.
But Shen Zhao wouldn't let him. He immediately stood in front of Tang Fourth, his eyes revealing a fierce expression. "I advise you not to move around. Otherwise, I might kill you."
Hearing this, Tang Fourth sneered. "Kill me? Do you know what my cultivation is?
Kill me? Come on, try and kill me. Come on, fight! If you don't hit me, you're my grandson. Hit me, hit me on the head, don't hold back!"
"Oh ho~"
Seeing him make such a ridiculous request, Shen Zhao immediately clenched his fists.
With a "thump," Tang Si's body, weighing over one hundred and eighty jin, immediately fell steadily onto the steps. He spat out white foam on the spot, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
-----------------------
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