But soon, he wasn’t afraid anymore.

These people had already been through torment, barely clinging to life; he was merely giving them relief, setting them free.

"What about Rong Luo?" Gu Lan finally asked.

Rong Jing frowned slightly, a blurry yet lovely figure flashed before his eyes.

It had been ten years since this happened, and he could no longer recall Rong Luo’s face.

Rong Luo was Rong Huan’s only daughter, spoiled since childhood by her parents and brother, yet she always remained distant from him.

At first, he thought it was because he wasn’t amicable enough, but repeated attempts to draw close were fruitless. Later, Rong Jing stopped trying, until he discovered that he wasn’t actually Rong Huan’s bloodline.

No wonder.

His father, birth mother, his brothers, sister... from start to finish, the only one who was truly sincere to him was Wu.

"I should be thanking her. If she hadn’t died at Xia He’s hands, how could Wu have seen through the deceit and conspiracy in this Imperial Palace?" Rong Jing replied calmly.

This indifferent tone.....

Gu Lan suddenly opened her eyes, blood-red and fierce, as if ready to devour someone.

Her hand behind her back reached for the dagger’s sheath hidden beneath the pillow, using the last of her rationality to suppress the bloodlust in her heart, staring deeply at the man before her.

Rong Jing couldn’t help but frown, his heart skipped a beat, sensing something was about to happen.

"You speak so eloquently," Gu Lan’s red lips curled into a cold smile, her voice slightly lowered, "but you don’t know, do you? Xia He never betrayed Rong Luo from start to finish; she was willing to die at Rong Heng’s hands. Rong Jing, you can never control people’s hearts, nor will you ever understand what love is."

"What!?"

Rong Jing was stunned speechless, his mind went blank for a moment.

What was Gu Lan saying, that Xia He was willing?

Impossible, he orchestrated it all, there’s no way anyone could have noticed in advance. Xia He and Rong Luo died unaware the guard approached them intentionally, those foolish women wasted their lives for a man.

Besides, Xia He personally poisoned Rong Luo, and then Rong Heng personally killed Xia He, this can’t be—

"Your Majesty, watch out!"

Miao Ci shouted, rushing towards Rong Jing.

A flash of cold light, the youth rose with a blade, eyes sharp as knives!

She advanced expressionlessly toward the man in the black robe, moving like thunder, swift as lightning.

Rong Jing’s eyes caught Gu Lan’s face suddenly enlarging, but his mind was filled with her earlier words, finally understanding the whole truth.

Rong Luo and Xia He, also Wu, perhaps they didn’t know it was his arrangement, but they put on a performance for him through their feelings and understanding of each other!

But how could such emotions exist in this world, Rong Jing couldn’t understand.

He couldn’t grasp why Gu Lan, after inhaling Heart-devouring Incense and Soft Muscle Powder, could suddenly act, nor how a dagger appeared in her hand.

He just stood there dazed, motionlessly watching the cold light pierce his chest.

"Pfft—"

The dagger tore through Rong Jing’s robes, blood splattering onto Gu Lan’s fair and elegant face, accentuating her crimson and demonic eyes, her upturned eyes tinged with red, her gaze only filled with numb, cold killing intent.

Rong Jing felt a sharp pain, yet still had no reaction.

That was the feeling of the dagger contacting flesh. Just as Gu Lan was about to thrust the dagger further forward, Miao Ci and the three shadows had already rushed to his side.

"Protect Your Majesty!" Miao Ci shouted, drawing a sharp, small short sword from his sleeve to stab at Gu Lan.

The three shadows protecting Rong Jing also drew their weapons, attacking her from every direction.

Gu Lan’s arm trembled, her body shifted to an odd angle, narrowly dodging Miao Ci’s sword, forced to withdraw the dagger as a result.

The exceedingly sharp dagger arced through the air in a spray of blood, a flash of red; Gu Lan leaped up, her right leg sweeping with tremendous force, her small dagger clashing with Miao Ci’s sword, emitting a "clang" sound.

Miao Ci felt an overwhelming force from that narrow dagger; a sudden numbness in his hand caused him to release his grip, then he was kicked away by Gu Lan, spitting a mouthful of blood.

As the slender sword was about to hit the ground, Gu Lan flipped her hand, seizing Miao Ci’s sword for herself.

The three shadows already charged forward, taking Miao Ci’s place. Miao Ci climbed up from the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, supporting the chest-clutching, wavering Rong Jing.