Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 438 General Ye, Ye Xiuhan

Zhan Lan curled her lips into a smile, "You were always meant to be my maid. By some twist of fate, you’ve returned to my side. What, you don’t want to?"

"I want to! This servant wants to! This servant truly wants to!" Qiuyue was so emotional that her tongue nearly twisted into knots.

She pinched the palm of her hand hard, feeling the pain before daring to believe this was real. Her chest heaved violently, and she was so overwhelmed that she started to cry once again.

She had served Zhan Xuerou before, yet the lady did not despise her and even claimed she should have always been her maid!

Not far away, Xiao Tao let out a series of chuckles, while Liu Xi stood nearby with a serene smile.

The two approached. Xiao Tao grabbed Qiuyue’s hand and said, "Qiuyue, the mistress already told us a few days ago—going forward, the three of us should serve her well together."

Qiuyue choked up, unable to speak. So during her days of absence, the lady had kept her in mind all along.

Qiuyue suddenly knelt down with a loud thud. "Mistress, from now on, in life I am yours, in death I am your ghost!"

Zhan Lan helped her up with one hand, feigning anger, "Nonsense. You must live well. Anyone who dares to bully a servant of Zhan Lan will pay dearly!"

A wave of emotion surged through Qiuyue’s heart. Ever since Zhan Xuerou tried to kill her and Zhan Lan saved her, she had devoted herself entirely to her new master.

To her, being protected by such a powerful mistress now felt like something she could not have dreamed of.

Seeing Qiuyue’s emotional state, Zhan Lan thought that if she stayed any longer, Qiuyue might shed yet more tears.

So, Zhan Lan re-tied the sandbags she had been using for training and waved at Qiuyue as she said, "From now on, when it’s just us, call me mistress. When others are around, call me ’Princess’ as usual."

"Understood, mistress!" Qiuyue watched Zhan Lan’s departing figure and nodded firmly.

...

This morning, the sky over Ding’an City looked eerily different—the oppressive storm clouds hanging low cast an unbearable suffocating weight over the city.

News of Emperor Xuanwu’s death spread, yet it did not bring the national mourning rumored to occur.

The civilians loathed Emperor Xuanwu to the core. His death felt more like the end of the nightmare looming over Nanjin, just as today’s oppressive storm clouds promised to eventually lift.

For the civilians, the pressing issue was whether the Crown Prince, as the new emperor, would govern wisely, and whether the Regent King, as his advisor, could truly support the inept prince.

Following final deliberations by the Three Agencies, Zhu Zhilang, Minister of War, who had redeemed himself with merits, nonetheless could not offset his crimes and was dismissed and exiled.

Zhu Zhilang’s mother, sent back to the family home by Mu Yan, immediately gathered her household and moved out of Ding’an City.

Former Imperial Army Commander Qian Cheng, having accepted bribes and failed in his duty to defend the imperial city, was sentenced to execution by beheading.

As for Bai Lu, deemed culpable as Princess Wei, she remained imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison alongside her father, who faced dismissal and awaited final judgment.

Si Jun was charged with severe crimes: murdering the emperor and his father, assassinating the empress, raising private armies for rebellion, holding the new emperor hostage—all heinous offenses. The Three Agencies consulted the Regent King on the appropriate punishment.

Mu Yan’s response was, "King Wei’s position is unique. I fear he may have surviving allies who could attempt a jail break. Therefore, he shall be transferred to the Xingtian Department. If remnants of his clique are exposed, deal with them entirely. If none are found by the new emperor’s ascension, Si Jun is to be executed."

The Three Agencies obeyed, and the public approved the Regent King’s decision. It was common knowledge among all that King Wei’s entry into the Xingtian Department would bring him immense suffering.

For a man guilty of patricide and treason, all tortures seemed only fitting.

...

Crown Prince Mansion. frёewebηovel.cѳm

Mu Yan visited the Crown Prince at his estate.

The Crown Prince had insisted on keeping vigil over Emperor Xuanwu’s body in the palace last night. His wound continued to bleed until he fainted and was carried back to the Crown Prince Mansion.

The Imperial Physician examined the Crown Prince’s pulse, furrowing his brows multiple times.

He turned to Mu Yan, who followed him into a side room. Mu Yan asked, "How is the situation?"

The Imperial Physician nodded solemnly, "Reporting to the Prince, this old servant has already treated His Highness’s injuries. However, the blade that pierced him was coated in a slow-acting poison designed to cause gradual death. Some of it has reached his heart. Fortunately, a Detoxification Pill from the palace has curbed the poison’s spread, but given what His Highness’s body has endured, he might not survive past next year..."

Mu Yan’s gaze darkened. As expected, Si Jun had been ruthless. The two were mortal enemies, and Si Jun envied the Crown Prince’s legitimate son status to the point of using poison.

But perhaps this outcome was better; Mu Yan had done everything within his means.

From now on, it all depended on how long the Crown Prince could remain on the throne.

"Very well. Do your best to treat him, Doctor Zhang," Mu Yan’s voice carried no trace of warmth.

"Understood, Prince!"

Si Jun was led down the streets en route to the Xingtian Department, where the crowd hurled rotten eggs at him.

"Shameless creature. Looks human on the surface, but who could have guessed you’d commit patricide and seize the throne!"

Si Jun was struck so many times that his cheeks throbbed with pain. The stench of rotten eggs made him gag uncontrollably.

Now, he had devolved to a point where commoners dared to humiliate him!

Si Jun recollected childhood memories—those children who threw stones at him and called him a bastard.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd sneered mockingly, "You know, Si Jun is actually the illegitimate son of the emperor and Su Xiaoxiao, a famous courtesan from Jiangnan. No wonder they used to call him a marquis, just to hide his birth!"

"Are you saying King Wei’s mother was a courtesan?"

"Absolutely. Everyone in Jiangnan knows this..."

"No wonder he could murder his father and seize power. Turns out he’s a heartless bastard!"

The rumor of Si Jun being born to a courtesan spread like wildfire through the crowd.

The civilians’ disdainful glances fell upon Si Jun’s face. He hadn’t felt such glares in many years.

Si Jun trembled with rage, veins bulging. He shouted hysterically at the crowd, "You lowly peasants, I’ll kill you all..."

On the tea house balcony, Zhan Lan and Mu Yan observed Si Jun’s crazed demeanor.

Mu Yan raised a brow. "That was the gift I prepared for him."

Last time, Zhan Lan gifted Si Jun by killing his most loyal, capable, and favored commander of the Death Guard—Hei Yu.

Zhan Lan kills their body; Mu Yan destroys their mind.

Zhan Lan’s heart was brimming with satisfaction. She smiled brightly, raised her cup, and said, "With tea as wine, I toast the Prince..."

Mu Yan curled his lips into a smile and clinked his cup against hers.

Si Jun, bombarded by insults from the crowd, was eventually escorted through the long streets and into the Xingtian Department.

Upon entering, he immediately felt the haunting terror of the place—the mere atmosphere was chilling to the bone.

Mu Yan was deliberately withholding his execution to torment him.

Just now, with so many people jeering that he was a bastard, the child of a courtesan, it had clearly been orchestrated by Mu Yan!

Si Jun clenched his teeth. Zhan Lan had killed his Hei Yu; Mu Yan unveiled his parentage. This pair of malicious spouses struck both body and soul!

Thrown into his cell, Si Jun eyed the room filled with grotesque torture devices, and dread washed over him.

These two—surely their plan was to destroy him slowly, piece by piece!

"Ahhh..." Si Jun rattled the chains locking his wrists, screaming like a madman.

...

Two days later, in the Golden Throne Hall.

With the Crown Prince still recovering, Mu Yan had assumed sole control of court affairs. To most officials, the Crown Prince’s absence hardly mattered.

After all, even when the Crown Prince occupied the throne, he resembled nothing more than a lifeless puppet.

Minister of Rites Wang Meng reported, "Prince, the Grand Princess, currently Queen Si Yao of Beiyue, has heard of His Majesty’s passing and is overcome with grief. She is bringing a delegation of one hundred to Ding’an City for the funeral, escorted by Beiyue’s Great General Ye Xiuhan. They are set to arrive at the royal city in four days."

Mu Yan’s gaze turned inscrutable. Beiyue’s Great General Ye Xiuhan—the man who once fought against Lan’er—was coming too...