Chapter 122 Thunderclap in the Imperial Court, Murderous Flying Swords, and Priceless Breakfast

The following morning, the snow fell even heavier in Tianqi City.

In front of the Zhengyang Gate of the Imperial Palace, the officials who would normally be exchanging pleasantries and gossiping about court affairs in the cold wind were now standing solemnly in the snow, looking as if they had lost their parents.

No one dared to speak loudly, and even exchanging glances was done cautiously.

The atmosphere was so oppressive that it felt as if even the air itself was freezing.

Because they knew that a major earthquake would occur during the morning court session.

Although the "banquet" at Taiji Hall last night was not made public, nothing stays secret forever.

The news that Emperor Mingde walked out of the Taiji Hall in a daze and that the Grand Eunuch Jin Xuan's whisk had been cut in half had already spread to the upper echelons of Tianqi City through the spies of various families.

Everyone understood that the "living Yama" who ran a tavern in Snowmoon City had already put a knife to the throat of the entire Northern Li court.

"Have you heard? This morning at court, Prince Yong'an is going to reopen the case of Prince Langya."

An elderly minister with graying temples lowered his voice and spoke to a marquis beside him, his voice trembling.

"Hush! Be careful what you say!"

The marquis turned pale with fright and quickly gestured for silence. "Are you out of your mind? Still calling yourself the Prince of Yong'an? That's the kind of person who dares to point his finger at His Majesty and curse him! Today, this court is likely to be awash in blood!"

"What are we going to do? That incident back then involved not only us, but also..."

"Shut up! Do you want to drag your whole family down with you?!"

The officials shivered in the cold wind, not only because of the cold, but also because of fear.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Three melodious chimes rang out, announcing the start of the morning court session.

With the feeling of going to the execution ground, the officials lined up in neat rows and walked tremblingly into the Xuanzheng Hall, which had been temporarily used as the court (because the Taiji Hall had been forcibly rented by Su Changqing to be used as a tavern).

Inside the main hall, Emperor Mingde sat on the dragon throne. Although his face was pale, his eyes revealed a resolute determination to burn his bridges.

Below the dragon throne is the usual standing area for the crown prince or a prince.

There were three people standing there.

Xiao Se, dressed in a blue robe, possessed a reserved yet domineering aura;

Dressed in red, carrying the terrifying sword, Lei Wujie was beaming with excitement.

And Musou, who was holding the Musou Sword Box, yawning and peeling an apple with his flying sword.

These three young martial arts practitioners, who should not have appeared in the imperial court, were now standing brazenly at the forefront of all the officials! Even Lei Wujie's terrifying sword was casually scraping the ground, making a grating scraping sound.

This is blatant contempt! It is a trampling on imperial power and court rules!

But not a single official in the entire court dared to stand up and criticize.

Because everyone knows that these three teenagers are that man's "spokespersons".

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

All the officials knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

But Emperor Mingde did not shout "Rise!" as usual.

He coldly looked at the kneeling officials below, remained silent for a long time, and then slowly spoke.

"My esteemed ministers, this morning's court session will focus on only one matter."

Emperor Mingde's voice echoed in the empty hall, carrying an unquestionable majesty, but also a hint of helpless sorrow.

"Re-examine the case of the Prince of Langya's treason!"

boom!

These words, though the officials were prepared, still caused a stir.

"Your Majesty! You mustn't!"

A white-haired imperial censor suddenly raised his head and cried out, tears streaming down his face, "The Prince of Langya's treason is an ironclad case. The three judicial departments jointly tried him back then, and the evidence was conclusive. Your Majesty even personally issued an imperial edict! Now, after so many years, to suddenly overturn the case not only damages the dignity of the royal family but also shakes the foundation of the nation!"

This Imperial Censor was known for his unyielding spirit and was one of the main advocates for the execution of the Prince of Langya. He thought his impassioned speech would awaken the emperor's reason, or at least resonate with the other ministers.

however.

What he received was neither the emperor's approval nor the support of his colleagues.

But...

A fierce red sword light!

"laugh--!"

Wushuang, who was peeling an apple, didn't even raise his head, but flicked his finger slightly.

"Cloud Shuttle".

The red flying sword transformed into a bolt of lightning, instantly piercing through the chest of the Imperial Censor!

"puff!"

Blood splattered, staining the white marble floor—a horrifying sight.

The imperial censor didn't even have time to scream before his eyes widened and he fell straight down, life extinguished!

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

The entire Xuanzheng Hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden scene.

A high-ranking official of the second rank was executed in the imperial court!

And they didn't even give a reason! They didn't even say hello!

Is this...is this still the imperial court?! This is a slaughterhouse!

"You...you actually dared to kill someone openly in the imperial court?!"

Another official, who was on good terms with the deceased, trembled with rage, pointing at Wushuang and shouting, "Do you have no respect for the law?! No respect for His Majesty?!"

"The law?"

Wushuang took a bite of the peeled apple, chewing it with a crunchy sound, and then looked at the official with an expression that seemed to say he was an idiot.

"Did I not sleep well last night? Or are you deaf?"

Wushuang picked at her fingernails with her flying sword and said slowly, "My master made it very clear yesterday. Today, in this hall, who dares to object, who dares to obstruct the investigation..."

"Kill them on sight, no exceptions."

"Sir's words are law. Do you have any objections? You can voice them, but my flying sword doesn't have eyes."

"Light frost, soft as silk, come out for some fresh air."

As Wushuang finished speaking, two more flying swords radiating a chilling aura flew out of the sword box, hovering and dancing above the official's head, ready to fall at any moment.

The official was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, wetting his pants.

Emperor Mingde sat on the dragon throne, closed his eyes, and could not bear to look any longer.

He knew that from this moment on, this imperial court no longer belonged to him. It had become Su Changqing's execution ground for settling old scores.

"It seems that no one has any objections."

Xiao Se slowly walked forward, his gaze sweeping over the trembling officials below with a sharp, piercing look.

"Since there are no objections, let's begin."

Xiao Se pulled a thick file from his sleeve. It was a "death list" that he had compiled overnight using his exceptional mental arithmetic skills and the intelligence secretly gathered by Changqing Tower.

"Li Changming, Vice Minister of War. He was instructed by Eunuch Zhuoqing to forge letters of treason against the Prince of Langya."

"Minister of Justice, Wang Defa. When handling this case, he abused his power, tortured people to extract confessions, and forced former subordinates of the Prince of Langya to give false testimony."

"The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review..."

Xiao Se's voice wasn't loud, but each name he uttered sounded like a death knell, striking the hearts of the officials involved in the case.

Some of the officials whose names were called fainted on the spot, some kowtowed and begged for mercy, and others tried to make excuses.

But no matter how they react, all that awaits them is Lei Wujie's ferocious, boundless fist, or Wushuang's merciless flying sword.

"Bang!"

"Pfft!"

Screams, pleas for mercy, and the cracking of bones mingled together in the Xuanzheng Hall, creating a cruel symphony of death.

In just half an hour.

The once magnificent imperial court had been transformed into a sea of ​​blood. More than a dozen high-ranking officials, who once held immense power, were now all lifeless corpses, lying haphazardly on the ground.

The strong smell of blood was nauseating.

The remaining officials, even those who had not been involved in the events of that year, were terrified, their bodies drenched in cold sweat, and they dared not even lift their heads.

"Cleanup complete."

Lei Wujie flicked the blood off his fist, looking relaxed, as if he had just gone to the backyard to chop some firewood.

Wushuang also retrieved his flying sword, took out a small notebook, and made a note: "Fifteen in total. I'll go back and get reimbursed by the master. One hundred taels per head, that's fifteen hundred taels! I'm rich!"

Xiao Se closed the file and turned to look at Emperor Mingde, who was pale-faced on the dragon throne.

"Your Majesty, the ringleader from back then has been executed. As for the remaining accomplices..."

Xiao Se paused for a moment, then said, "I believe His Majesty knows how to handle this. I don't want to see those people's shadows in Tianqi City again."

"I...understand."

Emperor Mingde nodded weakly. He knew that Xiao Se was giving him a final bit of face, letting him clean up his own mess.

"The case of the Prince of Langya is truly a great injustice throughout the ages."

Emperor Mingde forced himself to stand up and loudly announced to the assembled officials.

"I was misled by treacherous officials and made a grave mistake. Today, I hereby issue this decree to exonerate the Prince of Langya! He is posthumously granted the title of 'King Zhenguo Wucheng' and shall be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple! All his former subordinates who were implicated shall be reinstated to their original positions and promoted!"

"Court adjourned!"

With the announcement of "Dismissal," the bloodiest, most brutal, and most efficient morning court session in the history of Beili finally came to an end.

The officials were overjoyed and fled the Xuanzheng Hall in a panic. Some of them even collapsed to the ground in fear when they crossed the threshold and had to be carried out.

Xiao Se looked at the empty court and let out a long sigh.

four years ago.

The huge weight that had been pressing on my heart was finally shattered.

Uncle Langya, can you see this from heaven?

"Let's go."

Xiao Se turned around and said to Lei Wujie and Wushuang, "The matter is done. It's time to go back and report to the master."

"Why go back? You'll have to serve dishes and chop vegetables if you go back."

Lei Wujie muttered to himself, but his feet followed him without hesitation.

"That's true. I wonder what delicious food you're making for lunch today, sir. I'm starving after killing so many people just now." Wushuang rubbed her stomach.

The three walked out of the palace side by side.

Meanwhile, inside the Taiji Hall (Changqinglou flagship store).

The atmosphere, however, was completely different from the bloody court.

"Come on, come on, freshly cooked shrimp dumplings, eat them while they're hot."

Su Changqing, wearing his familiar little yellow duck apron, placed a basket of crystal-clear, enticingly fragrant shrimp dumplings on the table.

Li Hanyi sat at the table, feeding Xiao Nuomi porridge with a small spoon.

"Daddy's shrimp dumplings are the best!" Little Nuomi grabbed a shrimp dumpling with her hand, stuffed it into her mouth, and gasped for breath because it was so hot, but she couldn't bear to spit it out.

"Eat slowly, no one will take it from you." Su Changqing affectionately pinched his daughter's cheek, then turned to look at the door.

"Why haven't those three brats come back yet? The breakfast is almost cold."

"They're probably having too much fun in the imperial court."

Li Hanyi chuckled lightly, "You're sending them to kill people? Aren't you afraid they'll lose control and wipe out all the officials in Tianqi City?"

"Just kill them all and bring in a new batch."

Su Changqing pulled out a chair and sat down without a care, casually picking up a shrimp dumpling and throwing it into his mouth.

"Anyway, there are plenty of officials in this world. As long as we can pull out those crooked tumors, even the remaining weeds can grow into towering trees."

"Besides, I'm doing this for Xiao Se's own good."

Su Changqing's eyes became deep.

"This kid is smart, but too soft-hearted. If an emperor doesn't even have the courage to kill, how can he deter those wolves and tigers? I sent him to clean up the court so he could get some blood on his hands and get a taste of what it's like to be an emperor."

"You always have a bunch of fallacies," Li Hanyi shook her head helplessly.

Just then.

"Brother-in-law! We're back!"

Lei Wujie's signature loud voice came from outside the hall.

Immediately afterwards, three teenagers, still faintly smelling of blood, strode into Changqing Tower.

"Sir, the matter has been taken care of." Xiao Se walked to the table and bowed respectfully.

"Okay, wash your hands and eat."

Su Changqing didn't even look up, but pointed to the empty seat next to him.

Without any ceremony, the three of them washed their hands and immediately sat down, devouring the breakfast on the table in a whirlwind.

"Mmm...delicious! These shrimp dumplings are absolutely amazing!" Lei Wujie mumbled between bites.

"Sir, about the reimbursement for those fifteen people..." Wushuang still had his little scheme in mind.

"Deduct it from your food allowance," Su Changqing dismissed with a single sentence.

Wushuang: "..."

After eating and drinking to one's heart's content.

Su Changqing put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth with a silk handkerchief.

He looked at the three young men in front of him who had completely transformed and were capable of standing on their own, and a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

"Now that the matter of Tianqi City has been resolved, there's no need to stay here any longer."

Su Changqing stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the still-falling snow outside.

"Although this palace is magnificent, it feels oppressive after living here for a while. Moreover, the kitchen ventilation system in the Taiji Hall is terrible; every time we roast lamb, it leaves a smoky mess."

"Desolate."

Su Changqing turned to look at him.

"I'm entrusting the management of Changqinglou's Tianqi flagship store to you. Now that you're the Crown Prince, you have power and influence, so I doubt anyone will dare to dine and dash."

"Oh? Sir, you're leaving already?" Xiao Se was surprised.

"Otherwise what? Stay here and be your royal chef?" Su Changqing rolled his eyes.

"But……"

Xiao Se was somewhat reluctant to part, "Sir, your kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain, and I have not yet repaid it..."

"Repay my ass."

Su Changqing waved his hand. "If you really want to repay me, then be a good emperor and govern this country well. Collect less tax and build more schools. If I find out you've become a tyrant, I'll come back and tear down your palace anytime."

"And the two of you too."

Su Changqing looked at Lei Wujie and Wushuang.

"You guys don't need to follow me anymore. Lei Wujie, go back to your Lei Family Fortress. Your sister is still waiting for you to bring glory to the family. Wushuang, go back to your Wushuang City and completely tame that Great Ming Vermilion Bird before you come out and show off."

"Brother-in-law! I'm not leaving! I want to follow you!" Lei Wujie cried out anxiously.

"Follow me? You can't go where I'm going next."

Su Changqing smiled mysteriously and turned to look at Li Hanyi.

"Honey, we're tired of seeing all the beautiful scenery in the world, and fighting and killing are no fun anymore."

"I previously discovered an ancient book about 'Domain Arrays' in an ice cave in the Outer Heavens. I plan to study it and see if I can create a small world outside of this one."

"How about the three of us go there for a few years to enjoy a carefree life, growing vegetables and flowers?"

Creating a small world?!

Upon hearing this, Xiao Se and the other two gasped in shock.

This is beyond what a divine realm could achieve! This is the true power of the Creator!

Looking into Su Changqing's longing eyes, Li Hanyi felt a stirring in her heart and nodded gently.

"Okay. Wherever you go, I'll go."

"Daddy! Are there big monsters to fight in the little world?" Little Nuomi asked excitedly.

"Yes! Daddy will make you a few Ultraman and Godzilla figures, and they can fight for you every day!" Su Changqing picked up his daughter and laughed heartily.

……

Three days later.

On a bright and sunny morning.

Su Changqing, accompanied by Li Hanyi and Xiao Nuomi, slowly walked out of Tianqi City under the watchful eyes of Xiao Se, Lei Wujie, Wushuang, and others.

They did not ride in the luxurious carriage, nor did they bring any luggage.

Like three ordinary travelers, facing the rising sun, they gradually walked away into the distance.

"Take care, sir." Xiao Se murmured as he watched the gradually blurring figure.

"Brother-in-law! Once I become a sword immortal, I will definitely come to find you!" Lei Wujie shouted, tears glistening in his eyes.

Wushuang held the sword box without saying a word, but silently made a vow in his heart.

Just as the three were about to turn around and return to the city.

Sudden.

A strange fluctuation came from the distant horizon.

Followed by.

Above the city of Tianqi, in the azure sky, a faintly visible... floating island suddenly appeared out of nowhere!

The island was shrouded in ethereal mist, with pavilions and towers appearing and disappearing in the distance, and one could even faintly hear the roars of dragons and the cries of phoenixes.

A colorful rainbow bridge stretched down from the sky island and landed right at the feet of Su Changqing and his family of three.

Su Changqing, holding Li Hanyi's hand and carrying Xiao Nuomi, stepped onto the Rainbow Bridge and slowly ascended into the sky amidst a dazzling display of celestial light.

"Xiao Se! Remember my words! Be a good emperor!"

Su Changqing's lazy yet domineering voice echoed from the heavens above.

"If you dare to slack off, I'll be charging interest on the meals at Changqing Tower!"

As the sound faded, the island in the sky gradually disappeared into the clouds and vanished completely.

Outside Tianqi City, only countless dumbfounded civilians and three teenagers with shocked expressions remained.

"turn out to be……"

Looking at the empty sky, Xiao Se gave a bitter smile, but his eyes were filled with relief.

"Sir... he really is a god."