She Holds the World After Being Reborn
Chapter 232: The Empress Dowager Watches, Whether I Dare or Not

Chapter 232: Chapter 232: The Empress Dowager Watches, Whether I Dare or Not

"You dare!" The Empress Dowager couldn’t believe her eyes as she looked at the Emperor.

The Emperor brandished his longsword, "The Empress Dowager shall see whether I dare or not!"

He was like a man possessed, stabbing a eunuch whenever he saw one in the grand hall; in the blink of an eye, seven or eight bodies already lay on the ground.

The Empress Dowager clasped her ears, screaming as she collapsed to the floor, "Madness, all madness!"

"Dirty! So utterly dirty!" The Emperor swung his longsword wildly.

In a moment, the grand hall had turned into a living hell.

Eunuch Zhang never expected things to turn out this way. He ran out crawling and scrabbling, his confidants quickly gathering around him.

Panting, Eunuch Zhang ordered, "Go, quickly fetch the Empress, tell her to bring more people with her."

The Little Eunuch, sharp as ever, didn’t ask any questions and streaked out.

Eunuch Zhang turned back, hearing the lamentations from within the hall, and his scalp tingled.

Seeing a blood-covered eunuch dash out from inside, Eunuch Zhang stepped forward and kicked him to the ground.

"Listen up, not a single living person is allowed out of the Empress Dowager’s Sleeping Palace today!"

The eunuchs under his command, upon receiving Eunuch Zhang’s instructions, picked up the eunuch who’d run out, threw him back into the hall, and then ruthlessly shut the grand doors.

They sealed off the screams inside the hall.

Within the grand hall.

The Empress Dowager cowered in the corner, as the Emperor, with sword in hand, chopped at the curtains.

"Come out to me!"

"Let all of you die for me!"

At that moment, soft footsteps were heard, and someone peeped out.

The Emperor looked up to see Lord Wang.

At the same time, Lord Wang also saw the rivers of blood on the ground, and the bodies of the Little Eunuchs scattered about.

His gaze met the Emperor’s.

"... Your Majesty."

Lord Wang cried out, trembling.

The Emperor narrowed his eyes, ominously cold, "What are you doing in the Empress Dowager’s Sleeping Palace?"

Lord Wang took two steps back.

The Emperor, with his longsword, advanced two steps forward, "Speak, why are you here in the Empress Dowager’s Sleeping Palace!"

Lord Wang shook his head frantically, "That’s not it, Your Majesty, please let your servant explain."

"Speak then, I am listening," said the Emperor as he took two more steps forward.

Lord Wang was already scared out of his wits, and seeing the pool of blood and the Empress Dowager’s bloody face sitting under a pillar, weeping and screaming, he completely lost his resolve.

He scrambled and crawled towards the door of the hall.

"Your Majesty, please calm down! Your servant truly has an explanation!"

"Your Majesty... spare my life, please!"

Lord Wang, who banged frenziedly on the grand doors, could see from the crack that the Emperor’s own eunuchs stood outside, and the last flicker of hope in his heart began to extinguish.

At that moment, the blood-soaked Emperor was standing right in front of Lord Wang with his longsword raised.

With a swift stroke of his hand —

A spray of blood splashed across his cheek.

The Empress Dowager, witnessing this scene inside the grand hall, could no longer bear it and collapsed, fainting.

By the time the Empress Zhang Lanyi arrived with her people, the grand hall was already engulfed in raging flames.

She looked at Eunuch Zhang, her face pale with shock, "Where is His Majesty!"

Eunuch Zhang, equally pale, pointed to the adjacent chamber, "His Majesty and the Empress Dowager are in there."

Zhang Lanyi went over and saw the Emperor and Empress Dowager, both covered in blood, lying limply on soft couches.

She pinched the center of her palm, forcing herself to calm down, "Put out the fire first."

After issuing the command, she called over Eunuch Zhang, "No one must speak of today’s event. I will go inside now, you arrange for the sedan."

After giving her orders, Zhang Lanyi finally pushed open the door and went in.

The Emperor instantly opened his eyes.

"Your Majesty," Zhang Lanyi said softly.

She had never seen such a bloodthirsty Emperor, who had killed more than thirty Little Eunuchs in the Empress Dowager’s chambers.

Not a single survivor!

And a court official, Lord Wang!

"Empress, come here," the Emperor said, his voice hoarse.

Zhang Lanyi dared not disobey, and she walked over to help the Emperor sit up.

"Your Majesty, please give this to your concubine," Zhang Lanyi attempted to take the long sword from his hand. The Emperor did not let go, so she patiently added, "Your Majesty, do you still not trust your concubine?"

The Emperor then released his grip.

Zhang Lanyi breathed a sigh of relief. By this time, Chief Eunuch Zhang had already arrived outside.

She then said, "Your Majesty, let’s return to the palace."

The Emperor was silent, being supported by Chief Eunuch Zhang as he ascended the sedan, not uttering a sound the entire journey.

Zhang Lanyi thus returned to the sleeping chambers, clutching the long sword in one hand and leading the aged Emperor with the other.

Upon entering, the door was shut.

The Emperor seemed to slump as if unloading his strength. Luckily, Zhang Lanyi was vigilant; otherwise, he would’ve certainly fallen to the ground.

"Your Majesty, are you alright? Should we call the Imperial Physician?" Zhang Lanyi exerted some effort helping the Emperor onto the bed.

The Emperor grasped her hand, "I remember, Empress, you were once part of the Imperial Medical Bureau."

Zhang Lanyi nodded, "The things learned in youth are long forgotten. We should still call for the Imperial Physician immediately."

Seeing the Emperor had no objection, Zhang Lanyi gestured to Chief Eunuch Zhang and Lai Fu outside.

The Emperor lay there motionless, his gaze fixed upon the bed canopy’s top.

"I feel a bit drowsy and would like to sleep," he said.

Zhang Lanyi held onto his hand, "If Your Majesty is tired, please sleep. Your concubine is here."

Hearing these words, the Emperor indeed closed his eyes and soon fell into a deep slumber.

This night took everyone by surprise.

No one could fathom why the Emperor, who had been single-mindedly committed to the Immortal Pill, personally took a long sword to kill all the eunuchs serving the Empress Dowager.

And what had Lord Wang seen to be silenced by the Emperor in such a manner?

Before dawn broke,

Lai Fu came with news.

He said that Chief Eunuch Zhang died amidst the ruins while trying to put out last night’s fire.

Zhang Lanyi listened expressionlessly, holding a fan in her hand, gently fanning the Emperor who lay on the bed.

"Send more Palace Maids to Empress Dowager," she told Lai Fu.

Bowing his head to conceal the depth in his eyes, Lai Fu complied, "Understood."

The death of Chief Eunuch Zhang was expected.

Zhang Lanyi also knew it must have been the work of the Emperor.

After all, the only witness to the Emperor’s murder was now Chief Eunuch Zhang.

Of course, there was herself as well.

Zhang Lanyi’s fan did not stop moving.

Palm sweat soaked her hand.

To accompany a monarch is like being near a tiger.

The night continued...

At the same moment, Xie Qun conveyed the news of the palace fire to Cao Man imprisoned in the great jail.

He even brought a pot of wine and sat outside Cao Man’s cell.

"What could have caused such a fire out of nowhere?" Xie Qun asked, looking at Cao Man.

Cao Man’s face shifted with changing expressions.

He of course knew that the Empress Dowager had called his student, Lord Wang, earlier that day.

He was also aware that Lord Wang had not returned since then.

Seeing Xie Qun’s smug expression, Cao Man snorted thrice in contempt, "How would I know such things."

"Just sign your name honestly. The witnesses and testimony are all present. What are you still resisting for?" Xie Qun took out and passed over a document.

Cao Man took it and promptly tore it to shreds.

Xie Qun was not angry, "Tear it up if you wish. I have prepared several copies. If it’s not enough, I will have all the criminals copy more for Chief of Staff Cao tonight."

"Xie Qun!" Cao Man shouted, "Why are you targeting me so deliberately!"

"Don’t you know?" Xie Qun took a swig of wine and loudly exclaimed, "Refreshing!"

Cao Man was so furious he beat his chest and stamped his feet.

"I have no other virtues, but I excel at holding grudges," Xie Qun tapped his head, "I remember every single thing Chief of Staff Cao did to me back then. It was bound to come to a head when I’d have my revenge."