CTWGD Chapter 489 - Killing Intention

The man knelt on the ground, not daring to look at Emperor An’s expression, only trembling as he confessed everything clearly.


“Your servant… we were momentarily confused, frightened by Deputy Commander Yu’s ruthless handling of the brothers in the cold palace earlier. With Eunuch Kang’s instigation, saying that Your Majesty had long intended to deal with Lord Xiao, we agreed to tonight’s matter. But we absolutely had no intention of harming Your Majesty.”


“I know I deserve death, but I beg Your Majesty to spare my family. I beg Your Majesty!”


After speaking, he kowtowed heavily, blood soon appearing on his forehead.


Seeing someone confess first, the other dozen or so guards realized there was no hiding the truth. They panicked and began confessing in a chaotic clamor.


“Your Majesty, we truly didn’t know someone would die tonight. Eunuch Kang only instructed us to turn a blind eye when Lady Xuan arrived…”


“It was Eunuch Kang who told us Your Majesty had secretly given approval, so we didn’t dare stop her. We only wanted to please Your Majesty and secure a better future.”


“Your Majesty, we’ve been wronged!”


“Please spare us, Your Majesty! Spare us!”


Some among them were greedy for money, some wanted to bring down Yu Yanfeng, and others hoped to gain the Emperor’s favor by eliminating a “traitor” for a brighter future.


Since Eunuch Kang served in the imperial presence and hinted as much, everyone assumed Lady Xuan’s matter was arranged by the Emperor to target Xiao Yan. But who could have imagined they had all been deceived?


Listening to the chaotic pleas below, Emperor An’s face darkened to the extreme—not only because of the discord between Liu Tong’en and Yu Yanfeng but also because of the faint mockery on Xiao Yan’s lips, which made him feel humiliated and enraged, as if he had been toyed with.


Emperor An slammed the table in fury, shouting, “Go bring that dog slave Kang Muhai to me! I want to know who had the audacity to make him falsely relay my orders!”


He then turned to the kneeling guards begging for mercy.


“I entrusted you with guarding the palace, yet you dared to take bribes and speculate on my intentions. You deserve death!”


“Drag them all out and beat them to death in front of the hall!”


“Your Majesty, spare us!”


“Please, Your Majesty, have mercy…”


“We know our wrongs, please spare us!”


The dozen or so men, their faces pale, pleaded loudly while kowtowing, desperate to break their heads open. But Emperor An had no intention of sparing them and roared at the guards below.


“What are you standing there for? Gag their mouths and drag them out!!”


The imperial guards in the hall stepped forward, gagged the dozen men, and forcibly dragged them outside. Moments later, the heavy sound of sticks striking flesh echoed from outside.


The courtiers and noblewomen inside the hall could only faintly hear the commotion, spared from the bloody sight. But those seated on the steps outside the hall witnessed the dozen men pinned to the ground, being beaten heavily with boards.


Emperor An was furious, and the executioners dared not hold back.


Three-inch-wide, thick sticks struck the men’s waists and backs repeatedly, drawing blood in moments.


Gagged and pinned down, unable to move, their twisted, agonized expressions were illuminated by the festive palace lanterns, starkly visible.


Muffled wails escaped their throats.


Blood flowed down their waists and backs.


The stench of blood gradually spread, and the guards, who had been struggling and screaming, slowly fell silent, casting a terrifying shadow over the palace banquet.


The low-ranking officials on the steps outside were either pale with fear or covering their mouths tightly, trembling but not daring to make a sound. When they looked toward Emperor An, faintly visible high on the throne inside, their eyes were filled with unconcealed terror.


…


On the high platform in the hall, Consort Yu and others had withdrawn. Eunuch Feng had people clear the table. When those sent to apprehend Kang Muhai returned, they reported that Eunuch Kang had hanged himself in his room, his body already cold. The freshly cleared table on the platform was overturned once more.


Emperor An was livid, and everyone realized Kang Muhai had likely been silenced.


Tang Ning and others couldn’t help but glance at Cui Lin, but his expression was too calm, showing just the right amount of surprise upon hearing of Kang Muhai’s death.


Tang Ning pursed her lips tightly.


Cao Dejiang let out a “tsk.”


Qian Baokun looked at Xiao Yan with worry: Could his nephew really fall this time?


As everyone in the hall harbored their own thoughts, He Cheng and Yu Yanfeng returned. The man Yu Yanfeng dragged in was covered in blood, his exposed skin bearing no unmarred flesh, clearly having endured severe torture.


Yu Yanfeng first gave Xiao Yan a complicated look before throwing the man to the ground and addressing Emperor An, “Your Majesty, this man has confessed.”


“His name is Zheng Kun, a deathsworn raised by Prince Cheng, Xie Tianyu. Years ago, Xie Tianyu sent him to serve the deposed Empress Lu. He has been hiding outside the palace, handling shady tasks for the deposed empress and the Fourth Prince.”


Emperor An’s expression darkened: Lu Qingfeng again!


“How did he sneak into the palace?” Emperor An demanded sharply.


He Cheng, head lowered, spoke, “Zheng Kun confessed that the deposed empress frequently had him deliver messages to Prince Cheng’s residence and deal with those who opposed her. Since many tasks couldn’t be delegated or exposed, he would sneak into the palace every so often.”


“The palace is heavily guarded, but with the deposed empress and Prince Cheng’s cover, along with the Lu family’s hidden connections, Zheng Kun was very familiar with the inner court and palace restrictions. The female official from Shoukang Palace, Tanxia, who died in the Imperial Garden tonight, was no accidental intruder. She was a mole planted by the deposed empress by the Empress Dowager’s side long ago.”


Emperor An’s eyes grew cold. “You mean that palace maid was with him?”


“Yes, Your Majesty,” He Cheng replied truthfully. “According to Zheng Kun, it’s true.”


He continued, “Zheng Kun said the deposed empress had grand ambitions and had people planted throughout the harem. When Lord Xiao took charge of the Twelve Directorates, he purged many, cutting off much of her network. But some deeply hidden moles remained.”


“Tanxia, serving the Empress Dowager, knew of her concern for the Xuan family’s future. She deliberately prompted the Empress Dowager to invite Lady Xuan to the palace banquet, allowing the Xuan family to appear in court and connect with noblewomen in the capital. She also deliberately kept Lady Xuan at Shoukang Palace, talking with the Empress Dowager, causing her to miss the banquet’s start.”


"Tan Xia led Madam Xuan to the Imperial Garden. She overheard Zheng Kun discussing the dethronement of the empress with others, and then pretended to be discovered by them in order to silence them."


He Cheng repeated what Zheng Kun had said as concisely as possible.


"According to Zheng Kun, Tan Xia had already discussed tonight's events with him. After the incident, she would pretend to turn around and stop them, allowing Madam Xuan to seek help from the Purple Palace, while she herself feigned injury and unconsciousness to escape."


"But she didn't expect that Zheng Kun had no intention of letting her live at all. He had already wanted to kill her before he took action."====================


You can read ahead to chapterr 470 (100+ extra chapters) here

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