Pei Zhaolin turned around and left. No matter how much Pei Ying and Pei Su called out to him from behind, he never looked back.
——
Five days flashed by in a blink.
Regarding the case of Cui Jintang poisoning the current county mistress, the civil and military officials were still arguing fiercely.
There was still no result that the emperor wanted, and he had run out of patience.
He cast a glance, and Pei Zhaolin immediately understood his meaning.
He stepped forward, knelt down, and slowly said, "Your humble subject believes that this woman poisoned someone in public. She not only despised the laws of the Great Yan but also ignored the imperial edict. It was a provocative act. If she is not severely punished, she will surely become a disaster in the future."
A civil official had just stepped forward when Pei Zhaolin gave him a casual look and retorted, "Does Lord Wei also want to despise the laws of the Great Yan?"
With such a big accusation, Lord Wei immediately backed down.
Whoever tried to defend Cui Jintang, Pei Zhaolin refuted them one by one.
In the end, the entire court fell silent.
The emperor was very satisfied with this result.
Immediately, he slapped the desk heavily and angrily said, "Then, in accordance with the law, immediately strangle Cui Jintang in front of the midday gate!"
Hearing this, the civil and military officials knelt on the ground and said in unison, "Yes."
Pei Zhaolin lowered his eyes.
——
The autumn rain was pattering, hitting the eaves and splashing tiny water droplets.
Cui Jintang's gaze looked out through the mottled window, and her fingertips unconsciously rubbed the jade bracelet on her wrist.
There was a noise behind her.
"Miss, after you finish this meal, it's time to set off."
Fu Li opened the food box and took out the dishes one by one.
Each dish was Cui Jintang's favorite.
Seeing that Cui Jintang didn't move for a long time, Fu Li couldn't help urging, "Miss, the earlier you finish, the earlier you can set off."
Cui Jintang lowered her head and idly played with the jade bracelet on her wrist.
The bracelet was transparent and shiny, but there were intricate patterns engraved inside.
"Miss—"
Before Fu Li could finish his sentence, he felt dizzy.
Before long, there were thuds of people falling to the ground one after another in the entire prison.
"Miss!"
Zhu Er was wearing a wet straw raincoat, and beside him stood Chu Yingfeng, who was soaked all over.
A scholar, but now holding a sword in his hand.
Out of the corner of her eye, Cui Jintang noticed that there was still dark red bloodstained on his hem.
She said, "What's the news from the palace? Has Sister Rou received my message?"
Even though she was in prison, the pigeons from the secret hall could still come and go freely.
Zhu Er looked ugly. "These days, the empress neither advocated beheading you nor admitted that you were wronged."
Cui Jintang was stunned for a moment.
Soon, she lowered her head and averted her gaze, making an excuse for Xie Rou, "Sister is also in a difficult situation."
Chu Yingfeng waved away the food box, stepped quickly through the mess on the ground, grabbed her wrist, and said anxiously, "I just saw that man put poison in the food! We need to get out of here quickly."
Cui Jintang quickly withdrew her hand, her gaze firm. "I can't leave. If I leave, the Cui family will surely be in danger."
Chu Yingfeng suddenly grabbed her wrist tightly, his eyes filled with unprecedented pain and anger.
"Are you doing this for the Cui family, or do you still have hopes for Pei Zhaolin in your heart? It was Pei Zhaolin who argued in the court today, just to kill you."
"By now, don't use the Cui family to cover up your feelings!"
Cui Jintang's eyelashes trembled slightly, but she still bit her lip and said nothing.
"Miss must have her own plans. It's not up to you to teach her a lesson!"
Zhu Er stepped forward quickly and guarded in front of Cui Jintang with a knife.
Chu Yingfeng looked at the silent Cui Jintang, his voice trembling with suppression. "Are you still going to trap yourself in this small place and wait for death because of your past with Pei Zhaolin? Or do you want to wait until you're dead to get a bit of his pity?"
After saying that, Chu Yingfeng shook his head and took a half step back. His eyes were filled with complete disappointment and a trace of unnoticeable heartache as he said word by word.
"Cui Jintang, you should wake up—"
"You're not like yourself anymore."
These words, together with the thunder, exploded in her ears.
Cui Jintang trembled all over.
A thunderclap suddenly exploded outside the window.
After a long while, a hand slowly landed on Zhu Er's shoulder.
Then came Cui Jintang's gradually firm voice.
"Zhu Er, leave this place."
Hearing this, the corner of Chu Yingfeng's mouth twitched slightly.
"Yes!"
——
On the city wall, corpses were strewn everywhere.
Pei Zhaolin was wearing a black python-patterned cloak, fluttering in the wind.
He was holding an oil-paper umbrella in his hand and quietly staring at a green-canopied carriage.
His fingers unconsciously tapped on the umbrella handle.
With each tap, the carriage moved a little further away.
"My lord, Miss Cui's carriage has passed three sentry posts. All the guards here have also been massacred."
The deputy general behind him appeared and looked up at the fine autumn rain. "The Black Armored Army has surrounded the capital. My lord only needs to give an order, and we can immediately attack the city."
A faint smile curved Pei Zhaolin's lips, but the smile disappeared before reaching his eyes.
He said, "Very good."
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps on gravel suddenly came into his ears.
Pei Zhaolin's eyes turned cold. He immediately drew out the deputy general's sword and quickly threw it!
"Clang—"
Looking at the long sword that accurately plunged into the pillar in front of her, Luo Xiang's pupils suddenly dilated in fear.
The sound of footsteps behind her was like a death knell!
Luo Xiang paled and forced a smile. "The beheading is about to start. The emperor didn't see you and specifically sent me to look for you."
She still tried to use the emperor to suppress Pei Zhaolin.
Pei Zhaolin's cold gaze slowly swept over her panicked face and landed on her trembling legs.
He didn't say a word. Luo Xiang thought her threat had worked.
Just as she was about to step forward, she saw Pei Zhaolin standing casually. He just casually kicked with his toe.
The bloodstained long sword on the ground "thudded" through Luo Xiang's left leg!
"Aaaaaaaaa!"
The last trace of color on Luo Xiang's face instantly faded. Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets due to the extreme pain, and her shrill screams were deafening.
But this scream didn't earn her half a bit of pity from Pei Zhaolin.
A trace of annoyance flashed across Pei Zhaolin's eyes.
He didn't move, but with a wave of his hand, the deputy general beside him had already handed a sword into his palm.
Almost without a pause, he gently shook his wrist, and the second sword flew out suddenly, with even more ferocious force, and accurately plunged into her right leg!
"Er—"
This time, Luo Xiang's scream was hoarse and full of despair.
Due to the pain, her legs kept trembling, and a large pool of blood spread out.
Pei Zhaolin lowered his eyes and looked at the figure on the ground that was curled up and distorted due to the severe pain. His voice was so cold that it made one's hair stand on end. "You're too noisy."
Despair was almost drowning Luo Xiang. She kept shaking her head and crying, "I'm your savior and also the emperor's person. You can't treat me like this!"
Pei Zhaolin narrowed his eyes, and the killing intent in his eyes was no longer hidden.
He sneered, "Soon, these will no longer matter."
The instinct to survive made Luo Xiang retreat continuously. Just as she was about to crawl away, a sharp pain suddenly came from her chest.
She widened her eyes and looked at Pei Zhaolin walking away with an umbrella in his hand, full of unwillingness.
At the last moment before she closed her eyes, she saw Pei Zhaolin slowly raise his hand, suddenly clench his five fingers, and wave them down sharply!
Suddenly, the Black Armored Army emerged like ghosts from all directions!
The black torrent composed of the Black Armored Army quickly rushed through the wide-open city gate. The sound of the iron armor rubbing against each other was chilling.