Rebirth: The Bloody Vampire Queen Chapter 71 - Battle of Lips and Tongue

  "Your Majesty, those ministers are preparing to jointly petition the Emperor to cancel the worship ceremony for the Empress Dowager." Shen Qing's face didn't look good; those ministers were truly brainless and would eventually get what was coming to them.

  Under the delicate mask, Baili Chun's eyes dimmed for a moment, and the corners of his mouth curled up with a cold smile, like an ice lotus flower blooming in the snow, beautiful and proud.

  Long fingers stroked his chin and said lazily: "Kang Qi, go to the imperial palace."

  He had no power or influence, and he wasn't even qualified to attend the early court sessions. Since everyone thought he should hide, always yielding and not pushing his way forward, he instead wanted to make a big show, being arrogant and overbearing.

  Just like his little sister, being low-key will lead to constant assassination attempts. Why not be high-profile everywhere and at least have a good time for oneself?

  "Yes." Kanzaki replied with a slightly rough tone.

  "Your Highness, aren't you going to the Sacred Peak Temple?" Shen Qing's eyes widened in surprise, her back felt a bit numb, and the prince's smile was really too lethal.

  Baili Chenyuan played with the teacup in his hand, seemingly lost in thought. "Which ministers are there? You've recorded all their names, haven't you? This king still needs to carefully prepare a gift to send to their homes."

  Shen Qing's eyes twitched and he swallowed hard before saying, "Your subordinate has made a record of everything, Your Highness can rest assured."

  Those self-righteous and arrogant officials who think they are above the law but don't know life or death, should have been taught a lesson long ago. Let them see clearly who is the true master of Qi Yue.

  "Hmm." The scalding hot tea water rippled round and round in the cup, the waves lapping only at the edge of the teacup before flowing back, layer after layer, really quite beautiful.

  "Your Majesty, the women in the harem have been acting suspiciously lately. I'm worried they might be plotting against you behind your back. Do we need to assign more people to keep an eye on their every move?" Shen Qing made a silencing gesture with his hand, implying that with just one order from Bai Li Chen Xuan, he could make sure those women would never speak again and remain mute for the rest of their lives.

  Her black hair fluttered, her red cloak fluttering, Baili Chenyuan shook his head and said in a cold voice, "The time has not yet come, let's spare their lives for now and let them make trouble."

  The dirty imperial palace, every day is like a battlefield without gunpowder smoke, killing people without seeing blood, and the skill of destroying corpses and erasing traces is even more than that of a cold-blooded killer.

  The war there had never stopped for a moment, only this time their goal was the same, his mother Empress Chu and him - Baili Chunxuan.

  As long as they can prevent him from paying respects to his mother-in-law on the eve of Chinese New Year, even if it means wearing the same pants, they won't have any objections.

  Even if they are allies, there will be a day when women turn against each other and abandon one another.

  In the end, who can give them the greatest benefits.

  Only his little Xiao Yue, has never been concerned about these things, she is the most independent one.

  "I understand." Shen Qing lowered his eyes and nodded respectfully. After all these years, he had endured it, so why couldn't he calm down now?

  If he ruins all of Baili Chunyuan's plans with his recklessness, then he will indeed deserve to die a thousand deaths.

  "Your Highness, we've arrived." The carriage came to a smooth stop. Kang Qi jumped down from the carriage and stood aside, holding the reins.

  Baili Chenyuan opened his eyes, which were like black gemstones, and responded faintly. He slowly got up. Shen Qing pulled open the carriage curtain to let him get off, while he himself jumped down afterwards.

  "Shen Biao, Kang Qi, take that great gift and carefully deliver it to the homes of each of the ministers. Make sure they see it clearly and understand what they should and shouldn't do." Yun Xiuyue's sleeves fluttered as she walked towards the main gate of the heavily guarded imperial palace with elegant steps.

  On a winter morning, the early dawn was still not fully clear, with misty and damp air, adding a few mysterious and unpredictable feelings to that tall red figure.

  "Don't worry, Your Highness, we will make sure to deliver the gift properly." The two of them bowed their heads slightly and made a respectful gesture with their hands towards Baili Chenguang's back, a hint of evil glint flashing in their eyes.

  Those who dare to mock Wang Ye's family tomorrow will not know what kind of changes will happen after.

  Her red sleeves slid down lightly, her skin as white as snow, even women would envy the reddish glow of her skin, which still showed a hint of pink, and was indeed alluring. Baili Chunxuan raised his arm slightly, his slender fingers fluttering gently, his posture elegant and noble, but it was unclear what he meant to convey.

  Manwaden

  At this moment, the atmosphere is abnormally depressing and gloomy, as if something is about to erupt at any time.

  On the resplendent golden palace, a dragon robe with nine golden dragons embroidered on it was worn on the Emperor's tall and straight body. His face, which had the marks of time, still couldn't hide its handsomeness. The sharp black eyes were filled with intense anger, his tightly furrowed eyebrows indicating that his emotions were about to reach a boiling point.

  He is a monarch of a country, yet he cannot suppress the arrogance of these ministers, how can he not be angry.

  "Your Majesty, have a sip of tea first and calm down." Liu Gonggong was an old man beside the Emperor of the Moon, in terms of eyesight, he recognized second, no one dared to recognize first.

  Lowering his head to present a cup of hot tea, Liu Gonggong was very clear that the Emperor insisted on holding a memorial ceremony for Empress Chu and it was inevitable, with no room for compromise.

  The officials who had just knelt down on the ground insisted that holding a memorial ceremony for the former Queen of Chu was a slap in the face to Empress Xiao, who was currently in power, causing her to lose face and ruining her reputation.

  The words of the officials also implied that the emperor was an inauspicious person, and the princes born to her were all inauspicious people who would bring disaster to Qi Yue State.

  This implies that it is a stab in the heart of the emperor. Others may not understand the mind of the moon emperor, but he understands, deeply loving the Chu empress, how can he tolerate such bold satire and insult to her?

  Both sides stood firm, neither side gave an inch.

  "Hmm—" The Moon Emperor's face turned dark as he took the tea from Liu Gonggong, sipped it, and then heavily set it down on the table.

  No matter how they opposed it, he decided that no one would change his mind.

  Under the hall, on the cool floor, a large group of ministers knelt down, one by one, with bitter faces, starting to raise their eyebrows and exchange information, waiting for someone to speak up first.

  Zhen Dinghou Xiang looked at the Minister of War Chen Yuan and the Minister of Rites Wan Jin, exchanged a few glances, then lowered his head and remained silent. He would never agree to hold a memorial ceremony for the former Empress of Chu, that woman had been dead for twenty years, what was the point of bringing it up again.

  He is the majestic imperial uncle, his own sister is the legitimate empress, what's the point of going to worship the previous empress, he can't afford to lose such a big face.

  Once a precedent is set and this ceremony is held, how can it be stopped afterwards?

  "Your Majesty, I have something to say." Chen Yuan, the Minister of War, shook his body and looked up at the Emperor's stern black eyes, "I implore Your Majesty to withdraw your edict. As we approach the year-end, it should be a time for the people to celebrate a good life after a year of hard work, but instead, the entire imperial city is draped in white...".

  "Despicable thing!!" The Emperor's face sank, and he couldn't help but grab the memorial on the table and smash it against his forehead.

  These piles of memorials all requested that he withdraw the imperial decree, but since the imperial decree had already been issued, it was absolutely impossible to withdraw it.

  "Your Majesty, I agree with Minister Chen's view. To hold a grand ceremony to worship the former Empress of Chu on New Year's Eve is not only inappropriate but also damaging to Her Majesty's dignity and will lead to discontent among the people. I hope Your Majesty will reconsider." The Minister of Rites, Wan Jinhe, was sweating profusely in his hands, and he dared not look up at the Emperor, fearing that a single glance from him would be enough to kill him with a thousand arrows.

  On the golden throne, there was nothing but silence, except for the sound of a heartbeat and suppressed breathing.

  This morning's dawn has been going on for an hour without any sign of ending.

  "Your Majesty, what Minister Chen and Minister Wan have said is also what we wish to say. We hope that Your Majesty will consider it carefully." The Minister of the Board of Officials, Yuan Qu, petitioned once again.

  Feng Wang Baili Hong Feng stood quietly in front of the Golden Temple, his eyes observing his nose, his nose observing his heart. In such a situation, he was not suitable to speak.

  It's hard to gauge the emperor's mind, all he needs to do is listen and observe the inclinations of his ministers, feel out the emperor's thoughts, and cater to his preferences. He doesn't need to say a word, someone will speak on his behalf, and not speaking is the wisest choice.

  General Chen Bingquan wore a majestic and awe-inspiring armor, he was a military general by origin, after his only daughter entered the palace, she received imperial favor without decline, at the same time also strengthened the Chen family, making his position even more revered.

  Looking at his only grandson, Chen Bingquan's greatest wish is to put Feng Wang Baili Hongfeng on the throne and make him a king admired by millions of people.

  "Your Majesty, I shouldn't say more as an old minister, but after listening to the words of advice from all the senior officials, I couldn't help but speak up and request Your Majesty to reconsider. He was a powerful general with countless disciples under his command. If he hadn't returned to the imperial city a step late back then, the younger sister of Prince Cheng would not have ascended to the throne as empress, a position that should have belonged to his beloved daughter."

  It was his daughter Conghui who had been by the Emperor's side for many years, humble and unassuming, considerate and meticulous, able to maintain her imperial favor without losing it. Along with Empress Xiao and Consort Jiang, they formed a three-way balance of power, and if anyone were to make a move, no one would be able to gain the upper hand over the others.

  As long as he can hold up half the sky for the Wind King, the throne is only a matter of time.

  The former Queen of Chu must not be brought up again at this time, otherwise, how many variables will arise from it, no one can predict.

  Although he is not a superstitious person, the words spoken by Master Zhiheng that year are still vivid in his mind, making it hard for him to forget.

  "Is the Grand General forcing me?" The Moon Emperor's mouth curled up in a cold smile, and a chill flashed through his sharp eyes. In those days, they each forced their way into the palace, not putting him in their sights. Now, to stop him from holding a memorial ceremony for Ning Er, they were all standing on the same line.

  Good, very good.

  "Your Majesty has wronged your old minister, I dare not." The Grand General cupped his hands and lowered his head, but his behavior and actions did not show a hint of apology, and his tone was even more stern.

  "Your Majesty is a wise and just ruler, we beg of you to reconsider and withdraw the imperial decree." The ministers all spoke in unison before the Emperor had even opened his mouth.

  The Emperor's face turned even darker, his fingers trembling slightly. How good, how very good. Upon hearing these words, if he didn't take back his decree, he would become a foolish ruler for all eternity.

  "Please forgive us, Your Majesty, we were wrong." Again a neat and tidy sentence, even those who maintained a neutral attitude couldn't help but speak up.

  After all, they are just a minority, and they can't afford to offend the powerful and influential officials. If they're not careful, one day they'll be framed by others and put in a difficult position.

  Mr. Liu suddenly broke out in a cold sweat and continued to argue, neither side backing down, the consequences were unthinkable.

  "Since all of you ministers are saying that you have committed crimes, I don't know what to say to me. Tell me clearly, where did you go wrong and why?" The icy voice was thick and low, like the deepest part of a thousand-year-old glacier in the snow, it really made people shiver.

  Baili Chenyuan's entire face was hidden behind a refined mask, his sword-like eyebrows slanted and flew into his temples, furrowed into a small mountain. Before he even entered the Wanhe Temple, relying on his extremely strong hearing, from far away he heard the voices of people asking for orders inside the temple, the more he listened the uglier his face became.

  No one can peek into his emotions, joy and anger, sorrow and happiness, perfectly hidden, only a hint of that slightly raised sensual thin lip.

  A pair of black pupils shone like the most authentic black gemstones, flickering with a faint light. A crimson red brocade robe, with a high collar and gold silk threads embroidered along the edges of the sleeves and hem, fluttered as he walked with a light step, his gaze fixed straight ahead on the crowd, exuding an untamed and innate majesty, the aura of a king was fully displayed.

  "Your Majesty, the Blood King..." Duke Liu gazed at Baili Kunyun walking into the Golden Hall with large strides, and involuntarily called out in a daze. For an instant, he thought that the person who had walked in from the main gate was a celestial being like a banished immortal.

  As it got closer and closer, I suddenly realized that it was actually the Blood King himself.

  Realizing his loss of composure, Liu Gonggong lowered his head and stood quietly beside the Moon Emperor. Seeing Bai Lixi again, he felt that something was different this time.

  "What did I say wrong? Why are you all staring at me like a bunch of dumb geese, not saying a word?" The venomous tongue was hard to change, and Baili Chuanxin had no idea what she had just said.

  Since everyone thinks their life is too calm and peaceful, he doesn't mind stirring up trouble for them.

  "Your Highness, the Blood King, this is not a place you should be at dawn." Xiang Tang's face turned dark as he stood up from the ground and stared straight at Bai Li Chen Yuan. A powerless and influence-less idle king, without being summoned, privately entered the palace, which was a good excuse for a crime. "Your Majesty, the Blood King has not been summoned and has privately entered the palace, trespassing on the Wanhe Temple, according to the law, he should..."

  "Hmph... " Bai Li Chen Yuan's slender hand supported his chin, and he said in a cold voice: "Zhen Ding Hou Xiao Tang, and you people kneeling on the ground, even if I, this king, have no power or influence, am just an idle king with an unlucky name, but you still need to recognize one fact - no matter how incompetent I may be, the blood flowing through my veins is still that of the imperial Bai Li clan, not something that you ministers can look down on."

  One sentence silenced the masses, leaving them speechless and questioning the heavens.

  They were all subjects of the monarch, and whenever they saw someone from the royal family, it was obligatory to pay homage; otherwise, it would be considered contempt for the imperial clan.

  "This king's summoning or not is one thing, but seeing this king and not even giving a courtesy, can only explain one fact, that is, your brains were kicked by a horse, all of you are brain-damaged." Baili Chunxuan's red robe fluttered as he stood among the kneeling officials, with a sense of standing out from the crowd.

  A hint of a smile flashed across the Emperor's eyes, vanishing as quickly as it appeared, so fast that one might think they had seen things. He believed that Baili Chunxuan was enough to get rid of these annoying ministers.

  "The Blood King did not enter the palace without being summoned, it was I who summoned him. The Chu Empress is the Blood King's birth mother, he has the right to know about the sacrificial rites." A stone stirred up a thousand layers of waves, as soon as the Moon Emperor's words fell, they immediately attracted Ba Li Chang Jian, Ba Li Hong Feng and Ba Li Zi Ying with different expressions in their eyes.

  "The son greets the Emperor." Baili Chenyuan gave a slight bow to the Moon Emperor, still not wanting to see him in his heart. Seeing that he insisted on it, he had some relaxation, "How, still can't learn how to salute and ask for peace from Ben Wang? Minister of Rites, I don't know how to explain to other four countries with such a person in Qi Yue country."

  A faint smile hung on his lips, which should have been gentle and harmless, but at this moment it almost made the Minister of Rites' legs go soft and unable to get up from the ground.

  Those eyes were so cold, they made him feel a chill run through his body, from head to toe.

  "I, a humble subject, pay respects to Your Majesty the Blood King. May Your Majesty enjoy peace and prosperity forever." Wan Jin swallowed hard, bowed his head, and knelt down in a dignified manner.

  Even if he borrowed ten times more courage, he wouldn't dare to look directly at Baili Chunyuan. Looking into his eyes would be mesmerizing and too terrifying.

  "Great King Wan is indeed a sensible person, I am fond of practical people like him. Others are really unlikable... I have decided..." He deliberately dragged out the last word, leaving it hanging in mid-air, and Ba Li Chen Yuan couldn't help but find their tense expressions extremely amusing.

  The jade mask in the golden temple reflects a cold light, paired with Baili Chunxiao's evil spirit exposed, a domineering and unrestrained atmosphere that is both wild and majestic, no one dares to underestimate him.

  "Your humble servant... Your humble servant does not dare..."

  "We, your subjects, have seen the Blood Emperor's decree. May Your Majesty be safe and prosperous." Before Baili Chenyuan could finish speaking, the group of officials who had been kneeling towards the Moon Emperor turned around and bowed to Baili Chenyuan in unison.

  His arrival was beyond their expectation, yet it brought them a great shock.

  "Haha, all of you ministers don't need to be so polite, I'm not a petty person. Your good deeds, I will remember in my heart; your bad deeds, I will also remember in my heart. Don't worry, we'll take it slow for now. It's not the right time yet, but later on, you'll understand what it means to be afraid."

  Each of you thinks you've found a powerful backer, but I'll personally tell you what a real backer is. Some people are destined to be unreliable.

  "Thank... you, Your Majesty Blood King..." With great difficulty, he swallowed his saliva, and no one dared to raise their head to look at Baili Chuan Yun.

  I still remember that the first time I saw him was at a welcoming banquet where they hung up sheep heads to sell dog meat. He was warm and elegant, never getting angry or excited, just like an idle prince who couldn't be helped up.

  Seeing him again, the previous impression was instantly overturned. He was sinister and cunning, lightly arrogant and loudly ostentatious, his actions were mysterious and unpredictable, making it impossible for people to guess or understand.

  "Y-" General Chen Bingquan pointed at Baili Chenguang, but before he could finish his sentence, Baili Chenguang took over and said, "General, are you getting old and muddled? My temperament is just like the Fourth Miss of the Zhongjunhou Estate - I especially dislike being pointed at. Be careful with your hand, don't cripple it."

  Along with the general's suppressed grunt, the officials had not yet recovered from their shock, only to see the general's right arm bleeding profusely, exposing a stark white and frightening bone in the air, which soon stained the carpet beneath his feet red.

  Withdrawing his gaze from the great general, he looked at Baili Xingyuan who was standing in place, his red robe dazzling to the eyes, as if he had never moved an inch. His heart rose to his throat.

  If he wanted to take their lives, they would probably be dead before they even knew it.

  Baili Hongfeng's expression darkened, and although others might not have noticed, he was certain that not only had he seen it clearly, but also Baili Changjian and Baili Ziyin standing beside him must have caught sight of it too - that ghostly speed, the swift and precise strike, like a flash of red clothing, and then everything returned to its original calm.

  "Grandfather, how are you?" The words were laced with an unmistakable urgency, as Baili Hongfeng couldn't afford to lose Chen Bingquan, his greatest backer.

  "What kind of pain is that, General Chen Bingquan couldn't describe it. Even if one arm was broken, it wouldn't be this kind of pain."

  What exactly did Baili Chunxuan do to him, and why was that pain so unbearable, piercing his heart.

  "Eldest brother, General is also a senior, you are too ruthless." Baili Changjian looked at Baili Cengyuan, his heart was shocked and he had never known that his martial arts were so good.

  Baili's gaze fell on the general's arm, which was already stained with blood. Baili's movements were too fast, even he couldn't tell which school or sect they belonged to.

  His martial arts skills were far superior to what he had imagined.

  "Except for the Emperor, I don't know who else is my superior. Can these slaves be considered as my superiors? Is Your Highness demeaning yourself? I don't care how you fight or make a fuss, the ritual of sacrifice is set in stone, no one can change it." Ba Li Chen Xuan's eyes were filled with even more mockery, if these people were really his superiors, they wouldn't have arranged for him to be assassinated time and time again just to take his head.

  Yuandi gazed deeply at Baili Chenyuan, looking at him, feeling both familiar and strange.

  "Your Majesty, I must take my leave first. The General's arm needs to be treated by the imperial physician immediately." Ba Li Hong Feng pressed several major acupoints on the General's body, but instead of stopping the continuous flow of blood, it flowed even more profusely, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.

  "You may withdraw." The Moon Emperor waved his hand, indicating for him to step down.

  "Your Excellencies, I believe that by tomorrow morning you will make a completely different decision." A faint glimmer of light flashed in Baili Chenyuan's eyes, Shen Qing and Kang Qi had always been extremely efficient in handling matters, now they might have already completed their task and were indulging in leisure activities within the manor.

  The last sentence 'After you return to the mansion, take a closer look at the big gift that I have prepared for you, and you will definitely change your mind' was truly transmitted by Qianli Chuanyin, of course, he chose the object to use.

  Leaving behind a huge mystery, Baili Chunyu turned around with ease, without taking away a single cloud.

  "Adjourn." The Moon Emperor withdrew his gaze, his eyes deepening, the Blood King had already determined that all the ministers would change their minds tomorrow, so why bother listening to their opposing words again, it was enough to make one's head ache.

  What is it that can make all the officials overturn everything they said before in just one night?

  Liu Gonggong waved his feather duster and shouted in a shrill voice: "Withdraw from court!"

  The ministers, who had been kneeling for a long time and were greatly frightened, let out a big sigh of relief when they heard the two words "retire from court". They no longer had to bear the pressure from the emperor and the powerful officials, being caught in the middle and used as pawns. It was truly blissful.

  Their legs, which had been kneeling for a long time, were already numb and it was really hard to get up until their legs could exert strength. One by one, the ministers, who looked like they had been defeated, supported each other to stand up and limped towards the Jin Hall.

  The Wanhe Temple is not a place for humans to stay, but is one's own home safe?

  The words that the Blood King Baili Chunyu left before he walked away, they heard them clearly and were especially afraid. What kind of gift did he send to their mansion? His heart was filled with anxiety and unease.

  Those who have done evil deeds are now already scared out of their wits.

  "Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine has summoned you." The small eunuch bowed his head and blocked Baili Changjian's path.

  "Big brother, aren't you going to go see the empress dowager?" Ba Li Chang Jian narrowed his long and narrow eyes. If only his big brother Ba Li Chang Qing was willing to lend him a helping hand, that would be great. Unfortunately, he never wanted to get involved in their disputes.

  Baili self-reflection sent away the small eunuch sent by Xianfeng Palace, just in time to see this scene in front of him, and couldn't help but reveal a smile with deep meaning, saying: "Big brother, little brother recently got a painting, I don't know if you can go take a look."

  "Oh, I don't know whose famous work this is." Ba Li Chang Qing looked at Ba Li Zi Ying with gratitude. He really didn't want to get involved in the power struggle between his own mother and younger brother.

  He doesn't have such ambition, he just wants to live a plain and simple life.

  A hundred miles away, his shadow looks like a loner, but in reality, he is the one with the most thoughts.

  Today, after seeing Baili Chunxuan again, he understood even more clearly that their fifth brother was not a vegetarian. The matter of the Chu Empress back then would definitely be magnified infinitely, and he had come to seek justice.

  Digression

  Mua mua da, dear friends, I've posted an announcement, hoping you won't abandon me, I'll update my story on time from now on, hehe!