Empress with no Virtue

Chapter 93 – Conclusion

The conditions of food and accommodation inside Xing Bu(1) prison were basically varied inversely to the severity of crimes committed by the prisoners. For example, serious criminal such as Ji Li You lived in cell with bed, ate food separately, and wore better prisoner clothes than ordinary prisoner, thick light-gray prisoner clothes even though with the same big character ‘prisoner’ printed. His attire however was like an indomitable scholar which harmed by a treacherous court official.

Of course, this was just a facade.

This was a person who was personally arrested by the emperor under imperial decree. His interrogation was taken charge directly by secret agents, above any guanyuan(2) of Xing Bu.

Therefore for those who held imperial edict to go in and out from this place, the prison guards were not surprised. However, the arrival of this holy person today was a little unusual —— very good looking, menfolk who saw him would inevitably get jealous because the majority of young lady would be attracted by this kind of attractive young man.

Anyway, judging from his approaching footsteps, this person’s skill should be pretty good.

Having good-looking face yet being able to do martial arts, he was really too annoying.

Ji Wu Jiu walked into the prisoner cell under the envious gaze of the prison guards. He saw Ji Li You wearing handcuffs and shackles on his feet. Eating prisoner food for several days, this person actually did not lose weight even a bit, but beard of several days without shaving had grown a layer of stubble, covering the face, adding a few hint of shabbiness.

When Ji Li You saw him, he smiled coldly and said, “If you want to kill, you may cut off the flesh as punishment, allowing you to be freed from interrogating.”

Ji Wu Jiu did not intend to ask him anything either. Bai Jian Cheng’s group of rebel had almost completely been captured by him. Ji Li You’s trusted aide had been arrested too. The culprit had been captured. He did not care if there were one or two fishes that escaped the net. Anyway without Ji Li You, those people would have no reason to plot a rebellion again in the future.

Ji Wu Jiu looked at Ji Li You and sighed. “In fact, you do not have to die.”

Ji Li You coldly snorted. 𝐟𝙧ee𝔀e𝐛𝓃𝐨𝚟𝑒𝗹.c𝗼𝚖

“Whether you believe it or not, Zhen was somewhat delighted when first heard about his brother’s being alive. Ji shi family was originally weak. Although you planned to seize the throne, but Zhen did not plan to ask for your life. But you should not do this, should not create flood for your own sake. Almost ten thousand life ruined on your hand. Even if Zhen wished to pardon you, I’m afraid the people of this country would not agree.”

“You are Ji Wu Jiu. You can stand here and blame me for killing innocent people,” Ji Li You chuckled, “You have everything and I have nothing. I do not care about other people’s life and death, because no one cares about my life and death. Everyone wants to be Ji Wu Jiu, but was born as Ji Li You.”

Actually Ji Wu Jiu somewhat understood why Ji Li You had such thinking. All of this man’s feeling was strangled at the age of three and after that he lived in hatred for twenty years, now in his eyes there was nothing beside taking revenge for the throne. In order to get the throne, let alone killing ten thousand people, even killing more than ten thousand or hundred thousand, perhaps his eyes would not blink once.

Ji Wu Jiu also did not want to convince him anything before facing his death, only said, “Do you still have any unfulfilled wish?”

“Yes,” Ji Li You replied. “Considering our bodies have a share of same blood, could you promise me this request?”

“What?”

“Let me die in Ye Zhen Zhen’s hand.”

Ji Wu Jiu suddenly remembered something. That day Ji Li You’s sword was going to cut Ye Zhen Zhen, may injured her, but stopped halfway. He threw away the sword and let her attacking, gave up his final opportunity.

“You like her.” Ji Wu Jiu was reluctant to admit the fact.

The corner of Ji Li You’s mouth raised a tender smile, “Of course, she is so likable.”

Ji Wu Jiu felt that his smile was very unsightly, so he frowned, “Zhen Zhen is now pregnant, I’m afraid it would be inappropriate to carry out such bloody things.”

“Pregnant?” Ji Li You somewhat surprised, “It’s a pity. I did not even notice it.”

Seeing his smile carried evil aura and hidden ruthlessness, Ji Wu Jiu was inevitably afraid, “So Zhen can let you die pleasantly, but Zhen Zhen does not have to be involved.”

“Not necessarily, you had better ask her, she seems like to personally kill me.”

***

Ji Wu Jiu hesitated, and finally said something about Ji Li You to Ye Zhen Zhen. Ye Zhen Zhen nodded and said, “Kill him on behalf of the heaven, and I regard it as accumulating merit for my child.”

Ye Zhen Zhen hated Ji Li You. This person killed so many people, almost killed Ji Wu Jiu, also kidnapped her, harassed her…… She awfully wanted to personally conclude Ji Li You’s life.

Thus she brought sword to Xing Bu prison. Since Ji Wu Jiu was not feel at ease, he ordered people to chain up Ji Li You from head to foot, practically wrapping him to become a zongzi(3). Ye Zhen Zhen went just to stab him one blow as her objective.

Ji Li You saw Ye Zhen Zhen, his faint smile was somewhat lonely and dejected. He said, “You have come.”

Ye Zhen Zhen originally thought she just wanted to stab him properly once, but seeing him with that kind of smile, her step unexpectedly stopped, she wrinkled her eyebrows and said, “Why are you doing this?”

Ji Li You looked at her calmly and asked, “Zhen meimei, if I did not kill so many people, would you like me?”

“I am a married woman.”

“If … I met you first?”

Ye Zhen Zhen thought for a moment and replied, “We’ll probably be friends.”

“Just a friend ah,” he smiled at himself, suddenly looking up at her. “I have one thing to explain to you. If you continuously misunderstood, I am afraid I cannot die in peace.”

“What?”

“I could not really kill you that day.” ƒ𝓇e𝙚𝔀𝐞𝚋𝓃𝐨𝘷e𝙡.𝒄𝗼m

“Yes, you cut the rope, I would only die.”

“No,” he shook his head. “I have properly arranged on the cliff, my hand carried mechanism rope. When we fell together, we would stuck on the cliff and could escape.”

Ye Zhen Zhen nodded, “Good calculation.”

“Absurd praise. Well, I have nothing to say, you strike the blow.” He said, shutting his eyes.

Ye Zhen Zhen stepped forward with the sword. When she raised the sword, her arm actually trembled incessantly. In the end, the sharp-end of her sword halted on his stomach, hesitated for a long time, and finally forced forward to stab.

Ji Li You suffered pain, suddenly both eyes opened wide.

Ye Zhen Zhen hastily released her sword, retreated two steps.

The corner of his mouth spilled over a thread of blood, he faced her with bitter smile and said, “Zhen meimei, I was wrong.”

Ye Zhen Zhen foolishly stared at him.

“Actually, I have always been wrong. I thought what I want the most was to get the throne, but actually not. I thought to die in your hand would make me feel at ease, but actually not,” he said to himself. Because his vitality started to wash away, his voice gradually weakened, “Zhen meimei, I have never been this sad in my life.”

Ye Zhen Zhen did not know how to answer. A burst of sad feeling unexpectedly welled up in her heart. Her heart faintly ached.

He added, “I know you hate me. If I tell you something about Ji Wu Jiu’s life and death, will you forgive me?”

Hearing this, Ye Zhen Zhen anxiously asked, “What is it?!”

He asked again, “Will you forgive me?”

“I will! Quickly tell me!”

He smiled and replied, “My original plan with Bai Xiang Ru was not what it is now. From the beginning, our intention was that I get the throne and she get Ji Wu Jiu. But then, after entering the palace, she changed her mind, and she wanted to let Ji Wu jiu continue to be the emperor, and she wanted to climb over the rear position.”

Ye Zhen Zhen baffled, “She get Ji Wu Jiu? What did she hold to get Ji Wu Jiu?”

“She can control Ji Wu Jiu.”

“How to control? Hey, how does she control Ji Wu Jiu? Ji Li You, you speak……”

Ji Li You never spoke again. He hung his head and died in a pile of cold chains. His body temperature was devoured by the chains. His body very quickly became cold and stiff.

His death-state was peaceful, corner of his mouth carried smile.

Li You – to be away from sorrow. Throughout his life, he did not part from sorrow and hardship. This name, conversely it seemed to be a curse of opposite path.