aircannonsinc Chapter 471 Han Zhong's daughter pleads for her father: Qin'er will be obedient, Qin'
Chapter 471 Han Zhong's daughter pleads for her father: Qin'er will be obedient, Qin'
Liu Ruolan was startled.
She stood up, turned around, faced Qin Mu, lowered her head, and placed her hands clasped in front of her, her posture humble and submissive.
"Your Majesty... I've finished talking."
Her voice was hoarse, with a slight, suppressed tremor.
Qin Mu nodded, his gaze falling on Han Zhong, his voice indifferent.
"General Han, I have treated you well, so why do you do this?"
Han Zhong knelt there, without moving an inch from beginning to end.
His forehead touched the cold stone slab, and the shackles dragged on the ground like two cold snakes.
His voice trembled, carrying a deep-seated guilt and resignation.
"I am a sinner...I have failed His Majesty's trust and deserve to die."
Qin Mu's voice turned slightly cold, like snow in the dead of winter, devoid of any warmth.
"You deserve to die."
Han Zhong's body trembled slightly.
He closed his eyes, then opened them again, still filled with despair, yet beneath that despair lay a trace of inexplicable composure.
He thought he deserved to die.
From the moment he made that promise to Xu Longxiang in the military camp on the southwestern frontier, he was destined to die.
From the moment he knelt before His Majesty begging for mercy and lied to him, he deserved to die.
From the moment he dragged the Han family into the abyss and caused his wife and daughters to live in fear, he should have died.
He should have died long ago.
It is already a great favor that we have survived until now.
Upon hearing this, Liu Ruolan trembled slightly, her face turned even paler, and her lips were completely bloodless.
Han Xin'er's body stiffened, and her eyes reddened even more.
Han Qin'er huddled next to her sister, her little hands clutching the hem of her sister's clothes, tears silently streaming down her face and dripping onto the stone slab.
Although Liu Ruolan and her two daughters knew that Han Zhong would not die, they still couldn't help feeling nervous and scared at this moment.
They were very worried that Qin Mu would change his mind because of this.
After all, they had thoroughly experienced His Majesty's unpredictable temper during this period of time.
Han Xin'er released her mother's hand, knelt on the ground, and her knees hit the cold stone slab with a dull thud.
Her forehead touched the ground, and her long hair slipped from her shoulders, spreading out on the floor.
Her voice was clear and trembling, carrying a firmness beyond her years.
"Your Majesty... I beg you, please don't kill my father... spare my father!"
Her plea on her knees sent a shiver down the spines of both Han Zhong and Liu Ruolan.
Han Zhong's tears welled up again, his lips trembled violently, and he wanted to say something.
He thought for a moment, then shut his mouth, his heart filled with only grief.
At this moment, he was a disgraced official. If he said anything more, he would probably only anger His Majesty more and cause him to take his anger out on Han Xin'er.
He believed his daughter knew what she was doing, and that he would speak up only if the situation really got out of hand.
Anyway, he was already doomed to die, so it didn't matter.
Liu Ruolan wanted to say something, but she felt that saying too much at this moment would only lead to mistakes.
One person pleading for Qin Mu might soften his heart, but too many would be counterproductive.
She bit her lip, swallowing back the words that were welling up inside her.
When Han Qin'er saw her sister kneel down, she struggled to get up from the ground and knelt down beside her sister.
Her movements were somewhat clumsy, and her knees hit the stone slabs, causing her to burst into tears from the pain.
Her voice was childish and trembling, choked with sobs, each word sounding like it was being squeezed out of her throat.
"Your Majesty...please...don't kill my father...Qin'er doesn't want her father to die...Qin'er will be good...Qin'er will never catch birds again...never be naughty again...please..."
Her face was streaked with tears, and her eyes were red, like two frightened little rabbits.
Her lips were trembling, her small hands were supporting her on the ground, her fingertips were shaking slightly, and she looked like a flower broken by a storm, teetering on the verge of collapse.
Qin Mu looked at the two identical girls kneeling on the ground in front of him and smiled.
He turned his head and looked at Han Zhong.
"Han Zhong, you really know how to have children. Both of your daughters are so beautiful, and they look exactly alike."
Han Zhong's body trembled, his forehead touched the stone slab, and his voice was hoarse.
"Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. This humble subject... is unworthy of such praise. It is all... thanks to my wife."
Qin Mu smiled gently, his gaze falling on him, his voice remaining calm.
Do you know who came to kill you?
Han Zhong remained silent for a moment.
He raised his head and met Qin Mu's gaze, his eyes filled with only deep weariness and resignation.
"This humble subject... knows. It is Xu Longxiang."
The smile on Qin Mu's lips deepened even further.
"So what are your thoughts on this?"
Han Zhong's lips parted slightly, his heart churning with indescribable complex emotions.
He remembered Xu Longxiang's young face, the boy who fought alongside his father outside Yanmen Pass, and the brother who rode thirty miles through wind and snow to fetch a doctor for him.
He recalled that night in the moonlit woods, when Xu Longxiang looked at him with burning eyes and said, "General Han, the Northern Border and the Moon God Cult have formed an alliance."
He recalled his hesitation and struggle when he agreed to his request, and the words, "After this, the Han family and the Xu family will be even."
He thought they could settle their differences.
But now, Xu Longxiang wants to kill him, to silence him.
Han Zhong's voice was hoarse, carrying a deep-seated weariness and disappointment.
"This sinful subject... has nothing to say. This sinful subject has done so much for him, and in the end... he wants to kill me to silence me. This sinful subject... can only say that I... misjudged him."
Qin Mu smiled. "It seems you're ready to face death with equanimity."
Han Zhong nodded, his forehead touching the cold stone slab, his voice hoarse but firm.
"Your Majesty, this sinful subject has betrayed the Great Qin, plotted rebellion, and committed a heinous crime. Knowing I cannot escape my punishment, I am prepared to die. I only beg Your Majesty to have mercy and spare my family. I would be eternally grateful and have no way to repay Your Majesty's kindness. In my next life, I will serve you like an ox or a horse to repay your great kindness!"
After saying that, Han Zhong slammed his forehead against the ground with a loud thud, and blood gushed from the wound, flowing down his nose.
Seeing her husband like this, Liu Ruolan's tears flowed even more profusely, but she bit her lip tightly, not daring to make a sound.
She desperately wanted to tell Han Zhong that His Majesty had already agreed to spare him and that he didn't need to die.
But she dared not speak, firstly because she was worried that His Majesty would be angry and change his mind, and secondly because she was worried that it would ruin some of His Majesty's plans.
She could only bite her lip tightly and swallow all those words back down.
Looking at Han Zhong, Qin Mu smiled faintly and said sincerely, "Since that's the case, then go and die. I will take good care of your wife and daughter."
Han Zhong was terrified upon hearing this.
He felt even more regretful and distressed, but he gritted his teeth and swallowed back the surging grief.
He knew this was the best way to save his wife and daughter.
Otherwise, they would also have been doomed.
He kowtowed again, his forehead slamming against the stone slab, blood splattering everywhere!
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!"
Qin Mu turned his head, looked at Liu Ruolan, and said calmly, "Let's go."
Liu Ruolan hesitated for a moment, tears welling up as she looked at Han Zhong, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot, and she couldn't move an inch.
Han Zhong was startled and quickly shouted angrily in a low voice.
"Come on! His Majesty is calling you, didn't you hear him?"
Liu Ruolan trembled all over, and without hesitation, she grabbed her two daughters and staggered after Qin Mu as they walked out of the prison.
After everyone left, Han Zhong felt as if his body had fallen apart, and he lay on his side on the ground.
His face was ashen, his lips were bloodless, his breathing was convulsing, and his body was twitching. Each breath he took seemed to be the culmination of all his strength.
The scene from just now kept replaying in his mind.
The lady's tearful eyes, the daughters kneeling on the ground begging His Majesty for mercy, Han Xin'er's straight back, and Han Qin'er's words, "Qin'er will never catch birds again."
His tears slid silently from the corners of his eyes, dripping onto the cold stone slab.
He had only one thought in his mind.
He has wronged them; they are the people he has wronged the most in his life.
.......
Meanwhile, outside the prison.
Liu Ruolan looked at Qin Mu walking ahead, hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage to speak, her voice very soft, with a hint of cautious probing.
"Your Majesty, didn't you say... you would spare my husband...?"
Qin Mu smiled, his steps unwavering, his voice drifting from ahead, carrying a hint of nonchalance.
"Don't worry. As long as you obey, what I say will naturally be true. I'm just giving him a small punishment, letting him experience the despair before death."
The weight that had been hanging over Liu Ruolan's heart for so long finally lifted, and she let out a long sigh of relief.
Qin Mu's voice rang out again, a little softer than before, but carrying a chilling quality that sent shivers down one's spine.
"You're clever; you didn't mention that I spared his life. Otherwise, Han Zhong would truly be facing death now."
Liu Ruolan was shocked, and cold sweat poured down her back.
Luckily she didn't say anything, otherwise it would have been a real problem.
She quickly lowered her head, her voice respectful.
"I would not dare to speak of anything that Your Majesty has not said."
Qin Mu smiled and said calmly:
"If Han Zhong could be like you, he wouldn't be in this situation today."
Liu Ruolan felt a pang of bitterness in her heart and said nothing.
Qin Mu waved his hand.
"Let's go back to the palace."
Liu Ruolan gave a slight curtsy. "Yes."
With a wave of his hand, Qin Mu sent an invisible force lifting the three of them into the night sky.
........
Meanwhile, in the northern border, at the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion.
Xu Longxiang sat behind the long table in Zhenyue Hall, his brows furrowed and his mind uneasy.
He was waiting for news, waiting for news of Han Zhong's death.
He raised his head and looked at Fan Li, who stood with his hands hanging down in front of the long table, his voice urgent.
"Any news yet?"
Fan Li shook his head. "Your Highness, not yet."
Xu Longxiang frowned even more deeply and tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice.
"I hope I won't mess it up?"
Fan Li pondered for a moment, his voice steady.
"They are all top-notch fighters, trained by my subordinates for many years. Unless something unusual happens, they should not fail."
Xu Longxiang nodded, feeling a slight weight lifted from his heart.
He then remembered something else, and his voice became even deeper than before.
"Have the rest of the Han family been punished?"
Fan Li shook his head.
"No. The imperial edict stated that Han Zhong was executed because of his failure in the campaign against the Moon Goddess Cult. No one else in the Han family was implicated."
Xu Longxiang breathed a sigh of relief, leaned back in his chair, and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest twice.
"It seems Han Zhong didn't reveal his connection to the Northern Border."
Fan Li nodded, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
"Han Zhong dares not speak. If he does, the entire Han family will be finished. Right now, only he dies, but once he confesses to his treason, the whole Han family will perish."
Xu Longxiang nodded.
"That's right, that's what I think too."
He paused, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes, and his voice grew even deeper.
"But what I'm worried about now is that Han Zhong might not be able to withstand the pressure of death before he dies and might reveal the northern border in order to save his life."
This is precisely why he sent someone to assassinate Han Zhong.
Only when Han Zhong is dead can he rest easy.
Fan Li thought for a moment, stroked his beard, and spoke in a steady voice.
"Probably not. Han Zhong is a man of great loyalty, and he wouldn't be so foolish. If he were to reveal the northern border, the entire Han family would be doomed. If he doesn't speak up, at least he can protect his family."
Xu Longxiang nodded.
That makes sense.
Fan Li added, "Even if the assassination fails, when Han Zhong is executed tomorrow, it will prove that he did not betray us. At that time, Your Highness can rest easy."
Xu Longxiang nodded again, but his brows remained furrowed.
"But no matter what, we need to speed things up."
Fan Li clasped his hands and bowed. "Yes."
Xu Longxiang leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the deep night outside the window, his voice carrying a rare hint of anxiety.
"The military preparations are almost complete, but I still feel uneasy. Go and make arrangements for the martial arts world, contacting the various sects, independent cultivators, and experts from other countries. If someone is willing to fight for us, the success rate of our uprising will increase by another ten percent."
Fan Li's eyes flashed, and his voice carried a hint of barely suppressed excitement.
"Does Your Highness mean... to seek help from these martial arts masters?"
Xu Longxiang nodded, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
"Although these people may not play a decisive role on the main battlefield, if used properly, they can be a surprise force. At crucial moments, they can have unexpected effects."
Fan Li's mind raced, each thought flashing by in an instant.
"Your Highness, what do you intend to do?"
Xu Longxiang's lips slowly curled into a cold arc, his smile chilling.
"I have decided to open the Northern Treasury and hold a martial arts tournament for heroes. I will recruit heroes from all over the land and reward them with martial arts manuals, gold and silver treasures, and divine weapons."
Fan Li's eyes suddenly lit up as he quickly considered the pros and cons of the matter!
Then, his tone became somewhat agitated, and his voice trembled slightly.
"Your Highness's move is brilliant! In this way, we can attract heroes from all over the world to come to the Northern Territory openly and honestly, while also deceiving Qin Mu and making him lower his guard, thinking that the Northern Territory is only holding a martial arts tournament and has no other intentions."
Xu Longxiang smiled and nodded, saying:
"The more he thought I was indulging in frivolous pursuits, the more he trusted me. By the time he realized what was happening, my knife was already at his throat."
Fan Li bowed deeply, his voice filled with heartfelt reverence.
"Your Highness is wise!"
Xu Longxiang stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.
The night wind rushed in, blowing his dark black python robe, making it flutter loudly.
"Issue the order: begin preparations for the martial arts tournament immediately. I intend to make it a grand and spectacular event, so that the whole world will know about it."
Fan Li clasped his hands and bowed. "Yes! I'll take care of it right away!"
He turned around, strode out of Zhenyue Hall, and his footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
Xu Longxiang stood by the window, gazing at the vast southern horizon, his eyes flashing with a cold, determined light.
You tyrant, you just wait.
Once I have gathered all the heroes under my command, your death will be imminent!
........
P.S.: Thank you so much to the generous Grape enthusiast for the King of Gifts! Thank you for your support, I'll be adding two extra chapters tonight!