Chapter 2: Bloodstained Execution Platform

  Chu Qi Hui's eyes widened in disbelief as he fell to the ground —

  How could it be? The sister and father's feelings have always been deep, how could it be? How could she kill her own father with her own hands?

  At the same time, the Imperial Guards surrounding the stage also let out a collective gasp, everyone gripping their knives and guns tightly, their eyes filled with apprehension and fear.

  This Jiayang County Magistrate has gone mad!

  Chu Youyang didn't care about anyone's reaction, after putting away his gun, he suddenly narrowed his eyes, slightly tilted his head and looked up against the light at a dilapidated small building diagonally opposite the execution platform.

  In a place where the light was abundant, a young man in a moon-white brocade robe hid in the sunlight, staring at her steadily.

  The upstairs and downstairs are just a few feet apart, but it's like they're worlds apart.

  Chu Youyang's eyes, which had always been cold and unfeeling, suddenly misted over with a thick layer of fog, but his gaze was fixed on the middle-aged man who was being escorted by two royal guards.

  "Father!" Chu Nanyang murmured, and suddenly big drops of tears fell from his eyes.

  At the same time, more than a hundred golden armored guards suddenly poured out of the small building, surrounding her from three sides.

  "Jiangyang, you shouldn't have come!" The man in the brocade robe on the small building suddenly sighed, and under his cold and stern face, his eyes seemed to be mixed with more helplessness.

  "I knew you'd be here!" Seeing that person, Chu Nianyang's face, which had been frozen in a cold expression, finally showed a slight crack, and his tone was sarcastic: "What? Did I keep you waiting?"

  The man's eyebrows furrowed slightly, his cold and hard tone sounding somewhat awkward: "Don't say such things to me, I don't want to hear it."

  "I won't say anything then." Chu Jiu Yang curved the corner of his lips, revealing a cold and elegant smile. With a flick of his wrist, the long spear pointed steadily at the majestic and dignified man in brocade robes on the high platform. A few words were spoken decisively and concisely, "I'm here to take my father away. If you can't turn a blind eye, then let's fight!"

  Before her words had even fallen, a long spear thrust out and pierced the chest of the Golden Guard who was closest to her.

  On the high platform, Chu Qiyan's face was as calm as water, her hands behind her back, silently watching.

  Chu Youyang's way of killing people was clean and efficient, without any hesitation or dragging on.

  This is the skill honed from six years of galloping and fighting on the battlefield.

  Once the long spear is out, there will be no survivors.

  People often say "ten steps kill one person", she is now struggling to take a step, but every shot sees blood, absolutely no room for mercy.

  This woman's cold and stern eyes made people tremble with fear, feeling a chill in their hearts.

  Innumerable golden armor-clad warriors lay bloodied at her feet, and she stepped over their corpses with difficulty, struggling to move closer to the small building by inches.

  Behind her, more and more people surged forward in succession. She struck again, using their corpses and white bones to pave the way for another step forward.

  Xiao Lou stood on the rooftop, her eyes closed as she listened to the sounds of slaughter below, silently counting in her mind.

  One, two, three... he continued counting all the way to 367 when his brow twitched and he suddenly opened his eyes without warning.

  At this moment, the imperial guard who was pierced by Chou's long spear only injured his arm.

  "Halt!" The man's eyes were slightly cold as he suddenly shouted in a cold voice, "Everyone halt!"

  The guards were on high alert, although they had stopped fighting, they still didn't dare to relax their vigilance, and remained tense and on guard.

  Chu Youyang also retreated with his gun and looked up at him coldly: "Let me say a few words to my father, after I'm done, I'll follow your arrangements."

  Chu Qiyan's lips were tightly pursed, and she didn't say a word.

  Chu Nanyang looked up at him with a face that was all too familiar, but ultimately just smiled wryly and suddenly raised his arm, revealing the long spear in his hand.

  The golden armor around him cast a bow-like shadow, and he felt a sense of tension.

  The next moment, however, she saw her fingers slowly relax inch by inch.

  With a loud clang, the long spear fell to the ground.

  Everyone's eyes widened in unbelievable shock.

  Along with it came a sigh from Chu Qiyan on the small building.

  "The Emperor's order, the Eastern Palace and its people, kill without discussion. I can grant you one last request, but..." He said, his words suddenly turning sharp, he pointed a finger and shouted: "Get me her pipa bone!"

  The Marquis of Nanyang, with her exceptional martial skills, can single-handedly break through thousands of troops and horses. Today, she even beheaded hundreds of imperial guards on the execution ground in the heart of the capital. Who can rest assured without first neutralizing her counterattack capabilities?

  Chu Youyang's eyes were cold and clear, without a single expression.

  The girl's figure stood straight, standing fearlessly on the corpses and blood that lay scattered all over the ground.

  Seeing their comrades dying miserably at their feet, a fierce flame of anger ignited in the eyes of the Golden Guards.

  The silver hook was sharp, piercing through the thin but strong shoulders of the girl, tearing flesh and blood, yet the sound was so clear that it made people's scalps numb.

  When the silver hook was pulled out from between the flesh and blood, fresh blood splashed out and splattered all over Zhuo Yang's face.

  At the same time, it fell on the small building above, a teardrop in the corner of the crown prince's eye.

  That was his daughter, the one he had sworn to protect and dote on for the rest of his life. At this moment, not only could he not protect her, but he also had to let her take risks alone for his sake, in such a humiliating and tragic way, to meet this life-and-death calamity.

  The iron hook pierced through his chest and back, although he gritted his teeth and endured with all his might, Chu Yan still couldn't help but let out a muffled groan, and big drops of cold sweat rolled down from his forehead.

  A slender figure flashed by, and with a "thud", she knelt down on one knee.

  She hung her head, both hands propped on the ground, motionless. The wounds on her shoulders were bleeding profusely, dyeing her light armor a mess. The warm blood flowed down her arms, pooling in her palms, and then seared into the scorching earth, indelible.

  She has been through six years of war and bloodshed, but never as much as this.

  Although she knew it was a life-and-death situation where she would be led into a trap, she couldn't bear to watch her father and brother head down that yellow spring road alone.

  Qiu Ying looked at him from the small building, her eyes deepening in color. She turned to the guard beside her and said, "Take him away!"

  Two guards led the way, escorting the deposed crown prince Chuyi An, who was tightly bound by ropes, down the stairs from the back building.

  "Jiuyang, the Emperor knew you would come, so he ordered me to set up this trap, to cut off the roots! Chu Qiyan spoke with a calm tone, 'I can only do so much, and the time I can give you is limited. If you have anything to say, make it quick!'"

  Having said that, he turned around and entered the small building behind him, disappearing from sight.

  Before long, Chu Yi'an was pushed and pulled out of the small building by two imperial guards.

  Chu Youyang's consciousness was somewhat dazed, and he slowly lifted his head upon hearing the familiar footsteps.

  The two guards did not let her get close to Chu Yi An but stopped two steps in front of her.

  Zhuo Rouyang knelt on the ground, due to blood loss and severe pain, even if he was strong and resilient, it was hard for him to get up and walk over.

  She forced herself to lift her head and saw that Chu Yi'an's brow had already gathered a deep purple color, and she understood in her heart.

  To ensure that Wan would never escape, they had already forced his father to take a poison that would periodically erupt.

  So even if she didn't come to die today, but really came to rescue the prisoner, in the end, she would still only take away a corpse.

  "Father, I'm late!" Chu Nianyang smiled wryly.

  For the first time in her life, her smile was no longer radiant and carefree, but rather one of helplessness.

  Chu Yi'an gazed at her through the ripples on the water, looking at the unfamiliar and painful smile on her face. His heart felt as if it was being twisted by a knife, and after a long while, he finally uttered a few words in a sorrowful tone: "Foolish child!"

  Upon hearing her father's voice, Chu Nianyang's eyes slowly overflowed with a smile that burst into bloom in an instant: "Incompetent daughter, ashamed to face Father! Today, since I couldn't save you from trouble, I'll at least hurry back to see you one last time."

  Chu Yi'an was stunned for a moment, then looked at her smiling face, and his heart was suddenly filled with tenderness.

  In the end, she still saw through the mystery of this bloody case, but in the end, she still came recklessly.

  A lump in his chest, as if something was shattering inch by inch, and suddenly a mouthful of black blood spurted out.

  Two guards were unprepared, when they went to pull him away, his body had already crashed to the ground with a loud thud, beside Chu Youyang.

  Chu Nanyang reached out to touch his face, with a smile in her eyes, but tears welled up and overflowed. In a gentle and determined tone, she spoke to him: "Father! If there's an afterlife, I'll still be your daughter, okay?"

  Chu Yi'an's mouth and nose were also filled with a large amount of black blood, her eyes dim and painful, silently staring at her for a long time.

  Before consciousness completely dissipated, Chu Nianyang finally heard the four words that he left her with his last breath, he said ——

  "Xīn bǎo! Huó zhe!"

  Translation: "Chip! Alive!"

  Digression

  The prelude is a bit long, don't worry, babies, this is the big environment, and it must be explained.

  Then PS: The last sentence makes everyone think a lot. It is said that the two words "Xunyang" have too strong an atmosphere, and "Xinbao" is just my daughter's nickname...