33: Two choices

Ten hours later.

The Empress slowly woke up from her coma.

Beside her, Daoist Qing Ling held a golden Immortal Pill and said, "Girl, your heart is currently consumed by anxiety. You need to rest for a while. Take this Mind-Concentrating Pill; it will help with your recovery!"

Her cultivation was profound enough to reach the heavens and earth. In her youth, she had traveled the four seas, living a carefree life for half her years, yet she had never taken a disciple. Today, she was truly treating Mu Xiyan as the successor to her legacy.

Mu Xiyan did not take it. Instead, she struggled to sit up in bed and said in a raspy voice, "Someone, come!"

Several guard commanders in the palace had been waiting outside the hall for a long time. Upon hearing the summons, they rushed in immediately and knelt before the young woman.

"We pay our respects to Your Majesty!"

Mu Xiyan's golden eyes showed no emotion, only a deep coldness. "Tell me, what happened with Young Master Su?"

The guard commanders looked at each other, then pushed forward a bound, burly woman.

"Your Majesty, Young Master Su was taken away by members of the Heavenly Blade Guard..."

Before the words were finished, the bound leader of the Heavenly Blade Guard threw herself at the Empress's feet, crying, "Your Majesty, I was only following the orders of the Imperial Husbands Father! It was the Imperial Husbands Father who told me to take Young Master Su to Zhaoyue Hall, and then something happened to him. As for anything else, I truly know nothing!"

"Lu Xiaoming!"

Mu Xiyan's beautiful eyes grew fierce, her killing intent fully revealed.

The suspicion she had long held in her heart was confirmed at this moment.

"Someone, drag this person out and execute her! Furthermore, everyone in the Heavenly Blade Guard who was involved shall be beheaded and held accountable!"

"Your Majesty, have mercy!"

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, please spare me!"

The woman was so terrified that her legs shook, and she soiled herself.

Several armed attendants rushed in and, ignoring the woman's shrill pleas for mercy, forcibly dragged her out of the hall.

A few seconds later, the screams stopped abruptly.

The other guard commanders couldn't help but shiver, their foreheads pressed against the ground, not daring even to breathe loudly.

After doing all this, the Empress still felt unsatisfied. She continued, "And the leader of the Heavenly Wolf Guard, drag her down and behead her as well!"

The Heavenly Wolf Guard was primarily responsible for protecting the Luofeng Hall.

Now that such a huge mess had occurred, the leader knew she could not escape death. She proved to be a tough woman, being dragged outside and beheaded without making a sound.

In an instant, a great commotion broke out throughout the entire imperial palace.

The Empress's personal guards were arresting people everywhere. Wails and screams echoed throughout the grounds as countless heads were tossed aside, blood staining the earth red.

But this was far from enough. The storm caused by Su Quan's death grew more intense, and a dark cloud hung over everyone's hearts, especially Lu Xiaoming's.

Zhaoyue Hall.

At this moment, Lu Xiaoming was like an ant on a hot griddle, pacing around in a panic.

"What should I do? What should I do? That madwoman even killed Commander Zhang!"

He swallowed hard. The shouts of arrests coming from outside the hall were like the summons of the King of Hell, and he lived in fear that they would burst into his own hall.

"Father, you don't need to worry too much. After all, that vixen surnamed Su died from drinking poisoned wine himself. How could Your Majesty get angry with you over a dead man? You are the Imperial Husband of Great Xia!" the little eunuch beside him consoled softly.

"True. I am the Imperial Husband of Great Xia, and my Lu family has the merit of having assisted the Dragon. Would that woman really dare to move against me for the sake of a vixen?" Lu Xiaoming muttered to himself, his panicked heart gradually calming down.

Just then, the hall doors were kicked open.

A tall woman clad in golden armor walked in.

She was one of the Guardian War Gods of Great Xia, named Yao Gu. Unless it concerned matters of national importance, she would not be easily deployed.

"Imperial Husband, please come with me!"

"Lord Yao, for what matter have you come to see me?"

Lu Xiaoming's heart tightened, and cold sweat poured out.

Despite her gentle and beautiful appearance, she was one of Great Xia's renowned gods of slaughter. Not a few high-ranking officials and nobles had died by her hand, and she bore the infamous nickname "Yama Yao"!

"As for this, please ask Your Majesty yourself after you see her!" Yao Gu said with a cold expression, her face the picture of ruthlessness.

"Lord Yao..."

Lu Xiaoming wanted to say more, but Yao Gu waved her hand impatiently. "Take him away!"

Several burly women rushed in and, despite Lu Xiaoming's resistance, forcibly escorted him out of the hall.

"What do you think you're doing? I am the Imperial Husband of Great Xia! Let me go! Do you believe I'll have the heads of you lowly servants?" Lu Xiaoming screamed in terror, struggling desperately.

But how could a weak man like him be a match for several powerful women?

He was dragged and hauled along.

By the time Lu Xiaoming stumbled and fell at the Empress's feet, the expensive and magnificent robe he wore was already covered in stains. With disheveled hair and a bruised face, he no longer possessed any of the elegance of an Imperial Husband.

"Lu Xiaoming, look up. Look at me!"

Mu Xiyan extended her beautiful leg, her jade boot pressing against the man's chin, forcing him to lift his head.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, have mercy!"

Lu Xiaoming snapped out of his panic. Tears and snot flowed freely as his body trembled violently.

Mu Xiyan's golden eyes were as cold as ice. She said softly, "Lu Xiaoming, tell me... how did Young Master Su die?"

"Young Master Su... Young Master Su drank the poisoned wine himself! It has nothing to do with This servant! This servant... This servant only wanted to scare him and teach him a lesson. Who knew he would actually drink it!"

Lu Xiaoming explained hurriedly, "Your Majesty, for the sake of This servant having accompanied you for three years, and for the sake of the Lu family's contributions to the imperial cause, please forgive This servant this once!"

"This servant promises to always listen to Your Majesty from now on and never make Your Majesty Life Qi again!"

"Forgive? If I forgive you, who will forgive me?"

Mu Xiyan's voice was low, and she let out a somewhat neurotic laugh. Her jade boot suddenly exerted force, stepping hard on Lu Xiaoming. She said indifferently, "Lu Xiaoming, over these past three years, although I haven't touched you, I have treated you and your Lu family well, bestowing every favor upon you. But of all things, you should never have become arrogant because of that favor!"

"I can forgive you for other things, but for this one matter, I cannot!"

By the end, the Empress's voice carried no trace of emotion. She turned and walked to the table, bringing out a wine goblet and a length of white silk. She said calmly, "Between these two, make your choice!"

Seeing those two items, how could Lu Xiaoming not know they signified "bestowing death"?

He screamed out in agitation, "Your Majesty, are you really going to sentence me to death because of a dead man?"

"You can beat me or scold me, but I beg you to spare my life!"

Mu Xiyan sat in a chair, elegantly crossing her legs. Her words were merciless. "I will tell you the truth: even though Young Master Su is dead, in my heart, he is ten million times more important than you!"

"Leaving your body intact is my final mercy to you. Choose quickly; don't force me to do it myself!"

Hearing these words, Lu Xiaoming slumped onto the ground, his soul seemingly gone, and completely abandoned any thought of pleading for mercy.

The hall fell into silence; the two looked at each other without a word.

Finally.

Lu Xiaoming struggled to his feet and walked toward the table step by step. Then, with a trembling hand, he reached for the wine goblet. After hesitating for a few seconds, he gripped the white silk tightly instead.

"Your Majesty, This servant has one final request!"

"Speak!"

"This matter was entirely caused by This servant and has nothing to do with the Lu family. I hope that for the sake of This servant's companionship day and night for these three years, you will spare the Lu family this once!" Lu Xiaoming said softly, his eyes filled with tears.

"Rest assured on this matter. If it truly has nothing to do with the Lu family, I will not take action!" Mu Xiyan nodded slightly, agreeing to the request.

"Then This servant will take his leave first. I only pray that in the next life, I may serve by Your Majesty's side again!"

With that, he turned his head sharply, tears flying.

The white silk was draped over the beam, and his neck was placed inside. Those brief seconds were his final lingering attachment to the world; then, gathering his courage, he kicked the stool away.

Everything returned to silence.

Lu Xiaoming's stiff corpse was hung high.

The Imperial Husband of Great Xia is dead!

...