Damn! She was about to make her move!
Di Lingwei’s legs grew increasingly weak. If the other party truly attacked, this day next year would be her death anniversary.
She couldn’t let her attack!
She absolutely could not let her attack.
“Hahahaha, make a move against Zhen?” Di Lingwei laughed disdainfully, looking at Wei Nian with a condescending gaze. “Wei Nian, oh Wei Nian, have you gone mad, to think you can challenge Zhen? How is this any different from seeking your own death?”
Hearing this, Wei Nian’s eyes dimmed.
She understood, truly. How could she possibly be a match for the majestic Heavenly Mandate Empress? This was the Heavenly Mandate Empress, the foremost expert of the Phoenix Dynasty! When she had led troops into the Imperial Palace years ago, she had displayed peerless martial arts, cutting down anyone who dared block her path, gods and demons alike. How could an existence like that be someone she could handle?
But what else could she do? She had been discovered. She had no choice left.
“This subject knows she is no match for Your Majesty. This subject knows she is doomed to die. But if I can die at the hands of a powerful being like Your Majesty, I will die without regret!” As she spoke, Wei Nian drew her sword.
The sound of the blade leaving its sheath was remarkably clear in the dark night.
Di Lingwei forcibly suppressed the urge to turn and flee. If she truly turned and ran, she would likely die even faster.
But what should she do now?
Di Lingwei silently repeated words to calm herself, but her expression grew increasingly arrogant. “Very well, Wei Nian, you have courage, daring to challenge Zhen. But this is merely seeking your own death!”
“Even if it is seeking death, this subject has no choice.” As Wei Nian spoke, her eyes sharpened.
She stood there, the person like a blade, the blade like the person, an endless sharpness tearing through the night curtain.
Di Lingwei knew she couldn’t stall any longer. Dragging this out further was a recipe for a cold corpse. She had to make a bolder move, change the situation somehow.
Thinking this, Di Lingwei let out a very audible sigh, clasped her hands behind her back, and a look of disappointment surfaced on her exquisitely beautiful face. “Wei Nian, you have truly disappointed Zhen. Zhen clearly held you in such high regard. Alas, so be it. Zhen shall send you on your way.”
Hearing this, Wei Nian subconsciously took a defensive stance.
This was the Heavenly Mandate Empress, the foremost expert of the Phoenix Dynasty! When such an existence made a move, how could she possibly counter-attack? She could only defend, and even how long she could defend was an unknown.
Di Lingwei took two steps forward, seemingly ready to strike, which made Wei Nian even more nervous, gripping her sword hilt tightly.
Was the Phoenix Dynasty’s foremost expert about to strike?
After taking two steps, Di Lingwei stopped again, as if thinking of something, and sighed once more.
“Why does Your Majesty sigh?” Wei Nian asked warily.
“Zhen sighs, lamenting that another person is about to die. And this person, although without great merit, has toiled for Zhen. Yet she has made the wrong choice, leaving Zhen feeling deeply regretful.” Di Lingwei put on the appearance of someone who cherished talent.
Wei Nian remained silent.
That Your Majesty appreciated her, she was happy. But when she was in dire need of money, it was those people who had given it to her. Since she had taken the money, there was no helping it; she had to work for those people. Reaching this step was simply inevitable.
She had no choice!
Di Lingwei shook her head, sighing. “So be it, so be it. You have toiled, even without great merit. Zhen shall not personally strike against you. End your own life here before Zhen, and Zhen shall spare your clan.”
She remembered that Wei Nian seemed to have clan members living in the Phoenix Capital. This might be a point of leverage.
Indeed, upon hearing the word ‘clan,’ Wei Nian’s hand holding the blade visibly trembled.
Di Lingwei, who had been watching Wei Nian closely, keenly caught this and spoke decisively. “Wei Nian, assassinating the Emperor is a grave crime, a crime punishable by the execution of one’s entire clan. According to common law, you must die, and your family, young and old, must also die! They likely know nothing of your actions, yet they will die because of you.”
Hearing this, pain surfaced in Wei Nian’s eyes. Her grip on the blade became unsteady.
Parents would die, brothers and sisters would die, everyone would die!
Merely imagining such a thing made one’s breathing heavy, head spin, and caused extreme distress.
Seeing the effect, Di Lingwei spoke sternly: “Wei Nian, this is the last chance Zhen gives you. End your own life here, and Zhen shall not pursue your matters further. Otherwise, bid farewell to this world alongside your family, young and old.”
A hesitant look appeared on Wei Nian’s face.
She had been prepared to fight to the death, but thinking of her clan members at home, she hesitated. After all, those people were innocent. Would she truly implicate them for her own actions?
Seeing Wei Nian’s hesitation, Di Lingwei knew she had to resolve this quickly. She immediately said, “Zhen shall walk towards you. It will take ten steps. Zhen shall give you these ten steps to think. After ten steps, if you still have not made your decision, Zhen shall personally kill you, and then deal with your entire family. For this would mean you remain obstinate, and Zhen shall no longer need to give you any chances!”
As she spoke, Di Lingwei took her first step directly towards Wei Nian.
Wei Nian’s face paled and shifted, at a complete loss, her thoughts utterly chaotic.
Then came the second step!
This made Wei Nian swallow hard, staring fixedly at Di Lingwei’s footsteps, feeling they were steps that reaped souls, each step landing on her heart, suffocating her.
The third step!
Di Lingwei walked closer again.
Intense pressure flooded Wei Nian’s body and mind, causing her to tremble uncontrollably.
This was the Heavenly Mandate Empress, the foremost expert of the Phoenix Dynasty!
The fourth step!
A majestic aura rolled off Di Lingwei, intimidating without needing anger.
Although it was just one person walking over, in Wei Nian’s eyes right now, it was as if a mountain was approaching. The oppressive feeling was too intense; she couldn’t withstand it.
The fifth step!
As Di Lingwei took this step, her imposing manner seemed to intensify further.
Wei Nian trembled even more noticeably, feeling that the existence before her was like a towering mountain, lofty and untouchable.
The sixth step!
Di Lingwei’s distance grew ever closer.
Wei Nian forced herself to look up, her gaze shifting from Di Lingwei’s feet to her face.
What kind of bearing was this? Clearly only a woman, yet an immeasurable domineering aura radiated from her, as if she were born to be the sovereign, as if she were destined to rule all under heaven.
Especially her eyes—cold, cruel, aloof, looking down upon all living things. To such an existence, all mortal beings were likely nothing more than weeds.
The seventh step!
Di Lingwei was even closer now.
And at this moment, Wei Nian could finally no longer resist this intense pressure. She smiled bleakly, directly raising her blade to her own neck.
“This Guilty Subject, Wei Nian, thanks Your Majesty for sparing my family, young and old.”
As her voice faded, the blade sliced across her neck, sending up a spray of blood.
