Chapter 18: The Cannon Fodder’s Fighter

The tyrant looked down at little Ah Bao.

At that moment, Ah Bao was gazing up at him with clear, wide eyes.

[Poor father, your death is truly pitiful.]

The tyrant was already drenched in cold sweat.

But his face remained inscrutable, like an old fox, revealing nothing of his inner thoughts.

“Your… Your Majesty…” Concubine Li, who had been stabbed, crawled toward the tyrant.

Her path was marked with blood, a distressing sight.

Concubine De frowned. She had intended to ask for help, but upon hearing Ah Bao’s thoughts, she now looked at the tyrant with concern.

The emperor was undoubtedly a great source of grievances.

“Your Majesty, help me,” Concubine Li was now barely holding on.

She mentally praised the assassin who had died with the greatest admiration.

He was too smart!

The assassin had appeared just in time!

Blocking the knife for the emperor was definitely a merit that would keep her out of the cold palace, haha.

“Take Concubine Li to the cold palace!” The tyrant’s eyebrows arched, his eyes gleaming coldly, his expression one of ruthless indifference.

Concubine Li: ?

She froze at the tyrant’s feet.

Your… Your Majesty, are you even speaking humanly?

I just saved you.

“Your Majesty?” Concubine Li instinctively spoke, clutching at the tyrant’s clothing as if it were a lifeline.

Two eunuchs quickly stepped forward and restrained Concubine Li.

Blood was seeping from her wound, staining the pink brocade skirt like a blooming, enchanting rose.

One must say, if someone else had been stabbed and the knife removed, blood would have spurted out profusely.

In no time, they would have lost too much blood and fallen unconscious.

But today, it seemed the assassin’s knife skills were lacking, and the stab was misplaced.

“Your Majesty, why are you doing this?”

“How dare you ask why?” The tyrant’s anger was palpable, “The Dali Temple has already confirmed that you were behind the corrupt dealings of Li Yuqing.

The assassin who targeted the Empress Dowager was also arranged by you.

If it weren’t for your long years in the palace, do you think I would merely send you to the cold palace?”

“Your Majesty, I’m wronged. I didn’t do those things,” Concubine Li cried out in distress.

The tyrant found her complaints tiresome. “Concubine Li, you have been arrogant and domineering in the harem. I have turned a blind eye to your mother’s contributions to the Tiansheng Dynasty.

But to think you are so venomous, repeatedly targeting Concubine De, and even extending your claws to the court.

How can I tolerate this!”

“Your Majesty, even if I have a thousand faults, my heart towards you is true. I would give my life for you.”

“Do I need to spell it out for you? Should I investigate this assassination in detail?”

Concubine Li’s face turned pale with fear, staring blankly at the tall, handsome man before her.

She knew that everything she had done was now exposed to the emperor.

She was completely finished!

The tyrant waved his hand. “Take her away!”

The Palace of Harmony and Peace fell silent once more.

After watching the self-directed drama of Concubine Li unfold, Ah Bao let out a long sigh internally.

[Sigh—They say a woman’s tears are the most powerful weapon, but they’re no match for an emperor’s ruthlessness.]

[The tyrant spends so much on women. Today it’s Concubine Li, and who knows who it will be tomorrow.]

[My mother is both beautiful and gentle. If the tyrant ever treated her like this… Wow, that would be so tragic for her. Thinking about it, it really is unfair for my mother to stay in the harem.]

[Mother, don’t be afraid. Ah Bao will protect you!]

The tyrant’s brow twitched involuntarily. This little girl surely wasn’t still dreaming about seizing his wife, was she?

“Your Majesty, everything has been handled as per your instructions,” a young eunuch approached and reported with his head bowed.

Ah Bao turned to look.

Wow!

[Wow, this young eunuch is incredibly good-looking.]

[If you didn’t know better, you’d think he was a pretty young lady from some wealthy family.]

Ah Bao had never seen such a strikingly handsome eunuch among the many.

He was practically a prodigy.

Unlike other eunuchs, who were rather feminine, this young man had a kind of delicate beauty, with eyebrows and eyes like ancient snow atop a mountain, carrying a hint of coldness.

The tyrant followed Ah Bao’s gaze. No matter how good-looking this eunuch was, could he be more attractive than him?

Cough, the little girl was already infatuated at such a young age.

But since the little girl liked him, the tyrant looked at the eunuch a bit longer.

Indeed, the eunuch’s appearance was outstanding.

“Do you know martial arts?”

The young eunuch lowered his head and replied, “Reporting to Your Majesty, before entering the palace, I worked in a martial arts school and learned a few moves.”

“If I remember correctly, you were the first to subdue the assassin, right?”

The young eunuch was quick-witted, appearing first, with the guards arriving afterward.

The young eunuch nodded, keeping his head down.

“This skill cannot be merely the result of learning a few moves.” The tyrant was astute.

To subdue the assassin so quickly, his skills must be on par with the inner palace guards.

The young eunuch continued to bow, unsure how to respond to the tyrant’s words.

“What’s your name?”

“Xiao Fengzi.”

The tyrant: ?

A little madman?

The name was quite peculiar.

However, this person seemed untrustworthy despite his skills. He might become a problem in the future.

He couldn’t be kept around.

As an emperor, the tyrant’s mind was thorough, and he immediately felt a murderous intent.

He decided to nip the problem in the bud.

[Feng Zhuo?]

Upon hearing the name Xiao Fengzi, Ah Bao recalled the plot from the original book.

[Ah, there is indeed a character named Xiao Fengzi in the book. So it’s him.]

The tyrant lowered his gaze to look at Ah Bao.

Book?

What book…

It couldn’t be some bizarre divine text, could it?

[I remember now. There was indeed a strikingly handsome young eunuch in the book. It looks like it’s this person.]

[Ah, although this person is good-looking, his end is quite tragic—he’s a real cannon fodder fighter.]

[On the day of the fall of the Heavenly Sacred Dynasty, it was Feng Zhuo who disguised himself as the tyrant, drawing away a large number of enemy troops and helping the tyrant escape the palace.]

[And he was then killed by the protagonists with a flurry of swords, left exposed in the wilderness, and his body was gnawed by dogs.]

[He was extremely loyal to the tyrant. If it weren’t for him, the tyrant wouldn’t have been able to leave the palace.]

The tyrant, who was ready to kill, was shocked: ??

There’s such a backstory?

It really did sound tragic.

His gaze toward Feng Zhuo, which had been filled with killing intent, softened into a gentle look.

This outstanding-looking young eunuch had performed such a heroic act?

Thinking about the things Feng Zhuo had done for him, the tyrant was deeply moved, “Where did you serve before? Why haven’t I seen you?”

Feng Zhuo calmly replied, “I previously served in the rear court. Today, since the attending eunuch was ill, I was asked to take his place.”

Divine will!

Fate!

The tyrant couldn’t help but marvel at the miraculous twists of destiny.

Could this be Heaven’s way of making amends for past wrongs, giving him the chance to meet Feng Zhuo?