HNYWEF -Chapter 113 Causing Chaos at the Palace Gate

The meeting ended.

Changsun Wuji walked out of the side hall holding his face. Half his mouth was still swollen. The bleeding had stopped, but a deep bruise had spread across it.

He didn’t bother wiping it. He just walked on, expressionless.

The attendants along the corridor saw his condition and quickly lowered their heads, not daring to look.

He walked slowly.

Step by step, through the corridors, across the open courtyard, toward the palace gate.

The sun was already high in the sky, shining brightly on the red palace walls.

When he reached the gate and was about to step out—

He suddenly stopped.

Outside the gate, someone was approaching.

Fast.

Big strides, moving with force—each step landing heavily, carrying wind with it.

Changsun Wuji narrowed his eyes and studied the face carefully.

Zhou Xiong.

Still wearing yesterday’s clothes. Bloodstains remained on the robe—already dried, turned into patches of dark red.

His hair was messy. His face was frighteningly pale, dark circles under his eyes.

But those eyes—

Changsun Wuji had seen many kinds of eyes before: anger, hatred, madness. But he had never seen eyes like these.

It wasn’t anger.

It was something else.

He couldn’t describe it.

In any case, there was no trace of reason in them.

Zhou Xiong kept walking closer.

The guards at the gate had already noticed him. The one on duty today was Niu Jinda. He had been standing inside the gatehouse, but froze the moment he saw Zhou Xiong’s appearance, then quickly stepped forward.

“Brother Xiong! What are you doing here?”

Zhou Xiong didn’t stop.

He walked straight up to the palace gate and stood there.

Staring into the long corridor inside.

Then he spoke.

His voice erupted from his hoarse throat like a roar—loud enough to shake the air.

“Li Er! Get your damn self out here!”

The guards at the gate all froze.

Niu Jinda’s expression changed instantly.

“Zhou Xiong!”

He stepped forward and blocked him.

“Have you lost your mind? This is the palace gate!”

Zhou Xiong didn’t even look at him.

He stared inside and shouted again.

“Li Er!”

Only then did the guards react. With a sharp sound, they leveled their spears, the tips pointing straight at Zhou Xiong.

“Arrogant fool!”

“Who are you? Step back!”

Zhou Xiong stood there, unmoving.

He looked at the spear tips, his face completely blank.

Niu Jinda shouted at the guards.

“Put those spears down!”

The guards didn’t move, still staring at Zhou Xiong.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said put them down!”

Only then did they lower them slightly, but they still kept them ready.

Niu Jinda turned back around and stood between Zhou Xiong and the spears.

He lowered his voice, speaking quickly and urgently.

“Brother Xiong, listen to me—your son’s matter, the Emperor already knows. It’s being handled. If you make a scene here, it won’t solve anything. It’ll only get you killed!”

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

“Move aside.”

Niu Jinda didn’t budge.

“I won’t. If you want to go through this gate today, you’ll have to step over my body.”

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

He just stared at him.

The two locked eyes.

Then a voice suddenly came from the side.

“Zhou Xiong.”

He turned his head.

Changsun Wuji stood inside the gatehouse, half his face swollen, but his posture still straight.

He looked at Zhou Xiong and spoke.

“I don’t care about your personal relationship with His Majesty,”

He paused slightly.

“But insulting the Emperor at the palace gate is a capital offense!”

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

Two breaths passed.

Then he suddenly let out a cold laugh.

“A capital offense?”

He took a step forward.

The guards immediately raised their spears again.

Niu Jinda quickly raised a hand to stop them.

“Don’t move!”

He turned and glared at Changsun Wuji.

“Lord Changsun, say less!”

Changsun Wuji ignored him.

He kept his eyes on Zhou Xiong and continued.

“You’re worried about your son. I know that. But if you step through this gate today and shout a third time, no one will be able to save you!”

Zhou Xiong stood there, unmoving.

Niu Jinda stood in the middle, looking left and right, his palms already sweating.

He knew what state Zhou Xiong was in.

He also knew that what Zhangsun Wuji said was true.

But he understood even more clearly that this situation could not be allowed to spiral out of control.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and shouted at the guards inside.

“All of you stand down! Without orders, no one moves!”

The guards froze. Spears raised, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

Niu Jinda turned back again and looked at Zhou Xiong.

“Brother Bear—listen to me.”

He paused, lowering his voice.

“I know you’re hurting. If it were my son who got hacked like that, I’d go mad too. But think about Zhou Yi—he just finished stitching and is still lying in bed. If you fall here today, what happens to him?”

Zhou Xiong’s eyes moved.

Just once.

Niu Jinda saw it.

He was about to continue—

Footsteps came from behind.

Unhurried.

Step by step.

Niu Jinda turned his head.

Qin Qiong walked out from the gate passage.

He stopped at the entrance.

He looked at Zhou Xiong.

Zhou Xiong also looked at him.

The two of them stared at each other.

Qin Qiong did not speak.

He simply stood there, blocking the space between Zhou Xiong and the gate.

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

“Move.”

Qin Qiong did not move.

He looked at Zhou Xiong and said,

“No.”

Two words.

Flat. No emotion.

Zhou Xiong took a step forward.

Qin Qiong did not retreat.

They were less than three meters apart.

Qin Qiong knew that last time he had stepped aside, Zhou Xiong had disappeared for nine years.

Zhou Xiong stared at him.

“My son was hacked!”

Qin Qiong nodded.

“I know.”

Zhou Xiong said, “The culprits are right inside!”

Qin Qiong said, “I know that too.”

Zhou Xiong said, “I’m going in!”

Qin Qiong looked at him.

Three breaths passed.

Then he spoke.

“What then?”

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

Qin Qiong continued for him.

“You meet His Majesty, and then what? Ask him to hand those men over to you? Let you deal with them personally?”

He looked at Zhou Xiong.

“He will agree.”

Zhou Xiong’s eyes shifted slightly.

Qin Qiong went on.

“After that? You kill them. And then what?”

Zhou Xiong was silent.

Qin Qiong said, “Zhou Yi is still lying there. Zhou Hong is guarding the house. If you’re not there now, who is?”

Zhou Xiong stood frozen.

Qin Qiong stepped forward.

Now they were face to face, very close.

Qin Qiong lowered his voice so only Zhou Xiong could hear.

“Brother Bear, I’m stopping you today not because I’m stopping your revenge—but because I’m stopping you from throwing your life away.”

He looked into Zhou Xiong’s eyes.

“If you really want to deal with those scum, there are plenty of ways. No need for today. No need in front of this gate.”

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

But he did not take another step.

Niu Jinda stood by, barely daring to breathe.

Zhangsun Wuji, standing in the gate opening, watched the scene, his expression subtly shifting.

The guards still held their spears, unsure whether to lower them or keep them raised.

Sunlight poured down on the palace gate and on everyone standing there.

It was almost blinding.

Qin Qiong stepped back.

He looked at Zhou Xiong.

“Go back. Watch your son.”

Zhou Xiong did not move.

Qin Qiong waited a breath.

Then said again,

“Go back.”

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

For a long time.