TGCFNM -Chapter 564 It’s Time to Settle the Score Between Us

The Empress Dowager tilted her head back and suddenly burst into laughter, tears streaming down her cheeks, but her expression only grew more mocking.

“You think controlling me matters? Whether or not, the Great Zhou will fall!”

Chu Ling angrily questioned, “The late emperor wronged you. If you killed him, wouldn’t it have ended there? Why drag the entire Great Zhou into this?”

“Only him?” the Empress Dowager sneered in retort.

“Who else? The royal family, the noble clans?” Chu Ling glared at her in fury. “Back then, you could have killed the late emperor; you could have killed the current emperor; you could have even adopted a baby and placed them on the Xiao family’s throne… but you didn’t. You let him marry, have children, let his descendants continue, and then wiped them all out!”

The Empress Dowager turned her head toward Chu Ling, but her neck struck the silver needle, leaving a streak of blood. “Do you really think it’s that easy? Do you know how I carefully placed him on the throne step by step? Do you know how I’ve schemed all this time, pitting the royal family against the noble clans?”

Chu Ling gritted her teeth, silent.

Her eyes filled with both anger and helplessness. “I’ve meticulously plotted for so many years to wipe them all out. Do you know how difficult that is? And I was so close… give me just five more years—no, just two more—and I could reshuffle the Great Zhou, erase the royal family and the noble clans, and make this dynasty disappear entirely!”

Chu Ling frowned as she studied her. “Let me guess… you were planning to have Fu Qingyu pretend to cooperate with Chu Yue to kill Nangong Jing, eliminate the Nangong clan, and then use them to kill the emperor, leaving the Great Zhou without a leader?”

The Empress Dowager replied coldly, “Exactly.”

“Your rebel army is attacking the city. If the princes engage them, they’ll be slaughtered… Are those rebels really your troops, or are they Dayuan’s?” Chu Ling’s voice trembled.

“You’re sharp,” the Empress Dowager said, closing her eyes. “You’ve figured it all out—so, why haven’t you acted yet?”

Chu Ling clutched the silver needle tightly; her hands trembled from blood loss. “You want Dayuan’s troops to capture the capital—have you considered the lives of the people?”

Suddenly, the Empress Dowager’s eyes snapped open.

Chu Ling released her grip, swaying as she stood, looking down at the Empress Dowager. “You’ve become the person you hated most—the tyrant who wields power to decide life and death over everyone!”

Speaking, Chu Ling shakily stepped forward, picked up the phoenix-headed staff, and looked at the Empress Dowager as she activated the mechanism…

Chu Ling leaned on the phoenix-headed staff and slowly made her way toward the Empress Dowager’s bedchamber, just as Wan Sanjin and the others rushed out.

“Master!” Wan Sanjin was startled, hurrying over with Xiao Hua to support her.

Chu Ling grabbed his hand. “Where’s your elder brother?”

“He went to the city gate,” Wan Sanjin replied. “Seems like everyone went there.”

Chu Ling exhaled. “Your elder brother is smart. He probably realized this early. The city won’t fall—once the reinforcements from Prince He arrive, we’ll be safe.”

“Master, how did you get so injured?” Xiao Hua asked, crying. “Does it hurt?”

“No, because I killed the Empress Dowager. I’ve won.” Chu Ling said, tears filling her eyes. “Is anyone left in the bedchamber? If not, burn it—burn it completely, including the coffin beneath!”

“All right, I’ll set it on fire. Don’t move.” Wan Sanjin was shaken by Chu Ling’s demeanor and, with Su He, went to start the fire.

Soon, the Empress Dowager’s bedchamber was ablaze again.

Since much of the bedchamber had already been damaged, the fire wouldn’t spread further—it would only completely consume that palace.

“What’s the situation now?” Chu Ling asked Zhang Dong.

Zhang Dong replied, “Commander Ban is dead, Nangong Jing is dead. Fu Qingyu, Chu Yue, and Bai Zhuoxing escaped through a plan. We’ve just finished destroying Bai Zhuoxing’s remaining puppets—then you returned, Master.”

At this moment, Wan Sanjin and Su He returned, having set fire along the way.

Wan Sanjin looked at Chu Ling and asked, “Yuan Luo and Commander Xiao took troops chasing after them. Should we go too?”

Chu Ling nodded. “I’ve taken the medicine. Let’s go together. Besides, we still don’t know how Qinglong is doing.”

“I’m fine!” Qinglong’s hoarse voice came as he limped forward, supporting his arm, his face pale and ghostly.

Su He hurried over to steady him.

Wan Sanjin took out a vial of divine water from his pouch, handing one to Chu Ling and one to Qinglong.

Qinglong received it and eyed Wan Sanjin suspiciously.

Wan Sanjin waved his hand hurriedly. “Everyone survived by a hair’s breadth. Forget about money now.”

Qinglong twisted open the cap and drank it down in one gulp. “Fine, but you must promise me an eight-thousand tael exemption.”

Chu Ling drank the divine water as well, regaining a small amount of strength. “How did you win?”

“That first Qinglong… right when he was growing more and more formidable, I don’t know what happened. He let out a howl of despair, convulsed, and collapsed. I seized the chance to take his life, then returned here to see if I could find you.” Qinglong panted, still shaken. If the timing hadn’t been perfect, he would have been the one dead.

Chu Ling recalled killing the Empress Dowager. Considering that she could control the First Qinglong, it was probably related to some kind of spirit insect.

Chu Ling turned to the others. “The soldiers attacking the city were secretly placed inside by the Empress Dowager. So Prince Rui, Prince Su, and the others must be defending. And the Emperor, being afraid of death, is surely hiding somewhere in the palace.”

Wan Sanjin asked, “So Fu Qingyu and the others want to kill the Emperor?”

Chu Ling nodded. “Fu Qingyu’s identity outwardly poses no problem, so only by killing the Emperor could he gain a chance. Besides, Bai Zhuoxing is opportunistic—he probably already switched allegiance to Fu Qingyu.”

“How can we find Fu Qingyu in such a huge palace?” Wan Sanjin frowned.

“No… we should find Eunuch Zhang!” Chu Ling looked at Qinglong. “You used to guard the palace. Can you find him?”

“The Cold Palace… hardly anyone goes there,” Qinglong replied. After quickly bandaging his wound, he led Chu Ling and the others at a fast pace toward the Cold Palace.

Cold Palace, Rear Courtyard.

The Emperor never expected anyone would be able to track him here. In a panic, he shoved Eunuch Zhang in front of himself to shield himself.

“You really are useless!” Chu Yue sneered, raising her greatsword to strike.

The Emperor shouted in terror, “Protect the Emperor!” and shoved Eunuch Zhang aside.

Chu Yue didn’t hold back—one strike ended Eunuch Zhang. The few guards didn’t even register; in just a few moves, they were all killed cleanly.

Finally, the Emperor was cornered.

At that moment, Chu Ling and the others arrived. The Emperor looked at her urgently. “Quick! Protect the Emperor! Whoever saves me will be made a princess and rewarded!”

Chu Ling gazed at him calmly. “We’ve seen you in such a pitiful state. Once you’re saved, the first thing you’ll do is kill us. And my father died by your hand—how could I possibly save you?”

Chu Yue sneered. “Then don’t save him.” With that, she raised her sword and struck without mercy.

Blood sprayed as the Emperor fell slowly, dying with eyes open, unwilling to accept death.

Chu Yue turned coldly toward Chu Ling. “Now it’s time to settle the score between us.”