activa-t Chapter 225 Ingratitude and Deceit (The End)
Chapter 225 Ingratitude and Deceit (The End)
Standing atop the city wall, the commander of the Imperial Guards gazed at the "Chen" banner fluttering in the distance. He suddenly recalled the court officials' assessment of the seal-bearer.
Shen Xuntang's strategies are flawless!
His plans were flawless, truly flawless!
Now, he truly understands it.
He also thoroughly investigated and cleared himself of all charges.
Even the toughest men, who never shed tears, are now filled with grief.
He looked up at the sun, which was now obscured by dark clouds, and silently shed tears.
He understood the key point in that instant.
Bu Shaoluan, who was beside him, had already staggered down the city wall.
The young emperor appeared to be insane, with bloodshot eyes, and ran straight toward the city gate.
Despite it being a straight road, he stumbled and fell many times. Baili Weisheng and Ning Yi tried to reach out to help him, but Bu Shaoluan pushed them away.
He was like a mad pilgrim, facing treacherous paths, yet stubbornly kneeling and worshipping the gods.
The crown sat askew on his head, disheveling his hair which he had combed that morning.
The imperial guards at the city gate looked at the boy staggering towards them, their expressions hardening, but they still performed their duties.
"Your Majesty, the enemy army is gathered outside the city; the city gates must not be opened."
Bu Shaoluan raised his head slightly, looking at the two groups of people blocking his way as if they were dead.
"Step aside."
The guards exchanged glances, but no one made a move.
"Step aside!"
The boy's voice carried a hint of sternness, and the squad leader, despite the emperor's icy gaze, insisted, "Your Majesty, the city gates must not be opened!"
Bu Shaoluan had lost his patience; the tightly closed city gate before him was the obstacle between him and A Tang.
And these people in front of us are the obstacles blocking our way.
Since that's the case, then let's kill them all!
The boy's eyes sharpened, and he drew his sword from his sleeve.
The guards in front of them were on high alert.
The people following Bu Shaoluan tried to stop him, but were deterred by a single look from the young man.
Tang Yi pursed her lips, stepped forward, and stood with Bu Shaoluan.
Ning Yi was getting anxious. One problem hadn't been solved yet, and now another one had come along to make things worse.
Tang Er lowered his head, a smile playing on his lips, raised his hand to stop the anxious Ning Yi, and shook his head at him.
"You can't stop Tang Yi."
There's no one here who can stop him.
Feeling someone standing beside him, Bu Shaoluan's eyes flickered. It was the bodyguard who had always been by A Tang's side.
Tang Yi loosened his wrist and laughed heartily, "Your Majesty, I'll help you find your master."
Just as the two sides were facing off, the commander of the Imperial Guards stood behind them and said in a deep voice, "Open the city gates."
Bu Shaoluan glanced sideways, and the commander returned a smile.
Since the Master of Seals has let him get involved in this game, he will naturally lend him a hand.
The city gates opened.
The rebel army outside has been completely surrounded by Chen Qing.
Everywhere you look, there are severed limbs and dismembered bodies; enemy corpses are piled up in front of the city gate.
The crimson blood soaked the yellow earth.
Bu Shaoluan searched for Gu Yao's figure all around. In the darkness that gleamed with a cold light, the red figure leaning against the city wall stood out.
The boy ignored the pile of corpses at his feet; his mind was only focused on that splash of red.
After stumbling and falling all the way, he finally stood in front of Gu Yao.
The handsome young man's face was now stained with dried blood, making it impossible to tell whether it was from an enemy or his own.
His pale face was eerily white, and his thin body was riddled with sharp arrows. The boy's fingers trembled as he tried to hug the person in front of him, but he didn't know where to begin.
He became completely silent.
The light in front of him was blocked, Gu Yao's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he opened his eyes with difficulty, only to see the boy's disheveled appearance.
His face was covered in dust and tears, making him look comical and ridiculous.
Seeing that the person was awake, Bu Shaoluan's face lit up with joy. "A-Tang, I'll go and call the imperial physician for you. Don't sleep, don't sleep, please."
As Bu Shaoluan was about to get up, Gu Yao grabbed his sleeve.
He turned around, somewhat puzzled, only to see the young man gently shake his head.
His pale face was full of composure, as if he had known all along that he would face this calamity.
He accepted death peacefully.
Bu Shaoluan, however, could not accept it.
He seemed somewhat deranged, clutching his head and muttering to himself, "No, A-Tang will be alright. Let's find the best doctors. Isn't there a Medicine King Valley in the martial arts world? They can definitely save A-Tang."
The boy's tears washed away the dust from his face, making his entire face look comical and ridiculous.
Gu Yao felt that the dust on the boy's face was an eyesore for no reason. He raised his hand to wipe the dirt off the boy's face, but his arm, which had been pierced by an arrow, could not lift up any strength.
He could only endure the pain and softly call out the boy's name.
“A-Luan”.
It was so light and barely audible, yet Bu Shaoluan heard the call clearly amidst the noise.
He looked up and met the young man's calm and tolerant gaze.
The manic and bloodthirsty frenzy quickly faded from my mind.
The boy looked somewhat dazed.
Gu Yao raised her hand, wanting to hug him.
But they were willing but powerless.
"Ah Luan, hug me."
As if he had received some imperial decree, Bu Shaoluan helped the young man up and let him lean against him.
With just the slightest movement, Gu Yao felt pain in his internal organs.
The sunlight overhead was so bright it was almost blinding.
The tip of his nose smelled of osmanthus, Gu Yao's favorite fragrance.
Ever since he told the boy he liked osmanthus, he changed his incense to one with the scent of osmanthus.
The boy always took to heart any casual remark he made.
Amidst the stench of blood, Gu Yao found a long-lost peace.
It makes people nostalgic.
He didn't speak, but simply leaned quietly against the boy's chest.
Bu Shaoluan looked down at the person in his arms.
0529 stayed by Gu Yao's side, looking at the countdown on his hand, and frowned.
"Host, it's time to leave."
Having endured suffering to stay in this world a little longer, it's time to leave now.
His eyelids began to feel heavy. Gu Yao bit his tongue lightly, trying to muster some energy. "A-Luan, I'll give you another character. Ji Chu, is that alright?"
Gu Yao couldn't see the boy's expression clearly, but he heard a low, slightly choked voice, "Okay, what A-Tang said is all true."
Hearing the boy's address, Gu Yao frowned, but darkness was already gradually engulfing his consciousness.
The sky above was bright, but Gu Yao felt inexplicably dazzled.
“Ji Chu, my name is Gu Yao, Duke of Cheng, from the Gu family… Gu, Yao.”
As he spoke, Gu Yao had already detached from the body.
He looked at the boy, his voice choked with emotion, calling his name, but no one answered.
She held his body and wept uncontrollably.
The voice was mournful.
Gu Yao's heart also clenched slightly.
0529 observed Gu Yao's expression and asked timidly, "Host, shall we go?"
Gu Yao twirled his fingertips, then looked away. "Let's go."