Read Novel Full Chapter 1609 - 1602: Li Yunshu’s Fate
Chapter 1609 -1602: Li Yunshu’s Fate
The news about Li Yunshu was quickly learned by Xie Qingyi, who informed Su Yingxue and Duke Xie.
Chu Yihan nodded, “We can begin now.”
At night, Li Yunshu sent her personal soldiers to kill the people imprisoned in the imperial prison, but unexpectedly, they were caught red-handed by Wei Jue. The group had no idea why, despite their previous successes in assassinations, they were caught so swiftly this time. Even though they were prepared for death, Wei Jue timely intervened, preventing their suicide, and sent them to Qin Muyan that very night.
Upon interrogation by Qin Muyan, his brow furrowed deeply, “What’s going on? Why does the empress order you to kill the old guard and the senior doctor?”
None of these people knew, but they all claimed that everything was instructed by Li Yunshu.
Qin Muyan immediately wanted to confront Li Yunshu for clarity, but at night, he urgently received a memorial from Duke Xie, which, after reading, made him gasp in shock.
Qin Muyan pondered for a long time in the imperial study. He first summoned Duke Xie and was severely shocked to see him arrive with Su Yingxue.
…
For several days, both Fengqi Palace and Duke Li’s residence remained calm, but they were completely unprepared for the fierce storm that was about to rage over them.
First, Li Yunshu was captured. Qin Muyan found out from her soldiers about her orders to kill the old guard and senior doctor. It was she who falsely accused Rong Yun of having an affair with Mr. Nie. Moreover, Su Yingxue publicly verified that Qin Yu was indeed Qin Muyan’s own son, which dealt Li Yunshu a major blow, nearly driving her insane right in the great hall.
Seeing Li Yunshu’s downfall, Duke Li hastened to distance himself and his household from her, claiming ignorance of Li Yunshu’s actions. He said that the only reason he had given her personal soldiers was for her protection, and he requested the execution of those who had committed crimes on Li Yunshu’s behalf.
This drove Li Yunshu mad with rage. Qin Muyan had relegated her to Fengqi Palace, not yet to be dealt with, but she had already broken down, yelling in the palace, “Why is he innocent? Not a single one in Duke Li’s household is innocent! They are all guilty! They killed the late emperor and they still plot to seize the throne!”
“Is that so?”
Qin Muyan kicked open the grand doors of Fengqi Palace, glaring down at Li Yunshu with a grim expression.
Li Yunshu, disheveled with red-rimmed eyes, felt a tinge of fear, “Emperor… why are you outside?”
Qin Muyan had never once visited her in Fengqi Palace of his own volition!
“If I didn’t come, how would I discover your Li family’s… outward loyalty and inward treachery, scheming to usurp the throne!” Hatefully gnashing his teeth, Qin Muyan violently kicked away Li Yunshu, who was crawling towards him!
“Pfft!”
Li Yunshu spat out blood and fell to the ground, “Emperor, I love you. I just loved you too much, Emperor please listen to my explanation… Emperor!”
The gates of Fengqi Palace slammed shut. Qin Muyan ordered Li Yunshu to be tied up and closely guarded.
Dealing with Duke Li’s residence took considerable effort. Holding military power, Duke Li naturally would not be easily captured.
He thought he could put up a fight!
However, this rebellion suppression battle ended in just over a month. Qin Muyan speared him from his horse, beheaded him, and in front of all the troops, he crushed his bones and scattered them to the wind!
The case of Prince Zhao’s rebellion was reopened, and those in the Li family implicated in the rebellion were all imprisoned, their nine familial generations exterminated, and they were executed by lingchi!
The once illustrious Duke Li’s residence was destroyed overnight.
Before people could sigh in lament, they were shocked by another imperial edict from Qin Muyan.
“Depose Li Yunshu from her position as empress, for her callous heart and treacherous deeds, conspiring to rebel, murdering the Empress Dowager, the late empress, and the Eldest Princess; sentenced to death by lingchi, to be overseen by the emperor personally—”
After the eunuch declared the edict, Li Yunshu was taken to the execution ground.
From the moment she was stripped of her phoenix robes to this day, reduced to a miserable prisoner, it all felt like a dream.
Before she reached the execution ground, she seemed still to be lost in that dream.
In the dream, Xie Qingyi visited Fengqi Palace.𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
Li Yunshu yelled at her, “You wretched woman, what are you doing here!”
She knew Xie Qingyi was on the list of candidates to enter the palace and she despised her, fearing she would divide Qin Muyan’s affections.
Xie Qingyi, dressed in a white gown with a white flower in her hair as if mourning, approached Li Yunshu, chin slightly raised, eyes red-rimmed, and a trace of scorn flooded out, “I’m here to vindicate the unjust case of my hubby, to witness the downfall of the one who wronged him.”
“Your hubby?” Li Yunshu’s eyes widened. “You wretched woman! Clearly aiming to become a concubine, yet you had already engaged in private! It’s ludicrous that the emperor still values you, wanting to bestow on you the title of concubine, pah!”
“Tssk!”
Xie Qingyi plunged a knife into Li Yunshu’s abdomen.
Li Yunshu vomited a mouthful of blood, in disbelief, “You…”
“It hurts, doesn’t it, Li Yunshu.” Xie Qingyi’s eyes, filled with hatred, said, “My husband, named Xue Haoling, died in the chaos of war carefully orchestrated by your Li family. He was seriously injured and did not survive!
If I knew martial arts, I would ask the emperor to let me personally kill you, to slice you bit by bit into bare bones, making you wish for death from the agony!”
“You…” Li Yunshu was in so much pain that she couldn’t even speak.
Clearly Xie Qingyi’s stab wasn’t fatal, but it made her so miserable that she wished she could die immediately.
Xie Qingyi wiped her bloodied hand and left.
For her, it was like having a dream.
But on the execution ground, when she was pelted by the spared survivors with eggs, stones, and rotten vegetable leaves, she truly woke up.
Especially when she saw Qin Muyan waiting for her at the execution ground.
He stood on the execution platform, dressed in mourning clothes, a white band tied across his forehead, making him look exceedingly cold and unapproachable.
In her youthful days, she adored Qin Muyan. He was flamboyant and unbridled, the most vivid color in the Great Wei Dynasty’s capital.
The favorite young man of numerous Great Wei Dynasty’s women.
Back then, any young lady who could speak a word with him would be so excited that she couldn’t sleep for days.
She too was the same.
Back then, Qin Muyan…
“Li Yunshu, today, I will personally oversee the execution, and I will not let the executioner swing one stroke less!”
Qin Muyan’s cold words shattered Li Yunshu’s fantasies.
No longer able to indulge in memories, as she was forced to kneel on the ground, she felt sorrowful, “Your Majesty… Qin Muyan! How did we end up like this? You know I loved you, I was the person who loved you the most.”
She had loved him for over a decade, for more than ten years!
How many decades does one have in a lifetime?
“Snap!”
Qin Muyan swung his sword, slicing off her tongue.
His sharp movements carried a chilling decisiveness, “I don’t want to hear another word from you!”
Every word sounded extremely mocking, nauseating!
“Agh… uh uh uh… ah…”
Li Yunshu, her face covered in blood, was tied to the execution frame, as the executioner cut off her flesh slice by slice, precisely three hundred and sixty strokes, none less.
But she still hadn’t died, and those bloodshot eyes were still staring straight at Qin Muyan, as if trying to say: Qin Muyan, don’t hate me… I just couldn’t bear you becoming another woman’s forever!
After all, she should have been the one to accompany him through life!
Qin Muyan gazed at the bloodied, dying Li Yunshu, his mind flashing with the shadows of countless people.
“Imperial grandmother, mother, Imperial Sister-in-law… rest in peace.”
“Snap!”
Qin Muyan’s sword flew out, lodging in Li Yunshu’s neck. Her head rolled off like a ball, tumbling down, her eyes still filled with resentment.