I am invincible, that's why I lie down. You're using your entire clan to rebel?

Chapter 299 I spared your life so that you could live to see how Xu Longxiang was defeated!

"Spies must be killed, of course."

At this moment, Qin Mu suddenly spoke up calmly.

These six words, when they landed on Liu Hongyan's ears, were like six thunderclaps, exploding one after another in her mind!

Her body began to tremble violently, starting in her fingers and spreading to her wrists, arms, shoulders, and her whole body.

She felt as if she had been thrown into an ice cellar, completely frozen from head to toe, inside and out.

Only those eyes were fixed on Qin Mu, their pupils filled with fear!

He still wants to kill her!

Liu Hongyan opened her mouth, her voice hoarse and broken:

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare my life! This humble woman...this humble woman is willing to do anything! Anything! I beg Your Majesty to spare my life! I beg Your Majesty—"

Qin Mu smiled as he looked at her.

"but--"

"I do not wish to kill anyone today."

Liu Hongyan's body jolted, her eyes filled with the relief of surviving a disaster.

Qin Mu's smile deepened as he looked at her.

"but,"

He spoke again, his voice still very soft, but it made Liu Hongyan's heart, which had just settled, jump again: "You may be spared punishment, but you cannot escape death."

Liu Hongyan's pupils contracted slightly, but she dared not speak, only staring intently at him, waiting.

Qin Mu looked at her and said, slowly and deliberately, "I have decided to demote you to a slave."

Liu Hongyan's body trembled slightly.

"lifelong--"

Qin Mu paused, his gaze passing over her and landing on the moon-white figure behind her:

"Serving Empress Liyang".

The moment the words left her lips, Liu Hongyan froze.

She knelt on the ground, her mind blank.

He was demoted to a slave.

For life. To serve Empress Li Yang.

These words echoed repeatedly in her mind.

Being reduced to a slave meant that she was no longer the envoy of the Northern Border, no longer the Crown Prince's capable assistant, and no longer the proud Liu Hongyan.

From this day forward, she was nothing but a slave.

A slave, the lowest of the low, devoid of any dignity, who can be trampled upon by anyone.

Liu Hongyan bit her lip tightly, feeling a sharp pain.

But the pain kept her conscious until the very end.

She told herself, "Just being alive is enough. Just being alive is enough."

She took a deep breath, turned her head, and looked at Zhao Qingxue.

Zhao Qingxue stood to one side of the long table, still with her hands at her sides.

The morning light streamed in from outside the palace gates, illuminating her and making her stunningly beautiful face exceptionally clear.

Those deep purple phoenix eyes were also looking at Liu Hongyan.

Eyes facing each other.

Liu Hongyan took a deep breath, turned her head, and faced Qin Mu.

Forehead, touching the ground deeply.

"I obey your command. I thank Your Majesty for sparing my life. I will serve Your Majesty the Empress with all my heart and will never dare to be negligent in the slightest."

Inside the hall, all was still deathly silent.

The civil and military officials looked at Liu Hongyan kneeling on the ground, at her humble and undignified appearance.

A hint of reluctance flashed in some people's eyes, while others lowered their heads, unable to look any longer.

Qin Mu nodded as he looked at her.

"Okay," he said.

Then, he withdrew his gaze, leaned back in his chair, and glanced at the trembling figures still kneeling in the hall.

"Alright. If there's nothing else, let's adjourn the court."

He paused, a meaningful smile curving his lips:

"Get ready—"

He spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Regarding the marriage between me and Your Majesty."

After he finished speaking, the hall remained deathly silent.

The civil and military officials stood still, looking at each other.

There was confusion, fear, and helplessness in his eyes.

They didn't know whether they should back down. They didn't know whether they should listen to this man. They didn't know whether they should just accept their fate.

Qin Mu looked at them without saying a word.

He simply leaned back in his chair, propped his chin on one hand, and calmly swept his gaze over the figures.

His gaze was calm, so calm that it was completely undisturbed.

But when it happened to those officials, it sent chills down their spines.

Silence spread throughout the hall.

That silence was like an invisible boulder, pressing down on everyone's heart.

Finally, someone made a move.

An elderly minister in purple robes slowly turned around.

His movements were slow and heavy, as if he had to use all his strength to turn even an inch.

His head was lowered, so his expression was not visible.

Only his slightly trembling shoulders betrayed his true state of mind at that moment.

He strode towards the palace gate.

His steps were unsteady, like that of an old man in his twilight years.

Once someone takes the lead, others follow suit.

One, two, three... those in purple robes, scarlet robes, and green robes turned around one after another and walked towards the palace gate.

No one spoke, no one whispered, and no one even dared to look back.

He simply walked on with his head down in silence.

The footsteps were chaotic and muffled, echoing in the empty hall like some ancient lament.

Zhao Qingxue looked at those backs, at those hunched, staggering backs that seemed to have aged ten years in an instant.

A ripple finally appeared in those deep purple, calm eyes.

But she didn't say anything.

I just stood there and watched them leave.

Zhang Julu was the last to leave.

He stood at the very front of the line, closest to Zhao Qingxue.

He turned around, not looking at Qin Mu, but only at Zhao Qingxue.

Those eyes, sharp all their lives, were now filled with weariness.

On that aged face, the wrinkles were even deeper than yesterday, and the white beard trembled slightly in the morning breeze.

He just stared at Zhao Qingxue for a long time.

Then, he slowly and deeply bowed.

The movement was slow and heavy, as if every inch of bending was a farewell to something.

When he straightened up, his eyes were slightly red.

He didn't say anything, but simply turned around and walked towards the palace gate.

His steps were slow and steady, but his back was terribly hunched.

Gu Jiantang stood behind him, looking at his aged, hunched back, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he said nothing.

He simply turned around and followed.

Li Chunfeng stood still, without moving.

He stood there, his blue Taoist robe fluttering gently in the morning breeze, his snow-white beard and hair gleaming silver in the sunlight.

He quietly turned around and walked towards the palace gate.

Their steps were light, as if they were walking on clouds.

But that silhouette revealed a deep weariness.

The palace doors slowly closed behind him.

With a soft "bang," the sunlight outside was cut off, along with the era that belonged to Liyang and would never return.

Zhao Qingxue stood in the center of the hall, watching the officials leave.

She looked at those loyal ministers who she had watched grow up.

One by one, like stray dogs, they left the hall.

Her eyes were slightly red.

But she gritted her teeth, refusing to let the tears fall.

Qin Mu's voice came from behind.

The voice was soft, with a hint of languor:

"Feeling sorry for him?"

Zhao Qingxue turned around.

She remained silent for a moment.

Then, nodded.

"Mmm," she said.

The sound was very soft, yet exceptionally clear.

Qin Mu looked at her, at her slightly reddened eyes.

She smiled softly.

He stood up.

I walked up to her.

stop.

Reach out.

His slender fingers gently brushed across the corner of her eye.

Wipe away the tear that hasn't yet fallen.

"Foolish," he said.

The voice was soft, yet carried an indescribable gentleness.

"They will thank you."

Zhao Qingxue was slightly taken aback.

Qin Mu continued, his gaze fixed on her face:

"They survived because of you."

"Because of you, Liyang did not suffer a bloodbath."

"Because of you,"

He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Only then did they manage to preserve their last shred of dignity."

Zhao Qingxue was stunned.

She looked at Qin Mu, at his deep, all-seeing eyes.

The complex emotions churned within me even more violently.

She pursed her lips.

He didn't speak.

He simply nodded slightly.

At this moment.

Only three people remained inside the hall.

Liu Hongyan knelt on the ground, her forehead touching the ground, and remained motionless.

She maintained this posture from the moment Qin Mu said "Dismiss the court."

I dared not move, dared not raise my head, and even dared not breathe loudly.

He just knelt there, like a lifeless statue.

Qin Mu walked up to Liu Hongyan and stopped.

Liu Hongyan's body stiffened abruptly.

She could feel him right in front of her, no more than three steps away.

Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest, but she dared not move, dared not look up, and dared not even breathe loudly.

He just kept his head down, staring intently at the pair of moon-white boots in front of him.

Qin Mu looked down at her.

"Do you know why I spared your life?"

Liu Hongyan's body trembled slightly.

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.

But she didn't have time to think it through; she answered instinctively, her voice hoarse and urgent:

"Your Majesty is merciful and has spared my life. I am deeply grateful—"

"No."

Qin Mu interrupted her.

"I will spare your life—"

He paused, leaned down slightly, and moved closer.

The voice was very low, so low that only the two of them could hear it, yet every word was clear, like an ice pick piercing to the bone:

"It's so you can live. So you can see it with your own eyes—"

He spoke slowly and deliberately:

"How did Xu Longxiang lose?"

Liu Hongyan's pupils suddenly contracted!

She suddenly understood everything.

Qin Mu spared her life not out of mercy, not because Zhao Qingxue pleaded for her, and not for any reason she believed.

Rather, it was because she was a staff member in the Northern Frontier, and one of Xu Longxiang's most trusted confidants.

He was someone who had personally witnessed the glory of the North. He was someone who had personally seen Xu Longxiang in his prime.

Let her live, let her witness firsthand how Xu Longxiang was defeated.

Let her witness firsthand how the North was destroyed.

Let her witness firsthand how the person she once served fell from grace to the dust.

Let her live, live in that endless, unbearable torment.

This is Qin Mu's true purpose.

This is a punishment more terrible than death.

Liu Hongyan's tears finally welled up and spilled out.

The tears slid silently down her swollen cheeks, dripping onto the gold bricks and leaving a small, dark stain.

She didn't cry out loud, but just knelt there, her shoulders trembling violently, letting the tears flow freely.

Qin Mu straightened up and looked at her like this.

In those deep eyes, there was no sympathy, no pity, only a cold satisfaction.

He didn't say anything more, but turned around and walked towards the palace gate.

The moon-white robe trailed across the ground, stirring up a faint breeze.

Zhao Qingxue turned around and followed.

The two left the main hall one after the other.

The morning light streamed in from outside the palace gates, illuminating the two men and casting their shadows on the ground, where they intertwined.

Liu Hongyan didn't dare to hesitate and quickly followed.

........