After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 624 - 618: Death

Yan Heng knew he wouldn’t survive, he glanced at the General’s personal guard who was waiting for his decision, his eyes lowered, scanned the items on the tray then picked up a dagger, chuckled softly and asked, "The General lacks such compassion, who prepared this?"

The trusted aide lowered his eyes, feeling somewhat sad, but he steadied himself and said in a low voice, "It was instructed by the housekeeper, to let Mr. Yan leave swiftly, at least leave an intact corpse."

Hearing this, Yan Heng felt a bit dazed, then bitterly smiled after a moment, "Unexpectedly, the General wants my head, not even leaving me an intact body, though I served by his side for years, in the end still not as good as Shi Le to Wang Yan."

Even Shi Le left Wang Yan with an intact body, not letting him face the sword.

Yan Heng drew out the dagger, looked down at it for a while before saying, "I have a few words, please pass them to Mr. Ming."

The trusted aide quickly bent over, "Please speak, sir, I will certainly convey your words."

Yan Heng said, "I lost this round."

"I overestimated myself, and misjudged the General," he continued, "He is not truly a clear and upright person, let him retreat to the mountains."

The trusted aide opened his mouth, wanting to say something on Gou Xi’s behalf, but Yan Heng had already resolved, plunging the dagger fiercely into his chest, leaving only the hilt outside.

The trusted aide’s eyes widened, rushing forward to cover the wound, but Yan Heng grabbed him, glaring fiercely, "Go, tell him not to forget our original intention, not to forget..."

The trusted aide nodded repeatedly with tears streaming down his face, "Rest assured, Mr. Yan, I will definitely tell Mr. Ming, I will definitely tell him."

Only then did Yan Heng relax, his hand fell, and his eyes closed.

Ming Yu rushed into the General Mansion with a sense of something amiss, stumbling and falling to the ground, feeling a pain in his heart, then vomited a mouthful of blood.

The servants were startled and quickly helped him up, anxiously escorting him to the hall.

Gou Xi heard that Ming Yu vomited blood and hurried to see him, "Sir, you are severely ill, why come out?"

Ming Yu quickly got up and asked Gou Xi, "General, do you know where Mr. Yan is now?"

The worry on Gou Xi’s face instantly changed, he let go of Ming Yu’s hand, and asked coldly, "Mr. Ming came for Yan Heng?"

"That’s right," Ming Yu said, "I implore the General to spare Yan Heng, he sincerely planned for the General."

"Nonsense, he insulted me in his letters, cursed me, is that for my own good?"

"If not for the General’s missteps, why would he advise?" Ming Yu hurriedly said, "We, as staff, are to correct the General’s actions, to prevent missteps..."

Gou Xi’s eyes showed ridicule, "Mr. Ming, you are staff, what you should do is to follow my orders, offer strategies, you are not the Imperial Censor, nor officials in the court, what is this talk of righting oneself?"

Ming Yu wanted to argue with Gou Xi, but thinking of Yan Heng, he suppressed his anger and asked gently, "But where is Mr. Yan now, is he okay?"

"He is already dead."

Ming Yu was stunned, looking at Gou Xi in disbelief.

Gou Xi glanced at him, and said crisply to the housekeeper, "Bring his body for Mr. Ming to see."

Ming Yu’s lips trembled, his face turned pale, disregarding ranks, he pointed at Gou Xi with a shaking finger, "You, you act no better than Jie and Zhou!"

Upon hearing this, Gou Xi’s face changed drastically, angrily said, "I had Yan Heng killed, what is it to you, that it compels you to counsel me, even comparing me to Jie and Zhou, do you also wish to join Yan Heng?"

The housekeeper feared the General might kill Ming Yu too, quickly stepped forward to support the staggering Ming Yu, saw the trusted aide carrying the body, immediately said, "Mr. Ming, take Mr. Yan back for burial."

Ming Yu stiffly turned to look at the corpse covered by white cloth, trembling he stepped forward and lifted the cloth, seeing his face as white as paper, a blood hole on his chest, immediately he wailed in grief, spitting more blood.

He had many words he wanted to say, many he wanted to scold, but seeing Gou Xi’s indifferent face with blood-red eyes, his agitated mood disappeared, leaving only disillusionment.

He wiped the blood from his mouth, leaned on a servant’s hand to rise, bowed slightly toward Gou Xi, and said, "Lift Mr. Yan, we are leaving." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Ming Yu had only brought a servant along, the housekeeper quickly had the trusted aides help lift the body, then carefully sneaked a glance at the General, also bowed and retreated.

Gou Xi watched Ming Yu’s departing back, pressed his lips together, feeling a slight regret in his heart.

Ming Yu stumbled as he held onto the servant’s hand following the stretcher outside, just meeting the urgent Huang Men at the gate.

Seeing the stretcher, Huang Men was startled, quickly asking, "Who is this?"

The trusted aide whispered, "It’s Mr. Yan."

Huang Men mourned, "We arrived too late."

Ming Yu then looked up at Huang Men, seeing the imperial edict in his hand, he understood and asked, "Who petitioned the emperor for the decree?"

Huang Men immediately lowered his head, "It was Minister Zhao’s request in the palace, we rushed all the way, the horse nearly died, but still came too late."

The Imperial Palace in Yun City where the emperor resided was not far from the General Mansion, how could it kill a horse? It was just words to claim credit.

Ming Yu pulled at his mouth corner but couldn’t find any fitting words, only waved his hand, "Thanking Minister Zhao and Your Majesty for the trouble."

After saying this, without waiting for Huang Men’s response, he staggering led his people down the steps, instructing the bearers, "Put him on the carriage, you may return."

The trusted aides loaded the body onto the carriage, as they stepped down stood by Ming Yu’s side, whispered, "Mr. Ming, Mr. Yan left words for you."

Only then did Ming Yu look at the trusted aide’s face, recognizing him as one of Gou Xi’s aides, Yan Heng had saved him once indeed.

Yan Heng spoke bluntly, not good-tempered, but that was with Gou Xi, in admonition, he was like that, yet to subordinates, he was gentle;

In contrast, Gou Xi was gentle to superiors, but very harsh to those below, especially to those around him, even a small mistake warranted heavy punishment.

This trusted aide had once angered Gou Xi, nearly beaten to death, because it was a minor error, Yan Heng pleaded, sparing him many lashes, leaving him alive.

Ming Yu moved closer, the trusted aide whispered, "Mr. Yan said, he overestimated himself, also misjudged the General, he is not truly pure and upright, ask you to retire to the mountains."

The trusted aide paused and then said, "But at last Mr. Yan also held me saying, don’t forget your original intention."

Ming Yu was stunned, after a long while nodded, "I understand..."

He stepped onto a stool to board the carriage, but upon raising his foot, he staggered nearly falling, it was only with the trusted aide half-supporting did he manage to get on.

Ming Yu leaned against the carriage wall, eyes downcast looking at the one lying at his feet.

As the carriage moved, only after a long time did he tremulously reach to open the white cloth, tears dripped drop by drop onto Yan Heng, the servant seeing him crying uncontrollably, yet without a sound, grew anxious, "Sir, cry out loud, cry out loud, you’ll feel better."