Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play-Chapter 872 - 848: Alive

Han Ziqi eventually decided to come to the Prince Manor to request an audience with Xie Jue. Xie Jue, unwilling to have any dealings with the Han Family, refused to see Han Ziqi. Han Ziqi hesitated at the door for a quarter of an hour before finally making up his mind and told the steward, "Please tell Prince Yan that I have news of Fang Chuning. If he refuses to see me, I will leave."

The steward dared not delay upon hearing this, but as soon as he left, Han Ziqi regretted it. Deceiving Xie Jue could lead to severe consequences. If Fang Chuning truly died in that great fire, how could he handle the aftermath? His heart was filled with anxiety as he chose to deceive.

He pondered over it, built up his psychological defenses, and developed his own narrative, which wasn’t entirely a lie.

The steward came out and led him to the study. Xie Jue had been in the study all day. When he saw Han Ziqi, his expression was indifferent. After the steward left, Xie Jue got straight to the point, "Han Ziqi, I have no mood to spar with you. If you dare tell a single lie, I will kill you!"

This was perhaps the first time Xie Jue spoke to Han Ziqi so rudely, without any verbal embellishment. Everyone knew this was his taboo. Should Han Ziqi dare to offend, he would show no mercy.

Han Ziqi remained calm. Having made a decision, he could not regret it now. Some things could only move forward, not backward. "Sannan has agreed to peace talks, and we have received the outcome we deserve. My family can ensure safety and live a peaceful life in the future. Why would I deceive you? That day, when I returned to Chaoyang Palace, I saw you being escorted away. At that time, Fang Chuning was still fighting with the Forbidden Army in Chaoyang Palace. You had just left, and I arrived right after. I even called out to you at that time, do you remember?" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Xie Jue had long since forgotten. The situation was too chaotic at the time. He was very worried about Fang Chuning and knew that only by escaping could he help Fang Chuning. Behind him were the relentless Sannan Forbidden Army. Even if someone called his name, it was drowned out by the furious cries of the Sannan Forbidden Army.

But if Han Ziqi spoke truthfully, then Anning really was still at Chaoyang Palace at that time.

A glimmer of hope ignited in Xie Jue’s heart. "What happened afterwards?"

His tone already hinted at some hidden hope.

Han Ziqi said, "Fang Chuning, alongside the remaining Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, fought desperately. Yet, they were outnumbered and forced back near the great fire at Chaoyang Palace. Some indeed got swept into the fire, but not Fang Chuning. He was struck by arrows and was later taken away by the High Priest."

"Is this true?" Xie Jue clenched his fists.

"If there’s any falsehood, you can take my life at any time. However, as to where the High Priest took Fang Chuning, I truly do not know. The situation was too chaotic then, and few from the Forbidden Army heeded my command; most were beguiled by the High Priest. I knew that when you led the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry there, we were doomed, so I had no choice but to turn back and get my family members to leave."

Xie Jue slowly approached Han Ziqi. In terms of combat prowess, Han Ziqi was actually on par with Xie Jue, but he was shorter by a good margin. As Xie Jue approached him step by step, Han Ziqi could only feel an overwhelming sense of oppression. It was like a cold, thin blade pressed against his neck, and his courage to make eye contact with Xie Jue was fading away.

It was terrifying!

This was Xie Jue, calm on the surface yet about to explode. Others may see him as tranquil, but the reality was different; Han Ziqi could feel Xie Jue’s wrath.

Han Ziqi was guilty, for he had lied. He hadn’t seen Fang Chuning being taken away by the High Priest, yet he indeed spoke partial truth. At that time Fang Chuning was still alive, was indeed struck by arrows, and fell to the ground, his fate uncertain. The flames of Chaoyang Palace nearly engulfed his robes, so Han Ziqi believed that Fang Chuning must have perished in the inferno. He confronted the High Priest in anger but was powerless. The High Priest advised him it’s best to arrange for the concubines and princesses to leave, or everyone would be buried in the Royal Palace. The High Priest intended for the Royal Family’s ruin; why would he kindly warn him to take the concubines and princesses away? He had arranged explosives in the secret passage, aiming to bury everyone in the Royal Family alive. Before he left, Fang Chuning was still lying on the ground, and Han Ziqi knew nothing afterwards.

Xie Jue suddenly grabbed his throat, forcing Han Ziqi to lift his head and meet Xie Jue’s eyes. There was a hint of a smile in his eyebrows, seeming joyful yet also mad, "Are you deceiving me?"

"I’m not lying to you!" Han Ziqi’s heart raced, guilty and tense, he could only desperately recall details to save his life. He knew if he couldn’t provide more precise information, Xie Jue might kill him. He didn’t want to provoke a madman. "When I turned back, I indeed saw Fang Chuning struck by arrows, covered in blood. Oh, right, a jade pendant from his waist even fell off at that time."

Xie Jue’s fingertips trembled. Fang Chuning, during his time with the Beiman, had carved a concentric jade ring for him, which he always wore around his waist. After returning to Ningzhou, Xie Jue, in return, also prepared a pair of concentric jade pendants for him. However, his was of jadeite, while Fang Chuning’s was of white jade. When Fang Chuning was escorting him out, he caught a fleeting glimpse of a jade ring falling from his waist.

In the next instant, Xie Jue tightened his grip, nearly crushing Han Ziqi’s throat, his eyes reddening as he roared, "Why didn’t you say so back then? Why?"

Han Ziqi, with his throat constricted, couldn’t breathe, his face flushed blue and purple, and he couldn’t help but struggle desperately. Xie Jue abruptly let him go, and Han Ziqi slumped into the chair, greedily sucking in air, still shaken; his neck had nearly been snapped by Xie Jue.

"I wasn’t even sure about his life or death at the time. Even if I had told you then, and if you couldn’t find Fang Chuning, you would’ve thought I was lying to save my life or to propose conditions. I just didn’t want trouble. You had people searching around the Royal Palace, and I did too. I was even thinking if I found him, perhaps I could do a good deed for once, and you wouldn’t hold it against me. I hope even more than you do for Fang Chuning to be alive!"

"You’re quite laughable!" Who in this world hoped more for Fang Chuning to be alive than him? He was even willing to trade everything he had, his identity, status, power, respect, as long as it was his to give, "So why are you saying it now?"

"We remain blood-related cousins, regardless of whether you want to acknowledge us. We are still brothers, Xie Jue. With the peace talks being settled, I don’t want another enemy. The Han Family gaining enmity with you yields no benefit, better to grant you a favor. I also wish for you to find Fang Chuning. The Han Family can also fare better in Mudan City. I didn’t say it in Mudan City because I truly wasn’t sure of his whereabouts. The High Priest bears deep-seated hatred for you, if he really took Fang Chuning, it would bode ill for him!"

"If he wanted to kill Anning, he could just throw him into the fire, taking him means he won’t kill. You should have told me in Mudan City!" Xie Jue’s face turned pale. If the High Priest took Anning, where would he hide? When he killed the High Priest, he did not reveal anything. When he killed all the priests, they revealed nothing. When he razed the temple before them, the High Priest even laughed. Xie Jue suddenly felt icy cold all over.

Could it be... he himself had killed Anning?