The Slender Waist-Chapter 572 - 409: Soaring through the Skies

The crowds thronged Tonghui Bridge, not only were there Beiyong Army and attendants from the Grand Princess Residence, but also some nearby residents, all gathered outside.

In front of so many people, the Grand Princess had lowered her voice in entreaty.

Feng Yun even saw a flickering of tears in her eyes.

Everyone has their weaknesses and shortcomings.

For the Grand Princess, her brother Puyang Zong and sister Puyang Yi... were her most beloved.

Feng Yun remained silent, her gaze shifting to Pei Jue.

In the desolate autumn wind, his brows and eyes were cold, betraying no hint of emotion.

"Your Highness speaks amiss," he said.

Noticing the Grand Princess’s changing complexion, he added,

"The Prince is in Yuan Kang’s hands."

As if he was the one who had taken Puyang Zong hostage, he was asked to be merciful.

Of course, the Grand Princess did not mean that, and she knew that Pei Jue was aware she did not mean it, but clearly, Pei Jue was not inclined to give her any face.

Was this a grudge for the last incident?

The Grand Princess clenched her teeth in secret and shut her eyes fiercely.

"Prince of Yonghuai," she pleaded, "Yuan Kang is threatening my son’s life. Two fingers are already gone. As his mother, I cannot stand by and watch him die. Please, order the Beiyong Army to withdraw..."

Pei Jue asked, "If the Beiyong Army withdraws, will Yuan Kang release the Prince?"

Not necessarily.

The Grand Princess knew the chances were slim.

But at this moment, she could only hesitate to take action...

"Prince of Yonghuai." Tears uncontrollably welled in her eyes, the Grand Princess swallowed the acidity in her throat, her voice trembling and choking.

"I have no other choice."

At that moment, Yuan Kang did something in the carriage that caused Puyang Zong’s screams to pierce the air once more. Accompanied by his angry curses through gritted teeth and his groans,

"Mother, don’t let him get away... Kill him... Avenge me..."

The anguished voice, broken, hoarse, and humiliated, seemed to drag people into a pit of despair, causing onlookers to shudder uncomfortably.

Feng Yun frowned too.

Before today, she really hadn’t thought that Puyang Zong was such a tough nut to crack.

He would rather be a shattered piece of jade than an intact tile. He and Yuan Kang grew up together, and he surely knew him better than anyone else...

Perhaps Puyang Zong knew that even if he left Tonghui Bridge, he couldn’t escape Yuan Kang’s grasp, and that’s why he acted this way.

But as a mother, how could the Grand Princess give up?

Her rationale slowly crumbled amidst Puyang Zong’s continuous screams of agony.

"Prince of Yonghuai."

She articulated each word with finality, as if forced through clenched teeth.

"Are you so heartless as to sever my son and me forever?"

Pei Jue said, "Your Highness, I stationed troops at Tonghui Bridge to rescue the Prince of Danyang..."

The Grand Princess roared, "Prince of Yonghuai, do not push me!"

A human life was at stake.

A mother would do anything for her son...

She couldn’t control her emotions, her voice loud.

Around them, a bustling murmur of discussion quickly arose...

The dispute between the two changed the atmosphere instantly.

People’s gazes from both sides of Tonghui Bridge almost all turned in their direction.

The situation was on a knife-edge.

The crowd was silent, motionless as they waited, wrought with tension.

The calmer Pei Jue was, the more furious the Grand Princess became, antsy like an ant on a hot pot, teetering on the brink of collapse...

She glared at Pei Jue, gritting her teeth and lowering her voice.

"I do not wish to quarrel, but if the Prince of Yonghuai insists on his own way, disregarding my son’s life, do not blame me for being ruthless and becoming your foe..."

Pei Jue’s face was expressionless; he bowed slightly, "Your Highness should not make decisions in the heat of emotion."

"You accuse me of acting on a whim?" The Grand Princess’s eyebrows shot up, unable to contain herself any longer, she pointed at his nose and said,

"Pei Jue, you haven’t been a father and lack the heart of a parent. Do you not have a family of your own? Were you born from a stone crack? A cold-blooded monster!"

In her urgency, she spoke without considering her words.

Her remarks were exceedingly offensive.

Pei Jue remained composed, "Your Highness, stay calm."

"Pei Jue!" the Grand Princess shrieked, her tone altered, piercing and grating, making her complexion appear extremely unpleasant, "My son is in that carriage, two of his fingers severed. How do you expect me to stay calm?"

Their voices were not soft, and Feng Yun listened with utter clarity.

Pei Jue commanded a powerful force and seemingly was not afraid of a fallout with the Grand Princess.

Yet, in those days, people believed in the divine right of kings, and it was the royal family’s validation that legitimized the Dragon Throne which Pei Jue had established for Yuan Shangyi to sit rightfully.

If the Grand Princess decided to join forces with Yecheng, it would change the entire situation...

Perhaps it was a cunning plot from Yecheng; failing to cause discord at the banquet held by the He Residence last time, they could have attempted yet again...

Whose power would the enmity between the Grand Princess and Pei Jue benefit the most?

Obviously, it would be the Yecheng Imperial Court.

The true conspirator is the one who benefits.

Feng Yun pondered with a thoughtful gaze, her eardrums suddenly vibrating.

From the other end of the bridge, Puyang Zong’s screams came through once more...

The Grand Princess was pushed to the brink.

"Guards."

She whispered sharply, and the attendants immediately gathered around...

Pei Jue: "Your Highness, be cautious!"

The Grand Princess gritted her teeth, staring coldly at him: "If the Prince of Yonghuai refuses to open a path to survival, then for my child, I will have to fight my own way out..."

She was also of a tough disposition, and with a commanding shout, the guards immediately drew their swords. On Pei Jue’s side, the Imperial Guard Camp rushed forward, ready for battle.

Dark clouds rolled across the sky.

The crowd held their breath, watching motionless.

Fearing that in the blink of an eye, someone’s blood would splatter right there...

Just as the standoff reached a critical point, suddenly, there came an urgent report.

"Reporting to the Great King, the Prince of Yingyang has been brought here!"

Pei Jue’s brows were tightly knitted as he glanced at the Princess, then turned his head.

"Bring him forward."

The Prince of Yingyang wore only a plain robe, his hair in a topknot with no headdress, as if he’d just been dragged out of bed, disheveled and disordered.

The weather gradually turned chilly, and the wind at the bridgehead was strong. Yuan Tao, escorted to the Tonghui Bridge by guards, shivered incessantly.

Pei Jue spoke in a deep voice: "Call out to him."

Yuan Tao glanced at him, his lips trembling, then suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Kang’er! Why are you so foolish?" 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Pei Jue: "That’s not what you were supposed to say."

Yuan Tao, with tears in his eyes, looked towards the silent carriage at the other end of the bridge, suddenly overcome with grief.

"You just leave like that, have you abandoned your old parents? Your mother and I... have struggled to raise you, and you leave without a word. You want to kill us."

"Father!" Yuan Kang finally spoke up, his voice low and slow, carrying with it a chilling sense as it blew in with the cold wind.

"I’ve seen through it all. Bearing the name of the imperial family, we have nothing. In Andu, we would just waste our lives without any achievements. Only by allying with Yecheng can we have a chance to make a real difference..."

"Nonsense!" Yuan Tao rebuked sharply, his beard quivering.

In front of so many people, there were some things he couldn’t say. After scolding, he glanced at Pei Jue’s stern face and spoke loudly:

"Aren’t you going to release the Prince of Danyang, kneel, and apologize to the Grand Princess and the Prince of Yonghuai?"

Yuan Kang scoffed softly.

"Father, do you really think that apologizing now would make a difference? Don’t be naive. If I stay, I have only the path to death. If I leave, there’s a chance to fight."

Pei Jue queried: "Your father is in my hands, his life or death is up to me. How will you fight?"

He glanced at Yuan Tao and swiftly drew the Biyong Sword, pressing it against his throat, and coldly said:

"Cutting off hands and feet would be too troublesome. I’ll count to three, and if you don’t release the Prince of Danyang, I will take your father’s life."

Exchanging hostages is a common occurrence in confrontations between enemies. Pei Jue spoke as if it was the most natural thing, yet the intent to kill was clear.

The people present inhaled a cold breath at once.

Yuan Tao was no mere nobody...

He was the Prince of Yingyang of Dajin, of the royal family. Not yet sentenced, and to be killed just like that?

Pei Jue was too audacious.

Yuan Tao’s face had already turned pale with fright.

Yet Yuan Kang seemed unconcerned, scoffing coldly: "Father, why fear? Pei Jue is merely bluffing. You’re the Prince of Yingyang, personally appointed by the late emperor. Pei Jue is just another prince by another surname... He wouldn’t dare."

"Kang’er!" Yuan Tao suddenly cried out in pain.

The Biyong Sword pierced the skin, and blood flowed down his neck.

The shock was no less than that of Yuan Kang cutting off his finger.

All around was deathly silence.

Pei Jue: "One!"

His face was somber, his voice cold and detached, devoid of any emotion.

As his voice sounded, the tip of the sword pressed down further.

Yuan Tao was nearly frightened out of his wits.

One cry after another, calling out Yuan Kang’s name.

"Two!"

Before Pei Jue’s voice faded, tears had already fallen from Yuan Tao’s eyes.

"Son, do you truly disregard your father’s life?"

Yuan Kang’s voice came from the carriage.

"Father, your son shall avenge you."

Yuan Tao’s eyes widened, disbelievingly staring at the other end of the bridge...

The son he had raised with his own hands, at a life-and-death moment, had easily given up on him.

Yuan Tao said: "Ahzhi and Aze are watching. The way you treat your father now, they will treat you the same in the future..."

Yuan Kang remained silent.

The autumn wind whistled past, like sand flying and stones rolling.

In that brief silence, it seemed as if everyone was waiting for Pei Jue to utter that "three"...

However, Pei Jue did not call out. Instead, he said in a cold tone:

"Prince of Yingyang, farewell."

The sword flashed, and Yuan Tao suddenly cried out in pain, collapsing softly to the ground, making a loud noise...

Almost at that very instant.

"Ah!"

A piercing scream tore through the heavens.

The sound did not come from the conflicted end of the bridge but from the end where Yuan Kang was.

The stony-hearted Yuan Kang, in the moment his father fell, subconsciously pulled aside half of the curtain to look...

And in that critical moment, an archer from the Beiyong Army hiding nearby shot an arrow through Yuan Kang’s throat.