Chapter 353: Chapter 74: The Gift of Lawless Freedom_2
Jiang Li had taken only the personal belongings of the Fourth Prince; he left everything else untouched.
This statement was quite ironic, making the Fourth Prince’s siblings feel a burst of anger, followed by a sense of relief.
For they gathered from his words that he had no further plans to harm the Prince.
That was good.
Even though he considered his ability and realm to be above that of his opponent, the man was too enigmatic, instilling an involuntary wariness.
"What do you want?" the Second Prince asked in a deep voice.
"I want nothing, just to present a gift to the Second Prince."
The voice outside the carriage, light and mocking, said casually, "Yang Ji wasn’t granted death by decree; he was assassinated."
"I killed him."
Despite the Second Prince’s astuteness, this revelation stirred tumult inside him, no less shocking than when he had first speculated about the Emperor’s intentions.
He forcibly suppressed the turmoil within, steadying his voice as he said, "Yang Ji was confined in the Heavenly Prison!"
"That’s why I sneaked into the Heavenly Prison, killed him, and then escaped before your distinguished father could lay eyes on me," Jiang Li said calmly.
His tone, so casual, was like explaining how an elephant fits into a refrigerator, bearing a simplicity that hints at profound truth.
The Second Prince and the eunuch almost couldn’t help questioning, but they didn’t know how to start.
And the voice outside the carriage continued.
"What does this imply, you might understand without me saying more. Second Prince, this is an opportunity."
That voice, like a Heavenly Demon in Buddhist legends, stirred the wild ambitions in the Second Prince’s heart, igniting a wildfire.
The Emperor was old, anxious, and had grown weak.
Those who realized this could break the reverence and obedience they held for the Emperor and see a chance.
At first glance, it was merely a piece of news but, at such moments, it could give the Second Prince an edge, greatly enhancing his chance of ascending to the throne.
That is, if the Second Prince was willing to believe this seemingly absurd news.
"On what grounds should I believe you?" the Second Prince asked.
"The moment you asked that question, you were already trying to believe," Jiang Li scoffed, "You just need a reason, and besides, coming out of the palace at such a time, you might be holding onto some hopes, right?"
At times like this, who dares stick their neck out, for they would face reckoning afterward.
While other princes were lying low within the Imperial City, the Second Prince had chosen to venture out. Perhaps he had already guessed the situation of the Emperor and believed some of the rumors circulating in the streets.
"The reason you need is already within you."
A laugh arose, the words striking like a sharp sword, "You aspire to ascend to the supreme throne; is that reason enough?"
It was enough.
More convincing than any explanation or persuasion, this reasoning struck at the core of the Second Prince’s intent.
To ascend to the throne, thus seizing every chance. Even without the news from Jiang Li, the Second Prince might have taken action.
It felt as if a fire were burning within him, scorching hot.
His ambition had been fully ignited by Jiang Li.
Of course, there were some subtle manipulations involved, such as using the Heart Demon Secret Sword to influence his thoughts...
Jiang Li could assure that he had only acted as a talk therapist and had definitely not embellished upon those ambitions; his Heart Demon Secret Sword wasn’t that potent yet.
His role was only to ignite the spark, not to add fuel.
If it burst into flames, it was only because the man’s ambitions needed just one spark.
At this moment, the carriage began to slow.
The Second Prince and the eunuch exchanged looks, silently mouthing two words—"Inner City."
All the way, they had projected their Divine Sense, always on alert for any ambush or trickery around them. Therefore, when the carriage was about to stop, the Second Prince knew exactly where they were.
Of course, they had also considered probing the madman outside the carriage, but no matter how they used their Divine Sense to sense, they couldn’t get any feedback.
Outside the carriage, it seemed as if no one was there, not even the forms made of Qi that had appeared last time. It was as if the horse itself had started moving, carrying the two passengers all the way to this place—the Inner City.
The other party apparently had no intention of driving the carriage out of the Divine Capital, which also prevented any conflict from erupting.
Had the carriage left the Divine Capital, the safety of the Second Prince would have been difficult to guarantee. Although the Second Prince was a fifth-rank, possessing various Magic Artifacts and Dao Artifacts, his ability to protect his own life was absolutely not lacking.
But outside the Divine Capital, it was ultimately less safe than within it.
Because in the Divine Capital, if the Second Prince found himself in a desperate situation, he could still shout, "Daddy, save me."
The speed of the carriage gradually slowed down, coming to a stop in front of a mansion.
The plaque above the main gate appeared in his perception.
—Shen Mansion.
"Your Highness, this is the residence of Shen Yuan, the Left Inner Historian of Jingzhao Prefecture, who is in charge of the Outer City," the eunuch said through transmitted voice.
"It’s him," the Second Prince suddenly realized.
Jingzhao Prefecture’s Left Inner Historian Shen Yuan, the Lord Shen who had previously met with Lawless Freedom and who was mentioned as a man kind-hearted enough to not bear the sight of beggars.
At that time, motivated by public spirit, the Second Prince took note of him and later made further inquiries.
Jingzhao Prefecture, which managed the Divine Capital and its thirty surrounding counties, was an incredibly vital position despite being an unfortunate official working under the Emperor’s feet.
This was the Divine Capital, the capital of an entire dynasty where any position could prove crucial.
Especially now, as the Emperor was nearing the end of his reign...
Both publicly and privately, the Second Prince had to investigate him. If there was any leverage, he would either try to win him over or replace him directly, extending his reach into the Jingzhao Prefecture.
Lawless Freedom had actually driven the carriage here—he intended to...
...
...
An invisible Sword Light roamed inside Shen Mansion, passing through the main hall and heading straight for the main house.
The kind-hearted Lord Shen was at this moment deep in thought in the study of the main house, occasionally stroking his beard.
The Divine Capital was full of mysterious turmoil, and now there were all sorts of rumors circulating in the city. Recently, people had started to approach him, trying to persuade him to take sides.
To become an official of the Jingzhao Prefecture, Shen Yuan certainly had to pass the Emperor’s scrutiny and was, in theory, undoubtedly part of the Imperial Party, supporting the Emperor. But what could one do if Lord Shen was just too kind-hearted?
Lord Shen, known for not wanting to see beggars suffer, naturally wouldn’t stick stubbornly to one side.
As the saying goes, a wise bird chooses its tree to nest in, and those who understand the times are the truly talented. Shen Yuan, who considered himself capable enough to occupy the position of Internal Historian in the Jingzhao Prefecture, definitely regarded himself as among the talented.
Of course, one couldn’t simply switch sides outright; you can’t put all your eggs in one basket—what if His Majesty succeeded?
"Everything is for the sake of Jiangshan, Sheji," Shen Yuan chuckled stroking his beard.
"For Jiangshan Sheji, please die."
An unknown voice suddenly interjected; the wooden window of the study burst open, and wind and rain surged in.
A Sword Light suddenly appeared, seemingly tangible, seemingly formless, as radiant as daylight, and as deep as the ocean abyss.
Reflected in Shen Yuan’s eyes were two different lights: on one side was the clear and immaculate Sword Qi, vast and formless like the heavens; on the other side, shadowy and ghost-like lights, morphing into numerous fearsome and strange shadows.
His pupils seemed to be split in half by the Sword Light, vividly delineating the boundaries between the two.
At this moment, he seemed to see Heaven and also Hell.
"Thud—"
His rising body fell back into the Taishi Chair, emitting a dull sound like that of a dead thing, and Shen Yuan’s head drooped, his face seeming to be split into two halves, one side serene and indistinct, the other ferocious like a ghost.
He had gone to his death for the sake of the sacrificial altar.
The Sword Light circled around, exited the study, and at the same time the wooden window closed automatically, everything returning as it was before.
Outside Shen Mansion, the Second Prince thought of a certain possibility and immediately opened the carriage door, ready to get out.
Just then, someone who seemed to have heard the dull sound in the study, hurriedly burst inside, catching sight of Shen Yuan’s body immediately.