Chapter Seventy-Four: Mistake

Page (1/3)

The Seventh Prince was overwhelmed with grief, unable to restrain himself any longer, and spat out a mouthful of blood. Yu Hualiang, worried for him, turned to check, but was shoved away forcefully.

“Don’t… touch me.”

Yu Hualiang’s mind buzzed, tears streaming down his cheeks, rendering him speechless for a moment; even Cao Zhileng, watching him, could not bring himself to smile.

Perhaps thinking his current demeanor too weak, Yu Hualiang stood up and addressed Cao Zhileng, “I saved you…”

Cao Zhileng replied, “I won’t kill you. Come with me.”

As he spoke, he reached out to grab Yu Hualiang’s hand, but Yu Hualiang expressionlessly shook him off and said, “Fine, I’ll die. I have only one request: send the Seventh Prince back.”

The Seventh Prince looked at him in astonishment, while Cao Zhileng frowned, “Don’t bargain with me! He must die.”

Yu Hualiang lowered his head. At this stage, he truly had nothing left to lose. He walked slowly towards Cao Zhileng, who assumed it was resignation, ready to leave with him.

But the Seventh Prince, seeing this clearly, shouted, “Come back!”

His call distracted Cao Zhileng even more, and Yu Hualiang seized the opportunity, drawing a dagger and slashing Cao Zhileng, who recoiled in pain, quickly distancing himself.

Two soldiers moved to kill Yu Hualiang, but Cao Zhileng, clutching his wound, ordered, “Don’t touch him!”

The soldiers withdrew to stand by his side, awaiting orders. It seemed Yu Hualiang had awakened something long dormant within this body; his eyes now flashed with a murderous intent never seen before.

He had changed so much that even the Seventh Prince couldn’t recognize him. In his memory, Yu Hualiang had always been kind, willing to risk his own life to save others.

Cao Zhileng, too, was stunned as Yu Hualiang had just tried to kill him—the blade had slashed across his chest, and had Yu Hualiang raised his hand a little higher, it would have severed his windpipe.

Certain death. Yu Hualiang said coldly, “If you kill him today, I’ll kill you.”

“Don’t forget… who taught you martial arts.” Cao Zhileng lunged at Yu Hualiang, quickly overpowering him and pinning his knife-wielding hand.

Yu Hualiang barely had time to react before he was pressed against the wall. The Seventh Prince, fearing Cao Zhileng would harm him, tried desperately to rise and help, but his leg wound was too severe, his body unresponsive.

Cao Zhileng looked at Yu Hualiang and said, “I won’t kill you… but he must die. For your sake, I’ll let him die with dignity.”

On hearing that Cao Zhileng still refused to spare the Seventh Prince, Yu Hualiang suddenly lunged forward and bit his neck.

Cao Zhileng grunted, kicked Yu Hualiang in the stomach, and the intense pain forced Yu Hualiang to let go. Blood began to trickle from his lips, his body collapsing weakly against Cao Zhileng.

The Seventh Prince, seeing this, cried out anxiously, “Don’t harm him! If I must die, so be it!”

Cao Zhileng turned to him, “Even if he betrays you… you still protect him.”

He raised Yu Hualiang’s face, “No wonder you fight so desperately for him.”

“Let go…” Yu Hualiang rasped.

Cao Zhileng took a small vial from his pocket and tossed it to a soldier behind him, commanding, “Hold him down. Make him drink this.”

The Seventh Prince struggled, but after being kicked several times by the two soldiers, he was unable to move and had to drink the potion.

Yu Hualiang tried to intervene, but Cao Zhileng held him too tight. He could only watch helplessly as the Seventh Prince drank.

Cao Zhileng released Yu Hualiang, “This is the poison you gave my brother. He will die at midnight tomorrow.”

Turning to Yu Hualiang, he said, “I know you care for him… I’ll let you accompany him for a while.”

Yu Hualiang had not expected this outcome. He slumped to the ground, motionless.

Page (2/3)

Before leaving, Cao Zhileng instructed the two soldiers, “Stand guard outside. When Mu Zicheng breathes his last, take him back to the camp. If he tries to leave this house, bring him back immediately. Remember, not a single hair on his head is to be harmed.”

After Cao Zhileng left, the two soldiers kept watch outside. The room fell silent. Only after a long while did the Seventh Prince speak, “How long?”

Yu Hualiang, not understanding, asked, “What?”

“How long have you been planning to kill me?”

“I never intended to kill you,” Yu Hualiang replied.

The Seventh Prince breathed a sigh of relief, “I’m almost dead. Don’t lie to me. You were sent by him, weren’t you? You saved Lintang and Cao Zhileng, just so I could die honorably on this battlefield… In the end, I was no match for him.”

“Enough!” Yu Hualiang snapped. “I did everything Cao Zhileng said, I admit it! But there are things I must say!”

“I am not Yu Hualiang. Yu Hualiang died when he jumped into the river. I merely survived by inhabiting his body. The Yu family painting was a coincidence. I saved Cao Zhileng because he threatened me with a knife that night, and because he was pitiable.”

Yu Hualiang wiped the tears from his face, “Moreover… I won’t let you die… because I…”

The Seventh Prince’s eyes widened in disbelief, then he sneered, “Even now, you’re still concocting tales to deceive me…”

Before he could react, Yu Hualiang leaned over and kissed him on the lips, tears falling onto his face. The Seventh Prince was stunned, never imagining Yu Hualiang would do such a thing.

Tasting the sweetness on his lips, the Seventh Prince found it impossible to resist. Though he knew Yu Hualiang had caused his predicament, this kiss dispelled all his anger.

Thinking that, it seemed a blessing to spend his final moments with the one he loved.

He was about to embrace Yu Hualiang, but Yu Hualiang suddenly stood up, smiling and whispering, “Zicheng, wait for me.”

“What are you trying to do?” The Seventh Prince asked anxiously.

Yu Hualiang picked up the dagger and tied a cloth around the handle, fastening the other end to his own hand. His eyes glinted coldly, so much so that even the Seventh Prince felt a chill.

By then, night had deepened, and the two soldiers were exhausted. One yawned and complained, “Why must we wait for him to die on his own?”

“Shut up. The general gave orders. You saw what happens to those who disobey.”

The soldier swallowed, not daring to continue, but still restless. “Hey, I understand the general wants to kill the enemy’s commander, but why does he care about that pretty boy beside him, and won’t let us hurt him?”

The other soldier replied, “I heard that when the general went to assassinate their Mo Kingdom commander a few days ago, those two did something shameful in public. Maybe they’re camp prostitutes.”

“Huh? Who hires men as camp prostitutes? Why does our general want him?”

The soldier laughed, “You don’t know? Our general is that way… probably wants to take him for himself.”

The other shuddered, feeling uncomfortable, “Having a man serve…”

He glanced back at the door, “Still, that man is good-looking.”

“You’re not thinking… heh heh,” the soldier said lasciviously, “Since he’s just going to be taken back as a camp prostitute, why don’t we kill the commander now and try him out ourselves?”

The other soldier snapped, “Don’t entertain such thoughts! Just do as the general says!”

“Fine, I need to piss. Coming?”

The other looked at him, “I’m desperate too.”

He waved him off, “Go ahead.”

The soldier left, muttering, “Hypocrite.”

Page (3/3)

No sooner had he finished speaking than a white cloth flashed before his eyes; Yu Hualiang already had it wrapped tightly around his neck.

The soldier gasped for air, trying to draw his blade, when a voice whispered in his ear, “I am not a camp prostitute…”

He felt a sharp pain in his neck and died instantly. Yu Hualiang looked coldly at his corpse, “I am a painter…”

He dragged the body inside. The Seventh Prince was dumbfounded—Yu Hualiang had killed for him. He whispered, “Ziliang…”

Yu Hualiang raised his hand and shushed him, signaling him not to speak. Then, armed with the soldier’s sword, he crouched behind the door like a hunter waiting for prey.

The other soldier returned and saw his partner was gone, immediately suspecting trouble. He must have seized the chance to enter and kill the man.

Thus, he walked into Yu Hualiang’s trap without a care. As soon as he pushed the door open, he felt a chill at his neck.

Looking closely, he saw the sword pressed against him was held by that frail Yu Hualiang.

Seeing the dead soldier at his feet, he dared not move.

“You… you actually…”

Yu Hualiang barked coldly, “Shut up! Take me to the camp.”

“What?” The soldier was bewildered—Yu Hualiang didn’t kill him and flee, but wanted to go to their camp? Wasn’t that handing himself over?

“Move!”

The Seventh Prince realized Yu Hualiang was going to seek the antidote from Cao Zhileng. But wasn’t this a journey with no return? Fanhe was not solely under Cao Zhileng’s command. Cao Zhileng might promise not to kill him, but what of the others?

“Ziliang! You can’t go!” The Seventh Prince shouted hoarsely.

Yu Hualiang paused, “I owe Zicheng too much. If Cao Zhileng won’t give the antidote, I’ll die with Zicheng. Even on the road to the underworld… we’ll have company.”

With that, he seized the soldier and left. The Seventh Prince, for the first time, felt powerless. He desperately crawled towards the door, reopening wounds on his legs and body, blood pooling beneath him.

At last, he could crawl no further, clutching straw in his hands, closing his eyes in unwilling despair.

Yu Hualiang pressed the sword to the soldier’s back, walking for a long distance, his strength waning, hand trembling.

The soldier tried to escape, but suddenly felt a stabbing pain—Yu Hualiang had anticipated this, and pressed a dagger to his back, “Behave.”

After several miles, Yu Hualiang, having eaten little these past days, still ached from Cao Zhileng’s kick to his abdomen. His blood sugar was low, dizziness clouded his vision, face pale, as if he might collapse any moment. It was enough to tug at anyone’s heartstrings.

By then, the soldier surprisingly cooperated more. Yu Hualiang sensed it, though his emotions were too complicated to describe.

When they finally reached Cao Zhileng’s camp, Yu Hualiang realized it was much smaller than Mo Kingdom’s camp.

It could barely hold two thousand men. Apparently, this was the force Cao Zhileng had assembled to assassinate the Seventh Prince.

The guards at the camp were startled to see the two, “Who goes there?”

“Bring out Cao Zhileng!” Yu Hualiang shouted.