Chapter 526: Chapter 354: Eight Sufferings_2

Rong Jing once envied everything about the Xie Family, but he couldn’t change anything. He intended to make it up to Xie Yun, but Xie Yun chose a path opposite to his, making those debts forever impossible to repay.

He thought that his brother would never betray him, but after so many years, it was merely a play enacted for him;

and Xie Yun was his true brother; he could not let him die like this.

Rong Jing’s eyes grew even darker, with shadows and resentment seeping out.

"Emperor, Ning An fears the Second Prince won’t hold on for much longer..." Rong Miaoyan whispered softly beside him.

Rong Jing’s eyes darkened, and his hands clenched into fists.

Rong Qijun, that useless piece of trash, couldn’t wait to raise troops even though he wasn’t dead yet. With just those few hundred people in his mansion, wasn’t he courting death? Yet he had to involve Xie Yun’s life.

Rong Jing looked at Song Zhi, hoarsely speaking: "The only one I can trust now is you."

Realizing what Rong Jing was about to say, Song Zhi’s eyes filled with tears. He kowtowed and said, "What orders does Your Majesty have, I will obtain them for you, even if it means my death."

"You said earlier there are three thousand imperial guards hiding in the shadows. Since that’s the case, then you immediately leave the palace to rescue Xie Yun and then... give Rong Qijun a thorough beating for me."

"Your Majesty!" Tears streamed down Song Zhi’s face.

He could no longer control his inner grief. He stepped forward and grabbed Rong Jing by the collar, questioning in agony and despair, "Didn’t Your Majesty say he was the most selfish person under heaven? Then why save Xie Yun! Even if he is—"

He cut himself off forcefully, glanced at Rong Miaoyan beside him, and felt a metallic taste in his throat.

Princess Ning’an still didn’t know Xie Yun’s identity. She was after all Rong Jing’s most beloved daughter and the only one standing here at this moment.

Rong Jing let Song Zhi pull at him, his body swaying until he nearly fell.

"I will go find the Imperial Physician for Your Majesty—" Song Zhi, eyes red with tears, hastily supported him.

"No need." Rong Jing barely steadied himself, stopping him in a low voice.

It seemed that the wounds on his body had opened, a trace of blood spreading, staining a small patch of cloth on his chest where the red Dragon Robe was. Yet he couldn’t feel much pain.

Because over the years, due to the Heart-devouring Incense, Rong Jing had long been numbed to most types of pain. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

His deep, magnetic voice still had its allure, almost regaining some of its former luster. He said, "This is my last decree. I don’t want Xie Yun to be killed by that fool."

"Doesn’t Your Majesty have the heart to let me save Xie Yun and then watch you die?"

Song Zhi’s hoarse shout seemed as if his heart had been stabbed through and torn apart, the cold wind howling past, sweeping through his hollow chest.

Rong Miaoyan stepped forward, her gentle voice attempting to ease the heavy atmosphere in the hall:

"Commander Song, right now, only you can save Xie Yun and Rong Qijun. Rest assured, I am still in the palace, and I will bring Lan Nu and the remaining people of the Inner Supervision to protect the Emperor.

If the rebels breach the palace gates, I will take the Emperor away."

Rong Jing, meeting Song Zhi’s eyes filled with unwillingness and despair, seemed touched in his heart, and gently waved his hand: "Go ahead, Ning An is in the palace, I will be fine."

"But—"

Rong Jing gazed directly into Song Zhi’s clear black eyes, exposing a genuine, gentle smile, saying:

"I promise you, I will live to see you return."

Song Zhi’s entire being shuddered, his eyes trembling, he kneeled deeply before Rong Jing, and only then did he stand up.

For the only time in his life, he boldly stared at the Emperor, without the loyalty of a subject or the reverence of a servant, with emotions in his eyes that only Rong Jing could understand.

He wanted to etch the person in front of him into his heart forever.

"I will not fail in my mission, Rong Zhongxu, you must keep your promise too."

Song Zhi did not call Rong Jing ’Your Majesty’ but used his scarcely known courtesy name.

Rong Jing was slightly stunned, a quick glint of moisture flashed in his eyes, his lips carried a faint smile, gently nodding, and the shadows between his brows instantly dissipated a lot.

Song Zhi turned to Rong Miaoyan, intending to entrust Rong Jing to her with his gaze, but she lowered her eyes without meeting his, the tear mole at the corner of her eye seductive and beautiful.

"I take my leave."

Song Zhi could only avert his gaze. He opened the palace doors, where Deputy Tan Ce had long been waiting at the door, handing him a treasure sword inlaid with gold and tiger eye stone.

"Commander, the palace gates are about to be breached, and the palace is in utter chaos... When will those three thousand strike?"

"Use the secret passage under Yongshou Palace and go to the Second Prince’s Mansion!" Song Zhi commanded in a deep voice.

Before the palace doors closed, Lan Nu entered with a new bowl of medicine and silently stood in a corner.