Chapter 1115: Chapter 620: Yin Weiyin and Qin Qingluo

The Divine Master Tablets still stood solemnly there, exuding an ancient and heavy aura amidst the flickering candlelight and the pervasive smoke and blood mist. It was as if the deep vortex that had devoured a living person had never appeared.

Only the corridor pillar pierced by the spear, with sawdust fluttering down, and the violent trembling hum at the spear shaft’s tail, silently spoke of the shocking scene that defied reason and overturned perception.

Chen Yi... in her fatal strike, before the core Divine Master Tablet of her Qin Family’s Ancestral Temple... vanished into thin air?!

An indescribable chill, mixed with the fury of being fooled and a trace of panic she dared not admit, like a cold venomous snake, instantly coiled around Qin Qingluo’s heart.

Her fingers, gripping the spear shaft too tightly, turned pale and trembled slightly. In her snake-like pupils, the cold intent to kill did not fade; instead, it settled into a deeper, more terrifying cold abyss.

.......

The turmoil in the Qin Family’s Ancestral Temple on August 2nd had passed.

However, it did not subside completely.

The assassination attempt in the Ancestral Temple, though unsuccessful, had already shaken the entire Southern Border. It is well known that ’the great matters of the state lie in sacrifice and warfare’, and years ago, a powerful Vassal King of Bei Wei was merely banished for riding past the kiln outside the Ancestral Temple. During the Ming Dynasty, the Princely Heir of Prince Ning rode into the family temple, leading to the first charge of treason among ’twelve capital crimes’, executed by law.

The implications of this event are enormous, especially since the assassination almost succeeded, predicting a future of bloody storms.

In the torture chamber.

Qin Weini was hung on the torture rack, no longer with his previous composure and calmness. His white hair was disheveled and filled with mud and dark red bloodstains. In just one day, this high-status clan elder had become utterly miserable.

The wounds on his body were only superficially treated, with pus and blood solidifying on his clothes.

The executioners on both sides were about to continue the torture when they suddenly heard a shout from outside, "The Prince has arrived". They quickly stopped, respectfully heading towards the door.

The torture chamber was momentarily quiet, the sound of heavy armor scraping echoed off the walls, making even the flames seem a bit colder.

Qin Weini struggled to lift his filthy face, but was quickly pushed down by a nearby executioner. This noble clan elder with hereditary titles, now reduced to a prisoner, had even less dignity than common criminals.

The sound of the armor’s scraping stopped, and he sensed someone standing right in front of him, half a yard away.

The torture chamber brightened slightly, Qin Qingluo picked up scissors and trimmed the candle wick.

"Has everything been confessed?" asked the Prince of Annan.

The executioner eagerly showed a smile and bowed, presenting the confession book. The almost lifeless Qin Weini suddenly lifted his head and shouted, "Confess my ass!"

The executioner’s face turned pale, then flushed with anger, grabbing a whip and lashing this clan elder harshly.

The female prince did not stop it. Whether Qin Weini lived or died, he couldn’t affect the situation in the Southern Border.

Qin Weini inhaled sharply, blood gushing from his mouth. The little life he had left diminished with that lash. As the executioner turned to defend himself, claiming "This obstinate thief doesn’t relent", he heard:

"No need to explain. I know your tricks. This is a forced handprint."

The executioner shivered.

The Prince of Annan didn’t glance at the book, calmly stating, "You did well, claim your reward later."

The executioner felt relieved, gratitude surfacing in his heart, and retreated to the side.

Qin Weini wheezed unevenly, raising his head, his blurred and muddy old eyes reflecting that towering figure.

She stood taller than most men, even among the Qin Family, few could surpass her. Because of this, despite the numerous criticisms within the clan, outsiders never doubted her status.

"Do you regret?" asked the Prince of Annan, "If only you had ceased in time, or sought another chance, I would have had no way to kill you."

Qin Weini didn’t answer, only stared at her intently.

"Even today, there are clansmen risking their lives to petition for you, stating that the old tree has deep roots, and the old man possesses virtue. These people would rather face death, it’s pitiful and lamentable, leaving me unsure of what to do," the Prince of Annan said calmly. "However, I always love bringing things to a conclusion."

Qin Weini’s eyes widened, instinctively struggling to pounce forward, but he remained firmly bound to the rack, the chamber echoing only with the sound of scraping.

After a long while, he breathed heavily and rasped, "Just kill me, why waste words? You inherited the title as a woman, do you really think we’re blind... One day the truth will come out, and you’ll perish without a trace, ’while the mighty rivers flow on forever’!"

The Prince of Annan remained impassive, not even refuting, as if listening to a laughable accusation, rendering Qin Weini’s words feeble and powerless. After a moment, she slowly asked, "Who instructed you?"

"...aren’t they all in this prison... just kill them all." Qin Weini replied bitterly with sarcasm.

"No, not just them, but also your two legitimate grandsons, Changsheng and Changping, your three sons-in-law, and your two major grandsons-in-law, your chess friends, confidants, and drinking buddies. Oh, and of course, your alive and dead sons, the living executed, the dead’s graves destroyed."

As each word fell, Qin Weini’s face grew paler, almost like a corpse dug out from the mud.

The Prince of Annan and the Prince Mansion were heavily guarded, nearly impenetrable. There was only a chance during the autumn festival in the Ancestral Temple when the assassination could succeed. Qin Weini had nearly pulled off a flawless plan to insert the assassin in all places, yet a slight misstep led to near success.