Chapter 271: The Court of Power and the News of Death
Morning in the imperial capital carried a different weight.
The sky was clear—
But the air felt heavy.
As if sothing unseen pressed down on the city.
—
Inside the Imperial Court—
Officials had already gathered.
Rows of ministers stood in their designated places.
Silk robes in shades of red, blue, and gold filled the grand hall.
—
Whispers moved quietly among them.
—
"Why was court summoned early today?"
"Sothing important..."
"I heard the Duke family has entered the capital..."
"No, no... it’s about the recent strange incidents..."
—
At the front—
The Cheng family stood together.
Composed.
But alert.
—
Beside them—
The Chaeng family.
Proud.
Confident.
—
Further to the side—
The Shin family, watching quietly.
—
And among them—
Ministers.
Scholars.
Officials.
—
Everyone waited.
—
Then—
The announcent echoed.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
—
Silence.
—
Every official straightened.
—
The Emperor entered.
—
His presence filled the hall instantly.
Cold.
Authoritative.
Unquestionable.
—
All bowed.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
—
"Rise."
—
They stood.
—
The Emperor walked to his throne.
Sat.
Looked across the court.
—
His gaze sharp.
asuring.
—
Then—
He spoke.
—
"There is an announcent."
—
The court stilled completely.
—
"The daughter of the Chaeng family..."
"...will be married into the Cheng family."
—
A ripple passed through the hall.
—
Eyes shifted.
Expressions changed.
—
The Emperor continued,
"...to Cheng li."
—
Now—
The reaction was clearer.
—
The Cheng family looked stunned.
Then—
Delighted.
—
The Chaeng family maintained composure.
But their satisfaction was visible.
—
The Emperor raised his hand slightly.
"And as reward—"
—
"...the Cheng family will be granted additional land."
—
Gasps.
—
"And..."
"...Cheng li will be elevated to a Second-Level Scholar."
—
Now—
The court could not remain silent.
—
Whispers spread rapidly.
—
"Second level?!"
"He struggled for years!"
"This is sudden..."
"This marriage—"
—
At the center—
Cheng li stood frozen.
—
His mind raced.
—
Years.
He had tried for years.
Failed.
Again and again.
—
And now—
One marriage.
—
Everything changed.
—
His fists tightened slightly.
—
"...Grandmother was right..."
—
He stepped forward.
Kneeling.
—
"This humble subject thanks Your Majesty!"
—
The Cheng family followed.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
—
The Chaeng family bowed as well.
—
The Emperor watched them.
Expression unreadable.
—
"...Serve well."
—
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
—
The mont settled.
—
Then—
The Emperor’s gaze shifted.
Colder now.
—
"...Next matter."
—
The court grew silent again.
—
"Recently—"
"...there have been rumors."
—
He paused.
—
"Of the dead returning."
—
A chill passed through the hall.
—
So ministers lowered their heads.
Others exchanged glances.
—
The Emperor continued,
"...and strange incidents."
—
"...Disappearance."
"...Reappearance."
"...Unexplained behavior."
—
His voice deepened slightly.
—
"I have investigated."
—
Silence.
—
"From the information gathered—"
—
"...I do not believe the rchant was dead."
—
Shock.
—
Murmurs broke out again.
—
"Not dead?!"
"Then what about the burial?!"
"Impossible!"
—
The Emperor’s voice cut through.
—
"He deceived the people."
—
The court stilled instantly.
—
"There is no confird evidence of death."
—
A minister stepped forward cautiously.
"Your Majesty... then the rumors—"
—
"Rumors," the Emperor said coldly.
"...can be created."
—
The hall quieted again.
—
The tension eased slightly.
—
So ministers nodded.
"Yes... that is possible..."
—
"People exaggerate..."
—
"Fear spreads quickly..."
—
For a mont—
The court seed to stabilize.
—
But then—
—
The doors burst open.
—
"Your Majesty!"
—
A guard rushed in.
Breathing heavily.
—
The entire court turned.
—
The Emperor’s gaze sharpened.
"...Speak."
—
The guard dropped to his knees.
—
"Urgent news from the Chaeng family!"
—
The Chaeng family stiffened.
—
"...What happened?"
—
The guard’s voice trembled.
—
"...The Chaeng family’s daughter..."
—
A pause.
—
"...has committed suicide."
—
Silence.
—
Complete.
Absolute.
—
No one moved.
—
No one breathed.
—
The words—
Hung in the air.
Heavy.
Unreal.
—
"...What?"
—
The Chaeng family head stepped forward.
His face pale.
—
"...Say that again."
—
The guard lowered his head.
"...She has taken her life."
—
Shock rippled through the hall.
—
"No..."
—
"How is that possible?!"
—
"She was just—"
—
"Marriage was announced—"
—
The Cheng family froze.
—
Cheng li’s expression shattered.
—
"...No..."
—
His voice barely ca out.
—
"This... this can’t be..."
—
The Chaeng family head staggered slightly.
His composure breaking.
—
"...Impossible..."
—
The Emperor did not speak imdiately.
—
His gaze darkened.
Deepened.
—
Because this—
Was not coincidence.
—
A marriage announced.
A reward granted.
—
And imdiately—
Death.
—
Too fast.
Too precise.
—
The hall erupted.
—
"Investigate!"
"This is suspicious!"
"She wouldn’t do this!"
—
The Emperor finally raised his hand.
—
Silence returned instantly.
—
"...Seal the Chaeng residence."
—
His voice was cold.
—
"No one enters."
"No one leaves."
—
The guard bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
—
The Emperor continued,
"...This is not suicide."
—
The entire court froze again.
—
"...It is a ssage."
—
A chill ran through every official present.
—
Because now—
They understood.
—
This was no longer politics.
—
This was sothing darker.
—
Sothing—
That had begun to move openly.
—
And the court—
Had just witnessed—
The beginning of sothing far more dangerous.
—
The Emperor’s gaze swept across the hall.
—
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
—
"...Find the truth."
—
Because now—
There was no doubt.
—
The ga—
Had changed.
Four Deaths and One Truth
The imperial court did not recover from the first shock—
Before the second one arrived.
—
The guard who had delivered the first news had not yet lifted his head.
His breathing was still uneven.
His hands trembling against the marble floor.
—
The Emperor’s gaze sharpened.
"...You are not finished."
—
The guard stiffened.
Then—
Lowered his head further.
—
"There is... more, Your Majesty."
—
A chill swept through the court.
—
The Emperor’s voice dropped.
"...Speak."
—
The guard swallowed.
—
"...Other guards have just arrived from the Chaeng residence."
—
"Three more girls..."
"...who had given testimony earlier..."
"...have also committed suicide."
—
Silence.
—
No—
Not silence.
—
Sothing deeper.
Heavier.
—
The kind that suffocates.
—
"...Four?"
—
A minister’s voice broke faintly.
—
"Four girls... all dead?"
—
The guard’s voice trembled.
"...Yes, Your Majesty."
—
Shock rippled violently through the hall.
—
"This is impossible!"
"Four people?!"
"All at the sa ti?!"
—
The Cheng family froze in horror.
—
Cheng li staggered back.
"...No..."
—
The Chaeng family head’s face turned ashen.
—
"This... this is not coincidence..."
—
The Emperor did not move.
—
But his fingers—
Tightened slowly against the armrest of the throne.
—
His mind—
Already racing.
—
One death—
Could be explained.
—
Four—
Could not.
—
"...And?"
—
His voice ca again.
Low.
Controlled.
—
The guard continued—
—
"...The rchant involved in the earlier case..."
"...has also been found dead."
—
The court erupted.
—
"What?!"
—
"Five deaths now?!"
—
"This is madness!"
—
The Emperor’s gaze turned cold.
—
Five.
—
Not coincidence.
—
Pattern.
—
Controlled.
—
Precise.
—
His eyes narrowed slightly.
—
"...All of them connected."
—
The guard nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
—
The Emperor leaned forward slightly.
—
"...Did they leave anything behind?"
—
A pause.
—
Then—
"...Yes."
—
"They each left a suicide note."
—
The hall stilled again.
—
"Notes?" a minister repeated.
—
"In their own handwriting."
—
Murmurs spread again.
—
"That ans—"
"They chose—"
"No."
—
The Emperor’s voice cut through sharply.
—
"...It ans nothing."
—
Silence.
—
Because his tone—
Carried certainty.
—
Not doubt.
—
He stood slowly.
—
His presence alone forced the entire court into stillness.
—
"...Seal all related locations."
—
"...No one is to speak of this freely."
—
"...No rumors."
—
His gaze swept across the ministers.
—
"Anyone spreading fear—"
"...will be punished."
—
They bowed imdiately.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
—
Then—
He turned toward the Chaeng and Cheng families.
—
"...The matter will be addressed after the burials."
—
"...For now—"
"...you may leave."
—
The Chaeng family trembled.
The Cheng family was still in shock.
—
They bowed weakly.
—
"...Yes... Your Majesty..."
—
One by one—
The court emptied.
—
But the whispers—
Did not stop.
—
They spread.
Like wildfire.
—
The Spread of Fear
By noon—
The entire capital knew.
—
"Four girls dead!"
—
"They all committed suicide!"
—
"The rchant too!"
—
"They all wrote notes!"
—
"But—"
—
"They were witnesses!"
—
"Witnesses to what?"
—
"The case—!"
—
"Sothing is being hidden!"
—
Fear grew.
—
And then—
The darker version began.
—
"They were found with a dead man..."
—
"They were dishonored..."
—
"They killed themselves from sha..."
—
"No—soone killed them!"
—
"No—this is punishnt!"
—
"No—this is sothing evil!"
—
The rumors twisted.
Shifted.
Spread.
—
By evening—
The story had reached the Duke residence.
—
Duke Residence — Wedding Interrupted
The residence had been filled with joy just hours ago.
—
Wedding preparations.
Laughter.
Excitent.
—
But now—
That warmth—
Was gone.
—
The Duke and his brother had returned early.
Their faces serious.
Heavy.
—
Everyone gathered in the main hall.
—
"What happened?" the Duchess asked imdiately.
—
The Duke didn’t sit.
—
"...The Chaeng daughter is dead."
—
Gasps filled the room.
—
"...What?"
—
"And not just her."
—
"...Four girls."
"...And the rchant."
—
Silence.
—
Lian Hua’s face turned pale.
"...All... dead?"
—
Chen Ruyi covered her mouth.
—
"...But... how?"
—
The Duke’s brother spoke.
"...All ruled as suicide."
—
"...With notes."
—
The room grew colder.
—
The Empress stood still.
—
Her mind—
Sharp.
—
Too sharp.
—
Because she already knew—
This was wrong.
—
Lian Rou stepped forward.
—
"...This is not suicide."
—
Everyone turned to him.
—
His voice was firm.
Cold.
Certain.
—
"...This is the sa person."
—
Silence.
—
"...The one who tried to kill Princess Zhi’s baby."
—
"...The one who tried to kill the Empress."
—
"...The one behind everything."
—
The room froze.
—
The Duchess whispered,
"...You’re saying..."
—
"...This is all connected?"
—
Lian Rou nodded slowly.
—
"...Yes."
—
The Duke’s expression darkened.
—
"...Then this is worse than we thought."
—
The Empress spoke quietly.
—
"...They are cleaning evidence."
—
All eyes turned to her.
—
"...Anyone who knows sothing..."
"...is being removed."
—
Chen Ruyi trembled slightly.
—
"...Then..."
"...we are also—"
—
"...Targets."
—
The word landed heavily.
—
Lian Hua stepped closer to the Empress.
"...Then what do we do?"
—
The Empress didn’t answer imdiately.
—
Her eyes—
Calm.
But deep.
—
"...We act normal."
—
Everyone frowned.
—
"...If they think we know—"
"...they will act faster."
—
"...But if we stay unaware—"
"...they will make a mistake."
—
The Duke slowly nodded.
—
"...She’s right."
—
His voice turned firm.
—
"No panic."
—
"No rumors."
—
"Continue the wedding preparations."
—
The Duchess looked uncertain.
"...At a ti like this?"
—
The Duke replied quietly—
—
"...Especially at a ti like this."
—
Because if they stopped—
—
It ant fear.
—
And fear—
—
Was exactly what the enemy wanted.
—
The Hidden Truth
That night—
The Duke residence remained lit.
—
But no one truly rested.
—
Every smile—
Was forced.
—
Every laugh—
Faded quickly.
—
Because beneath everything—
—
They all felt it.
—
Sothing was watching.
—
Sothing was moving.
—
And now—
It had shown its hand.
—
Not openly.
—
But clearly enough.
—
Four deaths.
—
One ssage.
—
Silence.
—
And inside the palace—
The Emperor sat alone.
—
The suicide notes placed before him.
—
His eyes cold.
—
Because he knew—
—
"...This is not the end."
—
"...This is only the beginning."
Reviews
All reviews (0)