12dz Chapter 74, 9th Lifetime: ② Bloodstained Blade, Madman's Revenge and Decisive Strike
Chapter 74, 9th Lifetime: ② Bloodstained Blade, Madman's Revenge and Decisive Strike
Chapter 74 Bloodstained Blade: The Mad Queen's Revenge and Decisive Strike
Having dealt with Wang Gui, this minor henchman, Luo Qingci's sharp gaze, like a precise missile, "whooshed" and locked onto the deeper forces within the Prince's mansion.
She knew perfectly well that bringing down the Prince's Mansion was as difficult as trying to overturn a towering, stable mountain with bare hands—no easy feat.
But the stubbornness and indomitable spirit in her bones was like a raging flame stirred up by a super strong wind; instead of being extinguished by difficulties, it burned even brighter.
This made her more and more courageous on the thorny road of revenge, and she seemed to exude an aura of domineering power that said, "Even if the King of Heaven comes, I will still fight back."
The Dark Pavilion's intelligence network is as dense as a spider's carefully woven web; no matter what happens, it cannot escape its "all-seeing eye."
Through this all-powerful intelligence network, Luo Qingci learned about the prince's only son, the young prince.
Recently, a rare treasure appreciation event was to be held at the Treasure Pavilion, the largest and most extravagant place in the city. Invitations were sent out to all the prominent and self-important dignitaries in the city.
To be honest, this young prince was a complete and incorrigible playboy. He idled away his days away, and when cockfighting, he would shout loudly with a red face and a thick neck, as if he wanted to shout the chickens into the air.
When he walked his dog, he caused chaos all over the streets, with chickens and dogs flying everywhere and eggs being broken. The common people were miserable, but they were afraid of the power of the prince's mansion, so they could only dare to be angry but not speak out. They would secretly roll their eyes at his back and probably curse his ancestors for eighteen generations in their hearts.
Upon hearing this news, Luo Qingci's eyes lit up instantly, brighter than a searchlight. She was so excited she almost burst into laughter: "Hahaha, isn't this heaven helping me? A golden opportunity delivered right to my doorstep! Watch me teach you a lesson, let you know why flowers are so red, and regret ever being born!"
On the day of the appreciation event, the area in front of the Treasure Pavilion was packed with people. It was so crowded that it was impossible to move. It felt like even the smallest mosquito would have to suffer a lot to squeeze in.
Those high-ranking officials and nobles, accompanied by their splendidly dressed families, wore clothes embroidered with gold thread, and their necks and hands were adorned with gold and silver jewels, jingling as they walked, resembling a flock of peacocks displaying their beauty and vying for attention.
Driven by naked curiosity and greed for rare treasures, they pushed and shoved each other like a pack of wolves that had been starving for three days and three nights and were fighting for food, desperately surging into this luxurious place. The scene was as chaotic as a hornet's nest disturbed by naughty children.
Then look at Luo Qingci; she has transformed into the daughter of a wealthy merchant from the Western Regions. She wears a dazzlingly gorgeous veil, inlaid with gemstones that shimmer in the sunlight, so bright that it's blinding, as if the sun has fallen on her head.
Dressed in exotic attire, her skirt swayed gently in the breeze, each step exuding grace and charm. Her aura was so powerful, it was as if she possessed a super wind machine. Wherever she went, everyone's attention was instantly drawn to her, making it impossible to ignore her.
Beside her were two equally flamboyantly dressed "maids." Don't be fooled by their seemingly delicate appearance; these two "maids" were formidable figures in the Dark Pavilion, with skills as extraordinary as martial arts masters. A single glance from them could make an enemy tremble with fear and feel their hearts pound with unease.
The young prince was wearing a brocade robe embroidered with gold thread. The gold thread swayed back and forth under the light, dazzling the eyes, as if countless tiny insects were flying around in front of them.
A huge jade pendant hung from his waist, swaying left and right as he walked, as if proudly announcing to the world: "Look at me, I'm very valuable, none of you can compare to me!"
Surrounded by a crowd, he stood proudly on the stage, his chest puffed out and his chin almost pointing to the sky, looking like a proud rooster whose tail was practically wagging into outer space.
Then, in his hoarse, duck-like voice, he shouted, "Dear elders and aunties, today I, the young prince, have gone to great lengths to gather these rare treasures. I guarantee they will open your eyes and leave you speechless. If your jaws really do drop, don't come looking for me to put them back on!"
After saying that, he waved his hand with such a graceful gesture that he had the first treasure presented—a luminous pearl the size of a fist. Under the lights, the pearl shone so brightly that the people below the stage could hardly open their eyes. They were all dumbfounded, their jaws practically dropping to the ground, like wooden figures frozen in place.
Luo Qingci's lips curled up slightly, revealing a sly smile that was almost imperceptible, like that of a cunning fox. In her heart, she thought to herself, "Young Prince, you can be smug here for now. You'll be crying and begging for mercy later, with snot and tears streaming down your face. You'll be in for a world of hurt!"
She walked forward with graceful steps, deliberately speaking in Mandarin with a strong foreign accent, her intonation and pronunciation full of ups and downs.
It was as if they were singing a unique and strange ballad: "Young Prince, although your luminous pearl looks quite rare, in our Western Regions, it's just something you can grab anywhere on the street. People there are tired of seeing it, and nobody even bothers to look at it. But I have a treasure that I guarantee will make people's jaws drop, even more so than your luminous pearl. If your jaw really drops, I won't be responsible for putting it back on for you!"
Upon hearing this, the young prince's eyes widened instantly, almost jumping off the stage. His face was full of resentment, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, its fur standing on end.
She thought to herself, "What kind of treasure could a little girl from the Western Regions like you possibly have? Could it be some broken rock that you dug out from some remote corner of the rocks?"
He curled his lip, his nose practically pointing to the sky, as arrogant as a haughty goose, and said, "Oh? Is that so? Then this little prince will have to see for himself. Don't just brag without thinking, or you'll end up blaming me for it!"
Luo Qingci gave the "maid" a wink, a wink that was like launching a super signal flare. The "maid" understood immediately and carefully presented a beautiful box.
The box is engraved with exquisite patterns, and the craftsmanship is simply superb. It is priceless. I estimate that even if you sold the entire Treasure Pavilion, you still couldn't afford such a box.
Luo Qingci slowly opened the box, inside which was a pill emitting a strange light, the light flashing like a mysterious star in the night sky, seemingly hiding countless secrets.
"This is my secret 'Rejuvenation Pill' from the Western Regions. After taking it, not only can it cure all diseases, but even someone who is about to die and is about to report to the King of Hell will immediately become lively and energetic, as if they have been injected with ten bottles of chicken blood. It can also prolong life, guaranteeing that you will live to be a hundred years old and still be as vigorous as a twenty-year-old. Then you can go out to fight cocks and walk dogs every day, and keep having fun!"
Luo Qingci spoke in a serious tone, her expression as solemn as if she were reading an imperial edict, leaving no room for doubt.
Upon hearing this, the young prince's eyes lit up instantly, brighter than if he had seen mountains of gold and silver. His saliva was practically dripping onto the ground. He looked exactly like a starving ghost reincarnated, and he was just short of pouncing on the food to snatch it.
He was inherently afraid of death, so he was naturally very tempted by this elixir that could prolong his life; it was as if a little cat was constantly scratching at his heart.
But he wasn't completely stupid. He started to have doubts: "Could this girl be trying to fool me? Who knows if this pill is real or fake? Maybe it's just an ordinary candy ball she's trying to trick me!"
So he pretended to be calm, putting on a shrewd and calculating look, and snorted, "Hmph, you little girl, are you trying to fool this young prince? Who knows if this pill is real or fake? Maybe it's just a sugar ball you made from some unknown little workshop!"
Luo Qingci calmly took out a small white mouse from her bosom. The mouse lay weakly on her hand, looking like it was about to die. She estimated that if she blew on it again, it would go straight to meet its rat ancestors.
She broke off half of the pill and fed it to the white mouse. In no time, the white mouse, which had been sickly and on the verge of death, suddenly became lively and energetic, as if struck by lightning.
It ran around in her hand, squeaking and full of energy, as if it had just been charged to 100 degrees Celsius. Its vibrant appearance made it seem like it was about to fly into the sky at any moment.
Seeing this, the young prince could no longer suppress his greed. Like a gambler whose mind had been completely clouded by desire, he shouted, "I want this elixir! Name your price! I'll pay whatever it takes, as long as it can make me live to be a hundred years old. Then I can continue to live a carefree life and do whatever I want!"
Luo Qingci was secretly delighted and almost burst out laughing. She thought to herself, "This fish has finally taken the bait. I'll make sure you're firmly hooked and won't be able to escape!"
She feigned hesitation, pretending to be extremely reluctant, and said, "This elixir is extremely precious. I originally intended to present it to the current emperor so that he would be pleased and perhaps even reward me with a pile of gold and silver treasures."
"However, since the young prince likes it... well, I've heard that there's an ancestral 'Star Jade' in the prince's mansion. If the young prince uses it to exchange for it, this elixir will be yours. From then on, you'll be the young prince with boundless life, able to do whatever you want, but you have to get your hands on this elixir first."
Upon hearing this, the young prince's face instantly changed, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over his head, chilling him to the bone, leaving him feeling extremely conflicted.
This "Starry Jade" is a family heirloom of the Prince's mansion, priceless beyond measure. If it were lost, his father would skin him alive and hang him up, beating him half to death. But he really couldn't bear to part with this "Rejuvenation Pill," and it felt like two little people were fighting fiercely inside him.
After hesitating for a long time, he gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, and looked like he was going to his execution. He said, "Fine, I'll trade with you! But you have to promise that this pill is real. If it's fake, I'll make you pay. I'll have my father arrest you and lock you up until the end of time, so you can't live or die!"
And so, Luo Qingci successfully obtained the "Starry Jade." Looking at the jade in her hand, she sneered inwardly, "Young Prince, this is just an appetizer. You're in for a world of hurt. The nightmare in the Prince's mansion has only just begun. Just wait and see what happens!"
After obtaining the precious jade, Luo Qingci didn't immediately leave. She knew very well that the people from the Prince's mansion would not let her off easily; they were like a stubborn leech that she couldn't shake off.
Sure enough, not long after, several guards from the prince's mansion surrounded her like a pack of hungry wolves, their eyes filled with ferocity as if they wanted to devour her alive.
The head guard said fiercely, "Girl, you've got some nerve, daring to scheme against the young prince. If you know what's good for you, hand over Baoyu, or you'll be in for a world of trouble. We'll show you how powerful our prince's mansion is!"
Luo Qingci glanced at them disdainfully, her gaze as if she were looking at a pile of stinking, disgusting garbage, and said, "You little shrimps and crab generals think you can stop me? You're not qualified. Go home and train for another ten or eight years, and maybe you'll have a chance."
As she spoke, she clapped her hands lightly, the sound crisp like the tolling of a battle bell, or like tolling a death knell for the enemy. The surrounding "maids" and other members of the Dark Pavilion instantly sprang into action. They were like well-trained special forces, incredibly agile, punching and kicking, quickly defeating the guards.
The guards lay on the ground, groaning in pain, their faces filled with terror, as if they had seen a ghost. They were probably all regretting taking on this unfortunate assignment, wishing they hadn't come.
Upon seeing this, the young prince turned deathly pale, whiter than a sheet of paper, so white it seemed to reflect light. He turned and tried to run away, faster than a rabbit. Even a rabbit would probably be ashamed of its speed and admit defeat.
Luo Qingci wasn't about to let him off so easily. She rushed forward, blocking his path like a black lightning bolt. "Young Prince, are you in such a hurry? Are you rushing to be reincarnated? Running so fast, don't you even watch where you're going? Be careful not to slip and fall flat on your face."
Luo Qingci said coldly, her voice like the cold wind of winter, capable of freezing a person into an icicle, her words full of sarcasm.
The young prince's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground with a thud. His knees hit the ground with a dull thud that could probably be heard several streets away.
He cried out, "Grandma, I was wrong! Please forgive me! I'll never do it again! I'll be your servant from now on, I'll do whatever you ask, please don't kill me!"
His pathetic appearance was a stark contrast to his imposing presence on stage just moments before; it was like night and day. He had been a majestic rooster a moment ago, but now he was a stray dog with his tail between his legs.
Luo Qingci squatted down, gently lifted the young prince's chin with her hand, and said mockingly, "Young prince, weren't you very majestic? Just now you were swaggering on the stage like a king, how come you look like a stray dog now? When your princely mansion was trying to wipe out my Luo family back then, did you ever think that this day would come? This is called karma, what goes around comes around, now it's your turn to be unlucky!"
The young prince trembled with fear, shaking like a leaf, and hurriedly said, "Grandma, this was all my father and the steward's idea. I didn't know anything! I was just a bystander, watching from the sidelines. I didn't do anything wrong. Please forgive me this time! I promise I will turn over a new leaf and become a good person."
Looking at his pitiful appearance, Luo Qingci couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Young Prince, do you think a few words of begging will soften my heart? You underestimate me too much. But don't worry, I won't kill you for now. I'm going to let you see how the Prince's Mansion falls, let you taste the bitterness of despair, and feel the pain that my Luo family suffered back then!"
After saying that, she stood up and waved to the members of the Dark Pavilion: "Take him back and 'treat' him well. Don't let the little prince be lonely. If he gets bored, find him some fun and let him enjoy himself."
And so, the young prince was taken back to the secret hideout by Luo Qingci. The rare treasure appreciation event ended abruptly because of this farce. Luo Qingci knew that this was only the second step in bringing down the prince's mansion; even more difficult challenges awaited her.
But she was fearless. She was fully prepared, like a warrior about to go into battle, exuding a powerful aura of self-confidence, determined to make the Prince's Mansion pay an unbearable price for what they had done back then.