Leap Forward Comics: Watch How I Become a Villainess

Chapter 137 2 Roads

Li Guangqi stopped struggling. He knew that his fate was now in Li Cen's hands, depending on whether Li Cen wanted his life or just to depose him.

Seeing that he had lost all fighting spirit, Grand Tutor Gao was extremely anxious. He was about to say something to the Princess when Li Guangqi stopped him with a gesture. He lowered his voice and said, "The Gao family cannot be harmed..."

Nie Qing naturally noticed the whispers between Grand Tutor Gao and the Crown Prince. She leaned over and solemnly grabbed Li Guangqi's sleeve: "I will definitely rescue you!"

Li Guangqi subconsciously felt disgusted by the touch, but he quickly concealed this emotion, replacing it with a tender and reluctant smile, making it seem as if the two were deeply in love and affectionate.

"Now that everything is clear," Li Cen said in a deep voice, "Crown Prince Li Guangqi is highly suspected of treason and should be imprisoned and tried in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices! The matter of Third Prince Li Yun's assassination attempt on me also needs to be investigated, so let him be imprisoned in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices as well. Does anyone have any objections?"

Liao Chen took the lead and said, "I second that! Your Highness, don't forget to punish those who deserve it. They failed to protect you properly and need to be taught a lesson!" He muttered about punishing the other guards.

The ministers were terrified and readily agreed, naturally understanding his meaning. Many of them had nephews or nieces among them, so the threat was very strong, and they had to take the lead in expressing their opinions.

"I second that!" Several officials immediately stepped forward to second that proposal.

Soon, one by one, people stood up to second the motion. After much deliberation, the Prime Minister reluctantly seconded the motion to protect his son, Chao Huaiyuan, and had no choice but to sacrifice Li Yun for the time being.

Liao Chen was, after all, the Supreme General of the Imperial Guard, and Chao Huaiyuan served under him. When he entered the palace, he carried Zhao You's head as a warning to Chao Ying. He could not touch the people of the Imperial Guard. How could Chao Ying not be afraid?

"Does Grand Tutor Gao have any objections?" Only Gao Yi remained unvoting, and Li Cen deliberately peeked at him.

He sighed deeply and shook his head: "Your subject... seconded the motion..."

The imperial guards entered, took Li Guangqi and Li Yun away, and ordered them to leave.

He Xiu also entered the hall at this time, exchanged a glance with Grand Tutor Gao, and then stood in the hall to await orders.

"As you all know, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince are now surrounded by their own factions in the court. I am worried that it would be unfair to let the Court of Imperial Sacrifices handle this case."

"And what does Your Highness the Princess mean?" the Prime Minister sneered.

“Naturally, it should be handled by a newcomer!” Li Cen said, waving her sleeve. “I will temporarily assume the reins of government, and return power to the court once the case is settled!”

“Your Highness, this is inappropriate. You are a woman…” Grand Tutor Gao immediately tried to stop him.

"Why don't you take the lead?" Liao Chen raised his fierce eyes, his whole body exuding murderous intent: "Do you want the surname Gao?"

Grand Tutor Gao was shocked and immediately knelt down: "Your subject dares not! How could your subject dare to have such a treasonous thought!"

Those around could see that Liao Chen was on Princess Li Cen's side.

“Since Her Highness the Eldest Princess is His Majesty’s bloodline, and now that the two princes have committed crimes, if she, as the eldest sister, doesn’t step forward to take charge, are you the ones who should?” Liao Chen said, turning around and scanning the room. None of the civil officials in the hall dared to meet his gaze.

“Since there are no objections, then I will not refuse.” Li Cen walked up the steps, stood before the emperor’s dragon throne, and declared: “Lu He! I hereby appoint you as Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, to assist the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices in the trial!”

"Your subject accepts the decree!" Lu He stepped forward and solemnly accepted the decree.

"There are currently vacancies within the Imperial City Guard. General Bai Jin is hereby ordered to select talented individuals to join the Imperial City Guard!" Li Cen continued to issue the order.

"Bai Jin? Is she from the Bai family?" Some of the older ministers below remembered the Empress's maternal family, the Bai family of the Duke of Dingguo.

"Oh, Bai Jin, I remember now, that little girl, I watched her grow up..." Soon, an old minister recalled the five spirited young heroes of the Bai family, each one incredibly brave. "Ah, back then they were just a bunch of teenagers, now they're probably in their thirties... How come they've disappeared for so long?"

"When the Bai family fell on hard times, they probably all fled..."

Li Cen listened to these discussions with a frown. These people had no idea how much suffering the Bai family had endured, yet they spoke of it so lightly. They had never been deserters!

"Alright! Quiet!" Li Cen said authoritatively without anger, "Draft an edict! Punish all those in the Ministry of Rites involved in the arrangements for the eight princes' itinerary. Someone must have leaked the procedures, which led to this disaster! At the same time, recruit talented people widely, regardless of gender!"

"Your Highness! Are you planning to establish a system of female officials?" an old minister asked in surprise.

"What's wrong?"

"His Majesty abolished the system of female officials twenty years ago, and you, having just assumed power, are already going against the late Emperor..."

"Can you hurry up? I still have military duties to attend to!" Liao Chen impatiently unsheathed the greatsword from his back, slamming it into the floor with a thud, causing the hall to tremble three times. But no one dared to object. He was allowed to bring a sword into the hall, a privilege granted by the late emperor. He was arguably the emperor's most trusted confidant. Now, his support for Li Cen must be to uncover the truth behind the late emperor's assassination, right? Everyone speculated in their hearts.

Little did they know, Liao Chen was Bai Jin's apprentice. Back then, Liao Chen followed the emperor wholeheartedly because the emperor told him that someone had framed the Duke of Dingguo, and the evidence was conclusive, so he had to be punished. At the same time, the emperor promised him that he would definitely find out the truth.

After Bai Yi changed her name to Xiao Yi, she didn't reveal a single word to Liao Chen because the timing wasn't right, and that's when...

The senior officials who originally wanted to say something more dared not step forward to speak. Grand Tutor Gao gestured to He Xiu with his eyes, but He Xiu pretended not to see it and simply closed his eyes, quietly waiting for the court session to end.

Although He Xiu was highly skilled in martial arts, he knew his own limitations compared to the God of Slaughter. Take Liao Chen's sword, for example; it could cut a person in half at the waist, and its size and weight required three or four men to lift. He had the misfortune of touching it before and couldn't lift it at all...

Because Liao Chen was in charge in the palace, not only was his official rank first-grade, but his martial prowess was also unmatched by anyone present, so naturally all subsequent matters were arranged smoothly.

Several days passed in this way, and Li Guangqi began a hunger strike in prison.

He lay down where the sunlight could reach his face, staring blankly at the high railing and window.

"Knock knock," someone gently knocked on the prison door.

Li Guangqi slowly turned his head, and his empty eyes suddenly focused when he saw the person who had come.

“Brother…” he finally uttered the name he had always wanted to call out.

"Your Highness, please do not call me Lord Gao..." Gao Zhan bowed before the prison gate.

"I'm no longer the crown prince. Do you think I can go back?" Li Guangqi laughed self-deprecatingly. Li Cen wouldn't let him go back.

"His Royal Highness..."

"Call me Guangqi..." Li Guangqi's face was dirty and expressionless, but his eyes revealed sadness.

"Your Highness..."

“You called me so nicely when we were kids, why are you so distant now…” Li Guangqi turned his back to Gao Zhan: “Never mind, you can go now…”

"Your Highness... please stop your hunger strike... Her Highness the Eldest Princess asked me to persuade you..."

"Why should Lord Gao care about my life or death... Please go back! Consider it a breach of my promise to you that I have given you the riches and honors of the Gao family!"

"...Kuangqi..."

He finally called out the name that had been absent for seven years.

Li Guangqi quickly turned around and looked at Gao Zhan with some joy, his eyes shining again.

"Your Highness..." still a little unaccustomed: "Guangqi, the Princess said she has suppressed a large amount of evidence that could prove your treason, so she's giving you two choices..." Gao Zhan quickly got down to business: "Either you are executed for treason, or you are allowed to fake your death in prison, the case will be dropped, and your reputation will be preserved..."

"Reputation? Hahahaha, what reputation do I need?" Li Guangqi found it all laughable. He didn't care about such things at all; in fact, the very reason he wanted to become emperor was...

"Guangqi!" Gao Zhan feared he couldn't bear the blow and might really want to end his life: "Listen to me, don't do anything foolish, you can't die..."

"The victor is king, the loser is villain; who cares about life or death..."

"I care……"

For a few minutes, it was quiet; the air itself seemed to freeze.

Gao Zhan realized he had misspoke: "What I meant was, you're like a younger brother to me..."

Li Guang began to speak, his lips barely moving: "But I'm not like that to you..."

"Yes...it was I who overstepped my bounds..." Indeed, I am not worthy to be called a brother by the prince.

“I like you…” For the first time, Li Guangqi was so calm, having no fear as he faced death.