Tantai Jin went in for a long time, but never came back out.
Wei Xi had no choice but to call for Ye Chufeng.
Nowadays, everyone in the palace was in danger, and there were even rumors among the people that Tantai Jin was born unlucky, which was why the winter weather was so strange.
Yang Ji had always put his safety before matters of principle1明哲保身 (míngzhé-bǎoshēn) – a wise man looks after his own hide (idiom); be worldly-wise and play safe; (now) unprincipled self-interest, so he was completely undependable at times like these. Now, all that was left was Ye Chufeng, who both had the ability and wasn’t afraid to die. It was said that there was some kind of contract between Lord Ye and His Majesty, so it was impossible for him to betray His Majesty after learning what happened.
“To be honest, Lord Ye, this smell…… has been faintly coming out of His Majesty’s palace hall for a few days. Young Lady’s body can’t be kept anymore. She’s dead, so why not let her rest in peace?”
Ye Chufeng nodded, “Thank you, Eunuch Wei, for telling me.”
Ye Chufeng rushed back from Linwei City, but he hadn’t expected that after a month, Tantai Jin still hadn’t buried Third Sister’s body. It was no wonder that the people of the palace looked frightened and secretive2讳莫如深 (huìmò-rúshēn) – an idiom; don’t breathe a word of it to anyone!.
In this dynasty, where the deceased were most respected, Tantai Jin’s behavior was chilling.
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Zl Ubwqldt yrrasynble vbl ryzynl byzz, yde bl yzps pxlzzle vbl qykdv pnldv vbyv Elk Dk bye xldvksdle.
Mbl assx oyp qkzzle okvb kdnldpl vs ralhldv vbl cseu qasx elnsxrspkdt, cwv vbl elzyu oyp yzalyeu vs vbl lmvalxl.
Elk Dk obkprlale wdlypkzu, “Tkp Yyflpvu oldv kd vbkp xsadkdt, yde pvkzz bypd’v nsxl swv. Mbkp plahydv’p lulzkep jllr vokvnbkdt. Nsae Zl, dsvbkdt byp byrrldle, aktbv?”
“Gpj psxlsdl vs srld vbl essa,” Zl Ubwqldt pyke.
“Jwv……”
“I’ll take responsibility if anything happens.”
Wei Xi finally agreed. Soon, the palace door was pushed open. Not only Ye Chufeng, but even Wei Xi didn’t expect to see the scene in front of him. His legs felt like jelly. He even forgot to salute and directly crawled out on his knees.
Ye Chufeng’s face turned livid as he stepped forward and tightly pulled Tantai Jin’s collar, “What are you doing!”
The little tyrant in black started to softly laugh, “Keeping her to let her stay with me forever.”
Blood flowed out of Tantai Jin’s body, staining the weak water beneath him. He was surrounded by several magic weapons left by the old Daoist.
Tantai Jin’s face was pale, but he was smiling happily while the weak water formed a thin layer of ice crystal.
Ye Chufeng looked at his Third Sister’s corpse, and remembering Tantai Jin’s action just now, he shuddered3不寒而栗 (bùhán’érlì) – lit. not cold, yet shivering (idiom); fig. to tremble with fear; to be terrified and gritted his teeth, “You actually want to seal you and her together in the weak water!”
Tantai Jin was simply courting death. He himself might not survive, and Third Sister wouldn’t be able to leave with dignity.
Seeing Tantai Jin’s crazy and stubborn eyes, Ye Chufeng suddenly remembered how he’d once entertained Tantai Minglang’s officials in the main hall.
Back then, like everyone else he’d thought that it was just a threat and deterrence, but only today did Ye Chufeng finally understand that he was a complete madman, and there was nothing he couldn’t do.
Tantai Jin coldly said, “Who gave you the guts to come in, get out!”
“You’re simply insane, I want to take my Third Sister away,” Ye Chufeng said as he went to pick up the cold corpse on the bed.
A hand came from the side and Tantai Jin slapped it away.
“You dare to touch her?” Tantai Jin coldly said.
Ye Chufeng’s face looked extremely bad. He couldn’t care less about the contract, or the difference between the ruler and the ministers. At this moment, he was even too incredulous to think about Pian Ran.
The two of them started fighting. One had the demon core of a nine-tailed fox in his body and the other had just gotten the divine marrow, but none of them used their powers, and each punch was skin to skin.
Tantai Jin landed punch after punch on Ye Chufeng, and his expression was hair-raising.
Ye Chufeng didn’t want his Third Sister to not rest in peace even after she was dead, so he raised his hand and a ball of fire flew towards the corpse on the bed.
Tantai Jin’s gaze froze for an instant, then, without even thinking, he threw himself over the corpse.
The flame burned his back, but he seemed to not feel it as he anxiously and thoroughly extinguished the sparks on the body of the young girl beneath him.
Ye Chufeng watched everything helplessly. After a long time, he closed his eyes.
“If Third Sister could see you now, she’d surely be disgusted.”
The word “disgusted” made Tantai Jin freeze completely. The rims of his eyes were tinged with a terrifying crimson, but his left eye was filled with shallow tears.
“I’m begging you, and I’m also begging on her behalf, let her go, let her leave,” Ye Chufeng said.
Ye Chufeng closed his eyes, “She didn’t want what you gave, and what she did want, you were never willing to fulfill.” She just wanted to leave you, and for that, she sacrificed so much, do you really not understand?
Tantai Jin’s tears fell on the young girl’s face. He was clearly right, but everyone in the world thought that he was crazy, and expected him to fulfill her final wish.
At night, Wei Xi gonggong brought good news.
Wei Xi said with relief, “His Majesty has agreed to bury Young Lady.”
Ye Chufeng was stunned, remembering the little tyrant’s red eyes.
Tantai Jin still refused to let anyone touch Su Su.
That day, Tantai Jin carefully cleaned her body, put a beautiful hairpin on her, placed an insect-repelling pearl between her lips, and personally carried the young girl’s body into the tomb of the emperor that had originally belonged to him.
Beneath the tomb was the spiritual vein of this country’s generation.
He had the tomb sealed up, and never went in again.
At the beginning of spring, the snow stopped, and the Hidden Dragon Guards attempted to rescue Ye Bing Shang. Tantai Jin had thousands of the Hidden Dragon Guards surrounded, and ordered for them to be shot and killed by arrows.
He asked Ye Bing Shang to watch.
Ye Bing Shang was trapped in a sealed earthen jar, about to be made into a human swine4人 (rén) – human, 彘 (zhì) – pig/swine; Basically, human swine is a very cruel torture invented by Empress Lu during the Western Han Dynasty to deal with Consort/Lady Qi (you can google Consort Qi to read about the history if you’re interested). Swines, hogs, also known as pigs, meaning people like pigs. Human swines: Both their eyes are gouged out, their ears are deafened, forced to drink medicine to make them mute, limbs are cut off, then thrown into a thatched hut, leaving them to die in pain.. She watched in despair as the people who came to rescue her fell one by one, and she only knew how to scream.
After more than half a year of torture day and night, she no longer had any temper. Recalling her life in the past by Xiao Lin’s side, they were surprisingly the most peaceful days she’d ever had in her life.
Beside her, Tantai Jin was like an evil ghost, just smiling.
Tantai Jin had always wanted this brigade of power, but now that he had the chance, he killed them with his own hands.
Ye Bing Shang didn’t survive to the spring of the second year.
When Tantai Jin learned of it, he was looking at a demon in a cage which was said to have three lives, and he didn’t even bat an eyelid at the news.
“If she’s dead, then just throw her away.”
He lifted his hand and killed the demon. He suddenly felt like this world had been boring for a long time.
Edited by: Gaze
Did I miss something? How did the brother get the demon fox core?
I think even the other characters were surprised! My guess is that Pian Ran herself gave it to him, maybe?
There’s so much love and cruelty in this chapter. Did YBS deserve that? Idk. She died in such a horrific way, and I think it’s crazy that the hidden dragon guards would all sacrifice to save her. (That’s the REAL tragedy!) Once their leader was dead and the previous dynasty was gone, wouldn’t they naturally go on and live normal lives?!
TTJ loves and hates so deeply that it’s frightening…. And also the reason why I keep reading 😅 reminds me of Heathcliff’s passion in Wuthering Heights. Chills….
Thanks to you Miss Bee and her editor for doing such an amazing job translating this!