Chapter 156 One Life for One Life

“Alright.” The Empress opened her thin lips and smiled. Shen Zhongbai got up, pulled out his sword, and stabbed toward Empress.

This time, he really wanted to take the Empress’ life. He thought that the Empress would dodge, but he did not expect that she just stood there and did not move. Just as the sword was about to stab her, Shen Zhongbai stopped.

At the same time, Gusu Liang rushed up, pulled out her sword from the side of her leg, and went up to block the attack. With that, Shen Zhongbai’s sword flew off his hand.

In fact, Shen Zhongbai did not really want to hurt the Empress, otherwise, he wouldn’t have stopped. However, Gusu Liang really wanted to kill him.

Her sword was against Shen Zhongbai’s neck, and she looked at him coldly.

The atmosphere was tense all of a sudden, and Shen Qiangwei supported her weak body as she shouted, “Someone! Come here!”

Behind the Empress, Ling instantly threw a dart from her sleeve and nailed it to the pillar next to Shen Qiangwei’s head. She took two steps forward, her eyes filled with killing intent. “Shut up, or I will kill you first!”

Shen Zhongbai never expected that the two ordinary-looking maids by the Empress’s side were actually experts.

In fact, Shen Zhongbai knew that Gu Qiang had never been a person who would sit and wait for death. During the three months when she had been in the imperial palace, she had never come out and had never allowed anyone else to go in. No one knew what she was doing in her own courtyard. However, in fact, everyone more or less knew in their hearts that she was such a smart person, so how could she not leave a backup plan for herself?

Gusu Liang’s sword gently touched Shen Zhongbai’s neck, but she did not put it away.

At this time, there were already rustling footsteps coming in the Qiangwei Palace. It was obvious that Shen Zhongbai’s hidden guards had arrived. They first surrounded the room and then waited for his orders to kill the Empress, Gusu Liang, and Ling together.

By this time, Shen Zhongbai had already recovered his senses. He raised his eyes and looked at the Empress coldly. Chuckling, he said helplessly, “Gu Qiang, it seems that the fate between the two of us is over. Today, either you or I will die!”

The Empress also smiled. She was still so good-looking as ever. These six years of time had not left any traces on her face.

Shen Zhongbai had longed for this smile for six years. He thought that if he married her, even if he used a forceful method, she would eventually be moved by his sincerity.

However, all of this was just what “he thought”. He was too hopeful.

“Shen Zhongbai, have you thought it through? If I die today, I must drag someone down with me. You have been muddle-headed for your whole life. You’ve been pursuing a woman who does not belong to you. If you give up on me, you might find that your life is much better,” the Empress said.

She reached out and touched her baby bump. Did her belly move just now? Did her baby know that her mother was in a dangerous situation?

Shen Zhongbai bit his lips. He had to admit that if he had not liked Gu Qiang, he would not have experienced these in his life. At this time, he should be looking forward to the birth of his child. However, he could not control his heart. He could not decide who he liked.

He did not speak again. Using his feet to pick up the sword on the ground, he swatted away Gusu Liang’s sword. The two of them immediately started fighting. The hidden guards around them did not move. They seemed to be waiting for Shen Zhongbai’s orders, but he did not give any.

Shen Zhongbai’s martial arts skills could not be underestimated. Fortunately, Gusu Liang was stronger in terms of martial arts. After he barely managed to defend himself a few times, he was somewhat defeated.

At this time, he made a pulling motion with his right hand. The hidden guards seemed to have received an order. They rushed in from the window and the door, surrounding the Empress and Ling.

Gusu Liang stood in front of the two of them with her sword in hand. She turned her head and smiled helplessly. She said softly, “Miss, forgive my slow-wittedness. I’m afraid that I can no longer protect you and your child. If there is a chance, you must escape. Not for yourself, but for your child.”

The Empress’ nose twitched. She wanted to give herself a good beating. If not for the fact that she had spoken too arrogantly, perhaps it would not have been such a situation right now.

There was no situation worse than this.

When Shen Zhongbai was fighting against Gusu Liang, his left arm was injured. He lowered his head to look at his wound. No longer raising his head, he said to the hidden guards around him. “Bring the Noble Consort out. Capture them alive.”

All the hidden guards rushed forward. Ling and Gusu Liang eyed each other and smiled. It was as if they were making a final farewell. It felt a bit tragic, but there was also elegance and dominance.

Both of them were very skilled. Although there were so many hidden guards, the two girls had been fighting with them for a long time. However, two women were not a match for these well-trained hidden guards, after all. Or perhaps it was because of Shen Zhongbai’s order of capturing them alive that the hidden guards were unable to showcase their abilities. Fifteen minutes later, Ling and Gusu Liang no longer had any strength left.

The Empress stood behind the two of them. There was no expression on her face. She had her eyes closed. Suddenly, she recalled that if the previous Gu Qiang had listened to her and did not marry Shen Zhongbai, would there be another result when she woke up from her dream?

Even if she was dead now, she would come back to life again after opening her eyes. This was unfair to many people, but she did not have the courage to try it anyway.

Now, as long as she apologized to Shen Zhongbai, saying that she was willing to like him and give him a child, then everything would end. However, she did not want to, because she knew that it was already not easy to live. Even if she was to die, she would die in an impressive way. Presumably, Gusu Liang and Ling would not blame her for this, would they?

The two girls sat on the ground, exhausted. They looked at each other, panting and laughing.

The hidden guards went forward and tied the two of them up. Then, they looked at the Empress, seemingly waiting for Shen Zhongbai’s instructions.

Shen Zhongbai stood at the back of the crowd. He clearly saw that the Empress was not willing to admit her mistake and compromise even when facing a situation where she was about to lose her life. She really hated him.

Since he could not move her with love, then he would use the most despicable method to remove that little thing in her belly first, and then the two of them would create a child that belonged to him.

“Tie the Empress and send her to Imperial Hospital. One life for one life. Abort the child in her belly.”

Just as Shen Zhongbai finished speaking, before Empress could open her mouth to curse him, some voices suddenly came from the surroundings. It was the voice of more people coming as if there were countless feet walking on the ground. Perhaps there were actually not that many people, but someone had deliberately created this illusion.

However, this was the imperial palace. From Shen Zhongbai’s expression, he did not seem to know what was going on. He raised his chin, and two hidden guards went out to see what was going on. Then, there were two muffled groans, as if someone had slit their necks.

The rest of the hidden guards at the door all turned around and saw a man dressed in red walking in slowly with the corpses of two hidden guards.

He threw the corpses on the ground. Beside him, a maid who was also dressed in red handed him a red handkerchief. He wiped his hands and then looked up at Shen Zhongbai.

The Empress recognized who the man was at once, but she had never asked the man’s name—Bai Su.

Shen Zhongbai looked up at the handsome man who suddenly appeared. The man was extremely good-looking. There was even a hint of feminine charm. If it were from any other man, this kind of appearance might be a little too feminine. However, it just so happened that it was from this man, which complimented him.

“Who are you? Why do you appear in the imperial palace?” Shen Zhongbai asked.

A man appeared in the deepest part of the imperial palace with so many people. Just thinking about it made Shen Zhongbai break out in cold sweat. If even the imperial palace was not safe, then where would be safe?

Bai Su took two steps forward and kicked the corpse of the hidden guard in front of him. He met Shen Zhongbai’s eyes and calmly said, “Boy, is your mother Yuan?”

Shen Zhongbai’s mother was naturally the current Empress Dowager. The late Emperor who passed away six years ago was also the biological son of Empress Dowager. As for the surname of Empress Dowager, it was something honorable. Naturally, not everyone could say it so casually.

“Who are you? Why do you call my Mother by her surname?” Shen Zhongbai asked.

However, it was as if Bai Su had not heard his question at all. He walked up to Shen Zhongbai with the same smile as before.

“Today, I am in a good mood. Since I come to the imperial palace, I’d like to see where that old woman is. Furthermore, there is something that I need to confirm with her. Can you do me a favor?” Bai Su said.

As he spoke, he walked to the Empress’ side. She was being tied up by two hidden guards. When the hidden guards saw this man come over, they immediately became nervous. Unexpectedly, all Bai Su did was only reach out and press on the shoulders of the hidden guards before the guards slowly fell to the ground, unconscious.

The remaining hidden guards all retreated. The man in front of them had a strong aura. Although he had always been smiling, he was very agile. He was definitely not someone these hidden guards could match.

Shen Zhongbai also knew that he had met a ruthless person. He easily entered the imperial palace and easily killed the hidden guards. Now, he easily rescued the Empress and had placed her behind him to protect her. If this man wanted to take Shen Zhongbai’s life, it would be extremely easy to accomplish.

“She is just a woman from the imperial harem. I don’t think she has any connection with you. There is no need to find her!” Shen Zhongbai told himself that he could not send his Mother out at this time. She was a woman. When she was old, she should be living peacefully in the courtyard. She was not suitable to be involved in young people’s grudges.

Bai Su sneered and waved to his subordinates. Those people immediately took out their weapons and rushed to fight with the hidden guards.

There were not many hidden guards. Shen Zhongbai originally thought that the imperial palace was the safest place, so he did not recruit too many hidden guards to protect himself. Now, these hidden guards clearly could not beat the group of people in red clothes. Those people were well-trained and ruthless. Soon, they killed all the hidden guards.

Those people in red were like flowers blooming in the night.