Chapter 547: Lost Memory Fragments—Yaston Gu Ai (Part 5)
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Only when Xiao Ai's long sword pierced through Chi Yao's abdomen did Ye Qinghan truly grasp what her clueless little junior sister had been saying.
Just moments ago, Xiao Ai had abruptly stood up and, in full view of everyone, suddenly dashed toward a nearby guard. Everyone assumed she was trying to escape and paid her no mind.
But as everyone knew, judging a child's thoughts based on one's own assumptions was foolish.
Especially now, for Xiao Ai was no longer Xiao Ai. She had become the Gu Ai that Ye Qinghan knew well.
When a child sheds weakness, the only things separating them from an adult are experience and perspective.
Unfortunately for them, Xiao Ai possessed these qualities earlier than most adults.
Xiao Ai never considered running away. When the guard tried to block her escape, she sidestepped and drew the long sword from his waist.
Yet none of the others took notice. Only Li Shiyao on the scene grasped the gravity of the situation. She knew Xiao Ai was dead—utterly and completely dead. The one who had taken over this body was Lady Gu Ai.
The most exceptional personal attendant, the flawless all-around elite warrior, the future queen spoken of by Chi Yao!
The most terrifying thing was that Xiao Ai, at this moment, was only nine and a half years old.
It was a pity that even with a silver blade in hand, Xiao Ai garnered not a shred of respect.
But this was understandable. It was like a kitten baring its teeth—it frightened no one and could never escape.
Yet, as Li Shiyao had long discerned, Little Ai never contemplated escape. She knew escape was impossible.
If one is born into hell, death is nothing but a form of liberation.
No one could persuade her and her mother to live well. Those who spouted such pretty words could only do so because it hadn't happened to them.
Xiao Ai dismissed the notion that a miserable existence was better than a good death as utter nonsense. Those who uttered such words lived comfortably themselves, able to spit out such repulsive platitudes with ease, indifference, and a sense of superiority.
Ye Qinghan understood what lay behind that princess, let alone that Gu Ai figure.
The silver-white sword, taller than Xiao Ai herself, was dragged behind her like that, yet it only earned a few taunts. The beast upon the throne merely waved his hand, and several guards blocked the palace doors.
As for the general, he merely smiled before standing opposite Xiao Ai, shielding the beast upon the throne behind him.
Assassinating the king? That was nothing but a joke. Even Lord Gu Ai possessed not a shred of divine power at this moment.
If anything, she possessed a demigod's physique—though that physique was merely a bit tougher than ordinary flesh, capable of enduring torture without dying?
"Your Highness, do you still recognize me? Hahahaha! Did you ever imagine today?"
"My apologies, but I generally pay little attention to trash forced to kneel outside the palace halls. To earn my glance, one must at least stand tall and enter the chamber."
Whether it was mutual mockery or anger born of humiliation, Xiao Ai showed little emotional fluctuation compared to the figure upon the throne, her expression remaining utterly impassive.
Xiao Ai's words were undoubtedly a profound insult to the figure on the throne, especially now that he had ascended to the throne.
Xiao Ai was right—his status was lowly, not even worthy of entering the hall for council meetings. It was understandable that Xiao Ai didn't recognize him.
Ye Qinghan found Xiao Ai utterly captivating in this moment. That cold expression, stripped of youthful illusions, truly mesmerized her. It made her understand why those Valkyries of Heguang were so utterly devoted to her.
Xiao Ai's expression was so utterly cold that even Chi Yao was startled. At that moment, no one could possibly guess what was going through Xiao Ai's mind.
Even as Xiao Ai slowly dragged her long sword toward Chi Yao, the crowd remained frozen in disbelief. After all, a nine-year-old child personally killing her own mother was utterly inconceivable.
Only when Xiao Ai coldly rejected Chi Yao's outstretched hand did the shock begin to sink in. Without a moment's hesitation, Xiao Ai spun around, her sword whipping backward from her waist in a swift thrust.
Chi Yao seemed to utter something, but it was more confusion than anything else. Clearly, she hadn't anticipated Xiao Ai would raise a sword against her own flesh and blood.
Truthfully, at this point, even Ye Qinghan hadn't anticipated such a turn of events—only Li Shiyao had.
Many things only dawned on Ye Qinghan after the fact, only becoming clear in hindsight.
For Xiao Ai, dignity mattered far more than survival.
Besides, even if they begged for mercy, these people would likely never spare her and her mother. Having been deceived once before, her mother should have realized this long ago.
The so-called expedient solution had never existed from the start.
Even as her mother crashed heavily to the ground, Xiao Ai never once looked back—not even for a single glance.
Her expression remained as cold as ice, her heart as frozen as her gaze.
But before the crowd could react in shock, the next instant, the bloodied sword was pressed against Xiao Ai's own throat. Did she not know she was no match for these beasts?
But even without seeing what happened next, Ye Qinghan knew Xiao Ai had failed.
Had Xiao Ai truly taken her own life, there would be no future Lady Gu Ai.
Ye Qinghan turned and left. Only Li Shiyao remained in the grand hall, watching as Xiao Ai's plan failed. Guards seized the sword and pinned her down in the center of the hall.
Xiao Ai was thrown into the dungeons, accused of murdering her own mother. But the charge itself didn't matter much, for her mother too bore her own crimes.
After all, even in death, Chi Yao found no peace. Yet the matter of her mother's corpse being hung upon the city walls was something Xiao Ai only learned of later.
The fall of a dynasty plays out the same in every world. The fate of a princess from the previous regime? Hah…
Xiao Ai would be publicly executed in a month. She learned of this the very next day, yet felt not a shred of fear.
Xiao Ai didn't care, let alone fear.
The only person she cared about was already dead—killed by her own hand.
But having a princess locked up in the dungeon was undeniably novel. Naturally, Xiao Ai endured no shortage of torment, experiencing nearly every torture device in existence.
Those beasts had nothing to ask, and Xiao Ai had nothing to say. She felt they merely wanted to hear the princess's wails.
Xiao Ai found such people utterly pitiful. They couldn't judge right from wrong with their own eyes, just like the curses and insults hurled during the public parades. The ignorant masses would swallow anything they wanted to believe.
Whenever someone living better than them faced judgment, they'd rush to join the spectacle, venting their anger as if Xiao Ai had personally destroyed their families.
"Perhaps this world needs to be reshaped. These ignorant beasts aren't worth saving."
Before Ye Qinghan and Li Shiyao, Xiao Ai—barely clinging to life, her body covered in wounds—leaned against the wall and spoke these words.
"I may vanish, but you shall never escape guilt. Judgment and retribution will come. Heaven's punishment will punish the wicked in my stead."
"It is not me you should fear, but yourselves!"
Just three sentences nearly scared Ye Qinghan and Li Shiyao out of their wits. Ye Qinghan even suspected Xiao Ai had been possessed at some point!
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