The Prince Wants to Assassinate Me Every Day-Chapter 1038 - 629: Xiao Jinxing’s Final Mercy (Fourth Update)

Chapter 1038: Chapter 629: Xiao Jinxing’s Final Mercy (Fourth Update)

"Luming." An Ning called his name.

"Your son is here." Xiao Luming responded respectfully.

"Gu Xingchuan rebelled against me. Do you think I should just watch him die in front of me without feeling anything?" An Ning asked Xiao Luming. "Everyone understands the greater good, but human conscience makes it difficult to be indifferent."

Xiao Luming was about to speak.

"Of course, an emperor shouldn’t have personal emotions; what place is there for human conscience?!" An Ning said bluntly, "Mother can only say, you’ve been taught well by your father. Perhaps you will become the next wise ruler."

"Mother..."

"Mother is not criticizing you, nor blaming you. Although you are five, your mind is more mature than most children. You have your judgments and choices, and Mother respects you. Mother also hopes that the conflict between Xiao Jinxing and me won’t affect our mother-son relationship. Therefore, regarding Gu Xingchuan’s matter, Mother no longer wishes to hear you mention it, at least not in front of me."

Xiao Luming bit his lips.

He knew he had offended Mother today.

He only wanted Mother to understand that the tide cannot be reversed against heaven.

He merely wanted to reconcile Father and Mother.

But he seemed inadequate.

Xiao Luming respectfully replied, "Your son obeys."

An Ning looked at Xiao Luming’s appearance, seeing the maturity and steadiness beyond his years on his young face, and even a hint of grievance.

She pursed her lips, her voice softened, "Luming, Mother was once stubborn; in the future, Mother will respect your wishes."

After saying this, An Ning turned and walked away.

Xiao Luming looked at An Ning’s back, his small fists clenched.

His heartfelt wish was just for their family to reunite!

...

Heavenly Prison.

Xiao Jinxing walked into the cold, damp cell.

He stood in front of Gu Xingchuan.

The charcoal was clearly blazing, and the cotton was warm, yet the emaciated Gu Xingchuan seemed frozen to the bone, filled with desolation.

Gu Xingchuan looked at the visitor.

He slowly moved his body.

The chains on him rattled "clink clink."

Gu Xingchuan got up, kneeling on the ground, "The guilty minister pays homage to the Emperor."

Xiao Jinxing looked down at Gu Xingchuan.

Looking at his current state of destitution and misery.

An Ning saw, she would surely feel guilty and pained.

"Gu Xingchuan." Xiao Jinxing called his name.

"The guilty minister is here."

"At the Qingming Festival, execute him publicly." Xiao Jinxing stated bluntly, "The Gu family, seize the nine clans and confiscate their assets."

Gu Xingchuan knelt on the ground, and upon hearing the Emperor’s decree, still raised his head to look at him.

There was perhaps a fluctuation of emotions in his eyes.

Or a pool of still water.

He bowed his head to accept, "The guilty minister thanks His Majesty for the grace!"

"You and I, master and minister, our fate ends here." Xiao Jinxing said slowly.

"It is the guilty minister who failed the Emperor, and the guilty minister’s death is not to be regretted." Gu Xingchuan had long seen past life and death.

Upon hearing that the Gu family’s nine clans were not implicated, he was immensely grateful.

He spoke, "But the Empress..."

"The Empress will hate me deeply." Xiao Jinxing said bluntly.

"I implore the Emperor to grant the Empress freedom." Gu Xingchuan pleaded.

Xiao Jinxing looked at Gu Xingchuan, his face very calm.

Song Yanqing stood beside him, silent.

Having been fellow officials with Gu Xingchuan for many years, his heart truly could not bear this life-and-death separation.

"The Empress longs for freedom and does not desire to be trapped in the vast birdcage of the Imperial Palace. Moreover, the Empress will certainly resent the Emperor for my death, and forcing her to stay by his side will only lead to mutual torment. I implore the Emperor to grant the Empress true freedom, in consideration of her many years of assisting the Emperor in establishing the kingdom, so she can truly stay away from conflicts and politics, free and unrestrained."

"Is this your last wish?" Xiao Jinxing asked.

"This is my last wish." Gu Xingchuan knelt on the ground, bowing deeply.

"Why didn’t you trust me back then; I truly wanted to give An Ning freedom?" Xiao Jinxing’s eyes flickered.

Gu Xingchuan remained silent for a long time.

"Am I not worthy of trust?"

"It was the guilty minister’s obstinacy, greed overwhelming him." Gu Xingchuan admitted humbly.

"Do you regret it? I would have freed An Ning, yet you attempted to rebel against me for her?!" Xiao Jinxing asked.

"No regrets." Gu Xingchuan replied firmly.

Xiao Jinxing looked at him.

Initially, he hoped for his regret.

Even though he had rebelled, no matter how he convinced himself otherwise, he indeed failed to remain unmoved.

His feelings towards Gu Xingchuan were not as forgiving as he had thought.

"A heart demon has arisen, eventually becoming a demon." Gu Xingchuan said, "The guilty minister can no longer return to the past, death is the best relief."

Xiao Jinxing pursed his lips, "But An Ning does not think so."

"The Empress just cannot accept the guilty minister’s death for a time, but gradually she will become calm and accepting."

"Yet she will hate me for killing you for the rest of her life."

"So granting the Empress departure is the best way for both the Emperor and the Empress." Gu Xingchuan kept pleading.

"I will release her." Xiao Jinxing promised, "Rest easy."

"The guilty minister deserves death. The guilty minister thanks His Majesty for the grace." Gu Xingchuan bowed deeply once again, grateful.

Xiao Jinxing continued to look at Gu Xingchuan.

Slowly, he turned and said, "Farewell forever."

"The guilty minister bids His Majesty farewell, long live the Emperor forever."

Xiao Jinxing left coldly.

To personally tell him that he would release An Ning is the greatest mercy Xiao Jinxing gave Gu Xingchuan after Gu Xingchuan betrayed him.

He walked into Bai Mowan’s prison.

Bai Mowan leaned against the corner, pale and weak, her eyes lost.

Seeing Xiao Jinxing’s arrival, perhaps she was agitated, or perhaps her heart was as dead as ash.

She had been imprisoned here for seven or eight months.

Originally, no one visited.

Now Xiao Jinxing suddenly came to see her, and it was unlikely to be good news.

She just looked at Xiao Jinxing.

In her wretched state, she looked at the lofty Emperor.

When did it begin, between them, growing further apart? Between them, worlds apart. Between them, no feelings remained.

She lowered her gaze, asking in a flat voice, "Is the Emperor going to kill me?!"

"Yes." Xiao Jinxing replied.

A single cold word.

Originally thought herself prepared for everything, yet at this moment of truth, still felt as if the world crumbled.

Reborn in another life, yet repeating the same mistakes.

Was she foolish, or was Heaven joking with her?

"During the Qingming Festival, you and Bai Moyi will be executed publicly." Xiao Jinxing said slowly.

Bai Mowan laughed.

A miserable laugh.

"I thought you couldn’t bring yourself to do it." Bai Mowan murmured, tears sliding from her eyes.

For so many years, Xiao Jinxing had shown her mercy.

This time, however, he ultimately chose cruelty.

She had continuously pushed her limits.

Xiao Jinxing looked at Bai Mowan’s demeanor.

Watching her breakdown, yet seemingly having no outlet for her emotions, leaving only desolation.

His fingers moved slightly.

There might have been some emotional stir, yet he ultimately remained indifferent.

He bluntly said, "There is no longer any affection between us."