Chapter 237: Gone General

A strange sense of complete silence blanketed the battlefield. Smoke drifted between them, curling around the black tendrils of shadow that held Han Zheng’s arms at his sides. His sword lay several paces away, half-buried in the dirt.

Ru Yi stood over him, her breathing hard...her eyes cold. "You’re going to tell me exactly what happened to Princess Yuexin that night."

General Han Zheng looked up at her, his expression void of panic. He looked nothing like a man who was on the brink of death.

Han Zheng didn’t even have the grace to lower his eyes as he spoke. "I killed her." The words landed harder than any sword. "She was going to present the evidence she’d gathered so far against me, and I couldn’t let that happen."

"Of course, that’s what a coward like you would do," Ru Yi shot back.

"I’m not entirely to be blamed," Han Zheng continued. "The crown prince and the Empress wanted her gone too. It was only a matter of time before either of them finally got rid of her. To put it simply..." he pressed closer, not even flinching when the blade left a trail of blood behind.

"I was the only one who was courageous to get the work done," he finished. "I’m anything but a coward. Besides, it was the crown prince that delivered the final blow."

"What?"

Han Zheng looked at her like she was stupid. "Did you seriously think he was innocent in all of this?" He laughed, the sound similar to fingers sliding across glass. "You’re even more stupid than I thought."

Ru Yi held back, but her fingers trembled from barely contained rage. "Shut up!"

"Look around you..." Han Zheng looked her dead in the eye. "Whether it’s being a maid in the palace or obeying Sheng’s every word...you’re still nothing but a tool used by others to achieve their own goals. And that’s all you’ll ever be."

Ru Yi used one of her tendrils to smack General Han Zheng across the face. "Shut that filthy mouth, you know absolutely nothing!"

Han Zheng touched the corner of his now bleeding mouth. "Hit me all you want. But have you ever stopped to think of the reason Sheng is helping you?"

Ru Yi gulped, looking at the raging man in front of her. She knew General Sheng had plans to use her as a weapon in his fight against the throne.

Wasn’t that everyone’s goal? To take the throne and have all the power to themselves. Whether it was Empress Lihua, General Sheng, the triplets of Han Zheng himself—

Everything they did revolved around power.

"You think I don’t know that?" Ru Yi replied. They weren’t the only ones capable of using their brain. She was playing into Sheng’s plan so she could use it to her own advantage.

Han Zheng shook his head. "The problem is you estimate how far people would go for something they believe in." He moved his head to the side. "What do you believe in?"

General Sheng walked over to them. "Don’t listen to his nonsense. Put an end to his misery, we still have the chest to find."

Ru Yi raised her sword again, but before she could strike, Han Zheng’s hand snapped upward. He caught her wrist and twisted it with all his might.

Blinding pain shot through her arm as her sword fell to the ground.

Ru Yi gritted her teeth and tried to pull away, but Han Zheng pushed himself up and used his greater strength to force her balance apart. She immediately summoned her shadow.

Black tendrils exploded beneath them, each one immediately aiming for General Han Zheng. He immediately released her and leapt backwards as the darkness tore through the earth where he had been standing.

Ru Yi spun, grabbed her sword and attacked again. Their blades collided, the impact sending sparks across the battlefield.

Han Zheng blocked her first strike on time, and the second, but the third forced him backward which was just as embarrassing for a General.

Ru Yi pressed harder, swinging with fury.

Han Zheng ducked beneath her blade and struck her across the ribs with the flat of his sword.

Ru Yi staggered but she recovered instantly. She was going to kill him whether it took all of her energy or not. She would avenge herself and Princess Lin Yuexin who had been innocent in all of this.

One of her tendrils whipped toward him, but Han Zheng was quick to slice through it with his sword. Another came from behind and he cut it apart too.

Ru Yi’s eyes narrowed at Han Zheng, he was faster than she anticipated for someone his age. She rushed him again, and this time Han Zheng met her attack head-on.

Their swords locked as Ru Yi pushed forward. "You’re stronger than I expected," she mused.

"So are you." He suddenly shifted his weight which made Ru Yi lose balance.

Han Zheng twisted her wrist, knocked her sword aside, and drove his shoulder into her chest. She crashed onto the ground.

Before she could rise, his sword was at her throat. "I have you exactly where you should’ve been all along."

Ru Yi glared up at him, then she smiled. "You’re standing way too close, General."

The ground beneath Han Zheng’s feet turned back. His eyes widened just as the shadow erupted. He jumped away just as several tendrils tore through the earth.

Ru Yi rolled to her feet, her sword flying back into her hand.

General Sheng watched it all with growing impatience. The girl was taking too long to finish Han Zheng off.

"Enough," he said under his breath, his spiritual energy surging through his fingers. He charged towards the General without warning.

Han Zheng barely blocked the first strike. Each blow from General Sheng was heavier than the last. His boots carved lines through the death as he struggled to withstand the assault.

Ru Yi watched only for a moment before joining the fight. She immediately attacked General Han Zheng from behind.