Tears streamed unceasingly from the queen's eyes as she knelt on the ground, cradling her eldest son in her arms. This son, once the hope of the Nan Zhao kingdom, had now become a source of endless grief and despair.
"Bastard! Despicable! Shameless! I curse you! I curse you to hell!" Her curses were filled with pain and anger, but they couldn't change the grim reality.
Mou Di Ru Zan was still trying to comprehend the situation, while the strategist in the silver mask spoke with even greater coldness, his words slicing through the young prince's heart like icy blades. "Your Highness, do you see? Your mother, she wanted you dead!"
"No! It's not like that!" The queen's eyes were filled with horror and disbelief as she vehemently denied it.
At this moment, the strategist used a black cloak to envelop the younger prince, leaving only his confused and frightened eyes visible. He knelt down, bringing his face close to the young prince, his voice as chilling as a whisper in the night wind. "Your Highness, no, the future king, think back on your past. Have you often felt overlooked? Disregarded? Even by your father and mother, and even by your brother lying there?"
Was it so? The young prince's gaze fixed on the strategist in the silver mask, his mind racing through memories of the past. Indeed, as the second son, he had always been in his brother's shadow, receiving less attention and affection. Now, this disparity was magnified in his heart.
The young prince looked incredulously at the strategist, recalling past instances. Being the second son, not the heir to the throne, he remembered how he was disregarded, how little he was valued. Despite outwardly being a respected prince, the difference in treatment compared to his brother was now immensely magnified in his mind!
A wave of previously unknown emotions surged in the young prince's heart. Yes, the strategist in the silver mask was right! He had always been marginalized, and just moments ago, he had nearly become a sacrificial pawn for his own brother!
Sensing the right moment, the strategist continued in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the new king, you, Mou Di Ru Zan, and I are all the same. We are the overlooked, the expendable. But we are true companions to each other, your true allies. Among us, there is a real kinship!"
"No, don't listen to his deceitful words, he's lying to you! Asin, don't listen to his nonsense!" The queen's cries of despair were drowned in the tragic atmosphere. Her voice was like a dagger piercing Asin's heart, but it was too late to prevent what was about to happen. Asin, a name he had nearly forgotten, echoed in his ears anew, bringing an indescribable sting.
He wanted to become king, to make those who overlooked him pay. He wanted to reclaim everything, including the love and respect that had been denied to him.
The young prince's eyes hardened, his fear and despair transforming into anger and madness. This transformation even shocked Mou Di Ru Zan, who was observing from the sidelines.
Seeing this, the strategist's face revealed a cunning smile. He knelt on the ground and offered the long sword to the young prince, his voice filled with encouragement and instigation. "The new king of Nan Zhao, the future of this nation is in your hands. But this woman before you, she is your obstacle, the one who has hurt you. You must personally sever the chains that bind you to truly be reborn."
The young prince, now filled with a tumultuous mix of emotions, faced a moment of pivotal decision that would redefine his destiny and the future of the Nan Zhao kingdom. The air was thick with tension, the outcome hanging precariously in the balance.
The young prince, Asin, had madness flickering in his eyes. He nodded, taking the sword with trembling hands. The blade was heavy and stained with blood. Unsteadily, he approached his mother.
"No…" The queen's eyes were filled with despair and disbelief, realizing that words were futile. She stopped resisting and opened her arms, ready to embrace her younger son in her final moment.
However, what met her was the cold steel. The icy blade slowly pierced her body, the tip emerging from her back. In her last moments of life, she finally embraced her son.
"Ah!" The new king of Nan Zhao, Asin, unleashed a roar and wail that tore through the silence. Tears poured out like waterfalls. His heart was filled with madness, grief, pain, and anger. These negative emotions mingled and collided within him, completely warping his mind at that moment.
With a beast-like howl of anguish, his emotional turmoil reached its peak, and then, exhausted, he collapsed into a pool of blood, his spirit utterly shattered.
The Tibetan guards outside, hearing the commotion inside the palace, rushed in. They were stunned by the scene before them: the beheaded body of the Nan Zhao crown prince, the queen pierced through the heart by a sword, and the unconscious young prince, still holding the weapon.
The guards looked at each other in confusion, unable to comprehend the events that had unfolded. Chaos and unease flickered in their eyes.
The strategist in the silver mask calmly issued orders: "Take Prince Asin to rest. He will be the new king of Nan Zhao, crowned by Mou Di Ru Zan." His tone returned to its original calm and mercilessness.
"Understood!" The Tibetan guards sprang into action. They hastily cleaned the scene, took Prince Asin away, and quickly departed from the place filled with death and blood.
Clap, clap, clap. After everyone had left, Mou Di Ru Zan began to applaud. His mood was extremely joyful and shocked. Even his lower body was visibly excited, his elation evident.
"Mr. Zhang, that was brilliant, I am truly impressed! In my life, I have never seen such an enthralling... scheme! The people of Tang are indeed full of cunning strategies! Now, not only is the potential threat eliminated, but whom will the Nan Zhao seek revenge from? Their own new king? Hahaha!" Mou Di Ru Zan said, laughing wildly.
The strategist in the silver mask appeared disdainful of Mou Di Ru Zan's disrespect and frivolity, a flash of hatred even visible in his eyes for a moment, but it quickly disappeared. "Mou Di Ru Zan, I wonder if you remember our agreement? After you become the Emperor of the Tibetan Empire, you will grant me the lands of Beiting and Anxi to establish a new Tang Dynasty."
Mou Di Ru Zan paused, narrowing his eyes, pondering for a moment. Those two territories represented a third of the Tibetan Empire's size — not a small offer, but he also knew without the help of the strategist in the silver mask, he could not defeat his brother Muni Zan.
Weighing the pros and cons, Mou Di Ru Zan made his choice. "Fine! If one day I become the Emperor, I, Mou Di Ru Zan, will definitely keep my promise and grant you these two promised lands. Under the rule of the Tibetan Empire, you shall establish your desired new Tang Dynasty!" Mou Di Ru Zan's promise implied a vassal state under his rule.
The strategist in the silver mask, although aware of the hidden meaning in Mou Di Ru Zan's words, understood that in the current situation, this was the best commitment he could obtain.
As the strategist in the silver mask knelt on one knee, his voice filled with determination and loyalty, Mou Di Ru Zan's heart swelled with excitement. His ambition was steadily turning into reality.
"Now, for our next move, I will clear the way for you in Shule Town, which will be key to our entry into Anxi," the strategist spoke calmly, already strategizing their next move.
Hearing these plans, Mou Di Ru Zan was again swept up in excitement. After the strategist left, Mou Di Ru Zan was consumed by ambition and desire. The fire of his desires was uncontrollable. His gaze drifted over the lifeless body of the Saintess, shaking his head in resignation, then finally settled on the recently deceased queen. His eyes glinted with a twisted and manic light.