Chapter 604: Without Looking Back

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

She quickly sat up straight and leaned over the window to look forward for a better look.

Deng Yuchuan walked slowly to the emperor and Empress Dowager Deng with his walking stick.

Usually, Deng Luyun would follow him, but today, he entered the palace alone.

There was no one beside him.

He knelt down shakily.

“Greetings, Your Majesty and Empress Dowager.”

Empress Dowager Deng smiled and said, “Brother, please stand up. We’re all family. There’s no need to be so polite.”

The old emperor also said, “Someone, take a seat for Uncle.”

Someone immediately brought a chair over and placed it behind Deng Yuchuan so that he could sit and talk.

Deng Yuchuan did not sit down. He was still standing there with his walking stick. His body was a little hunched because of his age. Although the outline of his face was still very firm, his face was already covered in wrinkles of varying depths, and his hair was already gray.

He said unhurriedly, “Time passed. I didn’t expect that in the blink of an eye, the Empress Dowager and I had already reached the age of sixty.”

Queen Mother Deng sighed. “Yes, we’re all old.” Empress Wen comforted her at the right time.

“Mother, don’t say that. You look very young.”

The others echoed, praising the Empress Dowager for still being very young.

Empress Dowager Deng knew in her heart that everyone was coaxing her, but she still smiled.

Who in this world didn’t like to hear good things? She was naturally no exception.

The guards walked up with a heavy mahogany box.

They placed the large box on the ground and stood it up according to Deng Yuchuan’s instructions.

The official from the Ministry of Rites read the words on the gift list slowly.

“From Duke Deng Yuchuan, a Jade Buddha!”

Empress Dowager Deng was a Buddhist all year round. At this moment, she still had a string of green jade prayer beads on her wrist.

Hearing this, she could not help but look expectant. “So Brother gave me a jade Buddha. ”

The old emperor looked at the large mahogany box and smiled.

“Looks like this jade Buddha should be quite big. Open it quickly and let me broaden my horizons.”

Deng Yuchuan declined the help of others.

He walked over with his cane and used the key he carried to open the copper lock. Then he slowly opened the lid of the box.

The contents of the mahogany box were revealed to everyone.

Tm

The atmosphere of the birthday banquet froze.

It turned out that what was in the mahogany box was not a jade Buddha, but a charred corpse!

Shen Zhuo was the first to react.

He stood up and shouted sternly, “Someone, move this thing down!”

Deng Yuchuan reached out and pressed his hand on the mahogany box. His voice was very loud.

“Seeing how anxious His Highness is, I’m sure you already know the background of this charred corpse. According to seniority, you should call him grandfather.’

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue was in an uproar!

The old emperor’s face turned ashen. “Deng Yuchuan, do you know what you’re doing?!”

Empress Dowager Deng looked at the charred corpse in a daze, her expression gradually turning to panic.

She couldn’t believe she would see that man again in this situation after so many years.

The scenes from back then appeared in her mind again.

Those were nightmares she would never want to remember.

Yu Niaoniao watched this scene quietly, recalling what had happened six days

Before she left the Imperial Capital with everyone from the Langjun Imperial Palace, she secretly ordered someone to send the charred corpse to the Deng Residence and handed it to Old Master Deng.

She had originally planned to disguise herself and sneak into the Deng family’s team to attend the banquet after sending everyone from the Langjun Imperial Palace away.

Unexpectedly, something unexpected happened. The emperor suddenly found out about the charred corpse and she was urgently summoned to the palace.

What happened after that was beyond her control.

She could no longer follow the plan and could only place her hopes on Deng Yuchuan.

Before this, Yu Niaoniao had made many assumptions. The worst outcome was that Deng Yuchuan gave up on taking revenge for his sister and chose to destroy the evidence to protect himself and the entire Deng family.

Everyone was selfish. If Deng Yuchuan really did that, Yu Niaoniao had noone to blame.

She had no choice but to accept her fate.

What transpired did not disappoint her.

Deng Yuchuan did not retreat, let alone give up.

Even though he knew that there was a dead end ahead, he still did not hesitate.

As Yu Niaoniao looked at Deng Yuchuan’s slightly hunched figure, her heart surged.

Even if time was heartless, even if the dead had long turned to bones, there were still people in this world who remembered them.

There were still people who would bravely advance for them.

The imperial guards rushed towards Deng Yuchuan aggressively, planning to take him down on the spot.

Deng Yuchuan took out the lighter unhurriedly and blew gently. Sparks flew.

He moved the match closer to the mahogany box and glanced at the Imperial Guard.

“The compartment in this box is filled with gunpowder. As soon as I light the fuse, the gunpowder will explode immediately. Everyone present will be blown away.”

The imperial guards took a closer look. There was indeed a thin fuse at the corner of the mahogany box.

As long as Deng Yuchuan’s hand moved forward a little, the match would ignite the fuse.

Immediately, everyone retreated in fear, not daring to act rashly.

The old emperor was furious. “Are you crazy?!

Not only was Deng Yuchuan not crazy, but he was even calmer than ever. He realized that someone was trying to sneak away and immediately spoke loudly.

“Now, please do your best and listen to a story quietly. When the story is over, I’ll naturally leave you here. However, if anyone acts rashly before that, I’ll immediately light the fuse.”

As soon as these words were spoken, those who wanted to escape immediately did not dare to move and could only sit back obediently.

Empress Wen barely maintained her composure. “If the explosives are detonated, you won’t be able to escape.”

Deng Yuchuan said, “Since I’ve done this, I’m prepared to die.”

Shen Zhuo endured it again and again, but in the end, he could not help but turn to look at Yu Niaoniao again.

From his angle, he could only see a small window and not Yu Niaoniao at all.

At this moment, he finally understood why Yu Niaoniao insisted on entering the palace to attend the birthday banquet today. She must have known Deng Yuchuan’s plan long ago.

Perhaps she was part of this plan!

Shen Zhuo pursed his lips and clenched his fists in his sleeves. He tried his best to suppress the anger in his heart.

After a long time, Queen Mother Deng found her voice with difficulty.

“Brother, why are you doing this? We’re clearly family. Can’t we sit down and talk things out? Why did you make things like this? If something happens to me and the emperor, not only you, but the entire Deng family will suffer. Even if you don’t think for yourself, you should think for your descendants.”

Deng Yuchuan asked, “Do you really treat me as family?”

Empress Dowager Deng said, “Of course…”

Deng Yuchuan interrupted her. “What about Li Niang? Did you treat her as family again?”

Hearing the name Li Niang, Empress Dowager Deng’s face instantly turned pale..