Chapter 425 – Returning to the Capital Amidst Life and Death (2/2)

But now that he thought about it, wasn't it because, in his heart, he had always held a deep jealousy and hatred for Chen Changsheng?

He really wanted Chen Changsheng to die.

Why couldn't he just die?

A rain suddenly began to fall down upon the capital. The Li Palace was no exception.

The air of late spring was suddenly washed clean, and the gray stone actually began to emit a cold air.

Zhuang Huanyu had no umbrella. He stood in the rain for a very long time.

A priest from the Li Palace stepped forth to inquire, but when he realized it was him, he remembered that Chen Changsheng was about to return to the capital. Thinking that he had guessed at something, the priest no longer disturbed Zhuang Huanyu.

Holding up umbrellas in the rain, those priests and students from the Six Ivies walked about their business. When they saw his drenched figure, the emotions in their eyes were rather complex. There was some pity, some empathy, and of course, there was also ridicule.

Zhuang Huanyu returned to his small courtyard in the Heavenly Dao Academy.

His clothes had been completely soaked by the rain, so how could he care anymore whether something was cold or hot? Yet for some reason, in the end, he did not jump into the deep and cold well.

In the final moment of his life, he preserved a little of his pride. He used a sword.

He chose to die under his own sword.

The news of Zhuang Huanyu's death quickly spread throughout the entire capital.

That gray courtyard not far from the Imperial City was the first to receive this news, because this place was the Department for Purging Officials.

When Zhou Tong heard this news, he had been holding up a lantern, standing amongst a patch of green wormwood in his vegetable garden. He had been attempting to find that wormwood stick-bug that had bitten one of his wormwood stalks half to death.

Zhuang Huanyu's death naturally had to do with Chen Changsheng's return to the capital. Those who stood on Chen Changsheng's side presumably felt like they could hold their heads up high, while those wanted to use this matter to attack Chen Changsheng and even the Orthodoxy inevitably felt rather disappointed.

Zhou Tong was likely the only person in the world that actually believed Chen Changsheng could collude with the demons, but not only did he lack any sense of failure, he even laughed and said, ”It's good if he dies!”

He was truly happy. Although he didn't laugh so much that he was rocking back and forth, the lantern in his hand swayed to and fro, so much so that the shadows of the wormwood on the vegetable field created all sorts of shapes, seeming just like a fence.

After the conclusion of the matter in Xunyang City, once it was confirmed that Su Li and Chen Changsheng had both survived, the rumors coursing their way through the capital suddenly changed.

The Li Palace and the military placed an enormous pressure on the Department for Purging Officials, demanding that Zhou Tong release Zhexiu.

Liberating Zhexiu was a present, a great gift to welcome Chen Changsheng back.

Of course, Zhou Tong would definitely not release Zhexiu. If not for Chen Changsheng's status being too sensitive, he would definitely have locked Chen Changsheng in that prison in his front yard.

So he believed that Zhuang Huanyu had died well. He had died, and the dead could not testify. The dead could not testify, so it was good.

Of course, he was keenly aware that with Chen Changsheng's current status and identity, Zhuang Huanyu's death was not too significant.

But there were definitely people that would use this death.

The fresh rain moistened the dust of the capital. The spring feeling of the capital had not yet dulled, and, on the contrary, grew even deeper. It was so bright and beautiful that it even seemed somewhat sticky and greasy.

A convoy of carriages returned to the capital.

Chen Changsheng sat in one of the carriages, feeling the vibrations from his sheath. Knowing that the Black Dragon was about to wake up was very comforting to him.

Then, he heard a voice coming from outside.

”Traitor!”

Many people knew that Chen Changsheng was in the carriage. The commoners who were used to the bustling sights of the capital also couldn't help but fill the two sides of the road to join the rest of the crowd. There was spirited discussion, producing quite the clamor, and the scene was incredibly lively.

When this word rang out, this great street of the capital instantly became eerily silent.