Several days later, Zhou Cheng and the others unearthed evidence of the Ling Household's collusion with the pirates and publicly moved against them.
At the Ling Household's residence in the capital of the Bamboo Step Kingdom, its fief in the kingdom's south, Hongdu Harbor, where Peaceful Retreat Garden stood, and various other locations, fellow disciples from Mystic Xin Peak led teams in and subdued the lineage's direct descendants simultaneously.
The head of the Ling Household had sensed disaster ever since his second brother failed to return. But his ancestral holdings were all onshore, leaving him nowhere to flee. He could only surrender without resistance.
At the favored consort Madam Ling's quarters, a squad of armored, armed soldiers charged in and restrained the shrieking palace maids.
"Your Highness, please depart on your final journey."
A eunuch entered with a porcelain bottle on an exquisite jade tray and addressed Madam Ling.
Madam Ling was shocked and furious. "How dare you! What do you think you're doing? I want to see Wang!"
The eunuch's expression turned bitter. "Wang is ill and does not wish to see anyone."
"I don't believe you! You brazen scoundrels must be forging Wang's command!" As she spoke, she tried to shove him aside and rush out of the palace.
The eunuch hurriedly protected the bottle on the tray and called in a shrill voice, "Guards! Feed Her Highness her medicine!"
With her lineage's fortunes already lost, and the favored consort herself a mortal without any personal strength, she was soon forced to swallow a pill and collapsed limply.
Deep within the King's Palace, the King of the Bamboo Step Kingdom soon learned the outcome. He slumped into his chair, unable to speak for a long time.
Although the old King was decrepit, he could still distinguish between his