“I’m leaving. Continue sleeping.”
When dawn first appeared, the strength encircling her body slowly loosened, and warm lips gently caressed hers. Suzhen could barely open her eyes. Looking hazily, she saw Lian Yu tucking the blanket around her.
She had nightmares yesterday and was frightened. Lian Yu was startled by her and ordered Xiao Zhou to prepare some calming medicine for her to drink. Therefore, though she wanted to get up and let His Majesty occasionally enjoy the privilege of being a husband – serving him as he washed and dressed – she was weak all over and couldn’t climb up.
In her drowsiness, she only saw Ming Yanchu tiptoeing in with water and then out again. He quickly washed and dressed in the front room, then returned to look at her, his gaze deeply focused, flashing with complex reluctance. Finally, he kissed her lips deeply before striding out.
For some reason, Suzhen desperately wanted to get up and properly bid him farewell, but due to the medicine’s effects, she simply couldn’t. She could only watch helplessly as he left. The morning light slowly drew him away from her sight until he quickly disappeared without a trace.
The royal family left the palace under Imperial Guard escort, with grand ceremonial processions accompanying them.
Lian Yu didn’t have Suzhen accompany them, as it wasn’t appropriate for her to appear before the court ministers at this time.
Arriving at the imperial mausoleum, Lian Jie and Lian Qin had already arrived, and the court officials had been waiting respectfully for some time. Soon after, Dowager Consort Ai and Lian Yue arrived from the Guardian Temple. Qiu Jing had been stripped of his official position – unlike the previous Consort Yu case, he naturally had no part in this.
Compared to the previous ceremony, this one was grander in scale. Nothing could be neglected from top to bottom. The Imperial Household Department supervised from the side, while Ministry of Rites officials and the palace Bureau of Ceremonies had come early to arrange everything – bells, drums, musical instruments, and grand sacrificial offerings were all complete.
Around the Awakening of Insects, thunderstorms frequently appeared. Last night had been a good rain, and today’s weather continued overcast, looking very gloomy with thunder and rain seeming imminent.
But the timing had been calculated long in advance. When Lian Yu’s group arrived, without needing to wait long, Ming Yanchu glanced at the incense burning in a distant brazier. Minister of Personnel Zhu Qiguang announced the ceremony’s beginning. Under the coiling dragon banners, with magnificent grandeur, the emperor began moving toward the sacrificial altar – a scene of grand solemnity!
“Wait!”
Just as Lian Yu stepped onto the stone stairs, a voice rose behind him, containing laughter.
However, this laughter held no goodwill. Those two short words were full of danger, making people uneasy.
Lian Yu turned around without showing anger, speaking flatly, “What is it, Prime Minister Quan?”
“If you have no important memorial to present, this shows great disrespect to the late emperor and the deities. Don’t blame me for having someone ‘escort’ you away.”
The court ministers were also greatly surprised, looking over. Logically, during the late emperor’s birth anniversary grand ceremony, Quan Feitong shouldn’t be causing trouble at this time. But with a dark shadow on the horizon, his gaze was deeply predatory, faintly carrying a frosty gleam that seemed different from his usual provocations, making him even more inscrutable.
He also laughed with a “heh” sound. “Disrespectful to the late emperor? Who is disrespectful to the late emperor? Your Majesty, everyone here has the qualification to worship the late emperor, except for two people, because they committed treasonous, unforgivable acts against the late emperor. Do you know who they are?”
These words had hidden meanings, startling all the court officials. For a moment, they looked at each other with surprised and doubtful expressions. Huang Zhongyue seemed unable to help speaking first, “Prime Minister Quan, what do you mean? This humble minister is slow-witted – you should speak clearly to your colleagues. Could it be… that the late emperor’s death had some suspicious circumstances?”
“Please speak clearly, Prime Minister Quan.”
Liang Yida and others spoke in succession. Above and below the sacrificial altar, everyone suddenly fell into great doubt. Xiao An was first shocked then angry. Lian Yu’s gaze darkened slightly without comment, while Yan Da had already stepped forward, sternly shouting, “Prime Minister Quan, today is the grand day of worship, yet you speak nonsense here – what propriety is this?”
“This old minister humbly requests Your Majesty to have him escorted out, lest the auspicious time be missed.”
But Lian Yu’s gaze was like lightning, pointing at Huang Zhongyue and slowly smiling, “Minister Huang, just now Prime Minister Quan spoke of someone committing treasonous acts against the late emperor, without mentioning matters of life and death. I don’t know how you thought of that. What exactly are you trying to express? I’m truly curious.”
Huang Zhongyue suddenly trembled. “This…”
“No, regardless of whether Minister Huang spoke intentionally or not, he and Prime Minister Quan’s implied meaning – Your Majesty, you and the Empress Dowager… know it well!”
Just then, lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a thunderclap. A voice drifted eerily from the direction of the sacrificial altar – old, sharp, and chilling! Then, a figure appeared ghost-like, slowly emerging from behind the altar.
Being suddenly named, Xiao An instinctively turned with the crowd to look. Seeing the newcomer, her eyes couldn’t help but flicker. “Wang Lun, aren’t you already dead?!”
“Dead?” The old man looked up and laughed loudly. “Empress Dowager, you must be mistaken. This slave retired to his hometown after the late emperor’s passing – isn’t this well known in the palace? Why do you say this slave is dead? Or do you know that this slave never actually left the palace but was murdered?”
What kind of person was Xiao An? Receiving the warning quickly conveyed in Lian Yu’s eyes, she almost immediately calmed down. The panic that had briefly flashed in her eyes disappeared as she said, “Wang Lun, you were the late emperor’s personal attendant. I, remembering your faithful service, sent people to visit you after your return home. I learned that you died of grief shortly after returning, missing the late emperor. What’s wrong with me saying you died? I didn’t expect you had actually faked your death – clearly you had other motives.”
“This is the imperial mausoleum. Even though you were the late emperor’s personal attendant, without the current emperor’s decree, you absolutely cannot enter at will. Old slave, how dare you! Who sent you, and what are your intentions with this disturbance?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Lian Yu spoke coldly with imposing presence. Even the jagged dark clouds overhead seemed instantly suppressed by him.
The other royal family members and court officials were now terrified. This Wang Lun was the late emperor’s confidant, formerly a great eunuch in the palace, utterly loyal to the late emperor. During the late emperor’s lifetime, once during a private visit he was assassinated, and once during a hunt he encountered danger – both times Wang Lun risked his life to save him, earning the late emperor’s great trust! After the late emperor’s death, he immediately disappeared from the court, reportedly falling ill from grief and having to return home to recuperate. But he left so hastily that he didn’t even attend the late emperor’s funeral – wasn’t that suspicious!
Was this Wang Lun bringing hidden information, or as the emperor said, was this actually a ruse by Quan’s faction to implement another scheme?
Qing Long and Xuan Wu, seeing the situation quickly, leaped to Wang Lun’s front to capture him, but someone among the court officials was faster. A gray shadow flashed by, already blocking the two men.
It was General Chao Huang.
At the same time, Dowager Consort Ai spoke gravely, “Your Majesty, elder sister, this matter is grave. Though Eunuch Wang’s sudden appearance is improper, he clearly has something to report, and this matter seems greatly related to the late emperor. Why not let him finish his report before dealing with him?”
“Consort Ai, this old slave looks clearly mad. How can I delay the auspicious time for heaven worship because of a madman? Someone, arrest him! General Chao, if you continue blocking, borrowing Your Majesty’s words, don’t blame me for being impolite – I’ll have to ‘escort’ you away too!”
Xiao An spoke coldly. Hearing this, Wang Lun immediately laughed maniacally, “Empress Dowager, why do you block me? Is it because you’re actually guilty about the late emperor’s cause of death? He didn’t die of illness but was murdered by you and the emperor in conspiracy!”
Another lightning bolt struck down, like a bloody maw tearing down half the dark sky.
Half the people opened their mouths wide but were speechless. Almost everyone’s face showed extreme shock.
Actually, the late emperor was cruel and tyrannical – not necessarily would ministers speak up about anything. But if Wang Lun’s words were true, this would be Great Zhou’s disgrace. Such momentous matters made it wrong to take a stance and wrong not to take a stance! Regarding Wang Lun’s life and death claims, though Xiao An reacted quickly, everyone here was shrewd and could hear something was amiss.
Some tried to read something from Lian Yu’s face, but the emperor’s eyes were now deeply dark, still revealing no clues.
“Your Majesty, what Eunuch Wang says…”
“Eunuch Wang, this matter concerns the late emperor and is grave. Do you have evidence?”
Soon others spoke up, including Minister of Rites Zhu Qiguang, who was still presiding over the ceremony. This Minister Zhu was one of the few upright officials among the court ministers.
“If Your Majesty is upright, he fears no shadows. In this minister’s view, why not see what nonsense this Wang Lun wants to spout, resolving everyone’s doubts while allowing Your Majesty to punish him – wouldn’t that be fitting both ways?”
Li Zhaoting suddenly spoke up. Quan’s faction members immediately came forward one after another, declaring “Your Majesty’s wise judgment” and standing behind Quan Feitong. Huang Zhongyue’s lips curved slightly as he finally stepped forward.
Lian Yu glanced at Li Zhaoting. “Vice Minister Li’s eloquence is truly remarkable. A mere second place in the imperial exams really wasted your talents. No wonder she once felt about you… But what a pity.”
Li Zhaoting’s gaze flickered briefly, then his expression returned to normal, as if by today he had long since transformed from a water drop into thousand-year ice, with nothing able to disturb his mind.
Quan Feitong gave a low, cold laugh.
Seeing this, Yan Da’s face changed color. He was about to lead Cai Beitang, Xiao Yue and other royalist party members forward to memorialize, when a voice drifted up, “Sixth Brother, this minister believes in you and hopes Sixth Brother won’t disappoint me. Let this old slave finish speaking. Once it’s proven he’s talking nonsense, this minister will be the first to chop off his head!”
Dowager Consort Ai’s eyes bloomed with smile, but Lian Yu’s gaze darkened somewhat, his lips pressed tight. The speaker was… Lian Jie. Lian Qin looked completely shocked and confused, his posture lunging toward Wang Lun suddenly freezing.
Before Lian Yu could speak, Wang Lun suddenly pulled out a yellow silk scroll with lightning speed from his chest. Tears streaming down his old face, he turned toward Lian Jie and said, “Seventh Master, judge clearly – this is His Majesty’s true edict.”
With a “snap,” the yellow silk unfurled from his hands – Chao Huang, to prevent the item from being seized, quickly caught it and displayed it before the court ministers.
—By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor declares: I received this foundation from wise predecessors, worked diligently and conscientiously, strengthened the military and valued martial prowess, never daring to slack. Though I now pass away, I am comforted. My seventh son Jie possesses both virtue and talent and will surely implement benevolent governance and strive for excellence. I now pass the imperial succession to him, commanding he ascend the throne and assume the great unity on an auspicious day. Crown Prince Yu has a violent and cruel nature and will sooner or later bring disasters that harm the country and people. Moreover, the Murong family’s external relatives hold monopolistic power. I now command the Crown Prince to guard the imperial mausoleum permanently and not leave without permission. Such arrangements he will surely refuse. If there are any unusual movements, the new emperor may execute him without question.
The vermillion cinnabar on the silk was dark red like blood, with two seal impressions stamped under the sprawling ink characters!