When darkness fell, Gu Chaobei returned. But he didn’t see Shen Guiyan sitting by the flower bed in the courtyard. Instead, he went straight to Jiang Shi’s room.
“My lord.” Jiang Shi’s sweet voice came over. “The things you wanted, this concubine has brought them all.”
Gu Chaobei made a sound of acknowledgment and went to close the door.
Shen Guiyan opened her mouth. Before she could call out to him, she heard the sound of the door being bolted.
It seemed that, for some unknown reason, she was being neglected again?
Smiling bitterly, Shen Guiyan shook her head, thinking perhaps she was overthinking. He just had matters to attend to. She shouldn’t be in the way either. But Gu Chaobei’s thoughts were difficult to guess to begin with. Even when their relationship was good and they spent day and night together, laughing and playing constantly, Shen Guiyan never truly understood what was in his heart.
Forget it, forget it. She was just someone in this inner courtyard. If her husband didn’t come, she could only wait.
The uneasy atmosphere in the capital continued for a month. The Emperor, who should have lasted until the beginning of spring, suddenly passed away at year’s end.
The Crown Prince wept heart-wrenchingly at the bedside to display his filial piety. Gu Chaobei, however, stood at the palace gate and didn’t go in.
He was somewhat afraid to see that old man’s face slowly grow still. They’d met only a few times, and now they would never meet again.
Raising his hand to pick up a wine jar, he gulped down several mouthfuls. Gu Chaobei waited right at this palace gate. When the Crown Prince finished mourning, he would need to return to his residence to change into mourning clothes. He would definitely pass through this gate.
“Congratulations, Crown Prince.” Han Lu followed beside the Crown Prince, leading him toward the palace gate. “Now that His Majesty is dead, you can ascend the throne soon.”
Ming Xun wiped his eyes while feeling guilty. Following Han Lu’s advice, he’d increased Father Emperor’s dosage. Although he hadn’t dared to be too excessive, this month’s worth of medicine was enough for the imperial physicians to detect. Fortunately, both the Empress and Empress Dowager were now grief-stricken. No one had time to examine the body yet. Once he returned to his residence and arranged for people to handle this matter cleanly, he could rest easy.
Thinking this, Han Lu beside him suddenly stopped walking.
“What’s wrong?” The Crown Prince looked at her curiously.
Han Lu said, “Crown Prince, please send your attendants back first. This concubine has something to say to you.”
Her face was full of pitiful charm, as if she had a great secret to tell him. Ming Xun wasn’t on guard either and nodded. “Alright.”
The five or six attendants following him all left completely. Only then did Han Lu come forward to lead him to Chongyang Gate.
“Crown Prince, do you remember this palace gate?” Han Lu said softly. “Empress Mother said that throughout the dynasties, all emperors ascending the throne must pass through this gate.”
The Crown Prince looked up at the palace gate and nodded. “Yes…”
Halfway through nodding, he suddenly felt something was wrong. Ming Xun frowned and turned to look at Han Lu. “Empress Mother?”
When had she met Empress Mother?
Han Lu smiled, released his hand, and pushed him forward. Ming Xun turned back and saw Gu Chaobei.
“Crown Prince, Your Highness.” Gu Chaobei was drunk, swaying as he grinned at him.
Ming Xun’s back felt somewhat cold. This area near Chongyang Gate had no one around. With Gu Chaobei standing ahead, it suddenly made him feel afraid.
“Chaobei, this Crown Prince was just about to find you.” Ming Xun forced a smile. “You’ve done quite a bit for this Crown Prince. Now that His Majesty is dead, once this Crown Prince ascends the throne, I’ll give you a high position. How about it?”
Gu Chaobei smiled lightly and said, “How did the Emperor die?”
The Crown Prince looked away.
Very early on, when he’d just taken the position of Crown Prince, he’d had the idea of making a move against the Emperor. It was probably at that time that Gu Chaobei contradicted him for the first time, and they had a disagreement. After that, because of various matters, they grew more and more distant.
Ming Xun suddenly felt somewhat regretful now. He should have held onto Gu Chaobei tightly. He couldn’t say why—it was just intuition.
“This humble one wants to ask the Crown Prince a question.” Gu Chaobei said with a light laugh. “Can one who commits patricide be qualified to be emperor?”
The Crown Prince pressed his lips together. “Why not? As long as I create a prosperous era, future generations will only sing my praises.”
Gu Chaobei nodded. “That makes sense. No matter what one does before ascending the throne, as long as one is good after ascending the throne, then it’s good.”
“What are you blocking the way here for? This Crown Prince is going back.” Ming Xun took two steps forward, walking to Gu Chaobei’s side. “In a while, you should also change into mourning clothes and follow this Crown Prince into the palace. At that time, among the meritorious officials of the new dynasty, there will be a place for you too.”
Gu Chaobei laughed lightly and suddenly reached out to embrace the Crown Prince.
Ming Xun froze and frowned. “You’re drunk?”
“Mm.” Gu Chaobei half-squinted his eyes. “I have many brothers. Now there will be one less.”
Why was he embracing him and saying these inexplicable things? Ming Xun was about to frown and push him away when his back suddenly felt cold.
Gu Chaobei released the Crown Prince. His hands and body were covered with his blood.
“Fourth Young Master of the Gu family has always been unruly. Killing the current Crown Prince while drunk—who knows what kind of death he’ll face.”
Ming Xun wanted to take a deep breath but couldn’t breathe. He stared wide-eyed at Gu Chaobei before him, wanting to ask why.
Gu Chaobei only supported his body and laid him on the ground.
Han Lu walked over from behind, smiling as she looked at him. “The Crown Prince must also accompany His Majesty on the journey.”
How could this be? They were in league together? Ming Xun died with his eyes open. Han Lu was still carrying his child!
“Oh right, to let you go at ease, this concubine should still speak the truth.” Han Lu held his hand and said softly, “This concubine wasn’t pregnant with your child at all.”
The same deception had fooled two people. Only because she was with child would Ming Xun not guard against her—after all, no woman would be foolish enough to cut off her own escape route.
Turned out her pregnancy was fake.
Ming Xun could have gasped a couple more breaths, but now he was directly angered to death by these words.
A gust of wind blew, and light snow began to fall from the sky.
The people the Empress had arranged long ago came out and smoothly sent Gu Chaobei to prison.
His Majesty and the Crown Prince both passed away on the same day. The entire nation mourned, and the whole court was shocked.
Gu Chaobei had actually killed the current dynasty’s only heir to the throne while drunk. This was simply the most heinous crime, utterly unforgivable—his nine generations should be executed!
Even though the Gu family was the Prime Minister’s family, once this matter came out, the entire household was imprisoned.
Those who used to frequently visit the Gu family now all severed their connections, not asking a single question, never standing out to speak up. Moreover, students kicked them while they were down, saying Gu Chaobei was originally a person who didn’t know propriety and was unfit to be an official. Wu Tianying, who had previously sued Gu Chaobei, was even more delighted. He listed numerous crimes of Gu Chaobei’s and couldn’t wait to trample on him a few more times.
Shen Guiyan was changed into prisoner’s clothing and locked in the imperial prison.
The people from the North Courtyard were locked in one cell, with those from other courtyards beside them. From the day they entered, Madam Gu and several other concubines hadn’t stopped cursing.
“If he wants to court death himself, why drag us this whole household down?” Madam Gu said angrily. “That ungrateful wretch—he’s not even my son, so why should he implicate me?”
“Exactly!” Concubine Guan cried until her eyes were red. “I haven’t lived enough yet! Thank goodness Xi’er married out. That harmful thing.”
Concubine Liu also wanted to speak but was held back by Xu Mengdie.
Gu Chaonan’s expression was still relatively calm. Probably Xu Mengdie had told him something, because there was even light in his eyes.
“Why won’t you let me speak?” Concubine Liu looked at Xu Mengdie angrily. “We’re all going to die anyway. Can’t I even curse him?”
Xu Mengdie laughed lightly. Looking around, she said with a low laugh, “Don’t worry, we won’t die. Right now, you’d best praise Fourth Young Master more. In the future, you’ll have endless benefits.”
Why was this? Concubine Liu didn’t understand, but this daughter-in-law was clever. Her words could still be trusted.
So although she was very angry in her heart, Concubine Liu still said, “I feel that Fourth Young Master must have his reasons for what he did. He couldn’t possibly have killed the Crown Prince for no reason. Where would such great enmity come from?”
Shen Guiyan was startled and glanced at her.
Concubine Guan beside her cursed even more fiercely. “What reason could he have? He’s already caused the execution of nine generations!”
“All of you, shut up!” The Prime Minister couldn’t stand the noise and finally roared.
The cell quieted down. Prime Minister Gu said in a deep voice, “We haven’t reached the execution platform yet. Don’t carry on like this. Do you have no sense of a great family’s bearing?”
Madam Gu crouched in the corner wiping tears, saying angrily, “I wish I had no connection with him at all. What great family bearing do I need? I just want to live…”
With her crying, quite a few of the women followed suit.
Shen Guiyan sat calmly on the pile of straw, making no sound. Today’s calamity came too suddenly. She hadn’t seen Gu Chaobei for several days, and then he directly went and killed the Crown Prince.
He wasn’t such a reckless person and wouldn’t drag this whole household of old and young to their deaths together. With so many people secretly plotting, Shen Guiyan believed he had made some preparations.
Jiang Shi beside her was also still composed. Qinghuan and Qingluo had been crying for quite a while, but they didn’t curse much—they just cried.
The prison was filled with a sorrowful atmosphere.
Three days of national mourning. The Empress and the various ministers discussed how to handle what came next, whom to install in power. Both the Crown Prince’s faction and the Empress’s faction were somewhat at a loss because there was no longer any legitimate bloodline to inherit the throne.
At this time, the Empress said, “There is still one person of imperial blood.”
The entire court rekindled their hope and hurriedly inquired where this bloodline was. Consort Nian attended court and presented evidence proving that Gu Chaobei was of imperial blood.
It was a letter in the Emperor’s own hand, written to the Prime Minister. The content of the letter was asking him to properly raise the imperial prince and let the prince stay far from the imperial family’s slaughter.
The Empress Dowager immediately had Prime Minister Gu attend court for questioning.
“The Gu family’s fourth son, Chaobei, is indeed of imperial blood.” Prime Minister Gu knelt in the court hall with a grave expression. “Years ago, when His Majesty sent the infant to this subject, it was precisely to keep that child away from the imperial family’s struggles and give him peace. Who would have thought that now he would still be dragged into this.”
Having someone who could inherit the throne was a good thing. No matter who it was, they had to be installed to stabilize the people’s hearts.
However, to install Gu Chaobei on the imperial throne—the Crown Prince’s faction disagreed.
“Killing the Crown Prince and then ascending the throne himself—where is there such a method?” General Lian stepped forward and said, “If Gu Chaobei is truly an imperial prince, then this is fratricide—a great transgression! How can one who commits such transgressions become emperor?”
“Then may I ask the General, if fratricide is a great transgression, what about patricide?” Gu Chaobei’s voice rang out from the entrance to the court hall.