Chen Kun stood slightly behind, only able to see Prince Yong’s cheeks twitching slightly, his hands clenched into fists with whitened knuckles, the veins on the backs of his hands pulsing faintly. One could see what heart-wrenching pain Prince Yong was suppressing within. Chen Kun even worried Prince Yong couldn’t endure it and might collapse before the corridor at any moment.
But what words of comfort could he say? What could he do? He could only follow cautiously behind Prince Yong with a heavy and anxious heart, walking into the dim hall.
An extremely inconspicuous cypress coffin stood in the center of the hall. Apart from Lei Jiuyuan and two old servants guarding on either side, there was no trace of anyone else—as if the secret within this cypress coffin might sprout wings and fly away, turning Great Liang upside down with blood flowing everywhere.
The furnishings inside the room were also extremely simple. There were no tables, chairs, or writing desks, no incense or candles offered either, making it appear cold and desolate.
The weather was truly cold!
Consort Rong, who possessed the beauty of a nation and captivated Prince Yong so much that he would write letters every ten days to express his innermost feelings, now lay cold inside this lifeless cypress coffin?
Chen Kun found it difficult to imagine all this, and difficult to imagine the pain Prince Yong’s heart was enduring.
The black-robed old eunuch signaled for the two old servants to withdraw first, and said in a hoarse voice:
“Twelve days ago, the palace conveyed that His Majesty had caught a slight cold. Consort Rong then entered the palace to inquire after his health. That night, someone from the palace said the Noble Consort wanted Consort Rong to stay overnight in the palace as company. The next day, Consort Rong returned to the prince’s mansion, dismissed everyone, and sat alone through the night. At dawn, she hanged herself from a beam. When the servant maids discovered her, Consort Rong had already stopped breathing. This old slave worried there might be hidden circumstances in this matter, so detained all the servant maids by Consort Rong’s side, preventing even a trace of news from leaking. Afterward, I quietly had Consort Rong’s corpse placed in a coffin and transported here, sending someone with a secret letter to inform Your Highness…”
Chen Kun stood at the threshold. Hearing Lei Jiuyuan’s words, he felt as if struck by lightning.
Such shocking news made him—who had bathed in blood killing enemies on the battlefield without the slightest fear—stand frozen on the spot at this moment, ice-cold from head to toe: Consort Rong was detained in the palace for one night, then hanged herself upon returning to the mansion?
Heavens!
Why must Heaven punish Great Liang so? Why punish Prince Yong so?
Prince Yong Zhu Yu stood before the coffin, veins bulging on his forehead, his expression extremely ferocious. After a long while, he finally rasped in a low roar: “Open the coffin.”
This matter couldn’t alarm others. Chen Kun forcibly suppressed his inner shock, stepped forward with Lei Jiuyuan to personally move aside the heavy coffin lid.
By this time Chen Kun had adapted to the dim light inside the room. Perhaps because of the cold weather, he saw Consort Rong lying in the coffin with features as if still alive. However, on her slender, snow-white neck, that purplish-black bruise mark left by the rope was so glaring.
The bruise mark was very regular, showing that when Consort Rong hanged herself from the beam, she had been so resolute, ending her own life without the slightest struggle.
Seeing Prince Yong’s face twitching, leaning in to gently lift Consort Rong’s corpse, about to remove her garments to examine the traces of violation suffered in the palace that were concealed by clothing, Chen Kun tactfully withdrew to the side, standing guard at the threshold.
After a moment, Chen Kun saw Prince Yong weakly wave his hand, signaling Lei Jiuyuan to close the coffin lid. Prince Yong then seemed as if someone had extracted his spine, collapsing onto the brick floor before the coffin, lost and dispirited.
Chen Kun stood at the door, his heart also stirring with waves. He thought that after Empress Zhang’s death, everyone said His Majesty’s temperament had greatly changed. But he could never have imagined that when His Majesty summoned his daughter-in-law Consort Rong to the palace, he would commit such acts contrary to human ethics!
Of course, compared to the human tragedy that had already occurred, what made Chen Kun’s scalp tighten and spine grow cold even more was how to clean up such a tragic situation!
Chen Kun was also secretly grateful that Lei Jiuyuan had been in charge of the prince’s mansion affairs these past two years. If it had been someone else, they probably couldn’t have concealed the news of Consort Rong’s suicide by hanging.
However, the news of Consort Rong’s suicide couldn’t be concealed for long. Even if they publicly claimed Consort Rong died of sudden illness, could they really make His Majesty believe Prince Yong was completely unaware of the ugly deed he had committed?
Moreover, they had been very cautious and careful in concealing their tracks on the journey back to Biangjing. But Prince Yong had already been away from Guanzhong for half a month. Even if he returned to Mount Li again with the utmost care, it would take at least another half month—with Prince Yong absent from Mount Li for over a month total without appearing publicly elsewhere in Guanzhong, when this matter reached the ears of His Majesty with his guilty conscience, how could it not arouse suspicion?
Once His Majesty became suspicious of Prince Yong, what would the consequences be?
Thinking of this, Chen Kun’s back grew ice-cold. He knew that once His Majesty became suspicious of Prince Yong, stripping him of military authority and placing him under house arrest would be the lighter punishment. With Prince Yong having no hope for the throne, and Prince Bo Zhu Gui—who was most likely to succeed—being deeply suspicious by nature and having an extremely poor relationship with Prince Yong, he couldn’t possibly allow Prince Yong to remain alive under his nose after ascending the throne.
“Your Highness, if you hesitate and cannot decide, your life will be hard to preserve!” Lei Jiuyuan stood before the coffin, speaking in a hoarse voice.
Hearing Lei Jiuyuan’s words, Chen Kun was suddenly alarmed, raising his head in confusion to look over: Decide? How to decide?
Military authority over Biangjing’s Imperial Guards was primarily controlled by Prince Bo Zhu Gui, National Uncle Zhao Yan, Vice Commissioner of Military Affairs and Biangjing Cavalry Commander Feng Tingyi and others. Even if some had good relations with Prince Yong, absolutely none had reached the point of entrusting their lives or following him through death.
Meanwhile, the Black Armored Capital elite forces loyal to Prince Yong were far away in Guanzhong, a thousand li distant.
Should they now mobilize all the Chengtian Guard’s secret troops and escort Prince Yong fleeing into Guanzhong to establish independence?
Never mind that quite a few officials in Guanzhong were His Majesty’s direct confidants, never mind that a considerable portion of the Black Armored Capital soldiers’ dependents were settled near Biangjing—could they really hold Tongguan Pass and establish independence relying solely on the broken and ruined Guanzhong with a population of only one million three to four hundred thousand, with battlefronts connecting to Chu, Shu, and Jin?
More critically, on what grounds would they hold Tongguan Pass and declare independence?
Without proper justification, words carry no weight.
Without legitimate grounds, among Guanzhong’s million troops and civilians, how many would like hotheaded fools blindly follow Prince Yong down a path to darkness without regard for anything?
Seeing Prince Yong’s left hand supporting the coffin, his fingernails even digging slightly into the coffin wood, Chen Kun also agonized for him over the pain and struggle he was currently enduring.
The room was cold and quiet. Unknowingly, the sky darkened. Inside the room it became pitch black. Lei Jiuyuan didn’t order anyone to light lamps either. The three men, sitting or standing, remained silent in the darkness. If not for the faint sounds of breathing, Chen Kun would have suspected Prince Yong and Lei Jiuyuan had already left.
“Light the lamp!” After a long silence, Prince Yong Zhu Yu finally spoke two words, his voice extremely hoarse.
……
……
Lei Jiuyuan went out for a moment, returning with a candlestick that emitted a soft glow, illuminating the vast hall in dim, cold desolation.
Apart from the cypress coffin in the center, the hall had no other decorations, no desk or table either. Lei Jiuyuan simply stood there holding the candlestick.
Zhu Yu took the candlestick and placed it directly on the coffin, saying softly: “Rong’er won’t blame me for neglecting her!”
At this moment, seeing Prince Yong’s eyes filled with bloodshot veins, both eyes crimson red, Chen Kun was startled and advised: “Why doesn’t Your Highness rest briefly? Your health is important.”
Zhu Yu paid no attention to Chen Kun’s advice. From his breast he withdrew a map of Great Liang’s strategic situation that he kept close to his person and would often take out to study. He spread it on the coffin, examining it carefully by the dim candlelight.
The strategic map showed not only the mountains, rivers, and terrain of Great Liang’s territories, but also the garrison troops of various military commands and the confrontation situations with neighboring Chu, Shu, and Jin.
Before anyone realized it, one tall candle had burned down completely. The time was already deep into the night.
“Chen Kun, you take my tiger tally and gold seal back to Mount Li. Tell the generals I’m in closed-door study. Lei Gong and I will go to Caizhou. After you reach Mount Li, if you hear news that Han Jian has offered Caizhou in surrender to Chu, immediately use my gold seal to send an express letter to Biangjing, saying Shu troops are gathering in great numbers at Liangzhou, intending to enter Chencang Road to attack Mount Li!” Zhu Yu’s vocal cords had become so hoarse they could barely produce sound, yet he forced himself to roar so Chen Kun and Lei Jiuyuan could hear his words clearly.
“Luring the tiger from the mountain?” Chen Kun had followed Prince Yong for many years. Hearing Prince Yong say this, he quickly understood what stratagem Prince Yong intended to use to break through the current crisis. But fearing he might have misunderstood, he confirmed further by asking.
Consort Rong’s death could still be concealed for a time. If at this moment Caizhou Military Commissioner Han Jian and his nephew Han Yuanqi “rebelled” in Caizhou, intending to offer Caizhou in surrender to Chu, while the Black Armored Capital couldn’t leave Guanzhong because Shu troops intended to attack Mount Li, then His Majesty would have no choice but to deploy Imperial Guard elite forces south from Biangjing to suppress the rebellion.
Only when Imperial Guard elite forces moved south, leaving Biangjing’s defenses vulnerable, could the Black Armored Capital then boldly advance eastward along the Yellow River, possibly accomplishing great matters in the shortest time!
Zhu Yu nodded, his tiger eyes crimson red as he stared at Chen Kun and asked: “Chen Kun, can this prince trust you?”
Chen Kun dropped to his knees with a thud, raised his head to directly face Prince Yong’s gaze, and said earnestly: “Prince Bo wanted to seize my wife to serve his debauchery. If not for Your Highness stopping him, Chen Kun would probably have been separated from his head long ago! Apart from how Your Highness has treated Chen Kun like a brother these years—this feeling and grace Chen Kun dares not forget—Chen Kun also absolutely dares not imagine the situation after Prince Bo inherits the throne. Only, if Your Highness goes to Caizhou in secret with only Lei Gong as companion, and Han Jian and Han Yuanqi refuse to comply, what then?”
Chen Kun worried that Han Jian was an old minister personally trusted by His Majesty. Persuading him to cooperate would not be easy. He looked toward Lei Jiuyuan. Lei Jiuyuan’s old eyes were murky—even facing such earth-shaking upheaval, one couldn’t detect the slightest ripple of emotion in his heart.
“If Han Jian captures me and presents me to Biangjing, you take your household and seek refuge in Chu! Although Chu is not entirely peaceful either, with Yang Yuanpu receiving Han Qian’s assistance, perhaps the realm can be unified under Yang Yuanpu’s hand?” Zhu Yu said with slight desolation.
Hearing Prince Yong mention Han Qian, Chen Kun suddenly recalled the circumstances when he accompanied Prince Yong in secretly entering Chu territory to meet Han Qian at Turtle Mountain after the Jingxiang campaign. At that time, Han Qian had said Prince Yong would face a great calamity within three years.
Chen Kun’s heart jumped in alarm, wondering whether Han Qian truly possessed prophetic abilities, or whether Han Qian’s understanding of Great Liang’s palace circumstances three years ago far exceeded that of this Great Liang general?
Chen Kun didn’t act falsely or perfunctorily. He immediately kowtowed: “Chen Kun understands.”
“Call Monk and the others in. Today I can only temporarily wrong Rong’er by burying her beneath this humble room!” Zhu Yu said.
Monk was the chief of the Chengtian Guard’s secret troops managing affairs in Guanzhong. Without his cooperation, even if Chen Kun held Prince Yong’s tiger tally and gold seal, he alone had no way to falsely transmit military intelligence, much less deploy the Black Armored Capital’s elite army.
Chen Kun went out and returned after a moment with several people. Everyone held knives and shovels. After moving the coffin, they dug up the evenly laid green bricks in the room, excavated an earthen pit, buried the coffin within, then relaid the green bricks. Looking at the room, it merely appeared slightly raised.
When all matters were complete, it was already dawn. At this time the wind and snow had not ceased. Chen Kun bid farewell to Prince Yong, taking the tiger tally, gold seal, and Prince Yong’s handwritten secret orders. Leading a squad of men and horses, he disappeared into the wind and snow, winding his way toward Guanzhong…