Late at night on the fifth day of praying at Qinglian Temple.
All was silent; even the insects were still.
Suddenly someone shouted, "Fire!"
In an instant, flames shot into the sky, and the flames roared.
The cries of agony rose and fell, echoing through the night sky, sending chills down one's spine.
The fire spread rapidly, like a raging dragon emerging from the sea, and was difficult to contain. The worshippers and monks of Qinglian Temple were plunged into unprecedented panic and despair.
What terrified them even more was that, illuminated by the firelight, they saw countless men in black standing on the perimeter. Anyone who tried to escape from the temple was knocked unconscious by these men and thrown back into the flames.
"Amitabha Buddha, every cause has its effect, and karmic obstacles are hard to eliminate; this is the law of reincarnation in this world." In the middle of the sea of fire, an old monk slowly paced around, his gaze sweeping over the terrified faces of the worshippers and monks.
He continued, “Everyone, everything in the world has a cause and effect. Today’s calamity is also caused by past causes. Although the fire is fierce, it is not without traces. The karmic obstacles are so deep that they cannot be eliminated overnight.”
After the old monk said this, the monks realized that their past deeds had been exposed, and the concubines in the palace also understood what had happened in an instant.
They wept in despair, clutching their arms, hoping only that their mistakes wouldn't implicate their families.
The fire spread rapidly, and the temple's beams and pillars crackled and popped as they burned.
Soon, every corner of the temple was engulfed in flames, and the entire Qinglian Temple was shrouded in a sea of fire.
The exquisite carvings, the gorgeous paintings, and the beautiful women were all reduced to ashes in the fire.
At the highest point of the palace, Zhao Yi embraced Qin Sheng, silently gazing at the thick smoke rising from the direction of Qinglian Temple.
"Sheng'er, tell me, was what I did right or wrong?"
"Your Majesty," Qin Sheng said, holding Zhao Yi's hand tightly, "I know the bitterness in your heart. You have already shown extraordinary mercy by not taking your anger out on the families of those criminal women."
"How many children are involved in this matter?" Zhao Yi asked in a trembling voice.
“Eleven people.” Qin Sheng’s voice changed.
Zhao Yi fell silent. It seemed that the data Zhao Shouzhen had reported was somewhat conservative.
Historical records of the Xuan Dynasty state:
In the 413th year of the Great Xuan Era, a severe drought struck, leaving the land parched and the crops withered. The Emperor and Empress, deeply concerned for the people, led twenty-three concubines to Qinglian Temple for seven days of fasting, praying for rain. On the fifth night, at midnight, a fire broke out at Qinglian Temple. The flames raged wildly, like a ferocious beast unleashed, devouring everything in their path.
The fire raged for two days, trapping monks and concubines inside the temple, who were unable to save themselves.
The fire was only brought under control when heavy rain fell, but the temple was already in complete disarray.
An investigation revealed that the fire claimed the lives of 58 people, including 23 imperial concubines and 35 monks. The tragedy was heartbreaking and the cries of mourners filled the air.
Upon hearing this tragic news, Emperor Wenyi was furious and deeply grieved.
He then issued an imperial edict to mourn the deceased and to generously reward their families to console them for their grief. At the same time, he held Li Cheng, the prefect of Qinglian County, accountable for his ineffective rescue efforts, which led to the expansion of the disaster and caused significant casualties.
He then issued an edict to dismiss him from his post and investigate him, as a warning to others.
Although this fire was a natural disaster, human error is also suspected. The Emperor and Empress personally went to pray for rain, intending to bring blessings to the people, but unexpectedly, this tragedy struck. May the departed rest in peace, and may the living be heeded, so as to safeguard the peace of our Great Xuan Dynasty.
In the Golden Palace, because of the Qinglian Temple incident, all the civil and military officials looked solemn, and unanimously did not want to bother Zhao Yi with unimportant matters.
"If you have something to report, speak now; otherwise, the court is adjourned!"
As soon as Zhao Yi finished speaking, Grand Secretary Zhao Shouzhen, holding a jade tablet in his hand, slowly stepped forward.
He bowed slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I have a request."
Zhao Yi raised his head slightly and asked, "What is it, my dear minister?"
Zhao Shouzhen took a deep breath, his voice tinged with a sense of vicissitude, "Your Majesty, I am old and frail, and I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to resign and retire to enjoy my later years."
These words immediately caused an uproar in the imperial court.
Shen Hanshan looked at Zhao Shouzhen with a blank expression.
Li Huai'an was also shocked.
Zhao Yi's expression changed slightly, and he quickly said, "My dear minister, you are a pillar of the nation, and the court is in dire need of capable people. How can you retire?"
Zhao Shouzhen smiled slightly, bowed, and said, “Your Majesty, although I am eager to serve the country, time waits for no one, and I am now no longer able to do so. Moreover, the court is full of talented people, and there will surely be successors who will surpass me. I believe that Your Majesty will be able to select virtuous and capable people to continue to serve the court.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yi felt reluctant, but he also knew that Zhao Shouzheng was afraid that he would settle scores with him later, so he simply resigned to protect himself.
He pondered for a moment and said, "Since you are determined to leave, I will not force you. I remember that your eldest daughter and the son of the Duke of Li are not yet married. I will allow you to leave Lingyang after your daughter is married."
Zhao Shouzhen nodded in agreement, then turned to the other ministers and said, “My colleagues, I hope you can understand my decision to resign. The affairs of the court cannot be accomplished by one person alone. I hope you will all work together to manage the affairs of the country.”
Having said that, he immediately took off his official robes and hat, his movements swift and decisive.
This time, it was Shen Hanshan's turn to be shocked.
Zhao Shouzhen took off his official robes and left the Golden Palace feeling relaxed.
Standing on the white marble steps, overlooking the vast palace, he sighed, "After this, I don't know when I will see this imperial city again. Perhaps, I will never return in this lifetime."
Shen Hanshan hurried as fast as he could and intercepted Zhao Shouzhen before he left the palace.
"Lord Zhao, please wait!"
Zhao Shouzhen stopped, flicked his sleeves, and looked at Shen Hanshan casually, teasingly saying, "What, now that I have no official position and am just a commoner, does Prince Rui still want to argue with me a few more times before letting me go?"
"Lord Zhao, you've misunderstood," Shen Hanshan quickly explained. "Where do you plan to settle after you resign?"
Zhao Shouzheng was calmly examining Shen Hanshan.
He recalled that Shen Hanshan had followed the Emperor Emeritus to the battlefield at the age of ten and had become a young general who struck fear into the hearts of the Yun Dynasty at the age of twelve.
He was only fourteen years old when he was enfeoffed as a king of a different surname, and he is only eighteen years old now.
This unruly young man clashed with him from the very first day he stood in the imperial palace. They argued every day until the day he finally resigned and went into seclusion.
Zhao Shouzhen couldn't help but laugh.
"I plan to settle down in Chaoyang County with my wife."
"The eldest princess's fiefdom?" Shen Hanshan confirmed.
“My wife’s hometown,” Zhao Shouzhen corrected. “I don’t know any princess. I only know that my wife has lived with me in Lingyang for most of her life. I want to take her back to see the mountains and rivers of our hometown.”
"Will Zhizhi go back with you too?" Shen Hanshan asked anxiously.
"Your Highness, this is a family matter. You have overstepped your bounds."
After resigning from his official post, Zhao Shouzhen maintained a respectful distance, and Shen Hanshan couldn't find a reason to argue with him, so he could only watch helplessly as Zhao Shouzhen left.
But his heart clenched tighter and tighter with Zhao Shouzhen's departure.
His wife is going to run away with her father; he needs to hurry and think of a solution.
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