Li Mazi and other soldiers from Liangzhou passed through the foreign territory south of Chiwu County without passing through Yongzhou. On the seventh day after setting out from Liangzhou, they finally arrived outside the city of Kyoto at full speed.
Li Mazi looked at the majestic city wall and exchanged glances with his brothers.
The weather was hot, and even if there was ice, it melted halfway. Cheng You and Xiao Minghuan's heads had already changed a little, and emitted a disgusting smell.
Early the next morning, when the commander of the Kyoto city wall was opening the city gate, he discovered a high platform hidden in the darkness.
Li Mazi and his men built a high platform with stones in the middle of the night. On the platform, in addition to two boxes containing heads, there was also a manifesto standing on an upright pole facing the wind.
The text of the manifesto was written by Wan Zhijing. Xiao Feng thought it was too pedantic after reading it. After Xia Feng polished it, Wang Shu, the military advisor, made some changes to it. Reading the whole text gave people an indecent feeling.
In the manifesto, Emperor Jian'an's biological mother, Sui'er, was described as a lowly maid who betrayed her master for fame and substituted a cat for the crown prince. Emperor Jian'an was an unfilial, unkind, cruel, and treacherous person with unknown bloodline.
The last person to write the manifesto was King Xiao Feng of Qi.
The whole article was written with fierce words. The soldiers who came to investigate felt their legs go weak after reading it. They saw that the brown paper on the two boxes were written with "New Governor of Liangzhou" and "Third Prince" respectively. After the soldiers opened the boxes, a foul smell wafted out.
The soldier vomited immediately. He didn't know what to do, so he turned around and went back to find the guard.
After the guard arrived, he ordered his men to collect the head and tear off the manifesto, and then prepared to report it to the Jingzhao Yin.
Although the manifesto at the city gate had been taken away, Li Mazi had posted it not only in this place, but also on all the main roads and small roads leading into Beijing.
In the magnificent and solemn imperial palace, some are happy while others are worried.
A month ago, the concubine of the former King Rui secretly gave birth to a baby boy in the palace. Emperor Jian'an was overjoyed and made him a king before the baby was even a month old.
However, perhaps such a young baby could not bear this blessing. Before it was one month old, the baby inhaled willow catkins and other debris into its nose and died before it was one month old.
Concubine Lai cried her heart out. Emperor Jian'an killed a large number of palace maids. Recently, everyone walking in the palace was very cautious, for fear that they would lose their heads by accident.
Emperor Jian'an's health was not as good as before, and he had not attended court for several days after suffering this blow.
The Su Wang rebellion had not yet been resolved, Liang Province was unstable, and government orders were not being passed down to the local areas as smoothly as before. Emperor Jian'an's rule was in imminent danger. If only the bloodline of Prince Rui had survived, it would have been a relief, as Emperor Jian'an would at least have been able to avoid collapse.
In the Yufu Palace, Concubine Chen Shu, dressed in a light-colored dress, lay listlessly on the chaise longue. Her face, which was originally as bright as a lotus, had recently become very haggard.
The deaths of Queen Wang and Concubine Wan had already made Concubine Chen lose her fighting spirit. Until Prince Shun died in Liangzhou, Concubine Chen cried bitterly.
It was Princess Shun who brought the child into the palace every day to comfort her and reminded Concubine Chen Shu about Prince Rui's offspring. After Concubine Chen Shu calmed down, she managed to kill the baby who was less than a month old in anger.
If Emperor Jian'an hadn't sent Prince Shun to Liangzhou, her son wouldn't have died there, and his body hasn't been brought back yet. Concubine Chen Shu hoped that this time would be the same as last time, and her son would not have died. Unfortunately, the messenger who came back was very sure that Prince Shun was dead.
Her son died, how could the sinister Emperor Jian'an get what he wanted?
Concubine Chen Shu looked at the vase on the table with an unfocused gaze. She had not yet fully recovered from the grief of losing her beloved son.
"grandmother."
Princess Shun brought her two children into the Yufu Palace. The cries of her grandchildren brought Concubine Chen back to her senses.
"Mother, please take care of yourself, even for the sake of your grandchildren." Princess Shun looked worried.
"Grandma has lost weight again." Princess Yi'an, the daughter of Princess Shun, took a piece of cake and fed it to Concubine Chen Shu.
Concubine Chen Shu finally showed a slight smile on her face and touched the heads of her two grandsons.
After a few more intimate conversations between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and a more harmonious atmosphere, Princess Shun said, "The Emperor has been in poor health recently. Mother should take Hao'er and Yi'an to see him. Seeing his grandchildren might help him feel better and help him recover faster."
Princess Shun spoke softly, and Concubine Chen's expression had already turned ugly. After asking her aunt in the palace to take the child away, Concubine Chen slapped Princess Shun in the face.
Princess Shun shouted in disbelief, "Mother!"
Concubine Chen Shu snorted, "Are you even the slightest bit sad about my son's death? Before his body is even cold, you're already thinking wholeheartedly about Hao'er!"
Princess Shun fell to her knees, weeping, "Mother, you have wronged me. After my husband passed away, I have been unable to sleep every night. But I still have my husband's children. Shouldn't I consider them? Mother knows what my husband is planning. Why are you so devastated now?"
Princess Shun's sobbing softened the expression of Concubine Chen Shu, who had been moody recently.
She stood up and said, "Well, wipe your face clean, take the child and follow me to the Purple Palace."
Princess Shun lowered her head and responded with a slightly raised corner of her mouth.
The four of them took a sedan chair to the Purple Palace, and Li Fu came forward to greet them.
"Your Majesty has not seen anyone recently." Li Fu said respectfully.
Concubine Chen Shu took her grandson's hand and said, "Your Excellency, please go in and make the announcement. I don't have to go in, but Hao'er and Yi'an miss their grandfather, so perhaps you could let them in to see His Majesty. It might please His Majesty."
Li Fu was about to refuse when the commander of the imperial guards guarding the palace gate came to report that the Jingzhao Yin wanted to see him for an important matter.
The commander of the imperial guards whispered something secretly in Li Fu's ear. Concubine Chen Shu was close by and heard a few key words. She raised her eyebrows slightly.
Li Fu no longer cared about her and hurried into the hall.
Princess Shun looked at Concubine Chen Shu hesitantly, and Concubine Chen Shu said, "Let's go back first."
After years of ups and downs in the palace, Concubine Chen Shu is still very vigilant.
In the Purple Palace, the smell of ambergris was very strong. Emperor Jian'an lay on the bright yellow dragon couch, looking haggard, coughing from time to time.
"Your Majesty, the Jingzhao Yin requests an audience."
With the help of the palace maids, Emperor Jian'an stood up and leaned back. His eyes were swollen and sunken, and he spoke with a sense of fatigue, "What are you so scared of?"
Li Fu hesitated and said, "The King of Qi sent the heads of General Cheng and His Highness the Third Prince, and it was the generals guarding the city who found them when they opened the city gate..."
Li Fu recounted in detail what had happened outside the city wall in the morning.
Li Fu raised his eyebrows slightly and saw Emperor Jian'an spit out a mouthful of blood and then fell straight down.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty," Li Fu was shocked and hurriedly summoned the imperial physician.
More than half an hour later, Emperor Jian'an gradually woke up under the acupuncture of the imperial physician.
The imperial physician said without even raising his head, "Your Majesty, please do not overwork yourself and damage your mind, otherwise, otherwise..."
He couldn't say the rest of the words.
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