Chapter 170 Chu Huaiyu Awakens (Soap Opera)
On the day Chu Huaiyu slit his own throat, the last thing he saw in his eyes was Lu Zhaoxue's face.
He felt that the pain in his heart was nothing compared to the utter despair in his soul. In the last second before Chu Huaiyu lost consciousness, he felt a warm rush at his neck, and apart from Lu Zhaoxue, he had no other concerns.
But he never expected that his life, which he had sought to die, would be spared by Zhao Xiaoling, a trusted general who had followed him for many years.
Zhao Xiaoling had followed Chu Huaiyu since he was a teenager, watching Chu Huaiyu grow from a gentle prince into a crown prince and then into an emperor. He saw Chu Huaiyu fall head over heels for Lu Zhaoxue after ascending the throne, and he also saw Chu Huaiyu lose his empire and love in one fell swoop, ending up committing suicide.
Zhao Xiaoling was filled with reluctance; how could he bear to let Chu Huaiyu die so easily? He couldn't bear it!
On the day Chu Huaiyu died, Chu Siheng and Lu Zhaoxue did not linger, but only instructed Chu Huaiyu's subordinates to handle the funeral arrangements.
This gave Zhao Xiaoling an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
Chu Siheng and the others probably never imagined that Zhao Xiaoling would have such thoughts, after all, Chu Huaiyu was determined to die back then.
Zhao Xiaoling secretly found the body of a death row inmate whose physique resembled Chu Huaiyu's, burned it with strong liquor, and presented the ashes in a jar to Chu Siheng.
Then, under the cover of night, they disguised themselves and took the seriously injured and unconscious Chu Huaiyu with them, traveling through mountains and rivers all the way to Taibai Mountain, which was thousands of miles away.
It is said that a peerless master lives in seclusion in the mountains, who is rumored to be able to revive the dead and heal the wounded, and is the only hope in the world to save Chu Huaiyu.
The expert saw that although Chu Huaiyu's breathing had stopped, his pulse was still strong. Despite his hesitation, he ultimately agreed to treat him.
This treatment lasted for a full six months.
Time passes swiftly in the mountains, with cold winters and hot summers. Zhao Xiaoling stays outside the thatched hut, burning incense and praying for blessings every day.
As Zhao Xiaoling watched the wound on Chu Huaiyu's neck gradually heal, yet Chu Huaiyu remained fast asleep, her heart pounding with anxiety, never daring to let her guard down for a moment.
It wasn't until late spring, after a spring rain, that Chu Huaiyu slowly opened his eyes.
At first, Chu Huaiyu's eyes were blank and empty. But when he saw the bamboo bed and wooden table around him and touched the shallow scar on his neck, he felt a splitting headache. His past memories were like shredded brocade, scattered deep in his mind, and he could not piece together even a complete picture.
Chu Huaiyu couldn't remember who he was, where he came from, or why he had ended up in this situation. He was filled with confusion and helplessness.
When Zhao Xiaoling saw Chu Huaiyu wake up, she was overjoyed and wept. After he had calmed down a bit, she slowly began to tell Chu Huaiyu the half-truth and half-lies she had prepared.
Zhao Xiaoling knelt before Chu Huaiyu, his voice heavy with sorrow yet filled with fervor: "Your Highness, you are Chu Huaiyu, the former Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty!"
"Your Majesty Chu Siheng is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He usurped your throne and cruelly stole your first wife! The current Empress Lu Zhaoxue was your lawfully wedded wife!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Huaiyu subconsciously frowned. Fragments seemed to flash through her mind, but they were blurry and unclear. She only felt a dull ache in her chest.
Immediately afterwards, Zhao Xiaoling took out a gilded tiger tally from his bosom. The tiger tally had clear patterns and shone with golden light. It was the token used by the Great Zhou Dynasty to mobilize troops.
"Your Highness, rest assured, the military tally in Chu Siheng's hand is a fake that I prepared long ago. This is the real military tally! I still have 30,000 trusted and old subordinates under my command, all of whom are brothers who followed Your Highness through thick and thin in the past!"
"They are now scattered across various states and counties, hoping day and night that you will wake up, hoping that you can lead us to rise again and reclaim the land and our wives and children that belong to you!"
Zhao Xiaoling spoke earnestly, his eyes filled with unwavering loyalty. The bond of loyalty he had forged over the years was genuine, and the heavy military tally he held in his hand carried immense weight.
As Chu Huaiyu gazed at the tiger tally, fragments of chaotic memories began to collide wildly in his mind, vaguely echoing the clamor of clashing swords and galloping horses.
In addition, the majestic palace walls and buildings flashed through his mind, along with a blurry, beautiful figure that lingered in the depths of Chu Huaiyu's memory, making his heart tighten.
Especially when Zhao Xiaoling mentioned the name "Lu Zhaoxue," Chu Huaiyu felt as if something had pierced his heart.
His heart suddenly ached unbearably, and his head felt as if it had been hit by a heavy hammer. The pain made him curl up, and cold sweat soaked his forehead.
Chu Huaiyu seemed to hear a woman's whisper in his ear, but he couldn't make out the words. Only the deep-seated pain was so real that it was suffocating.
Chu Huaiyu pressed his chest blankly, not understanding why a name could cause him such unbearable pain, nor where the bitterness lingering in his heart came from.
Seeing this, Zhao Xiaoling quickly stepped forward to comfort Chu Huaiyu, assuming it was just that his old memories had touched his heart, and didn't think much of it.
Zhao Xiaoling gently advised, "Your Highness, please don't be anxious. You have only recently woken up and your memory has not yet returned. There is no need to force it. Once you have recovered, you will gradually remember the things of the past."
Chu Huaiyu leaned against the headboard, panting for a long time before the intense pain gradually subsided, but the dull ache and confusion in her heart never disappeared.
As Chu Huaiyu gazed at the lush green mountains outside the window and listened to Zhao Xiaoling's tearful accusations, coupled with the fragmented memories in his mind that could not be pieced together but were real, the half-true and half-false past was gradually taking shape in his heart.
He was originally a deposed crown prince who had been usurped and had his wife taken away. He was burdened with a blood feud and carried the expectations of his former subordinates. Only by taking back everything could he live up to his past and the expectations of everyone.
After that day, Chu Huaiyu focused solely on recuperating his body and cultivating his mind under the guidance of the master from Mount Taibai. During the day, he practiced swordsmanship to strengthen his body, and at night, he would study military strategy and tactics with Xiao Lin and take stock of the roster of his former subordinates.
Zhao Xiaoling analyzed the political situation in Chu Huaiyu's ear every day, saying that Chu Siheng's ascension to the throne was not yet stable, that there were many factions in the court, and that there were still many people in the common people who were grateful for Chu Huaiyu's kindness.
Chu Huaiyu listened attentively, and his plan gradually became clearer.
He knew he couldn't act rashly now; only by biding his time and secretly making plans could he strike decisively.
Chu Huaiyu instructed Zhao Xiaoling to secretly contact his former subordinates in various prefectures, quietly gather the scattered troops, and send people to infiltrate the capital to gather information on the court's movements, laying the groundwork for future uprisings.
The years on Mount Taibai were austere yet fulfilling. Chu Huaiyu's figure grew increasingly upright, and the gentleness between his brows was long replaced by coldness.
Only occasionally, when the night is deep and quiet, will Chu Huaiyu see that blurry figure in his dreams, or when he hears the name "Lu Zhaoxue," a strange pain will still linger in his heart.
Chu Huaiyu took it as hatred for "his first wife being taken away" and never delved into whether there were more complex emotions hidden behind this pain.
Autumn has arrived again in the blink of an eye. The maple leaves on Mount Taibai have turned the mountains red. Chu Huaiyu's martial arts and strategies are now far superior to what they were before he lost his memory.
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