Chapter 99
It was ten days later when Liu Ju learned of this. The polo match had long since been cancelled, and the players and their families had been sent home.
Liu Ju still got up early every morning to run horses and then practice a set of boxing exercises. In his spare time, he reviewed the plan with Huo Guangwei and felt that every step was just right and there were no omissions. He felt very happy.
I felt even happier when the people who were following Jiang Qi brought me the latest news.
Just as he was about to take the carrier pigeon to see Liu Che, Huo Qubing came uninvited with a particularly complicated expression.
Liu Ju was a little curious: "What's wrong?"
Huo Qubing pursed his lips and hesitated before telling the story.
"Dark room?" Liu Ju opened his eyes wide.
Huo Qubing was puzzled. Logically, if Liu Hong had committed a serious crime, Emperor Wu of Han might have beaten him, scolded him, imprisoned him, or even sentenced him to death. But it was unlikely that he would resort to such torturous interrogation methods.
Even though Liu Ling was guilty of treason, he was only killed and not humiliated. Liu Hong's crime, while serious, was not as serious as treason. There must be a reason for this.
Huo Qubing raised his eyes to look at Liu Ju, but after his initial surprise, his expression calmed down and he thought for a moment, so he knew that he understood clearly.
Perhaps it is related to the "system" mentioned by Liu Hong that day, and also to what the father and his two sons said in the hall.
No matter what, the fact that Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Xuan of Han were so secretive about this must be a big secret.
Huo Qubing had no desire to delve into the great secrets of the imperial family; he had come only to ascertain whether Liu Ju knew the truth. Now that he knew he did, he remained silent.
Liu Ju stood up and said, "Let's go."
Huo Qubing paused: "Where are we going?"
"A small dark room."
Huo Qubing: ...Are you so direct?
Two guards were standing guard outside the small dark room. Liu Ju glanced at the tightly closed door and asked, "Is my father in there?"
The guard bowed: "Yes."
"Who else?"
"Except His Majesty and the Second Prince, no one else."
Liu Ju nodded and stepped forward, but the guards held out their hands to stop him: "Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Liu Ju naturally knew what they were worried about: "Did the emperor say that I am not allowed to enter?"
The guard was speechless. "No, but His Majesty didn't mention that the prince could enter." The two were at a loss for words. Huo Qubing stepped in to help: "Don't worry, if His Majesty asks about it, just pass it on to me."
Huo Qubing had prepared the small dark room, and he had also arranged the guards outside it, sometimes even personally standing guard. He was essentially responsible for this place, so his words carried real weight.
The two men lowered their heads and stepped aside.
Liu Ju glanced at Huo Qubing and motioned him to stay outside. Huo Qubing nodded slightly in agreement, and Liu Ju pushed the door open and walked in.
The small dark room is not directly inside. There is a long staircase. After walking down about twenty or thirty steps, you will reach the bottom. The place below is like a cellar, cold and dark. Only the lights on the stone wall are swaying, emitting a faint light.
As we walked further, there were more lights, and our vision finally widened, allowing us to see more clearly. Directly ahead, we saw an underground stone house.
There is a table and a chair outside the stone house.
There were many papers on the table. Liu Che sat in a chair, flipping through them one by one, his expression solemn. After a moment, he put down the documents in his hand and activated the mechanism next to him.
The stone gate opened.
Liu Hong almost crawled out on his knees, his clothes were tattered, his hair was disheveled, and he looked like a beggar.
"Father, I was wrong. I truly know I was wrong. I won't do it again. Please forgive me once, just this once. Don't lock me up again. I can't stand it. I swear I'm telling the truth, the whole truth. I've told you everything I know."
"I don't know why the Crown Prince has a headache. I asked the system. It said it's because the Crown Prince is receiving too much information. To receive it successfully, his mental strength must be extremely strong.
"But how can ordinary people withstand the energy overflowing from the system? Only one in ten thousand can do so. If one's mental strength is insufficient, it will damage the brain, or cause various sequelae, or even turn one into an idiot.
"The system says that the prince might...perhaps this is the condition he suffered. But he's very lucky he only has occasional headaches."
"Lucky..." Liu Che's eyes were cold. He certainly knew that Juer was lucky, but this luck was accompanied by pain and future troubles!
He said coldly: "What's the solution?"
"No. Really not. Father, I'm not lying. The system really said no. He said that if this happens, it's irreversible. There's no way to save it."
Seeing Liu Che's face turn as dark as ink, Liu Hong shuddered violently and quickly changed his words: "But the system also said that if it's just an occasional headache, it's not a big deal.
"And... and this is a blessing in disguise. The system's energy impacting his brain is also helping him expand his brain area. His learning, memory, and thinking will be significantly improved."
Liu Ju in the dark was stunned.
He originally thought that Liu Che kept Liu Hong without taking any action and had not seen him for several days because he was impressed by Liu Hong's so-called "otherworldly technology", but he didn't expect that it was actually for him.
Liu Ju suddenly felt mixed emotions and a sense of guilt spread.
Emperor Wu of Han was deeply disappointed. He imprisoned Liu Hong for seven days and questioned him several times, but his results were all the same. There was no solution, nothing. This meant his son might suffer from headaches for the rest of his life.
Liu Che's throat moved slightly, and he stepped forward to grab Liu Hong and interrogated him: "Didn't you say that the system has great magical powers and can do anything? If it can't even do this, how can it be called omnipotent!"
Liu Hong's expression was horrified, and he suddenly regretted his boasting. There was no such thing as an omnipotent system. Even a complete system had its limitations, let alone this incomplete one, which couldn't do anything.
ah--
With a scream, Liu Che dragged him to the water tank and pushed his head into it. Liu Hong struggled, waving his hands, but he could not escape. The water in the tank was stirred and splashed out.
Not to mention Liu Hong, even Liu Ju was frightened.
He wanted Liu Hong to die, but he never thought of letting Liu Che do it himself, and in this way.
Just as he was about to step forward to stop him, seeing that Liu Hong's struggles were getting weaker and weaker, Liu Che pulled him out of the water and threw him out.
Liu Hong fell heavily to the ground, but he didn't care about the bruises on his skin. He crawled on the ground and coughed violently. It took him a long time to recover. After surviving the disaster, he hurriedly huddled in the corner, glanced at Liu Che, then immediately looked away, hugged himself tightly, with deep fear in his eyes.
Liu Che said sternly, "Aren't you from the 'Otherworldly Wonderland'? The system can't help you, so go find it in the Otherworldly Wonderland!"
The tears on Liu Hong's face mixed with the water in the jar, and he was on the verge of collapse: "I can't go back. I can't go back after I came here."
"How can I get back?"
Liu Hong laughed bitterly. "That's impossible. I was brought here by the system. But the system can only land, not return the same way. And it can't set an anchor point outside the program as a destination."
"System..." Liu Che's expression flickered, "What if there is another system?"
"No. What does Father think the system is? Why is it called an 'immortal weapon'? Because it's beyond your comprehension, and beyond ours as well. It's a higher existence than our world. It's not an exaggeration to say it's a true creation of the gods."
"Does Father think something like this is just cabbage, something he can just get for free? Furthermore, the system is unique. Only one will appear in a world. Once this system exists in this world, even if it only existed once, it will never exist again.
"unless……"
Liu Hong paused.
"Unless what?"
"Unless you die. After death, you might have a chance to be reborn in that world. But who knows? Even if you are reborn, you can only live there and there is no way you can come back."
It's impossible to come back...
Even if we find a solution to our child's headache there, we can't bring it back, so what's the point!
The light that had slowly risen in Liu Che's eyes faded once more. He glared at Liu Hong fiercely, snorting sarcastically, "If that's the case, then you're useless."
Liu Hong's face changed, and a sense of foreboding washed over him once again. Just as the thought was about to occur, Liu Che grabbed him again and pressed him into the water tank. The familiar feeling of suffocation came over him once again, permeating his entire body.
Liu Hong trembled violently, but this time, time didn't seem as long as he'd imagined. The death he'd imagined didn't come. He heard the word "Father." Then, in an instant, his head was lifted and thrown aside again.
When he regained consciousness and opened his eyes, he saw Liu Ju suddenly appear and hugged Liu Che: "Father, don't be like this."
"Father promised to cure your headache and find a solution for you at all costs. But...but Father seems unable to do so."
Liu Che's tone was melancholy, his expression was regretful, and his face was full of heartache, but more of it was a deep sense of powerlessness.
Liu Ju shook his head violently, already crying, "Father, I'm sorry. I lied to you. My headache isn't serious, and it's long been gone. It hasn't happened in a long time. I... sometimes I just want you to love me more, pay attention to me, and pity me. I'm sorry, Father."
Liu Che was stunned, then felt relieved and even more powerless.
As an emperor, he held all the power in the world, but he could not find a way to help his son. Instead, he let his son lie and claimed to be cured to comfort him, just to make him less sad.
Liu Che opened his mouth, but did not refute Liu Ju. He touched his head and said lovingly, "Okay, I understand."
Liu Ju: ...So calm? If you're angry, shouldn't you blame me for deceiving the emperor? If you're not angry, shouldn't you be happy that I'm recovering?
This reaction seemed wrong, but Liu Ju couldn't tell what was wrong. He was confused for a moment. He couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it and turned his gaze to the information on the table.
It is densely packed with records of the results of Liu Hong's observation and interrogation over the past few days.
For example, the interrogation like today, and for example, when Liu Hong was alone, he would curse and swear, claiming to be a man from another world, and his mouth was full of superiority that looked down on the "ancients"; the next moment he would cry and make a fuss, begging for mercy.
It seems that the opponent's ability to withstand pressure is really not that good. Ten days in the small dark room have forced him into a state of schizophrenia.
Liu Ju sighed and held Liu Che's hand: "Father, don't try him anymore. Just deal with him as you should."
Liu Che looked at Liu Hong again. He was unwilling to give up the last glimmer of hope in his heart, but he also knew that he had tried every means to get no results in these days. There was no point in asking further. He could only accept the reality and nodded helplessly.
But what was the solution? Liu Ju did not ask, but Liu Hong had a vague guess and began to tremble all over.
Even though his experiences over the past few days were like hell, even though he had thought countless times that he might as well die, when true death came, he still longed to live.
"No! Don't kill me, don't kill me. I'm still useful, I'm still useful."
Liu Hong knelt and crawled forward again, but stopped halfway. The experience of being kicked away many times made him realize that Liu Che did not like him to get close. He stopped halfway and cried and begged: "I am really useful.
"I really don't know how to cure the prince's headache, but I still have the system. The things in the system can help you build the Han Dynasty. Although the Han Dynasty is good now, you must hope to get better and stronger, right?"
Liu Ju raised his eyebrows: "Didn't you say that the system is incomplete and can't do anything? Are you planning to kill me to complete your system?"
"No, no!" Liu Hong was shocked. "I didn't think about it. I don't dare to think about it anymore. I never dare to think about it again. Believe me, I really didn't think about it. The system doesn't have to be completed.
"Even though it's damaged, at least my body is the main body, and it has the ability to self-repair. Even if it's successfully repaired, it may not be fully functional due to the missing part, but it will always be usable. Really."
Liu Ju chuckled: "Since you can repair yourself, why do you want to kill me?"
Liu Hong didn't dare to look up, and said weakly, "Because... because the repair time is very long, at least twenty years, maybe thirty. But it will always be useful, right?
"It's better to keep me alive than to kill me. Just find a yard to pen me in. I don't need you to worry about me much, just give me something to eat. I can be well fed. Leave me alone and spare my life."
Liu Che frowned slightly and thought about it again.
A trace of anger flashed across Liu Ju's eyes: "Have you forgotten that I also have system stuff?"
Liu Hong naturally remembered: "I know. But the system said that the inventions that were poured out at the beginning were all basic infrastructure inventions. There was no deep-level inventions. For example, airplanes, trams, cars, etc."
Liu Ju laughed again: "What do we need those for? Do you think we can succeed under the current conditions of the Han Dynasty? Liu Hong, for the Han Dynasty, these things you mentioned are not important.
"Anything that cannot be achieved is just empty talk. The key is infrastructure that can be achieved, or has the potential to be achieved."
Liu Hong opened and closed his lips, but suddenly no sound came out.
Liu Ju looked at Liu Che and explained carefully, "Father, even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice. One should not be too greedy. We have already obtained a lot, enough for us to study for the next few decades or even hundreds of years.
"The system recognizes him as its master, and we cannot control him. When that day comes, how will we know whether we are using him, or he is using us? The system is powerful, but in the hands of those with evil intentions, it is not a blessing, but a disaster.
"Father, be careful not to raise a tiger as a threat."
Liu Che's eyes flashed and then became clear in an instant.
Liu Hong was able to learn about the Huns' assassination plans and the location of their spies through the system, as well as Zhao Fan's secrets and a lot of information that he couldn't discover in time. How could he know that this method wouldn't be used on him one day?
Liu Che clenched his fists, and the slightest heartbeat that had just sprouted in his heart disappeared.
"No. And... I know where Xiang Yu's treasure is. The Yu family is gone, Zhao Fan and his confidants are all dead. Now I'm the only one who knows the location of the treasure.
"The treasury contains a vast amount of precious gold and silver. Whether it's research and invention, infrastructure construction, or military supplies, you need money. The treasury can help you."
Liu Ju laughed out loud: "In Xuzhou, right?"
Liu Hong was stunned, staring at him with wide eyes in disbelief.
"Why do you think I didn't interrogate Zhao Fan? If he didn't say anything, I would just let him go. I didn't even try to force him to answer. Because I didn't need to."
Liu Ju looked at Liu Hong with disdain, "Thank you very much. It was you who sent Jiang Qi to Xuzhou secretly to steal the treasure. My people followed Jiang Qi and found it. What a big surprise!"
"I thought it was in Huainan, but it turned out to be Xuzhou. That makes sense. Xuzhou is not far from Huainan and is also part of Jiangdong. Zhao Fan's subordinate Sang Zhu used his identity as a wealthy businessman from Xuzhou to bid for the white jade paper."
Liu Ju sighed: "It turns out that clues have existed for a long time."
Liu Hong's face turned pale. The system data and the location of the treasure vault were both invalid. What else could he do to save himself?
Last chance to trade life for information?
He had already mentioned this two days ago. But what did the system say? It said that in his current situation, he didn't have ten years left to live, and couldn't redeem it.
Moreover, the last exchange had already consumed all the energy that the system had recovered with great difficulty over several years, and it could not be used again in a short period of time.
So is he finished?
No, there is a way, one last way.
"If I die, the system will dissipate. Although the other half is in your body, mine is the main body. They are connected. Do you think that if the main body is gone, the split can survive on its own? No.
"When I die, the main system will disappear immediately without a carrier. Even if your part has a carrier, it will be affected and its energy will gradually dissipate until it is annihilated.
"The system's energy has been very weak recently, and it almost fell into a deep sleep again. I think it has affected you as well. I believe you can feel it. Do you want the system in your body to disappear as well?"
Liu Ju was stunned, then continued to smile: "So what? At least the things that have been integrated into my mind are still there."
He pointed at the solar acupoints. "No matter how good a system is, it's still an external force, full of uncertainty. Only knowledge that you truly absorb and absorb is eternal."
"I got them because of the system, and I'm grateful to the system. But what I got is mine. Over the years, I've not only been searching and sorting, but also learning and digesting."
This is his greatest confidence. Even if the barrage no longer appears, his ladder is still there, and his knowledge is still there.
According to the system in Liu Hong's body, the leaked energy carried the information and merged into his mind. It has become one with him and has nothing to do with the system anymore.
Liu Ju bent down and looked down at Liu Hong. The smug and sarcastic smile on his face was no longer there, but a hint of regret and sadness.
"You know what? I truly treat you as a brother. You could be honest with me, live in harmony, and work together to build the Han Dynasty. You clearly have a smooth path to success, so why do you have to stand against me and take a path of no return?"
Liu Hong slumped to the ground and closed his eyes.
Yeah, why?
Because of his greed, his selfishness, and his dissatisfaction.
Liu Ju took a deep breath and took Liu Che's hand: "Father, let's go."
Liu Che nodded, and the father and son left side by side.
Liu Hong huddled on the ground in despair, weeping bitterly and calling out, "Father, Prince, brother."
But neither Liu Ju nor Liu Che reacted at all. They turned around resolutely and never looked back.
Liu Hong cried until he fainted. He didn't know how much time had passed when he woke up. He was still lying where he had been, not being taken back to the stone house.
Then, footsteps were heard.
The guard on duty came in with a tray in his hand. On the tray were three things: a glass of wine, a dagger, and a piece of white silk.
Liu Hong subconsciously clenched his fists and his heart beat wildly.
"Second Prince, this is His Majesty's wish."
Putting the tray down, the guard said, "Your Highness, please make your own way. I will come back in two quarters of an hour."
This was to let him make his own choice. Why did he come in two quarters of an hour later? Naturally, to see if he would know what was best for him. If he did, he could report back to Liu Che. If he didn't, the consequences would probably be even more dire.
The guards stood up and left, not standing by to watch his death. This was their final respect for him and also a way to preserve his last dignity.
The empty room was filled with only Liu Hong's heavy breathing. He didn't want to die, but he had to. How could he resist the majesty of the emperor?
Liu Hong reached out for the wine glass with a trembling hand and said with a wry smile, "System, you're right. The route you planned for me is the best. You advised me several times, but I got stuck in a dead end and refused to listen.
"I regret it. I shouldn't have gone against Liu Ju, shouldn't have insisted on taking back the other half of the system, and definitely shouldn't have come here. I should have chosen option one, accepted your compensation, and been discharged from the hospital after recovering, living a peaceful life."
But it's too late to regret now.
After finishing the drink, the glass rolled over. Liu Hong struggled to move to the corner and found a comfortable position to lean against.
The past of two lifetimes flashed before my eyes like a montage of scenes.
In his previous life, he lived an ordinary life. In this life, he traveled through time and thought he had the script of Long Aotian, but in the end he became a prisoner and could only wait for death alone.
He had been in the Han Dynasty for just six years, but with his greed, selfishness, meanness and stupidity, he had plotted a dead end for himself and ultimately lost his life.
If I could do it again...
Huh. Liu Hong let out a sneer. There was no such thing as a second chance in life. He must have exhausted his luck for ten lifetimes before encountering the system, and after that, it would be impossible.
He told Liu Che that people are reincarnated after death, but in fact he himself was not sure whether reincarnation was possible.
I hope so. If possible, he doesn't want to be reincarnated in ancient times, he wants to return to his own world.
As Liu Hong thought this, his hands on his legs fell weakly and he slowly closed his eyes.
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