Liu Nanxing breaks into the palace to question the people, Pei Luochen is crazy and greedy for power
Liu Nanxing rode his horse at full speed all the way to the palace. Lan Xu stopped him and said, "Anyone who dares to break into the palace without an imperial decree will be killed without mercy." Liu Nanxing took out a token from his sleeve. Lan Xu was shocked and said, "Quick, open the city gate." Liu Nanxing went all the way to Changle Palace without any obstruction.
"Sir, why did you let us go just because we saw a token?" a soldier asked.
"In order to balance the forces, Emperor Gaozu divided the army into four parts, each commanded by Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise. They can mobilize the army with just one order. The old woman just took the Vermillion Bird Order. It looks like the world is about to change." Lan Xu said
"Pei Luochen, come out here!" Liu Nanxing shouted.
"Who dares to be so presumptuous as to call the Queen Mother by her name? Changle Palace is a place where you can throw tantrums and shout. Come, capture this assassin and kill him on the spot." Nanny Meng shouted.
A huge group of soldiers rushed forward one after another. Liu Nanxing was not in a hurry. She pulled a powder from her pocket and sprinkled it on everyone. The wind blew it onto everyone. She played the jade flute, and only a buzzing sound could be heard on the wind. Looking up, she saw a swarm of jade bees, stinging everyone fiercely. Suddenly, the outside of Changle Palace was filled with wailing. The soldiers' exposed parts were covered with large bumps the size of pigeon eggs. The itching was so intense that they collapsed to the ground and rolled around to relieve the itch. Nanny Meng had never seen such a scene before, and her legs were a little weak with fear. Liu Nanxing took out a silver needle and pricked her a few times. She was in a dilemma, unable to laugh or cry, and the pain was unbearable.
A majestic female voice rang out from the hall: "So it's Nanxing who's here. Nanny Meng doesn't know much about etiquette. I'm an old friend, so how could I tolerate you being so rude? Why don't you apologize to the Medical Immortal Liu? The Medical Immortal Bodhisattva is kind-hearted and won't deliberately embarrass you."
"I deserve to die. I didn't even know it was Immortal Doctor Liu who came. I hope you can forgive my offense and relieve me of this suffering." Nanny Meng said
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Since you know it is an offense, I think you also know your mistake, so I will only punish you lightly. The pain will disappear after twelve hours. You should learn from it and remember it well, so as not to neglect the Queen Mother in the future. Luo Chen, don't blame me for meddling in your affairs. Liu Nanxing warned.
"It's this servant's fault. I'm glad Nanxing is fine." Pei Luochen said
"These shrimp soldiers and crab generals can't hurt me at all. I still remember that we went in and out of the palace three times, as if we were in an empty place. I wonder if Luo Chen still remembers it." Liu Nanxing said
"As we get older, our memory isn't as good as it used to be. Sometimes we can't even remember when today is. We just live in the present and try to survive. That can't compare to your carefree life." Pei Luochen said
"Yes, I'm used to being free and easy, but when I return to this palace, I look up and see only this square sky. I've been trapped in it all my life, like a bird in a cage. Fortunately, I have enough food and clothing, and I have endless wealth and splendor. But the birds outside the palace live a miserable life. There are powerful enemies surrounding the northern border, and I have no clothes to wear and no food to eat. There are bandits in the southern border, and I have to sell my children for food. There are rebellions in the western regions, and people are mourning and leaving their homes. There are warlords in the east, and families are broken up and relatives are separated. Let me ask you, how do you govern this world? Doesn't it hurt? When you wake up in the middle of the night, can you live up to them?" Liu Nanxing said angrily
"Nanxing, I'm not here to reminisce about the past, I'm here to criticize and hold you accountable. How can a woman like me hold up this world? I just feel tired and sleepy. Sometimes I want to take a break, but I can't find a place to rely on. Nanxing, do you know my difficulties? The world only sees me sitting on this high dragon throne, but no one knows my sorrow behind the curtain." Pei Luochen said
"Then you can just return power to the emperor and enjoy your retirement. Why do you still cling to power?" Liu Nanxing said
"Why should I give up this supreme power? I have paid and lost too much to get to this point. Even if I die, I still want to sit on this dragon throne, hahahahaha." Pei Luochen said with a wry smile
"You lunatic, why bother? Not only do you suffer, but you also hurt others. Just let it go and you will be free." Liu Nanxing said
"Let it go, but I can't. Then can we go back to the past, back to twenty years ago? No, all of this cannot start over again, and neither you nor I can go back to the way it was. Nanxing, between you and me, between him and me, there's no going back." Pei Luochen said
"If it weren't for that day, everything might have been different. The relationship between the four of us would have been completely different. Everything is destined and cannot be changed by external forces." Liu Nanxing said
"I am not in control of heaven, I don't believe in fate. Since I can't promise a lifetime, then I want this overwhelming power and be the number one person in the world. I want to control life and death, and everything is up to me. I can get whatever I want. Power is the only precious thing in the world. Liu Shuhe, do you see it? This great man, this world, this universe, respects me, Pei Luochen, hahahahahaha." Pei Luochen said
"Madman, you don't deserve to mention him." Liu Nanxing said angrily
"Why? I am the current empress dowager, the empress he married in a formal ceremony. A hundred years later, he and I will be buried together in Weiling. And you, Liu Nanxing, met him in life and death. Half of what I, Pei Luochen, have achieved today is thanks to you. Why didn't you elope with him back then? Didn't you enter the palace as if it were no one's home? Why didn't you come? Do you know who he called before he died? He called you again, Nan... Nan... In his last seven days, he was calling your name when he was asleep and when he was awake, his eyes fixed on the north. I told him that you had already married the King of the Xiongnu, but he didn't believe me and sent Fu Guang to look for you. I gave him Fu Guang's head and the copied suicide note. He read it over and over again for three days before he died. Before he died, he left a letter for you. He wanted to hold on to the sachet you gave him until his death." Pei Luochen said
"Give me the letter, give it to me quickly." Liu Nanxing shouted
"I can give you the letter, but you have to give me the Suzaku Order. One for one." Pei Luochen said
"So you went through so much trouble just for the Suzaku Order, Pei Luochen. Your scheming and vision have improved compared to 20 years ago. I almost fell for you." Liu Nanxing said
"It's the same here. Since you refuse my toast, then you'll have to take the punishment. Come, seize the Suzaku Order. This man's life or death is irrelevant." Pei Luochen finished speaking, and a group of experts flew out from behind the curtain pillars and grappled with Liu Nanxing. Liu Nanxing didn't waste any time, and immediately launched her most brutal and deadly poison - Yue Guanxing. For a moment, despite the large number of black-clad men, they could not gain any advantage. Liu Nanxing attracted the swarm again, and in the midst of the struggle, she escaped from the palace. "Queen Dowager, do you still want to pursue?" the black-clad men asked.
"No need. Liu Nanxing is elusive and good at hiding. The late emperor spent all his manpower and resources for twenty years but still could not find any trace of her. If you go there, it will be a waste of effort and you may die on the spot. So retreat." Pei Luochen said and lay on the couch with his eyes closed to rest.
From time to time, a palace maid said, "General Pei, requests to see the Queen Mother." Meng Gu, please bring him in.
"Queen Mother, your happiness is boundless." Pei Luohuan said
"What's the matter? Why did you come here suddenly?" Pei Luochen asked
"Eldest sister, do you know about the death of the three governors of Qi?" Pei Luohuan said
"Of course I know. Isn't Shen Xiaochen fully responsible for this matter? I heard that he handed it over to Gu Yanzhou to find out the truth and hope that he can recover the tax money." Pei Luochen said
"That's true, but elder sister, I received a secret letter this morning saying that the tax silver is currently hidden in Shen Xiaochen's private vault." Pei Luohuan said
"From what you said, it seems that Chen Xiaochen hired someone to kill someone and then took the tax money for himself." Pei Luochen said
"It has been found that the murderers of the three governors of Qi are all related to Huaichun Tower, and Huaichun Tower seems to have a close connection with the King of Qi." Pei Luohuan whispered
"What does he have to do with him?" Pei Luochen asked back
"Eldest sister, you and I both know that the three governors of Qi were sent by the late emperor to monitor him. Now the three governors have died for no reason, and the murderers are all related to him. Now the tax silver is found in Shen Xiaochen's mansion. I'm afraid he is killing two birds with one stone, that is, getting rid of the three governors and framing Shen Xiaochen." Pei Luohuan said
"I have my own considerations on this matter. You must not act on your own." Pei Luochen said
"Eldest sister, this matter concerns the prosperity and decline of our family. I hope you will consider it carefully." Pei Luohuan said
"About the family? I have given too much to the family in my life. Have you ever thought about me? I have never lived for myself. Liu Shulin and I were in love back then, and we decided to spend our lives together. But my father said that the emperor wanted to make Liu Shuhe the crown prince, but he loved Liu Nanxing. Have you ever thought about whether I was willing? That night I knew that it was you who asked Liu Nanxing out in the name of Liu Shuhe, and then trapped her in the mountains. My father deliberately led Liu Shuhe into my room, and then the women in the capital found that we were in the same room. The next day my father asked the emperor to grant us a marriage contract. I wanted to elope with Liu Shulin, but you told my father, and he threatened me with Liu Shulin's life to force me into the palace. It was also you who persuaded Liu Nanxing to leave Chang'an and venture into the world. My good brother, how do you think your eldest sister will repay you?" Pei Luochen said
"Sis, since you already know the whole story, even if I were cut into pieces, it would not be enough to make up for my debt to you. I am willing to die as a token of my guilt." After Pei Luohuan said this, he was about to draw his sword and commit suicide.
"Stop him." Pei Luochen said, and a man in black took the knife away. "It's too late to turn back now. The past is gone. Let's just look forward. When it comes to the tax and silver issue, temporarily confine Shen Xiaochen to the mansion. You can deal with the rest according to the law. I'm tired, so please leave." Pei Luochen said
"I'll take my leave." Pei Luohuan said and walked out.
"Queen Dowager, please forgive me for my presumptuous behavior. Even if you were to chop me into pieces right now, I would still say that you have lived a very miserable life. I feel sorry for you. When you were young, you tried to protect the family's wealth and glory, but you could not grow old with the person you loved. When you were young, you did your best to stabilize the court, but you and your husband became estranged. Today, you balance all parties to protect the ancestral foundation, but you have a rift with your own children. Have you ever lived a glorious life for yourself?" Madam Meng knelt down and said
"Yes, I was Pei Luochen first, then the Queen Mother of the Han Dynasty, and finally the eldest daughter of the Duke of Anguo. But it's too late for everything. My life is destined to be like this, unless I start over again." Pei Luochen said with a wry smile
The dark palace was filled with the smell of decay, and the cold couch blocked the ambition of power. The heartbeats coming from the darkness were like the death knell of the empire. It was almost time, and the sharp spring breeze blew, and the peach blossoms fell into the water, spreading like funeral flowers, fading to white, and disappearing into the water in a thin layer.
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