Pei Luochen is ashamed to let Chen Shaobai save people by drinking poisoned wine
In the palace, Pei Luochen's head was as groggy as a lead block. He groped for the bed curtains, slowly stood up and said, "Madam Meng, where are you?
The door creaked open, and a woman, facing the sunlight, hurried in. She knelt down and said, "Queen Dowager, something terrible has happened. I heard that Duke Pei's mansion is surrounded by the Jinwu Guards, and that the Duke and the old lady have been imprisoned. I'm afraid they are in great danger."
"Where did you know this?" Pei Luochen asked
"My distant nephew is working in the Jinwu Guard. Earlier, he asked the maids who cleaned the palace to secretly inform me. What should the Queen Mother do about this matter?" said Madam Meng.
"No rush, Lan Ci and Lan Xu are both our people, why would they deliberately embarrass the Pei Mansion? Oh, right, who ordered the detention of everyone in the Pei Mansion?" Pei Luochen asked
"It's... the emperor himself ordered it." said Madam Meng.
"If he is really that rebellious son, how could he be so courageous if he has no support from inside and no military power outside?" Pei Luochen said
"I don't know about that." Madam Meng said guiltily.
"What time is it now?" Pei Luochen asked
"It's already three quarters past three in the afternoon," said Madam Meng.
"I am so sleepy today. Normally I wake up at noon at most." Pei Luochen thought.
"I think you've been very tired these past few days, so you slept a little longer today." Nanny Meng said
"No, I remember I drank a cup of Qianshan Muxue after lunch today, Madam Meng, do you remember?" Pei Luochen said
"Of course I remember, and this tea was specially found for you by the Emperor. Could it be that..." Nanny Meng was horrified and dared not think any further. As the two of them pondered, a palace maid barged in, saying, "Empress Dowager, this is bad! Something terrible has happened at the Peiguo Mansion."
"How can you be so flustered, you slut? Tell me slowly what's going on." Madam Meng said
"Please forgive me, Queen Mother. I heard that everyone in Duke Pei's mansion was detained and then a fire broke out. I am afraid that the Duke and the old lady are in great danger. I hope the Queen Mother can make a decision." said the maid.
For a moment, Pei Luochen's mind was in chaos, and he could only hear Nanny Meng's scolding. After an unknown amount of time, Nanny Meng gently touched him and said, "Empress Dowager..." and he came back to his senses.
"Where did you get this news?" Pei Luochen asked
"This..." The palace maid was vague and her hands clenched involuntarily.
"You wicked slave, you'd better confess the truth. Otherwise, you will be beaten severely, your skin will be torn and your life will be worse than death. If you tell the truth, you will be rewarded." Madam Meng said with both kindness and force.
"I beg the Empress Dowager for mercy. I was sweeping the Shanglin Garden when I happened to overhear... I heard the guards report to the Emperor that the Pei Guogong Mansion had been burned down. Knowing that it was a serious matter, I came to report it to the Empress Dowager." The maid said in horror.
"Okay, you're so thoughtful. Nanny Meng will give her three months' salary. Go out and claim it." Pei Luochen said
After a while, Nanny Meng came back and said, "Queen Dowager, what do you think we should do now?"
"It's okay. First we have to contact the Pei Mansion. You take the Azure Dragon Order and go out of the palace to dispatch troops to protect the Pei Mansion. Then we can invite Duke Pei to the palace to discuss countermeasures." After Pei Luochen finished speaking, he handed the Azure Dragon Order to Nanny Meng.
In an instant, a dark figure snatched the Azure Dragon Order away. Before anyone could react, the Emperor stepped out from behind the scenes, took the order, and said, "Thank you, Mother."
"Your Majesty, this order was bestowed by the late emperor and has been kept by the Empress Dowager. I hope Your Majesty will consider filial piety and return it to the Empress Dowager as soon as possible. Do not let the people of the world despise it." After saying this, Nanny Meng knelt down.
"You damned old slave, you're always gossiping and trying to sow discord between me and my mother," the emperor said, before kicking her. Nanny Meng clutched her stomach, feeling the pain.
"What is the emperor hiding in my palace? It would be disgraceful if others knew about it." Pei Luochen said
"I know that my mother has been suffering from a cough since the beginning of autumn. I am always worried about her health, so I came to visit her in the palace. I felt sleepy for a while, so I took a nap behind the scenes. I woke up only when I heard the voice of the palace maid." The emperor explained.
"I see. I think Nanny Meng has misunderstood you. It's getting late. Please hand the Azure Dragon Order to my mother. I'm afraid you might lose it due to your busy schedule." Pei Luochen said with a pleasant face.
"Your Majesty, your words are wrong. I am already a young man, and I have a son. My father took charge of the government before he even reached adulthood. Now that your Majesty is weak, you should rest and recuperate. I will take care of the affairs of the court." The Emperor said
"Emperor, are you trying to force me to return power?" Pei Luochen said
"My mother is getting old and it's time for her to enjoy her old age. Otherwise, she will end up like Duke Pei. What will happen then?" the emperor said.
"What about Duke Pei? He is your uncle." Pei Luochen
"Because he is my blood relative, I only imprisoned him in my palace. Otherwise, his family would have been destroyed and his body would have been left exposed in the wilderness." said the emperor.
"You are indeed my good son, cruel and ruthless, disregarding human ethics. I raised you with great difficulty and took care of you tirelessly, and this is how you repay me." Pei Luochen said angrily
"My mother has always loved me since I was a child. I remember that hot summer when I fell ill, and my mother stayed by my bedside, unable to sleep day and night, bringing me soup and medicine. Otherwise, I would not have known that you and my father were a pair of enemies. Your favor to me is nothing more than weighing the pros and cons. None of you has ever truly loved me. I am just an appendage for you two to continue your power. Mother, have you ever loved me? Not even for a moment. No, what you love most is the imperial power of life and death, followed by the glory of the Pei family, and then the King of Qi Liu Shulin. And I am just an insignificant person." The emperor said
"My son, life is long and full of helplessness. Even though I hold power, I am powerless over life and death and love. This palace is a devil's den. One wrong step will lead to failure. But we have had happy times for many years. Unfortunately, you and I were born in the royal family and are destined not to live as happily as ordinary people. Everything has its cause and effect. Well, the Azure Dragon Order is now in your hands. You should work hard to create a peaceful and prosperous era, so that the world will be peaceful and the people can live and work in peace." Pei Luochen said
"Thank you, Queen Mother, for your help. I will do my utmost to ensure that no one picks up things on the streets and no one locks their doors at night. Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching and I plan to take charge of the government on that day. I invite all the noble families in the world to come and watch the ceremony." The Emperor said
"You can make all the decisions yourself. I'm tired, so you can all leave." Pei Luochen said
"May your Majesty be eternally happy, mother. I will take my leave now." After the emperor said this, he withdrew with the guards and Nanny Meng.
Pei Luochen lay alone on the couch, everything became blurred. After a beam of light came on, his body felt as refreshing as galloping on a horse. It turned out that everything he wanted had been realized on that day. What he had done over the years was nothing but the unwillingness to pursue his dreams in vain. He fell asleep, and this moment was the only good sleep he had in his life.
Shen Shaobai came to the Chamber of Commerce alone and was led into the dungeon. He saw King Qi sitting there drinking tea, having been waiting for a long time.
"King Qi, I'm here, please release my father." Shen Shaobai said
"No hurry, let's play a game." Liu Shulin said
"Game? What on earth do you want to do?" Shen Shaobai said
"For many years, I have lived alone in the Taoist temple and rarely interacted with others. Suddenly, I felt like playing around and was curious about everything, so I wanted to make a bet with you." Liu Shulin said
"Whatever you want to bet on, as long as you let my father go, I will accompany you to the end." Shen Shaobai said
"Okay, let me ask you, what's going on between you and Feng Liunian?" Liu Shulin asked
"Feng Liunian has done all kinds of evil things and has been in cahoots with you. He has killed innocent people and everyone wants to punish him. He must be skinned, his tendons drawn, and his body torn into pieces to appease his resentment." Shen Shaobai said angrily.
"Oh, you really hate him so much." Liu Shulin said
"I have an irreconcilable hatred for him. If I see him again, I must peel off his skin, pull out his tendons, drink his blood, tear open his bones, and suck his marrow. Otherwise, I will never be able to relieve the hatred in my heart." Shen Shaobai said angrily.
"If that's true, then the subsequent games will be much more interesting." Liu Shulin said
"You ask so many questions, what do you want me to do to let my father go?" Shen Shaobai said
"Look who's behind this?" Liu Shulin asked.
Shen Shaobai turned around and saw two people tied to the pillar. On the left was the conscious Shen Kuo, and on the right was the unconscious Feng Liunian. He rushed over, hugged Shen Kuo and said, "Dad, are you okay?"
Shen Kuo opened his eyes in a daze and saw Shen Shaobai and said, "Son, why did you come here when you knew it was a trap? This time, it is obviously dangerous. How can I feel at ease?"
"Dad, things will work out in the end. You and I don't need to worry too much. Besides, I don't think King Qi wants to execute us immediately. Maybe we can still survive here." Shen Shaobai said
"Shen Shaobai, you have a good attitude. You are in a desperate situation but still full of hope. It is really admirable." Liu Shulin said
"King Qi, I know you like to play tricks and gauge people's hearts. If you have any tricks, just use all your strength. I will take them on." Shen Shaobai said
"How brave! There's a cup of poisoned wine on the table called Buddha's Tears. Anyone who drinks it will instantly have their bones and muscles broken and bleed to death. Choose one of Shen Kuo and Feng Liunian to drink it, and the other will be saved. You have one stick of incense to think about it." Liu Shulin said
Chen Shaobai's mind buzzed. One was his father, who had painstakingly raised him, doting on him and leaving him with all the beauty in the world; the other was his beloved, the one who had stood by him through countless hardships. He was the apple of his eye, the blood of his heart, the eye of his eye. He was willing to be with him through thick and thin, never abandoning him. How should he choose? His mind and heart tangled in a tangle, time slipping away bit by bit, the ticking of the clock slicing through his veins and skin like a sharp knife.
"Chen Shaobai, have you thought about it carefully? Who should you choose?" Liu Shulin said
"Bai'er, your own safety is the most important thing. Your father doesn't need you to risk your life, as long as you live well." Shen Kuo said
"Father, I can't stand by and watch you and him find yourself in this predicament. You and he are both my beloved ones, and I can't let go of either of them. Please forgive me for being unfilial and unable to provide for your well-being. I will repay your kindness in my next life." Shen Shaobai picked up the wine and walked towards Feng Liunian. Embracing Feng Liunian, he said, "Liunian, it seems I won't be able to spend the rest of my life with you. I hope you won't blame me for breaking my promise. I wish you a safe, smooth, and healthy life." After saying this, he raised his head and drank it all in one gulp. He lowered his hand to grasp his sleeve, his face twisted, his eyes filled with tears as he stared straight at Feng Liunian.
Feng Liunian felt pain in his arm. When he opened his eyes, he saw Shen Shaobai. He was surprised. He thought that God had heard his inner cry. But when he looked closely, he found that Shen Shaobai was in great pain. His whole body was curled up, his hands were clenched, his brows were furrowed, and his eyes were filled with tears. He suddenly became nervous and said, "Shaobai, tell me where you are in pain."
"Flowing years, we are not destined to be together in this life. I don't ask for reincarnation, I just hope that we can continue our previous relationship in the next life." Shen Shaobai said painfully
Feng Liunian firmly grasped his hand and said, "No, you and I will be together for eternity. If you ascend to the Ninth Heaven, I will follow you; if you descend into the Infernal Hell, I will find you. You will never escape."
Shen Shaobai fell into a deep sleep, and in his dream, a sea of gorgeous flowers came towards him layer by layer. Shen Kuo was so shocked that he fainted.
"What did you do to him?" Feng Liunian used his internal strength to break free from the handcuffs, picked up Shen Shaobai, and roared at Liu Shulin.
"Calm down, I was just teasing him. What he drank wasn't Buddha's tears. Look, there's no blood coming out of his seven orifices. This is the Arhat's anger. He'll just have a sweet sleep." Liu Shulin said with a smile
"Are you serious?" Feng Liunian asked
"Of course, but if you want me to come up with the antidote, you must personally kill Shen Kuo and Gu Yanzhou." Liu Shulin said
Feng Liunian was stunned, thinking about how to respond. Seeing his hesitation, Liu Shulin drew his sword and killed Shen Kuo.
"Nian'er, take care of yourself. Your father will wait for you to bring Gu Yanzhou's head in exchange for the antidote to save your sweetheart." After Liu Shulin finished speaking, he left.
Feng Liunian only felt the blood stinging his eyes, and a huge hatred surged in his heart. The body temperature of the person in his arms burned him, igniting some rationality. For him, he had to endure it. He was sure that after this incident, the two of them would be able to stay away from worldly troubles and wander around the world.
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