Why fear the Buddha when you are in hell?
The rich fragrance of golden osmanthus mingles with the cries of wild geese, and the autumn wind whips the branches of the trees. Today, a constant stream of merchants and pedestrians travel within and outside Chang'an. To celebrate the emperor's arrival in power, prominent families, local dignitaries, and provincial governors have already arrived in the capital. Amidst the throng, plots and intrigues quietly unfold.
The group had already prepared their move and infiltrated the palace. A woman, disguised and infiltrated the group while the palace servants were busy, presented the Emperor and Empress Dowager with fine wine. After the Emperor and Empress Dowager paid homage to Heaven and Earth and offered their respects to their ancestors, they joined the courtiers in the palace, enjoying a rejoicing.
Suddenly, a figure appeared outside the doorway, gradually growing taller and taller, its shadow casting a shadow over the court. Everyone was startled and put down their wine glasses to look. They saw that the figure was thin, but his eyes were fixed on the empress dowager. Looking closely, who else could it be but Prince of Qi Liu Shulin? The empress dowager Pei Luochen caught a glimpse of the Prince of Qi from the corner of her eye and thought he was even thinner than he was a decade ago. She almost dropped her wine glass, looking away, raised it, and drank the wine in one gulp.
"Uncle, you are late. I have to wait for you for a long time." said the emperor.
"Good wine is never too late, and a good banquet is never too late. We have been waiting for this day for twenty years. There is no need to rush." Liu Shulin said
"Uncle, there is a hidden meaning in your words that is hard for me to guess. Do you know what it means?" the emperor said.
"I think it's because the Prince of Qi is old and weak, and he hasn't been to the capital to pay homage to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager for many years. He's tongue-tied and can't express himself clearly." A man said
As the man finished speaking, a knife came plummeting down, and in an instant, his head fell to the floor. As he retracted the knife, warm blood, like venom from a mosquito bite, seeped into his brain. Blood splattered like a tide, soaking the civil and military officials. Everyone froze in silence, and the smell of blood spread like mist.
"Uncle, what's the matter with you? You haven't even had a drink yet, but you're already acting crazy. Someone come and help your uncle out of the hall to sober up." The emperor said
"I, Qing Jun Ce, use this gift to congratulate the emperor on taking power." Liu Shulin said
"I didn't realize that I was surrounded by tigers and wolves, and that all the civil and military officials in the court were flatterers. Only my uncle was loyal to his country." said the emperor.
"Of course, this Han Dynasty belongs to the Liu family. Anyone in the Liu family can rule it. Only the most capable ones can take charge." Liu Shulin said
"It sounds like the uncle is plotting to usurp the throne," the emperor said.
"So what if it's true? I just regret that I did it 20 years too late. I regret it now. Chen'er, otherwise you and I wouldn't be separated like this at this moment, suffering both physically and mentally." Liu Shulin said
"The past is gone and cannot be retrieved. King Qi, please do not confine yourself to a prison. Only then will you realize that Buddha does not save people, and people must save themselves." Pei Luochen said
"If the Buddha doesn't save me, then I will overthrow the world. Even if it means the destruction of countless lives and the shedding of blood, I will not hesitate. I only want to be with you in this dream." Liu Shulin said firmly.
Pei Luochen drank in silence, and everyone lowered their heads and looked at him sideways.
"Prince of Qi, Liu Shulin, you are so bold! Your wolfish ambition is to usurp the throne. Your first crime is to disregard human ethics and covet my widowed sister-in-law. Your second crime is to kill innocent people and harm loyal people. Your third crime is to kill innocent people and harm loyal people. Each of these crimes is punishable by death. What do you have to say? Where is the Qinglong Army? Quickly capture these traitors." The emperor shouted in indignation.
Suddenly, a group of soldiers rushed in from outside the hall and engaged in a fierce battle with the Azure Dragon Army, throwing the hall into chaos. The two armies engaged in a fierce battle for a while, with only a few Azure Dragon soldiers retreating to a corner to protect the Emperor and Empress Dowager. The rest of the troops were under the control of the Black Tortoise Army.
Liu Shulin pushed everyone aside and stood in front, saying to Pei Luochen affectionately, "Chen'er, today I personally offer this world to you, just as we promised each other back then. I'll give you the kingdom as a betrothal gift, and we'll grow old together, okay?"
"Time passes, the world changes, and there are many obstacles between us. You and I can no longer go back." Pei Luochen said sadly.
"I don't believe it. My father is dead, my brother died long ago, and even those who stand in our way, like Pei Luohuan and Shen Kuo, have been eliminated by me. Who else in the world dares to oppose me? Is it my nephew or these aristocratic families?" Liu Shulin roared.
"What do you mean by Pei Luohuan being eliminated by you? My prince, are you hiding something from me? No, Nanny Meng is really not feeling well today?" Pei Luochen said in disbelief.
"So the emperor hasn't told you yet. A few days ago, he ordered Gu Yanzhou to place everyone in the Pei Mansion under house arrest. Coincidentally, the study caught fire and they all died in the flames." Liu Shulin said proudly.
"My son, is he serious? Everyone in the Pei Mansion is our blood relative. How could you be so cold-blooded and heartless?" Pei Luochen asked angrily.
"Mother, I only ordered them to be imprisoned, I never wanted to kill them! After all, they are my flesh and blood. Why would I do this?" The emperor explained aggrievedly.
"How could that be? No, you said you eliminated Pei Luohuan and Shen Kuo. So the person behind this was you, Liu Shulin. Why did you want to kill them?" Pei Luochen asked
"Shouldn't they die? If they hadn't obstructed us back then, you and I would have been wandering around the world like a couple of gods. How could we have suffered the pain of missing each other and ended up in this situation today?" Liu Shulin said angrily.
"So you have been brooding over what happened back then, and even after so many years, you have never let it go." Pei Luochen asked
"Letting go is not easy. I suffer the pain of having my flesh pierced every day, and when I wake up in the middle of the night, I feel like my bones have been removed and my skin peeled off. I am not a saint, so it is difficult for me to forgive." Liu Shulin said
"Okay, okay, okay, we were both helpless in our circumstances back then, and we each had our own difficulties. Or maybe you believed that I was greedy for power and betrayed you, so why didn't you blame me, and why did you vent your anger on others?" Pei Luochen said
"I can't bear to do that. You are the apple of my eye. For you, even if it means betraying millions of people in the world, I will do it without hesitation. I can never hurt you, blame you, or take my anger out on you." Liu Shulin said
"Why do you have to do this? I owe you something that I will never be able to repay in this lifetime, but we can't go back." Pei Luochen said
"Since you and I can't go back to the past, let's look forward to the future. The country is so beautiful, and we can rule the country together." Liu Shulin said
"I think it's too late. No matter how much you talk, you will only sink into the underworld together." Feng Liunian said
"Evil son, what do you mean by this? Are you trying to turn against Tiangang?" Liu Shulin asked
"How dare I do so? I am only reminding my father, the Queen Mother, to ascend to heaven and to go to the underworld together. I hope you will wait for me in the next life and stay together until old age. You must never enter the palace again." Feng Liunian said.
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the emperor breathing rapidly and his face was pale, as if an evil spirit was strangling his throat. His face began to turn the color of pig liver and then he bled to death from all seven orifices. The empress dowager and everyone else were stunned. The empress dowager hugged the emperor and the warm blood flowed into her palms. She used her fingers to touch his nose in disbelief and found that the breath was still warm. Her heart was broken as if a bamboo thorn had pierced into her blood vessels. She felt dizzy and her facial features were warm, like a stream of water that could not be stopped. In a trance, she heard someone calling her name "Chen'er" and then her consciousness fell into darkness, and her body seemed to float away from the world.
"Hahahaha, they are finally dead. I have avenged you, Dad and Mom." Chu Zhaorong laughed.
Liu Shulin glared at her furiously and shouted, "I want you dead without a burial place. Come, drag her away and tear her into pieces." Silence followed. The rising and falling sound of breathing disturbed his thoughts. Pei Luochen's body was already cold. Liu Shulin turned around and said, "You ordered her to poison him."
"So what?" Feng Liunian challenged
"You brat, you're looking for death." Liu Shulin said, then raised his sword and was about to chop him.
"It's too late for you." Feng Liunian said, and then he saw an arrow shoot down the sword, and the Xuanwu army formed an encirclement to protect the King of Qi.
Looking in the direction of the light, they saw that the leader was Gu Yanzhou, followed by Banjin, Baliang, Chen Er, Gu Nanfeng, and Lan Ci and Lan Xu, who were supporting each other. It seemed that Liu Shulin had also experienced a fierce battle when he broke into the palace before.
"So your backup is Gu Yanzhou?" Liu Shulin said with a smile.
"Indeed, King Qi, you are a traitor and have murdered the king and usurped the throne. Why don't you surrender now?" Feng Liunian said.
"Oh, one of you is already deeply poisoned, and the other is a traitor seeking glory. You are like a grasshopper in autumn and can't jump for long." Liu Shulin said slowly.
"Is the poisoning serious? Don't exaggerate. I check every drink and meal I take in every day. You have no chance to take advantage of it." Feng Liunian questioned
Liu Shulin didn't reply silently, but narrowed his eyes, staring at Gu Yanzhou, and said with a contemptuous smile, "Who said it was you?"
Feng Liunian's eyes moved between the two of them and asked, "When did you poison Gu Yanzhou?"
"Master Gu, do you still remember that Chu Qin spat blood all over your face before he died? That's right, he died because of the Bodhi Heart. His blood was already poisonous. You have been poisoned by him since you came into contact with him. Even gods cannot save you. Now you must capture Feng Liunian and the others and make them submit to me. I will send you the antidote. When I ascend to the throne, you will have the merit of following the dragon, and you will have endless wealth and glory in your life." Liu Shulin threatened and tempted
"Gu Yanzhou, you must not agree to this. He is cunning and ruthless. You cannot try to get the skin of a tiger. Besides, you don't want to know where Pei Linyan is now." Feng Liunian said
Gu Yanzhou thought for a moment and said, "One of you holds my life in your hands, and the other holds my thoughts. I've thought about it over and over again and it's hard to make a decision. What should I do?"
"Brother Gu, you know that Shaobai was also drugged by him and is now unconscious. I have been playing nice with him for a long time in order to get the antidote. Now you and I should unite against him and capture him to force him to hand over the antidote. This is the best strategy." Feng Liunian said
"You evil son, you are really an ungrateful person. Unfortunately, the poison that Shen Shaobai was poisoned with was neither the tears of Buddha nor the anger of Arhat, but the medicine of long-lasting sleep - the hatred of Bodhisattva. I am the only one in the world who can cure this poison. Kill Gu Yanzhou now, otherwise you will never see Shen Shaobai wake up in this life." Liu Shulin threatened
Feng Liunian's mind was in a state of confusion, and he could hardly think. He could only hear Shao Bai calling out, "Liunian, Liunian." The voice was getting farther and farther away. "No, I can't let Shao Bai remain unconscious." He made up his mind and said, "Do it."
In an instant, a small figure raised a knife and stabbed Gu Yanzhou. Upon closer inspection, it was Gu Nanfeng. Gu Yanzhou had no time to dodge and was about to be stabbed. In a flash, a dark figure appeared before him. It was Pei Linyan. It turned out that when Pei San found Pei Linyan, he had been unconscious for a long time and had only recently regained his memory. Since then, he and Pei San have been mixed up among the Jinwu Guards.
The dagger pierced Pei Linyan's abdomen, and blood immediately flowed out. Pei Linyan gritted his teeth in pain, kicked Gu Nanfeng down, and fell into Gu Yanzhou's arms, saying, "Don't be afraid, Zhou'er, I will protect you." Warm blood splattered all over Gu Yanzhou's face. Tears flowed from his eyes, mixing with the blood to moisten his lips. He tasted a bitter taste. He stroked his face, and the remaining warmth faded. The man in front of him breathed slowly. Gu Yanzhou's nerves were numb, his mind was blank, and his whole body was burning with flames. He roared, "Kill everyone in this palace. Leave no one alive."
Liu Shulin and Feng Liunian were already locked in a fierce struggle, and then, aristocratic families, important officials in the court, and royal relatives all perished under the sharp blades of the Suzaku White Tiger Army. Suddenly, shrill screams and pleas for mercy filled the air, each one heartbreaking. Gu Yanzhou sat there, holding Pei Linyan. Suddenly, a sudden thought struck him. He pulled out the Nanxing Pill from his bosom and fed it to Pei Linyan. Seeing that the bleeding had stopped and his breathing had returned to normal, he breathed a sigh of relief. Looking up, he saw that the massacre in the hall had ended. The steps were stained red with blood. With the exception of Liu Shulin and Feng Liunian, all the other aristocratic families, officials, and nobles were dead.
Soon, Liu Shulin also died under Feng Liunian's sword. Feng Liunian was like a devil from hell, his body covered in blood. His red eyes were cold and frightening. He said, "Now that you have no rivals, you can dominate the government. Are you going to ascend the throne and become emperor next?"
"Become an emperor? Ridiculous. I never wanted the throne. Before I met him, I just wanted to live the rest of my life in peace and happiness. After I met him, he taught me the ability to love. I just wanted to be with someone, to grow old together, to share three meals a day with him as the sun and moon passed, and the changing seasons were not as good as our five senses. I hope that the six livestock will prosper and the seven limbs will be connected. I hope that guests from all directions will come to congratulate me. Unfortunately, even if I reincarnate for nine lifetimes, it's all just a foolish dream. Now it's all ruined by him. No, it should be ruined by us. He and I have a love-hate relationship, but we missed each other and will never see each other again in this life." Gu Yanzhou said, looking at the person in his arms
"It's a good omen that we won't see each other in this life. He killed Liu Yixian, and you burned the Duke's Mansion. You two are really a perfect match. You should never be separated in this life." Feng Liunian said madly
"Don't talk nonsense. The young master accidentally killed the Medical Immortal because you poisoned the Chinese medicine, and you deceived Lord Gu into raiding the Duke's Mansion. You are the culprit. Lord Gu, execute him quickly." Pei Sanda cursed
"Pei San, after you settle Lin Yan outside the palace, go to Lan Ci's house to pick up Pei Lin Yu. Then the three of you will rush to Wuwei as fast as you can. Remember not to linger. He has taken the Nanxing Pill, so his life will not be in danger even if he travels a long distance." Gu Yanzhou said calmly.
"But..." Before Pei San could finish his words, he was pulled away by Lan Ci, and Lan Xu disappeared with Pei Linyan on his back.
"You are deeply in love with him and you don't want him to face the revenge of the aristocratic families. What about you?" Feng Liunian joked.
"Even if you are in hell, why fear the Buddha? If I don't kill you, Shaobai will be sad because he can't bear it. Someone, imprison Prince Liu Nian in Zhao Prison forever. He can't be released without my order." Gu Yanzhou said
In the first year of Tianzhao, Gu Yanzhou put down the civil strife of the aristocratic families, eliminated the remnants of King Qi, and promoted the eldest son to the throne as emperor, known as Emperor Lin of Han. Emperor Lin was grateful for his merits and appointed him as prime minister, calling him his father-in-law. Prime Minister Gu remained unmarried and had no children throughout his life. A hundred years later, he was buried wearing a mandarin duck pendant, and his tomb faced Wuwei.
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