Chapter 279 Chen Yanqing's Death
After Liu Jinzhang left, Li Yuanzhao summoned Zhou Hongying.
For his meritorious service in protecting the emperor during the suppression of the rebellion, Zhou Hongying has been promoted to Commander of the Imperial Guard, succeeding Ru Mo in his previous position.
This was not only a promotion in rank, but also a symbol of being a trusted confidant of the emperor, the significance of which is self-evident.
Li Yuanzhao asked directly, "Where is Chen Yanqing's post located?"
Zhou Hongying lowered her head and said, "Your Majesty, he has been imprisoned in the dungeon."
Last time, all the rebels were captured, and they found Chen Yanqing, who was being held captive, in the chaos.
Since the emperor did not give any special instructions at that time, they simply threw him into prison as usual and awaited the emperor's judgment.
Li Yuanzhao remained silent, tapping his knuckles lightly on the table, as if deep in thought.
Seeing her like this, Zhou Hongying hesitated for a moment and carefully added her own words.
"But... his condition is very bad right now. The dungeon is damp and cold, and his wounds have all become festering and festered. He has also been running a high fever for the past few days, and his consciousness is sometimes clear and sometimes blurred. It seems... like he doesn't have long to live."
"Moreover, the jailer in charge reported that he kept making a scene and insisted on seeing Your Majesty."
Li Yuanzhao raised an eyebrow slightly. "See me?"
"Yes." Seeing her like this, Zhou Hongying's heart tightened, and she immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness.
“I thought this man was just a traitor, and his nonsense was just an attempt to beg Your Majesty to spare his life. In addition, Your Majesty has been busy with many affairs of state recently, and such trivial matters should not disturb Your Majesty’s ears. Therefore, I did not report it in time. It was my dereliction of duty, and I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”
Li Yuanzhao responded calmly, "I understand."
Seeing that she didn't give any further instructions, Zhou Hongying tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, then... do you wish to see him? Or... should you deal with him directly according to the law?"
Li Yuanzhao's gaze fell on the flickering candlelight, and he remained silent for a long time.
Even a small wound could nearly kill him.
It seems her earlier guess was correct.
Once she becomes emperor, Chen Yanqing's so-called "chosen one" aura will naturally disappear.
Chen Yanqing is no threat to her now, nor is he of any use to her.
She wasn't even interested in killing him with her own hands anymore.
It didn't matter to her whether such a useless person lived or died.
So in the end, she simply said, "Ignore him."
Zhou Hongying: "Yes."
In the deepest cell of the dungeon, Chen Yanqing was curled up on a cold pile of straw, his body trembling uncontrollably from the high fever.
He was still wearing the bright yellow brocade robe that symbolized his status as the "eldest prince," but the clothes were already stained with blood and mud and were tattered.
His wounds have gradually festered and rotted, and now they have spread to his entire waist, abdomen, and thighs.
The entire dungeon was filled with a nauseating stench of blood and decay.
Even the jailers only dared to leave the food far away at the door before hurriedly fleeing.
He also realized that he might indeed be going to die.
His "aura of immortality" has completely dissipated.
Ten days ago, when he was imprisoned by Zheng Wenkai, he suddenly had a change of heart.
He loved Li Yuanzhao too much, which is why Li Yuanzhao's actions hurt him so much.
That's why he wanted to kill Zheng Wenkai.
He couldn't bear to see Li Yuanzhao die; he would rather die in Li Yuanzhao's place.
Will Li Yuanzhao remember for the rest of his life that she wronged him, and live with guilt for the rest of his life?
Not long after, Ru Mo led his troops to attack.
The moment he saw her, he struggled to lunge at her, grabbing her sleeve tightly. "Tell me, is Li Yuanzhao not dead? Is she still alive?"
Ru Mo glanced at him coldly and said only, "How could His Majesty die?"
"I knew it! I knew it! She's not dead! She's not dead!"
He was almost moved to tears, and even as Ru Mo dragged him away like a dead dog, he still had a smile on his face.
He wasn't afraid of Li Yuanzhao hating him, or of her wanting his life. Even if he were to be executed by slow slicing, he would die without regrets as long as he could see her one last time.
But the reality is, he was thrown into this dungeon for ten whole days, and no one summoned him to see her.
At first, he would shout day and night, begging the jailer to pass on a message to her, but all he got in response was the jailer's indifference.
Now, he has exhausted even the strength to shout.
A despair more piercing than death gradually overwhelmed him.
It turns out that Li Yuanzhao not only had no love for him, but was even stingy with his hatred.
Li Yuanzhao never paid him any attention whatsoever from beginning to end.
This realization is more chilling than the cold of a prison cell, more painful than a festering wound.
He's about to die...
He just wanted to see her one last time before he died, and to hear her voice one more time.
But why is she still so cruel, refusing to grant even this small request?
In his hazy state, he curled up on the smelly hay, and fragmented images began to flash before his eyes.
From the moment they first met, she sat high on horseback, her face haughty as she lashed him with a whip.
On their second meeting, she didn't hesitate to stab herself in the heart.
On their third meeting, she plunged the dagger into her own abdomen and then forced herself to drink a poison that would pierce her intestines.
...
There were also a very few heartwarming moments.
After he finished bandaging her injured hand, she smiled and patted his cheek, praising him as "so good."
As he was about to leave her, she looked at him intently and said, "You are more special to me."
And on countless peaceful days, she would sit beside him, turning the pages of a book, while he quietly fanned her and poured her tea...
It was precisely these meager moments of tenderness that became the nourishment that sustained all his delusions.
Looking back now, it turns out that it was all just wishful thinking on his part from beginning to end.
What he thought was a "bond" was nothing but a joke.
What he perceived as "special" was nothing more than a self-comforting illusion.
She has never taken him seriously, not then, and not now.
A murky tear slid down her dirty cheek and dripped into the darkness.
"Li Yuanzhao..." With his last ounce of strength, he uttered the name etched into his very bones, his voice filled with a heart-wrenching accusation, yet also with a plea so humble it was almost groveling, "Why...why are you always...so cruel to me..."
He recalled Ru Mo's words, "Long live Your Majesty."
Yes, long live her!
So, in the long and lonely years of her reign as emperor, would she ever think of him for even a moment?
Ultimately, Chen Yanqing died on the night of the Emperor and Empress's wedding.
The thunderstorm was extremely fierce and lasted all night.
Inside the bridal chamber, red candles burned brightly, filling the air with a warm, fragrant aroma.
Li Yuanzhao and Pei Huaijin were newly married, their bedchamber warm and their quilts billowing red.
The next morning, the rain stopped and the sky cleared.
Li Yuanzhao stood in front of the mirror, being helped by Pei Huaijin to change his clothes, while Zhou Hongying reported the news of Chen Yanqing's death outside the hall.
"Your Majesty, Chen Yanqing passed away last night. The jailer said he committed suicide by biting his tongue."
Pei Huaijin paused in tying his belt.
It takes immense determination and strength for a person with a high fever and on the verge of death to bite off their own tongue.
Only Li Yuanzhao remained unfazed, simply instructing, "Then burn it. Remember to scatter the ashes after you're done."
Zhou Hongying hesitated for a moment before replying, "Your subordinate obeys."
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