prison
In the late autumn of the 16th year of Shaoxing, the funeral of Empress Dowager Wei had just ended and the white banners in Lin'an City had not yet been removed, but Qin Hui walked into the palace gate in the morning dew.
Zhao Gou stayed at Concubine Wu's place yesterday. Early in the morning, he heard a message from Eunuch Rong saying that Qin Hui had something important to report. Zhao Gou looked slightly displeased. Recently, after taking the prescription that Eunuch Zhang Quwei had found, he felt light and healthy, and his blood and energy surged upward. Yesterday, he had spent some time with Concubine Wu, which had consumed most of his energy. He really didn't want to get up early today, so he said to Eunuch Rong who was waiting outside, "I feel unwell today. Please let Prime Minister Qin leave for now."
Eunuch Rong replied, "That's what I said. Prime Minister Qin said the publisher of 'The Northern Hunting Record of Tears and Blood' has been found."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Gou immediately got up from the bed and said to Concubine Wu who was still in bed, "I'll go and see first." Then he was helped by the eunuchs to put on court clothes and walked straight to the main hall. He had sent people to investigate for a long time but had not been able to find the person who published the book "The Northern Hunting Record of Tears and Blood", but he did not expect that Qin Hui had found out. When he thought that his mother had finally returned to her homeland, but was troubled by this book and died of depression, he wanted to cut this person into pieces and grind his bones into ashes.
"I have verified it." Qin Hui's voice was like a venomous snake slithering across a brocade carpet. "Madam Han not only published the evil book, but also distributed copies throughout the streets and alleys of Lin'an."
"Madam Han, which Madam Han?" Zhao Gou couldn't believe for a moment that the Madam Han Qin Hui was talking about was Liang Hongyu.
"It is Han Shizhong's wife Liang Hongyu." Qin Hui raised his eyes and bowed. This woman had repeatedly ruined his plans, and he had long wanted to get rid of her. However, Liang Hongyu had a close relationship with the emperor, and this time he finally got the chance. Liang Hongyu had offended the empress dowager, the emperor's mother. The emperor always obeyed the empress dowager's words, otherwise he would not have killed his own sister, Princess Roufu. This time, even if the immortal came, he could not save her.
"Qin Qing, do you have any evidence? Don't speak nonsense." Although Liang Hongyu had become Mrs. Han, she was the only woman he had ever loved and had also saved his life.
Qin Hui presented the original manuscript of "The Bloodshed in the Northern Hunt".
Zhao Gou took the manuscript and repeatedly stroked the title page of "The Northern Hunting Record of Tears and Blood," his eyes darkening. Next to the illustration of Empress Dowager Wei being humiliated in the laundry house, Liang Hongyu's inscription in red ink read: "The shame of the Northern Hunt must be paid with blood." The ink was as sharp as a spear tip, piercing his eyes.
"Where did this manuscript come from?" Zhao Gou asked.
"It was presented by Han Shizhong's concubine Liu Rumei." Qin Hui replied.
"Liu Rumei?" Zhao Gou frowned slightly, thinking about this familiar-sounding name in his mind, and finally remembered that day, when he learned that Liang Hongyu and Han Shizhong were married, he sent Liu Rumei to Han Shizhong to alienate the relationship between the couple. However, there was no news for a long time, and the medicine sent by Zhang Quwei was very effective. He had recovered his strong physique as a man, and he had been reveling every night, putting the matter of Liang Hongyu behind his mind.
"Summon her into the hall for questioning." After Zhao Gou finished speaking, Liu Rumei was summoned into the hall with a gilded box in her hand.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." Liu Rumei knelt down and saluted.
"Get up and answer."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Liu Rumei stood up and presented the gilded box.
Zhao Gou opened the box, which contained letters exchanged between Yue Fei and Liang Hongyu. Yue Fei's handwriting was intertwined with Liang Hongyu's comments: "Wait until we can rebuild the old mountains and rivers" was added with "We must first cleanse the filthy court."
Zhao Gou suddenly jumped up and smashed the jade cup, sending broken porcelain flying everywhere.
Qin Hui saw that his goal had been achieved, so he asked, "Sir, what should be done with Madam Liang?"
Zhao Gou was silent for a moment, then said, "Call her back to Lin'an first. I want to interrogate her personally."
After Liang Hongyu received the imperial edict, Han Shizhong pulled the eunuch who announced it aside and asked in a low voice, "Sir, do you know why the emperor summoned his wife?"
The eunuch who announced the decree replied, "I have only come to announce the decree. As for the reason, I really don't know."
Han Shizhong secretly slipped a silver ingot into the sleeve of the eunuch announcing the decree, who then replied, "However, Prime Minister Qin met with the emperor before, and it seems to be related to the 'Record of Bloodshed in the Northern Hunt'."
Han Shizhong settled him in the Han Mansion and ordered the servants to treat him well. Then he went to see Liang Hongyu and whispered to her privately: "The emperor will not know that the book was published by you. I am afraid that you will meet with bloody disaster if you go there. I will accompany you. At worst, we will die together."
Liang Hongyu took off a gold and jade longevity lock from her neck and gave it to Han Shizhong.
Han Shizhong looked at the lock and felt that it did not look like it was made by a Song Dynasty craftsman. He examined the lock carefully and turned it over. He saw Jurchen characters engraved on the back of the lock: "Gift from my mother, Wei."
Han Shizhong's expression changed immediately. He looked up and asked with wide eyes, "What is this lock?"
"This is the property of Empress Dowager Wei's youngest son in the Jin Kingdom. Before her death, Princess Roufu asked someone to give it to me. That's when I learned that Empress Dowager Wei had a son in the Jin Kingdom. The princess trusted me so much, I couldn't let her die unjustly. If the emperor were to question me today about the crime of publishing this, perhaps this item could save my life."
"Madam, do you want to use this thing to threaten the emperor? This is absolutely not possible. If he knew that you were threatening him, given the emperor's temper, he would definitely kill you to silence you." Han Shizhong analyzed the pros and cons and hoped that she could give up such a dangerous idea.
"This is the only way. There is no turning back. If we give it a try, we may be able to find a glimmer of hope." Liang Hongyu said to Han Shizhong with burning eyes.
Han Shizhong heard what she said and felt that she made sense. With his life hanging by a thread, he had no choice but to give it a try.
"Then I will go with my wife."
"No, if we go together, it will be exactly what the emperor wants. You and I might both die. My husband, you'd better stay in Chuzhou City. The emperor might still be wary of me and wait for me to come back." After Liang Hongyu finished speaking, she went to Lin'an with the eunuch who announced the imperial decree.
When Liang Hongyu stepped into the Chuigong Hall, Zhao Gou was the only one in the hall. Zhao Gou sat on the throne with a gloomy face and a stack of manuscripts in his hand.
When Zhao Gou saw her coming, he suddenly dropped the manuscript in his hand to the ground. It was the original manuscript of "The Bloodshed of the Northern Hunt" that he had published.
"Hongyu..." Zhao Gou walked from the throne to her, his voice suddenly softening. "If you are willing to return to the palace as a concubine, these evidences of your crimes can be burned immediately." He traced the illustration of Empress Dowager Wei being humiliated. "I know you hate the Jin people. After you have recuperated..."
"Your Majesty!" Liang Hongyu interrupted him with a frown. "It's not like I haven't been to the Imperial Palace before. I wanted to stay with you, Your Majesty, but it nearly cost me my life. The Imperial Palace might be a place of wealth and honor for other women, but for me, it's a golden cage. I don't want to be the canary in that cage."
Zhao Gou walked up to Liang Hongyu and said, "But Han Shizhong has already been stripped of his military power and is now a crippled man. Why do you still choose to stay with him and refuse to return to me?" He stretched out a hand and gently stroked her cheek. "After so many years, you still look as beautiful as jade, showing no signs of aging. My beloved, are you still concerned about my health? I have regained my former strength, but not as good as I am today..."
"Your Majesty, please be careful with your words..." Liang Hongyu could no longer bear to hear this. "I am Madam Han. All that happened in the past is in the past. I am grateful for your care. So what if I am by your side? To you, I am just a stranger. You can hold me in your arms when you are pleased, but what if I displease you? Roufu is your biological sister. You can kill her at will."
"Don't mention Roufu to me!" Zhao Gou's emotions suddenly grew agitated upon hearing this. He reached out a hand and clamped it around Liang Hongyu's neck, his eyes bloodshot as he cried, "You and Roufu are both people I cherish. Why don't you want to stay by my side? I am the ruler of this world. Why are you all abandoning me... Why..." Zhao Gou's eyes were bloodshot as he suddenly leaned forward and pressed his lips against Liang Hongyu's. Before, he had only a man's body, but he couldn't have it. He could only watch his beloved right before his eyes, unable to possess her. But now, even if he could have her for a moment, he felt it was worth it.
The moment their lips touched, a bloody smell suddenly emerged from between Zhao Gou's lips and teeth, followed by a sharp pain on his lips.
"You bite me?" Zhao Gou stared at her jade-like face that was pinched and flushed red. A trace of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. Her face looked even more gorgeous against the blood-red background, like a red plum blossom blooming in the snow, cold, arrogant, and sad.
That expression instantly made Zhao Gou's desire overflow. He increased the strength in his hands and lowered his head to kiss her bloody red lips. Liang Hongyu dodged sideways, and she suddenly exerted force with her wrist, twisting the emperor's arm behind his back.
Liang Hongyu's fingertips still held traces of blood from her lips. She stared at Zhao Gou's shocked face and suddenly chuckled, "Has your Majesty forgotten that I'm a general?"
"Your Majesty, do you know?" Liang Hongyu's voice was as cold as iron. "The first thing I learned when I was in Zuixianglou was to never let a man get within three feet of me."
Zhao Gou's forehead was sweating from the pain, but he chuckled softly, "Good...good! This is the fierce horse I've been longing for for ten years!" He suddenly blew the imperial whistle, and twelve black-armored guards flashed out from behind the palace pillars. "But my beloved concubine forgot, this is my imperial palace."
The Black Armor Guards suddenly swarmed in from behind the palace, their blades surrounding Liang Hongyu.
"I dare to come here today, so I have prepared enough bargaining chips." She loosened her grip, "For example, the golden locket that the Queen Mother wears close to her body, and Wanyan Zongxian..."
When Zhao Gou heard Wanyan Zongxian's name, he felt something was wrong. Before Liang Hongyu could finish her sentence, Zhao Gou ordered, "Everyone else, retreat!"
After all the Black Armor Guards had left the hall, Liang Hongyu completed the rest of her sentence, "That golden locket is exactly the same as the one worn by Wanyan Zongxian's youngest son."
Liang Hongyu watched Zhao Gou's face gradually turn pale from its previous flush, and continued, "If the emperor insists on killing me today, the golden lock and its secret will be known to the world."
Zhao Gou looked at her in disbelief. "How did you know about the Queen Mother's personal belongings?"
"Roufu gave it to me before she died. She knew that the day the Queen Mother returned would be the day of her death."
"Roufu?" Zhao Gou murmured, "I wanted to kill someone who looked like her, but she refused. She would rather die than stay by my side."
"So, you... killed Roufu?" Zhao Gou saw fire burning in Liang Hongyu's eyes, as if she wanted to burn all the injustices in the world to ashes.
"No... No, she was determined to die." Zhao Gou choked.
Liang Hongyu stabbed Zhao Gou in the heart again, "She would rather die than be a caged bird at the mercy of others. This huge palace is hell. How many women in the palace can escape hell?"
"Go away." Zhao Gou suddenly felt powerless. He turned around and stopped looking at her.
After Liang Hongyu left, he walked toward the supreme throne. Sitting there, he suddenly felt that this throne, so coveted by everyone, was also a prison. He had struggled in it, drifting through life for half his life. For it, he had been spurned by the world, misunderstood by his mother, sister, and beloved. All the important people had deserted him, yet he still sat there, all alone. Until today, someone suddenly enlightened him: this throne, so coveted by everyone, was actually a prison that imprisoned freedom and even the human heart.
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