Chapter 421: Crusade against King Rui
The people who came from the capital with Eunuch Sun had just witnessed such torture. Now seeing the knife about to fall on them, they were panicked and hurriedly told everything they knew.
The two young eunuchs spoke quickly and shrilly, "Master Mu Qingshan and his wife, along with Liu Tanhua and the others, have all been arrested and imprisoned by Prince Rui on trumped-up charges!"
"Grand Tutor Wang and his disciples suspected the emperor's corpse found by Prince Rui was fake at the Xishan hunting grounds, and were killed on the spot..."
Others also rushed to say, "The commander of the imperial guards and the generals defending the capital have all surrendered to King Rui. Anyone who refuses to submit will be killed or imprisoned. Now the capital is King Rui's world!"
"And Madam Jiang... even General Pingxi's wife, Song Wan'er, is in Prince Rui's hands. Now even General Pingxi listens to Prince Rui!"
"We followed Eunuch Sun to Xizhou out of necessity. Even if we had a hundred or a thousand guts, we wouldn't dare to harm you!"
As these people spoke, they knelt down one by one. After they poured out everything they knew, they began to kowtow and beg for mercy, asking King Chang'an to spare their lives.
Huo Zheng is not Huo Yang, but he is not a pushover either. He cannot be killed by mistake, nor can he be released by mistake.
He instructed Jiang He and others, "Have them write down everything they said and sign it."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Jiang He and others immediately followed suit.
Huo Zheng took Gu Yuanjia, Mu Kaiji and others out. After learning about the situation in the capital, their expressions became solemn.
When the Xizhou officials waiting outside saw the prince and his companions coming out, they immediately came forward and asked, "Did they say anything?"
"Have you ever asked for any useful information?"
"Your Majesty..."
Gu Yuanjia briefly told the Xizhou officials what those people in the dark prison had said.
After hearing this, the officials of Xizhou all looked solemn, and the generals were even more indignant. "Prince Rui even killed his own father for the throne. If we allow such an unfaithful, unfilial, and unjust person to become emperor, how can the people of Daxing have a good life?"
"Prince Rui is a scoundrel, his crimes must be put to death! Even a thousand deaths cannot atone for his sins!"
Someone asked Huo Zheng, "What are your plans now, Your Majesty?"
Huo Zheng said, "Huo Yang committed such an act of patricide and regicide. He is cruel and inhumane, and is bringing disaster to the world. Naturally, I must stop him!"
He said, "No matter what Huo Yan has in mind, since he has come to Xizhou, he can't come in vain. Let him stay here to recuperate and serve as a witness. Yuanjia, you write a letter. I will announce Huo Yang's crimes to the world and punish him for murdering the emperor and seizing the throne, and killing his brothers!"
Gu Yuanjia bowed and said seriously, "Yuanjia obeys your command."
As he said this, he immediately went to the study to draft a manifesto to attack King Rui.
After coming to Xizhou for so long, Master Gu has been devoting himself to the people's livelihood together with Prince Chang'an, and he hasn't written any brilliant articles for a long time.
Today is finally his time to show his strengths.
The rest of the people looked at Huo Zheng eagerly, waiting for the prince's instructions.
Huo Zheng quickly spoke again, "General Wang, you must immediately gather the troops from Western Province! I will personally return to the capital to investigate the cause of my father's death and severely punish Huo Yan! I will restore order and rectify the government!"
"I have received your order!"
General Wang responded with great enthusiasm and immediately took several generals with him to mobilize the troops.
Huo Zheng assigned other matters to the rest of the people, and soon everyone started to get busy.
When the officials of Xizhou heard that Prince Chang'an had been demoted by the emperor to be a vassal king, they were both happy and felt sorry for the prince.
The good news is that Prince Chang'an has the courage and ability to make Xizhou a new place and let the people live a better life.
Unfortunately, as a prince, Huo Zheng was banished to his fiefdom before the emperor passed away. He was not allowed to return to the capital without being summoned, which meant that this prince would never have a chance to become emperor.
When the Prince and Princess Chang'an first arrived in Xizhou, some officials privately worried that Huo Zheng would harbor resentment toward the Emperor and cease working diligently for the people. However, Huo Zheng and Chunzhi worked tirelessly for several years, leading the people of Xizhou to a life of prosperity they had only dreamed of.
The changes in the capital this time, the emperor's death was strange, and a number of officials who opposed Prince Rui died in an accident, which is certainly heartbreaking.
But this is also a huge opportunity.
Prince Chang'an led his troops back to the capital to attack Prince Rui, Huo Yang. After a long journey, the country finally fell into the hands of those who deserved it.
Chunzhi arranged the people and doctors to serve Huo Yan, and when she walked to the front hall, she happened to meet Huo Zheng walking towards this side.
The two of them walked quickly towards each other at the same time.
The heavy snow fell, covering the entire palace in silver.
Chunzhi approached Huo Zheng and asked him, "Did Eunuch Sun confess?"
"I admit it."
Huo Zheng briefly told Chunzhi the most crucial news.
When Chunzhi heard that her father, mother and Song Wan'er were all in the hands of Prince Rui Huo Yang, she couldn't help but feel worried and frowned.
Huo Zheng hated to see Chunzhi frowning, so he reached out and gently smoothed her brows. "Chunzhi, I will definitely rescue them safely."
Chunzhi said, "Hmm," and said, "I believe you."
Huo Yang killed so many people, and those who were captured but not killed were because they were still useful. The living are far more valuable than the dead.
As long as Huo Yang has some plan, he can counter it and rescue the person.
There's no point getting anxious or worried now, you have to stay calm.
Chunzhi tried to calm herself down. "My father and mother have been through a lot, and they won't be easily defeated. Wan'er has a brother who is the richest man, and Huo Yang won't touch her easily. The one who is most in danger right now is my mother."
She said, "Eunuch Sun, who came to deliver the imperial edict, said that my mother is seriously ill. Now even the Queen's golden seal has fallen into Huo Yang's hands. Will she..."
When Chunzhi left Beijing, she told her mother that she would definitely bring Xiaoxing back to see her.
But before they found the chance to go back, such a big change happened in the capital.
Huo Zheng reached out and brushed the snow from her temples. He whispered, "My mother has always been in good health and had a broad mind. She was deeply affectionate towards my father... so she wouldn't have been so heartbroken and sick after hearing about his death."
Queen Wang's affection for the emperor had faded away when her own child died in the womb. Over the years, she had been managing the affairs of the harem, simply fulfilling her duties as a queen.
She seemed gentle and considerate to the emperor, but it was only to show the ministers that the emperor and empress were in harmony and to maintain the dignity that she, as the queen, should have.
Others don’t know these things, but his son Huo Zheng knows them.
So Queen Wang could be sick because of many things, but she would never be so sad because of the emperor's death.
"You mean..."
When Chunzhi heard this, she suddenly thought of a possibility.
Before she could finish her words, Huo Zheng nodded, "The Queen Mother's claim of being seriously ill might just be a way to make Huo Yang relax his guard."
Chunzhi looked up towards the capital and said, "I hope so."
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