Chapter 442 Succession
The imperial doctors stayed in the palace and worked all night before the emperor finally recovered a little.
At dawn, the emperor slowly opened his eyes and saw Huo Zheng standing by his bed. He was still a little dazed for a moment and said in a hoarse voice, "Qi Lang..."
"Your Majesty, what are your instructions? Are you thirsty and want some water?" Huo Zheng stood up immediately.
As he spoke, he poured a cup of warm water from the side, walked forward, helped the emperor sit up, and then fed the cup to the emperor's lips.
The emperor drank some water from the rim of the cup, and his dry and chapped lips became slightly moistened. He kept looking at Huo Zheng, as if trying to see something from his face.
Huo Zheng simply placed the cup on the small table beside the couch and said, "Father's injuries were serious this time, and he was not able to seek medical treatment in time, which damaged his health. I have asked the imperial doctors to take turns to look after him..."
The emperor heard that Huo Zheng was concerned about his health in every word he said, and he didn't even mention the throne.
Compared to the unrepentant Huo Yang, Huo Zheng is extremely filial.
But even so, the emperor still looked at Huo Zheng with cloudy eyes and asked him in a hoarse voice:
"Qi Lang... have you ever resented me in these years?"
Huo Zheng said: "Thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all grace from the emperor, so how can there be any resentment?"
The emperor looked at Huo Zheng for a long time without saying a word.
In fact, he knew that he owed Qilang.
He knew he was being unfair.
Even though he was justified in harboring resentment, the emperor still hoped that Huo Zheng would be obedient to him. However, when he heard him say, "Thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all the emperor's grace, so why talk about resentment?", the emperor felt that it was too false.
How could an ordinary person not feel resentment when being treated like this?
But no matter how long the emperor stared at Huo Zheng, he could not see any resentment or dissatisfaction in his eyes.
It seemed that all the suffering and pain he had endured in the past few years in Xizhou had not been able to erase his character.
The emperor spoke with some difficulty: "Are you serious..."
Huo Zheng knew what the emperor wanted to say. Given his current condition, even speaking was difficult, so he simply answered directly, "I have been able to spend the past few years in Xizhou with my wife and children by my side, and I have been able to work for the welfare of the people. My heart's desire has come true, and I am far happier and more comfortable than the twenty years I spent in the capital."
When the emperor heard what Huo Zheng said, he was suddenly speechless.
He was silent for a long time, then waved his hand and said, "You can leave. I want to be alone for a while."
"I'll take my leave."
Huo Zheng bowed to the emperor and then turned and left.
"Shichiro..."
After Huo Zheng took a few steps, the emperor suddenly called out to him.
Huo Zheng stopped but did not look back.
The emperor said hoarsely, "I have always valued you the most... I sent you to Xizhou to serve as a vassal state in order to train you. You know this in your heart, don't you?"
Huo Zheng didn't reply.
What was the emperor thinking when he used Chunzhi to force him to give up the throne and demoted him to Xizhou? Only the emperor himself knew.
The emperor muttered to himself, "You are the prince I chose long ago, and you have been raised by the empress since childhood. You are not the empress's son, but you have the title of legitimate son..."
"Shichiro, don't resent me."
"I just did what an emperor would do."
"When you become the emperor... you will know that the royal father and son are the most, the most..." It is complicated and difficult to describe.
The emperor said "most" several times but couldn't find the right word to describe it.
Huo Zheng didn't want to listen to the emperor anymore, so he immediately called the imperial physician in to treat the emperor.
The imperial physicians filed in, and Queen Wang and others also arrived upon hearing the news. A group of people gathered in front of the dragon bed, completely blocking the emperor's view of Huo Zheng.
This day was the eleventh day of the twelfth lunar month, and the old emperor Huo Yuan passed away.
Huo Yuan issued two imperial decrees before his death.
The first imperial edict appointed Prince of Chang'an Huo Zheng as the crown prince.
The second imperial edict passed the throne to the crown prince.
When the emperor passed away, the bells were rung forty-five times, and the whole city was in mourning.
Queen Wang had heard the news of the emperor's death once before, but when she actually saw the emperor close his eyes and die in front of her, she still shed a tear for him.
Only one drop is sincere.
The rest were shed by the empress for the emperor.
Huo Zheng wore mourning clothes and kept vigil for his father along with other officials. Seven days later, he was buried in the imperial mausoleum.
Chunzhi and her son were far away in Xizhou, and it was seven days later when they received the imperial edict.
Huo Yanran was still preparing the things she would bring to the capital at that time. The last news sent from the capital to Xizhou was the good news that Huo Zheng had already arrived in the capital and was in charge of the government, and that Queen Wang was safe and sound. Chunzhi, Yanran and others were very happy.
This time, Huo Zheng sent people to pick up Chunzhi and others to go to Beijing, and there was also news of the emperor's death.
When Huo Yanran heard that her father had passed away, her expression instantly darkened.
Even though the emperor didn't favor her as a daughter and wanted to marry her off to Beili as a marriage alliance, her father died just like that...
The princess couldn't help but say to her sister-in-law, "I haven't even had the chance to show my father that friendship between our two countries doesn't necessarily require a princess marriage. If I don't marry the Great Chanyu of Beili, the people of our two countries can still coexist peacefully! Why did he leave like this?"
The last time news from the capital was sent to Xizhou, it said that the emperor's body found by Huo Yang was fake, and the emperor was very likely still alive. Huo Yanran thought that when she returned to the capital, she must let her father see that she did not marry anyone from the Beili royal family, but still achieved friendly relations between the two countries.
She wanted to say to her father in person: Father, you are wrong.
But Huo Yanran never had such an opportunity.
The emperor passed away.
She couldn't even see her father for the last time.
Chunzhi reached out and embraced the princess, gently patted her back, and said in a gentle voice: "Thousands of people have seen that our Princess Changning is the most powerful princess."
Huo Yanran leaned in her sister-in-law's arms. In fact, she was not very sad about her father's death. After all, the emperor did not love her very much.
But when I first heard the news, I was inevitably shocked.
After Chunzhi comforted Yanran, she ordered Cui'er and others to pack their luggage and prepare to go to Beijing.
Yuzhu and her daughter, Qingye and others naturally go wherever Chunzhi is.
The only ones who need special arrangements are those of Beili Great Chanyu Tuoba Ying.
Chunzhi took Huo Yanran to personally inquire about Tuoba Ying and others' plans to stay or go, and warmly invited them to go to the capital to attend the coronation ceremony of the new emperor.
When Tuoba Ying heard that the old emperor of Daxing had passed away and the Prince of Chang'an was going to ascend the throne, he agreed without hesitation to go to the capital with them.
He said, "I have long heard that Daxing is a city full of flowers and brocade. I long for it and am very happy to be there."
As for who told it, that goes without saying.
"Well, let's set off today."
Huo Yanran agreed immediately.
She had missed her mother for a long time and couldn't wait any longer.
Tuoba Ying immediately ordered his attendants to prepare for departure, "Prepare the horses, and go to Daxing Capital."
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