Chapter 173 Poisoning the Emperor
When the imperial guards broke in, the Sixth Prince was dreaming of ascending the throne and having all the kingdom and beauties in his hands.
"Bang!"
The Sixth Prince woke from his dream with a start. He opened his eyes and saw the Imperial Guards in heavy armor, with swords at their waists. He immediately flew into a rage: "How dare you trespass into the Prince's Mansion and into my residence!"
Deputy Commander Zhang placed his right hand on the hilt of his sword and said calmly, "By order of His Majesty, the Sixth Prince is invited to the palace for an audience."
Before the Sixth Prince could react, the imperial guards brought him a robe, forced it on him, and half-invited and half-forced him out of the bedroom.
The Sixth Prince was surprised to find that many imperial guards had appeared in his mansion at some point in time.
They ignored the rules and rampaged through the courtyards, "asking" everyone, regardless of whether they were masters or servants, to leave and have their identities checked one by one.
Not only that, they also rummaged through the house, and everywhere they looked was a mess.
The sounds of cursing and crying merged into one, echoing over the Sixth Prince's Mansion.
Seeing the Imperial Guards about to push open the study door, the Sixth Prince's heart tightened: "What are you doing? Stop it, Your Highness!"
There are many letters between him and the Sixth Prince's party hidden in the study, which must not be seen by his father.
The imperial guards turned a deaf ear to him, pushed open the door with a bang, and poured into the study.
The Sixth Prince struggled against the Imperial Guard's hand that was clamping his arm, but the latter didn't move at all. He felt secretly resentful and deeply puzzled.
It wasn't him who sent people to kill Prince Shen and Prince Ning, so why did the imperial guards break into his mansion as if they were searching for a criminal?
The Sixth Prince felt a sense of foreboding and turned to look at Deputy Commander Zhang. "Excuse me, Deputy Commander Zhang, why did the Emperor urgently summon me to an audience?"
Deputy Commander Zhang simply said, "The Sixth Prince will know when he sees His Majesty."
The Sixth Prince's heart sank. No matter how he tried to probe, Deputy Commander Zhang and the Imperial Guards remained silent.
After the group left the Sixth Prince's residence, the imperial guards stuffed the Sixth Prince into a carriage and headed straight for the palace.
When the Sixth Prince was leaving, a public bus happened to pass by, and the people in the bus - officials and ordinary people - all saw this scene and talked about it.
"What's going on? This doesn't look like a good thing."
"Could it be..."
Several officials looked at each other and gasped.
"Why is it the Sixth Prince?"
"Seven princes died or were adopted. If the Sixth Prince is also gone, then wouldn't that be..."
"After going around in circles, I ended up back where I started."
"That person is definitely not a wise ruler. If the Great Xia Dynasty falls into his hands, it is hard to say whether it will be the Xia or Cao family."
Everyone felt heavy in their hearts, and the road ahead seemed increasingly uncertain and dark.
......
The imperial guards escorted the Sixth Prince to the imperial study.
It was still dark at this time, and many candles were lit in the imperial study, illuminating the surroundings with a golden and magnificent light, as bright as day.
Emperor Qingyuan sat behind the imperial desk, with the memorial in his hand covering most of his face, making it difficult to see his expression.
Green smoke curled up above the incense burner, and the smell of ambergris filled the air, making people feel inexplicably depressed.
The Sixth Prince felt as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest, and he was a little breathless. He walked into the imperial study almost mechanically and knelt down to pay his respects.
"Your son pays homage to His Majesty the Father."
There was a dead silence in the imperial study, and the Sixth Prince could only hear his own nervous breathing.
Time passes by little by little.
There was a charcoal brazier burning in the hall, it was warm like spring and very comfortable.
But for the Sixth Prince, it was extreme torture.
Unless Emperor Qingyuan called him to, he would not dare to get up, or even move.
In just half an incense stick of time, cold sweat soaked his clothes, and his underwear was all stuck to his body. He felt like he was being washed with water, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.
Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down from the temples and slid into the eyes, causing an unbearable stinging pain.
That's all.
Because he had been kneeling on the ground for a long time, the Sixth Prince had back pain, and his knees hitting the floor tiles felt like being hit by a hammer, causing a dull pain.
The Sixth Prince's heart was in suspense. He swallowed hard and said in a hoarse voice, "I wonder why the Emperor summoned me?"
Still no response.
The Sixth Prince's heartbeat quickened, as if it was about to jump out of his chest, and the ominous premonition grew stronger.
He began to recall what he and his men had done during this period.
Suppress the officials of the Five Princes’ Party?
Did you embezzle several thousand taels of silver?
Or is he taking in another beautiful concubine?
The Sixth Prince's heart was beating fast, and his peripheral vision shone through the window.
Judging from the sky, it is already past the hour of Mao. Why hasn’t the Emperor gone to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to attend court yet?
What on earth was the reason that made the emperor, who was always diligent in his work, neglect his morning court session and waste time with him in the imperial study?
Just when I was confused, I heard hurried footsteps behind me, which were still clear through the thick door curtains.
Immediately, a eunuch announced, "Your Majesty, the head of the Lan Court wishes to see you."
"Xuan."
This was the first sentence Emperor Qingyuan said since the Sixth Prince entered the Imperial Study.
His voice was low and as cold as ice.
The Sixth Prince felt a chill sweep through his body, and then he heard the voice of Headmaster Lan: "Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince is out of danger."
The Sixth Prince was stunned. Out of danger?
Emperor Qingyuan responded calmly, "How is Lao Wu's injury?"
Lan Yuan Shou reported in a serious tone, "The Fifth Prince's throat was slashed by a sharp weapon, and he was also stabbed in the waist and abdomen. The wounds were so deep that the bone was visible. It took over 200 stitches to suture all five wounds to barely stop the bleeding."
The Sixth Prince suddenly raised his head, his expression unable to conceal his astonishment: "Fifth brother is injured?"
Why was the fifth prince injured for no reason?
Emperor Qingyuan's gaze shifted from Court Master Lan to the Sixth Prince, his eyes piercing with frost. "You should know better than I do why the Fifth Prince was injured."
The Sixth Prince was completely bewildered and said subconsciously, "I have been staying at the Prince's residence since I finished my duty yesterday evening. I haven't been anywhere. How would I know that Fifth Brother..."
Before he could finish his words, heavy footsteps were heard outside the hall, accompanied by the sound of heavy armor colliding.
The door curtain opened, and a guard entered, kneeling in salute. "Your Majesty, these are letters found in the Sixth Prince's study. They describe how to have his personal guards disguise themselves as bandits to intercept and kill Prince Shen, and how to replace Prince Ning and the Fifth Prince's coachmen with the Sixth Prince's men."
The Sixth Prince was stunned for a moment, thinking he was hallucinating: "Wh, what letter?"
Fu Rui walked down, took the letter from the imperial guards, and presented it to the imperial desk.
Emperor Qingyuan flipped through the letter, and the imperial guards continued, "In addition to the letter, I and others discovered that eighteen of the six hundred personal guards in the Sixth Prince's residence were seriously injured. Comparing the wounds, they were probably caused by sharp weapons, and they were injured about half a month ago."
The words of the imperial guards were like a bolt from the blue, making the Sixth Prince dizzy and speechless.
Emperor Qingyuan held the letter in his hands, his face icy, "We have both witnesses and evidence. What else do you have to say, Sixth Brother?"
The Sixth Prince felt his head was a mess and his heart was even more of a turmoil. He pinched his thigh hard and finally managed to calm himself down.
The fifth prince was attacked.
The imperial guards found letters in the Sixth Prince's mansion in which he discussed with others how to murder the prince, as well as a personal soldier who was suspected to be injured on the day Prince Shen was murdered.
In a flash, the Sixth Prince suddenly realized what was happening. He kowtowed three times and loudly defended himself, "Your Majesty, I have never done any of these things. This is a conspiracy against me, a blatant false accusation!"
The Sixth Prince's mind raced, his voice trembling, unable to conceal his anger and fear. "It must be Fifth Brother! He must have framed me. He wants to get rid of me. As long as I'm dead, the throne will belong to him!"
"Yes, that's right!" The Sixth Prince breathed rapidly, forgetting the hierarchy at this moment, and looked directly at Emperor Qingyuan, "Father, you must not be deceived by illusions. This is clearly a self-torture trick used by the Fifth Prince to drive a wedge between you and me. He wants to use you to kill me, Father!"
Emperor Qingyuan sneered repeatedly, as if he had heard a joke: "Are you saying that Lao Wu Buxi joined the game just to eliminate dissidents and get rid of you to take the throne?"
The Sixth Prince nodded vigorously, then crept forward on his knees. He faced Emperor Qingyuan across the imperial table, attempting to reason with him and appeal to his emotions. "Father, you know I am a coward. My eldest brother and seventh brother treated me well when they were alive. How could I possibly do such a cruel and inhumane thing?"
Seeing a flash of deep thought cross Emperor Qingyuan's face, the Sixth Prince was secretly delighted and spoke even faster, "On the contrary, Fifth Brother, like Fourth Brother when he was alive, is completely devoted to the Cao family. With Duke Cheng'en retiring, and you dispatching my eldest brother to the Imperial Mausoleum, there's no guarantee he won't act rashly and turn against his brother."
The Sixth Prince's chest was ablaze with flames, and he wished he could burn the Fifth Prince to ashes. He scattered the ashes and clenched his fists, saying urgently, "Father, you may not know that Fifth Brother keeps a ferocious tiger in his mansion, feeding it human flesh every day. He is so cruel and brutal, and he has no regard for human life. He sent people to kill my eldest brother and seventh brother, and then put the blame on me. Isn't it normal?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Deputy Commander Zhang entered the imperial study again and said, "Your Majesty, the eighteen personal soldiers have been recruited."
The Sixth Prince's expression went blank for a moment.
Admitted?
What did they recruit?
He had never asked them to do anything other than guard duty, so what was there for them to confess?
Deputy Commander Zhang continued, "I sent people to interrogate them separately, and they all said the same thing. They all said that the Sixth Prince had them disguise themselves as bandits, kill Prince Shen, and then kill the coachman of Prince Ning's mansion. They hid in the carriages and waited for an opportunity to kill Prince Ning and the Fifth Prince."
"If Commander Yang had not anticipated this and sent people to secretly protect the Fifth Prince, I'm afraid the Fifth Prince would have been killed."
Emperor Qingyuan sneered and threw the inkstone at the Sixth Prince: "Evil creature! You are truly my good son!"
The inkstone hit the Sixth Prince's forehead right in the head, causing him to bleed profusely and ink to spill all over his body.
The Sixth Prince ignored the severe pain and fell to the ground, still talking in circles: "Father, I have never done these things. It was all framed by my fifth brother. Please send someone to investigate thoroughly..."
Emperor Qingyuan didn't want to hear it anymore: "The Sixth Prince has harmed his brothers and has committed evil deeds. From this day forward, he will be stripped of his status as a prince and thrown into the Ministry of Justice's prison. After the first month of the lunar year, he will be beheaded!"
In Daxia, people are not allowed to see blood in the twelfth and first months of the year, otherwise it will be regarded as an ominous sign.
All criminals captured during this period, regardless of the severity of their crimes, were to be executed in February, and the princes who had been stripped of their status were no exception.
"Father! Please don't, Father! I have been wronged. Please don't treat me like this. I have never done these things!"
After hearing what Emperor Qingyuan said, the Sixth Prince's eyes were bloodshot, and he climbed onto the imperial desk with both hands, begging with tears in his eyes.
Emperor Qingyuan was not moved at all. He raised his hand expressionlessly. Deputy Commander Zhang and the imperial guards stepped forward and forcibly took the Sixth Prince away from the Imperial Study and took him to the Ministry of Justice Prison.
The hysterical crying faded away, and Emperor Qingyuan sat behind the imperial desk, holding the letter and saying nothing.
It's like a dead tree, with its flesh and internal organs eaten by termites, leaving only an empty shell.
When Lan Yuanshou saw this, he felt a pang of sadness in his heart.
Your Majesty has gone through countless hardships to regain power, making Daxia prosperous and the country peaceful and the people safe. Why does God want to play such a trick on Your Majesty, letting the princes die one after another, leaving only the fifth prince born to the Empress?
Is it possible that a hundred years later, this court and this country will fall into the hands of the thief Cao again?
The king is not like a king, and the minister is not like a minister.
Internal troubles are returning and external threats are looming.
Is it God's will to destroy Daxia?
"Take good care of Lao Wu and report his situation to me at any time."
Lan Yuanshou came back to his senses and blinked away the moisture from his eyes: "Your Majesty, your humble servant will obey your Majesty's command."
Lan Yuanshou bowed, left the imperial study, and returned to the Fifth Prince's Mansion.
When entering the main courtyard, the Fifth Prince's wife came out of the main room and saw the head of the Lan Courtyard. She asked softly, "When will your highness's injury be healed?"
Dean Lan glanced at the Fifth Prince's wife's bulging belly without leaving a trace, bowed and replied, "Because the wound is too deep, it will take at least one or two months."
The Fifth Prince's wife nodded slightly: "Thank you for your help."
Lan Yuanshou repeatedly said that he dared not, and only entered the main house after the Fifth Prince's wife left.
The fifth prince was still unconscious. Dean Lan carefully checked his injuries and made sure that only a small amount of blood had seeped out before he withdrew.
The door closed silently and the fifth prince opened his eyes.
His eyes were clear, revealing an almost cruel calmness.
A trusted aide emerged from the secret door and reported respectfully, "The Sixth Prince has been imprisoned and will be beheaded in February."
The fifth prince groaned softly, raised his hand to cover the neck wrapped in gauze, and rolled his fingertips over the wound. Blood instantly flowed out, staining the gauze red.
He raised his hand and put his blood-stained fingers into his mouth, letting the smell of rust spread, a dark light of excitement dancing in his eyes.
“It’s almost there, it’s almost there…”
-
But this morning, Du Qingtang practiced two sets of boxing, washed up, and had breakfast directly in the main courtyard.
Just after rinsing his mouth, Meng Fang came to report: "Master, someone has come from the palace. I won't be attending court today."
Du Qingtang paused while holding the handkerchief: "Is your Majesty ill?"
Meng Fang lowered his head and said, "I don't know. Should we send someone to find out?"
Du Qingtang put down the handkerchief: "You can make your own arrangements."
Meng Fang slowly curled his lips and said, "Yes, I will take my leave."
Since he didn't have to go to court, Du Qingtang went to the study to get the book he hadn't finished reading last night. He sat at the stone table in the yard and read it while breathing the fresh air.
"Meow~"
A soft voice sounded, it was Youyou.
Du Qingtang reached back with his hand, and in the blink of an eye, a round little catkin grew on his leg.
It's heavy, but it's still a solid cat.
The furry tail stood up and brushed across the chin, which was enough to show that the little tabby cat was in a good mood today.
Youyou found a comfortable position and lay down without any hesitation.
Du Qingtang was petting the cat and reading a book at the same time. But within a stick of incense, Meng Fang came back.
"Master, news has come from the palace that His Majesty has demoted the Sixth Prince to a commoner and imprisoned him in the Ministry of Justice. He will be executed by beheading in February of next year."
Du Qingtang pinched the little raccoon's rather elastic paw pads and asked nonchalantly, "Why?"
Meng Fang replied fluently: "Killing the prince."
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows. Things seemed to be getting more and more interesting.
Meng Fang stood still for a moment, and seeing that his master had no further instructions, he quietly retreated.
......
Half an hour later, Du Qingtang left home and went to the cabinet to take up duty.
Passing by the Sixth Prince's Mansion, there were hundreds of soldiers guarding outside, and the majestic vermilion gate seemed a bit bleak.
The winner is the king, and the loser is the bandit.
No matter what the truth is, at least in the eyes of the officials, the Sixth Prince became the loser and was not worth their excessive attention.
Compared to the Sixth Prince, the Fifth Prince, who is obviously the next emperor, is more worthy of attention.
"It is said that when the Tiger Guards rescued the Fifth Prince, he was lying in a pool of blood, almost dead. Fortunately, Dean Lan's medical skills were superb and he brought him back from the brink of death."
"Cai never imagined that the mastermind behind this was actually Six...that person."
"You can't judge a person by his appearance. He looked like an honest man at first glance, but what he did was outrageous."
"Doesn't anyone think this is the Fifth Prince's self-torture tactic, framing that person for his own actions?"
"But the fifth prince almost died."
"You said it was almost there."
"Well, who knows? With all the evidence and witnesses, it's hard to overturn the verdict!"
"Rather than whether that person was framed, I'm more concerned about whether Daxia will return to the past five years overnight if the Fifth Prince takes the throne."
"There's no need to be so pessimistic. Daxia has firearms and other things that make the country strong and powerful. The surrounding countries dare not act rashly."
"That man is no gentleman. What if his power erodes and he becomes a tyrant? What if Daxia starts to rot from within?"
The discussion stopped abruptly, and everyone's heart was once again shrouded in a layer of gloom.
The old man with white hair and beard had tears in his eyes and murmured in despair: "God is blind, allowing Daxia to suffer so many disasters!"
However, despite this, officials still flocked to the Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince's Mansion and Duke Cheng'en's Mansion, which had been deserted for many days, returned to their former glory, with crowds of people and carriages and horses flowing like dragons.
No matter which house he went to, he brought valuable gifts with him, under the pretext of visiting the injured Fifth Prince/Grand Tutor Cao.
The Fifth Prince's Mansion and the Duke Cheng'en's Mansion welcomed everyone who came, and their attitude was ambiguous. They didn't say whether they accepted their goodwill or not, which made the officials who came to visit very nervous and uneasy, and they felt extremely tormented.
However, compared to them, those officials who defected to other princes and surrendered to Cao's party were the ones who felt heartbroken.
There was once a chance for them to follow the dragon, but they did not cherish it. When they lost it, they realized that it was too late to regret.
This is the most painful thing in the world.
-
Now that the real culprit who murdered Prince Shen and Prince Ning has been brought to justice, the Huben Army, which had been sweeping the city for half a month, retreated to the Huben Camp. The city of Xiajing, which had been shrouded in resentment, finally became peaceful.
The next day, Emperor Qingyuan issued another imperial decree, conferring the title of Prince Rui on the fifth prince.
As soon as the imperial edict came out, the officials' anxious hearts finally died.
"Even His Majesty has accepted his fate?"
"I have to accept my fate. A king's words are not a joke. I can't bring back the one who was adopted by Prince Cheng."
"While Your Majesty is in good health, cherish this last beautiful moment."
Du Qingtang listened to the officials' tearful sighs and left the palace to go to the research institute.
"Sir!" Du Qingtang had just opened the door to the laboratory when Vice Dean Feng came trotting over. "A researcher named Zhu has invented a new vehicle that doesn't require oxen or horses to pull it, nor does it require a steam engine to power it."
Du Qingtang immediately became interested and locked the door again: "Come on, take me over to have a look."
"Yeah, okay!"
The two of them soon arrived at a research room. Researcher Zhu did not expect that he had alarmed the head of the institute. He rubbed the corners of his clothes awkwardly and stood there stiffly. It was only after his companion reminded him that he bowed and saluted.
"Your humble servant greets you, sir."
Du Qingtang gave him a false helping hand: "Where's the car?"
Researcher Zhu wiped the sweat from his forehead, searched around, and ran to the corner, pushing a small cart. His dark face flushed red, and he apologized with a simple smile: "There are too many things in the laboratory. I was worried that they would be accidentally damaged, so I hid it."
Du Qingtang waved his hand and looked intently at the cart in his hand.
The cart is made entirely of wood, with only two wheels, two pedals, a handle and a seat.
When Researcher Zhu saw Du Qingtang looking at the car he built with a subtle expression, he thought there was something wrong and became nervous, revealing his talkative nature.
"When you first built the public bus, my lord, I saw it running so fast on four wheels, and I suddenly had an idea. I wondered if it could run on two wheels. I've been tinkering with it for a while now, and even consulted a researcher who specializes in mechanical engineering. I never expected that I would actually succeed."
Researcher Zhu pushed the two-wheeled vehicle forward, patted his chest, and vowed, "Sir, I'm not lying to you. This vehicle really can run much faster than two legs. If you don't believe me, I'll ride it for you to see!"
As he said this, he raised his leg and was about to ride on the seat.
Du Qingtang: "...No need, I believe you."
Researcher Zhu lifted his left leg and immediately smiled happily: "Sir, I'll give it a ride for you to see. Although it's a bit strenuous, it's very convenient and the materials are cheap. Ordinary people can afford it."
Du Qingtang: "...Okay, you ride it."
Researcher Zhu stepped onto the seat, stepped on the pedals, and pushed hard, and the bike and he rushed out.
"Bang--"
A man and a car crashed into the door. The door panel shook three times and fell to the ground with a bang, raising dust everywhere.
Du Qingtang: “…”
Vice Dean Feng: “…”
Other researchers: “…”
Researcher Zhu scrambled to his feet, his teeth bared. He didn't even bother to hold onto the cart, and bowed repeatedly to apologize. "Forgive me, sir. I didn't mean to do that. It's just that sometimes these two-wheeled carts need a lot of pedaling to move, and I thought it would be the same this time. It turned out to be so smooth, and I just slid out."
Du Qingtang was silent for a moment, then said helplessly, "It's not your fault, it's the wheel's fault."
Researcher Zhu was stunned. "Wheels?"
Du Qingtang glanced at the simple bicycle lying on the ground with its arms and legs spread out, its wheels still slowly spinning. "The wooden wheels are in contact with the ground, creating friction, so it's naturally difficult to ride."
Researcher Zhu: “I don’t understand.”
Du Qingtang: "...I'll have someone pay close attention and find a suitable replacement wheel."
If you want to make rubber tires, you must first find rubber trees.
Rubber trees are mostly found in the southeast region and are not too difficult to find.
The researchers always trusted the head of the institute, and Researcher Zhu was no exception. He nodded vigorously upon hearing this and said, "Thank you, sir. I will be waiting for your good news."
"Besides the wheels, the handlebars could be slightly improved, allowing for free steering." Du Qingtang praised him generously, "Overall, the carriage you've built is very good. Once I find the materials for the new wheels, I will report this to His Majesty. We'll then mass-produce it and increase revenue for the national treasury. You'll have done a great job."
From this we can see that the wisdom of the ancients should not be underestimated.
With just some guidance, you can reap unexpected surprises.
Researcher Zhu was stunned for a moment, then he was ecstatic: "I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it. As long as I can help you, Your Majesty, I will be happy."
The other researchers felt jealous and secretly made up their minds to create something that would impress the head of the institute!
Du Qingtang discussed the improvement of bicycles with Researcher Zhu, and then went straight to his own laboratory.
Perhaps it was a problem with the extraction device, the purity of the tungsten powder was still unqualified and far from meeting the standards for making tungsten wire.
Du Qingtang modified the extraction device again, put down the tools and looked out the window. The golden crow was setting in the west, and a hazy moon shadow appeared in the east.
There were candles lit in the several research rooms opposite, and it was obvious that the researchers were also busy.
Du Qingtang stretched, cleaned up the mess on the floor, moved the latest version of the extraction device to the wall, and planned to try the effect again tomorrow. He closed the door and left the institute.
After returning to the Marquis Wen'an's Mansion, Du Qingtang had his meal directly in the main courtyard. After eating and drinking his fill, he called Du Wu and Du Liu.
Du Qingtang handed them a charcoal drawing of a rubber tree and said, "Go to the southeast to find this kind of tree."
Then he handed over another piece of paper and said, "This is the method for collecting latex. After collecting it, you can take the train back directly under the name of the research institute."
Du Wu and Du Liu had no suspicion and retreated with the drawings.
Du Qingtang sat quietly for a while and ordered people to fetch water for bathing.
I modified the extraction device in the afternoon and worked up a sweat, and I also washed my hair.
After bathing, Du Qingtang wiped his long hair until it was 90% dry and sat under the lamp to practice calligraphy.
After practicing five big characters, it was already midnight, and Du Qingtang turned off the lights and lay down.
After falling asleep, Du Qingtang had a rare dream.
In the previous life, the news of Du Qingtang’s death in the Qi camp was transmitted back to Daxia along with the news that Daxia was defeated again.
Some people sympathize, some people curse.
"Useless thing, dying so soon."
"It's a pity that the Fifth Prince's concubine was only in her early twenties, a blooming age, yet she died in such a tragic way."
"There's nothing to be pitied about. She enjoyed all the glory and wealth in Daxia, and she deserved to be repaid with her life."
"The Qi bandits' offensive is getting more and more fierce. If one day the country is destroyed and the family is ruined, I, Du Qingtang, will be a sinner of Daxia, the kind that will be infamous for eternity!"
"Why would you place the fate of your nation in the hands of a single woman? Isn't Daxia's continuous defeat due to the court's inaction and the border guards' incompetence?"
"If Concubine Du hadn't stepped forward, Da Qi wouldn't have been able to hold a truce for a year. Da Xia might have already fallen and become a prey to the Qi thieves."
"I still remember when Concubine Du was still Lord Du. She was so elegant and graceful in her official robes, and her bearing was extraordinary. The women in Xiajing City would blush whenever they saw her. Unfortunately, things are unpredictable..."
"She must have suffered a lot in Da Qi. It's a pity that such a beautiful woman has such a tragic fate. I hope she can be born into a good family in her next life."
The scene in the court was quite different.
Emperor Qingyuan, who was over sixty years old, could not bear the blow of another defeat and vomited blood and fainted on the spot.
For many days thereafter, Emperor Qingyuan remained in a coma, and the imperial physician declared that he had not much time left.
At that time, although Cao Yuan was over 70 years old, he still controlled the government, and Cao's party was spread throughout the court and the country.
As the legitimate son of the Empress, the Fourth Prince naturally became the only choice to be the next emperor.
Emperor Qingyuan was still in a coma, so Cao Yuan arranged for a grand coronation ceremony for the fourth prince.
On the day of the coronation ceremony, the Fourth Prince, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, stepped onto the platform step by step.
The accident happened at this moment.
A group of soldiers wearing heavy armor and holding swords broke into the coronation ceremony, killing anyone who stood in their way.
The scene was a sea of blood, with cries for help, pleas for mercy, and curses ringing in the ears.
The fourth prince was tied up by the rebels and thrown at someone's feet.
"Your Majesty, abdicate."
A powerful voice sounded, and the Fourth Prince raised his head as if he had been electrocuted, his eyes wide open: "It's you?!"
At the same time, Du Qingtang also saw the man's face clearly, and it was -
......
In the darkness, Du Qingtang suddenly opened his eyes, breathing rapidly, his hair wet with sweat.
The face in her dream was like a ghost, lingering before her eyes.
Du Qingtang sat up, hugging the quilt, hooked his fingers on his sweat-soaked underwear, raised his hand and gently rubbed his eyebrows, then lifted the quilt and stood up to change clothes.
After an incense stick of time, Du Qingtang, wearing a cloak and a hood covering his face, knocked on the door of the princess's mansion.
-
As the year draws to a close, all ministries and agencies are becoming increasingly busy, and the cabinet is no exception.
Du Qingtang had to temporarily put the project at the research institute on hold and concentrate on dealing with the mountain of official duties.
On the 22nd day of the 12th lunar month, Emperor Qingyuan summoned important officials to the imperial study to discuss government affairs.
When the eunuch came to summon him, Du Qingtang put down the documents in his hand and went to the imperial study with several cabinet officials in the cold wind.
Arriving at the Imperial Study, the Grand Secretary of Jianji Hall saw the dragon carriage parked at the foot of the jade steps. With his hands in his pockets and his neck hunched, he turned and asked Du Qingtang, "Master Du, does the research institute have any plans to manufacture tricycles for sale?"
Du Qingtang tucked his hands into his wide sleeves, his fingertips caressing the soft cuffs of his woolen sweater. He was thinking about tungsten powder purification and didn't hear clearly: "Tricycle?"
The Grand Secretary of Jianji Hall nodded and said, "The dragon carriage has four wheels. If we use it, it would be presumptuous and disrespectful. We can only settle for the next best thing and choose a three-wheeled carriage or a two-wheeled carriage."
Du Qingtang hadn't thought of this at first, but after being reminded by the other party, he actually saw a business opportunity. He put his fist to his lips and coughed lightly, then said calmly, "I am planning to do just that. However, our researchers are currently working on making public buses. Once public buses become popular throughout the country, we can free up our hands to manufacture tricycles and two-wheelers."
"That's great!"
"Master Du, Qi will reserve one first."
"And Qian."
Du Qingtang smiled and agreed to all the requests: "I will inform you all as soon as possible."
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Master Du."
"Horse-drawn carriages are too slow, public buses don't come on demand, and we need a steam carriage of our own."
Du Qingtang did not comment, but was happy to see it happen.
A ride on a public bus only costs a few cents, while a steam train costs at least several hundred taels. It is obvious which one makes more money.
However, considering the various problems caused by traffic chaos, the court had to promulgate a set of traffic rules suitable for Daxia before tricycles and two-wheelers were officially sold.
As they were talking, the group arrived at the imperial study and entered one by one after being informed by the eunuch.
The emperor and his ministers were discussing state affairs when a eunuch entered to report, "Your Majesty, Aunt Chunyang from the Cining Palace requests an audience."
Emperor Qingyuan paused, but before he could speak, Fu Rui sternly rebuked him, "Can't you see that Your Majesty is discussing government affairs with the other ministers? Get out now!"
The eunuch, sweating profusely, knelt on the ground and said in a trembling voice, "Aunt Chunyang said there was something extremely urgent. I dared not delay and came in to report now. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me."
Emperor Qingyuan pinched his brows and said in a deep voice, "Let her in."
The eunuchs were as if pardoned and quickly left.
Upon seeing this, officials such as Du Qingtang stepped aside.
Chunyang quickly entered, bowed and greeted, his tone unable to conceal his excitement: "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother regained feeling in her limbs yesterday, but today she can get out of bed and walk freely!"
Emperor Qingyuan frowned slightly and asked, "Have you consulted the imperial physician?"
Chunyang shook her head, a smile on her face. "Yesterday, I had intended to ask the imperial physician to come to the Cining Palace to examine the Empress Dowager, but she said she had made a mistake and that it was inappropriate to mobilize a large force. So, I gave up the idea."
"Actually, the Empress Dowager has fully recovered today, and she originally didn't intend to announce it. It was I who took the initiative to tell Your Majesty this good news, so I dared to come here."
Chunyang finished speaking and kowtowed: "This servant is guilty, please punish me, Your Majesty."
The imperial study was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Emperor Qingyuan did not speak a word, and all the officials lowered their heads and looked submissively, keeping their presence to a minimum.
After a long moment, Emperor Qingyuan sighed softly, "Forget it. I'll go to the Cining Palace for a while. My dear ministers, please move to the side hall. I'll be back soon."
The officials bowed and said, "Farewell, Your Majesty."
Emperor Qingyuan strode out of the imperial study with big strides, and the arc drawn by his bright yellow wide sleeves was as sharp as a knife.
Fu Rui followed closely behind, and the figures of the master and servant were isolated outside by a thick door curtain.
Yu Jue stepped forward with a smile and raised his hand to signal: "My lords, please follow me this way."
Everyone moved to the side hall, and after they sat down, palace servants served them tea and cakes.
"I remember the Queen Mother had suffered a stroke a few years ago. How could she recover?"
"Ms. Zhang's mother suffered a stroke over ten years ago. During this time, she had consulted imperial physicians and invited many folk doctors to see her, but all failed. The Empress Dowager, despite her advanced age, has recovered as normal. This is simply a miracle!"
"Your Majesty is a kind and compassionate person. Upon learning that the Empress Dowager has recovered from her illness, I put aside my official duties and hurried to visit her."
"It was clearly the Prince of Jin's fault back then, but it caused a rift between Your Majesty and the Queen Mother. What a twist of fate."
Du Qingtang held a teacup in his hand and listened to the whole process without saying a word.
To be honest, the pastries in the imperial kitchen are quite delicious.
......
Emperor Qingyuan rushed to the Cining Palace as quickly as possible. The empress dowager was being supported by palace servants, moving step by step with difficulty.
After not seeing her for several years, the Queen Mother looked much older.
The originally gray hair has turned completely white, and the well-maintained face now has obvious wrinkles, each of which is full of vicissitudes and haggardness.
She had also lost a lot of weight, and the joints of her wrists exposed to the air were bulging, and her cheeks were sunken.
Emperor Qingyuan gently stroked the dragon pattern on the jade ring, his throat rolling, "Mother."
The Queen Mother shuddered and looked towards the palace entrance.
When she saw the figure with white hair and beard, the Queen Mother burst into tears and sobbed, "Ming, Ming'er?"
Emperor Qingyuan stood behind the threshold with his hands behind his back and nodded slightly: "It is I."
The empress dowager waved away the palace maid and stumbled towards Emperor Qingyuan.
She was over seventy years old and had just recovered from a serious illness. She took only two steps before she stumbled and fell to the ground.
"Mother!"
"Her Majesty the Queen Mother!"
Emperor Qingyuan rushed forward and personally helped the empress dowager up: "Mother, please be careful."
The Queen Mother grabbed Emperor Qingyuan's arm with her backhand, tears streaming down her face, "Ming'er, I'm sorry for you, I'm sorry for you!"
"For the past few years, I have been lying in bed, unable to go anywhere. I need someone to serve me when I drink water and eat. When I am alone, I often think of the past."
"I only now realize how biased I am. I only care about Heng'er and ignore you."
"Every time I think of the foolish things I did in the past, my heart aches and I can't sleep all night."
"Your Majesty! Ming'er! I'm not a good mother. I've caused you so much injustice since you were little. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry for you!"
Emperor Qingyuan listened to his mother express her guilt, a gentle smile on his round and elegant face: "Mother, I want to ask you a question."
The Queen Mother looked at Emperor Qingyuan with tears in her eyes: "What's the problem? Your Majesty will definitely answer any question you have."
Emperor Qingyuan half-knelt and asked gently, "Who is your most beloved son, me or Prince Jin?"
The Queen Mother was stunned, while Fu Rui felt a lump in his throat and turned his face away with clenched teeth.
At this moment, His Majesty is just an ordinary son who longs for his mother's love, not the emperor of the Xia Dynasty.
Emperor Qingyuan stared at the empress dowager's aged face like drinking poison to quench his thirst, and repeated his previous question: "Mother, is this question difficult to answer?"
The Queen Mother looked directly into Emperor Qingyuan's eyes, her gaze unflinching and unwavering. She spoke each word with distinct articulation, "Between you and Heng'er, you are my most beloved son."
"I used to dote on Heng'er so much, but he went astray and developed inappropriate thoughts. He caused a rift between me and Your Majesty, and we haven't seen each other for several years."
"Now I have come to my senses. The little bit of mother-son affection has long since faded away. Tomorrow you will be my most beloved son."
Emperor Qingyuan smiled slowly, as if he had obtained the only priceless treasure in the world.
"Mother, the ground is cold, please get up quickly."
The empress dowager slowly stood up with the help of her maid and sat opposite Emperor Qingyuan, with a small table between them.
"Your Majesty," the Queen Mother paused for a moment, then poured the tea herself and handed it forward. "Drink this cup of tea, and let all the past be wiped clean. From now on, let's be a loving mother and son, okay?"
Emperor Qingyuan stared at the teacup in the empress dowager's hand, then took it and drank it all in one gulp.
The Queen Mother's smile deepened, and she raised her hand to wipe away her tears: "I can rest in peace even if I die now, as long as I receive your Majesty's forgiveness."
"What are you talking about, mother? You will live a long life and see four, or even five, generations of the Xia family living together." Emperor Qingyuan smiled and twirled his beard. "I still have government affairs to attend to, and many people are waiting for me in the Imperial Study. Would you mind if I came to have dinner with you tomorrow?"
The Queen Mother patted Emperor Qingyuan's arm and said softly, "Your Majesty, please take good care of yourself, or I will be heartbroken."
Emperor Qingyuan responded with a resounding yes, then stood up and bowed, "Mother, I am leaving."
The Queen Mother waved her hand and smiled as she watched Emperor Qingyuan turn around and walk out of the palace at a brisk pace. She suddenly stopped two steps away from the threshold.
"puff--"
A mouthful of blood spurted out from Emperor Qingyuan's throat, staining the bright yellow dragon robe red.
"Your Majesty!" Fu Rui was horrified and rushed forward to support him, his face pale with fear. "Your Majesty, what's wrong with you? Imperial Physician! Quickly call the Imperial Physician!"
“Hahahahaha!!”
The almost crazy laughter resounded throughout the Cining Palace. Emperor Qingyuan leaned most of his body on Fu Rui and slowly turned his head.
The Queen Mother clapped her hands and laughed, her mouth stretched exaggeratedly, her wrinkled face full of joy.
Emperor Qingyuan's eyelids trembled, and he swallowed the sweet taste in his mouth. His voice was hoarse: "Mother, why did you do this?"
The Queen Mother's face was distorted, her eyes filled with deep hatred: "Why? Of course it's because you killed my Heng'er!"
"A life for a life. I want you, this unscrupulous beast, to pay for my Heng'er's life!"
Emperor Qingyuan's back hunched over, and he seemed to have aged twenty years in an instant. His eyes were filled with the pain of betrayal and deception, and he growled, "Mother, I am your son too!"
"No! You are not my son at all! I don't have a son like you!" The Queen Mother denied it loudly, "From the beginning to the end, I only have Heng'er as my son!"
The Queen Mother smiled with satisfaction, and her eyes suddenly softened, as if she saw her son who had failed to force the emperor to abdicate and was killed on the spot.
"Heng'er, your mother has avenged you. May you rest in peace in the netherworld."
The empress dowager didn't even look at Emperor Qingyuan, and like a moth to a flame, she rushed towards the pillars in the Cining Palace without hesitation.
"Bang!"
Blood splattered everywhere, and the empress dowager slid down the cylinder softly, dying in a pool of red and white filth.
Emperor Qingyuan witnessed the whole process, his pupils dilated for a moment, and he spat out another mouthful of blood.
"Your Majesty! Call the imperial physician!"
Fu Rui roared hysterically and ordered his men to help Emperor Qingyuan onto the dragon carriage and drive to the Qianqing Palace at high speed.
When they arrived at the Qianqing Palace, the palace servants placed Emperor Qingyuan, whose dragon robe was stained with blood, on the dragon bed.
Emperor Qingyuan was still conscious, and he said faintly, "Let... them... come..."
Fu Rui understood and immediately sent someone to the imperial study to invite important officials from the court to come.
Du Qingtang and his group rushed over and were shocked to see that Emperor Qingyuan's face was as pale as gold paper.
Emperor Qingyuan took a deep breath and said, "Until I recover, Prince Rui will serve as regent. My dear ministers, please assist me with all your strength."
After saying this, as if his wish had been fulfilled, he closed his eyes and lost consciousness.
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