Chapter 176: Plotting to Usurp the Throne
However, the imperial guards were ordered to search the mansion of Marquis Wen'an, and found letters between Du Qingtang and the Da Qi spy in her study.
Prince Rui was furious and had Du Qingtang thrown into the prison of the Ministry of Justice. He sent the imperial guards to surround the Marquis Wen'an's mansion and ordered the Ministry of Justice to thoroughly investigate the case.
When the news spread, it was like a drop of cold water falling into a hot oil pan, and the entire court exploded in an instant.
"This woman is indeed ambitious and has great plans!"
"Du Qingtang is colluding with foreign countries. Doesn't that mean that Da Qi has already mastered firearms, trains, and other powerful tools for strengthening the army and enriching the country?"
"Daxia is in danger!"
"Internal troubles haven't been resolved yet, and external threats are coming one after another. Du Qingtang really deserves to die!"
"I will immediately submit a petition to King Rui requesting that Du Qingtang be severely punished to uphold the law!"
At the Dali Temple, officials were also arguing over the issue of Marquis Wen'an collaborating with the enemy.
"Have you all forgotten that during Marquis Wen'an's last court appearance a few days ago, he said, 'If you want to accuse someone, you can always find a pretext.' Prince Rui is most likely trying to purge his old ministers, deliberately framing the Deyang Township Lord for the murder of Princess Rui, using this opportunity to expel Marquis Wen'an from the court. Marquis Wen'an is known for her vengeance, so how could she swallow this? She sent someone to assassinate Prince Rui, but Prince Rui was so ruthless, accusing Marquis Wen'an of treason and imprisoning her."
"If what you say is true, then Prince Rui is far too cruel. Today it's Marquis Wen'an who's in jail, and tomorrow it'll be you and me."
"Don't assume Marquis Wen'an is innocent. To climb the social ladder, she often resorts to underhanded tactics. She once had a feud with the Cao family, but now that the Cao family has risen, and Prince Rui is destined to ascend to the throne, it's not impossible that she's colluding with the Qi bandits to protect herself."
"This morning, Sun was out on business. He passed by the Marquis of Wen'an's mansion, but heard the Minister of Justice say that there was no master in the mansion except for the servants."
"What do you mean, Lord Sun?"
"I passed by the shops run by the Du daughters in Shixiang Pavilion. Without exception, they were all closed. I asked the shop owner next door, and he said they hadn't been open for several days. What does this mean? It means that Marquis Wen'an knew what she was doing would cost her life, so he sent her family away to avoid disaster!"
"Why couldn't it be that Marquis Wen'an saw through Prince Rui's plan and didn't want his family to be involved, so he deliberately sent them away?"
Everyone held their own opinions and refused to give in to each other.
Until one person said loudly: "Instead of arguing here, why not ask Master Gu directly?"
This person looked at Gu Tai, who was sorting documents in the corner, and smiled maliciously: "Master Gu, do you think he is fleeing from the crime or is he seeking refuge from the disaster?"
He had long disliked Gu Tai, who relied on his nepotism with Marquis Wen'an to become the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple. He acted arrogantly and was extremely hypocritical all day long.
If he could take this opportunity to bring Gu Tai down, he might be the next Shaoqing of the Dali Temple.
Gu Tai raised his head from his paperwork, stood up, and bowed. With a handsome appearance and an extraordinary demeanor, he said calmly, "You may not know, but the anniversary of my father-in-law's death is approaching, and my wife has returned to her hometown with her sisters to pay her respects to him."
This answer is flawless, and no one can say something like "you are not allowed to worship your biological father".
Everyone looked at each other, whispered to their left and right, and then dispersed like birds and beasts.
Anyway, no matter what the truth is, whether Du Qingtang's imprisonment is a conspiracy or a frame-up, the Wen'an Marquis Mansion will be in great trouble.
"In the past, it was always said that His Majesty was decisive and ruthless. Compared to the current one, there is a world of difference."
"These are turbulent times, so everyone should be on high alert, do your part, and avoid getting into trouble."
"That's right! That's right!"
......
Cheng'en Palace.
Cao Yuan sat by the window basking in the sun, sipping the fine tea offered by the people below, looking extremely relaxed.
Now everything is ready, only the east wind is missing.
As long as Xia Ming dies of his illness and the new emperor is accidentally paralyzed, this beautiful country will be passed down to the Cao family.
Cao Yuan was humming a little tune sung by a famous actor in Beijing a while ago, holding a teacup and feeling drowsy.
In a trance, he thought of Du Qingtang.
In order to get Du Qingtang, Prince Rui did everything he could, and his methods were so despicable that even Cao Yuan felt disgusted.
Du Qingtang was forced to reflect on his mistakes in seclusion. His sister became a wanted criminal, and the entire Wen'an Marquis Mansion was criticized. He must have been unhappy.
Cao Yuan was thinking about whether he should send someone to deliver a letter to Du Qingtang, promising her that he would clear the grievances of the Lord of Deyang Township after he ascended the throne.
First, keep the person calm. Once the jade seal and tiger talisman are obtained, Du Qingtang will no longer be a threat. His life or death depends on his words.
As he was hesitating, the housekeeper came in hurriedly with a serious expression: "Master, something has happened."
Cao Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition suddenly came over him. He opened his eyes and asked, "What's wrong?"
The butler reported in a low voice, "Last night, the prince was assassinated. The assassin was from Qi, and he confessed that it was Du Qingtang who ordered it. The prince reported this to the Grand Court and sent the imperial guards to search the Wen'an Marquis's mansion. They found letters between Du Qingtang and the Qi man. Du Qingtang has now been imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice."
Cao Yuan: “…”
Cao Yuan's forehead veins throbbed, and he swung his hand and smashed the teacup: "Asshole! Asshole!"
He was busy cleaning up Prince Rui's mess and trying every way to appease Du Qingtang, but Prince Rui offended Du Qingtang to death.
Now that Du Qingtang is in jail, Yu Jue will definitely not hand over the jade seal and tiger talisman to him.
Seeing that the thing that was about to be obtained flew away, Cao Yuan was furious and wanted to strangle the mentally ill bastard King Rui to death.
Seeing Cao Yuan's face turning pale and blue, the housekeeper said softly, "Master, calm down. The most urgent thing right now is to get Du Qingtang out as soon as possible. Don't let her misunderstand that this matter is related to you and affect your plan."
Cao Yuan wiped his face, suppressed his anger, and calmly ordered: "Send someone to the Ministry of Justice to inquire..."
Before he could finish his words, a man walked in and said, "Master, the Queen has already sent the person to the Marquis Wen'an's Mansion."
Cao Yuan was stunned for a moment before he realized who the "person" the man was talking about. He chuckled and said in an ambiguous tone, "You are so impatient, what a pity..."
Unfortunately, his eldest daughter married Xia Ming and was no longer a daughter of the Cao family.
How could the Cao family's kingdom be given to outsiders?
But this is good news after all. He no longer has to worry about Prince Rui suddenly having a brain attack and doing something crazy and stupid again.
Cao Yuan lay back down, his rocking chair making a faint sound. "Take Du Qingtang out of the Ministry of Justice's prison and place him in the house west of the city. Then have Cao An go to the Imperial Study and deliver the memorial to Duke Cheng'en's residence."
Xia Ming's descendants were either dead or disabled. As the future emperor, it was time for Cao Yuan to take charge of the government and handle state affairs.
The steward withdrew and asked Cao An to disguise himself as Prince Rui and enter the palace, while he himself went to the prison of the Ministry of Justice.
When the jailer saw the butler, he stretched out his hand to block his way and asked, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
The housekeeper had a stern face and a solemn expression: "I am the housekeeper of the Cheng En Mansion. I am following the orders of the benefactor to take Du Qingtang to another place for questioning."
Cheng En Gong?
Isn’t that Prince Rui’s grandfather, the current first-rank tutor?
The jailer's eyes rolled, and his face suddenly broke into a smile: "It turns out to be Master Cao, please come in."
The butler was a third-rank official in the prime minister's household and did the work of a servant in the Cheng'en Mansion. But when he left the Cheng'en Mansion, he became the flattered Mr. Cao, which was really laughable.
The jailer led the housekeeper, turned three corners along the corridor, and came to the deepest part of the prison, where Du Qingtang was imprisoned.
"Du Qingtang" sat cross-legged with his back to the prison door, his back as straight as a pine tree.
The butler raised his chin and said in a commanding tone: "Open the door."
The jailer, not suspecting anything, hurriedly fetched the key, opened the cell door, trotted in, grabbed "Du Qingtang's" arm and pulled him out, smiling flatteringly: "Master Cao, I leave this man to you."
The housekeeper responded in a contemptuous tone, grabbed "Du Qingtang" and the shackles that bound her hands, and swaggered out of the Ministry of Justice prison.
The two of them boarded the carriage, and the butler immediately untied "Du Qingtang" and spoke respectfully, without any of his previous arrogance: "Master Du has suffered. When the master heard that Master Du was imprisoned, he quickly sent a servant to escort you out."
Du Qingtang leaned against the carriage with an expressionless face, his arms folded. "Did he know Prince Rui's plan in advance?"
The butler shook his head, his expression sincere: "The master is not aware of this, otherwise he would have stopped the prince anyway."
Du Qingtang's expression softened slightly, and he said in a cold voice, "Please tell your master, Steward Cao, that I'm not asking for anything in return. If this happens again, don't blame me for breaking the contract."
The butler bowed his head and said, "I will convey your words to my master truthfully."
"Du Qingtang" stopped talking and closed his eyes to pretend to be asleep.
After half an hour, the carriage stopped at the gate of a two-story house.
The butler lifted the carriage curtain and said in a serious tone, "The Ministry of Justice is currently investigating the assassination of the prince. Lord Du should not be involved for the time being. Once my master has completed the investigation, he will definitely make the decision on Lord Du's behalf and clear your name and that of the Lord of Deyang Township."
"Du Qingtang" opened his eyes.
The butler smiled and said calmly, "Master Du, please remember to honor your promise."
"Du Qingtang" nodded slightly, stepped on the horse stool to get off the carriage, and walked into the courtyard without looking back.
The butler lowered the curtain and said, "Go back."
When he returned to Duke Cheng'en's mansion, he found a man kneeling outside the main courtyard where Cao Yuan lived.
From the back, his hair was disheveled, his clothes were wrinkled, and he looked exhausted.
The housekeeper felt that the figure looked familiar despite being unfamiliar. He took a few steps forward and found that this person was actually the second son, Cao Xingcan, who had been away from Beijing for many years.
After a little thought, I suddenly understood.
This was because, seeing that Prince Rui was about to ascend the throne, he regretted breaking with the Cao family and ran back to acknowledge his master like a pug.
The housekeeper sneered, thinking that Cao Xingcan was daydreaming.
He is a traitor and a discarded child. The master has shown mercy by sparing his life. How dare he ask for more?
The butler looked down on the second young master and went straight into the main courtyard without stopping to greet him.
"Master, it's done."
Cao Yuan closed his eyes and responded lazily.
The butler paused: "Master, the second young master..."
The rocking chair swayed gently, and the room was silent.
The butler bowed and left.
Cao Xingcan knelt outside the main courtyard for four hours.
The winter wind was biting cold and the concrete floor was icy and hard, but he remained motionless, kneeling as straight as a pine tree.
As evening approached, the maid came out and said, "Second Young Master, the Master invites you in."
Cao Xingcan propped himself up and stood up, his body swaying twice. As soon as he could stand still, he ran into the main room impatiently, knelt at Cao Yuan's feet, and banged his head on the ground.
"Grandfather, I know I was wrong."
Cao Yuan held a porcelain pipe, puffing out smoke, and the smoke blurred his old face.
Cao Yuan said nothing, and Cao Xingcan knelt on the ground like a stone statue.
This went on for quite a while, until Cao Xingcan's breathing became heavy and his back trembled slightly. Cao Yuan then spoke slowly, "If you want to come back, you can. Kill Du Qingtang."
Cao Xingcan suddenly looked up, his eyes full of surprise.
Cao Yuan stared at him with cloudy eyes, like a cold and sticky reptile: "Why? You don't want to?"
Cao Xingcan's jaw tightened, and after a moment he lowered his head, his voice hoarse: "Grandson will follow grandfather's wishes."
Cao Yuan took a puff of cigarette, and the air was filled with smoke.
What an honor it is to die at the hands of a former close friend.
-
On the other side, Minister Zhang led the criminal officials of the Ministry of Justice to break into the mansion of Marquis Wen'an, interrogating the servants one by one, and digging deep into the ground, trying to find more evidence of Du Qingtang's treason.
When Prince Rui ascends the throne and becomes the Emperor of Great Xia who holds the power of life and death, there is no guarantee that he will not take Du Qingtang into the harem.
He must nail Du Qingtang to the pillar of shame so that she will never be able to turn over, so as to ensure the young girl's stable position after entering the palace.
It's a pity that they turned the Wen'an Marquis Mansion upside down, even the pond in front of the main courtyard was not spared. They drained the water and dug up the silt, but still found nothing.
Minister Zhang was extremely disappointed. He glanced at the sun setting in the west and sighed with a headache. "Let's go back first and come back tomorrow."
"yes!"
After a busy day, the dusty yamen runners left with Minister Zhang. The imperial guards closed the vermilion gate with a "bang" and the huge Wen'an Marquis Mansion fell silent.
The golden crow sets in the west and the jade rabbit rises in the east.
Meng Fang spoke to calm the frightened servants, knocking on the door a few times, and then walked towards the main courtyard with a lantern, muttering to himself, "Master, you love cleanliness. Those yamen runners have made a mess inside and outside the house. I have to go clean it up so that I can welcome you back home."
The servants watched Meng Fang go away and looked at each other in confusion.
"Can the Master really come back?"
"Master is loyal to His Majesty and has benefited the people. It is absolutely impossible for him to have secret dealings with the Great Qi. Heaven will surely bless the master's safe return."
"We just need to do our own thing and get through this period."
Everyone felt relieved and dispersed.
Meng Fang entered the main courtyard, rolled up his sleeves, put the items in the main house and side rooms that had been messed up by the yamen runners back to their original places, cleaned them carefully again, and then left.
After half an hour, the secret door opened and Du Qingtang walked out of the secret passage and came to the side room.
In the side room, Du Yi had been waiting for a long time.
"Master, the man has been locked up in the cellar under the west corner gate."
Du Qingtang didn't light the lamp, but he was able to accurately avoid the furnishings in the house and move freely: "Eat one meal a day, don't starve to death."
Du Yi respectfully replied, "I'll take my leave."
Du Qingtang took off his clothes, lay down in bed, silently recited the Four Books and Five Classics for a while, and gradually fell asleep.
......
That night, it was approaching midnight.
Minister Zhang had not yet fallen asleep. He was checking the books, letters, calligraphy and paintings brought out from the Marquis Wen'an's mansion, trying to find clues to confirm the crime of treason against Du Qingtang.
Minister Zhang felt sleepy and could not hold on any longer. He planned to go to sleep first and continue the search at Marquis Wen'an's Mansion tomorrow.
Thinking of the warehouse full of gold, silver and treasures, a hint of greed flashed in Minister Zhang's eyes.
Anyway, Du Qingtang is bound to die, so instead of letting those good things go into the national treasury, it is better to take the opportunity to seize a batch.
The Zhang Mansion is quite old and it’s time to renovate it.
By then, all doors and windows will be replaced with glazed doors and windows, and all furnishings in the house will also be made of glazed glass, so that it will be worthy of the noble status of the future emperor's eldest son and his mother's family.
Minister Zhang took off his clothes, shoes and socks, lay on the bed, and closed his eyes contentedly.
I had just fallen asleep when the night wind brought the long sound of bells.
Minister Zhang suddenly woke up and pricked up his ears to listen carefully.
"clang--"
"clang--"
"clang--"
One sound after another, heavy and solemn, startled the birds perched on the branches and also struck the hearts of everyone in Xia Jing City.
Minister Zhang had heard the sound of this bell before.
Twenty-three years ago, when the late emperor passed away.
It's the death knell!
Minister Zhang shuddered, and all his sleepiness disappeared.
The servant came and knocked on the door, whispering, "Master, His Majesty has left."
Your Majesty has left...
Minister Zhang was stunned for a moment, his eyes flashing with ecstasy. He sat up with a somersault, dressed hastily, and opened the door with force: "Hitch the carriage and enter the palace!"
After His Majesty passes away, Prince Rui will be able to officially ascend the throne and become emperor within a few days.
His grandson is the eldest son of Prince Rui, and will be the rightful crown prince of the Eastern Palace. After Prince Rui's death, he will be the rightful next emperor!
By then, he would be the grandfather of Dayan Xiazi!
The Zhang family will surpass the Cao family and become the most prominent family in Daxia!
All power and status will belong to him!
Minister Zhang was breathing rapidly, his eyes were shining, and his face was flushed with excitement. He wished he could go back to the moment when Prince Rui passed away and his good grandson became the emperor.
Mrs. Zhang also heard the funeral bells and came out, supported by her maid, with a look of panic: "Master, this is..."
Minister Zhang stepped forward quickly and shook Madam Zhang's hand affectionately: "Madam, you have truly given me a wonderful daughter!"
At the beginning, he was cunning and tried every means to marry his eldest daughter to Prince Rui, who was then the fifth prince. In fact, he was trying to curry favor with the Cao family. When the fourth prince ascended the throne and made the fifth prince a prince, the status of his Zhang family would also rise accordingly.
Who could have imagined that the Fifth Prince, who used to follow the Fourth Prince all day long and had little reputation and even a bad reputation, would become the Emperor of Great Xia?
Minister Zhang babbled on and on, "His Majesty has passed away, and the prince will soon ascend the throne. When he does, he will surely posthumously confer the title of empress upon the princess, and I will become the father-in-law of the emperor of Great Xia..."
"Master, the harness is ready."
Minister Zhang rubbed his face vigorously with both hands, lowered the corners of his mouth, and strode out of the house with an expression that looked like he wanted to cry but couldn't.
When the carriage reached the palace gate, Minister Zhang jumped out.
Everywhere one looked, carriages were jammed with traffic, and they were all carrying officials who had heard the funeral bells and were entering the palace in mourning clothes.
The palace was under strict control of the imperial guards, and inside the palace, guards were stationed at every step, with sharp blades on their waists. The murderous atmosphere was terrifying.
When Minister Zhang arrived at the Qianqing Palace, he found that not only Prince Rui was there, but also Cao Yuan, who had been seriously injured in an assassination attempt on the Wanshou Festival and had been recuperating in the Cheng'en Mansion and had never been seen before.
The grandfather and grandson stood outside the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Prince Rui's expression was particularly grim. He said sternly, "In the past few days, I have visited him every day, but every day I was stopped outside the Palace of Heavenly Purity. I don't even know how my father is doing."
"Now that my father has passed away, as a son, can I not even see him one last time?"
The imperial guards reached out to block Prince Rui's way, their expressions respectful but their attitude firm: "Eunuch Fu Rui is bathing and changing clothes for Your Majesty. Please wait a moment, Your Majesty."
Prince Rui pointed at the imperial guards blocking the road and sneered, "Well, well, I want to see what Fu Rui wants to do!"
Cao Yuan glanced at Prince Rui, put his hands in his pockets and said nothing, letting him make a scene at the gate of the Qianqing Palace.
He had to make sure whether Xia Ming was really dead or faking his death.
All the officials waited in the cold wind for more than half an hour. The palace door creaked open and Fu Rui walked out with a staggering gait, holding onto the door frame.
Everyone was shocked when they saw Fu Rui's appearance.
In just a few days, Fu Rui's chubby face became sunken, his eyes were bloodshot, and two black spots hung under his eyelids. The eunuch uniform that used to be crisp and fit him now hung loosely on his body, swaying in the wind.
"Could it be that Eunuch Fu Rui was also poisoned?"
"Your Majesty's departure was a huge blow to him."
Fu Rui bowed and said in a hoarse voice: "I have bathed and dressed Your Majesty. Please come in, Your Majesty and the others."
Prince Rui pushed Fu Rui away and rushed into the main hall of the Qianqing Palace like a gust of wind.
Fu Rui staggered after being pushed by him and was about to fall, but Shi Zishan quickly caught him and said, "Eunuch, be careful."
Fu Rui managed to stand steady, said thank you, and stepped aside with his hands hanging down.
Only after all the officials filed into the Palace of Heavenly Purity did he follow them in with unsteady steps.
The main hall was filled with kneeling people, including princes and officials headed by Prince Rui, as well as concubines in the harem headed by Empress Cao, all of them were mournful and crying bitterly.
Emperor Qingyuan was lying on the dragon bed wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, his face pale, his hands folded in front of his abdomen, as if he was asleep.
I can't see anything and I can't hear anything.
Prince Rui, the only surviving prince of Emperor Qingyuan, knelt in front of the dragon bed and cried uncontrollably.
"Father, you haven't even taught me the strategies for governing a country yet, why did you suddenly leave me?"
"Father, please open your eyes and look at me, just one glance..."
Prince Rui cried and held Emperor Qingyuan's hand, pressing it against his face.
The fingers were icy cold, and there was no warmth in the palms.
I checked his pulse again and it had stopped beating.
Prince Rui cried hysterically, sobbing and expressing his reluctance to leave Emperor Qingyuan.
All the officials knelt behind him, their eyes filled with tears and their hearts deeply moved.
Although Prince Rui was a bit unruly, he was a filial person.
People who are filial are usually not too bad.
Perhaps if Prince Rui becomes emperor, he will consciously shoulder the heavy responsibility of the country and become a wise ruler?
Cao Yuan looked at King Rui inconspicuously, and got the answer he wanted from the latter's eyes. He felt relieved, covered his face with his sleeves, and pretended to cry sadly.
After a burst of crying, everyone moved to the side hall.
Cao Yuan was the first to kneel, and said in a thunderous voice: "The country cannot be without a ruler for a day. I pray that Your Highness will ascend the throne as soon as possible, preside over the overall situation, and stabilize the government!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the King Rui's party suppressed their ecstasy and echoed them.
"Your Majesty, please ascend the throne!"
"Your Majesty, please ascend the throne!"
The non-Royal Party was silent for a while, sighed deeply in their hearts, and bowed in greeting.
"Your Majesty, please ascend the throne!"
Everyone shouted in unison, the sound was deafening.
Prince Rui raised his hand to signal, and everyone fell silent again.
"Thank you all for your kindness, but my Lord..." Prince Rui paused here, looking embarrassed.
Minister Zhang's eyelids twitched, and he said righteously, "Your Majesty's death is certainly a matter of utmost importance, but the people will inevitably panic with your passing. Only if Your Majesty ascends the throne as soon as possible and grants amnesty can we stabilize the people's hearts!"
The King Rui party all echoed this.
"Please ascend the throne as soon as possible, Your Majesty!"
Cao Yuan twirled his beard and looked at Shi Zishan: "What do you think, Prime Minister?"
Shi Zishan's face was solemn. He exchanged glances with the Deputy Minister Yan Tiande and knelt down in worship. "Please, Prince Rui, ascend the throne as soon as possible."
Although he did not want the Cao family to make a comeback and seize the imperial power, what Minister Zhang said was not entirely unreasonable.
Only by establishing a new monarch as soon as possible can we stabilize the people's hearts and consolidate the regime.
but--
Shi Zishan glanced at Cao Yuan inconspicuously. If he dared to use the same trick again and tried to interfere with the imperial power, he would drag Cao Yuan down with him even at the cost of his life to repay the emperor's kindness.
The head of all officials supports Prince Rui's early ascension to the throne, and other officials have no objection.
I don't know who shouted it out first, but everyone rushed to shout: "Long live His Majesty!"
The sound resounded through the sky and lingered for a long time.
-
That night, the funeral bell tolled a full 108 times, marking the national mourning.
In the city of Xiajing, white flags were hung on every door and street, creating a desolate and gloomy atmosphere.
Several women carrying bamboo baskets walked past the west corner gate of Wen'an Marquis's Mansion, sobbing and extremely sad.
"God does not bless kind-hearted people. Your Majesty is kind and loves the people. Why did you let him suffer this disaster and die in such pain?"
"For the past few years, I have been praying to His Majesty in front of the Bodhisattva every day, praying for His Majesty to live a hundred years, but the result is... "
"The Bodhisattva must have thought Your Majesty was so good that the mortal world couldn't bear Your Majesty's merits, so they took Him to heaven to become an immortal."
"Prince Rui ascended the throne on the first day of the first lunar month. After a while, I'm afraid not many people in this world will remember His Majesty."
"Who said no one remembers? I remember, and you remember too... Eh? What was that sound?"
The woman who was speaking looked around with a look of surprise and confusion on her face.
"I didn't hear anything."
"Me too."
During the national mourning period, anyone who dares to make loud noises on the street or cause a big commotion will be risking his life.
"I vaguely heard a 'bang bang' sound just now, but now it's gone. Could it be an illusion?" The woman rubbed her arms and quickened her pace. "Hurry back! It's almost the end of the year, and all kinds of demons and monsters are coming out."
Several women walked away in a hurry, and the sound of "bang bang" was heard again from the west corner gate of Wen'an Marquis Mansion.
"Come back! Come back!"
"Let me out! Let me out now!"
In the cellar under the west corner gate, Prince Rui dragged his unconscious lower limbs, dug his left hand into the mud wall, his nails turned upside down and blood flowing, and desperately knocked on the cellar ceiling with his right hand.
After only a few knocks, his left hand could no longer support his entire body weight, and King Rui fell to the ground with a thud, sending up a cloud of dust.
“Ahhhhhh!”
Prince Rui lay on the ground, roaring hysterically.
Prince Rui didn't know how long he had been here. He only knew that before he went to sleep, he was in the side hall of Kunning Palace. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in this cramped and dilapidated cellar.
He tried to escape from here, but found that his legs had lost feeling and he could not move as if he was weighed by thousands of pounds of black iron.
Prince Rui was indeed not wary of Empress Cao, but he was not a fool.
He quickly thought of the bowl of chicken soup and Queen Cao who made him drink it.
At this moment, the woman's conversation echoed in King Rui's ears——
Prince Rui will ascend the throne on the first day of the first lunar month.
How could he ascend the throne while trapped in a cellar? How could he attend the coronation ceremony?
Thinking that someone had impersonated him and become the emperor of Daxia, King Rui's eyes became bloodshot and he wished he could chew that person to pieces.
"Bitch! Bitch!"
Prince Rui hated Empress Cao very much.
His mother actually joined hands with others to deal with him!
King Rui listed several suspicious candidates, staring ahead with wide eyes, muttering to himself, "No... Impossible... That's not right..."
Suspicious candidates were crossed out one by one, and Prince Rui couldn't help but think divergently.
Who ascended the throne in the previous life?
Unfortunately, his dreams were always related to Du Qingtang. Du Qingtang's joys, sorrows, anger and happiness appeared in his dreams over and over again for many years, making him obsessed and unable to forget her. He was determined to get her at all costs.
It was pitch dark in the cellar; the door blocked out all light.
It would have been fine if he had only stayed there for an hour or two, but after being locked up in there for a long time, Prince Rui felt as if a big hand was strangling his throat, suffocating him and making him angry.
He desperately wanted to get away from here, escape, and kill everyone.
Oh, and there’s Du Qingtang.
She was imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice. Without his order, her political enemies in the court would definitely find ways to kill her.
Du Qingtang cannot die!
She hadn't yet knelt at his feet and begged for mercy.
Even if she died, it would be at his hands.
King Rui began his umpteenth attempt.
He climbed up the mud wall with his bloody hands, dragging his heavy lower limbs all the way up.
After climbing to the top with great effort, King Rui knocked hard on the top of the cellar.
The sound of crying passed over his head, but no matter how he shouted or knocked, no one came to his aid.
Instead, due to lack of strength, he fell heavily from a height, seeing stars and his internal organs trembling violently.
“Ahhhhhhhhh!”
Prince Rui pounded the ground and roared in despair.
"Crack—"
The door opened and light rushed into the cellar.
The tall man with a black mask jumped down, placed two steamed buns next to King Rui, and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Prince Rui was like a drowning man grasping at a single piece of driftwood. "I am Prince Rui! I am the Emperor of Daxia! If you will only let me out, I will give you millions of ounces of gold and all the most beautiful women in the world for you to choose from... Don't go! Don't go!"
The man in black ignored King Rui's words and jumped out of the cellar easily.
The door closed, and overwhelming despair came with the darkness.
“Ahhhhhhhhh!”
"Don't go! Stop right there!"
"Let me out!"
"I'm going to kill you!!!"
......
At the same time, in the Qianqing Palace.
Yu Jue put the jade seal and the tiger talismans of the three camps into a cloth bag, stuffed it into the secret pocket of his wide sleeves, and left the Qianqing Palace avoiding the imperial guards.
He chose a sparsely populated path and came to the most remote abandoned palace in the northeast corner of the palace.
There were people waiting there for a long time.
"Eunuch Yujue." The man dressed as an eunuch smiled flatteringly, rubbing his hands and whispering, "Have you brought everything?"
Yu Jue took out the cloth bag, and the man quickly reached out to grab it, but found nothing.
"Father-in-law?"
Yu Jue took back the bag and stared at the man: "Tell your master to remember to fulfill his promise."
The man nodded vigorously, assuring with a solemn oath, "Don't worry, my master always keeps his word and will definitely fulfill his promise."
Yu Jue's expression relaxed slightly and he handed the cloth bag to the man.
"Thank you, eunuch. I'll take my leave."
The man put the cloth bag in his arms, bowed, and trotted away.
Yu Jue stood in the cold wind, watching the man go away, pulled his lip meaningfully, and went back to the Palace of Heavenly Purity under the bright moonlight.
On the other side, the man returned to the residence of the princes and officials in the palace during the national mourning period and handed the cloth bag to Cao Yuan.
After the man left, Cao Yuan took out the blank imperial edict he had prepared in advance, drafted the abdication edict, and stamped it with the imperial seal at the end.
Looking at the eight words "abdicate the throne to Duke Cheng'en Cao Yuan" on the bright yellow imperial edict, Cao Yuan's smile widened infinitely.
The throne is within your reach!
But before that, he had to replace the commanders and deputy commanders of the three camps with his people.
......
After the Imperial Astronomical Observatory had calculated the date for the coronation ceremony, the Ministry of Rites and the Palace Affairs Bureau began to make intensive preparations.
At the same time, Emperor Qingyuan's funeral was proceeding in an orderly manner.
Every day, Prince Rui led the princes, officials, concubines and princesses in the Qianqing Palace to cry for the deceased from the hour of Mao until late at night. His throat was so hoarse that he could not speak, and his eyes were swollen like walnuts.
All the officials saw King Rui's filial piety and were deeply moved.
However, this relief did not last long, as a bolt from the blue suddenly struck.
On the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, New Year's Eve, Prince Rui had a sudden idea and climbed up the corner tower to pay homage to Emperor Qingyuan. He accidentally fell when he was going downstairs.
The accompanying eunuchs carried Prince Rui back to the bedroom and invited the head of the Lan Court.
After diagnosing the situation, Dean Lan concluded, "Your Highness has a broken coccyx. He may have difficulty walking or even sitting for long periods of time."
This sentence was like a bolt of thunder, each word weighing a thousand pounds, hitting everyone's head one after another.
"Can't walk? Can't sit for long periods of time?"
"Your Highness has been busy with countless affairs since he ascended the throne. He can't just lie down while attending court and reviewing memorials, right?"
"What should I do?"
"Master Lan, can't the prince's tailbone be healed?"
Dean Lan's face was solemn, but he didn't say anything final: "My medical skills are not very good. There is a doctor named Liu in the Imperial Hospital who is good at orthopedics. He may have a solution."
"The one who broke the flesh and took the bones?"
"Then what are you waiting for? Go get Doctor Liu!"
Doctor Liu arrived quickly. After a thorough examination, he shook his head with a pale face, "This humble official is incompetent. The coccyx is not a hand or leg bone. It is not easy to fix. Even if it heals, I am afraid it will cause future problems."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's hearts sank to the bottom.
Some people still had hope: "Why not post an imperial edict to recruit famous doctors to come to Xiajing to treat the prince?"
"No need for that." Prince Rui, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up, his face pale, without a trace of blood. "Even if we post an imperial edict and summon famous doctors from all corners of the world, the best time to treat this injury has already passed."
Minister Zhang was sweating profusely, as if he were the one with the broken tailbone. He stared at her and said anxiously, "How can this be possible? Your Highness will hold his coronation ceremony tomorrow. Even if it's postponed, you will still ascend the throne. If you forgo treatment, there will be endless troubles!"
If an emperor is not allowed to sit for long periods of time, attend morning court sessions, or handle government affairs, what kind of emperor is he?
If this continues, he will either be sidelined or forced to abdicate in favor of someone more capable.
Neither of them is what Minister Zhang wants to see.
"My heart is made up. My lords, there is no need to persuade me any further." King Rui closed his eyes, his expression unable to conceal his despair and pain. "I know I am no longer able to shoulder this heavy responsibility. I have decided to abdicate."
Abdicate?
Minister Zhang’s eyes went dark and he almost fainted on the spot.
Shi Zishan stood respectfully with his hands lowered, and asked directly, "Which member of the royal family does Your Majesty wish to abdicate the throne to?"
Prince Rui is indeed not fit to be the emperor and be in charge of the government affairs in his current state.
Shi Zishan had to ensure that the person to whom King Rui abdicated had the potential to be a wise ruler, or at least a ruler who could maintain the status quo.
Now that His Majesty is gone, he wants to protect the great country that he has worked so hard to govern.
The important officials present in the court pricked up their ears at the same time.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Prince Rui spoke word by word, "Duke Cheng'en, Cao Yuan."
Everyone: “???”
Everyone: “!!!”
As soon as these words were spoken, the scene exploded.
"Your Highness, absolutely not! Duke Cheng'en is not from the royal family, how can he inherit the throne?"
"Your Majesty, you are so foolish! How could you hand over the kingdom of Daxia to someone else?"
"If you, my Lord, insist on abdicating the throne to Duke Cheng'en, I will throw myself headfirst into the ground and die in front of you today!"
What's more, some people pointed at Cao Yuan who was standing beside them and cursed at him.
The mouth of a scholar is a murderous knife.
The civil servants headed by Shi Zishan worked together to scold Cao Yuan harshly.
All kinds of dirty words were hurled at Cao Yuan, who was so disgusted by them that his head started pounding. He glanced at Prince Rui without leaving a trace.
Prince Rui understood and immediately summoned his personal guards, dragged out the two people who cursed the most fiercely, and chopped off their heads on the spot.
The cursing stopped abruptly, and the hall fell into a dead silence, with even the air almost stagnant.
Prince Rui lay on the bed, his tone firm and unyielding: "I have also considered the royal family members, but unfortunately there is no one available among them."
"Handing Great Xia over to them would be tantamount to letting them destroy the Xia family's century-long business. When I die in the underworld, how will I face my father and ancestors?"
"It would be better to pass the throne to someone virtuous and capable." Prince Rui paused. "Duke Cheng'en has served in three dynasties, served in the cabinet three times, and twice served as Prime Minister. He is well versed in statecraft and is the most suitable candidate."
Everyone: “…”
Prince Rui's speech sounded very reasonable, but in their opinion, it was completely crazy.
When Your Majesty was still alive, the Fourth Prince and Prince Rui were closer to Cao Yuan than Your Majesty, and they also helped Cao's party to attack the Emperor's party.
Now that His Majesty is gone, Prince Rui actually handed over the throne and this vast empire to Cao Yuan.
Everyone really wanted to pry open King Rui's brain and see, it must be full of manure!
"This matter is settled. Tomorrow's coronation ceremony will proceed as usual. Later, I will issue the imperial decree of abdication." King Rui closed his eyes and ordered the guests to leave. "I am tired. Please return."
The personal guards came in with swords in hand. There were bright red blood beads hanging on the swords, which belonged to the two officials before.
Everyone was silent as a mouse, and left under the cold gaze of the guards.
Minister Zhang's eyes widened and he was completely dumbfounded.
His grandson's throne and his status as the emperor's father-in-law are all gone!
"Cao is a thief with evil ambitions, but Your Majesty is not prepared to take precautions and has let the thief into the house. I am so angry!"
"If Cao Yuan ascends the throne, will there be any hope for us to survive?"
"Anyway, there's absolutely no way I'll be able to attend the coronation ceremony."
"Do you want to end up like Master Zhu and Master Fang?"
The official who had spoken harshly fell silent, his face turning pale.
Everyone shook their heads and dispersed.
Prince Rui has a tough attitude and will kill people if he disagrees with them. No one wants to die in vain, unless they are tired of living and want to hang themselves.
On the way back to his residence, Shi Zishan's face was extremely grim: "Shi didn't expect that Cao thief was not simply greedy for power, but coveted the throne."
Yan Tiande's expression was equally grim: "Even if I die tomorrow, I will not allow the coronation ceremony to go on as scheduled!"
Not long ago, they were still imagining a bright future of a rich country and a strong military because of the birth of the train.
Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, the situation in Daxia changed.
Shi Zishan gritted his teeth and said bitterly, "I suspect that Your Majesty's poisoning was the work of Cao Yuan. He first harmed Your Majesty, then paralyzed Prince Rui, and then persuaded Prince Rui to abdicate to him, precisely in order to legitimately ascend the throne and become emperor."
Yan Tiande clenched his fists and crackled. "Master Shi, we must not let him succeed! Tonight we will leave the palace and find the commanders of the three camps. First we will eliminate the traitors, and then support the appropriate royal family members..."
Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Yu Jue who was walking towards him: "Your servant greets the two masters."
Yan Tiande fell silent. As he passed Yu Jue, he heard the latter's barely perceptible voice: "A noble has asked me to tell you two not to act rashly and to wait and see what happens."
Yu Jue walked away, and Yan Tiande and Shi Zishan looked at each other, with a storm in their eyes.
-
Because of King Rui's tough measures, the princes and officials did not dare to resist and could only watch him issue the imperial edict of abdication.
The next day, the first day of the first lunar month, the coronation ceremony took place as scheduled.
The auspicious time had arrived, and Cao Yuan, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, walked up to the platform step by step.
The princes and officials stood on both sides of the platform, everyone lowered their brows and eyes, with a respectful look on their faces.
It was not that they accepted their fate, but that the imperial guards guarding the palace disappeared overnight, and were replaced by soldiers from the three camps and a group of soldiers in black armor whose origins were unknown.
These soldiers respected Cao Yuan, stood guard at every step, with sharp swords on their waists, and their murderous aura was terrifying.
Three officials had previously expressed their dissatisfaction and were killed on the spot by the commander of the Three Thousand Battalion. They were still lying in a pool of blood.
As everyone watched the traitor gradually walk towards the throne, despair surged over them like a tide.
Daxia is dead!
These officials of the previous dynasty will not live long!
Cao Yuan had no idea what the princes and officials were thinking, and even if he knew, he would not care.
Now the entire palace is filled with his people. Anyone who dares to resist must be prepared to die.
Cao Yuan climbed the stairs and came to the front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, walking step by step towards the dragon throne facing the hall door.
As long as he sits on the dragon throne, he will be the emperor.
After waiting for thirty years, Cao Yuan finally got his wish fulfilled!
Cao Yuan held the jade seal and walked faster and faster.
Just as he raised his right foot and was about to step over the threshold, a deep and familiar male voice came from the side.
"I don't even know when it will be the turn of the Cao family to take the throne of the Xia family."
Cao Yuan paused, and before he could look in the direction of the voice, he heard a voice filled with ecstasy and almost choked with sobs behind him: "Your Majesty!"
In front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, princes and officials looked at the majestic and dignified man wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and burst into tears of joy on the spot.
"Is it really Your Majesty?"
"Your Majesty is not dead? But I clearly saw His Majesty enter the coffin without any life..."
"Your Majesty, the thief Cao has gone too far, plotting to usurp the throne and seize our Great Xia!"
Cao Yuan stared intently at the ruddy Emperor Qingyuan, who showed no signs of poisoning. He suddenly sneered, "So what if you've usurped the throne? The entire palace belongs to me. What can you do to me?"
"Come here, kill him! Kill Xia Ming!"
At Cao Yuan's command, the commanders of the three camps stepped forward and pretended to capture Emperor Qingyuan.
At this critical moment, the sound of breaking wind came from far away.
“Puff—”
The bullet pierced the head of the commander of the Three Thousand Battalion, and red and white objects scattered all over the ground.
Cao Yuan's confident smile froze on his face, and he looked around warily: "What's going on?"
"Bang!"
Another loud bang was heard, and the commander of the Huben Camp was shot in the head on the spot.
"Bang!"
With another sound, the commander of the fifth military camp was shot in the head on the spot.
Cao Yuan's face changed drastically as he watched his trusted followers fall one after another.
But this is just the beginning.
Emperor Qingyuan took out the tiger talisman from his sleeve and shouted, "All officers and men, listen to my orders! Kill all the rebels!"
"yes!"
The soldiers from the three camps responded in unison, drew out their scimitars, raised their spears high, and stabbed at the soldiers in black armor.
Cao Yuan saw the tiger talisman clearly and suddenly realized what was going on. His eyes were bloodshot. "Xia Ming, how dare you team up with Du Qingtang to trick me!"
Emperor Qingyuan smiled slightly: "So what if I'm teasing you?"
Cao Yuan looked at the black-armored soldiers who fell one after another. They were his private soldiers that he had spent thirty years raising. His head buzzed and his rationality disappeared. "Xia Ming, I will kill you!"
Cao Yuan lost the imperial seal and pounced on Emperor Qingyuan with a ferocious look on his face.
"Bang!"
On a high platform in the distance, Du Qingtang locked onto Cao Yuan through the lens and pulled the trigger.
The bullet hit Cao Yuan's right leg. He screamed but did not stop.
Du Qingtang took aim again.
In her memory, Cao Yuan looked down at her condescendingly: "A mere woman, yet you dare to imagine standing shoulder to shoulder with men. Enter the Fifth Prince's mansion and serve him obediently. I can save you, or I can kill you."
"Bang!"
The pellet hit his left leg.
Cao Yuan screamed and fell to the ground.
He gave up on killing Emperor Qingyuan and instead climbed towards the dragon throne in the hall.
Du Qingtang picked up a candied fruit, put it in her mouth, and her long eyelashes brushed against the lens.
In his memory, Cao Yuan had a benevolent expression on his face: "I heard that you have an old grudge with the commander of the Qi army. After enjoying the splendor and wealth in the Fifth Prince's mansion for so many years, it's time for you to return the favor."
Du Qingtang swallowed the candied fruit and pulled the trigger again.
"Bang!"
The bullet hit Cao Yuan right in the back.
Cao Yuan let out a painful "ouch" from his throat and reached out to touch the dragon throne that was so close to him, but he touched nothing and it fell heavily to the ground.
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