Crown Prince Guangyan wanted to agree to the Wutuo people's request for peace, which caused a stir in the capital of Shuojing. Yu Shi's memorial did not change Guangyan's mind. The Wutuo envoy who was previously under house arrest by Emperor Wenxuan reappeared near the palace. Although he spoke to the court officials with a smiling and humble tone, his eyes could not hide his pride.

After the court session, the court officials had different thoughts, and everyone kept their thoughts to themselves. Two days had already passed, and tomorrow would be the day to enter the imperial mausoleum. Once the mausoleum was entered, the prince would ascend the throne, and the days ahead would probably become increasingly difficult.

As soon as they left Chengle Palace, they heard the sound of reading coming from the front. The officials looked up and saw that dozens of students in blue robes were sitting in the long empty space in front of Chengle Palace.

All the students were sitting on the ground. The person leading them had long white hair and beard, and was wearing an official uniform. He was already very old, with a stern expression. He was none other than Wei Xuanzhang, the owner of Xianchang Hall.

Wei Xuanzhang is actually a man of real talent and learning, but he is too stubborn and perverse. When he was young, he offended many people and was later sent to be the head of Xianchang Hall. This position is very suitable for his personality of being a preacher. Although he has no real power, he has been happy these years. This time, the crown prince Guangyan agreed to the peace proposal of Wutuo people and opened a market in Wei. Wei Xuanzhang was strongly opposed to it. Apart from those historians, he wrote the most memorials. However, his current official position is low, and he is not even qualified to let Guangyan take a second look. Those heartfelt words that are heartbreaking are just one more piece of waste paper.

"Director Wei?" a courtier who knew him asked, "What are you doing here?" Then he leaned closer and whispered, "Sir, please go back. His Highness cannot change his mind now."

This was a former student of his who was familiar with him and who kindly reminded him because he did not want to see him offend the future king.

Wei Xuanzhang was unmoved. He just looked in the direction of Chengle Palace and said in a long voice: "Your humble servant, I risk my life to make a remonstrance. Please withdraw your order and do not allow Wutuo people to open a market in Wei!"

There was no movement in Chengle Palace.

The sun quietly sprinkled on the long ground outside the palace, like a layer of fine gold. The young students were full of vigor, with a clear distinction between black and white in their eyes, and the elderly officials were like the setting sun, with a little remaining brilliance, standing in the spring breeze.

He stood up slowly. His usually strong body now showed signs of old age and staggered a little. After he stood still, he suddenly recited aloud: "The air in the sky has righteousness, which is mixed and flowing. Below is the Heshan Mountain, and above is the new sun. In people, it is called Haoran, which is so full that it fills the granary and the dark..."

The students beside him paused, then began to recite along with the elderly curator.

"…The Yellow Road should be clear and peaceful, and the harmony should be bright. The time of poverty and treasury is revealed, and each one is recorded in red and blue!"

Each one is painted in color!

The piece Wei Xuanzhang recited was "Song of Righteousness".

In Chengle Palace, Crown Prince Guangyan suddenly smashed the cup in his hand to the ground, "What did that old man say outside? I want to chop off his head!"

The confidant beside him knelt down and grabbed the corner of his robe, "Your Highness, you must not do this! At least not before the coronation ceremony! Wei Xuanzhang has no other crimes, and he is the head of Xianchang Hall. If you lightly accuse him, I am afraid that it will cause discussions among the court officials and the people..."

"He is just a little teacher. I can kill him if I want to. Who dares to comment?" Guangyan was furious. "How can he not be charged with any crime? He doesn't take me seriously at all and despises the royal family! What does he mean by being outside? Is he threatening me? What a joke! How can I be threatened by such an old man? Believe it or not, I will have all his students arrested and put in jail immediately. Let's see who dares to say anything more about this matter!"

"Yes, yes, yes." The confidant wiped his sweat and said, "Even if you want to teach him a lesson, please be patient for a few days. This Wei Xuanzhang has a strange personality. When Your Majesty was still alive, he always spoke rudely..."

"I am not as kind-hearted as my father," Guangyan gritted his teeth, "If he thinks that I will be as lenient to him as my father is, he is very wrong!"

"Of course." The confidant hurriedly said, "But for now, it's better for Your Highness not to show up. Let him make a fuss outside, and Your Highness can settle the score after the coronation ceremony."

Guangyan snorted and kicked away the broken lid of the teacup in front of him. "Then let him live for two more days."

Outside, Wei Xuanzhang was still chanting aloud, his old and frail body standing straight in the wind.

"Some are Liaodong hats, with clear and sharp swords as ice and snow. Some are "The Memorial to the Emperor on Departure to the Army", with ghosts and gods weeping loudly..."

"…or maybe it was a scepter used to hit a thief, and the top of the scepter broke. It was the majestic energy, and its chill will last forever."

The young students behind him recited along with the old teacher, as if they were not in front of Chengle Palace, under the eyes of court officials, but in the school of Xianchang Hall, studying and listening to lectures on a spring day.

"I look up at the white clouds floating in the sky. My heart is filled with sorrow. How can the sky have an end?"

"The philosophers are long gone, but the models are in the past. I read under the eaves, and the ancient roads reflect the colors."

After the poem was finished, there was no response at all in the Music Palace.

Wei Xuanzhang stopped and looked at the court officials in front of him.

The court officials either avoided his gaze or were full of sympathy. Wei Xuanzhang took a step forward and walked up the steps tremblingly, taking off his official hat as he walked.

His voice was steady, as clear as a bell, and he said, "A general must be loyal and brave, be able to fight day and night, and be ready to fight with his sword, determined to die."

He put down the wooden tablet in his hand and said, "Civil officials are not as good as military generals. The sages said that civil officials are moral and knowledgeable, and Zheng is equal to Jing. The posthumous title of Wenzheng is extremely beautiful, and nothing can be added to it."

He walked to the last step, slowly knelt down, put aside his official hat and wooden tablet, and looked at the deserted hall of Chengle Palace. His voice was cold and firm.

"Although I have no courage to fight, nor have I made any achievements, I have only a loyal heart, which is upright. I teach students in Xianchang Hall to read the books of sages. Now that I see Your Highness has gone astray, it would be my fault if I did not advise him."

"A warrior dies in battle, a scholar dies in remonstrance. Life and death are like floating clouds to me. Today, I, an old minister, will bravely risk my life to persuade Your Highness to stop and not make a big mistake."

"Old minister, please take back your order. Don't let the Wutuo people set foot on the land of Wei. Don't let the wolf enter the house and open the door to welcome the thieves!"

After saying this, he suddenly rushed headfirst into the huge vermilion pillar in front of Chengle Palace.

Blood instantly splattered all over the floor.

The court officials standing beside him were stunned at first, and then they screamed in surprise. The students of Xianchang Hall rushed forward and surrounded Wei Xuanzhang in the center. The wooden scepter and official hat that were placed aside were trampled to pieces in the chaos. In front of Chengle Palace, it was a mess in an instant.

…

In Qinglan Palace.

Concubine Lan sat quietly reading a book. Not far from her, Concubine Ni looked at the green smoke rising slowly from the copper stove with an anxious look on her face.

Tomorrow is the day when Emperor Wenxuan will be buried in the imperial mausoleum, and it is also the day when they will be buried alive. If Guangyan is more merciful, he can give them a pot of poison to kill them. If this guy is more deliberate, they will be sealed alive in the imperial mausoleum and suffocated to death.

"Sister, you still have the heart to read a book!" Ni Guiren finally couldn't help it. She stood up and walked to Concubine Lan Guifei and snatched the book away. "Tomorrow is the day when you and I will die. I don't believe that you are so calm."

No one can ignore life and death. In the past, Ni Guiren competed with Concubine Lan for favor. She was young and beautiful, thinking that she could definitely replace Concubine Lan, but she didn't expect to anger Emperor Wenxuan. After that, she handed Guangji over to Concubine Lan to raise. With Guangji in Concubine Lan's hands, Ni Guiren restrained herself a lot and didn't dare to do anything too much, but she was unhappy in her heart.

However, now, she and Concubine Lan Guifei had suddenly become sacrificial offerings, no different from the vases that were buried with Emperor Wenxuan, so all the past grudges could be forgotten. At least at this moment, they were on the same side.

There are no eternal enemies or eternal friends in the world. Lady Ni was impulsive and arrogant. After entering the palace, she had no close friends. Now there was no one who could make plans for her. After thinking about it, the only person she could rely on was this thorn in her side in the past.

Concubine Lan looked up at her, her tone still as gentle as before, "Tomorrow is tomorrow, why should you worry about it today?"

"Why worry?" Ni Guiren said, "Of course I am worried! Can't you see that there is something fishy about this will? The emperor is usually soft-hearted. He can let others die, but why would he let you and me be buried alive? I think it is Guangyan who is just taking revenge." She looked at Concubine Lan again and said sarcastically, "I know that sister follows her heart and doesn't care about life and death, but don't you want to think about the fourth prince? My Guangji is still so young. You and I know what kind of personality the prince has. Now we are dealing with you and me. After the prince ascends the throne, it will be Guangshuo and Guangji's turn next. Do you want to watch your son die?"

Hearing this, Concubine Lan's calm expression finally showed a slight fluctuation.

But before she could say anything, she told the maid who was guarding the gate that someone had hurried in. The maid was surprised and walked over quickly. When she came to Concubine Lan Guifei, she whispered, "Your Majesty, something happened in Chengle Palace."

Concubine Lan and Concubine Ni looked at her together.

"It is said that the head of Xianchang Hall, Lord Wei, risked his life to advise the Crown Prince to revoke his decision to advocate peace, but the Crown Prince did not agree, and Lord Wei crashed his head against a pillar of Chengle Palace and died. Many adults saw it, and now the outside is in chaos, and the students of Xianchang Hall refuse to leave."

“Death remonstrance?” Lady Ni frowned. “I haven’t heard such a term in this palace for many years.”

Emperor Wenxuan was soft-hearted and overly tolerant. He would read one of the three memorials submitted by the historians, so he would not use such a drastic method. However, even if Guangyan ascended the throne, he would still be known as someone who forced old ministers to death. Most of the students in Xianchang Hall came from noble families, and young people were full of vigor and vitality. They saw the head of the hall die with their own eyes. If Guangyan still insisted on making peace with the Wutuo people as he did at the beginning, it would be really unpleasant to the inside and outside of the palace.

Concubine Lan held the arm of the chair and said nothing.

Ni Guiren spoke indifferently, "We are struggling to survive here, but some people are rushing to die. But Wei Xuanzhang is already in his seventies and eighties, so it's not a loss for him to die. I haven't had a good life for a few years yet, and I won't be willing to die like this." She thought of Guangyan and couldn't help but gnashing her teeth, "Damn it!"

Concubine Lan sighed slightly, and the maid helped her stand up.

She walked to the window. The sun was shining brightly outside. It was spring and everything was flourishing.

"Look, look, look a few more times," Ni Guiren couldn't help but sneer, "After tomorrow, you won't be able to look anymore."

"Ni," Concubine Lan turned around, looked at her and said calmly, "Do you want to live?"

"You know the answer but you still ask."

"If you want to live," Concubine Lan's voice was gentle, and in its tranquility, it seemed to contain a layer of deep meaning, "Just do as I say."

…

As soon as He Yan knew about Wei Xuanzhang's death, he drove to Wei's house.

The Wei family's house was already packed with people, and people kept coming in. Over the years, Xianchang Hall had taught batches of students. If Xu Jingfu's students were all over the government, Wei Xuanzhang was not far behind. However, after the students left the hall, Wei Xuanzhang did not like to hang out with them too much, so it seemed that his status was not as respected as Xu Jingfu's.

However, now that he was risking his life to make a warning, his former students, upon hearing the news, came from all directions to see the teacher for the last time.

He Yan finally squeezed into the crowd and saw He Xinying supporting Madam Wei who was crying and almost fainting. When she saw He Yan, He Xinying was also startled. When the new students came over to take care of her, He Xinying had a chance to walk over and asked, "Sister He, why are you here?"

In fact, in terms of age, the current "He Yan" cannot be called He Xinying's sister, but He Xinying always feels that if her deceased elder sister were still alive, she would be like He Yan, so she ignores many rules.

He Yan replied, "Mr. Wei is Huai Jin's teacher. It will take some time for Huai Jin to rush over from outside the city. I'll come over to see him first. Is Mrs. Wei okay?"

"Not so good." He Xinying shook her head. "I'm afraid Director Wei has already made up his mind to die. After the incident today, his wife found several letters in the wooden bench in his study. They were suicide notes to his family members."

He Xinying was also very sad. Because of her elder sister, she lived in Wei Xuanzhang's house. Wei Xuanzhang usually stayed in Xianchang Pavilion most of the time and rarely came back. He Xinying spent more time with Madam Wei. Madam Wei was gentle and did not care about her previous status. Who knew... this would happen suddenly.

"I heard that Director Wei wanted His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to withdraw the order to seek peace with the Wutuo people," He Xinying asked tentatively, "So now..."

He Yan smiled bitterly, "I'm afraid not."

How could Crown Prince Guangyan change his mind just for Wei Xuanzhang's life? I'm afraid that this man not only has no shame at all, but is also angry at Wei Xuanzhang's ignorant behavior.

Just as I was thinking, a voice came from behind me: "Sister He, why are you here?"

He Yan looked back and saw Lin Shuanghe and Yan He coming in from outside. They were also students of Xianchang Hall in the past, so when they heard about this, they naturally rushed over without stopping.

"Didn't Huai Jin come with you?" Yan He looked around.

"He is on duty today, with the Southern Army training outside the city." He Yan sighed inwardly. It was such a bad coincidence. If Xiao Jue happened to be there today, perhaps he could have stopped Wei Xuanzhang.

"Is General Yan not here today?" He Yan looked at Yan He.

Yan He was furious: "If I were here, how could I let this happen!"

Because Emperor Wenxuan died and Guangyan acted so recklessly, Yan He was very dissatisfied and did not want to attend the court at all. He found an excuse not to attend the court. Anyway, Guangyan's attendance was just a cover, and now he was just taking the opportunity to eliminate dissidents. Who knew that when he was not there, something terrible happened.

"I'm going to go see Master's wife." Lin Shuanghe walked inside.

Although Wei Xuanzhang was old-fashioned and pedantic, and was very strict with women, he never took concubines. Over the years, he and Madam Wei had lived together in harmony. Now that Madam Wei was left alone in the world, one can imagine how devastated she must be.

The young students all knelt in front of the old man's bed. On the bed, Wei Xuanzhang, whose blood had been wiped off, lay quietly. His official robe was crumpled and stained with dirt and blood, but he seemed cleaner than anyone else.

He Yan looked at this and felt extremely sad.

Although this old gentleman was old-fashioned and stern in the past in Xianchang Hall, and the young men always secretly scolded him for being stubborn, it was he who bravely stood up when all the civil officials were trying to protect themselves, and just as he had taught them in the past, "Read the books of sages and do loyal and righteous things," and finished the last lesson.

Lin Shuanghe's voice sank, his eyes and eyebrows were not as cheerful as before, and he only said: "Mr. Wei is so righteous..."

"Gao Yi is useless," Yan He sneered, "Look at that person in the palace, has he made any movement? Believe it or not, in a few days, when the limelight has passed, those Wutuo people will still appear on the streets of Shuojing!"

"I really don't understand," Lin Shuanghe murmured, "Why is the prince so determined? Even someone like me who doesn't know much about court affairs can see that those who are not of my race must have different hearts. Can't he see that?"

"It's not that he can't see it." He Yan said softly, "He just has something to ask for."

Yan He and Lin Shuanghe looked at him together.

Lin Shuanghe frowned and asked, "Sister He, what do you mean?"

Yan He didn't ask any questions, but just looked at her thoughtfully.

He Yan thought for a moment and motioned for Yan He to step aside. Yan He said impatiently, "If you have something to say, please speak up. We are of different statuses. If others see us and spread gossip, what if we get caught?"

He Yan: “…”

He was particularly self-disciplined in this regard, probably because his family rules were very strict.

If it were in the past, He Yan might have joked with him, but today, she really had no intention of joking with Yan He. She just asked in a deep voice, "General Yan, have you ever met the Fourth Prince?"

Yan He was startled, and his gaze towards He Yan gradually changed. After a while, he whispered, "Why are you asking about this?"

"Tomorrow is the day to enter the imperial mausoleum." He Yan looked at him, "According to the emperor's will, the noble concubine will be buried with him. How can the fourth prince stand by and watch? In addition, Mr. Wei got into trouble today... General Yan," she asked, "you should know."

Yan He's expression changed several times. His previous arrogance and impatience disappeared, and he gradually became calm and cold.

He said, "Marquis Wu'an, that's enough. There's no need to ask any more questions."