Chapter 120 Ascension to the Throne (Main Text...)
When Jiang Ru saw Pei Wu open his eyes, she was stunned for a moment. Her eyes were still misty. For some reason, she noticed that Pei Wu's gaze was filled with a hint of ruthlessness, like ice and snow piercing her, making Jiang Ru feel cold all over.
Jiang Ru leaned closer, her voice slightly nasal from crying, and asked Pei Wu in a muffled voice, "What kind of look is that? Why are you being mean to me?"
Despite not seeing each other for several years, Jiang Ru felt no sense of unfamiliarity with Pei Wu. On the contrary, upon seeing Pei Wu, she felt as if they had never been apart.
When husband and wife meet, it should be a time of tenderness, but Pei Wu's eyes were filled with such affection.
She was very close to Pei Wu. In fact, after such a long journey, Jiang Ru didn't look too good. Her hair was disheveled and stuck to her forehead, and there were even dark circles under her eyes.
Perhaps still recovering from the previous dream, Pei Wu lost his composure for a moment. He apologized, "I didn't mean to."
Jiang Ru didn't argue with him. She moved closer to Pei Wu's face and asked, "Do you feel pain? Should I go call a doctor?"
Pei Wu shook his head, tightened his grip on Jiang Ru's hand, and whispered, "Stay with me."
Jiang Ru nodded. Actually, Jiang Ru didn't want to call the doctor so soon. She also wanted to spend more time alone with Pei Wu.
So when Pei Wu suggested it, Jiang Ru immediately agreed. After hesitating for a moment, she asked Pei Wu, "Does it still hurt?"
Pei Wu shook his head: "It doesn't hurt anymore."
They're lying. Such a serious wound must be very painful.
Jiang Ru didn't expose him. She lowered her head and kissed the back of his hand. It had been too long since they had been intimate. She originally wanted to kiss Pei Wu's face, but instead, she kissed the back of his hand.
Pei Wu lowered his eyes, and he could still feel Jiang Ru's soft lips on the back of his hand. His heart melted with her kiss. Pei Wu stared at her face. She had lost weight. Her hair was tied up, but she still looked the same as before. Her eyes were shallow, and her gaze towards Pei Wu was so pure.
Perhaps noticing Pei Wu's gaze, Jiang Ru touched her bare neck and whispered, "When I'm traveling, my hair always pokes my face and swings around, so I just tie it up."
At first, she didn't know how to style her hair, so she just haphazardly tied it into a bun. Although it was unconventional, at least her hair wouldn't poke her face anymore. It wasn't until they arrived at the post station that the cook taught her how to style her hair.
There was so much she wanted to say, but she didn't know where to begin. Jiang Ru whispered, "I still have many letters I wrote to you. You can read them yourself another day. There are too many; it might take you days and nights to read them all."
Jiang Ru wrote one or even two letters a day, saying whatever came to mind, putting all her longing on paper; those were all the words she wanted to say.
Pei Wu smiled and said, "I wrote one for you too."
Jiang Ru looked around and asked, "Where?"
Pei Wu said, "It's in the box."
The tent was mostly filled with military affairs, and Pei Wu had very few personal belongings. Jiang Ru quickly found the box of letters, which contained about the same number of letters she had written. Pei Wu also missed her very much.
Jiang Ru wanted to open it right away, but she stopped. Instead, she turned to look at Pei Wu. Without any hesitation, Jiang Ru turned back to Pei Wu and leaned over his bedside again, whispering, "I don't want to look anymore. There will be other opportunities to look later. I just want to stay with you."
During the days they were apart, Jiang Ru was always busy during the day, except at night. She didn't really have much time to think about Pei Wu. Now that they were truly reunited, Jiang Ru felt it was unreal. She needed to touch Pei Wu to feel the reality.
The two huddled together, Jiang Ru whispering to Pei Wu, as if they could never get enough of talking.
Since that dream, Pei Wu has had more and more memories flooding his mind when he wakes up. He was already injured, and with so many more memories, his head started to ache.
Jiang Ru talked a lot, and Pei Wu responded to every single one of her sentences. But gradually, Jiang Ru noticed that he looked tired, so she stopped talking and asked Pei Wu, "Are you feeling unwell? Shouldn't you take your medicine? I'll go get it for you."
Just as she was about to get up, Pei Wu grabbed her hand. Pei Wu's face was pale, and he stared at Jiang Ru for a moment before suddenly saying, "I remembered something."
Pei Wu didn't want to tell Jiang Ru about his past life; those days were too depressing. But they were husband and wife, and Pei Wu shouldn't keep it from her.
Pei Wu paused for a moment, then said softly, "I remember how I died in my previous life."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ru's eyes widened suddenly, and she even held her breath: "What?"
This is a story that sounds long, but can actually be summarized in just a few sentences.
Pei Wu knew he wouldn't have a good end. Even if he died, it was only a matter of time for him. As long as the lost territory was recovered and the people were no longer displaced, Pei Wu would be satisfied.
But he was wrong. His momentary lapse in judgment not only led to the siege of Youzhou and the deaths of his brothers, but also implicated Xie Jun and Song Pingzhang. Zhang Xingjun died trying to save him, not to mention his own family, including the innocent Jiang Ru.
There were even civilians who were captured by the enemy after Youzhou was captured.
Pei Wu closed his eyes briefly: "I was wrong."
She had thought the truth would be cruel, but she never imagined it would be even more tragic. Jiang Ru remained silent for a long time, unable to speak. She couldn't blame anyone but the emperor.
After getting to know Pei Wu, she even thought it was Pei Wu's fault, since he had always been a good official.
Jiang Ru bit her lip. She wasn't one to fight internally, but she also felt that she had once misunderstood Pei Wu. She whispered, "I used to think you were a bad person and that I did a lot of things to stop you."
Admittedly, anyone in such a situation would immediately assume it was Pei Wu's fault, but Jiang Ru still felt that she had been too hasty in the first place.
Pei Wu shook his head: "No, I told you, everything you did was right."
He held Jiang Ru's hand, his ink-black eyes gazing at her silently: "You've died once too. I don't believe you would still be kind to me after I caused your death. The only reason you didn't kill me back then was because you were kind."
Pei Wu paused for a moment: "Besides, you apologized to me a long time ago. I never thought you did anything wrong, so don't overthink it."
His voice was extremely gentle, as if he were taking Jiang Ru back to that dilapidated little wooden house. Pei Wu, dressed in white, was like an immortal and caught Jiang Ru.
Jiang Ru lowered her head and buried it in Pei Wu's waist. She carefully avoided Pei Wu's wounds and just stayed close to him.
Pei Wu couldn't move, but he continued, "I want to thank you. If it weren't for you, I would still be walking the same old path as in my past life."
Because he thought he had no worries, he wouldn't be like he was in this life, thinking only of himself and choosing a safer path to protect himself, thus avoiding a major disaster.
A gentle, tender voice reached Pei Wu's ears: "You are my lucky star."
Pei Wu's voice became even deeper, carrying the tone of an adult male. Jiang Ru's ears tingled, and she was completely charmed by Pei Wu.
Since they started dating, Pei Wu has always had a string of sweet words. Jiang Ru sometimes doesn't know where he learned them from. Her cheeks felt a little hot, and she forced herself to sit up straight: "So what should we do next? The news of your injury will definitely reach the Emperor. Will he think of taking action against you again?"
After Pei Wu was injured, the guards outside his tent were all his trusted confidants. As long as Pei Wu was still in Yanshan Prefecture, there would be no problem.
Pei Wu pondered for a moment: "Once I recover from my injuries, I'll use these days to discuss the next steps with my teacher. If he can't sit on the throne properly, I'll sit on it for him."
Pei Wu's words could be described as arrogant, but Jiang Ru trusted him completely and would support him no matter what he did.
So Jiang Ru whispered, "We can ask Zhang Xingjun to cooperate with you then. I've been in contact with him."
Zhang Xingjun also has a considerable number of troops under his command. As long as he holds military power, Pei Wu has nothing to fear from the emperor.
Pei Wu's gaze was gentle as he nodded. After all, Zhang Xingjun was someone Pei Wu had raised, so he sincerely praised Zhang Xingjun.
Although Pei Wu was seriously injured, he managed to reclaim the last prefecture of Yanshan, and Northern Yan had already invaded the capital of Qi.
This battle is finally almost over.
The loser is condemned, and Pei Wu couldn't help but feel sorrow. However, when faced with the survival of his country, he also knew that even if he didn't attack Qi, Qi would not easily let Xia go.
Jiang Ru stayed in Pei Wu's tent until nightfall. A personal guard brought Pei Wu his evening meal. Pei Wu was injured and could only drink porridge and eat some light food. Jiang Ru helped Pei Wu eat and then filled her own stomach. Pei Wu looked up at her and said, "The emperor already knows about my injury. Perhaps he will take action early tomorrow morning. I need to discuss countermeasures with my teacher tonight."
Jiang Ru immediately nodded: "I'll go call them for you."
Pei Wu hummed in agreement, then continued, "You can stay here too."
Jiang Ru was determined to listen, so she sent someone to summon Song Pingzhang. Before long, Xie Jun and Song Pingzhang arrived.
They were all on the same side and knew that Pei Wu was injured, but Pei Wu still asked Jiang Ru to help him up and lean against the headboard.
Jiang Ru was afraid of pressing on his wound, so she could only support him from behind, and the two of them stayed together like this. Xie Jun saw this scene and raised an eyebrow, but he didn't say anything teasing. After all, he knew that Jiang Ru and Pei Wu had been separated for two years, so it was normal for them to be a little clingy.
Xie Jun and Song Pingzhang sat in their chairs. Having come this far, they both knew that usurping the throne was inevitable, especially since Pei Wu was now seriously injured and the emperor would certainly take countermeasures.
Pei Wu spoke first: "Since I am injured, the emperor will definitely find a way to take back my military power. Perhaps his men will arrive in Yanshan Prefecture early tomorrow morning."
The person in question could very well be Su Mu, but the emperor might still be suspicious of Su Mu and have looked for someone else.
The three discussed how to control the emperor for a long time. Of course, most of the discussion was between Pei Wu and Song Pingzhang. Xie Jun, being a military general, had never liked studying since childhood, so he could only listen reluctantly and accept his own task.
Pei Wu was about to lead his men back to the capital, so Xie Jun led his men to guard Yanshan first. After explaining the plan, Pei Wu looked at Xie Jun apologetically: "I'm asking Brother Xie to help me stay here again. Once everything is stable, I will definitely find a way to let Brother Xie return to the capital."
Xie Jun came to Yanshan at the age of fifteen, and it has been a full ten years since then. Originally, he could have gone back to visit after this battle.
Xie Jun smiled, a carefree laugh: "When you sit in that position in the future, you must appoint me as a general. I also want to be a good playboy, but I never have the chance."
Normally, Song Pingzhang would have reprimanded him for these words, but this time, Song Pingzhang just smiled and didn't say anything else.
The three discussed until late at night before finally concluding their discussion. Before leaving, Pei Wu called out to Song Pingzhang, having promised him that he would spare the emperor's life. But this time, he simply said, "I'm sorry, teacher."
Although Song Pingzhang was busy in Yanshan, he was in much better spirits than when he was in Bianjing, and he didn't look as old. But after Pei Wu said those words, his back seemed to collapse instantly.
He didn't turn around, but remained in that position for a long time before whispering, "I know."
If Pei Wu doesn't kill the emperor now, he's leaving himself a future threat. No one in his position would be so ruthless as to eliminate all traces of the problem.
Song Pingzhang sighed: "This is the retribution he deserves."
The emperor himself made a mistake, and he should bear the consequences.
After saying this, Song Pingzhang waved his hand and left the tent.
That night, Jiang Ru slept with Pei Wu. Although Pei Wu was injured, they were still very much reunited after a long separation. Moreover, since Pei Wu was injured, Jiang Ru was worried that he might have something to do at night, so she actually wanted to stay with him.
Even though they couldn't hug, being able to stay close to each other made Jiang Ru feel very warm.
The two slept soundly until dawn, when they were awakened by the guards outside the tent.
Because Jiang Ru was inside the tent, the guards outside the tent told Pei Wu that Su Mu had arrived.
Pei Wu was still injured and naturally it was inconvenient for him to receive guests. However, Su Mu's visit was ill-intentioned, and Pei Wu was determined to see him no matter what.
Fortunately, Xie Jun was helping to look after them. Su Mu couldn't come over for the time being, but Jiang Ru still got up and tidied up with Pei Wu. Pei Wu was seriously injured, so she helped him wash up. Pei Wu probably felt sorry for her again and just showed some apology when Jiang Ru said, "Don't say sorry to me. Get well soon and you can take care of me from now on."
Pei Wu nodded solemnly.
After everything was tidied up, Su Mu was allowed in. Pei Wu sat upright on the couch and said calmly, "Prime Minister Su..."
Su Mu smiled and said, "I was very worried when I heard that the Prince of Liang was seriously injured."
The two sides started off relatively peacefully, at least without any confrontation. Even when Su Mu saw Jiang Ru, he did not show any surprise, but simply glanced at her.
Several guards stood protecting Pei Wu inside the room, but Su Mu paid them no mind. He got straight to the point and said, "I have come here with an imperial edict."
Without wasting words, he reached to the side, and his subordinate handed him the imperial edict, which Su Mu then read aloud.
The imperial edict essentially stated that Pei Wu was seriously injured, and the emperor, grateful for his great contributions, granted him permission to return to Bianjing to recuperate. Su Mu would now take over the administration of Yanshan Prefecture.
This means that Su Mu should directly seize power from Pei Wu. The emperor's idea is wishful thinking. If Pei Wu actually listens to this, returning to Bianjing will surely mean his death.
Jiang Ru pursed her lips, while Pei Wu remained unfazed. After reading the imperial edict, Su Mu continued, "May the Prince of Liang dismiss his subordinates? I have important matters to discuss with the Prince of Liang."
As soon as he said this, the guards around him immediately became alert, fearing that Su Mu was about to harm Pei Wu.
Pei Wu simply said calmly, "Prime Minister Su, you may speak frankly. Everyone around me is trustworthy."
Su Mu stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "If I were to succeed the Prince of Liang, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to return to Bianjing alive."
Pei Wu remained noncommittal, so Su Mu continued, "I can help you usurp the throne."
Everyone in the room was shocked when he said this. Even Jiang Ru couldn't help but frown. She didn't believe Su Mu, that treacherous and cunning man, would say he was going to help Pei Wu.
Pei Wu also raised his eyes, but his gaze remained unchanged.
Su Mu knew that Pei Wu did not believe him, so he continued, "I know what you want, and I also know that the Emperor cannot defeat you. I will help you from the inside and outside, and you will spare the Emperor's life."
These words surprised Jiang Ru for a moment. She hadn't expected that Su Mu would go to such lengths for the emperor's life.
Su Mu smiled helplessly: "As you know, although the Emperor has done many wrong things, there are reasons for it. If you spare his life, I will take him away and he will never appear again."
If the emperor really made many mistakes, Su Mu's identity was similar to Pei Wu's. In his previous life, Su Mu also did not have a good ending. He was rejected by the emperor early on, and it is unknown whether he is dead or alive.
Pei Wu looked at Su Mu quietly: "You can't guarantee it, and besides, you can't even protect yourself."
Su Mu's expression stiffened slightly. His expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. Su Mu said, "After Emperor Wen died, I still have the power to mobilize troops in several regions. If I were to fight you, you would not gain any advantage."
Pei Wu was not threatened by him. Instead, he pointed out the crux of the matter: "You said it yourself, you have military power."
With military power, it's not impossible for him to make a comeback with the emperor in the future.
Su Mu's expression turned completely ugly. He said angrily, "Why are you being so aggressive? The Emperor is young. Even if he has made some mistakes, they are not unforgivable."
Pei Wu: "What you mean by 'forgivable' is either that he devised a plan to supply military provisions, disregarding the lives of soldiers on the border, or that he encountered a drought but ignored the disaster victims."
Su Mu rubbed his temples: "He's still young and doesn't understand things."
Su Mu himself knew that his words were full of loopholes, but he still said it.
Pei Wu, unusually puzzled, asked, "He treated you like that, why did you insist on sparing his life?"
Su Mu was silent for a moment: "The late emperor's decree."
Pei Wu understood.
It is likely that Emperor Wen's last words to Su Mu were twofold: to help the emperor secure his throne and to save the emperor's life.
But Pei Wu firmly shook his head: "I cannot agree to that."
Su Mu stared intently at Pei Wu, as if he wanted to devour him. As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Wu's personal guards moved. They approached Su Mu, ready to attack him. Su Mu gritted his teeth and said, "Pei Zhimiao, I am an official of the imperial court. You cannot kill me."
Su Mu brought some troops with him this time, but if a real battle breaks out, his men will have no chance to resist.
Pei Wu simply said, "Prime Minister Su need not worry. I will only detain you for a few days. Once the matter is settled, I will have someone release you."
Su Mu tried to run away, but was stopped and brought back. He originally thought that Pei Wu would be moved by him, but he did not expect that Pei Wu would not be swayed by either soft or hard tactics.
Just as he was about to speak, Pei Wu seemed to know what he was about to say and continued, "By the way, the troops under Prime Minister Su have also been brought under control. Don't put up a stubborn resistance."
Su Mu's eyes were bloodshot with rage. He began to resist, but as a civil official, he was no match for these personal guards and was quickly taken away.
After everyone had left, Jiang Ru moved to Pei Wu's side: "Didn't you just order people to keep an eye on Su Mu's forces yesterday?"
With Su Mu absent, Pei Wu was able to tell Jiang Ru the truth. He explained, "I lied to him."
He only regained his memory yesterday, and only last night did he order troops to be sent to keep watch. What happened just now was nothing but a trick.
Jiang Ru was stunned and could only give Pei Wu a thumbs up.
Su Mu was soon imprisoned. After all, he was an official of the imperial court, so Pei Wu did not treat him badly. He was well taken care of in terms of food and lodging, but he was tied up every day and could not escape.
During this time, Pei Wu was recuperating at the camp, which gave the two of them a chance to catch up and have a heart-to-heart talk.
After their long separation, the two were inseparable, always clinging to each other. Sometimes, while Jiang Ru was talking, Pei Wu couldn't help but kiss her, and they would inexplicably find themselves kissing. Several times, their relationship almost crossed the line, and if Pei Wu hadn't been injured, they would have nearly gone all the way.
The amulet that Jiang Ru gave to Pei Wu was cut in two with a knife. Pei Wu felt that the amulet had protected his life and couldn't bear to throw it away, so Jiang Ru sewed it back together and gave it back to Pei Wu.
After another ten days or so of recuperation, Pei Wu's message received a reply: Zhang Xingjun and Pei Wu would cooperate and enter Bianjing together.
The emperor also made many moves. He plotted to assassinate Pei Wu when he returned to the capital and secretly gathered some officials to cooperate. However, without Su Mu around, his behind-the-scenes actions had long been seen through.
The emperor's actions were utterly foolish, but Pei Wu didn't take them to heart, simply ordering his men to keep an eye on things.
A few days later, the capital of Qi fell, the ruler of Qi was captured, and the country was completely occupied by Northern Yan. In time, all of this will become the territory of Northern Yan.
The Great Xia also played a significant role in this. Logically, after destroying a country, the Great Xia and the Northern Yan might have gone to war. However, with Pei Wu in charge of the Great Xia, and having demonstrated its strength to the Northern Yan in the past two years, the Northern Yan dared not attack Pei Wu for the time being.
Northern Yan secretly sent a message to Pei Wu, saying that they could help him fight for the throne, but Pei Wu politely declined.
Northern Yan then sent another contract, similar to the previous one, which stipulated that neither side would fight or invade the other. This time, a time limit was set: within a hundred years.
Pei Wu signed the document in the name of the Great Xia Emperor, and incidentally added a clause that the two countries could trade with each other, but the specific implementation would depend on how it was implemented later.
With everything settled, Pei Wu led his army back to the capital, Xie Jun stayed in Yanshan Prefecture to guard the capital, and Song Pingzhang returned to the capital with Pei Wu to see the emperor one last time.
The army headed towards Bianjing and joined up with Zhang Xingjun's Taiping army halfway there. Zhang Xingjun's troops were well-managed and disciplined, almost like a regular army.
Several years later, Zhang Xingjun had grown to be about the same height as Pei Wu, and even a bit stronger. He used to have a serious expression, but when he saw Pei Wu, he would show a simple and honest smile.
He smiled, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. He stood beside Pei Wu, his eyes still filled with the same adoration as always, and obediently called out, "Brother Pei."
Pei Wu raised his hand and patted his shoulder: "I know you'll always make something of yourself."
When Zhang Xingjun first said he wanted to join the army, he was a novice, full of ambition but also apprehensive. That's what Pei Wu said back then.
Hearing those words again, Zhang Xingjun wiped his eyes, perhaps wanting to cry, but with his subordinates behind him, he held back.
Then he turned his gaze to Jiang Ru and called her by her full name, "Jiang Ru."
Jiang Ru crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow: "You didn't even tell your Pei brother that you wanted to marry your Jingjing."
He always said this in his previous letters to Jiang Ru: all he ever does is be quiet, quiet, quiet. Jiang Ru is so annoyed with him.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xingjun's face flushed red, and he stole a glance at Pei Wu: "When did I say that? Don't make false accusations."
Jiang Ru: "..."
So he doesn't dare to harass his brother Pei, but he dares to harass Jiang Ru.
Seeing that the two were about to start arguing, Pei Wu said gently, "Don't fight."
Both of them snorted and fell silent.
After a few words, the atmosphere eased a bit. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the army continued its advance.
At first, although the Taiping army always listened to Zhang Xingjun, they had some complaints about Pei Wu, who came directly to intercept them. However, after a few days, they were all convinced by Pei Wu. In addition, Zhang Xingjun kept praising Pei Wu and brainwashing them. Soon, the Taiping army all submitted to Pei Wu and were willing to recognize him as their leader.
After marching for several days, the army finally arrived in Bianjing.
Because it was a triumphant return to the capital, they traveled without hindrance, and the people lined the streets to welcome them.
After entering the city, a guard came to report that Su Mu was about to flee.
Pei Wu didn't care: "Just go along with him and let him go."
The guards agreed and didn't interfere anymore, turning a blind eye to Su Mu's escape.
Su Mu can't cause any trouble now, and besides, Pei Wu wants to see what the emperor he's desperately protecting will do to him.
This was the first time Su Mu had run so fast, completely disregarding his image. When he was about to enter the palace, the eunuchs guarding the Xuande Gate were surprised, but they did not stop him. Su Mu easily ran to the main hall.
It was afternoon, and the emperor was in the Hall of Diligent Governance. He had already been informed and was not surprised that Su Mu would return. However, when he saw Su Mu, he couldn't hide his surprise.
Because Su Mu looked really disheveled.
His crown had fallen off, his hair was disheveled, and his usually beautiful face looked tired. He was locked inside the carriage, his clothes were wrinkled, and he was breathing rapidly. He didn't care about etiquette and went straight up to grab the emperor's hand.
He spoke rapidly: "Your Majesty, come with me. The Prince of Liang wants you dead. We must escape. Only by escaping can we save our lives."
The emperor tried to pull his hand away, but Su Mu was too strong, and he couldn't break free at all.
The emperor's face darkened slightly: "Let go! Who gave you permission to be so rude?"
Su Mu almost couldn't catch his breath. He gasped, "It's too late, Your Majesty. You have to come with me now. He really wants your life."
His anxiety seemed genuine. The emperor's expression softened slightly, and he reassured him, "Don't worry, I'm prepared. I will pretend to write an abdication edict. When he ascends the throne, he will inevitably go to the ancestral temple. I have already laid an ambush, and we will catch him like a turtle in a jar."
The emperor was smug, but Su Mu almost fainted.
Yes, before this, the emperor's idea was indeed feasible, and even Su Mu thought so. They all knew Pei Wu too well. If he was forced to usurp the throne, then it was almost impossible for him to kill people.
They had investigated Pei Wu's teacher; he was an old stubborn man who would never teach Pei Wu such a treasonous thing. As for Song Pingzhang, even if he himself died, he would never kill the emperor.
But they were all wrong; Pei Wu was truly after the emperor's life this time.
If Su Mu hadn't experienced it firsthand, he might have agreed with the emperor's actions, but this time it was different.
Su Mu gritted his teeth: "No, the reason I'm able to stand up and come back is because I cut the rope and escaped. King Liang locked me up because he was afraid I would tip him off. This time, he really wants to kill you."
The emperor was momentarily flustered by his words, but he quickly regained his composure: "You are too worried. I know. My teacher has come with me this time, and he will surely save my life."
He knew Song Pingzhang too well; Song Pingzhang would definitely protect him.
Unable to reason with the emperor, Su Mu simply pulled him away, intending to take him with him. However, at that moment, the imperial guards in the hall stepped forward and blocked Su Mu's way.
At the same time, a eunuch stumbled in from outside the palace to report that Pei Wu had surrounded the palace with his men and was about to break in.
Su Mu's face turned ashen. He grabbed the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, believe me. Even if you don't believe me, you should believe the late emperor."
"The late emperor's dying wish was that I must protect the Emperor's life no matter what; he would not harm you."
Unexpectedly, these words caused the emperor to dismiss Su Mu with disgust. He sneered, "If he truly cared for me, he should have killed that woman instead of letting her lord it over me."
He was referring to the Empress Dowager, but the Emperor should know that everything Emperor Wen had planned for him was the best solution. The Emperor was young, and although the Empress Dowager's faction held power, they would protect him and prevent him from being devoured by the covetous ministers and rebels.
Admittedly, the Chen family did nothing wrong, but at least they helped the emperor secure his throne for a few years. Emperor Wen was exhausted and painstaking, yet this is what he thought of Emperor Wen.
What does it matter if the Empress Dowager's family holds power? Only by surviving can we think about anything else.
Didn't they conspire to poison the Empress Dowager and bring down the Chen family? If the emperor hadn't acted so stubbornly later, how could things have come to this?
However, the emperor was determined, and his imperial guards blocked Su Mu's way, so Su Mu could not take the emperor away.
There was no time to lose; Pei Wu had already led his men and smashed open the doors of the main hall.
As soon as the door was burst open, the emperor heard an arrogant voice: "Hahaha, you dog emperor, your life is coming to an end."
It wasn't Pei Wu's voice. The emperor followed the gaze and saw a dark-skinned man behind Pei Wu. After saying this, he realized the situation was inappropriate and stepped back.
The emperor glanced around and saw not only Pei Wu, but also the dead Jiang Ru and the dead Song Pingzhang. He didn't recognize the others behind him.
But as long as the emperor saw Song Pingzhang, he felt at ease.
Su Mu dejectedly released his grip. He had no other choice but to hope that Pei Wu still had some conscience and wouldn't kill the emperor.
The emperor feigned anger: "Prince Liang, you have once again led men into the palace. Are you trying to purge the court of corrupt officials again?"
Pei Wu shook his head and said, "This time, I've come to ask Your Majesty to abdicate."
The emperor was even more furious: "Traitorous ministers!"
He tried to resist, but not only the Imperial Guards, but he himself was also pinned to the ground.
A decree was placed before him. He reflected on his failure to fulfill his destiny, praised Pei Wu, and finally said that he was truly ashamed before his ancestors and that there was a precedent for abdication, so he was willing to abdicate the throne to the King of Liang.
Since it was all an act, the emperor actually did put on a show for a while, and was eventually forced to sign the abdication edict.
Su Mu, sitting on the ground to the side, was utterly despondent.
The emperor, with tears on his face, looked at Pei Wu with humiliation and hatred in his eyes.
Whether it was genuine humiliation or feigned humiliation, the humiliation was evident on his face.
Pei Wu looked at him for a moment, then said calmly, "Kill him."
Upon hearing this, the emperor showed a moment of panic, but he thought it was still salvageable. The emperor said in a flustered tone, "You can't kill me. I have already written the abdication edict. You can't kill me."
Pei Wu remained unmoved: "Kill."
His personal guards were about to step forward, but at the last moment, Pei Wu changed his mind and took the sword himself.
The responsibility for regicide should not be borne by others; he himself should bear it.
As Pei Wu's sword drew ever closer to the emperor, the emperor finally panicked. He looked at Song Pingzhang standing behind him and cried out incoherently, "Teacher, teacher, please save me! I don't want to die! I was wrong! I shouldn't have treated you like this! I was really wrong! I don't want to die!"
A moment of emotion flickered across Song Pingzhang's face. Seeing that things were looking up, the emperor quickly pressed on, "Teacher, I was really wrong. Please save me. I'll run far away and never show up again."
The emperor is now truly terrified. He is beginning to regret not listening to Su Mu, otherwise he wouldn't have ended up like this.
Tears streamed down his face as he cried and tried to rush toward Song Pingzhang, only to see a sword blocking his way.
His body stiffened, and he looked at Song Pingzhang with tears in his eyes, crying out in anguish, "Teacher!"
It's like playing the emotional card: "I didn't want the teacher to die, so I deliberately let them rescue you. I really didn't want you to die."
After he finished speaking, Song Pingzhang was indeed drawn in by his words and took a step forward.
But that was all. Song Pingzhang soon dared not look again, turned around and left, and did not turn back no matter how the emperor called out to him.
At this moment, the emperor's will to survive was ignited. He crawled backward until he reached Su Mu's side, clutching at his last straw: "Save me, save me!"
Su Mu finally snapped out of his daze and stood in front of the emperor. Facing Pei Wu, he forced himself to remain calm: "I promise I will not let him appear again. If you are not at ease, you can send people to guard him and imprison him yourself."
Pei Wu, looking down at him, remained completely unmoved: "Get out of the way."
Su Mu frowned. Seeing that Pei Wu was truly intent on killing him, Su Mu had no other choice. He took out an iron token from his pocket, which Emperor Wen had left him. Although Pei Wu had usurped the throne, this iron token should still be useful. Su Mu pointed at the iron token and said, "After Emperor Wen passed away, he left me this protective talisman. If you want to kill him, you might as well kill me first."
Su Mu didn't want to die either. At this time, he brought up Emperor Wen only because he thought that if Pei Wu wanted legitimacy, he would not be able to deny this "get-out-of-jail-free card." Pei Wu could not kill him. This was equivalent to him taking a shortcut and gambling his own life with Pei Wu.
However, Pei Wu had no intention of killing him. He didn't even look at the iron certificate and simply said, "I won't kill you, but I must take his life."
After saying that, he directly raised his foot and kicked the emperor away, Pei Wu did not want to hurt the innocent.
He didn't want to delay any longer, and finally raised his sword to strike the emperor.
The guards behind noticed Jiang Ru, who wanted to look but dared not, and blocked her with their bodies. After all, they would not be able to explain themselves if they frightened Jiang Ru.
Just as she was stopped, Jiang Ru peeked out again.
She was afraid, but Jiang Ru didn't want to run away. If Pei Wu wasn't afraid, then she wasn't afraid either.
The guards stopped stopping them.
Pei Wu had killed many people in battle, and his hand never trembled. But just as his sword was about to strike the emperor, the emperor actually pulled Su Mu, who was standing to the side, to shield him.
Unexpectedly, everyone was stunned and frightened, and Jiang Ru covered her mouth in shock.
Su Mu hadn't expected this, but Pei Wu had anticipated it. His sword stopped in mid-air; if it had gone in just one more inch, the blade would have struck Su Mu's arm, crippling it.
Su Mu looked up in shock. At that moment, he stared blankly at the emperor, muttering, "Your Majesty, you..."
He couldn't continue; he was so shocked by the scene that his eyes widened and his hands began to tremble.
If the emperor hadn't pulled him away first, he would have shielded the emperor, even if it meant certain death.
But he didn't expect that the emperor would use him as a scapegoat so that he could survive.
Su Mu broke free from the emperor. He had never been so devastated, as if everything in his heart had collapsed. He thought that the emperor would at least not be so cruel to him, but he was wrong.
Su Mu sat on the ground, took a few steps back, shook his head, and moved further and further away from the emperor: "You..."
He couldn't say anything more.
Having already assumed the role of emperor, in a moment of desperation, he was willing to drag anyone down with him; he only cared about himself.
It's a pity that Song Pingzhang is away, otherwise he would probably hate himself for teaching such a student.
Su Mu slumped to the ground, closed his eyes, and said, "I won't care about you anymore."
The emperor said bitterly, "You can't save me at all, what are you saying insincerely..."
These words were too vicious, so Su Mu simply ignored them.
This time, the emperor had no one to protect him anymore. He searched anxiously and saw Jiang Ru. Jiang Ru had always been kind and good to him. She was now Pei Wu's wife, and Pei Wu would definitely listen to her.
Just as he was about to ask Jiang Ru for help, Jiang Ru shouted at Pei Wu indignantly, "You still dare to look at me? Do you want to die faster?"
The emperor immediately looked away.
He looked at Pei Wu and weakly called out, "Senior Brother."
But this time, Pei Wu's tone was cold: "No, I've said it before, I'm not your senior brother."
He looked down at the emperor, not killing him yet, because he still had something to say. Pei Wu said, "The people you planted in the ancestral temple have been captured. Your men are too cowardly to do such a thing and have already betrayed you."
The emperor's expression turned ugly.
Knowing that he was close to death after saying those words, he struggled to run away, but Pei Wu raised his sword, pierced his leg, and pinned him to the ground.
A sharp pain struck, blood stained the sword, and the emperor screamed. He had never suffered such agony before.
Pei Wu drew his sword, and the emperor was in so much pain that he was covered in sweat and his face turned pale instantly. Pei Wu's voice was not loud, but he could just hear it. Amid the excruciating pain, Pei Wu said lightly, "You should have died long ago when you cut off the support, trapped Youzhou for four years, disregarded the lives of your soldiers, and harmed innocent people."
This inexplicable remark startled the emperor. He was about to say that he had never done such a thing when some memories that did not belong to him suddenly appeared in his mind.
He once abandoned Youzhou in order to kill Pei Wu, which led to the fall of the Great Xia. These memories are like something another version of himself did in another time and space.
He was not a good king; he was a very treacherous person.
He didn't have time to beg for mercy or repent before Pei Wu pierced his heart with his sword.
Everyone blinked involuntarily. Pei Wu's palms were ice-cold. Just then, soft footsteps came from behind. Jiang Ru ran forward, took Pei Wu's hand, and patted his back comfortingly: "It's okay, don't blame yourself. You are taking him away on behalf of God. He deserved it."
They didn't even look at the people on the ground. Pei Wu, as if exhausted, hugged Pei Wu tightly.
Zhang Xingjun directed his personal guards to clean up the mess. He hadn't uttered that villainous remark since, and now he was giving orders with his eyes straight ahead, looking quite professional.
However, he was unsure how to handle the situation and was about to ask Song Pingzhang when Jiang Ru released Pei Wu and said softly, "It's time to get down to business."
Pei Wu finally snapped out of his daze. Everyone was waiting for him to give the order. Pei Wu looked at Su Mu, who was in a daze, and said, "Let him go."
Su Mu stared blankly at Pei Wu for a moment, then mechanically got up from the ground. Seeing that Pei Wu's men really didn't stop him, he quickly ran away.
After that, he blended into the crowd and left Bianjing, never to be seen again.
The emperor's body was thrown into a mass grave and no one cared.
In the eighth year of the Yuantai era, Emperor Yuantai, Li Ji, abdicated in favor of Prince Liang, Pei Zhimiao.
After the new emperor ascended the throne, he changed the country's name to Zhou and the era name to Taiqing.
Under the rule of Emperor Taiqing, the Great Zhou Dynasty was completely renewed, with peace and tranquility prevailing throughout the land.
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Author's note: Ahhh, the main story is finally finished. I was working too hard on the previous serialization, and I couldn't help but slack off as soon as I said I was going to end it. Thank you all for your understanding. I'm so glad it's finished.
Actually, there are many more side stories, such as the daily life after the coronation and the sweet romance of the young couple, as well as the "what if" scenario where Xiao Pei travels to the modern era, etc. There's so much to write, so don't run away! There are still side stories to read, and I think they're very interesting!
If anyone has any requests for side stories, feel free to leave them in the comments section. I'll read them all.
Thank you so much to all the readers who have followed me this far. Without your support, it would have been difficult for me to keep going. Thank you everyone!
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