Chapter 138: Mass Grave (Scenario 8)
The moonlight poured like water onto the glazed tiles of the imperial palace, coating the entire imperial city with a layer of cold silver light.
Su Yanzhi was standing in front of the window of the imperial study.
His gaze passed through the window lattice and fell on the dark shadow that was moving further and further away on the distant palace wall.
"It's fifteen again..."
The young emperor muttered to himself, looking thoughtful.
Ever since the last celebration banquet, Su Yanzhi noticed a strange phenomenon - every fifteenth night of the full moon, Regent Xiao Ziche would mysteriously disappear.
At first, Su Yanzhi didn't care about this matter. After all, as the regent with great power, it was normal for Xiao Ziche to be busy with affairs.
But it was too much of a coincidence that he disappeared at the same time for three consecutive months.
"Your Majesty, it's late, it's time to rest."
The eunuch chief Li Zhongxian bowed and reminded him.
Su Yanzhi raised his eyes and said, "Prepare the horses. I want to leave the palace."
"Your Majesty, the palace gates are now closed..."
"I say, prepare the horses."
Su Yanzhi's voice was soft, but unquestionable.
Half a quarter of an hour later, a black horse quietly rode out from the side door of the palace.
Su Yanzhi was wearing plain casual clothes with a short sword on his waist. He followed the familiar figure in front of him from a distance.
Xiao Ziche was an excellent rider. His horse was like a black shadow in the night, quickly crossing the main street of the capital and galloping towards the suburbs.
The night wind howled, blowing up the strands of hair on Su Yanzhi's forehead.
He narrowed his eyes, his mind filled with doubts.
Apart from a few abandoned villages on the outskirts of the city, there are only... mass graves.
Thinking of this, Su Yanzhi couldn't help but tighten the reins.
What was Xiao Ziche doing at the mass grave?
After passing through a sparse forest, Xiao Ziche's horse stopped under a dead tree, and the man was nowhere to be seen.
Su Yan got off his horse and tiptoed forward.
The air was filled with the smell of decay and dampness, and the occasional chirping of nightingales was creepy.
The graves on the mass grave were scattered in disorder, some even had no tombstones, only slightly raised mounds of earth, casting strange shadows in the moonlight.
Su Yanzhi held his breath and moved forward following the faint light of the fire.
Finally, in a remote corner, he saw Xiao Ziche's back.
The Regent was seen wearing a dark brocade robe, kneeling on one knee in front of a low tombstone, throwing a stack of yellow paper into the brazier in front of him.
In the light of the fire, his usually stern profile showed a rare softness, even... sadness.
Su Yanzhi had never seen Xiao Ziche like this.
In the court, the Regent was always the powerful official who was decisive and ruthless; in the process of supporting himself to ascend the throne, he showed a terrifying skill and eliminated the enemy forces one by one.
But at this moment, this man who was feared by all the civil and military officials in the court was paying tribute to the dead like an ordinary person.
Su Yanzhi approached cautiously, wanting to see the words on the stele clearly.
When he finally made out the marks by the light of the fire, his heart sank suddenly—
That is not the writing of this dynasty, but the seal script of the previous dynasty!
A cold wind blew, and the paper ashes in the brazier swirled up, and a few pieces stuck to Xiao Ziche's robe.
He reached out and gently brushed it away, his movements incredibly gentle.
"Ten years."
Xiao Ziche's voice was low and hoarse, completely different from the cold tone he usually used in the court. "I have already completed the task you entrusted to me. The youngest son of the Su family has ascended the throne, and the court is now gradually stabilizing..."
Su Yanzhi was struck by lightning and accidentally stepped on a dead branch, which broke with a crisp "crack" sound in the silent night.
Xiao Ziche turned around suddenly, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "Who?"
The moment their eyes met, Su Yanzhi saw a flash of panic in Xiao Ziche's eyes, which were always unfathomable, and then they returned to calm.
"His Majesty?"
Xiao Ziche stood up, dusted off his robe, and then looked at the person in front of him with a scrutinizing look: "Why are you here?"
Su Yanzhi feigned composure. He slowly stepped out of the shadows and asked, "I'd like to ask the Regent, what is your intention in coming here so late at night to pay tribute to the remnants of the previous dynasty?"
Su Yanzhi had seen writings from the previous dynasty in the Regent's study before. He presented the letter to the late emperor as evidence, but he never thought that it was part of the Regent's plan.
now……
He saw these familiar words again.
When Xiao Ziche heard the words "remnants of the previous dynasty", his eyes instantly turned cold.
"Remnants?"
Xiao Ziche chuckled softly, his voice filled with sarcasm that Su Yanzhi had never heard before. "Your Majesty, you should know that if it weren't for this 'remnant', you probably wouldn't even be qualified to stand here today."
"What do you mean?"
Su Yanzhi's expression was slightly stern, and he subconsciously tightened the hilt of the sword at his waist.
Xiao Ziche's words contained a lot of information...
Could he be related to the remnants of the previous dynasty that Xiao Ziche worshipped?
Xiao Ziche did not immediately respond to Su Yanzhi's conversation. Instead, he turned around and bowed deeply to the tombstone. Then he set his eyes on the young emperor and said, "Since you have seen it, why don't you return to my mansion to discuss it in detail?"
Only then did Su Yanzhi notice his surroundings—something seemed to be wriggling among the crooked tombstones, and the low barking of wild dogs could be heard in the distance.
Only then did a sense of fear arise in his heart.
Su Yanzhi nodded, and the two of them left the mass grave one after another.
On the way to the Regent's residence, Su Yanzhi kept replaying the scene just now in his mind.
Who was this "remnant of the previous dynasty"? Why did Xiao Ziche hold a secret memorial service? And what did Xiao Ziche refer to as the "entrusted task"?
Countless questions swirled in his mind, making it hard for him to breathe.
Su Yanzhi originally thought that Xiao Ziche chose him among the many princes because he had no power behind him and was an excellent candidate to be a puppet, but now it seems that... there is another hidden story?
Did Xiao Ziche have ulterior motives in supporting him to ascend the throne?
…
The two did not return to the palace, but went to Xiao Ziche's mansion.
After many days, Su Yanzhi returned to the Regent's Palace again, and suddenly he felt as if he was in another world.
He remembered that when he first came here, he was still the third prince who was not favored by everyone, but now he has suddenly become the emperor.
Xiao Ziche poured Su Yanzhi a cup of tea.
Su Yanzhi lowered his eyes and looked at Xiao Ziche in front of him.
His face still had that nonchalant look, but there was a hint of emotion in his eyes that Su Yanzhi couldn't read.
"explain."
Su Yanzhi ordered.
Xiao Ziche was silent for a moment before he slowly spoke: "I am guilty of concealing my identity for many years, but I have no second thoughts about Your Majesty."
"What's your identity?"
Su Yanzhi looked at Xiao Ziche warily.
From the first time they met, he felt that Xiao Ziche was an elusive person. Now he has been with Xiao Ziche day and night for half a year, but he still can't figure out Xiao Ziche's heart.
"Your Majesty, now is not the time to tell you..."
Xiao Ziche pursed his lips slightly, with a complex light flashing in his eyes.
Su Yanzhi didn't like the feeling of things being out of his control. Just as he was about to ask something, he saw the door being opened from the outside.
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