Chapter 32: Praying for Rain
Everyone looked towards Xiao Yu.
However, Xiao Yu's expression remained unchanged, as if he didn't hear those outrageous shouts from below. His indifferent eyes swept across the altar nonchalantly.
Wang Zheng and others were secretly shocked. Someone was shouting "Long live Empress Liu" in public, but the emperor was not angry at all. He really loved her!
In the crowd, several people dressed as refugees gathered together.
"Sir, the emperor doesn't seem angry. Will this really work?"
The leader's face was sullen. "No emperor would tolerate a minister climbing over his head, not to mention that Xiao Yu is a narrow-minded tyrant. He hasn't shown it now, but he must be holding it in his heart. Sooner or later, he will settle the score."
“Then should we continue to incite the people?”
"Of course, the more we praise Liu Zhiyuan, the angrier the people will be when she fails to pray for rain. We can then take advantage of this opportunity to ignite their anger, create chaos, and kill Xiao Yu and Liu Zhiyuan."
This is indeed a good method.
There are many refugees here, all of whom are starving and desperate. The emotional gap from hope to disappointment, human anger is terrible. By then, they will definitely want to tear Liu Zhiyuan apart alive.
If they take advantage of the situation, the success rate of the assassination will be much higher.
but……
"What if Liu Zhiyuan succeeds in praying for rain?" someone worried.
"Impossible." The leader's face was filled with disdain. "Since ancient times, countless emperors have tried every possible way to pray for rain, but none have ever succeeded. Liu Zhiyuan is just a woman, how could she possibly summon rain from heaven? Do you really think you're a goddess sent down to earth?"
"Your Excellency is wise."
"Soon, you'll all shout that Liu Zhiyuan is a goddess descended to earth, saying she was sent by heaven to save the people. When her prayers for rain fail, you'll say the goddess has lost her virtue, brought disaster to the people, and is forsaken by the gods. This once-in-a-century drought in Yuzhou is the wrath of the gods, and only killing Liu Zhiyuan can appease the gods' wrath."
high!
Only someone living deep in the harem could come up with such a vicious and cruel method. This move directly nailed Liu Zhiyuan to the pillar of shame for angering the gods, and directly linked her to the drought in Yuzhou. Even if the assassination failed, as a goddess who had lost her virtue, the people would not let her go.
At the same time, the Liu family can also be taken into account.
The reason why Liu Zhiyuan, as a goddess, was rejected by the gods was naturally because the Liu family had a bad family tradition, was corrupt and abused their power to oppress the people.
By then, people will be outraged, and no matter how much the emperor wants to protect Liu Zhiyuan and the Liu family, he probably won't be able to do so.
The Imperial Concubine’s move is too cruel!
A few people quietly gathered together and then quietly separated, and more voices were heard in the crowd.
"Empress Liu is a goddess who has come to save Yuzhou from disaster. Long live the goddess!"
"Save the Goddess, send rain!"
"A goddess has descended to the world. May God bless Dayong and Yuzhou!"
The more outrageous the stories became, the more excited the people became. Everyone placed their hopes on Liu Zhiyuan, waiting for her to cast the spell with great piety.
Some people even knelt down and shouted "Long live the goddess!"
When other people saw someone kneeling, they also knelt down and worshipped.
The emperor was right next to Liu Zhiyuan, but no one shouted "Long live the emperor". Everyone only had eyes for Liu Zhiyuan, the "goddess".
Liu Zhiyuan's scalp tingled.
In ancient times, if someone called you "Long Live the Emperor", your entire clan would be executed.
Her face turned pale, and she looked at Xiao Yu tremblingly, "Your Majesty, I..."
Xiao Yu's expression remained unchanged. "Don't worry about it. Go cast a spell to make it rain."
Liu Zhiyuan was very surprised. He wasn't angry at all?
With such a broad mind, Xiao Yu doesn't look like a tyrant at all. Could the novel be deceiving her?
Liu Zhiyuan nodded and walked up to the altar.
The girl was dressed in white, with her hair tied up in a plain hairpin. She was clean and elegant, as beautiful as a lotus emerging from the water. As she moved with her lotus steps, the noise below became quieter and quieter, and everyone was stunned.
It turns out that the phrase "beautiful as a fairy" really exists.
Amidst the crowd's obsessed and worshipful gazes, Liu Zhiyuan walked to the highest point of the altar, turned around, and looked around with disdain.
"Blood sacrifice!"
The sound was clear and pleasant, reaching everyone's ears clearly.
Everyone only felt the breeze blowing on their faces, like sweet rain flowing through their hearts, cleansing their souls, and the irritability caused by the dryness and heat was inexplicably soothed.
Sounds good.
How can there be such an ethereal and sacred voice in the world?
More than a dozen officials were escorted by guards to the front of the altar and knelt facing the people. The leader was the prefect of Yuzhou.
All the people were stunned to see the corrupt official who usually bullied them kneeling there crying like a pitiful creature.
After realizing that this was a sacrifice to heaven to kill the corrupt officials, everyone clapped excitedly and shouted "Long live the goddess and long live the emperor".
The executioners raised their swords and heads rolled to the ground. Seeing such a bloody scene, the people were not afraid but applauded.
No matter how bloody it is, can it be as bloody as the corpses of people who starved to death all over the ground?
No matter how cruel it is, can it be more cruel than being forced to eat human flesh to survive?
Compared with what they have experienced during this period, it was very satisfying for these corrupt officials to be beheaded directly.
More than a dozen corpses fell to the ground, blood flowed like a river, but Liu Zhiyuan on the altar was still dressed in white, like an immortal, without a speck of dust.
After the blood sacrifice was over, the guards who had been arranged in advance brought up several large cowhide drums and placed them in designated locations around the altar.
Immediately afterwards, more guards brought up more than a dozen huge round objects, which were covered with red cloth, so their original appearance could not be seen.
There is a round object next to each cowhide drum.
Finally, the rain-inducing device that Liu Zhiyuan had people make was also brought up and placed in front of the cowhide drum. Liu Zhiyuan walked down from the altar and personally watched the guards adjust the angle.
Liu Dehai was confused and couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Your Majesty, is the Queen setting up a formation to pray for rain?"
This is quite different from the previous way of offering sacrifices to heaven.
Xiao Yu's indifferent gaze swept across Liu Zhiyuan's stunningly beautiful face without saying a word.
In fact, he didn't understand what Liu Zhiyuan was doing. Leather drums were very common and were used in sacrifices to heaven and earth in the past, but the rain-making device was unheard of.
And the gunpowder that Liu Zhiyuan spent a day and a night to make was unprecedented.
Everything was ready, and Liu Zhiyuan returned to the altar.
With a wave of his hand, the guard lit the medicine, and bang bang bang, explosions sounded one after another.
Wang Zheng was shocked and drew his sword to protect Xiao Yu. He stared at Liu Zhiyuan warily, "Protect the emperor!"
The other guards guarding Xiao Yu also became alert and protected Xiao Yu tightly.
The people below were all frightened by the sudden noise. They all squatted down with their heads in their hands, their faces full of horror.
After the explosion, some thick smoke rose into the sky, but there was no danger. The people carefully put down their hands, stood up, and looked at Liu Zhiyuan, who had a cold face on the altar, in confusion.
After one round of explosives was set off, the guards added gunpowder and salt powder and set it off again.
With the previous experience, the people knew there was no danger, and gradually put their minds at ease, standing on tiptoe and stretching their necks to watch.
Xiao Yu's eyes were dark, and his abyssal gaze fell on the explosives. This stuff looked very lethal. If it were used on the battlefield...
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