Chapter 19 New Dynasty
Shen Qingmeng silently counted in her mind: Three, two, one!
The guards and jailers fell one after another, and Emperor Qing could no longer hold the dagger in his hand. Shen Qingmeng casually threw away the imperial seal, rushed forward instantly, grabbed Emperor Qing's wrist, snatched the dagger, and knocked him down.
The Cangning army poured in and, without losing a single soldier, took over the last part of the Qing Kingdom's palace using only sleeping pills.
But Chu Wangshu, who was bound to the rack, was breathing heavily, looking as if she was about to run out of breath.
The guards tried to cut the iron lock, but their swords shattered. Shen Qingmeng could only hold a large handful of keys, her hands trembling as she searched for the key that could unlock Chu Wangshu's shackles. But her hands were too shaking; she struggled to grasp the keys, let alone insert them accurately into the locks.
Upon seeing this, a woman dressed as a general snatched the key and quickly began searching.
Shen Qingmeng could only squat beside Chu Wangshu, cupping his face and saying, "Chu Wangshu, don't die, hold on! I'll take you away right now..."
With a click, one of the shackles opened, and Chu Wangshu's hand slid down limply, resting on Shen Qingmeng's shoulder.
Once the shackles on the other side were unlocked, Shen Qingmeng immediately picked up Chu Wangshu and ran out of the prison.
After breathing in the fresh air outside the cell, Chu Wangshu gradually felt better. He leaned on Shen Qingmeng's shoulder, his lips trembling slightly.
"What did you say?" Shen Qingmeng lowered her head slightly, but her pace did not slow down at all, and she rushed straight into the Qingyun Palace next to the Heavenly Prison.
Chu Wangshu tried her best to force a smile: "Can...no, not eat...coptis chinensis?"
Shen Qingmeng gently placed Chu Wangshu on the bed, letting him lean against her: "Okay, we won't eat bitter herbs anymore. We'll never eat anything bitter again. I'll make whatever you want to eat..."
Cang Ning's accompanying military doctor followed Shen Qingmeng into the palace. She glanced at Chu Wangshu's condition briefly and immediately treated the most fatal wound on his chest. After the dagger was pulled out, the skin and flesh of the wound were rolled back. Fortunately, it did not actually pierce the heart, but it damaged the blood vessels, and the bleeding would not stop.
The hemostatic powder was sprinkled on, but it was instantly washed away by the gushing blood. The medic had to use skillful force to quickly clean the wound edges, then press on a large amount of hemostatic powder again, and tightly wrap it with a clean cloth to compress it.
Chu Wangshu was still conscious. Although she was in great pain, she gritted her teeth and remained silent, though her body trembled uncontrollably.
"Princess, please press on Young Master Chu's wound to stop the bleeding!" The military doctor took out anesthetic powder and another set of wound cleaning tools from his medicine box: "I will first remove the iron hooks from both sides of Young Master Chu's wound."
"No!" Physician Li rushed over at this moment. He quickly took Chu Wangshu's pulse. "Wangshu was given a drug that was forcibly used to keep him alive and alert during interrogation. That drug is potent and clashes with Mafeisan (anesthesia). If we use anesthetic, it may immediately cause swelling in his throat, leading to suffocation and death!"
Shen Qingmeng looked at Chu Wangshu, who was half-open in her arms, trembling and panting, and her voice was hoarse: "...Then, what should we do?"
Physician Li had already taken the blade, his eyes filled with both pity for Chu Wangshu and an urgent and resolute determination to save his life: "Take it alive, only alive. Hold him down, you absolutely cannot let him move around."
Following Physician Li's instructions, the two guards carefully and forcefully pressed down on Chu Wangshu's limbs. Shen Qingmeng continued to press down on the bloody hole in his chest with one hand, while the other hand wrapped around his waist, holding him tightly in her arms.
"Don't...don't be afraid..." Chu Wangshu's voice was almost inaudible, but she still tried her best to turn her head and talk to Shen Qingmeng.
Physician Li took a deep breath and picked up a sterilized blade and special forceps. He cut into the mangled flesh of the shoulder blade, attempting to widen the wound to remove the barb.
Chu Wangshu's body twitched instinctively, but fortunately she still had some consciousness left. She was held down firmly by the guards and Shen Qingmeng, so the twitching did not disrupt the actions of Physician Li.
"Ugh—" A suppressed roar of pain burst from Chu Wangshu's throat, veins bulged on his neck, his eyes were bloodshot from the unbearable pain, and cold sweat poured out instantly.
He clenched his teeth, forcing back his cries of pain. Yet his body continued to convulse and tremble uncontrollably, every muscle tense, resisting the excruciating agony.
The barbs were slowly and cruelly peeled away from the flesh and bone. Chu Wangshu's breathing became broken and erratic, each gasp accompanied by violent spasms. Her pupils dilated at times and constricted at others due to the excruciating pain. Tears streamed uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes, mingling with sweat and falling into her hair and clothes.
He never completely lost consciousness, enduring the excruciating pain of being slowly sliced to death.
When the second iron hook was also removed, Chu Wangshu felt as if she had been pulled out of a pool of blood. Her body suddenly relaxed, and her forcibly held will finally reached its limit. The light in her eyes quickly dimmed, and she completely fainted. Her breath became so weak that it almost disappeared.
"Ginseng slices! A life-saving medicine! Quickly!" Physician Li shouted urgently, but his hands did not stop, quickly pressing a large amount of hemostatic powder onto the bleeding wound.
Shen Qingmeng hurriedly stuffed the old ginseng slices into Chu Wangshu's mouth, then pried open his teeth and slowly poured in the thick ginseng soup and heart-strengthening medicine.
Under the influence of the medicine, Chu Wangshu's scattered consciousness was forcibly pulled back, and he continued to endure this excruciating pain.
There were also steel needles on his fingertips. Emperor Qing had thirteen steel needles stuck in his ten fingertips!
Shen Qingmeng held Chu Wangshu's hand tightly as Physician Li used pliers to pull out the steel needles one by one. With each needle pulled out, Chu Wangshu's body would convulse violently, the tender flesh under her fingernails becoming a blurry mess, dripping with blood.
All the wounds were finally cleaned, sprinkled with a thick layer of medicinal powder, and bandaged with clean cloth. Chu Wangshu looked as if he had been pulled out of the water; blood, cold sweat, and the moisture from the water prison mingled together, creating a chaotic mess.
Chu Wangshu had completely lost all breath, his face was deathly pale, as if he would break at the slightest touch, only the faint rise and fall of his chest proved that he was still alive.
Physician Li slumped wearily to the side, breathing heavily, his voice hoarse: "The external wounds have all been treated, and the bleeding has temporarily stopped. He must have been submerged in the water dungeon for a long time. The cold seeped into his body, and he lost too much blood, his vital energy was almost completely depleted, and his heart meridian was particularly damaged. He also forced himself to stay conscious while being tortured, which further depleted his energy..."
He paused, then shook his head heavily: "We can only keep him alive with ginseng soup. Whether his fever will break and whether he will wake up depends entirely on Wangshu himself. His body has reached its limit..."
...
On the fifteenth of September, Queen Cangning stood at the highest point, dressed in black robes and a golden crown, receiving the worship of all people and being honored as the new emperor.
Envoys from various states in the Central Plains bowed their heads in submission, presented gifts, and offered praise.
The descendants of the previous dynasty's emperors had been wiped out in the Zhaoyu prison, and the Qing Kingdom thus became nothing more than a few sentences in the history books.
Amidst the sounds of ceremonial music, the edict of accession was proclaimed throughout the land, and the reign title was changed to Chengming.
After ascending the throne, the Empress immediately promulgated new policies:
Heaven and earth give birth to humankind, with yin and yang in harmony, each possessing their own talents. The old custom of honoring men and suppressing women is truly contrary to the harmony of nature and detrimental to the nation's strength.
From this day forward, the old custom of male supremacy is abolished, and a new chapter of equality for all people begins. Regardless of gender, all may study and understand principles, learn to read and write, and comprehend righteousness; all may participate in the imperial examinations based on their talents, learning, virtue, and ability, be selected as officials, and serve the country.
The empire has suffered from war for too long, and my heart aches with sorrow. From this day forward, I will dedicate myself to governing with diligence and vigor, reduce taxes and levies, encourage agriculture and weaving, develop water conservancy projects, and ensure smooth trade routes… I will ensure peace throughout the land, full granaries, and a prosperous and happy populace, so that the people will no longer suffer from hunger, cold, or displacement.
The first year of Chengming began with an unprecedented, almost bloodless mutiny and ended with a promise full of hope and equality.
The Qing Dynasty, along with its corruption and injustice, has been buried, and a new era is slowly unfolding. People of the world, regardless of gender, can finally look forward to and build a new world of peace, prosperity, and tranquility.
The "Chronicle of Qing - Heavenly Mandate" records: "The fate of the Qing dynasty arose with the Chu clan, and it also perished with the Chu clan. The last national advisor of the Chu clan, together with Changning, a woman from a fallen kingdom, secretly colluded with Cangning, destroying ancestral temples and rife with destruction, ultimately leading to the downfall of the Great Qing."
The "Biographies of Meritorious Officials" in the *Book of Cangning* records: "When Cangning established its rule and unified the world, none could surpass Princess Murong Qingyu and her husband You in merit. However, both were of a simple and unassuming nature, indifferent to fame and fortune. Upon achieving their goals, they gracefully withdrew to a secluded life in the mountains and forests, never again concerning themselves with court affairs."
There are also rumors among the people that the person who destroyed the Qing Kingdom was the same person who rose to power in Cangning. But all the merits and demerits, right and wrong, are just things for later generations to talk about over tea and after meals, and no one investigates them in depth.
From then on, the lineage of the Chu family in the north was cut off, and there were no more astrologers in the world.
...
In the Summoning Prison, the three former members of the imperial family, who should have already committed suicide, were hanging in the water dungeon, barely alive.
Shen Qingmeng, dressed in plain clothes, walked slowly towards the prison.
The jailers dragged the three out of the water dungeon and tied them to the rack. Shen Qingmeng simply sat in a chair, watching quietly with an expressionless face.
Shen Qingmeng parted her lips slightly: "Let's do it."
For a moment, the sounds of tearing flesh, blunt force trauma, and wailing and cursing echoed in the prison.
"You...you bastard! You are of the blood of my Qing Kingdom..."
Before Emperor Qing could finish speaking, Shen Qingmeng picked up the iron hook from the rack and plunged it into his shoulder.
"Do you like it?" Shen Qingmeng let go of her hand and wiped the blood off her hands with disgust.
The Fifth Prince spat fiercely, "Bah! Why didn't I just kill you back then!"
Shen Qingmeng waved her hand, and the guards then forced the Fifth Prince to drink a bottle of mute medicine.
"I can't find the medicine you used to give me, so I can only use some inferior ones. Fifth Brother... enjoy yourself."
Shen Qingmeng then turned to the eldest prince, who had already exhausted his strength to curse her, and said, "You have no grudge against me, but you skinned that white fox Chu Wangshu alive. Now that I'm skinning you a few pieces, you're not at a loss."
"Don't you like to torture people by force-feeding them drugs and splashing them with salt water? I'll help you."
"To help you experience it for yourselves."
Shen Qingmeng stood a little further away, picked up her bow and arrow, and aimed it at Emperor Qing's chest: "Your men killed my father in the same way."
“But I don’t want you to die so quickly,” she said, tilting the arrow slightly upwards and firing it with precision.
*Thud*—that was the sound of black iron piercing flesh.
The wails from the cell continued incessantly. Shen Qingmeng rubbed her ears impatiently, "It's a bit noisy."
The guards used strips of cloth to tightly gag the mouths of the eldest prince and Emperor Qing, so that they could only whimper.
Shen Qingmeng put down her bow and arrow and turned around: "Do everything I told you to them, then pull out all the instruments. Don't treat the wounds, and don't pay any more attention to them. Just let the blood flow away little by little."
Oh, and also, everyone has their own medication, so be careful not to give the wrong one.
Is it hell on earth?
No, no, this is just the cycle of cause and effect, and retribution will eventually come.
After returning to Qingyun Palace, Shen Qingmeng washed away the blood and changed into clean clothes before returning to Chu Wangshu's bedside.
She knelt by the bed, her arms wrapped around Chu Wangshu's waist and abdomen, carefully avoiding his fingertips, and pressed her head against his side.
"Chu Wangshu, I've punished all those who bullied us... but I'm so scared. Can you wake up and stay with me..."
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