Chapter 1101: Clash [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
The civil and military officials were all somewhat numb.
Now everyone seems to be lying and playing tricks on me.
"Fourth Prince, are you... truly telling the truth?"
Since the Fourth Prince possessed the abdication edict personally written by Wu Xian, he was the rightful heir, making his previous refusals seem foolish. Why conceal the truth when he could have avoided so much trouble? The courtiers harbored some doubts about the edict.
The fourth brother also had unspeakable bitterness in his heart.
However, he knew perfectly well that while he still had a chance to back down now, turning back meant being thrown off the platform and ending up shattered to pieces. He could only grit his teeth and continue his fabrication: "Of course it's true! I didn't mention it because the edict of abdication to the youngest son arrived first! As a son, how can I disobey my father? As an elder brother, how can I bully my youngest brother? The country is currently in peril; as sons and subjects, we should prioritize the stability of the nation, not vie for power. I really didn't want to cause any more trouble, so I decided to keep the news a secret. I never imagined that people's hearts are so unpredictable, and not everyone is willing to think this way..."
The "unpredictable nature of people" that the fourth brother mentioned refers to the fifth son.
The Fifth Prince broke down upon hearing that the throne would be passed to the youngest son. He hastily mustered an army to stage a coup, killing his siblings and stepmother – his greed had reached its peak! Meanwhile, I am different. Despite holding the rightful heir, I chose to endure and suffer for the sake of the greater good. Comparing the two, isn't the difference in character stark?
To say he's distorting the truth?
Ha, the dead can't complain.
What's wrong with letting yourself be criticized a couple of times?
The courtiers found the Fourth Prince's words rather strange, but with the evidence before them, they couldn't refute them. Aside from the Fourth Prince's saintly character and magnanimity, he was otherwise flawless. Even if they had doubts, now was not the time to dwell on them.
Everyone looked at the clan elders whose faces were ashen.
After several failed attempts, the latter had no further chance to approach the fourth prince and was cornered by the palace guards. Due to his special status, the guards only surrounded him but did not kill him. The actor whom the fourth prince had bribed thought there was no hope, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better. The universally acknowledged upright official stepped forward and righteously rebuked him, saying, "You've lived to be seventy-eight years old, yet you're just a fool who's blinded by his own shadow!"
Qingliu had just started when the clansman's forehead veins bulged, as if he was enduring immense pain. His eyes were bloodshot, and the sight was heartbreaking—would this old man die of anger here?
The more I look at it, the more it seems like it's about to die from a fit of rage.
Qingliu's remaining words stuck in his throat; he didn't know whether he should utter them or not.
"puff--"
Before he could decide whether to criticize, his relatives started criticizing first.
A mouthful of blood gushed from his mouth, splattering all over the ground.
This sudden turn of events startled even the imperial guards surrounding the clansman. However, their superior skills allowed them to seize the opportunity and capture the clansman, awaiting the fourth prince's judgment. Even with his murderous intent, the fourth prince couldn't simply kill him now! He couldn't!
Firstly, the persona he just established was too positive. From the perspective of the royal family, the old man was only killing traitors to uphold the "legitimacy" of the Wu royal family. As a magnanimous and benevolent new ruler, he had to be tolerant. Secondly, even Wu Xian had to call the other party "uncle," so how could the fourth prince, as a grandson, just kill him like that? Thirdly, the fourth prince now needs the support of the royal family.
Showing kindness is sending a friendly signal.
Therefore, the fourth brother ordered his men to temporarily detain his relatives.
The specific handling needs to be discussed with the Imperial Clan Court.
The courtiers all praised him for his kindness and benevolence.
The fourth prince's smile was somewhat unnatural. Only after the chaotic court session ended did he realize that his inner shirt was soaked with sweat and clung to his skin. Everything that happened in court today had exceeded his plans! He couldn't wait to dismiss the court and go to his teacher to review the situation, but the civil and military officials were also distracted, and the court session ended in a dismal fashion.
"...No matter what, the situation is still good." Watching the civil and military officials disperse, the fourth prince's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was temporarily relieved. He had won this gamble! Before the court assembly began, he had made the worst-case scenario plan in his mind—that the plan would fail and he would be killed!
As it turned out, things took a turn for the better, and a new lease on life appeared.
The fourth prince wasn't in a hurry to return to the inner palace.
He sent a trusted aide to inform Lady Mi of the good news, telling her not to worry. Then he summoned the greatest contributor and savior of the day! If it weren't for him, he would have been in grave danger. The fourth prince was even more puzzled as to why the other party possessed an imperial edict.
The fourth brother waited and waited, but the person never came.
Where are they?
"They have already left the palace."
"Leaving so quickly?" The fourth prince's lips twitched. That person didn't accept the reward or express gratitude, and rushed out of the palace? Was he in such a hurry to be reborn? Despite his inner grumbling, the fourth prince knew there were many suspicious points in this action. "Then send someone to his residence to invite him!"
Something unusual must be going on!
There were unusually many strange winds today, blowing in gusts.
The hero ran away as fast as he could, and the gentleman disappeared without a trace.
The Master must have known about the court assembly immediately, and her delayed appearance aroused the Fourth Prince's suspicion. Suppressing his inexplicable irritation, he sent men to search for her, unaware that the person he was looking for was in the dungeon. This dungeon did not hold ordinary prisoners but rather members of the royal family who had committed offenses, so the living conditions were relatively friendly.
The space is spacious and not cramped, and the smell is not unpleasant.
The guards watching over the prisoners collapsed without warning.
A burly figure quietly appeared outside the cell door.
Inside the cell, the barely breathing member of the clan opened his eyes, sat up, and stared into the empty space before him. The burly figure, noticing the dried blood at the corner of the member's mouth, clicked his tongue and said, "Tragic! Too tragic! Shen Youli is inhuman!"
Even Qi Cang could see from today's events who the three edicts were targeting—not Wu Xian and Gao Guo, but specifically Mei Jinghe, who was performing the completion ceremony! He verbally expressed sympathy and condemned Shen Tang on Mei Meng's behalf, but his eyes were full of admiration! Shen Youli's attitude was so authentic; she loved those who held grudges! A gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years; a petty person's revenge is never too late!
The clansman lifted his eyelids, his eyes glancing upwards at Qi Cang.
"Whose colleague are you?"
"None of my colleagues have had a good ending."
Mei Meng, a member of the clan, was angered by his words again, and coughed up blood once more, finally feeling some relief in her chest. She raised her hand to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes swirling with endless thoughts.
Qi Cang saw that her spirits hadn't wavered, and he felt a surge of admiration for her. He liked people like her who were indomitable; those pretentious little bitches who would threaten suicide after just one setback were a curse to him.
"This was a complete failure. Should we look for another chance?"
"Let's talk about it later; it won't happen in the short term."
Mei Meng clutched her heart, which was throbbing with pain from the backlash of literary energy, her charming brows furrowed slightly. Not only did her heart ache, but her dantian also throbbed. She knew without needing to examine her inner self that her literary palace was now a ruin, and its restoration would take a long time.
Qi Cang understood the meaning behind Mei Meng's words.
"Sigh, you're still not planning to give up?"
His previous heartfelt words were all for the dogs.
Mei Meng shook her head: "I will never give up on reaching the summit!"
She raised her eyes: "Unless I die!"
Since that was the case, Qi Cang was too lazy to persuade him any further. Just as he himself had said, none of his colleagues had ended up well. He gripped the iron bars of the dungeon door and, with a slight exertion of force, severed the arm-thick piece of refined iron. Mei Meng clutched her wound and staggered to her feet.
As soon as she emerged from the dungeon, sunlight streamed down upon her, making her blood-drained, deathly pale face almost translucent. She glanced back at the location of the outer court assembly. Qi Cang teased, "What, reluctant to part with the young master? Indeed, this child's feelings for you go far beyond simple admiration. Young, handsome, and quite the charmer..."
Mei Meng's weak voice interrupted his rambling.
"What's the story behind that imperial edict?"
"That letter from the fourth brother? I guess only he knows the truth, maybe even he doesn't. We'll have to ask Shen Youli about it." Qi Cang was only there to watch the show, not to worry about anything else. "You suspect that he's actually wary of you?"
Even Qi Cang was shocked by the third imperial edict, exclaiming that he had seen a ghost.
"I've always been wary of being used." Mei Meng's mind raced, and she devised a plan. "I'm going to teach him one last lesson!"
Qi Cang was unaware of Mei Meng's plan, but he guessed that the fourth brother was going to suffer.
Mei Meng added: "And the person who produced the imperial edict!"
This meritorious official, whom both Mei Meng and the Fourth Prince were thinking of, hurriedly returned home. Before entering the house, she was a man, but she had transformed into a beautiful woman. Besides her, in a corner of the house, there was a man who was bound hand and foot by the power of words. This man's appearance and figure were exactly the same as the civil official who had presented the imperial edict in the palace today.
The woman tore off the seal of power from the man's mouth.
The man could finally catch his breath.
"Come with me, or die here!"
The woman pressed her thumb against the guard and pushed the sword out.
Then a gleaming blade was placed across the man's neck.
The man gasped, "Pah! You're kidding me—"
A flash of white light, and the man's eyes widened abruptly; a thin, long bloodstain appeared on his neck. He tried to speak, but the bloodstain was stretched open by the gushing blood, the wound gaping open, revealing bone beneath the skin. The woman gave him a swift end: "I said either come with me, or die here. Why didn't you believe me?"
The woman raised her hand and made a hand seal, silencing the man before he could utter a sound. With his throat cut and blood loss, the man struggled for a short while before finally dying. The woman placed her sword in the man's hand, then rose and left.
The body in the study was not discovered until 15 minutes later.
The fourth brother was utterly shocked upon receiving the news.
"He committed suicide?"
The confidant reported, "Judging from the scene, it was indeed suicide, but it's also possible that he was silenced. I had people interrogate his servants, and they all said that there had been nothing strange happening recently, except that two days ago, he brought back a woman from the countryside."
Where is the woman?
"Disappeared."
Has the woman's identity been confirmed?
The confidant said, "It is said that she was his casual lover."
Piecing together information from his family and servants, the man had traveled for studies several years prior. While passing through a rain pavilion, he met a young woman – a very common tale of a talented man and a beautiful woman, and their relationship was quite romantic. However, disagreements arose when they reached the point of discussing marriage. The man insisted on a wife of equal social standing, while the woman was from a commoner background, not even from a poor family. Coupled with urgent letters from home, he left without explanation. Unexpectedly, years later, after many twists and turns, the woman found him again and was brought back by him.
The fourth brother pressed further, "Besides these, is there anything else?"
For example, how did the imperial edict end up in a man's hands?
His expectations were destined to be dashed.
The confidant hadn't found a single clue. Seeing the fourth prince's gloomy face, the confidant hurriedly said, "Please forgive me, Your Highness, and grant me two days' grace. I will definitely get to the bottom of this."
The fourth brother knew perfectly well that even if he were to be lenient for two days, or even twenty days, it would be useless; this matter was destined to end in a whimper.
He took a deep breath to suppress his emotions.
Just as he was about to wave his hand to signal his trusted aides to leave, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall: "Your Highness, Your Highness, something terrible has happened!"
"What's wrong with that? What kind of behavior is this, making such a racket!"
He refrained from making a scene only when he saw that the visitor was a trusted confidant of his mother, Lady Mi.
After the visitor finished speaking, the fourth brother felt dizzy and had to brace himself against the corner of the table to avoid falling. After a long while, his lips were deathly pale and his eyes were bloodshot as he asked, "You're saying—it's all true?"
How is that possible?
How could that be!
The fourth brother waved away his trusted aide who came forward to help him up.
He practically scrambled to his feet and staggered towards the inner court.
As they passed through the palace road, the corpses had already been cleared away, and the bloodstains on the ground had been cleaned up, but the air still reeked of a nauseating, bloody stench. The fourth prince turned pale after smelling it several times, but forced himself to go to the inner court and see his mother, Lady Mi.
Several corpses covered with white sheets lay neatly inside the hall.
A message came from the palace servants: something terrible had happened in the inner court.
Three more concubines have died.
For the fourth prince, he wouldn't care as long as the dead women weren't his own mother and sister. But this time, he had to be, because the three dead women had close ties to powerful families from the previous dynasty! They also had vested interests with the fifth prince's family. Their deaths meant he lost the opportunity to mend relations with the fifth prince's maternal family! Not only could he not win over the families behind the three women, but he also risked being betrayed by them! Just thinking about it sent chills down his spine!
"How could they be dead!"
The fourth brother tried his best to suppress his fear and anger.
Mi said, "I don't know either."
She genuinely didn't know.
"If they die, my son and I will be buried with them!"
Their families will not let this go!
Last night, they managed to kill a few people in the chaos, eliminate dissidents, and pin the blame on the fifth brother. Now that there are dead people, how are they going to settle the score?
Mother and son faced each other from a distance of two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters). Mi Shi saw the negative emotions surging in his eyes; even without blame, it pained her. But she couldn't worry about that now: "However, there are also suspects. Have you seen your aunt?"
With a loud bang.
Something exploded in Lao Si's mind.
He took a step back, almost numbly.
The dark cloud that had been hanging over his heart since the end of the court assembly expanded wildly, swallowing up any remaining hope. The fourth son's mind kept flashing back to everything the gentleman had done since his arrival—every single action had been to his aid, every single thing had been helpful… This man was intelligent and resourceful, precisely what he lacked. The gentleman was both an advisor and an elder; some of the bitterness he couldn't confide in his mother, only she understood.
In some ways, he became more intimate with his husband.
result--
"They're all liars!"
Lady Mi said, "It is because I did not know how to judge people."
——
Mission accomplished!
On the third day after the second palace coup in Gao Kingdom, Shen Tang received a letter from a mysterious bluebird. Upon opening it, she found it filled with dots and lines. She quickly read through the encrypted letter, her brows completely relaxed. "Gao Kingdom has been quite lively lately."
I've got some free time, so I'll go check out Shangnan.
|ω`)
There's a post in the book review section asking for monthly passes; there should still be spots available.
PS: There's also a fan title event this month, with 110 spots available. Last month there were 90 spots, but there were 218 valid posts. Those who didn't get one can participate this month.
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