Chapter 763: Succession from Brother to Brother (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Although it was late at night, the palace was still brightly lit.
The palace gates were wide open, and Zhai Le's expression changed the moment he stepped inside.
The air was thick with the all-too-familiar stench of blood, an extremely strong smell that suggested it was very fresh. He gripped the sword at his waist tightly, his face grim as he continued forward. Then he heard the sound of splashing water.
brush--
brush--
brush--
This was the sound of brooms sweeping the stone surface, along with the splashing of water. Even though Zhai Le forced himself not to look, he couldn't help but catch a glimpse out of the corner of his eye—there were twenty or thirty palace servants on both sides of the stone path, some responsible for splashing water, and others responsible for sweeping with brooms.
In the shadows, there were also people dressed as imperial guards carrying things.
No, that wasn't a thing at all; it was a person.
Zhai Le clearly saw that someone's hand was hanging limply.
[Palace coup!]
In an instant, two huge words popped into my mind.
He quickened his pace, then broke into a jog, his robes fluttering in the wind. He only slowed down when he reached Zhai Huan's palace. A palace attendant was anxiously watching outside, and his eyes lit up when he saw Zhai Le appear.
"You've finally arrived!"
Zhai Le asked, "How is my brother?"
The eunuch glanced at the bedchamber, sighed, and remained silent.
Zhai Le nearly collapsed from his knees, but he managed to steady himself by leaning on the eunuch's shoulder. His face was more pale than ever before.
Her voice trembled: "Take me to see my brother."
The eunuch led him inside.
The palace also had a lingering smell of blood.
"Brother—"
Zhai Le's shout caused several people in the palace to turn their heads at the same time, because by blood these people were all his elder brothers.
"Ah Le is here, cough cough cough—have a seat."
Zhai Huan, whom Zhai Le had assumed had died, was now dressed in a white nightgown, his face pale as he leaned against the bed, his white hair cascading over his shoulders, his brow furrowed with exhaustion. Despite his visibly poor condition, he was still alive, still breathing!
This thought released the breath that had been pent up in Zhai Le's chest. He staggered forward and stumbled a few steps to Zhai Huan's bedside.
"Brother, brother, you're still alive!"
Zhai Huan chuckled: "What, did you think your brother was dead?"
Zhai Le's eyes were red, and she was unusually fierce towards him: "You're not allowed to say that word! Brother, you're still so young. When we were little, you said you would always protect me. How dare you abandon me so easily?"
Zhai Huan's smile faded, and she raised her hand to pat Zhai Le's head: "You're a father of two now, why do you still cry so easily like when you were a child? Le, don't be willful. Some things are beyond human control, you have to learn to accept them."
Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural course of life.
Upon hearing this, Zhai Le couldn't hold back her tears any longer, and soon her face was covered in sobs. Zhai Huan chuckled and said, "Le, save your tears. If you want to cry, wait until in front of your brother's mourning hall. There are other people here; aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"
"Alright!"
Zhai Huan patted his head a little harder.
He said sternly, "Don't waste time."
Zhai Le hastily wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve.
Zhai Huan was gentle towards Zhai Le, but when his gaze shifted to the people below, his face instantly frosted over, and a chilling killing intent flashed in his eyes. Only then did Zhai Le notice the people below, bound hand and foot, their dantian sealed. Remembering the bloody scent he'd caught when he arrived… what had happened that night was obvious. And this was something Zhai Le hadn't expected at all.
These people completely disregarded brotherhood!
Zhai Huan: "You guys are still too impatient."
He merely tidbited a hint to his spies within the palace about pushing his body to its limits, and all his brothers were on edge. Indeed, how could they not guess Zhai Huan's intentions in recalling Zhai Le at this critical juncture?
Zhai Huan's voice was laced with sarcasm. Upon hearing this, Zhai Huan's bound younger brother turned ashen-faced, his gaze towards Zhai Le filled with hatred, jealousy, and a burning desire to kill him. He said, his voice thick with resentment, "Zhai Yuewen, you forced me to do this!"
Zhai Le was about to speak when Zhai Huan raised her hand to stop him.
Zhai Huan said, "When have I ever forced you?"
The younger brother questioned, "I am clearly your own brother, your own flesh and blood. Is there anyone in this world closer to you and me by blood? And what was the result? In the end, you would rather pass the throne to that good-for-nothing Zhai Xiaofang than even consider me!"
Zhai Huan then looked at his other half-brothers.
He sneered, "Is that what you all think too?"
One of the half-brothers said, “We shouldn’t interfere with who the king wants to pass the throne to, but it shouldn’t be Zhai Xiaofang. What right does a collateral branch of the family have to inherit the throne? Since it’s a succession from brother to brother, we are naturally more legitimate than him.”
Is a younger brother not as good as a cousin?
What was Zhai Yuewen thinking?
If succession were truly to be passed down from brother to brother, one should be chosen from among them. At least they are all heirs of the first wife, while Zhai Xiaofang is the child of the second wife, which would be more convincing. If Zhai Yuewen chooses his younger brother, the others will naturally have no ulterior motives.
According to etiquette and law, those born of the eldest son are inherently more orthodox than them.
Unfortunately, Zhai Yuewen didn't follow the rules, so it's no wonder they had objections. It's just a pity that they made a wrong move and fell into Zhai Huan's trap tonight, giving him an excuse to lash out.
Zhai Le clenched his fists, suppressing the urge to punch the men. He couldn't understand why his cousins had changed so much: "I never wanted to fight for this throne. If you want it, you can come and take it. What's with this fratricidal strife? And you even dared to plot a palace coup to murder my brother! Have all those years of studying the classics gone to waste? Qu Kingdom belongs to my brother, and he's not dead yet! Who are you to tell him what to do? If you're really envious and want to be the ruler, then lead your troops and fight for it yourselves!"
My brother is still alive.
He was only slightly weakened, yet he attracted so much covetousness. Everyone wanted him dead, and these were all his own brothers!
Zhai Le vaguely recalled a few years ago when Consort Shu sent people to coerce his elder brother. The Zhai family members were all indignant and united as one against the enemy. But in just a few years, they had all changed, becoming frighteningly unfamiliar.
“Zhai Xiaofang, you hypocrite. Zhai Yuewen has his eye on you, so of course you have nothing to fear and can stand here saying these righteous words.” A cousin who usually had a good relationship with Zhai Le spoke up, his eyes flashing with ferocity.
"Yes, you're from the second wife's family. If you keep saying you don't care about the throne, then don't accept it!" another person sneered. "You clearly hate the throne the most, yet you say these things. If you're not hypocritical, who is?"
Seeing that Zhai Le was about to speak recklessly in anger, Zhai Huan coldly said, "Have you forgotten who destroyed the previous dynasty and who established the Qu Kingdom? It's my business who I want to pass the throne to. I can give it to one of you, but you can't take it from me, much less assume that what's mine is yours. What makes you think that way? Just because you share the same father as me?"
Zhai Huan was so angry at the farce that she almost laughed.
They've taken advantage of the descendants of the deceased, do they really think that just because they share the same surname and the same father, they won't kill them?
If this were when the Kingdom of Qu was first established, Zhai Huan might not have dared to do anything to them, as he still needed his own people to help control various areas and didn't want to break ties. However, things are different now. Over the years, Zhai Huan has promoted his trusted confidants and built his own power base, ensuring a smooth ascension for the next ruler. Whether to kill or not these people is no longer a difficult question.
Zhai Huan chuckled and asked them again, "Even if I hadn't chosen A-Le, and instead chose one of you, which of you could hold this position securely? Since the founding of the Qu Kingdom, which one of you present has achieved as much merit as A-Le?"
"Hehe, you have nothing, yet you come to eat my childless heir?" As soon as Zhai Huan said this, the young scholar who was protecting Zhai Le into the palace couldn't help but laugh. The laughter wasn't loud, but it was too clear in the current environment, and the faces of the people below turned red.
Zhai Huan clearly didn't want it to end so quickly: "Could it be that the surname 'Zhai' has given you the wrong impression? Don't forget, even within the Zhai clan, I am the clan head! If I were to remove you from the clan genealogy, which elder would dare to object? Is it because of my illness these past few days that you think I, Zhai Yuewen, am nothing more than a weak and dying person who doesn't need your care?"
The faces of his younger brothers were paler than those of the dead.
They had truly forgotten that Zhai Huan was not only their elder brother and the ruler of the kingdom, but also the patriarch of the Zhai clan. Within the clan, removing someone from the genealogy was as simple as saying a word. Once removed, they would be commoners without even a surname…
“Ah Le, do you think they deserve to die? Their lives are now in your hands. If you say kill them, in a few days, the outside world will know that my brothers died from excessive grief, and their wives and children will also be forced to die with them. If you say don’t kill them… Ah Le, I will be very disappointed.” Zhai Huan suddenly changed the subject, and Zhai Le, who was called out, was instantly dumbfounded.
Zhai Le was dumbfounded, and the others below him also looked ashen-faced.
They knew all too well Zhai Yuewen's ruthlessness and iron-fisted methods; once he made up his mind, he would absolutely do what he said. They dared to launch a palace coup to force Zhai Huan to his death, naturally prepared for failure and death, but—they still underestimated Zhai Huan.
They even wanted their wives and children to be forced to commit suicide!
"Zhai Yuewen, are you even human?"
Zhai Huan's younger brother questioned him, trembling.
The others were also pale.
"We are siblings from the same mother. When you rallied them to kill me for the throne, did you ever consider that you were even human? This is just the wheel of fortune turning. You are a threat to A-Le, and so are your wives and children. I'll take you all with me before I die, to save myself the trouble." After saying this, Zhai Huan pressed Zhai Le again, relentlessly pushing him, "Do you want to disappoint me?"
"Brother, I...I..."
Zhai Le certainly didn't want to kill his cousins, but their joint palace coup tonight, threatening his elder brother's life, crossed his bottom line. His brother had even said he would be very disappointed... This was what he feared most since childhood. For a moment, Zhai Le was torn between two conflicting emotions.
Zhai Huan softened his voice, but the invisible pressure intensified: "A-Le, do you want to disappoint your brother? Or do you want your brother to die with regrets? When have you ever been so indecisive? Their deaths were ordered by your brother; you were not the one who slaughtered your own brothers!"
Zhai Le felt like he was being cornered.
Everything happened so fast tonight; he wasn't prepared at all, and he never imagined he would have to kill his own brother.
"Ah, brother...I..."
"Zhai Xiaofang, I'm telling you to kill them!"
Zhai Huan sat up abruptly, his voice sharp and ruthless. Immediately following was a palpable, almost tangible, killing intent.
"Do it! Kill them to prevent future troubles!"
Zhai Le nearly broke down: "I can't do it!"
He cried even harder than before: "I can't do it!"
"Brother, I'm about to lose you, and I don't want to lose any more family! If I kill them, how can I face my uncle, who treats me like his own son? I really can't, I really can't! I beg you, please don't force me anymore!"
He never imagined the throne would fall to him. Zhai Le, just like when they were children, grabbed his sleeve and pleaded, crying, "I really don't want to be a king! I don't want anything! I just want you to live! Just live! Please live, brother, sister-in-law doesn't want to see you so soon either!"
Zhai Le wasn't a cunning person; he was rather thick-skinned. Even so, he clearly sensed that his elder brother had little will to live after his sister-in-law's death. Otherwise, given his brother's character, he wouldn't knowingly abuse the path of a scholar, which was said to deplete one's lifespan. His brother was clearly passively courting death while simultaneously doing everything in his power to pave the way for him; Zhai Le vaguely sensed all of this.
But he knew even better that he couldn't persuade Zhai Huan.
The fear that had been building up for years finally erupted tonight.
He pleaded helplessly with Zhai Huan, hoping the other would have some will to live, for the sake of the Qu Kingdom, for the Zhai family, and for the unfulfilled childhood ambitions of the two of them. Zhai Le poured out his heart, not daring to look up at Zhai Huan, afraid of seeing disappointment in his eyes.
But all he got in return was a light tap on the head.
“Sigh, Ah Le is still so soft-hearted. How can I close my eyes in peace? I’ve told you, you’re already a father of two. Can’t you be a little more mature? Being sentimental isn’t wrong, but I hope that your sentiment…” His murderous eyes fell on his restless younger brothers, and he sneered, “Don’t give it to the wrong person.”
The younger brothers were drenched in sweat, and one of them, being rather timid, had fainted from the murderous intent Zhai Huan had just unleashed. Death wasn't scary; what was scary was that this man wanted their wives and children to die with him! Damn it, he had no wives and children of his own, so he wanted to kill them.
They were almost certain they would die, because Zhai Le had been Zhai Huan's yes-man since childhood, doing whatever Zhai Huan said.
But then, things took an unexpected turn.
The echo insect was surprisingly unable to speak.
I'm so glad I survived this ordeal.
"Cough cough cough—" Zhai Huan suddenly coughed violently, supporting himself on the bed, vomiting out bright red blood. His life force rapidly faded, and he lay back weakly. He raised his hand and conjured a national seal, saying weakly, "Zhai Xiaofang, kneel down. This is the final decree!"
Zhai Le knelt stiffly before the bed like a puppet.
"Ah Le... I'm entrusting the Qu Kingdom to you." Zhai Huan's throat bobbed twice, his voice growing weaker as he handed the national seal to Zhai Le, his eyes fixed on the empty void. "Your sister-in-law has come to fetch me... Although I'm quite worried about you, don't come to see me too soon... Let's wait until we're a hundred years old, in the underworld, to share a drink..."
With tears in his eyes, Zhai Le accepted the imperial seal, his gaze following it to that deserted corner, knowing in his heart that his elder brother's time was up tonight.
As if someone were urging him on, he murmured with a hint of indulgence, "Wait a little longer, wait a little longer... give me a few more instructions..."
No one dared to make a sound to disturb him.
After a long while, Zhai Huan reluctantly withdrew his gaze and waved to the people who were protecting Zhai Le as he entered the palace. The young scholar at the head of the group slowly stepped forward. The young man was about the same age as Zhai Huan and equally handsome, but he possessed a more heroic and decisive demeanor than Zhai Huan.
Zhai Huan said with a wry smile, "...I'm about to die."
"It's obvious that he's exhaling more than he's inhaling."
Zhai Huan didn't mind the young man's somewhat unfriendly attitude; that was just his personality. Besides, his methods of recruiting the young man had been rather underhanded, leaving the young man with some reservations: "I am all alone, with few ties in the world, except for A-Le... I hope you... can assist him and together fulfill our unfinished ambitions..."
He has done his best to pave the way.
How far one can go in the future depends entirely on fate.
Upon hearing this, the young scholar was moved, grasped his cold and weak hand, and sighed, "I understand, I understand."
He could hear everything clearly with both ears. Ever since the young Wenbing was defeated and captured by Zhai Yuewen, he had understood that his true master was Zhai Xiaofang, who was crying her eyes out beside him, not Zhai Yuewen, who was lying on the bed barely breathing.
Having long been mentally prepared for Zhai Yuewen to simply walk away and die, he wasn't surprised when the day finally arrived. He even thought to himself—Zhai Yuewen abused the ways of the literati to pave the way, yet he managed to hold on until now before finally giving up.
This suggests that the other party has a long lifespan.
Zhai Huan then gave instructions to the other military officers.
Everyone agreed.
The younger brothers, bound hand and foot, turned ashen-faced with frustration.
They hated him to death, but they also strained their ears to hear if Zhai Huan had given them any instructions, but he hadn't.
He laboriously raised his hand towards the void.
"Ah Jing... I'm here."
It seems that someone really did come to take his soul away.
As that hand fell limply to its side, the palace echoed with Zhai Le's desperate plea: "Brother—"
(ω)
Zhai Huan, come on, have your lunch.
(End of this chapter)
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