Chapter 193 Love is unknown
Huo Lang did not recognize the prince. He only thought that he was elegant and noble. He wore a light white dragon robe with gold thread embroidered on it. His dark pupils seemed to hide tenderness and affection, but upon closer inspection, they were cold and indifferent. He saw him kneeling on the steps from a distance and turned around to ask the eunuch. His voice was a little unclear through the wind and snow:
"Why was this person...kneeling..."
"... He is the eldest son of Marquis Boling... He was ordered... to suppress bandits in Ruzhou, but he failed to lead the troops effectively... and angered Your Majesty..."
The vermilion palace door opened and closed, as if no one had been there.
Huo Lang knelt on the spot, thinking back to two hours ago when Marquis Boling came into the palace to report on something, and saw him kneeling outside as punishment. He didn't even glance at him, but just walked past him coldly. The hands hanging by his sides couldn't help but clench.
Huo Lang was only a deputy general in the Ruzhou bandit suppression operation. He was killed by surprise when he was drunk late at night because his chief general had a banquet with local officials and didn't know that the county officials had already colluded with the bandits. Huo Lang didn't attend the banquet, so he was lucky enough to escape the siege. However, he didn't expect that several other superiors would shirk their responsibilities and order him to come to the emperor to apologize, and he was shot right in the face.
In fact, the punishment could be waived if Marquis Boling asked the emperor for mercy, but Huo Lang knew that man would not do that.
He looked down on his mother for being a singing girl, just as other people looked down on him for being an unfavored bastard in the marquis's mansion. He was oppressed and excluded everywhere in the army, his merits were snatched away, his rewards were swallowed up, and he was always the one to bear the blame whenever something went wrong.
The wind and snow are eroding, but they are far less than the chill in my heart.
Huo Lang knelt expressionlessly for four hours. His eyes were like the darkening sky behind him. A giant beast named unwillingness was ready to move, ramming the cage frantically.
How on earth must he fight to reach that high position where he doesn't have to kowtow to anyone?
Just after the man in the dragon robe entered the hall, a eunuch pushed the door open and said to him politely, "Captain Huo, it's getting late, you can go home now."
Huo Lang had been kneeling on the ground for too long, so a thick layer of frost and snow fell on his shoulders. He narrowed his eyes slightly when he heard the words, and for a moment he suspected that he was hallucinating. Although his voice was hoarse, it was as sharp as a sword under the cold wind: "Did your majesty say anything?"
The eunuch smiled kindly, "Your Majesty did not say anything. It was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who saw that the sun had already set and asked for Captain Huo to go back first. You should return home quickly to avoid catching a cold."
It turns out that person is the prince...
Huo Lang said nothing. He used his sword to prop himself up, then limped out of the palace and returned to the barracks.
He was just a small captain and had no friendship with the prince. Huo Lang didn't understand why the other party would speak up to help him. After thinking it over, he could only conclude that the other party might be kind-hearted and pitiful. He couldn't think of a second answer.
After that day, Huo Lang did not go to the palace for a long time. The snowstorm almost broke his knees. After returning, he suffered from a cold and lay in the barracks with a fever all over his body and vomiting blood.
Huo Lang thought he was going to die that winter night, but he never expected that he would wake up three days later and see the imperial physician sitting beside his bed giving him acupuncture treatment. The soldiers who used to treat him coldly were kneeling on the ground, congratulating him on his promotion with flattering faces.
Promotion? Promotion to what position?
A soldier saw Huo Lang's confused expression and took the initiative to explain. It turned out that the prince had suddenly ordered people to re-investigate the case of the bandit suppression in Ruzhou the day before. In the end, it was discovered that the matter had nothing to do with Huo Lang. Instead, it was his extraordinary courage that led the troops to break through the encirclement of the water bandits, which prevented the entire army from being wiped out. After hearing about it, His Majesty issued an edict to commend him and appointed him as the fifth-rank General Ningyuan. It can be said that his luck had turned. The prince also specially dispatched a royal physician to treat him.
Prince...
The prince again...
Huo Lang was a solitary person and always kept to himself in the army. Few things could arouse his emotions, but since he had received great favors from the other party twice, he could not help but pay more attention when he entered the palace to attend court.
Others said that the prince was weak and bedridden, and apart from occasionally playing chess with Wei Tan, the third son of the Duke of Zhenguo, he rarely went out into the world. Huo Lang didn't meet him often either, only two or three times out of twenty, and they would never meet again after a quick glance.
One stood at the head of all the officials, and the other stood at the last.
It was not until the winter snow melted and the city was filled with spring colors that they finally said their first words.
The man was born with a gentle temperament, and his charm was even more obvious in the warm spring. After the court was dismissed, he was chatting and laughing with the third son of the Wei family. When he passed by the outside of the palace, he suddenly saw Huo Lang and stopped in his tracks: "General, is your old illness better?"
Huo Lang didn't expect that he still remembered him. He was stunned for a moment, then lowered his eyes and saluted: "Thank you, Your Highness, for saving my life. I am fine now."
He was aloof and taciturn, unable to say anything nice, but the man did not blame him, and said in a warm voice: "When I first saw the general kneeling in the wind and snow for a long time without changing his expression, I thought he must be a man of strong character. How could he indulge in feasting and pleasure and delay military affairs? So I asked someone to investigate the matter in Ruzhou and found that there was indeed an injustice. I am relieved that the general is fine now, otherwise my father would also feel guilty."
The man probably knew that Huo Lang had doubts in his heart, so he explained it to him with a faint smile. He did not say anything to persuade him, but only told him to rest and recuperate, then left with Wei Tan.
Now that I think about it, it was the beginning of a bad fate. Since that incident, the grudges between the two of them can no longer be settled...
The dream suddenly became chaotic and turned into a pool of broken water. Sometimes he was beaten by his mother's lover when he was a child, sometimes he was wandering on the street and competing with other beggars for food, and more often he was treated coldly in the mansion of the marquis. Later, he gradually became cruel and ruthless, filling his way with human lives and holding power in the court.
Huo Lang dreamed through all the pain of his first half of life before he suddenly woke up from his sleep. He sat up from the bed with a pale face, a fishy and sweet taste suddenly surged in his throat, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. The blood was rusty and sticky, and the brocade quilt was dotted with red marks.
It was still early and the candles had gone out.
Huo Lang never liked to be served, so naturally no one knew what was going on in the room. He reached out to touch the corner of his mouth in a daze. With the help of the cold moonlight outside the window, he realized that he had vomited blood. There were cold tear marks on his face. He wiped them twice, but they couldn't be wiped clean. A low laugh suddenly broke out from his throat, and he kept coughing from laughing:
“Cough cough cough…”
No one knew what Huo Lang was laughing at. His pale, rosy cheeks were covered in bloodstains. He stared down at his hands in the moonlight, muttering to himself in a daze:
"How pitiful..."
Huo Lang, you were so pitiful in the past.
But just because I pleaded for you and sent a royal physician, are you so devoted to me?
Those who bullied you, humiliated you and made you kneel down had long ago been chopped to pieces by your sword and fed to the beasts in the mastiff camp. They can no longer bully you. Why are you still crying?
The second half of the night is when people are most sleepy, but the guards on duty outside the imperial city can only force themselves to stay awake, hoping that the sun will rise earlier so that they can change shifts earlier.
Lu Yan was sleeping in a dark room separated by a wall inside the palace, but he was haunted by nightmares. His breathing was rapid and his forehead was covered with cold sweat. It seemed as if an invisible hand in the air was strangling his throat and he couldn't even breathe.
The dream was not about the tragic case of the extermination of the Ruzhou family that had trapped Lu Yan for many years, but only a dark sky and a sentence that repeated over and over again:
"He said... he said I was not worthy to die with him..."
This was probably Huo Lang's last words in his previous life.
Although he had never heard it with his own ears, hearing it recounted by Zhao Kang, every word was heartbreaking. Lu Yan was in so much pain that he tossed and turned, and could not sleep peacefully even in the middle of the night. When he finally woke up from his wet dream, it was already daybreak.
Zhao Kang will attend court tonight. Judging from the time, he should have already gone to the Council Hall.
Lu Yan bathed and changed his clothes with the help of a palace maid in a dark room, then pushed open a stone wall in front of him, revealing a secret passage leading to the Council Hall. He walked to the end of the secret passage and quietly slid open the cover above his head, revealing a ray of light.
Lu Yan walked out from the underground stairs and stood behind a huge nine-dragon screen. In front of the screen was a dragon chair, and Zhao Kang sat on it to listen to the court officials' responses.
Wu Mei stood to one side and caught a glimpse of Lu Yan's figure. His eyebrows moved slightly, but he said nothing.
He was a banished man, and no matter how great his martial arts skills were, he had no talent for governing the country. Zhao Kang was even more dull-witted and knew nothing about state affairs. On the contrary, Lu Yan, the substitute, was proficient in the six arts of a gentleman and was well-versed in classics and historical records. When the late emperor was alive, he often sighed with regret, wondering how great it would be if this boy was truly of royal blood.
The noisy sounds from the court came through the screen, and although Lu Yan couldn't see the faces clearly, he could tell who was talking even with his eyes closed.
"Your Majesty, Zhao Qin embezzled the army's rations and has been tyrannical for many years. His crimes are too numerous to list. The army's rations were delayed in the battle of Guiyan Pass because he embezzled and sold them to grain merchants in Beijing, which delayed the battle and caused tens of thousands of soldiers to die outside the pass. He also caused countless casualties in the Wei family. I have presented all the evidence of his crimes. I hope Your Majesty will punish him severely and give justice to the dead soldiers!"
It was Wei Buyan, the official historian of the Wei family. He had no faction or affiliation, held a high position, had a long career in the court, and was a well-known lone minister who stood up for justice and spoke out. It was a good move for the Wei family to send him out to take the lead.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty... They are talking nonsense! The evidence is all fabricated! The Wei family first led their soldiers to block the palace gates privately, and then chased to my house and looted and smashed everything. The whole house was robbed. It is clear that they are rebelling, Your Majesty, please make a decision for me!!"
The voice with tears streaming down its face belonged to Jingyang Prince Zhao Qin. Wasn't it said that he was shot in the thigh by Huo Lang's arrow? How come he was able to attend court today?
Lu Yan was puzzled. He leaned slightly to the side and looked down through the carved gaps on the edge of the screen. He found that Zhao Qin had been lifted up on a recliner. His thighs were wrapped in gauze, his body was bruised and swollen, and he was crying loudly, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
Lu Yan was about to retract his gaze when he saw civil and military officials standing on both sides, with a familiar figure standing at the head of the team. The man had a seductive and evil look, with a hint of morbidity. He wore a royal robe with a purple background and dark gold patterns, a silver gauze on the outside, and a jade belt around his waist. Although he didn't utter a word from beginning to end, his aura was like the abyss, which made people terrified.
Perhaps it was because Zhao Qin's crying was too loud, causing him to tilt his head and glance at her warningly, his eyes were cold and indifferent, as if he was looking at a dying person.
It turned out to be Huo Lang, who had not attended court for a long time due to illness.
Lu Yan withdrew his gaze and was stunned for a moment, because in his previous life, Huo Lang did not appear in the court, and in the end, the matter ended with Madam Wei killing King Jingyang. Could it be that there was a deviation due to his rebirth?
A dignified female voice suddenly resounded throughout the hall: "Your Majesty, please kill the traitor in front of my late husband and give justice to the soldiers who died in vain in Yanguan!!!"
Madam Wei, with her hair tied with white flowers, appeared in the court in a dignified manner. Behind her, the servants held the tablet of the Duke of Zhenguo. She held the Qingfeng sword that the Duke of Zhenguo had used when he was alive, and walked to the bottom of the stairs step by step, her eyes as determined as torches:
"Once a precious sword is unsheathed, it will be stained with blood! If it does not stain the blood of this thief today, it will stain the blood of others. Your Majesty, please decide!"
No one dared to delve into the meaning of her words, but the loyal and brave Wei family had indeed made the greatest concession. As long as His Majesty was willing to kill King Jingyang and give justice to the Duke of Zhen's Mansion, the matter could be settled peacefully and the disaster of war could be easily resolved.
Zhao Kang sat down on the dragon chair with a pale face. The evidence piled on the case was not false. It was an indisputable fact that the Prince of Jingyang embezzled state funds and embezzled grain and grass. With tears in his eyes, he asked in a trembling voice: "Uncle Wang, why! Why did you do that?!"
Zhao Kangyou remembered that when the former emperor was seriously ill, there were rebels in the palace and blood flowed like a river. It was Zhao Qin who protected the young Zhao Kangyou and hid him in a secret passage for five days. The only remaining bread and water were given to Zhao Kangyou. However, Zhao Kangyou was so hungry that he ate the moss on the wall and the mice in the ditch, and he almost lost his life.
The royal family was not kind, and Zhao Kang had no relatives after he ascended the throne. He only valued his uncle very much, but he did not expect that it would lead to the disaster today.
Wu Mei pretended to go to the back to serve tea, and returned a moment later. He placed the tray on the table, and bent over to press a piece of light paper underneath. The handwriting was clear and powerful, but it also revealed a silent murderous intent.
"Exterminate him!"
Wu Mei Wusheng moved his lips and said, "Your Majesty, please do it."
This is not only Lu Yan's intention, but also his intention. Zhao Qin must die today.
Madam Wei shouted again: "Your Majesty, please kill the thief with your own hands!"
The officials of the Wei clan behind her shouted in unison: "Your Majesty, please kill the thief with your own hands!"
Zhao Kangqiang struggled to stand up from the dragon throne and staggered down the steps step by step. He took the heavy sword from Madam Wei's hand almost numbly and slowly walked towards Zhao Qin.
Zhao Qin turned pale and shook his head in panic: "No... no... Your Majesty... you can't kill me... you can't kill me..."
He stepped back and tried to escape, but his injuries prevented him from moving. He rolled over and fell off the recliner, crying bitterly and finding it difficult to crawl out.
Zhao Kang choked up and said, "Uncle, when the palace coup happened, you and I hid in the secret passage, without water and food. It was you who gave me the only remaining Hu Bing. I have never forgotten this kindness, but you...but why are you so foolish!"
He raised the sword with trembling right hand, but he had never killed anyone in his life, and since he was a blood relative, he could not stab him. Finally, he closed his eyes too weak to do anything. Just as he was about to throw the sword away, his wrist was suddenly grabbed by someone, and the sword was fiercely stabbed into Zhao Qin's throat.
"puff--!"
Warm blood spurted out instantly, splashing all over Zhao Kang's face. There was a sudden commotion all around him. He turned around in shock, only to see Regent Prince Huo Lang standing behind him. His eyes were narrow and cold, and his pale cheeks were dotted with blood. Although he was smiling, his tone was inexplicably chilling:
"Your Majesty, please don't thank the wrong person."
Huo Lang took the handkerchief handed to him by his subordinate with an expressionless face, slowly wiped his fingertips, and asked with interest: "I led the troops to suppress the palace coup, hundreds of people died and more than ten thousand were injured. How come Zhao Qin gave him a Hu Bing and the credit for protecting the emperor became his?"
Zhao Kang staggered back two steps, looked at him in shock, tears streaming down his face, and asked tremblingly: "How could you...how could you kill the emperor's uncle..."
Huo Lang stared into his eyes motionlessly, and a thought suddenly popped up in his mind:
This person cries so ugly, but not as beautiful as he cried that day.
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