Chapter 222 The Death of Prince Rui
Ye Jing stared intently at that figure.
The broken crack in my heart suddenly began to grow flesh and blood wildly, trying to heal itself little by little.
Inside the thatched cottage, a child, not paying attention to the lesson, noticed the foliage outside.
"Sir, it seems someone outside is looking for you."
The child's innocent voice rang out, interrupting Chen Jiatao's lecture.
He looked up and immediately spotted that dashing and heroic figure.
Chen Jiatao's mind went blank for a moment, and he just stared blankly at Ye Jing without reacting.
It was as if everything around him had stopped, and Ye Jing was the only person left in the world.
A loud, piercing tinnitus rang in his ears, causing him to lose his hearing as well.
Chen Jiatao was swaying precariously, almost unable to stand.
"Sir, sir..."
The child's innocent voice reached out, and Chen Jiatao reached out to hold onto the table beside him, steadying himself and slowly coming back to his senses.
In a panic, he said to the children, "That's enough for today's lessons."
The children stood up very politely and bowed to Chen Jiatao to say goodbye.
Then one by one, they left the thatched cottage with their books.
When they came out, everyone looked Ye Jing up and down.
After everyone had left, Ye Jing stepped into the courtyard.
Their eyes met, and a vast, unseen swirling emotion filled the air.
Chen Jiatao's eyes were red, and tears were about to fall.
Ye Jing quickly stepped forward and reached out to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes.
Chen Jiatao could no longer hold back and rushed into Ye Jing's arms, hugging him tightly.
Ye Jing's mind and body were suddenly filled at this moment.
All the hardships, worries, and anxieties of the journey have vanished at this moment.
All that remained was this warm body in my arms.
He reached out and hugged Chen Jiatao's trembling body, whispering in his ear:
"I'm sorry, I've dragged you into this."
Chen Jiatao didn't speak, he just kept crying, and his tears soaked Ye Jing's neck.
After a long while, with Ye Jing's constant reassurance, Chen Jiatao gradually calmed down and lifted his head from Ye Jing's embrace.
Ye Jing put his arm around Chen Jiatao and they went into the house. The two sat down and talked.
Chen Jiatao gripped Ye Jing's sleeve tightly, not wanting to let go for even a moment.
Ye Jing held the person in his arms, expressing his longing for them after they had been separated.
Gradually, Chen Jiatao calmed down, leaned on his shoulder and listened to him talk, occasionally asking a few questions.
When Ye Jing mentioned that he planned to kill everyone who had harmed him before committing suicide for love.
Chen Jiatao started crying again, and while crying, he looked up and kissed Ye Jing's chin and the white hair at his temples.
The two poured out their hearts to each other, expressing their deep longing for one another.
Finally, Ye Jing's stomach growled at an inopportune moment, and Chen Jiatao looked at the sky outside; it was already past noon.
"You sit here, I'll go cook."
Ye Jing shook his head and said, "Let's go, I'll show you our new home."
"New home?"
Chen Jiatao was surprised.
"Yes, when Ye Xi came last time, I told him that if he found you, he should buy a house here on his way."
He had already taken care of it during his last visit.
From now on, we'll live here, stay together, and never be apart again.
As he spoke, he took out a land deed from his pocket and handed it to Chen Jiatao. The owner of the house was Chen Jiatao.
Chen Jiatao looked at the address; it was a three-courtyard house not far from here, very close to the academy and the thatched cottage.
Ye Jing took his hand and said, "Let's go home."
With tears in his eyes and a smile on his face, Chen Jiatao said, "Yes, I'm going home."
...
After the army that marched south from the capital achieved victory, only the fighting continued in the north.
Soon, spies from the North sent back Xiao Zhi's blood sample.
After Xie Yunyu conducted the test, her speculation was indeed proven true: Xiao Zhi was the child of Consort Rong and His Majesty.
The emperor was filled with mixed emotions upon seeing the result.
After a long silence, he sent someone to summon the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and ordered him to take people to interrogate Consort Rong as soon as possible.
He then sent someone to the front lines to have Wei Qing use the message to undermine the morale of the troops in the northern border region.
Du Zhengming brought new evidence to see Consort Rong and explained Xiao Zhi's current situation. This time, Consort Rong finally spoke up.
The situation described was almost identical to Xie Yunyu's and their speculations.
The following day, the three departments of the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate jointly tried Prince Rui.
Prince Rui had been imprisoned in a dark and gloomy prison for so long, without light or sound, that his consciousness was beginning to waver.
I was in a daze for half the day yesterday, and I'm feeling a bit better today.
Hearing the three judicial departments list out his crimes one by one, he smiled silently.
“Alright, I’ll take this evidence to see my father and see how he views you.”
Hahaha……"
"Xiao Chenghong, do you really think you've won?"
The throne is a curse; your sons will fight each other, ultimately ending up like you and me.
"No, you've been poisoned, and you won't live much longer."
I'll go downstairs first to find Father and prepare a delicious meal for you. Shouldn't our family be together all the time?
"Xiao Chenghong, I curse you! May you have nightmares every night, and may your father appear in your dreams every night to question you."
I'll never let you go, even if it kills me...
Upon hearing such rebellious words from him, the court officials quickly signaled to their men to gag him.
After hastily making him put his fingerprint on his statement, they had him taken away.
When the news reached the palace, the emperor fainted from anger once again.
That night, the first decree the emperor issued upon waking was to send someone to escort Prince Rui on his journey.
In the nineteenth year of the Kaiyao era of the Dayong Dynasty, Prince Rui, who had once rivaled the emperor and was renowned throughout the land, was poisoned to death in the imperial prison with a cup of poisoned wine.
Thus, the ruler of the North fell.
The following day, upon hearing the news, Consort Rong committed suicide in the Dali Temple prison.
...
Inside the Northern Front Command Post.
Xiao Zhi's eyes were covered by black bandages, and his golden armor was covered in blood.
Xiao Li helped him stand up inside the central command tent, and Xiao Zhi reached out and groped for Xiao Li's shoulder.
"Third Brother, given my current status, I can no longer lead the people below me."
They have begun to distrust me, and if this continues, there is a risk of a mutiny.
Therefore, from this day forward, you shall assume full command of all military operations here.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Li said anxiously, "Fourth brother, I can't do it."
You know I know absolutely nothing about military matters, except for business.
Xiao Zhi continued, "Don't worry, you are temporarily assuming the position of general in order to stabilize the morale of the army."
I'll teach you how to deploy troops.
Xiao Li still refused: "No, no, when my father passed away, he handed over all military and political power to you."
I...I..."
Xiao Zhi reached out and patted him hard on the shoulder.
“I have already written back to ask the Princess, and she has confirmed my identity. I am His Majesty’s child with that Consort Rong.”
Because I had an eye problem after I was born, Consort Rong was ordered by my father to infiltrate the palace. Fearing something might happen, my father sent someone to switch me with Xiao Qi.
Therefore, these rumors circulating in the military are all true.
Xiao Li hurriedly said, "Fourth brother, don't listen to what they're saying..."
Even at this point, Xiao Li still had great faith in his blind younger brother, who possessed a keen and insightful mind.
"Third brother, the army is now worried that I will defect to the emperor."
But don't worry, I grew up in the Prince Rui's Mansion and I am blind.
My father and two queens treated me very well, and I have never met my birth mother and father.
We didn't raise the child, so there wasn't much emotional connection between us.
So don't worry, I won't side with them.
"The military is currently unstable, and we need your status to stabilize morale."
Xiao Li sighed and said, "Alright, Fourth Brother, I'll listen to you."
Soon, the drums in the central command tent began to beating to gather the generals.
After all the generals from the Northern Frontier had gathered, Xiao Zhi announced his decision.
As expected, this instantly calmed the morale of the troops.
In the following days, the troops in the North continued to organize their resistance in an orderly manner.
Upon receiving the news, Wei Qing couldn't help but sigh:
"This Xiao Zhi is really something."
Surprisingly, he showed no reluctance to relinquish power, handing it over without hesitation.
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