Chapter 59: Natural disasters and backlashes, personal emotional entanglements, national disasters...
Xiao Wangshu stayed in the palace in the name of "advisor". Although he did not officially resume his official position, Emperor Xie Xuanhui asked for his opinions on almost everything and favored him far more than ordinary ministers.
This special treatment soon caused undercurrents in the court.
A group of officials led by Yao Ce finally couldn't hold back any longer and took the lead in launching an uprising at the court meeting.
"Your Majesty!" Yao Ce stepped forward, his words earnest but veiled. "Shu Wang, the Northern Liang envoy, has an unknown identity and a murky past. Simply based on his talent, he's been confined to the palace, participating in confidential matters. This is against etiquette and against the rules! Furthermore, his past with Your Majesty... past events have sparked considerable criticism within the court and the public. I fear that if this precedent is set, this villain will seize the opportunity to curry favor with the emperor, bewitch his will, and destabilize the nation! I implore Your Majesty to prioritize the country and order him to withdraw from the palace and return to his duties as an envoy!"
Although he did not directly mention Xiao Wangshu's original name, the phrase "past events" was enough to spark speculation. Many conservative ministers chimed in, demanding that the emperor adhere to etiquette and maintain a proper distance between the ruler and his subjects.
Sitting upright on the dragon throne, Xie Xuanhui's face was as sullen as water. Five years of imperial service had already honed his dignity and decisiveness. He glanced coldly at Yao Ce and the others, his voice low but carrying an undeniable pressure:
"Are you, Lord Yao, teaching me how to be a king?"
With just one sentence, the entire court fell silent.
"Mr. Shu's talent is obvious to all of you. I keep him in the palace to maintain diplomatic relations between our two countries and to advise on state affairs. How can you accuse him of deception? As for his identity..." He snorted coldly, "I said he was an honored guest of my Zhongshan State, and so he is! Anyone who dares to make irresponsible remarks about Mr. Shu's identity, or uses this as an excuse to attack me, will be considered as disrespecting me!"
He stood up, his dragon robe dragging on the ground, looking imposing:
"I have made up my mind. There is no need to discuss this matter further! Dismiss!"
Under the dragon throne, Yao Ce and others had ashen faces, but dared not say anything more. They could only grit their teeth and turn their attention to the Beiliang delegation's residence outside the palace. They stepped up their secret investigation, trying to find flaws in Shu Wang's identity or create trouble.
The turmoil in the court did not directly affect Xiao Wangshu of Nianyue Pavilion, but he could feel the pressure from the cautious attitude of the palace servants and Xie Xuanhui's occasional solemn expression.
He became more cautious in his words and actions, and devoted his energy to assisting in handling government affairs and reading ancient books, trying to find clues about "Xiao Wangshu" from the piles of old papers.
On this day, Xie Xuanhui took Xiao Wangshu to the royal enclosure to relax, hoping that he would unwind. Unexpectedly, a carefully planned assassination suddenly broke out!
Several assassins disguised as guards suddenly attacked, aiming directly at Xie Xuanhui! Arrows rained down, swords flashed, and the scene instantly became chaotic. The guards fought desperately, and Xie Xuanhui also drew his sword to meet the enemy, his eyes fierce.
In the chaos, a poisoned arrow shot silently from an extremely tricky angle towards Xie Xuanhui's back! He was fighting with the assassin in front of him and was completely unaware!
"Your Majesty, be careful!"
In a flash, Xiao Wangshu almost instinctively rushed forward and used his body to block Xie Xuanhui behind him!
"puff--"
The sound of the arrow entering the flesh was dull and clear.
“Wangshu!!
"Xie Xuanhui's eyes were bloodshot, and he hugged the limp Xiao Wangshu with his backhand, his voice changing in tone.
The moment the sharp pain came, Xiao Wangshu's mind seemed to explode with thunder! Countless chaotic images surged in like a flood that broke through the dam.
The cold imperial prison, his father's cold, accusing face... the wailing of the people in the Hezhou epidemic zone, Tao Meixiu's busy figure... the contemptuous gazes of the officials in the Golden Palace, the Pisces jade pendant used as "evidence"... and... and this man before him, frantically smashing objects in the East Palace, rushing recklessly to Hezhou, and beneath the pear tree... beneath the pear tree, the bloody sight of him committing suicide in despair!
"Xuan... Hui..."
He muttered unconsciously, his eyes shifting from intense pain and bewilderment to one of immense shock, agony, and... an indescribable complex of emotions. The floodgates of his memory were forcibly opened by this life-or-death crisis. Though still chaotic, the most important part had returned.
"I'm here! Wangshu, I'm here!" Xie Xuanhui hugged him tightly, his voice trembling, tears rolling down uncontrollably, mixing with the blood that seeped from Xiao Wangshu's shoulder. "Imperial Physician! Send for the Imperial Physician!"
Although the arrow that hit Xiao Wangshu was extremely poisonous, he was treated in time and had a strong will, so he finally survived.
But after waking up, he became unusually silent, often staring into the void in a daze, with a heaviness and struggle in his eyes that Xie Xuanhui could not understand.
What Xie Xuanhui didn't know was that he remembered everything, completely remembered his identity, his past ambitions and betrayals, and the madness and despair of the emperor in front of him in his past and present lives.
The past that was so heavy that it almost suffocated him and Xie Xuanhui's unconcealed deep affection now formed a huge contradiction, tearing his heart apart.
Late in the night when everyone was asleep, Imperial Master Chi Hua quietly came to Nian Yue Pavilion.
"Master Xiao, how do you feel?"
Chihua's voice was still ethereal.
Leaning on the couch, Xiao Wangshu looked pale and looked at him sharply:
"Grand Master, was all of this part of your plan? Faking death and escaping, five years in Beiliang, sealing the memory... and, His Majesty and I..."
Chihua swept his whisk lightly and sighed:
"What I have done is against the will of Heaven, solely to reverse the fate of 'my own death, the Emperor's madness, and the empire in chaos.' I allowed you to fake your death and hide from the heavens. Sealing your memory is also a form of protection. Knowing everything too early would be torment for both you and His Majesty."
He looked at Xiao Wangshu with a deep gaze:
"The bond between you and His Majesty began in humble beginnings, burned with passion, and endures through life and death. Your death in your previous life, followed by His Majesty's subsequent madness and suicide, is clear evidence of this.
This feeling is true, this resolve remains unwavering. Now that the trajectory of fate has shifted, a backlash from Heaven will soon follow. Whether the two of you can work together to overcome this calamity remains uncertain."
His words did not directly acknowledge it, but indirectly confirmed that what Xie Xuanhui said was true, and also pointed out the deep bond between them that transcended the relationship between monarch and subject and entangled two lifetimes.
Xiao Wangshu closed his eyes, a mixture of emotions welling up in his heart. It turned out that behind those fragments of his dreams, that inexplicable familiarity and palpitations, and Xie Xuanhui's clumsy yet persistent pursuit, lay such a thrilling truth.
As his body gradually recovered, Xiao Wangshu's memory became clearer and clearer like the tide.
He remembered his father's ruthlessness, his family's exploitation, his previous life's painstaking efforts and ultimate betrayal, and also remembered Xie Xuanhui's feelings that were unacceptable to the world but sincere and burning enough to destroy everything.
He was grateful to Xie Xuanhui for avenging him in his previous life, going crazy for him, and even dying with him. He was also moved by Xie Xuanhui's desperate protection and pursuit in this life.
However, the heavy burden of the past, like an insurmountable chasm, lay across his heart. He was once a powerful official in the Ministry of Personnel, but he was also a prisoner, a criminal who "seduced the emperor."
Although the truth is out now, the scars left by those experiences and his deep-rooted understanding of the boundaries between the monarch and his subjects make it difficult for him to easily and completely accept Xie Xuanhui's feelings for the time being.
He became distant and polite, no longer allowing Xie Xuanhui to have overly close contact, and was more businesslike when discussing political affairs.
Xie Xuanhui could clearly feel the invisible barrier that had been erected again. He was extremely anxious, but he didn't dare to be as overbearing as before. He could only be more cautious and use endless patience and gentleness to melt the layer of ice.
Just when their relationship was at a stalemate, a person who everyone thought had died in the fire suddenly appeared outside the palace - it was Nian Yue, who had served in the previous emperor's palace and later "disappeared" in the palace fire!
She was dusty and haggard, but her eyes were filled with anxiety and worry. Holding a seemingly ordinary token, she asked to see the emperor and the imperial preceptor.
"Your Majesty! Imperial Master!" Nian Yue knelt on the ground, speaking in a hurried tone, "Since I left the palace, I have been traveling around incognito.
Over the past six months, strange phenomena have occurred frequently across Zhongshan! Droughts have ravaged the southern border, leaving thousands of miles of land barren. In the north, flash floods have destroyed villages. Hurricanes have plagued the East China Sea coast, and earthquakes have occurred repeatedly in the west! These are no ordinary natural disasters; their frequency and intensity far exceed those of previous disasters! The people have been displaced and are filled with resentment. Fears... fears of major changes are brewing!
Upon hearing this, Xie Xuanhui and the Imperial Preceptor's expressions became extremely solemn.
Imperial Master Chi Hua raised his fingers and counted, his face growing paler, and finally he let out a long sigh, filled with endless fatigue and resignation:
"What's coming... has finally come."
He looked at Xie Xuanhui and Xiao Wangshu who had just arrived after hearing the news, with complicated eyes:
"Your Majesty, Lord Xiao. The backlash of destiny has already begun. These continuous natural disasters are heaven's warning and punishment for our forcible reversal of fate. If we cannot quell this swiftly, I fear... our nation will be destroyed."
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room fell silent.
Looking at the Imperial Master's face that seemed to have lost all life in an instant, then looking at the deep worry between Xie Xuanhui's brows, and the urgent reports of disasters in various places brought by Nian Yue, Xiao Wangshu was shocked.
Personal emotional entanglements seem insignificant in the face of national disaster. And the mysterious and controlling Heaven hangs like a sword overhead, foreshadowing a greater storm to come. Can their love and their kingdom be preserved from this divine calamity? Everything is filled with uncertainty.
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The author has something to say: There are probably only one or two chapters left to finish [狗头] These chapters are actually just to improve the logic.
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