When the tragic news of my fifth brother's death arrived, the eunuchs in Xiangning Palace said that my father vomited blood at that moment.
My eldest brother immediately summoned the imperial physician to treat my father. I knew the imperial physician who treated my father. His surname was Ouyang. He was the imperial physician who instructed me to find General Ye Gucheng.
Doctor Ouyang was an excellent doctor. When he first entered the Imperial Hospital, he was ostracized. He was gentle and rigorous, and he persevered in obscurity, and finally gained qualifications and reputation in the Imperial Hospital.
His medical skills were unmatched in the Imperial Hospital, and he had a place in the Imperial Hospital thanks to his ancestral acupuncture techniques and superb medical skills.
Imperial Physician Ouyang gave the emperor a few injections, and he felt noticeably better.
Imperial Physician Ouyang privately told my brother that our father had been through great grief, and his qi and blood were flowing backwards, damaging his lungs. He was afraid that he didn't have much time left. If he took good care of himself, he might live for another year or two.
When I heard the news that my father was dying, I didn't feel sad at all.
This man is my biological father and my mother's husband. He doesn't treat me like a father at all, and he is even more cruel and ruthless to my mother.
All the sufferings that my brother, our mother and I suffered were caused by him.
If it weren't for him, my mother wouldn't have died.
If it weren't for him, my brother wouldn't have hurt his body again and again to change our situation.
If it weren't for him, my brother and I wouldn't have been bullied since childhood.
If it weren't for him, my grandfather's family would not have fallen into decline.
There are so many ifs, so many that I can’t even remember them all.
My eldest brother asked me, "Are you sad that our father is going to die?"
I remained silent.
Why should I be sad?
It was my father who gradually eroded our father-son relationship with his own hands, and it was also he who killed my mother.
His father was seriously ill and unable to handle state affairs. He chose and selected among the princes, and finally chose his brother to be the regent and take charge of state affairs.
Not long after, my father summoned the scholars of the Hanlin Academy, the six ministers and several relatives, and announced in front of them his intention to make my brother the crown prince.
Before my father died, he summoned my brother and me.
All the palace maids and eunuchs in Xiangning Palace were sent out by my father. There were only three of us, father and son, in the huge bedroom. It was so quiet that we could even hear the sound of a pin drop.
My father was wearing his pajamas, with a soft Suzhou embroidered pillow behind him. He was half lying down, but still in good spirits. The imperial physician said it was a moment of last breath.
The first thing my good father asked when he saw us was, "Tell me the truth, were you the one who caused this nightmare? Were you the ones who killed Concubine Xian and Jun'er?"
My brother and I couldn't help but chuckle at the same time.
It is true that we were the ones who created the nightmare scenario, and my father also contributed to the killing of Concubine Xian and my fifth brother.
If he had had any doubt at the beginning, my brother and I's plan would never have succeeded.
The elder brother looked at his father coldly and said, "Father, how could I possibly kill the virtuous empress? Wasn't it you who ordered her to commit suicide?"
The emperor's eyes were filled with hatred. With a sweep of his arm, he knocked the bowl on the low table beside the couch to the ground. The porcelain bowl shattered and the black medicine soup spilled all over the floor.
"Rebellious son! Rebellious son! You used me to kill the virtuous concubine and made me kill the woman and son I love most!"
My brother and I both laughed out loud at this.
I said, "Father, it was you who killed Concubine Xian."
My brother also said, "Father, you will be able to accompany Concubine Xian soon. You and Concubine Xian loved each other in life, and you will not be buried together in death. Concubine Xian killed my mother, and her ashes are pulverized. This is the end she deserves."
The emperor pointed at the two of us, speechless, "You, you—"
My father's hand slowly dropped, and we watched him die.
My father’s funeral was very grand. After all, he was the king of a country, so the funeral ceremony would not be lonely. But I thought of my mother.
Before she married the emperor, she was the most favored daughter of the Duke of Yingguo's family. After she married the emperor, her life was filled with indifference and bullying.
The grandness of my father’s funeral reminded me of how lonely my mother’s funeral was.
A month later, his elder brother received the homage of all officials in the Purple Palace, officially ascended the throne, changed the reign title to Xiangfu, and issued the first imperial edict.
He made me king, King of Qinghe.
My brother said he hopes I can work with him to create a prosperous era with peaceful seas and rivers, and a peaceful country and a safe people.
This is the origin of my name, King Qinghe.
The year after my father passed away, that is, the first year of Xiangfu, Ouyang Yuanzheng's grandson was one month old, and I went to attend the full-month banquet on purpose.
I was grateful for the help that Imperial Physician Ouyang had given me, so shortly after my brother ascended the throne, I asked him to promote Imperial Physician Ouyang to be the director of the Imperial Medical Service.
Ouyang Yuanzheng had an only daughter, who married the grandson of General Ye Gucheng.
The little baby, who had just turned one month old, was quiet and didn't cry or make a fuss. His temperament was very much like his grandfather.
It was the first time I had seen such a well-behaved child, much better than Xier when he was little, and I couldn't help but hug him. In my arms, the child grinned at me and babbled, showing no sign of shyness. Some officials started to say that this child would be someone who would achieve great things in the future.
No one expected that these casual words would come true in the future.
That's getting off topic.
After my elder brother became emperor, he appointed and promoted a group of talented people. He said that they would be the pillars of the court in the future. Among them, Censor Hua was the most talented and my elder brother valued him the most.
Censor Hua is straightforward and an outlier among civil officials. He and the grandson of General Ye Gucheng are known as the two great civil and military heroes of the court.
People who are too straightforward are not suitable to be officials, especially those who are too talkative, as they are more likely to offend others.
Censor Hua is such a person. The people he exposed have committed real crimes. It is not right to hate him, nor is it right not to hate him.
Once, Censor Hua hit a wall.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
