Chapter 68 He Enters My Dream with a Thousand Lamps (Part 4) First published on Jinjiang Literature City...
Chu Xi's smile remained unchanged, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Lord Sun is a descendant of a founding father, highly respected and virtuous. If he can be pragmatic and consider the overall situation, I will treat him with courtesy. His position as Imperial Censor will remain as secure as Mount Tai."
"Bah!" Sun Yu's hair and beard bristled, his eyes wide with anger. "Etiquette? You dare to talk about etiquette! Let me tell you, even if you scheme and plot and manage to get this chair by luck!"
He raised his hand, trembling yet resolute, pointing to the Nine-Dragon Throne, "You cannot sit securely either! Since ancient times, emperors must be ordained by Heaven and obey the will of the people to be the rightful rulers of the Central Plains!"
"How dare you, a bastard with barbarian blood and of unknown origin, covet and lay your hands on it!"
The word "bastard" made the air in the silent hall suddenly freeze.
Chu Xi's fingers, which were tapping on the armrest, suddenly stopped.
The smile on his face slowly faded, his peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, and a storm seemed to be silently brewing in his dark pupils. The temperature inside the hall seemed to drop a few degrees.
He slowly sat up straight, his gaze falling on Sun Yu's back, which trembled slightly with excitement and pain but remained as straight as a pine tree, and looked at him for a moment.
Then, he raised his hand very slightly.
“Sun Yu,” he began slowly, his voice so calm it was chilling, “has behaved improperly before the palace, disgracing the late Empress Dowager. This is a grave offense. According to the law, he shall be beheaded. He shall be dragged out of the Meridian Gate and publicly executed. All male members of the Sun family over the age of sixteen shall be beheaded, the female members shall be confiscated and sent to the inner palace, and their property shall be confiscated and added to the national treasury.”
The order was given so casually, yet it determined the lives and deaths of countless people.
Two fierce-looking black-armored guards immediately stepped forward and grabbed Sun Yu.
Sun Yu struggled fiercely, then laughed loudly, his laughter desolate and tragic: "Good! Well done! I am not afraid of death! My Southern Dynasty has countless men of unyielding spirit, how could I fear you mere demons and monsters!"
"For the sake of the nation and the people, I will never bow down to a traitor or live a life of ignominy! Chu Xi! What you have done today will surely be punished by Heaven! I will be waiting in the netherworld to see your towering edifice rise, and to see your... tower crumble!"
The roars faded into the distance, eventually disappearing into the deep night outside the palace.
Chu Xi's face remained expressionless, as if he had merely dealt with a trivial matter. His gaze shifted to another official on the other side of the hall, who was also kneeling on the ground but remained silent.
"Lord Nie," Chu Xi leaned back in his chair, his fingertips tapping rhythmically again, his gaze falling on Nie Huaizhang's lowered head, his voice regaining its former languid tone, "Lord Sun's integrity is admirable. But I wonder, Lord Nie... what are your thoughts?"
Nie Huaizhang's body trembled almost imperceptibly. He bowed even lower, his forehead nearly touching the cold, smooth gold brick floor, his voice clear and submissive, even carrying a perfectly balanced mix of fear and determination:
"Your subject, Nie Huaizhang, will follow Your Highness's lead without question! Your Highness is of royal blood, a noble of the imperial family. Now that His Majesty is in distress, the country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. Your Highness has been appointed to temporarily assume the reins of government in this time of crisis, which is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people! Your subject is willing to serve Your Highness with utmost loyalty!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Xi finally smiled slightly. He gave a soft "Mmm".
“Lord Nie is very insightful and wise.” He leaned forward slightly, his tone gentle but carrying an unquestionable command. “Then, I will trouble Lord Nie to draft an edict immediately in your capacity as Vice Minister of the Chancellery and issue it to all circuits, prefectures, counties and districts.”
Nie Huaizhang quickly replied, "Your subject obeys! Please give your instructions, Your Highness."
Chu Xi slowly said, "The decree must be made clear: His Majesty was unfortunately murdered by treacherous people and fell into the water and disappeared. You have personally examined the 'remains' and confirmed that His Majesty has indeed perished. The nation has suffered a great loss, but the state cannot remain vacant for long. Therefore, I, as the Imperial Uncle, will temporarily assume the reins of government and act as regent. Until the true culprit who murdered His Majesty is thoroughly investigated, all prefectures must strictly guard their territories and closely cooperate with the imperial city's orders. During this period, apart from orders issued from this imperial city of Chang'an, anyone claiming to be acting on His Majesty's secret decree or will..."
He paused, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes, his voice suddenly turning cold:
"...They are all regarded as rebels who are taking the opportunity to rebel and wreak havoc on the country! All prefectures and counties are ordered to conduct strict screening and must not believe any 'fake imperial edict' so as not to miss the opportunity and cause a great disaster."
Cold sweat beaded on Nie Huaizhang's palms, but he dared not hesitate for a moment. He kowtowed and said, "Your subject obeys! I will certainly follow Your Highness's instructions, draft the edict, and send it to all regions as soon as possible!"
Chu Xi waved his hand, signaling him to step back and draft the imperial decree.
Nie Huaizhang felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He bowed and left the main hall, his steps slightly hurried.
Inside the spacious Xuanzheng Hall, only Chu Xi remained, seated high on the dragon throne. The flickering candlelight cast his dark figure onto the massive screen behind him, distorting and swaying like a lurking beast.
He slowly raised his hand, his fingertips brushing against the cool, gilded armrest, carved with lifelike dragon patterns, his movements gentle, as if caressing a lover's skin. His beautiful peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, gazing at the thick, impenetrable night outside the palace, the smile on his lips both eerie and cold.
A maid dressed in a light blue palace gown entered with her head bowed and knelt down a short distance below the steps. Her voice was filled with obvious fear: "Your Highness, at Changqiu Palace... Miss Ye... absolutely refuses to try on the Empress's crown and ceremonial robes. We... simply cannot persuade her."
Chu Xi's fingers, which were caressing the dragon pattern, paused slightly.
Changqiu Palace has always been the residence of the Empress. He has not yet officially ascended the throne, but he has already impatiently settled Ye Lingrou there.
"Unwilling to try?" He repeated these three words, his tone calm and unreadable, but the languid smile in his peach blossom eyes faded slightly, replaced by an unfathomable depth. He did not get angry at the maid, but simply gave a soft "hmm" and slowly stood up.
His dark robes slid down like water as he stepped off the steps and walked out of the palace. "It's alright, I'll go and persuade her myself."
Changqiu Palace wasn't exactly close to Xuanzheng Hall, but Chu Xi walked leisurely through the palace streets, which were eerily quiet in the night. Along the way, guards and maids alike held their breath, bowed their heads, and respectfully greeted him, creating a tense atmosphere.
Before even reaching the palace gates, one could already hear the woman's angry, shrill voice coming from inside, mixed with the crisp sound of shattering porcelain:
"Get away! All of you get away from me! Don't touch me with your filthy hands!"
"Please calm down, young lady... This is His Highness's order..."
"What do his orders have to do with me! Take it away! Take it all away!"
Chu Xi walked straight in without stopping. The hall was brightly lit, but in a mess. Torn and beautiful fabrics, shattered teacups, and overturned vases were scattered on the floor.
Several palace maids and eunuchs huddled in a corner, their faces pale. When they saw him enter, they rushed to kneel down and pay their respects as if they had seen a savior.
Chu Xi waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the mess in the room before finally settling on the figure in the center of the hall.
Ye Lingrou was wearing a plain white old dress, her long hair loose and draped messily over her shoulders. She was facing away from the door, her shoulders heaving slightly with excitement. Hearing footsteps, she turned around abruptly.
In the candlelight, her beautiful face was flushed with anger, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, burning with an indomitable flame as she glared fiercely at Chu Xi who had entered. Her gaze was like that of a small beast trapped in a desperate situation, still baring its claws.
Chu Xi dismissed all the palace servants. The palace doors closed gently behind him, isolating him from the outside world.
He walked slowly closer, stopping a few steps away from her, looking down at her. A gentle, harmless smile spread across his handsome, almost otherworldly face, as if the tense atmosphere and the mess on the ground didn't exist.
"Rou'er doesn't like the style of the dress sent by the Imperial Wardrobe?" He asked gently, with a hint of indulgence. "It's alright. I will order them to redo it tomorrow until Rou'er is satisfied. Or, if Rou'er wants a particular style, she can draw a pattern and have them make it accordingly."
"Things that are obtained dishonestly are disgusting to wear!" Ye Lingrou met his gaze without fear. "Chu Xi, do you think you can sit securely on something you obtained through such means?!"
"Illegible origins?" Chu Xi repeated softly, his smile deepening, but his eyes remained devoid of warmth. "Rou'er, you've read history books; you should know that throughout history, the victors are kings and the losers are villains. The victors write history, the losers are buried in the dust. What is right? What is wrong? The person sitting in this position decides."
He paused, his gaze lingering on her face, made even more vivid by anger. "Besides, the person I, Chu Xi, have chosen deserves the best of everything in the world. That coward Chu Huaili, always worried about this and that, doesn't even dare to openly and honestly give his beloved a title. But I'm different..."
"Of course you're different!" Ye Lingrou interrupted him sharply, her chest heaving violently. "You're a madman! A madman who will stop at nothing for power and treats everyone as a pawn! From beginning to end, you've been scheming! Whether it's the previous dynasty or the present one, anyone of value to you is on your chessboard!"
Chu Xi's smile faded slightly. He suddenly stepped forward, reached out, and gently touched her smooth yet taut cheek with the back of his hand. The gesture carried an irresistible intimacy, yet also a calm, appraising quality.
"A chess game?" He chuckled softly, but his voice turned cold. "Rou'er, do you think your father is some innocent and virtuous person?"
Ye Lingrou stiffened, trying to avoid his hand, but his other hand gently gripped her chin, the pressure light yet impossible for her to break free. He moved closer, his warm breath brushing against her cheek, but his words were like poisoned ice picks:
"Back then, I was still young, and I accompanied my elder brother on the orders of the previous emperor to suppress the famine uprising in Hedong. Do you know how that so-called 'natural disaster' started?" He stared at her suddenly wide-open eyes, each word clear and distinct, "It was your seemingly honest and benevolent father who embezzled the disaster relief funds allocated by the court, enriching himself! In three entire prefectures, there was no harvest, people resorted to cannibalism, and corpses littered the fields!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Ye Lingrou struggled fiercely, but tears welled up uncontrollably in her eyes.
"History records it in a few strokes, saying 'There was a great famine in Hedong, a popular uprising, which was quelled.' But behind that, 100,000 starving people died tragically!" Chu Xi's voice carried an almost painful ferocity. "Those were 100,000 families! Whose sons, whose fathers, whose brothers and sisters were they? Their blood, their lives, were reduced to cold numbers in history books because of the greed of the royal family!"
He released his grip on her chin, his fingertips still lingering on her cheek as if caressing a fragile piece of porcelain, his tone regaining its chilling tenderness: "So, Rou'er, I swore in my youth that if I ever held the reins of power over this land, I would never again allow the people to suffer such torment. Your father... he should be grateful that he still has you as his daughter."
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, like a lover's murmur, but the words were cruel: "Otherwise, I would never have let him die so... quickly."
"Liar! Madman! You're slandering my father!" Ye Lingrou was shocked by the immense amount of information and the icy hatred in his words. Her last shred of reason crumbled, and she grabbed a white jade vase that hadn't yet broken from the table next to her. With all her might, she smashed it hard on Chu Xi's head!
Chu Xi did not dodge.
"Bang!"
"Splash!"
The vase smashed solidly against his forehead, shattering instantly! Sharp shards of porcelain scattered, a few grazing his cheeks and leaving faint streaks of blood. Crimson blood immediately gushed from his dark sideburns, trickling down his smooth forehead and handsome face, across his pale skin, dripping onto his dark robes and spreading dark, damp stains.
The blood and that eerie face formed a breathtaking contrast, not appearing disheveled, but rather adding a touch of tragic and bizarre beauty, like a red plum blossom suddenly blooming in the snow, carrying a destructive allure.
Ye Lingrou's hand, still holding the bottle with its remaining opening, froze in mid-air. She hadn't expected him not to dodge! Watching the glaring blood gushing out and dripping down his perfect jawline, the surging anger in her heart was instantly replaced by a strange horror and... a trace of inexplicable panic.
Chu Xi raised her hand and casually wiped away the blood that had trickled down to the corner of her eye with her fingertips, her movements still elegant. He looked at her astonished face, even managing a slight smile. That smile, reflecting the blood on her forehead and the eerie light in her eyes, exuded a sinister aura.
“Now,” he said in a low, husky voice, with a strange sense of satisfaction, “does this make you a little angrier?”
Ye Lingrou stared at him blankly, momentarily speechless.
Chu Xi took another step forward, almost touching her face. Ignoring the wound and blood on her forehead, he reached out and brushed away a stray strand of hair from her cheek with a movement so gentle it was almost eerie.
“Be good,” he gazed into her panicked eyes, his tone carrying an undeniable seduction and command, declaring each word clearly and distinctly:
"Be my queen."
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