Chapter 17 Yuwen Che's Fury
The Su family mingled among the growing crowd of commoners, anxiously watching the high-ranking officials kneeling like statues before the palace gates. Every shout of "Punish the wicked concubine!" felt like a hammer blow to their hearts. Su Wenyuan wept uncontrollably, Liu Shi nearly collapsed into her son's arms, and Su Jingxing clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, feeling a profound sense of powerlessness. In this era of absolute imperial power, facing such overwhelming public opinion and the court officials' pressure to abdicate, did their Xue'er still have a sliver of hope?
On the palace wall, Li Dehai looked down at the dense crowd and the unmoving ministers, anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He pleaded again in a shrill voice, "Gentlemen, please return. His Majesty will make his own decision."
But it was like a stone sinking into the sea; instead, it provoked an even more impassioned "die-hard remonstrance" from the Duke of Huguo. Li Dehai knew the situation was serious and dared not delay any longer. He quickly turned around and ran back to Guanju Palace to report the news.
Inside Guanju Palace, Yuwen Che had just calmed the frightened Su Luoxue down a bit when he heard Li Dehai's breathless report that several senior officials had knelt outside the palace gates, threatening to commit suicide, attracting a crowd of onlookers and causing a public uproar. Enraged, he slammed his fist on the table, cracking the corner of the fine rosewood table!
"These old bastards! They believe everything they hear, and they don't even realize they're being used as pawns!" Yuwen Che's eyes blazed with fury. "Who's kneeling here?!"
Li Dehai quickly gave a few names, and added at the end: "The Marquis of Zhenbei was originally here, but Prince Pei arrived in time and persuaded the Marquis to go back. Now kneeling are the Duke of Huguo and the Prime Minister, along with two princes of the imperial clan and three censors."
Yuwen Che snorted coldly: "Pei Xuan is a sensible person."
Just then, Su Luoxue, who had been suppressing her fear, heard how dire the situation outside the palace gates had become. Thinking of the immense pressure and infamy Yuwen Che would suffer because of her, she was filled with guilt and despair. She broke free from Yuwen Che's grasp, staggered, and knelt on the ground. Raising her tear-streaked face, she cried out, "A-Che…you…you should punish me…I don't want you to be condemned by the world, to be forced like this by your subjects…If I die, everything will be over…"
"As long as... as long as it doesn't harm my family."
"Ah Che... give me a glass of poison!"
Her kneeling felt like a thousand arrows piercing his heart, instantly throwing Yuwen Che into disarray. He hurriedly bent down, forcefully pulling her up from the ground and holding her tightly in his arms, his voice filled with unwavering resolve: "Nonsense! I said, no one can kill you! You will live well for me, and after a hundred years... you will still sleep in the same chamber as me!"
Su Luoxue suddenly raised her head, looking at him in disbelief, her voice trembling: "Same Xue... isn't that only the Empress can do..."
“Only you.” Yuwen Che interrupted her, looking into her eyes as if making an eternal vow, “Beside my mausoleum, there will only be you.”
This almost straightforward promise left Su Luoxue speechless with shock, and the fear in her heart was replaced by a huge bittersweet feeling and a thrill.
Yuwen Che cupped her face, wiped away her tears, and asked in a deep voice, "Are you afraid? Come with me to the palace gate and face those who want you dead."
Looking into his eyes, filled with unwavering trust and protectiveness, Su Luoxue felt a surge of courage. She shook her head vigorously, but her tears flowed even more fiercely, her voice unwavering: "I'm not afraid! With A-Che here, I'm not afraid of anything! I'm not afraid!"
"Good!" A hint of satisfaction and admiration flashed in Yuwen Che's eyes. He took Su Luoxue's hand and ordered Li Dehai, "Li Dehai, bring me my sword!"
Li Dehai was greatly shocked and dared not ask any more questions. He quickly agreed and left.
Su Luoxue was terrified and grabbed Yuwen Che's sleeve: "Ache! No! If you kill an important minister who dares to remonstrate with you in the street for my sake, you will be known as a tyrant. What will history say about you?! What will the world think of you?!"
Seeing her anxious expression, Yuwen Che suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and gently kissed her lips, silencing all her unspoken objections. The kiss was brief but filled with both comforting and resolute power.
After the kiss, he looked at her flushed cheeks and dazed eyes, and spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice not loud, but carrying the unquestionable majesty and domineering air of an emperor:
"Remember this: taking a step back will never lead to a brighter future; it will only make others take advantage of you. In this Great Zhou, no one can force me to do anything I don't want to do in any way."
At this moment, Li Dehai, holding the sword that symbolized the emperor's authority and military power in both hands, quickly returned.
Yuwen Che took the heavy sword with one hand and held Su Luoxue's slightly cold hand tightly with the other.
Let's go.
He took Su Luoxue's hand and strode out. Li Dehai followed closely behind, and Fuling also forced herself to keep up despite her fear. Outside the hall, a squad of guards clad in black armor, exuding a chilling aura, already stood solemnly. These were Yuwen Che's most secret and elite forces, loyal only to him, and whose skills were in no way inferior to his—the Dragon Guard!
The group, the emperor and empress hand in hand, surrounded by guards, walked straight towards the palace gate with an air of solemnity and authority. Sunlight shone on the Longquan sword in Yuwen Che's hand, reflecting a dazzling, cold light.
Yuwen Che held Su Luoxue's slightly trembling hand tightly, leading her step by step up the high palace wall. Below the wall, high-ranking officials knelt on the ground, while the common people remained silent but their eyes were burning with anticipation.
When the emperor's figure appeared on the palace wall, the previously noisy square instantly fell silent. Everyone's gaze was first drawn to the majestic emperor in his black dragon robe, and then involuntarily fell on the woman he was holding tightly by his side, dressed in simple palace attire, her face pale but her beauty undeniable.
This is Consort Chen! The bewitching concubine Su Luoxue who made His Majesty break countless rules and even confront the court officials!
The people held their breath, not daring to make a sound. The Duke of Protectorate, the Prime Minister, and others who were kneeling on the ground were enraged when they saw the person in question appear, especially when they saw His Majesty holding her hand so openly.
The Duke of Huguo was the first to raise his head, tears streaming down his face. His voice, sorrowful yet loud, broke the silence: "Your Majesty! We, your old ministers, kneel here to remonstrate, only for the sake of the country and its people! Consort Chen, née Su, has plotted to harm the imperial heir, and the evidence against her is irrefutable! If such a wicked consort is not eliminated, the foundation of the nation will be shaken, and the people will be uneasy! We implore Your Majesty to quickly deal with this wicked consort to bring peace to the land!"
"We implore Your Majesty to punish the wicked concubine and bring peace to the realm!" The other ministers also shouted in unison, their voices echoing throughout the palace.
Yuwen Che stood atop the wall, the cold wind ruffling his robes. His cold, stern face remained expressionless, only a chilling rage surging deep within his eyes. He looked down at the few impassioned old ministers, his voice not loud, yet clearly carrying throughout the entire square:
"A vixen?" He scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm and authority. "She's someone I want to protect. Do you dare kill her?"
This statement was extremely domineering and fiercely protective! It directly stated his attitude—he was determined to protect Su Luoxue! Anyone who dared to touch her was his enemy!
The Su family members, mingling in the crowd, finally felt a little relieved upon hearing these words. Su Jingxing looked at the emperor on the wall, tightly holding his sister's hand and standing firm against the coup attempt, his heart filled with mixed emotions. At least for this moment, His Majesty was genuinely protecting Xue'er.
The Duke of Protectorate was momentarily speechless at these words, then became even more agitated: "Your Majesty! How can you be so foolish! How can you abandon the foundation of the nation for the sake of a woman?! The Crown Prince is Your Majesty's only heir, and now that he is poisoned and unconscious, Your Majesty is blindly protecting the murderer. Doesn't this chill the hearts of loyal ministers and righteous men throughout the land?!"
"The only heir?" Yuwen Che repeated these words, a cold smile curving his lips. He suddenly handed the sword in his hand to a Dragon Guard behind him, who immediately accepted it respectfully.
Then, amidst everyone's puzzled gazes, Yuwen Che still held Su Luoxue's hand tightly, while his other hand suddenly drew the sword held by the Dragon Guard! The long sword was drawn, its cold light gleaming, reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight, its tip pointing directly at the several important officials kneeling below the city wall!
"Today, I will tell you plainly," Yuwen Che's voice was as cold as ice, carrying an unquestionable determination that resounded through the heavens, "The future crown prince of my Great Zhou, the next emperor, will only emerge from the womb of the 'demon concubine' you speak of—my Consort Chen, Su Luoxue!"
His gaze swept across the shocked faces below: "The eldest prince will not be the crown prince. As for others? Neither the empress, nor Consort De, nor any other woman, can bear me another prince! I will never allow it!"
These words caused an uproar! Not only the kneeling ministers and commoners, but even Su Luoxue, who was being led by Yuwen Che, looked up in shock, staring incredulously at his cold, hard profile. He… he actually made such a promise before the entire world? This effectively severed any possibility of another prince being born, while simultaneously thrusting her into the very center of controversy!
Ignoring all the shock, Yuwen Che lowered his sword slightly, his killing intent undisguised: "Today, anyone who tries to force me to commit suicide, I will grant their wish! From the first day of my ascension to the throne, I swore a solemn oath before my father's spirit: Anyone who forces me to commit suicide—will die! Anyone who threatens suicide—will have their entire family executed, or at worst, their entire clan exterminated!"
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the pale faces of the Duke of Protectorate and the others like a sharp blade: "Do you want to test the sharpness of my sword, or do you want to see if my oath is valid?"
A chilling killing intent, accompanied by the emperor's majesty, enveloped the entire palace square as if it were a tangible force. The ministers, who had just been speaking eloquently, were now, under the threat of swords and the execution of their entire families, as if their throats had been gripped, unable to utter a single sound. They finally realized that the young emperor before them was no weak and benevolent ruler they could coerce with traditional methods of "suicide plea"! He truly would kill, and without hesitation! A deathly silence fell over the palace walls. Only the howling wind carried a chilling aura. Yuwen Che had declared his resolve in the most direct and domineering way, but everyone knew that the real storm might have only just begun.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com