Chapter 218 The Emperor Dies, the Army Marches On...
Emperor Chengtai's sudden death was something no one expected.
A few days ago, her spies in the capital brought news that she had taken a new concubine, and Chen Jue thought she would soon have another brother or sister.
It was too sudden. She first suspected that the news was a hoax and asked, "His Majesty's birthday is so long, how could he have passed away?" Of course, this was nonsense. Emperor Chengtai was taking drugs every day, so it was no wonder that his health was not good.
However, there are hundreds of imperial physicians in the palace, all of whom are top doctors in the country, so it is impossible for Emperor Chengtai to die suddenly.
The soldier looked panicked. "Reporting to Your Highness, according to the intelligence from over there... His Majesty died of a sudden stroke..." He lowered his head, not daring to look at his lord's face.
Chen Jue realized what had happened; oh, she had died on a man while doing her business. Her expression was strange, and she casually glanced at the assembled officials, who all pretended not to hear and looked away.
Chen Jue clicked his tongue, feeling utterly humiliated.
The old woman was good enough to be a tyrant, but to die so undignifiedly! How can she, a traitor, face the world like this?
In the crowd, her gaze met Zhang Ting's. Chen Jue scolded her, "My dear minister, you're so clueless today. Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public. How could you pretend you heard it?" But then she saw the other woman give her a look.
It was only then that Chen Jue realized she and Zhang Qing had a remarkable understanding; a single glance from Zhang Qing was enough for her to comprehend. Almost instantly, Chen Jue's expression changed drastically, her face filled with sorrow and grief. She collapsed to her knees, wailing, "Mother Empress! I haven't even been able to clear my name and return to your side, how could you leave me like this! How can I face you now!"
Many of the ministers were mothers themselves, and they were moved by what they heard. They wiped their eyes and said, "Your Highness's sincerity must have deeply moved His Majesty in the afterlife."
Chen Jue didn't know if Emperor Chengtai was moved, but she was certain that he regretted not killing her.
She wiped away her tears and continued her performance: "As the only legitimate daughter of the Empress, the only Crown Princess, and the only child whom she loved and taught, I was unable to fulfill my filial duty to the Empress after the Emperor's passing. I am disloyal and unfilial, and I am unworthy of being a son!" Her voice was so sorrowful that it seemed she was about to shout herself hoarse. "Your unfilial son will go to the underworld to accompany you today." With that, she staggered and banged her head against the table.
The courtiers were terrified, their hands and feet trembling: "Your Highness!!"
When it was Zhang Ting's turn to appear, she timed it perfectly, grabbing Chen Jue just before she touched the table, and acting out a scene of deep sorrow: "If Your Highness is to follow the late Emperor, the great cause will not be accomplished. How are we, as subjects, supposed to live?"
The ministers, their hearts still pounding and not yet recovered, echoed, "Indeed, indeed! Your Highness's filial piety is commendable. The late Emperor would surely be pleased if he knew this in the afterlife. However, the great cause still needs Your Highness to lead it. Please, Your Highness, must regroup!"
Many people broke out in a cold sweat. "His Majesty has passed away. Your Highness should take better care of yourself and not let the dragon spirit worry about you."
Xu Qiushui's eyebrows twitched, and in a flash she realized that her opportunity had arrived!
She immediately stepped forward, her words earnest: "A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Your Highness is the foundation of the country. Your humble servant humbly requests Your Highness to go to the capital to preside over the funeral of the late emperor, so as to rectify the foundation of the country!" Since ancient times, only those who preside over the funeral of the late emperor and the sacrifices at the ancestral temple can be called the legitimate new emperor.
With Zhang Ting's help, Chen Jue swayed as he stood up, muttering to himself, "Yes... I must go and preside over the Empress's funeral and carry her coffin."
She sobbed mournfully, "Mother...how could you leave like this?" She pounded her chest, tears streaming down her face, her grief overwhelming.
Zhang Ting sniffed, moved, and said, "Your Highness is the Crown Prince, you must take care of yourself." She turned her head away and shed a few tears. The country lost its ruler as if it had lost its mother, how could she not be heartbroken?
Chen Jue leaned weakly against his beloved minister, saying, "Minister Zhang and all the other high-ranking officials, rest assured, for the sake of the Empress Dowager's funeral, I will do everything in my power to ensure its success." He then turned and gave the order, "All of you, listen to my command—"
The officials were invigorated; the civil officials bowed respectfully, and the military officials knelt on one knee with their fists clasped.
They all replied in unison, "Your humble servants are here!"
"His Majesty has passed away, and as the Crown Princess, it is my duty to attend his funeral. I hereby appoint Xu Qiushui as Grand Tutor, Zhang Ting as Grand Tutor and Chief Secretary, and Tang Qiufeng as Commander of the Imperial Guard, leading the entire Eastern Palace Guard to depart and accompany me to the capital to attend the late Emperor's funeral!"
Zhang Ting's eyelids twitched, and she stole a glance at Chen Jue before subtly looking away.
Yes, you heard right. The rebel group is called "Donggongwei". Originally a thousand-person force, it has been expanded by a little over one hundred and fifty times.
The courtiers didn't know what they were thinking, but everyone agreed. Chen Jue pretended not to know any of their ulterior motives.
The army was about to break camp, but it would never abandon Yingzhou Prefecture, which was the foundation of their uprising. If they were unable to defeat the imperial army, they could retreat to Yingzhou to accumulate strength and develop their power in a more cautious manner.
To be honest, given the current strength of the main camp, Zhang Ting was very uneasy and had no idea what to expect. It was a joke; a bunch of idle vagrants, lacking both courage and fighting ability, were hardly capable of defeating the elite Imperial Guards. Zhang Ting might as well hope that she would suddenly become Buddha overnight and crush anyone who dared to oppose her under the Five Elements Mountain.
But Chen Jue was extremely confident, his face glowing with excitement as he gave orders, as if he were about to ascend the throne. Zhang Ting was utterly worried, seeing his lord's lack of awareness.
The order was issued today that the entire army should march at dawn tomorrow. Chen Jue allocated 10,000 troops to Zhang Ting to garrison and defend Yingzhou Prefecture.
When you're away from home, fighting is one thing, but you can't let anyone steal your home.
Zhang Ting had no trouble handling the order. Since boarding the pirate ship, she had completely replaced everyone in Yingzhou Prefecture, placing her trusted confidants in key positions.
She would definitely follow Chen Jue on his expedition. By distributing the prefect's important duties to the assistant prefect and the prefect, she could keep them in check if they were tempted by personal desires.
She also assigned the soldiers stationed in Yingzhou Prefecture to various places. The person in charge of the guard was named Zhang Shu. Zhang Ting gave her the order: if there is any unusual movement during this critical period, they will be executed.
The people of Yingzhou Prefecture had no reaction to this; they only felt that the prefecture was safer and continued to work at sunrise and rest at sunset as usual.
The transfer of control over Yingzhou Prefecture was nothing short of miraculous; it happened peacefully and without a single soldier being fired—a situation unprecedented in history. At most, some pedantic scholars would grumble and curse, only to be dragged away by Zhang Ting to the iron mine for labor reform.
Zhang Ting calmed her husband, who was insisting on coming along, and caught up with the Eastern Palace Guard on the morning of the third day.
At this time, they had just left the territory of Yingzhou Prefecture and were approaching the city of Chizhou Prefecture. After passing this place, they would enter the capital.
Tang Qiufeng rode her horse in front of the city and challenged them, "The late Emperor has passed away, and Her Highness the Crown Princess has gone to the capital to preside over the funeral. Why don't you open the city gates and welcome the Crown Prince in!"
On the towering city wall, Feng Yue was drenched in cold sweat, thinking he was hallucinating. He grabbed a soldier and asked, "Who did she say would preside over the funeral?"
The soldier, seeing the imposing army below the city, was so frightened that his legs went weak. "Reporting to the Vice Magistrate, it is... the Crown Princess."
Feng Yue looked bewildered: If she remembered correctly, the Crown Princess had been deposed ten years ago! Was she still dreaming? She slapped herself hard; it hurt. It wasn't a dream after all. Feng Yue felt even more desperate.
Upon hearing the news, Prefect Han Yu rushed over in a panic. Panting heavily, she glanced shakily at the city below. Soldiers stood densely packed on the vast, flat ground, stretching as far as the eye could see. Their shouts were deafening, as if they wanted to devour Han Yu alive. Terrified, she kicked her legs and bent over.
Feng Yue rushed over and shook his superior violently, his voice trembling with tears: "My lord, please don't faint! What am I supposed to do all by myself?" He pinched his philtrum, but the superior didn't wake up. Forced into a corner, Feng Yue attacked his superior from both sides.
Han Yu, his cheeks swollen from the slaps, finally snapped out of his daze and asked, "Ouch, where am I?"
Feng Yue wept with joy: "My lord, the army is pressing in! You've finally woken up. Let's go..."
Han Yu couldn't stand those four words, her eyes widened, and she pouted again.
"My lord! My lord!!" Feng Yue cried more bitterly than if his parents had died, but this time no matter how much he slapped Han Yu, she wouldn't wake up.
Her heart pounded; what was she going to do?
The city walls were in complete chaos, while those below were filled with anxiety and restlessness.
Tang Qiufeng rode her horse to the central army and asked Chen Jue, "Your Highness, these people are so indecisive. They haven't given us a word in so long. Should we fight or not?" They were being so hesitant and indecisive, just like the civil officials around Your Highness.
Chen Jue pondered for a moment, then looked at Zhang Ting. The latter understood, and said without batting an eye, "We are a righteous army, and we always adhere to the principle of courtesy before force. I trouble General Tang to make another trip and inform the city gates—if they still don't open the gates, thus delaying the late emperor's funeral, they will be treated as traitors who deceive the emperor!"
Tang Qiufeng's eyes lit up. "Brilliant!" No wonder everyone says Lord Zhang is so capable. This method of persuading people with reason is brilliant. She was completely convinced!
Zhang Ting asked her to turn her head to the side and gave her a few more detailed instructions.
Tang Qiufeng clicked her tongue and nodded, a mischievous grin on her face, and excitedly rode away on her horse.
"Hey! Those on the city gate, just listen up. If you don't come to the city gate and delay the late emperor's funeral, you'll be treated as traitors who deceive the emperor!" She said as her horse took a few steps forward. "Deceiving the emperor is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family. Have you all thought it through?"
The shouts below made Feng Yue extremely agitated. She kicked the ground beneath her feet hard and went to the city wall.
She still had some sense and said to those below, "Don't try to intimidate me. His Majesty deposed the Crown Princess ten years ago and has never established a new heir!" She clenched her sleeves. She had just sent someone to the capital by express courier. Only with the court's reinforcements could she save her life.
Tang Qiufeng raised her riding whip and angrily rebuked, "You audacious criminals, open your dog eyes and see whose subordinates we are! In the past, when Her Highness the Crown Princess was framed by treacherous people, His Majesty had no choice but to send her to Yingzhou Prefecture for protection. How dare you speak ill of the Crown Prince's deposition and establishment? You are truly audacious and deserve to die!" Lord Zhang is right. There is no issue of the degree of falsehood, only whether it is outrageous enough.
Besides, whether it's fake or not, is it up to you bunch of lowlifes to decide? With hundreds of thousands of troops under my command, my word is law!
Feng Yue wanted to drag this out, "What evidence do you have?"
Tang Qiufeng pursed her lips impatiently and pointed to the vast army behind her, "See that? These are the Eastern Palace Guards left by the late Emperor for His Highness. This is the best evidence."
Feng Yue wanted to press further, but the other party seemed to have read her mind. "My lord," the other party said, "you're not just stalling for time, are you? The court will certainly not blame His Highness, but delaying the late emperor's funeral is tantamount to disrespecting the emperor's authority, and His Highness will definitely not let you off the hook!"
Tang Qiufeng stared at her and sneered, "At that time, you and your entire family will be executed and your property confiscated."
Feng Yue vaguely understood that she was deliberately scaring him, but the real scheme was that the other party knew there was a trap, yet couldn't help but jump into it.
Looking at the massive and imposing royal army below, Feng Yue thought: Even if she disagreed, the other side could break through the city gates and kill her in less than an hour, so why didn't she just... welcome the crown prince into the city and pretend she knew nothing?
This way, there is still a glimmer of hope, and the court will have an excuse to deal with the situation.
She swallowed hard, her voice trembling as she said, "Open the city gates!"
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