Chapter 206 Incompetence in Position
The panic in Nanjing, like the plague itself, did not subside after the lockdown order was issued; instead, it burned even more fiercely, like a wildfire fueled by oil.
The streets were deserted, with only heavily armored soldiers patrolling the city, their eyes filled with both vigilance and fear; there were hardly any ordinary people to be seen.
Every household kept their doors and windows tightly shut, as if the invisible plague could penetrate through the door panels.
Rumors are growing wildly here.
"Have you heard? The incense burner in the Imperial Ancestral Temple... cracked open last night! This is a very bad omen!"
"More than that! My cousin works as a janitor in the Imperial Observatory. He said that the Imperial Preceptor observed the celestial phenomena last night and the Imperial Star was dim. This is... this is a warning from Heaven!"
"Warning? What warning? It's all because... because of that person..." The speaker's voice was extremely low, tinged with a strange excitement, "Mistreating meritorious officials, distrusting loyal ministers, even Heaven couldn't stand it anymore! This plague is divine punishment!"
"Yes! It's divine punishment! Only those who seize power illegitimately will be punished by heaven!"
Shh... Keep your voice down! Are you out of your mind?!
"What's there to be afraid of? The whole capital is talking about it! The law doesn't punish everyone! Besides, a lot of officials are sick, who has time to care about us?"
...
These whispers, like countless dark corners, ferment, spread, and distort.
Ultimately, it all coalesced into a rumor powerful enough to terrify the man on the dragon throne!
Emperor Pei Yan's virtue was not commensurate with his position, so Heaven sent down a plague as punishment for his transgressions!
When Pei Yan found out, he was furious.
He never imagined that he would be suspected of being unworthy of his position because of a minor epidemic!
Over the years, he had worried that one day an insider from back then would appear and accuse him of murdering his father and brother. But he never expected that he would be suspected in such a cowardly and incomprehensible way!
The tea set in the Imperial Study had been changed. Desheng stood by, trembling with fear, but inwardly he was extremely pleased.
As expected of a young lady! Look at her impotent rage, it's quite a sight to behold.
These widely circulated rumors naturally reached the Yongning Marquis's residence as well.
Deep within the Marquis's mansion, there was a secluded, dilapidated courtyard that reeked of mildew.
This place is less like the general's wife's room and more like a prison.
A thin layer of moldy straw covered the stone slabs, and the air was filled with a putrid smell that even the smell of medicine couldn't mask.
Xie Wuyou curled up on the hard bed, covered with a thin, breathable old cotton quilt.
She was so thin she was unrecognizable, with sunken eyes and prominent cheekbones; her once radiant face was now only withered and lifeless.
Her wrists, exposed outside the blanket, were covered with bruises and scabbed whip marks, both old and new.
Her breath was weak, as if she might die at any moment.
Beside the bed, a young maid, equally pale and thin with a numb gaze, was clumsily wiping her chapped lips with a damp cloth.
The movements inevitably aggravated Xie Wuyou's wounds, causing her to twitch unconsciously and slightly.
"It's so noisy outside..." Xie Wuyou's voice was barely audible.
The maidservant's hand trembled. She glanced warily at the tightly closed door and lowered her voice, "Madam...it's noisy. I heard...there's a plague outside, many high-ranking officials have fallen ill, the streets are deserted, and some people are saying..."
She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't dare to say the words "unworthy of his position," and only vaguely said, "...Anyway, it's a complete mess."
Xie Wuyou's eyes rolled slightly.
Chaos? Good thing... This cannibalistic manor, this cold and desolate Jinling...
Everything's in chaos! It would be better if everything were destroyed!
She managed a strained twitch at the corner of her mouth, a gesture that seemed to be both a smile and a cry.
Just then, a series of hurried and rough footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, accompanied by the steward's obsequious voice: "The general is back! General, slow down!"
The maid trembled with fright, nearly dropping the cloth in her hand. She quickly retreated to the corner of the wall, wishing she could shrink into it.
Bang!
The door was kicked open!
A cold wind, carrying the chill from outside, rushed in, causing Xie Wuyou on the bed to cough violently.
Wei Zikai, dressed in the casual clothes of a fifth-rank military officer, strode in, exuding a fierce aura.
His face was expressionless, but deep in his eyes flickered a suppressed excitement and an impending cruelty.
He didn't even glance at the trembling maid in the corner, but walked straight to the bedside, looking down at his dying wife with a cold gaze as if he were looking at a pile of garbage.
"You look worse than a dog. So, after all the trouble you went through to marry me, are you satisfied with the result?"
Xie Wuyou's eyes were empty and lifeless. She knew she was about to suffer inhuman torture again, and this time, she might really not be able to hold on.
These days, she often thinks about what wrong she did that led to this situation.
After much thought, it seems that it all started when Xie Sangning returned to Beijing and I began to oppose her.
She was truly unwilling to accept losing to Xie Sangning.
Seeing that she didn't react, Wei Zikai gripped her chin tightly with his hand.
"I'll give you a chance to live..."
"Find a way to marry your sister Xie Sangning to me, then I will not only stop tormenting you, but I will also make everyone in the manor treat you as a real general's wife."
Upon hearing this, Xie Wuyou scoffed inwardly, thinking, "What an idiot."
But suddenly, her eyes flashed.
She didn't think she could trick Xie Sangning into marrying Wei Zikai; rather, she thought she could use this opportunity to leave the General's Mansion and escape Jinling.
No, not only that, it can also lead Wei Zikai to his own death!
Xie Wuyou said weakly, "You know perfectly well that my relationship with Xie Sangning cannot convince her... If you really want her, why not ask the Emperor to grant us a marriage?"
Wei Zikai sneered: "Fool, how can you grant a marriage without merit? If it weren't for you, Xie Sangning would have been mine long ago."
But Xie Wuyou's words did indeed stir Wei Zikai's thoughts.
If you don't have any achievements, just create them, right?
Xie Wuyou had spent so much time with Wei Zikai that she naturally knew his personality, and she could tell from his expression that he was smitten.
She sneered inwardly. The Emperor had been furious because Wei Zikai had developed feelings for Xie Sangning, and now only this person involved was unable to see the situation clearly.
Wei Zikai hadn't expected the opportunity to make a contribution to come so soon.
A palace eunuch came to deliver an imperial edict, saying that the emperor summoned him to the palace immediately.
Upon arriving at the Imperial Study, Pei Yan's face was so gloomy it seemed to drip water, and the entire Imperial Study was filled with a sense of oppressive tension, as if a storm was brewing.
“Minister Wei,” Pei Yan’s voice was hoarse, “recently…the rumors in the capital have been rampant, have you heard of them?”
Wei Zikai's heart skipped a beat!
It's here!
He immediately feigned confusion, bowed slightly, and spoke with a respectful tone tinged with just the right amount of doubt: "Your Majesty, this humble general... this humble general has been busy with the handover of defense duties in the capital garrison recently and has not paid attention to the gossip in the city. I wonder what rumors Your Majesty is referring to?"
He pretended to be ignorant, adopting an extremely humble posture, appearing as an honest and upright person who only knew how to bury himself in his work and was oblivious to what was happening outside.
Pei Yan's gaze was fixed on Wei Zikai's face, and the disappointment in his eyes was undisguised.
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