Chapter 168 [VIP]
A chill ran up the emperor's tailbone and etched into his limbs and bones.
He tried to snatch it back, but his limbs felt frozen, twitching uncontrollably.
To others, this meant the Emperor had tacitly approved it.
Xie Yingchen opened the confession and quickly read it through. A thought flashed through his mind: Could it be that Yaoyao went to the Prince of Jin's mansion with Shen Xu? This style doesn't seem like Shen Xu's; it seems more like Yaoyao's.
The thought of Gu Zhizhuo softened Xie Yingchen's sharp edges, making him incredibly gentle.
"Grand Uncle".
Xie Yingchen handed his confession to Prince Li.
Prince Li took it with a look of surprise and uncertainty, his hands trembling as he read it word by word.
This sudden confession left Prince Li completely bewildered and utterly incredulous.
A few days ago, Miss Gu said that the late emperor's drastic change in temperament was related to the sorcerer Changfeng. Now, Prince Jin is saying that Changfeng poisoned the late emperor...
According to the Prince of Jin's confession, the late emperor visited several well-known Taoist temples in the vicinity to listen to Taoist teachings during his southern tour.
Changfeng stayed at a Taoist temple called Qingxu Temple, where he met the late emperor and they had a very pleasant conversation.
However, why would Changfeng, a perfectly good Taoist priest, poison the late emperor? The Prince of Jin doesn't mention it at all, which inevitably makes people feel that his testimony is incomplete and untrue.
Prince Li felt a heavy weight in his heart, as if a massive boulder was pressing down on it.
Thinking back to the emperor's hysterical outburst, an unsettling thought popped into my head.
He shook his head frantically and handed the confession to Chief Minister Song.
"Give it to me."
The emperor managed to squeeze out a sound through his teeth.
He just wanted to know what else the Prince of Jin had written.
After reading the confession, the Grand Secretary sighed softly and handed it to the next person. Soon, the confession had been read by everyone, including Gu Yican, and was finally given to Prince Li.
Prince Li read the confession aloud from beginning to end. He swallowed hard, his throat dry. "Your Majesty, what... what does this mean?"
Upon hearing this, the emperor breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that the Prince of Jin had at least some sense of propriety.
"I do not know."
Prince Li stared at the emperor with suspicion and uncertainty.
The crown prince was deposed for murdering the emperor, and the late emperor died suddenly.
Even now, with Chen'er overseeing the country, he is far more capable than the emperor. Yet, there are always voices in the court and among the people questioning him as the son of the deposed crown prince, believing that the father's crimes should implicate the son.
Even just now, the emperor was still fixated on the fact that the deposed crown prince had murdered the emperor, and insisted that Xie Yingchen hand over the reins of government to Xie Jing.
Chen'er was controlled in every way.
But if the poison that afflicted the late emperor had nothing to do with the deposed crown prince, and the deposed crown prince was simply framed, then Chen'er's claim to the throne would be legitimate, and no one could find fault with him.
“Your Majesty, this matter must be investigated.” Prince Li no longer hesitated. “Before the late Emperor passed away, Prince Jin was by his side. Prince Jin must have his reasons for saying this now.”
"The evil Taoist Changfeng is currently at the Meridian Gate. We beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."
The emperor's heart raced, and his breathing became erratic: "This is only the Prince of Jin's side of the story; it cannot be trusted."
“It is precisely because of this one-sided account that a thorough investigation is warranted.” Xie Yingchen’s smile vanished. “Your Majesty has concluded that Prince Jin is lying without even asking any questions. In that case, please punish Prince Jin. Prince Jin is spreading alarmist rumors and framing others. He is attempting to sow discord by using the cause of the late Emperor’s death. He deserves to die.”
The emperor's breath hitched, and he suddenly gripped the brocade quilt tightly around him.
"Are you asking questions, or are you going to punish me?" Xie Yingchen pressed aggressively. "Your Majesty, you must choose one."
"Xie Yingchen, are you forcing me?"
Punish the Prince of Jin? The Prince of Jin has too much dirt on him. If we push him too far, he might fight to the death.
If no punishment is imposed, then we can only do as Xie Yingchen suggested and personally intervene.
The emperor's breathing paused for a moment, then became even more rapid.
"Your Majesty, do you not wish to know the cause of the late Emperor's death?"
The emperor's eyes blazed with fury, his chest heaving, as if he wanted to devour him alive.
Xie Yingchen met his gaze without flinching and questioned him again, "Or is it that His Majesty already knew, and therefore doesn't care?"
The emperor roared, "Xie Yingchen!"
Xie Yingchen's long eyelashes drooped, and his gentle, warm face rarely showed such emotions.
Prince Li looked back and forth between the two, seemingly lost in thought.
Xie Yingchen seemed to have known all along that such a confession would appear.
Originally, Chief Minister Song and his entourage had only come to check on the emperor after hearing that his mind had cleared. However, Xie Yingchen proactively suggested that the emperor not to worry, to rest more, and that he would act as regent. This enraged the emperor, and he has been in a rage ever since, with none of them able to leave.
Could it be that Xie Yingchen secretly plotted this confession?
Very likely...
As long as the wronged crown prince remains unresolved, Xie Yingchen cannot advance any further.
If Xie Yingchen wants that chair, he must first cleanse himself of the sins of the deposed crown prince who murdered the emperor and his father.
"Guards!" Xie Yingchen said coldly. "Prepare the carriage at the Meridian Gate."
"Xie Yingchen, do you dare to make decisions for me?"
"Is Your Majesty perhaps too ill to walk?" Xie Yingchen retorted without backing down. "In that case, please take good care of yourself. I will continue to work hard and oversee the country on your behalf."
When Xie Yingchen returned to the capital from Liang, everyone thought he was just like his father, kind and gentle.
Until recently, he had firmly suppressed the three factions in the court, far from the way they had originally thought they could manipulate him at will. Matters that used to take half a month to reach a decision now only take half a day.
Many people, accustomed to the emperor's style, had long been secretly complaining.
Now, seeing even the emperor forced into a corner with just a few words, they were utterly astonished.
I have no choice but to go.
Yin Xin and Sheng Jiang exchanged a glance for a moment, then Yin Xin went to have someone prepare the imperial carriage.
The emperor remained silent, his mind in turmoil.
Xie Yingchen's every word was accusing him of deceiving the emperor, yet everyone else just watched without uttering a sound. In such a short time, Xie Yingchen had grown so powerful right under his nose.
He regretted it.
He shouldn't have spared Xie Yingchen's life in the first place, and he certainly shouldn't have let Xie Yingchen leave the palace.
As a result, Xie Yingchen had completely slipped out of his control.
Before long, a palace attendant came in to report that the imperial carriage was ready.
Prince Li noticed the emperor's murderous gaze and silently stepped in front of Xie Yingchen, saying, "Please, Your Majesty, go to the Meridian Gate."
"With this incident, the joint trial by the three judicial departments is no longer enough to calm the public's mind. It is still necessary for His Majesty to personally investigate."
The others nodded silently.
Yin Xin helped the emperor to his feet, then led him out of the inner chamber and onto the imperial carriage.
The Imperial Guards immediately surrounded the emperor.
Xie Jing also happened to return at that moment.
"Father!"
"Jing'er," the emperor gestured, "you come up here too."
Xie Jingshang had no idea what had happened.
He was originally at the imperial estate in the suburbs preparing for his marriage to Ji Nanke in a few days. He couldn't give her the title of his principal wife, but he didn't want to wrong her either, so he did everything himself.
After receiving the news, he rushed back, becoming the last one to arrive.
Seeing that the emperor still treated him with the same kindness, Xie Jing was overjoyed. His father was truly much better!
Ever since Xie Yan was brought back, Xie Jing has been constantly worried that his father might suddenly decide to make Xie Yan the crown prince. Xie Jing and Ji Nanke have argued about this several times.
Xie Jing boarded the imperial carriage, inquired about the emperor's health, and said some comforting words, his face full of worry.
The emperor also showed his first smile after regaining consciousness, a picture of paternal love and filial piety, a scene of harmonious joy.
As the imperial carriage exited the palace gates, the students who were diligently writing and chatting at the Meridian Gate also noticed the emperor's grand procession and turned to look at him.
The bright yellow canopy and the accompanying imperial guards and eunuchs clearly indicated that the person sitting inside the imperial carriage was the emperor.
Everyone was taken aback.
Heaven knows how long they've been sitting here, from their initial silence to their later suggestions, and this is the first time the emperor has shown his face.
Oh, right. It wasn't the first time; they also caught a glimpse of the emperor when he brought his mistress back to the palace.
For so long, the emperor has not reflected on or examined his own affair with the wife of a minister, nor has he responded at all to the memorials of advice they sent him. Now that he has come out, does he think the heat has died down?
The students looked at each other, not forgetting their original intention when they sat here in silence. Their eyes all turned to the imperial carriage.
Feeling uneasy under such scrutiny, the emperor asked, "What's going on?"
His mind is still not very clear. The memory related to Ji Shi is like a dream, quite unreal. Whenever he tries to recall it carefully, he can't help but think of Ji Shi's festering face, and he can't help but feel nauseous.
The only good thing about vomiting was that it made him more and more lucid, and he stopped feeling any lingering attachment to Ji Shi and the bastard child she had.
He only vaguely remembered that when he brought Lady Ji back to the palace, these students were making a scene here.
That was during the hottest part of summer.
It's already September, why are they still here?
“Father,” Xie Jing replied cautiously, “it’s for the sake of the Ji family.”
The emperor paused for a moment, then slapped his imperial carriage repeatedly, as if he had finally found a fault and was extremely excited: "Is this how Xie Yingchen oversees the country?"
"Letting them run wild here and ignoring it would be a loss of face."
Xie Jing also felt it was inappropriate and went to Xie Yingchen to calmly discuss with him how to get the students to leave, but Xie Yingchen did not listen to him.
The emperor snorted coldly, then took Xie Jing's hand and patted it affectionately: "Jing'er, you have to be firm. You are my son, rightfully mine, and we can't let that traitor Xie Yingchen control you."
Jing'er is kind-hearted and too lenient with others, unlike Xie Yingchen, who is cunning and full of tricks.
Therefore, after she fell ill, Jing'er was easily suppressed by others.
What right does Xie Yingchen have to bypass Jing'er and act as regent on behalf of the emperor?!
"I've thought it over. You can't do without someone in your command. Of the twenty-six Imperial Guards, I'll give you the Fujun Guard."
The three major camps of the Imperial Guard and the twenty-six guards of the personal guard were the emperor's source of strength. The Imperial Guard consisted of four guards: front, rear, left, and right, each with 5,600 men according to regulations. The total number of men in the Imperial Guard was over 20,000.
Xie Jing's face lit up with joy, and he was so excited that he didn't know what to say.
He had previously resented and been jealous of the emperor's favoritism towards Xie Yan, but now, thinking back, he felt deeply ashamed.
The emperor was in poor spirits and was somewhat exhausted after saying these few words.
The imperial carriage sped past the students.
Once they were a distance away, the students could no longer contain their voices, and someone asked, "What happened?"
They initially thought the emperor had come either for their letter of advice or to drive them away, but to their surprise, the emperor didn't even glance at them and simply left.
It felt like punching cotton.
"It seems they went to the upper floor of the Meridian Gate."
"Could it be that they're going to see that evil Taoist priest?"
On the first day Changfeng was sent to the Meridian Gate, some students went up to see him.
Before reading it, they firmly believed that eunuchs were usurping power, disrupting the government, eliminating dissidents, and even committing acts of annihilation. They had even thought about how to write the petition.
After reading it, for the first time they realized that their prejudice against the Eastern Depot was too deep, and they reflected on it sincerely for a long time.
"I've found out."
A scholar in blue robes hurried over and mingled among them, saying, "The Eastern Depot has just finished its investigation."
He was panting heavily from running, and someone impatiently pressed him, "Tell us quickly, what did you find out?"
The voice was somewhat high-pitched, and immediately, students in the distance all looked over.
The student in blue robes' eyes flashed, and he quickly added, "The late emperor was not killed by the deposed crown prince!"
"It's related to the sorcerer on the city wall, and the Emperor is going to personally investigate him."
What! ?
The deposed crown prince spied on the late emperor's daily life, harbored treacherous intentions, and plotted to murder his father in order to seize the throne, causing the late emperor to die from poisoning. He was despised and cursed by the world.
The Great Qi Dynasty governed the country with filial piety, yet the crown prince was such a despicable, shameless, disloyal, and unfilial person that scholars wrote many articles to condemn him.
Even though Prince Chen treats them quite kindly now, because he is the son of the deposed crown prince, there are still people who openly spit on and curse him.
They believed he should voluntarily imprison himself to atone for his father's sins, rather than stand in the court, pontificating about the state of affairs while burdened with such guilt. They feared that if others followed suit, murdering their fathers and then inheriting their property, it would lead to chaos.
Moreover, the emperor has a son, and his nephew is overstepping his bounds, just like the deposed crown prince, coveting the throne and harboring treacherous intentions.
Because they were unwilling to associate with Xie Yingchen, some upright civil officials resigned in anger after Xie Yingchen took over as regent.
But now.
Suddenly they were told that the one who killed the late emperor was not the deposed crown prince!?
"Quickly, go and see what's going on."
"Is that really what they say?"
“Of course it’s true,” the student in blue said righteously. “I’ll go take a look; it’s up to you whether you go or not.”
With that, he ran ahead, quietly trailing behind the emperor and his entourage, and walked up to the city wall.
Seeing that the officers and soldiers did not stop them, the other students secretly followed them.
As the student in blue passed by Gu Zhizhuo, he nodded to her secretly, indicating that he had done everything she asked, and then quickly mingled among the students who followed him.
Gu Zhizhuo leaned against the wall, looking towards the direction of the iron cage. Her gaze met Gu Yican's for a moment in mid-air, and she smiled with pleasure.
Gu Yican came over quietly and recounted what had just happened in a low voice.
Gu Zhizhuo also told him about the various things in the Prince of Jin's mansion. The two leaned their heads together and whispered to each other.
"It stinks."
It was a strong, putrid odor that lingered in the nasal cavity and wouldn't go away.
Gu Yican frowned in disgust, took her sister's fan, and used it to air out the smell for her.
It really did smell bad, Gu Zhizhuo nodded silently. So, Shen Xu refused to come over no matter what, and only lent her a few people.
Gu Zhizhuo has not seen Changfeng since he was imprisoned at the Meridian Gate.
In just a few days, Changfeng seemed to have changed again.
Previously, when he was in the Prince of Jin's residence, he was simply aging rapidly.
Now, having aged to the extreme, he is still alive but like a dead man buried underground, half withered and half rotten.
His large Taoist robe did conceal his face somewhat, but it couldn't hide it.
Half of his face was dry, with only a layer of skin clinging tightly to his bones, making his eyes appear exceptionally large. His skin was covered with large and small black spots, just like a mummified corpse that had just been dug out of a tomb.
The other half began to rot, the rotten flesh turning white and oozing pus, emitting a foul stench, with mosquitoes and flies buzzing around it.
Even the exposed hands were the same, half dry and half rotten.
Not only that, but there are also scorch marks and burns from being struck by lightning, making it unbearable to look at.
Even so, Changfeng is still alive, watching himself decay and rot, yet he just can't die.
This is a kind of pain comparable to being slowly sliced to death.
Seeing this, many people couldn't help but turn away and cover their noses, and even Xie Jing couldn't control the urge to gag.
The emperor was shocked, his mouth opening and closing in disbelief.
He only met Changfeng once and promised to teach him the imperial advisor. Several years have passed since then, how did things turn out like this?
"Long Wind".
Prince Li interrupted the emperor's thoughts and asked bluntly, "Changfeng, did you kill the late emperor?"
Changfeng slowly raised his head, revealing two unusually bulging eyes on his skull. His throat was also beginning to rot, and his breathing produced a sharp buzzing sound.
"yes……"
He admitted it?
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