A sudden change in the court
Chapter Quote:
A storm arose in the Golden Palace, and his debate with the ministers showed his wisdom and courage;
The real and fake empress dowager debated in court, and a decree decided the fate of the world.
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The fifth watch drum sounded, but it was still dark. Civil and military officials were already waiting outside the Wende Hall, awaiting the morning court session. Yan Qing, dressed in the crimson official uniform specially granted by Huizong, stood at the end of the procession, feeling the various glances from all directions.
"Call all officials into the palace—"
Following the eunuch's drawn-out chant, the officials filed in. Yan Qing looked up, only to see Huizong, his face solemn, seated on the dragon throne. The empress dowager loomed behind a curtain beside the dragon table. Gao Qiu stood at the head of the military officers, a faint sneer playing at the corner of his mouth.
"If you have a petition, please submit. If you don't, please leave the court—"
As soon as the ceremonial officer finished speaking, Li Gang, the Imperial Censor, stepped forward and knelt, reporting, "Your Majesty, a man of unknown origin, Yan Qing, has infiltrated the palace with ulterior motives. I have discovered that his background is suspicious and that he is closely connected to the remnants of the previous dynasty. Your Majesty, please investigate!"
As soon as this statement came out, the whole court was in uproar. Several ministers immediately seconded the proposal:
"Master Li is absolutely right. This person's identity is unknown and he should not be allowed to stay in the palace!"
"I heard that this person trespassed into the forbidden area and acted suspiciously!"
"Your Majesty, please order a thorough investigation!"
Huizong's face was gloomy. Before he could speak, the empress dowager's voice came from behind the curtain: "I also find this child suspicious. Someone reported to me yesterday that he was seen visiting the Cining Palace at night. I wonder what his intentions are?"
Yan Qing sneered inwardly; this fake Queen Mother had indeed begun to stir up trouble. He slowly stepped out of the procession and bowed, "Your Majesty, Queen Mother, I did go to the Cining Palace last night, but I did not trespass. I was asked to go there to retrieve an important item."
Gao Qiu immediately shouted, "How dare you! The Cining Palace is the Empress Dowager's bedroom. How can you come and go as you please?"
"Taiwei, you are wrong." Yan Qing said calmly, "I took the secret passage my late mother left behind twenty years ago. Your Majesty can attest to this."
Huizong understood and nodded, saying, "It is true. When Yan Qing's mother lived in the palace, she did know some secret passages."
The fake Queen Mother snorted coldly from behind the curtain: "Even so, visiting my bedroom at night is a crime of great disrespect! What's more..." Her voice suddenly turned harsh, "I suspect you are colluding with the remnants of the previous dynasty and have ulterior motives!"
These words were so serious that the hall suddenly fell silent. Everyone looked at Yan Qing, waiting for his reaction.
Yan Qing suddenly laughed. "Your Majesty, did you say I'm a remnant of the previous dynasty? But do you still remember the painting you showed me yesterday in the Buddhist temple of the Cining Palace?"
The fake queen mother was startled: "What painting?"
"It's that 'Tianxiang Pudu Tu'." Yan Qing feigned surprise. "Your Majesty even pointed out to me yesterday that the patterns on the Guanyin vase in the painting held a special meaning. How could you have forgotten it today?"
There was a moment of silence behind the curtain. The fake Queen Mother was obviously unaware of these details of the real Queen Mother's daily life.
Gao Qiu, realizing the situation was getting worse, quickly interrupted, "Don't try to change the subject! The Empress Dowager is old, so it's only natural that she can't remember these trivial matters."
"Trivia?" Yan Qing turned to Gao Qiu, his eyes blazing. "Then, Commandant, do you know that the real Empress Dowager has a habit—when she twists her Buddhist beads, she always uses her thumb and index finger?"
He turned abruptly and pointed at the curtain: "And the person behind the curtain was twisting the Buddhist beads while speaking just now, but he was using his thumb and middle finger!"
The whole court was in uproar!
Huizong stood up suddenly: "What?!"
Yan Qing struck while the iron was hot and said loudly, "If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, please ask the Empress Dowager behind the curtain to appear and see if she has a cinnabar mole on her earlobe! The real Empress Dowager has a cinnabar mole on her left earlobe. This is known to everyone in the court!"
The fake Queen Mother panicked behind the curtain: "Nonsense... Nonsense! Ai Jia..."
"Are you still going to pretend?" Yan Qing sneered, "The real Empress Dowager is currently imprisoned in a secret room in the cold palace!"
These words resounded like thunder, and the entire court was thrown into chaos. Gao Qiu's face turned pale, and he shouted sternly, "Guards! Capture this lunatic!"
The guards outside the palace responded and entered, only to hear Huizong shout angrily: "Stop!"
The emperor quickly walked down the dragon steps and came to the curtain: "Please let the Queen Mother appear!"
There was a rustling behind the curtain, and the fake empress dowager came out trembling. Everyone looked closely and saw that her earlobes were indeed very smooth, without any cinnabar mole at all!
"You...who are you?" Huizong was shocked and angry.
The fake queen mother fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "I am... I am the instructor of the Shangyi Bureau... It was General Gao who forced me to pretend to be the queen mother..."
Gao Qiu, seeing the truth, suddenly drew his sword and said, "You foolish ruler! Now that things have come to this..."
Before he could finish his words, a deafening roar of killing erupted from outside the palace. The palace door was flung open, and a group of black-clad warriors rushed in, their leader shouting, "Follow the Grand Marshal's order to execute the tyrant emperor and purge his entourage!"
They were actually the assassins recruited by Gao Qiu!
Chaos ensued in the imperial court, with civil and military officials scattering in panic. Huizong, guarded by the eunuchs, retreated hastily. Gao Qiu, sword in hand, attacked Yan Qing, shouting, "You little bastard, you've ruined my plans!"
Yan Qing remained calm in the face of danger, dodging the sword and snatching the sword from a guard. In a flash of sword light, he was already engaged in battle with Gao Qiu.
"Gao Qiu! You imprisoned the Queen Mother and plotted rebellion. What crime should you be punished for?"
"The victor is the king and the loser is the bandit! Today is the day you die!"
At this critical moment, a thunderous roar suddenly came from outside the hall: "Here are the heroes of Liangshan! Don't hurt my brother!"
Lu Junyi led the Liangshan heroes into the hall, Lu Zhishen swept his staff, Wu Song's two swords were as fast as the wind, and Li Kui's axe was wildly dancing, instantly slaughtering Gao Qiu's assassins.
Yan Qing was surprised and delighted: "Master! How come you..."
Lu Junyi laughed heartily: "Thanks to the secret letter you sent! Master Chai informed us, and we rushed day and night to protect him!"
Gao Qiu, realizing his situation was hopeless, feinted his sword and tried to flee. Yan Qing would not let him escape, and used his subtle kung fu to entangle him like a shadow.
"Gao Qiu! Today is the day to settle the score for the Qinghui Pavilion fire twenty years ago!"
Gao Qiu sneered: "Just you?"
The two men clashed swords, their swords clashing in a tangle. Though young, Yan Qing was agile and filled with hatred, his moves ruthless. Gao Qiu was cunning and treacherous, his swordsmanship vicious, and it was difficult to determine who was superior.
Suddenly, Gao Qiu showed a flaw, luring Yan Qing to get close, and shot out the arrow hidden in his left hand! Yan Qing was caught off guard and was about to be hit by the arrow, but suddenly someone flashed out from the side and blocked the arrow for him!
"Sister Jade!" Yan Qing exclaimed.
It turned out that Feicui had been hiding among the palace maids, and seeing Yanqing in danger, she risked her life to save him. The arrow from her sleeve hit her right in the heart, and her clothes were immediately stained red with blood.
"Child..." Feicui smiled with difficulty, "Tell your mother... I... I'm sorry for her..."
After saying this, he died.
Yan Qing, overcome with grief and indignation, wields his sword with ever-increasing ferocity. Gao Qiu, distraught and distraught, gradually loses his strength. Just then, Wu Song arrives, his two swordsmen charging at Gao Qiu like a raging storm.
"You bastard! Prepare your death!"
Gao Qiu tried to block a few blows, but Wu Song chopped off Gao Qiu's right arm, knocking his sword to the ground. Yan Qing took the opportunity to step forward, pointing the tip of his sword at Gao Qiu's throat.
"Tell me! How did my mother die?"
Gao Qiu's face was ashen, and he grinned grimly, "It's okay to tell you! It was the Queen Mother who ordered me to set the fire, to kill your mother and her husband! What a pity... you, this evil creature, escaped..."
The words were spoken softly, but they were clearly heard throughout the hall. The Empress Dowager Zhen, who had just been rescued, happened to hear them and burst into tears.
"Nonsense! When did I ever give such an order?"
The tip of Yan Qing's knife trembled slightly: "Who is that?"
Gao Qiu laughed wildly: "Yes... yes..."
His eyes suddenly widened as a crossbow arrow shot from nowhere and hit him right in the back!
"There's an assassin!" everyone was shocked.
Yan Qing looked over hastily, only to see a dark figure flash by behind the palace pillar. He knew it was an attempt to silence the witness, but he couldn't care less at the moment.
Huizong, escorted by his guards, returned to the throne. He surveyed the chaotic scene in the palace and sighed deeply, "My lords...you all witnessed what happened today."
He swept his gaze over the ministers and finally landed on Yan Qing: "Yan Qing, listen to my orders!"
Yan Qing knelt down to receive the order.
"Gao Qiu is guilty of treason, the evidence is irrefutable, and his entire family shall be executed! Yan Qing has rendered meritorious service in protecting the emperor, and being a member of my family, I hereby enfeoff him as..."
"Your Majesty!" Yan Qing suddenly raised his head and interrupted, "I dare to ask Your Majesty to revoke your order!"
The whole palace was shocked. Huizong was puzzled: "Why is this happening?"
Yan Qing kowtowed and said, "I am used to being idle and cannot bear the constraints of the palace. Moreover, the brothers from Liangshan have come to rescue you. Your Majesty, please consider their merits and forgive their previous crimes."
Huizong pondered for a moment and looked at Lu Junyi and the others. "The heroes of Liangshan have rendered meritorious service in rescuing me. All their previous crimes shall be pardoned! Those who are willing to serve as officials will be appointed according to their abilities. Those who are unwilling will be rewarded with gold and silver and allowed to return home and settle down!"
Lu Junyi and others knelt down to express their gratitude.
Huizong looked at Yan Qing again and said, "Since you don't want to be conferred a title, I won't force you. But I must give you a handwritten order: From now on, you can enter and leave the palace freely, but you don't have to bow to me when you see me!"
This is a great grace! Yan Qing thanked him again.
By the time the court meeting was over, the sun was already high in the sky. Yan Qing and his Liangshan brothers walked out of the Wende Hall, the sun shining down on them all, bringing a warm and cozy feeling.
Lu Zhishen patted Yan Qing on the shoulder and said, "Good boy! You are worthy of being a hero of Liangshan!"
Wu Song also laughed and said, "Today's fight was really enjoyable!"
Yan Qing looked at these brothers who had shared life and death together, and a warm feeling surged in his heart. Suddenly, he remembered the Queen Mother's last words...
"Please wait a moment, brothers. I have to go get something."
He turned and walked towards the Cining Palace, where another truth was waiting for him to uncover.
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Chapter 63 End
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