novelraw Chapter 380 Nourishment
Chapter 380 Nourishment
Chapter 380 Nourishment
Upon hearing the news, the Prince of Lu, feigning illness and inability to rise from his bed, sent his eldest and second sons together to receive the imperial decree.
Fearing that an angel might come to visit, he hurriedly returned to his bedroom and lay down. But after waiting for a long time, no one came, not even a word of news. He was puzzled and sent someone to urge him on.
But the person they urged disappeared without a trace, like a clay ox sinking into the sea.
Even though I was in my own home, it suddenly felt like my eyes and ears had been covered, and I had become blind and deaf.
He grew increasingly uneasy and hesitated. He sat up, about to speak, when he heard a commotion outside the door. Without even asking or knocking, a group of imperial guards suddenly burst in.
The guards at the gate hurriedly stopped them, saying, "This is the Prince Lu's residence! How dare you trespass?"
That's a ridiculous question.
Sure enough, the guards didn't even reply. Armed with their weapons, they subdued the guards in a single encounter, took them away, and rushed into the inner bedroom.
The group split into several groups and searched various places. The leader led a few people to the bedside. They saw that Prince Lu was half-lying down and half-leaning. Instead of bowing, they went forward and half-pressed and half-supported him.
King Lu could no longer afford to feign illness.
If they were to fight now, they still had the strength to strike, but they had neither support nor military power. Everyone said that a scholar's rebellion would not succeed in three years...
He hesitated for only a moment, and before he could give the order, the men, showing no fear, grabbed him and dragged him out.
For a moment, he couldn't believe it, and was even a little dazed.
It wasn't until he was taken outside and saw many guards either crouching on the ground with their heads in their hands or bound to the wall that King Lu finally began to understand.
He struggled and shouted, "Is this the Emperor's will? Fighting among your own family members for no reason, aren't you afraid of being ridiculed in the future? If he treats his own uncle like this, how can he have the nerve to talk about 'governing the world with filial piety'?"
At his advanced age, Prince Lu had been indulging in wine and women for many years, and his health had long been depleted.
With the axe and knife beside him, he lost his usual composure. He shouted and yelled all the way, his face, ears, and neck turning red with anger. He was shouting and yelling, with veins bulging on his forehead and neck, and his eyes bloodshot.
Seeing that the study was just ahead, and many people were gathered there, he flung his hands away from those on either side of him and shouted angrily, "Let go! I'll walk by myself!"
He added, "I want to see just how far you dare to go, and what kind of heart you have now!"
At the entrance to the study, many retainers and advisors had been detained and were being held aside. The door was open, and a search was clearly underway inside.
Upon hearing the King of Lu's loud rebuke, everyone turned around simultaneously.
"Over the years, I have followed the rules and regulations in everything I have done, and I have always been careful and cautious. I believe I have never disobeyed the court in the slightest. Yet now they cannot tolerate this. When I am buried, whoever did such a thing, how can they face their ancestors?"
"The Emperor Emeritus appeared to the Empress Dowager in a dream, saying that there was no one else in the palace, and it was I, a prince, who went to guard the imperial tombs. I have been so devoted, yet this is the result. Not to mention the civil and military officials, even if the news spreads to the common people, the Zhao family will have no face left. I do not believe that the Emperor would do such an unwise and inhumane thing..."
It must be said that the King of Lu was quite eloquent.
He stood still, looking furious and righteous, which made several guards at the gate unable to help but take a few steps into the courtyard to listen to this man's grievances. Even some of the prince's servants showed their indignation.
The leading guard said, "Your Highness, someone has reported that you are secretly keeping imperial robes and weapons in the palace's treasury..."
King Lu, unable to straighten his back, could only forcefully raise his head and shout, "Is there any evidence?"
Seeing the guard frowning, looking like he wanted to speak but hesitated, he sneered and said, "You dare to search the Prince's mansion with nothing but baseless accusations and no evidence? Is there no justice in this world? Even if this is truly His Majesty's will, it must be due to being misled by treacherous people. Which of the millions of people in the capital will accept this?"
As he was still uttering the word "I'm convinced," a sound suddenly came from inside the room, and a man rushed out, shouting, "Commander! We found it—there really is a secret room!"
The newcomer shouted more than once. After he finished shouting, his face was full of excitement. He then said, "There are ballistae inside! Ballistae!!"
The word "balloon" was repeated twice.
The bed crossbow, also known as the eight-ox crossbow, was a famous magical weapon of the Great Wei Dynasty. Legend has it that it took eight oxen to draw it. Its arrows could travel three miles and penetrate mountains and walls, making it a prohibited weapon.
Upon hearing this, everyone looked toward the study. Although no one dared to make a move, several of the retainers turned deathly pale.
Before the King of Lu could fully express his "acceptance," the last syllable of his voice suddenly carried an overwhelming anger, stuck in his throat, making his throat feel hot and his temples burn.
That happened a long time ago, and it's been kept hidden for ages. All the craftsmen from that time are long gone... It shouldn't be like that...
As he was thinking, he was practically dragged into the inner room of the study.
Also dragged in were the advisors, retainers, and several guards who had just been taken out of the study.
When faced with the half-excavated and overturned wall and four ballistae placed in the basement, the room, which had been noisy just moments before, suddenly became eerily quiet.
These are all old crossbows from many years ago, with a maximum range of only 700 paces, but their power is sufficient. As evidence, they are flawless.
If the victim's identity were not special, even if he were killed on the spot, he would not be investigated further if a suitable reason was found.
Upon seeing the old crossbow in the inner room, King Lu had countless words that were about to burst forth, but none of them could be uttered.
Say what?
There are a few crossbows in the study, but they are all old crossbows that have been collected, not real eight-ox crossbows. They are far from being true crossbows and do not deserve to be called bed crossbows at all! How can they be confused?
He claimed that these things were all a setup by others, and that he absolutely did not keep them for himself. Perhaps the craftsman had secretly hidden them in the past.
—There's no way to verify this since both sides are dead!
still is……
The Prince of Lu hesitated for only a moment before shouting, "I have no idea what's going on! This is a frame-up by villains! They're deliberately trying to frame me! Quickly summon the Court of Judicial Review! Summon Minister Qin! Let His Majesty see for himself!"
He was still shouting when a group of people rushed in.
"Supervisor, Supervisor! A dragon robe has been found in the border patrol! We officials dare not touch it and have already sealed it away—Supervisor, go and take a look!"
Soon, everyone rushed over.
A large box had already been carried out.
In front of everyone, he took out the items one by one and spread them out on the floor covered with a cloth.
There were clearly many people standing inside and outside the house, yet there was not a sound. Only the birds and insects, which had been silenced by fear, took the opportunity to chirp occasionally when things quieted down.
Everyone looked down at the ground.
What people commonly called a dragon robe was actually a grand imperial robe, worn by the emperor on the most important occasions, such as his ascension to the throne and sacrifices to Heaven. People at the time placed great importance on this ceremony.
This imperial robe was extremely elaborate, with twelve strings of tassels on the headdress, each adorned with white jade beads, and ear loops on both sides. It was covered with a black turban with cicadas, a black robe and a crimson skirt, a single embroidered inner garment, a knee covering, a wide belt, a jade belt, and so on. There was also a jade-hilted sword, and even the shoes were extraordinary.
Such a body would naturally take a lot of time and effort to make, at least several years.
It was precisely for this reason that after the King of Lu finally completed the ceremony, he wanted to take advantage of the auspicious meaning and was also worried that something good might happen suddenly. In the rush, there was no suitable grand crown, and something might go wrong during the enthronement ceremony, so he hid it away.
His own study contained a secret room, within which were hidden crossbows, imperial robes, and other valuables...
"Your Highness, I have already sent someone to invite Minister Qin of the Court of Judicial Review, who should be on his way. Although he has not arrived yet, I wonder where these crossbows and dragon robes came from? Buried so deep, could it all be a frame-up?"
Faced with the questioning from the person opposite, King Lu suddenly felt dizzy. He didn't know if it was because the people on both sides were holding his arms too tightly, but he couldn't even breathe properly.
How can I explain this? How can I disclaim responsibility?
His nasal cavity felt hot, and the top of his head felt even hotter, as if a surge of blood was rushing to his head. It felt like someone was ringing a bell in his ears, one ring after another, without stopping.
After what seemed to be the longest spurt, King Lu felt his eyes were filled with a bright red, as if a red veil had been drawn over them. Before he could remove it, the red veil turned black and he could no longer see clearly.
The two imperial guards holding him immediately sensed something was wrong and hurriedly shouted, "Commander, the Prince has fainted!"
***
As soon as the evidence was found, King Lu fainted.
They pinched his philtrum and splashed water on him, but he still didn't wake up.
This tactic has been used once, and no one believes it anymore.
Even after the doctor arrived and saw the old prince drooling from the corner of his mouth, took his pulse, and diagnosed him with "wind disease," he dared not prescribe any medicine, saying only that his medical skills were not good enough and took his leave repeatedly. The head of the imperial guards still thought that the Prince of Lu was faking it with some secret medicine, and hurriedly went to fetch the imperial physician.
It wasn't until the imperial physician arrived, took his pulse, and administered acupuncture that everyone saw Prince Lu's clothes and hair were soaked with saliva, and the bedding was completely wet. Only then did most of the people believe him, though they were still suspicious—was this real? Was he just faking madness to save his life?
Haven't we seen it in plays? There are people who pretend to be crazy and eat shit to save their lives!
But whether he was feigning madness or genuinely suffering from a stroke, with the discovery of crossbows and imperial robes in the Prince of Lu's residence, this grand farce finally came to an end.
King Lu only managed to wake up the next morning. After waking up, he couldn't even move his body. His eyes were crooked, his mouth was drooling, and he couldn't lift his hands.
With the fall of the Prince of Lu, the followers scattered like monkeys falling from a fallen tree. The others were either punished or imprisoned, and the case was handed over to the Ministry of Justice and the capital prefectural government for joint investigation.
As one of the ringleaders, Master Wu naturally could not escape responsibility and was only awaiting judgment. Based on his past crimes, no matter how he was sentenced, he would face the same fate: death.
Although at this moment, his throat and stomach were burned by the poison, he was incontinent and could not even get up and walk. He could not sleep for twelve hours a day, and even when he did fall asleep, his whole body ached. Only he knew the pain and humiliation he was enduring.
The fate of Prince Lu and his cronies soon became common knowledge.
Throughout the capital, everyone was talking about it, and naturally everyone said it was very gratifying. Some cursed Prince Lu, some cursed Master Wu, and some cursed the other henchmen of the Prince's mansion. Others demanded the return of their original money and land. Innocent people took the opportunity to escape. Even the capital's government took the opportunity to quickly restore the occupied streets and alleys.
Meanwhile, in Ciming Palace, Empress Dowager Yang sighed deeply as she looked at her adopted son sitting beside her.
Zhao Yu's face was filled with shame. Holding the tea in his hands, he felt extremely distressed. After a long while, he could only say, "Your son is useless. If it weren't for Mother this time..."
Empress Dowager Yang had always been kind and respectful to her son, but this time, before he could finish speaking, she frowned and interrupted him, saying, "Today you're 'useless,' tomorrow you'll be 'if not for your mother,' and the day after tomorrow you'll have to rely on your wife again? Who is the emperor, really?"
"Ignoring everything else, the way you acted, Second Brother, and your single-minded pursuit of reputation led to this result—your reputation may be good, but how many people have suffered?"
Zhao Yu felt even more ashamed and could only say, "Your son knows it's all his fault, and in the future..."
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Yang's anger intensified, and she retorted, "You'd better watch where you put your temper! This is all the Second Prince's fault, what's it to you? If you like to take the blame for others' mistakes, then take it yourself, don't come to me with it, it's very annoying to hear!"
She got angrier and angrier as she talked.
"You've been emperor for all these years, and you're as incompetent as a rag doll! If this hadn't blown up, would you have taken a few children from your second son's family? How can you expect to retire like this? You might as well take off your yellow robe and let someone else wear it!"
Empress Dowager Yang gave her son a good scolding and then kicked him out.
Zhao Yu was scolded severely for the first time, but instead of returning to Funing Palace, he went to Chuigong Hall, sat down at his desk, and honestly reviewed memorials for half a day. When it was completely dark, he put his pen aside, feeling guilty and unable to stop thinking about what Empress Dowager Yang had said.
He had always heard that the Empress Dowager had a strong personality, so after he was brought into the palace, he was extremely cautious in everything he did, for fear of not pleasing her.
But the other party was always very polite and kind to him, never punishing him or even saying a harsh word.
But for some reason, the more lenient the Empress Dowager was, the more lost and uncertain he became.
Even now that he has become emperor, Zhao Yu still doesn't feel like a real emperor. It's as if he's just borrowed someone else's position for a short time, and he'll have to return it when the time comes.
Especially as he grew older and had no children with his wife, it seemed as if his nightmare had come true, and he was in this situation because he wanted to return the throne to his wife.
But today, after being scolded by Empress Dowager Yang, he felt guilty, and inexplicably, he felt as if he had stepped onto solid ground.
—Actually, there's no need to care so much about reputation.
Even if people criticize or condemn us, it doesn't matter if history books condemn us.
He has done his best. Although he will always make mistakes, if someone else were to take over now, they probably wouldn't be as good or as dedicated as he was as emperor. Even if it was just luck, since God gave him this stroke of luck, it is his.
As long as you have a clear conscience, that's enough.
Seeing that it was getting late, Zhao Yu slowly returned to Qinghua Palace.
The couple exchanged a few words, and noticing a bowl and saucer on the side, he casually asked, "What's that?"
Empress Deng replied, "It was sent from Ciming Palace—my mother said I've been lacking in qi and blood lately, so she sent some to replenish my qi and blood."
Zhao Yu glanced at it curiously.
Inside was a pot of steamed chicken pieces, with ginseng, goji berries, and other ingredients added. It looked and smelled very nourishing.
Empress Deng had been a vegetarian for a long time in her quest for a son. This time, it was a gift from the Empress Dowager, and she could not refuse, so she had no choice but to eat it.
***
The following word count is free of charge:
A lot has happened this month, but it's finally come to a temporary halt. Because of the incredibly poor updates, I'm currently afraid to look at the comments section. I'm so sorry, everyone. I won't keep my promises. See you all tomorrow night!
(End of this chapter)