Chapter 211 The New Emperor Ascends the Throne
Back then, Liu Ji harmed countless married women, and as a result, the saying "what goes around comes around" proved true.
Even as Liu Ji ran back to the central area and listened to the black dragon's snoring, the cheerful rhythm he had just heard kept replaying in his mind.
Looking back, I realize how incredibly stupid I was to leave Lü Zhi at home and entrust her to Shen Shiqi's care.
Furthermore, after the defeat at the Battle of Pengcheng, Empress Lü and Shen Shiqi were captured together, so it was only natural that they would develop feelings for each other.
For a moment, Liu Ji even thought how wonderful it would be if he really died like this, unable to hear or see anything.
However, after that, Liu Ji's mind was filled with images of his divine body reaching its full potential, and how he skinned and gutted that adulterous couple.
Its soul gradually entered a strange sleep state, seemingly remerging with the corpse.
Seeing this, the black dragon grinned and began...
The road winds and twists, stretching into the distance.
Squeak squeak...
Several dilapidated vehicles moved along reluctantly toward Chang'an, stopping and starting frequently. The most dilapidated of them was Fan Kuai's prison cart.
Chen Ping sighed, wondering if he could survive this ordeal. He wished His Majesty would die soon...
"Giddy up! Giddy up!"
Tap tap tap...
A rider galloped in from afar.
"Hello~ Is Physician Chen Ping, Lord Chen, in the carriage?"
Chen Ping leaned out of the car. "I am Chen Ping. May I ask what advice you may have for me, sir?"
"The Empress has decreed that His Majesty is critically ill, and that Minister Chen is to return to Chang Le Palace immediately to see him!"
"Good! Uh, yes. I'll go back right away!" Chen Ping was overjoyed. For Empress Lü to issue an edict at this time meant either His Majesty was on his deathbed or had already passed away!
Chen Ping told Fan Kuai the good news and said that he would plead for Empress Lü's life as long as he saw her.
In short, Fan Kuai's life was saved.
Fan Kuai was naturally extremely grateful. If it weren't for Chen Ping, someone else might have actually carried out Liu Ji's orders and returned with his head to report back.
Chen Ping dared not delay. He selected two fine horses from the caravan and rode alone to Chang Le Palace at breakneck speed.
Empress Lü's palace gates were tightly closed, and the number of guards was several times greater than usual.
When Chen Ping stepped into the inner room, he immediately saw Liu Ji's coffin, as well as Empress Lü and another woman kneeling beside it. This woman was none other than Lü Xu, the wife of Fan Kuai and the younger sister of Empress Lü.
Chen Ping, on a sudden impulse, immediately knelt down before Liu Ji's coffin and wept bitterly, "Your Majesty! I am too late! Your Majesty ordered me to execute Fan Kuai on the spot, but I dared not act rashly. I have now brought General Fan back with me."
Empress Lü and Lü Xu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. When Empress Lü received the news earlier, Chen Ping and Zhou Bo had already set off for a long time, so sending someone to chase after them at that time would not have made much sense.
"Lord Chen, you've had a long journey. His Majesty has just passed away, and the new emperor still needs Lord Chen, the Imperial Physician. Don't let your grief ruin your health," Empress Lü comforted him.
"Your Majesty, I understand. I thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will do my utmost to serve the new Emperor and Your Majesty." Chen Ping was overjoyed. He never expected that he, Liu Ji's confidant, could continue to hold such an important position as the Chief Physician. It could be said that he had risked his life to protect Fan Kuai!
“Very well. Lord Chen, I wonder how the construction of His Majesty’s mausoleum is progressing? Can the burial be carried out as soon as possible? The weather is getting warmer, and it won’t do for His Majesty’s body to remain unburied for too long.” Empress Lü was very satisfied with Chen Ping’s answer and became even more amiable.
"Your Majesty, the main burial chamber of the imperial mausoleum has long been completed, and there is no problem with the burial. However, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day. The most important matter at present is for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne as soon as possible," Chen Ping said, bowing.
Empress Lü nodded and said, "That's right. Prime Minister Xiao has already gone to make preparations. Once everything is arranged, the Crown Prince will ascend the throne immediately."
Chen Ping then said, “Empress Dowager, these are extraordinary times. We should save on formalities and avoid unnecessary burdens. I believe that no matter how well prepared we are, the Crown Prince should be enthroned at tomorrow’s morning court.”
Empress Lü frowned slightly. "Isn't this too hasty? What if those ministers have objections? I'm afraid those old ministers won't submit to the new emperor."
"Your Majesty is overthinking it. If the ministers were truly dissatisfied with the Crown Prince, they wouldn't have tried so hard to stop His Majesty from changing the heir apparent in the first place. Besides, the palace guards are now under my command, which can ensure the safety of the palace."
If the Empress Dowager is still not at ease, she can first order General Fan Kuai to take over the defense of Chang'an, and then have Marquis Jiancheng lead his troops to protect her. This will ensure that everything is in perfect order.
General Zhou Bo is also ordered to attack the Yan Kingdom. The Empress Dowager only needs to appease him slightly, since his children and family are all in Chang'an, and Marquis Weiwu doesn't seem like someone with disloyal intentions.
"Lord Chen is right, but let's discuss it at tomorrow's morning court session before making a decision. I'll leave the matter of the emperor's burial to Lord Chen, and Marquis Biyang can assist him." Lü Zhi felt much more at ease after hearing Chen Ping's words.
"Yes." Chen Ping only wanted to express his attitude. Since ancient times, there have been many examples of the crown prince ascending the throne before the funeral when the monarch dies. For Lü Zhi, of course, the sooner the crown prince ascends the throne, the better.
After leaving the palace, Chen Ping immediately led his men to meet Fan Kuai. He hadn't dared to release Fan Kuai from the prison cart before, but fortunately, Empress Lü didn't want to see Fan Kuai immediately, otherwise it would have been awkward.
Fortunately, the convoy transporting Fan Kuai was also unharmed. Chen Ping arrived and immediately released Fan Kuai, taking him back to the palace and recounting everything that had happened along the way.
When Fan Kuai heard that Liu Ji had died, his resentment dissipated by more than half. At the same time, he sensed that the era of the Lü clan in power had arrived, and his decision to marry Lü Zhi's sister suddenly became incredibly correct.
The following morning at court, Empress Lü announced that Liu Ji had died in Changle Palace. The civil and military officials did not find this to be a sudden event, after all, Liu Ji had previously shown his injuries and that he could die at any time.
Of course, Lady Qi was an exception. After learning that Liu Ji had died but Fan Kuai was still alive, she was terrified and hurriedly tried to send someone to contact Zhou Chang, only to find that Weiyang Palace had been completely sealed off. Even if Lady Qi wanted to see Prince Zhao, Liu Ruyi, she could not.
However, at this crucial time of the emperor's death and the crown prince's succession, who would remember her?
After some discussion, the ministers finally reached a consensus: the Crown Prince would ascend the throne the next day, grant a general amnesty, announce Liu Ji's death to the world, and then bury him.
Liu Ji's body had already been transported to Changling before the crown prince ascended the throne. After the crown prince ascended the throne, he only needed to bring his officials there to complete the burial ceremony.
The civil and military officials were quite satisfied with Emperor Liu Ying. In times of peace, which minister would not wish for a benevolent monarch?
However, although Liu Ying had just come of age, no one dared to bully him. Empress Lü's fearsome reputation and methods made many people wary.
In short, the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne and the burial of the late emperor proceeded smoothly, and there was no turmoil in the court. However, the lockdown of Weiyang Palace remained in place.
Things only took a turn for the better after Prince Liu Heng of Dai took the lead and proactively approached Empress Lü to pledge allegiance to the new emperor.
Chapter 212 Revenge
Empress Lü Zhi had little affection for almost all of Liu Ji's concubines, but there was one exception: Bo Ji, who had only been favored by Liu Ji once since entering the palace. She was the birth mother of Prince Liu Heng of Dai and the former wife of Prince Bao of Wei.
Therefore, Empress Lü sent Consort Bo back to the State of Dai with the King of Dai. After all, the State of Dai had the important task of defending against the Xiongnu and was also close to the State of Yan, which was about to fight a major battle. It was the State that needed stability the most.
When the other vassal kings learned of this, they suddenly realized what had happened and came to pay their respects. However, Empress Lü only allowed the vassal kings to return to their fiefdoms, while forbidding their mothers from leaving the palace. The purpose was obvious: to use them as hostages.
However, there were exceptions. Empress Lü met with most of the feudal lords, including Lü Chen, but not with Liu Ruyi, the King of Zhao.
Xiao Liu Ji was terrified and dared not secretly flee back to Zhao. He wanted to ask Zhou Chang for help, but was shocked to find that Zhou Chang's residence had been surrounded, and all visitors were told that Zhou Chang was seriously ill and would not see any guests.
At this critical moment, Liu Ruyi suddenly thought of his elder brother, Liu Ying, who had just ascended the throne. He knew that Liu Ying was a very kind person, and if Liu Ying were to negotiate with Empress Lü, perhaps he could save his life.
So, Liu Ji shamelessly went to ask Liu Ying for help.
Seeing Liu Ruyi's pitiful state and knowing that Empress Lü was determined to kill him, Liu Ying kept Liu Ruyi by his side at all times, including when eating, sleeping, and going to the toilet.
Empress Lü originally planned to take action against Liu Ruyi and Consort Qi after the Crown Prince ascended the throne and the country was at peace. However, she did not expect that her good son would stand up and hinder her revenge plan, which infuriated Empress Lü.
Even mercy has its limits, right? Liu Ruyi and Consort Qi had tried to seize the crown prince's position several times before. If they had succeeded, it would be Empress Lü and Liu Ying whose lives would be in danger now.
Empress Lü decided to teach Liu Ying a lesson: mercy to the enemy is cruelty to oneself. Don't underestimate Liu Ruyi just because he is only ten years old. If you give him a knife, he can kill people too!
Increasingly frustrated, Empress Lü imprisoned Consort Qi in the Yongxiang Palace, shaved her head, put her in shackles, dressed her in a dark red prison uniform, and forced her to do the arduous task of pounding rice.
Yongxiang was originally a place where palace maids lived, but it gradually evolved into a place where disgraced and out-of-favor concubines were imprisoned, becoming a prison in the palace.
Lady Qi spent her days in tears. She once asked someone to inquire about the situation of Prince Liu Ruyi of Zhao, but was told that all the princes had returned to their fiefdoms.
Yes, His Majesty has appointed the strong and upright Zhou Chang as the Chancellor of Zhao. With Zhou Chang's help, it shouldn't be difficult for the King of Zhao to return to his fiefdom.
This gave Lady Qi a glimmer of hope. As long as Empress Lü did not completely wipe her out, she still had a chance. But if Liu Ruyi died, she would be utterly finished.
"My son is king, my mother is a captive. I pound rice all day until dusk, and live with death all the time. We are separated by three thousand miles. Who can tell you my plight?" This is a song that Lady Qi often sang.
As life grew increasingly difficult, Lady Qi's state of mind gradually changed. She became more and more resentful of her son's abandonment of her, and at the same time, she harbored more and more hatred for Liu Ji in her heart.
She even suspected that Liu Ji's order to Zhou Chang was simply to protect Liu Ruyi, and that Liu Ji didn't care about her life or death at all!
Otherwise, why didn't Liu Ji issue an imperial edict before his death to send her to the State of Zhao? Knowing that Empress Lü wanted to take revenge on her and her son, why did he only arrange for Zhou Chang to be sent to settle the matter?
If Liu Jiruo truly cared for her, would it be so difficult to save her life?
The plan to kill Fan Kuai failed. Did Liu Ji actually send someone to kill him?
This is deception, this is betrayal!
"Your Majesty! Please save me, waaaaah... That damned Liu Ji!"
Changling, the first imperial mausoleum of the Han Dynasty, is actually the tomb of Liu Ji and Empress Lü.
Liu Ji's tomb is in the west, and Lü Zhi's tomb is in the east. Of course, the western tomb is basically completed, while the eastern one is still far from finished.
After Liu Ji's burial, Chen Ping handed over the task of supervising the construction of the imperial mausoleum to others. To be honest, if Liu Ji hadn't been in a hurry, it would have been impossible for Chen Ping, the chief physician, to be in charge of supervising the construction of the imperial mausoleum.
The main burial chamber of the imperial mausoleum contains a cold stone coffin.
Liu Ji's body lay quietly inside, not decaying, but undergoing a strange transformation.
Starting from the top of his head, green hairs sprouted one by one, patch by patch, and then gradually spread all over his body...
"Heh heh, I didn't expect him to turn into a green-haired zombie directly. Liu Ji is quite talented at this. It wasn't a waste of all the extra days I waited." The black dragon grinned. He originally just wanted Liu Ji to become an ordinary zombie, hiding in the imperial tomb to eke out a living and waiting to collect luck.
Unexpectedly, Liu Ji was able to advance directly from the lowest-level zombie to a green-haired zombie. Apart from fearing sunlight, this type of zombie has no other weaknesses. Moreover, it is difficult to be injured by swords and knives, has immense strength, and is extremely fast, making its combat power overwhelming that of ordinary people.
In this way, Liu Ji, who had become a zombie, would have many uses. He could go out and do evil at night, and his concubines and children could provide a lot of luck.
"Roar!" The green-haired zombie Liu Ji suddenly opened his eyes!
...
Weiyang Palace.
After the new emperor Liu Ying left the court, he returned to his palace chatting and laughing with Prince Zhao, Liu Ruyi.
"Could you please think of a way to let me see Mother or Prime Minister Zhou Chang?" Liu Ruyi asked cautiously.
Liu Ying looked troubled. "The Empress Dowager is in charge of the inner palace, and Lord Zhou is too ill to receive guests. I have no choice. But Prince Zhao, don't worry too much. Knowing the Empress Dowager, as long as you are safe, Consort Qi will be safe."
At this moment, Lang Wei came to report.
"Your Majesty! The Empress Dowager has sent someone to request Your Majesty to go to Chang Le Palace immediately."
Liu Ying glanced at Liu Ruyi, "Did the Empress Dowager say what important matter she has to discuss?"
"The Empress Dowager said that His Majesty has been lovesick for many days and has even lost his appetite."
"Ah? I'll go right away." Liu Ying was immediately alarmed upon hearing that Empress Lü was ill. He had been busy with state affairs and worried about Liu Ruyi's safety, and had indeed neglected Empress Lü.
Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyi's expression changed drastically. "If Your Majesty leaves, how am I supposed to live?"