Consort Li's eyes reddened upon hearing this. She hugged Mu Yunsheng's waist with satisfaction and excitement, choking back tears, "I knew you were the best. The old man is finally dead now, and we can finally stop sneaking around. And the fake doctor, you have to get rid of him as soon as possible. I don't want him to live for even a day longer. I always feel that every day he lives is a threat to us."
"Don't worry, the old emperor is dead, and there was no will ordering the crown prince to return. By the time the crown prince hears the news and rushes back, the entire capital will already be under my control. I guarantee he won't leave alive. You just stay put and keep an eye on our son," Mu Yunsheng said ambitiously, brimming with confidence.
His repeated use of "our children" reassured Consort Li, who said coquettishly, "Don't forget, when you become emperor, you will appoint our son as crown prince, and me too. You promised me you would make me empress."
A flash of disgust and coldness crossed Mu Yunsheng's eyes, but his voice became even gentler: "Our love is stronger than gold, don't you believe me? Alright, let's leave here quickly, this place is not safe to stay any longer."
"What about that old man?" Consort Li was a little uneasy. If anyone found out that the emperor had been angered to death by her, she would be in danger.
"Ignore him, let's go."
Consort Li was no longer very confident. After all, the Li family had been destroyed by that madman Mu Yunhe, and she was now the only bloodline left in the Li family. She did not want to restore the Li family, but she resented Mu Yunhe for destroying her greatest backer. She rolled her eyes and said, "You promised me that as long as you sat on that throne, you would help me kill Mu Yunhe and that vile woman Luo Zhiheng! You must keep your word."
Mu Yunsheng was getting impatient, but he still patiently said, "I know, hurry up and leave here."
Voices could be heard coming from outside the door. Mu Yunsheng immediately dared not speak again, and pulled Consort Li into the secret passage to listen quietly to the sounds coming from inside the room.
Soon, many people entered. Then, a doctor named Mu cried out in alarm, "Your Majesty?! What happened to you? You were fine just now, why is this happening?"
The chess master and several pharaohs who had entered were in the palace, but they were too late. They were dumbfounded to see the emperor's unseeing eyes.
"Your Majesty, listen carefully." What's going on? Prince Mu just said the Emperor had something very important to announce in front of them. He left before even saying it, and the Crown Prince hasn't returned. The Pharaohs immediately realized a problem: a country without an Emperor, and with the Crown Prince absent, could easily run into trouble. 17894373
The imperial physicians' efforts to save the emperor were merely for show; in the end, they announced with great sorrow that the emperor was beyond saving and had passed away.
Prince Mu led his ministers in kneeling in grief, and news of the Emperor's death spread rapidly.
At that very moment, Mu Yunhe was diligently repairing his soul. Although the repair process was complex and slow, he believed that effort was always worthwhile. Luo Zhiheng was beside him, and Mu Yunhe, concerned for her, wouldn't allow her to leave the room. Then, at the very instant the Emperor passed away, he suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils contracting sharply.
His fingers moved rapidly, his face growing paler and his gaze more and more solemn. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't figure out what had happened. However, he was certain that just a moment ago, he had a strong feeling that the Purple Star was moving.
It's a shame it's not dark now, otherwise he could have seen the image.
"What's wrong?" Luo Zhiheng was lazily lying on the bed eating an apple when she saw Mu Yunhe's serious expression and was startled.
Mu Yunhe abruptly stood up and went to the window, his gaze fixed intently on the east. The sky there appeared gray and gloomy to him. He didn't know what it meant, but the feeling confirmed that the disaster he had sensed had struck abruptly just moments before. It came swiftly and fiercely, like a murderer whose true form was obscured, descending in the blink of an eye, its gaping maw ready to devour them all.
"What are you looking at?" Luo Zhiheng sidled up to him, annoyed that he was ignoring her. She shook his wrist forcefully and said angrily, "There's nothing over there except the palace, and no beautiful women either. Why are you looking at me so intently? Do you think Xinwen is jealous?"
Mu Yunhe's eyes widened suddenly, and he exclaimed like thunder: "The Imperial Palace! Yes! It's the Imperial Palace!"
Luo Zhiheng was startled by his sudden outburst and before she could ask anything, Mu Yunhe quickly said, "You stay at home and don't go anywhere. Quickly bring the little fox back to keep you company. Qin Sheng is also in the manor. Remember what I said, hurry up and make everyone in the manor disperse. You must stay with Qin Sheng and not be alone. You must not leave the General's manor, no matter what you hear or see, understand?" 158.
"What's wrong? Why are you so nervous? Where are you going?" Luo Zhiheng became nervous as well because of Mu Yunhe's seriousness and tension, and she held onto Mu Yunhe's hand tightly.
"I need to go to the palace. There's something strange going on there, and I can't ignore it." Although Mu Yunhe said this, he felt a sense of unease for the first time. His soul was injured, and could the events at the palace be related to that person with the dark aura? If that person made a move, he would have a very difficult time dealing with them.
"I want to go with you." Luo Zhiheng wanted to be with Mu Yunhe without hesitation. Sharing happiness and hardship was no joke.
"You're helping me by staying home obediently. Don't distract me. I'll be back as soon as possible." Mu Yunhe kissed Luo Zhiheng's forehead, looking at her with some reluctance. He wondered if there would be any danger on this trip.
Mu Yunhe gave Luo Zhiheng no room to struggle, releasing her and immediately disappearing from the room. Luo Zhiheng stared blankly at the empty room, still unable to process that Mu Yunhe had vanished right before her eyes.
She bit her finger hard, and a piercing pain immediately shot through her. But in that instant, she sensed the energy of the little fox who was supposedly in seclusion, cultivating in a secluded place. She immediately shouted anxiously, "Little fox spirit, where are you? Come back quickly, I need your help."
The little fox's lazy voice drifted over slowly: "What a nuisance, it's delaying my cultivation. And please don't bite your fingers next time, it hurts my delicate little paws too."
Complaining, Luo Zhiheng still felt a strong fluctuation in the space the next moment. The sky outside seemed to darken for a moment, and then a graceful figure rushed in from outside, along with a pair of gradually moving ears.
Luo Zhiheng asked incredulously, "How come your ears have grown back again?" Then, realizing that this was not the right time to ask, she immediately grabbed Luo Erduo's hand and commanded, "Protect me and take me to Mu Yunhe's side. He must be in trouble. I want to fight alongside him!"
Sorry everyone, we had some unexpected guests visiting, and I was busy all day. I thought I could finish writing by 6 or 7 pm, but I was too tired to move after tidying up. That's all for today. Huasha, go to bed early and recharge so we can try again tomorrow. Love you all, mwah!
444 Rebellion and Usurpation! The Decisive Battle Before the Palace!
Updated: 2013-11-17 14:34:52 Word Count: 7663
Before the news of the emperor's death could even spread, all the pharaohs and ministers were summoned to the palace. Upon arriving, they were all shocked to hear of the emperor's passing.
Prince Mu didn't even have time to write down the Emperor's final edict in front of everyone. Looking at the Emperor's狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face, with its eyes wide open in death, Prince Mu felt his heart and soul breaking. But at this moment, he couldn't let his grief hold him back. He hesitated, wondering whether he should speak out the Emperor's last words. Would anyone believe him? After all, he was the only one by the Emperor's side when he died; he was the only one who saw the Emperor for the last time.
If he said this, some people might doubt the truth of his words, since the emperor's dying wish was to pass the throne to his own son, which raised many suspicions. But if he didn't say it, it truly was the emperor's dying wish, and he would be letting the emperor down if he didn't.
Prince Mu was caught in a dilemma. Old Master Tong could see this. Although Old Master Tong disliked his grandson-in-law very much, Prince Mu was, after all, of royal blood and had seen the Emperor's last moments. So he said, "Prince Mu, do you have something to say? Did the Emperor leave any words before he passed away?"
Everyone immediately turned to look at Prince Mu. They all had their own thoughts on the matter. With the Emperor dead, it was only natural for the Crown Prince to succeed to the throne. Prince Mu had always been a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince. However, since the Crown Prince was not currently in the capital, they needed to get him back as soon as possible to preside over the national mourning and inherit the throne.
Prince Mu hesitated repeatedly, weighing the pros and cons, but still didn't voice the matter. Whether out of personal reasons or something else, he didn't want Mu Yunhe to become emperor, and speaking of it now would only further shatter the already anxious hearts of the people. If it couldn't soothe their anxieties, he decided to remain silent. 17893655
"His Majesty said to recall the Crown Prince and immediately allow him to inherit the throne."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time felt that it was reasonable, and then they began to cry bitterly.
Mu Yunhe silently descended upon the palace, observing the weeping crowd from a corner. He watched as Prince Mu, with a sorrowful expression, closed the Emperor's eyes. Mu Yunhe's brow furrowed. He surveyed the magnificent yet chilling room, sensing a faint, eerie atmosphere. This indicated that someone from the shadows had recently visited this place, and that person could very well be the Third Prince.
Prince Mu ordered his men to summon Prince Tai Mu Yunchang back at top speed. For the time being, Prince Mu would take charge of the inner palace, with the pharaohs jointly supervising him.
Because the Crown Prince had not returned, they did not plan to prepare a funeral in advance. They would keep it a secret from the public and wait until the Crown Prince returned to say that he had seen the Emperor one last time and fulfilled his filial duties before announcing the Emperor's death. This was to save face for the Crown Prince and was Prince Mu's decision, which was agreed upon by all the ministers.
This was a way to improve the Crown Prince's reputation. With the new emperor about to ascend the throne, these old foxes naturally knew how to curry favor with him.
Mu Yunhe had a feeling that something big was about to happen. He felt that he could not leave the palace, as it was his duty as a diviner. The death of the emperor was the most turbulent and uneasy time for the people of this dynasty. The new emperor had not yet returned, and he had a responsibility to maintain the normal order of succession to the throne. He could not leave at this moment.
When Luo Zhiheng arrived, Mu Yunhe was repairing his soul in a secluded room. Sensing Luo Zhiheng's approach, Mu Yunhe opened his eyes abruptly, his eyes filled with deep helplessness.
The door opened, and a petite figure darted in. Luo Zhiheng then quickly walked in and closed the door.
"Didn't I tell you to stay home?" Mu Yunhe's voice rang out, scolding but with more affection.
Luo Zhiheng brushed Luo Erduo aside, grabbed Mu Yunhe's arm nervously, and said angrily, "You still dare to talk back to me! Such a big thing happened and you didn't even tell me. Why did the Emperor leave? It was too sudden."
Mu Yunhe patted her head and whispered, "I only thought of it recently. I didn't expect the Emperor to pass away. I just felt that there was danger in the palace. I could sense that something terrible was about to happen here. You can't stay here. Be a good girl and go home."
Luo Zhiheng's eyes widened, and she said angrily, "No way! If I stay here, it's dangerous. Do you think you're safe here? Don't worry, I won't hold you back. Have you forgotten that we've fought side by side?"
Mu Yunhe was helpless but could not say anything, so he could only leave her behind.
Luo Erduo grumbled from the side, "What's going on between you two? What does the palace have to do with you? Let's go home, I'm so hungry, I want to eat meat."
Luo Zhiheng gritted her teeth and pinched her ear, saying, "Eat, eat, all you know is eating! What else do you know besides eating? Stay here quietly."
The night passed peacefully, but just as dawn broke the next day, panicked screams could be heard outside, and chaotic footsteps were seen running around like headless flies.
The Emperor has written them. Luo Zhiheng woke up with a start in Mu Yunhe's arms, looking at the raging fire outside, and asked in fright, "What's going on?"
"They've launched an attack." Mu Yunhe's voice was so cold it was almost frozen. He held Luo Zhiheng's arm tightly. "You stay here quietly. I'm going out to take a look."
"No! Tell me what happened first! Who launched the attack?" Luo Zhiheng was completely bewildered, but the next moment her eyes widened in disbelief as she asked, "Was it... Mu Yunsheng?"
Mu Yunhe suddenly lowered his head, looking at Luo Zhiheng's conflicted and horrified face, and nodded solemnly, "It should be him! Only he has such wolfish ambitions. It's not that others don't, but among the adult princes, apart from the Crown Prince who is relatively normal and upright, the Fifth Prince is all bark and no bite. Although the Third Prince seems absurd on the surface, he is actually the most cunning one. I suspect that he is colluding with some people who do not belong to this world. If he wants to seize power, he can only do so before the Crown Prince returns to the capital. By the time the Crown Prince returns, he will have already ascended the throne and become emperor."
"How could that be! Even if he succeeded in usurping the throne, how could the court officials obey him? He should be considered a traitor and should be killed. If the Crown Prince comes back and eliminates him, he will still be the emperor. He won't gain anything. The fact that he dares to do this proves that he has a trump card, doesn't it?" Luo Zhiheng exclaimed in surprise.
Mu Yunhe nodded: "I'm afraid his only tactic is to kill anyone who stands in his way of becoming emperor! No matter how many ministers there are in the court, can they withstand death? Anyone who disobeys him will die, and even if the crown prince returns, by then the capital will have already been occupied by him. The crown prince can return in ten days at the earliest, and by then Mu Yunsheng should have made full preparations. The crown prince's return will be nothing but a death sentence."
"And then there are the pharaohs, and their protectors."
"It's no use. Even if those people are powerful, they are still just ordinary people. How can they deal with the people of the Dark Land? That person is like Emperor Xian, a person with great supernatural powers. Moreover, every emperor has his own ministers. If Mu Yunsheng successfully ascends the throne, it will only take him a word to abolish the Pharaoh's Council and the Cabinet." Mu Yunhe said heavily.
Luo Zhiheng hadn't expected there to be so many twists and turns, and she felt exhausted and uneasy: "Then what can you do?"
“I can ignore the struggles between people, but when it comes to things beyond the realm of humanity, I cannot ignore them once I know about them. Ah Heng, a diviner cannot do something that is known to be detrimental to the common people, yet he chooses to turn a blind eye and stand idly by.” Mu Yunhe hugged her and asked softly, “Can you understand me?”
Luo Zhiheng suddenly choked up: "I understand, that's your responsibility, but it's also your responsibility. You can't abandon my responsibility just for the sake of another responsibility, so you have to take good care of yourself. If Mu Yunsheng wants to rebel, just destroy him. You just need to be safe."
"I will. For Aheng's sake, I will be safe. I'll be right back." Mu Yunhe said solemnly in her ear, then released her and left.
Luo Zhiheng stood there, looking at the light outside and listening to the screams and shouts. Suddenly, she felt as if she had been transported to another world. Unconsciously, she had developed such deep feelings in this era. She could ignore and not care about others, but she couldn't do that to Mu Yunhe.
"You weren't crying, were you?" Luo Erduo's cautious voice sounded from behind.
Luo Zhiheng turned around and glared at her: "You go protect Mu Yunhe. If anything happens to Mu Yunhe, I'll kill you."
Luo Erduo turned pale with fright and stammered, "That's your man, why do I have to protect him? If I protect him, will you give me your man?"
"You're asking for it!" Luo Zhiheng shouted, kicking a stool that flew straight at Luo Erduo's face. Luo Erduo dodged quickly, otherwise she would have been disfigured.
"Fine, I'll go. Why are you getting so angry?" Luo Erduo muttered discontentedly as she flew out the window.
Luo Zhiheng slapped her face hard. She was never one to wait to die. She wanted to see what a real attack on cities, plundering, and rebellion was like.
Taking advantage of the chaos in the palace, Luo Zhiheng slipped out. The entire palace was in disarray, with people and horses scattered everywhere. The palace servants were running around frantically with gold and silver treasures, but no matter how frantically they ran, they couldn't escape the palace, and they were too dead to spend the gold and silver treasures they had.
She wasn't familiar with the palace, so she grabbed a prince and interrogated him. The little eunuch trembled with fear and said, "The Third Prince has invaded! There are his men inside the palace. The palace is surrounded, and there are his men outside as well. They're attacking from both inside and outside. The generals defending the city are about to collapse! It's all over! We're going to die!"
Luo Zhiheng released the young eunuch, her heart filled with shock. It seemed the Third Prince possessed such cunning; a pincer attack from within and without made the already weak imperial city even more vulnerable. Moreover, although the emperor's death was being kept secret, the Third Prince might very well exploit it. If the Third Prince were to capture the palace, the consequences would be unimaginable.
What about Mu Yunhe? What will he do?
Luo Zhiheng dared not think further. She hurried through the chaotic palace, hoping to find Mu Yunhe as soon as possible. She grabbed another eunuch and had him lead her to the palace gate.
At this moment, the capital city was engulfed in flames and smoke. The people were terrified and hid in their homes, afraid to come out. The Third Prince's sudden military campaign caught everyone off guard. If it weren't for Mu Yunhe's reminder and the Pharaohs' preparations, the capital city, which had no ability to resist, would have completely fallen as soon as the Third Prince launched his attack.
The Third Prince's men surrounded the imperial city from both inside and outside, launching a coordinated attack that routed the defending generals. The Third Prince, clad in a magnificent silver-white armor, sat astride his warhorse, his gaze fixed intently on General Tong and General Murong, who faced each other. Stripped of his frivolous and dissolute exterior, Mu Yunsheng could indeed be considered a man of courage and integrity.
The two armies faced off, and General Tong and General Murong vowed to defend the city to the death. They were both supporters of the rightful succession and would never tolerate the despicable and vile Third Prince usurping power.
"General Tong, General Murong, I was thinking of treating you with courtesy because of your Tong family's contributions to the country and your status as founding heroes. Even if I become emperor in the future, I will still treat you with the utmost leniency. You two are both heroes and should know what it means to be a wise man when you see an opportunity. My ascension to the throne is in accordance with the will of Heaven, so why do you have to make things difficult for me? You have caused so much suffering and death. Don't you two feel any remorse?" Mu Yunsheng's cold voice rang out on the war-torn streets. There were mangled corpses at the feet of his warhorse. His words could only inspire his soldiers, but to others, they were no different from a killing horn.
General Tong sneered, "Third Prince, you are truly arrogant! Is all this suffering thanks to the gods? If you had behaved yourself, how could there be rivers of blood today? Third Prince, you should stop now, surrender obediently, and await His Highness the Crown Prince's return to deal with you!"
"Hmph! I am a king who follows the will of Heaven. You bunch of ungrateful bastards dare to obstruct my ascension to the throne. Since you are courting death, how can I not grant your wish!" The Third Prince's angry voice carried a chilling and desolate aura.
General Murong rode forward, his voice booming like thunder: "Is the Third Prince truly so stubbornly obstinate? How can you possibly follow the principles of Heaven? The Crown Prince is the Emperor's personally appointed heir to the throne, yet you dare to be so rebellious and arrogant! You are utterly hateful and despicable! If we were to show you any mercy, we would be failing the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince! All generals, heed my command—"
The Third Prince suddenly shouted, "Ashamed before the Emperor? You have indeed ashamed before the Emperor! You bunch of treacherous officials actually killed the Emperor and concealed it. You protected that beast Mu Yunchang, committed evil deeds together, and harmed the Emperor, all to give Mu Yunchang a good reputation as a filial son, while concealing the fact that the Emperor had already passed away. You are the ones with wolfish ambitions, the ones who are intolerable to Heaven! What I am doing now is only to seek justice for my father and to get rid of that beast Mu Yunchang for him!"
When the Third Prince uttered this high-sounding reason, everyone hiding in their homes who could hear it was dumbfounded. They hadn't expected that the Emperor had already passed away. Did the Third Prince mean that the Crown Prince was responsible for the Emperor's death? If that were the case, then the Crown Prince was ruthless, murdering his father to seize power. What virtue or ability did such a person have to be the Emperor?
The Third Prince's purpose in saying this was to find the perfect excuse for his future ascension to the throne, and also to win over the hearts of the people.
Upon hearing the Third Prince's words, General Tong and General Murong's expressions immediately changed, and they both shouted, "Stop talking nonsense!"
"Whether I'm talking nonsense or it's true, you all know best in your hearts. If Father Emperor were still alive, would I be so foolish as to do such a thing? Since you refuse to submit to me today and insist on protecting that beast Mu Yunchang as his accomplice, then I will not show any mercy. All generals, listen to my command! Kill all the enemies without mercy! Whoever takes the head of an enemy general will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver and a thousand acres of fertile land. Kill them!" The Third Prince roared like a tiger, and everyone responded.
"Kill!" General Tong led his generals and charged forward.