spoiled brat

Chapter 113 112. It’s hard to calm down (12)

Suddenly, He Bi's voice rang out from outside the tent: "Master, someone from the capital has arrived!"

Xiu Yi put down the medicine box, seemingly guessing who the visitor was, and gestured for Zhao Zhao to go behind the curtain first. His cautious and guarded nature, and the fact that he didn't need Zhao Zhao to avoid the discussion, were probably related to the river case that she had helped with.

The tent flap was lifted, and a low-ranking official stepped in. Although he had come dusty and travel-worn, his boots were spotless, his sleeves and robes were clean, his green official robes were wrinkle-free, and his hat and belt were neat.

The most striking feature was her eyes—refined, gentle, and still bright and alert even when looking at her tired face.

The man bowed deeply to Xiu Yi, and his voice, which reached Zhao Zhao's ears, was like a thunderclap: "This humble official, Li Qingwen, greets Your Highness."

Zhao Zhao felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. She slid off the stool in a daze. Almost instantly, her hand went to the dagger in her sleeve. A thousand voices called for her to kill her and finish off her enemy cleanly... But reason told her that this beast was obviously a guest of honor, so how could Xiu Yi not stop him?
He bit his hand hard to suppress his surging murderous intent, and heard the beast outside say in a familiar tone, "It's been a long time since we last met during the Mid-Autumn Festival. How have you been, Your Highness?"

...Mid-Autumn Festival? It was the day she entered the manor that news came from the capital, instructing the Ning Prince's manor to prioritize the overall situation and preserve the evidence of Wu's crimes without making a move...So she was so close to the murderer, so very close!

"It's alright," Xiu Yi said calmly. "This winter is colder than usual. How is Minister Jiang's leg ailment?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness," Li Qingwen said. "Thanks to the medicine you sent me back, my teacher was spared from the pain of his leg ailment. He didn't need a wheelchair this winter and even went to admire the plum blossoms in the snow."

Zhao Zhao bit into the flesh, her mouth filled with a metallic sweetness.

No wonder... no wonder this beast, having just passed the imperial examination and entered officialdom, can manipulate the lives and deaths of ordinary people. It turns out he's climbed up to Minister Jiang! Important messages are delivered by him, so he must be highly valued.

"What brings you here today, Lord Li?"

"Previously, the Wu family faced difficulties resisting the enemy and secretly came to borrow grain. Your esteemed household, considering the overall situation, raised grain and transported it north. Just now, when I went to pay my respects to the Prince, all the soldiers I encountered along the way were thinly dressed in winter clothes and barely had enough food to fill their stomachs..."

Li Qingwen stood ramrod straight and said, "To serve the country to this extent is truly first-rate loyalty. I have come to inform Your Highness and you that there is no need to continue this futile effort."

After a few words, Xiu Yi guessed the message he was rushing day and night to deliver: "The Wu family has fallen?"

"Yes." Li Qingwen paused slightly, then nodded and said, "Although your family has donated supplies and provided aid, the commander that the Wu family has been protecting is mediocre, the army is disorganized, and the orders are not followed. When they encounter the enemy, they are like collapsing sand, and when they are attacked, they are like ants collapsing. In one battle, they lost more than ten cities, and the enemy's arrows have reached the capital. The situation is very dangerous."

Xiu Yi closed his eyes. Even though he had expected it, he couldn't bear to see the country shattered.

“If a serious illness is not cured, it will eventually erode the body. With such a treacherous party in power, how can the affairs of the country be salvaged?” Li Qingwen said resolutely. “To repel external aggression, we must first pacify the internal situation. I urge Your Highness and His Highness to make a decision as soon as possible and eliminate the Wu family.”

He had already visited the main tent before coming here. Xiu Yi understood his father's meaning: "I will send all the evidence of Xu Feng's crimes to the capital. At that time, we will need Minister Jiang's help to contact the upright officials and impeach and eliminate the traitors."

Li Qingwen bowed deeply to the ground: "Very well, then this humble official will immediately return to the capital to inform my teacher. Once the memorial of guilt arrives in the capital, we will surely impeach the powerful and treacherous officials to the death, and we will never allow the affairs of the country to be ruined by such villains again!" After saying this, he took his leave.

His upright and righteous demeanor was so striking that if Zhao Zhao hadn't known his background beforehand, she might have been bewitched and mistaken for a man of noble character and integrity.

Suddenly, slow, heavy footsteps sounded in my ear, and Xiu Yi's voice rang out above my head: "Why are you sitting in this corner instead of sitting on this perfectly good chair?"

Zhao Zhao trembled with hatred. She loosened her grip on the piece of flesh on the back of her hand that was about to be bitten off, and hurriedly covered it with her sleeve, but Xiu Yi still saw it.

"What’s wrong with you."

He frowned and reached out to touch it, but his hand was slapped away before he could get close.

"Do not touch me!"

Zhao Zhao wished she could die immediately.

It turns out that the case she got involved in was actually helping her enemy's mentor, and the evidence she risked her life to uncover became a ladder for her enemy to climb higher... Even the Ning Prince's Mansion, which she relied on for refuge, was an accomplice of her enemy.

Xiu Yi was puzzled as to why Zhao Zhao had suddenly changed so drastically, and where this evil fire had come from. Seeing her distraught and ashen-faced, and noticing she was about to leave with her bow drawn, he couldn't help but grab her and ask:

"What happened?"

Zhao Zhao gritted her teeth: "Let go!"

She couldn't act earlier, but now that she figured the beast was about to leave the camp, she was going to chase after him and take revenge!

Unfortunately, Xiu Yi was unaware of Zhao Zhao's thoughts and held on tightly, causing her to struggle desperately, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

One of them was injured, and the other was filled with hatred. They couldn't shake each other off or separate. They struggled back and forth until they crashed heavily into the wooden cabinet containing medicine.

With a loud crash, everything on top of the cabinet fell down, Xiu Yi shielding Zhao Zhao, while bottles and jars of all sizes hit his back.

The wound reopened; how could a mortal not feel pain? His expression remained indifferent, but his face paled slightly: "I'm worried about you."

"You're not at ease?"

Zhao Zhao looked at Xiu Yi, her anger turning into a cold laugh, and then tears streamed down her face.

"What's it to you what happened to me? Did I ask you to care about me?"

Before Xiu Yi could say anything more, Zhao Zhao grabbed his hand and bit it hard.

The bite was extremely forceful; almost instantly, the teeth pierced through the flesh.

Zhao Zhao's mouth was filled with a metallic sweetness, the taste of hatred and resentment. She was venting her anger inexplicably, and Xiu Yi even held her hand steady, letting her bite.

Hot tears fell onto Xiu Yi's hand. He calmly asked, "Is there something you can't tell me?"

Zhao Zhao loosened her teeth, wiped away her tears and the blood from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve, and said, "Young Master, I'm begging you, please don't care about me anymore!" After saying that, she left.

Xiu Yi chased after him, only to see a thin, frail figure stumbling and bewildered in the snow.

He glanced down at his bleeding hand, hesitated for a moment, and then his clear gaze shifted to the chair where Li Qingwen had just sat.

-

The border campaign ended in a major defeat, and the enemy's advance southward caused great panic in the capital.

On one hand, the court officials condemned the Wu family for their ineffective resistance against the enemy, which had greatly harmed the country, and requested that Wu Huan be dismissed from his position as Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. On the other hand, they submitted a memorial to the emperor, advising him to quickly summon Prince Ning to the north to resist the enemy and not to repeat the events of the Jingkang Incident.

Despite the emperor's repeated pleas and remonstrances, he remained unmoved, secluded in the inner palace, devoting himself to spiritual cultivation, and leaving all important military and state affairs to the crown prince.

It is acceptable for the Crown Prince to handle routine affairs while also serving as the prime ministers of Wu and Jiang, but how could this matter be handled by the Crown Prince? Everyone in the court knows that the Crown Prince Yixing was born in the cold palace. If it weren't for Consort Wu taking him under her wing, he would have remained a desolate and neglected person until his death.

The Wu family had shown him kindness and support, so why would he turn against his maternal clan out of public opinion?

Furthermore, the Wu family has always been at odds with the Prince of Ning's mansion. Although the imperial decree of marriage eased the tension, the old grudges remained.

Moreover, the Prince of Ning's mansion has been operating in the north for many years. Sending Prince Ning to lead troops north would not only be to resist the enemy and defend the country, but also to let the tiger return to the mountain. How could the crown prince, who is a member of the Wu faction, agree to this?

The court officials were anxious, but none of them went to the Eastern Palace to make a fool of themselves. Instead, they gathered at Minister Jiang's residence every day, constantly lamenting and worrying about the country.

The cries, the heavy snow, and the defeat of losing troops and territory robbed the Spring Festival of that year of any joy. Officials and common people alike wore long faces, as if they had become slaves of a conquered nation.

Just when things were getting tense, a bolt of lightning suddenly struck from the ground.

Overnight, the streets and alleys of the capital were plastered with accusations of Wu's crimes, including embezzling relief funds, withholding river taxes, and illegally levying additional taxes.

The court and the common people were shocked, and cries for execution resounded throughout the land.

The emperor remained deaf to his pleas.

The officials suppressed their anger and pleaded with the emperor to make a decision.

Unexpectedly, the numerous memorials submitted to the palace went unanswered, like snow melting into water.

The officials, having reached their limit of patience, finally broke through the palace gates on the Lantern Festival. Braving the steel blades of the imperial guards, they rushed to the front of the Taichang Palace, knelt in a huddle, and cried, cursed, and begged the emperor to stop his esoteric practices and come out to see them.

On this snowy night, breath turned to ice. Beneath the jade steps, officials were buried under the blanket of snow. The elderly had long since fainted from the cold, while the weak shivered silently. Only a few young and vigorous ones remained, their shouts no longer as loud as when they arrived.
"...The state is in grave danger, and treacherous officials hold power. I humbly beg Your Majesty to take immediate action and make a decision to restore order to the court..."

The words were barely out of his mouth when they were blown away by the cold wind.

The two servants carrying palace lanterns nearby felt a pang of pity. They exchanged a glance, then stepped onto the snow-covered steps, knelt under the sable umbrella, and addressed the head servant warming himself by the charcoal brazier:
"Grandpa, the officials down below are all frozen stiff... This isn't a solution. If something really happens, it won't look good."

This eunuch, named Li Fu, had served the emperor since his time as a prince. He was about forty years old, with a fair complexion and no beard, and a gentle demeanor: "Not good-looking? We asked them to come and cause trouble?"

His tone was disdainful, but he glanced sideways at the little eunuch beside him. The little eunuch nodded obsequiously, and without carrying a lantern, went around the crowd to the east.

"These pedantic scholars, storming the palace to remonstrate with their lives just to gain a reputation for honesty, right?" Li Fu rose from his warm chair, glanced down at the officials huddled together in the cold below, and sneered, "Summon them for the court flogging. I've spoiled them by letting them run wild outside His Majesty's palace. If I don't teach them a lesson, they'll really rebel!"

Beating up scholars was a dirty business, so the junior firemen shrank back and refused to go. Li Fu got so angry that he kicked over the charcoal brazier, and only then did the junior firemen reluctantly go.

A short while later, a series of rapid footsteps sounded below the steps, and the eunuch from the Department of Punishments arrived with his men and canes.

The imperial guards parted to make way, and the frozen officials were immediately surrounded by a swarm of small fire-bringers. Some of the bolder ones angrily said:

"We are concerned for the well-being of the people and the nation, and you rootless wretches are acting all high and mighty! If you want to strike, strike me first, so that you won't become slaves of a conquered nation in the future!"

The eunuch in charge of punishment gave an awkward smile and said in a effeminate tone, "You gentlemen are all pillars of the court, how could I dare to offend you? I was just making a show of force to ask you to leave the palace."

Looking at the sky, he said, "It's almost midnight. His Majesty needs to be calm and focused during his nighttime meditation. We can't afford to have any..."

Before he could finish speaking, a clump of snow slammed into his face. One of the officials was cursing, "Has the old emperor really gone mad?! He's burned the incense in the alchemy furnace and blown away the ash, and he's forgotten who he is? He's eaten that damn damn pills and ruined his brain!"

"Slandering the Emperor..." The eunuch in charge of punishment wiped the snow off his face, his eyes flashing with malice, and raised his hand behind him: "Strike!"

"Yes!" With a chorus of response, the Little Fire Warriors surged forward instantly, staffs fell and people collapsed, officials huddled together and wailed, and a large patch of snow was stained red.

Such a tragic scene inevitably made the eunuch in charge of executions uneasy. He exchanged a glance with Li Fu, who was watching the fire from across the river on the jade steps, and they both looked eastward in tacit understanding.

In the darkness, a group of people arrived with incredible speed. Before they even got close, a shout rang out from afar: "Stop!"

The servants, like dogs on a leash, immediately stopped beating the officials. The officials, their heads bleeding from the beating, glared at the newcomer: a black sable robe, a jade belt, and red shoes—who else could it be but the Crown Prince?

Yi Xing arrived in haste, without a palanquin, covered in wind and snow, his usually smiling face now as cold as ice: "Who gave the order?"

The servants all knelt down, and the eunuch in charge of the punishment slapped himself in the face and begged for forgiveness: "...This servant deserves to die! This servant deserves to die!"

Yi Xing looked up at the steps, and Li Fu hurriedly rolled to his feet and knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly.
"Your Majesty, this servant greets you! Using the cane was unavoidable; I was truly afraid of disturbing Your Majesty's peaceful repose!"

“Old Li,” Yi Xing said, lowering his eyes, “get up.”

Li Fu shakily rose to his feet, but before he could stand upright, a sudden gust of cold wind swept across his face. He was knocked to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood mixed with his teeth, and cried out in terror, "Your Highness..."

Yi Xing stopped looking at him, shook his robes, knelt down before the officials, and loudly proclaimed: "Your subject is incompetent and unworthy of the people's expectations. I humbly beg Your Majesty to assume the throne and secure the country!"

With him taking the lead, the officials immediately echoed, and dozens of voices resounded within the palace for a long time, yet the gates of the Taichang Palace remained tightly closed.

Seeing that things were not going well, Li Fu covered his face and got up from the ground, then entered the palace through the side gate to announce his arrival.

Everyone assumed that the emperor, under pressure from the overwhelming presence, would surely reveal himself and explain. Unexpectedly, after a moment of silence in the hall, the sound of bronze chimes rang out—three rapid, heavy sounds, each carrying a hint of displeasure.

As soon as the bell rang, Li Fu knelt before Yi Xing and said anxiously, “Your Highness, His Majesty is currently in seclusion, breaking through one more level to transcend the mortal realm… This crucial moment of overcoming dangers should not be disturbed. You should leave!”

Upon hearing this, the officials were enraged, disregarding their own lives, honor, and even their descendants, and began to curse loudly.

Yi Xing listened quietly for a while, then said to Li Fu, "Please be at ease, everyone." He then said, "Go and tell my father that as a son, I must fulfill my filial duty and not disobey him; as a subject, I must be loyal and not hesitate to sacrifice my life. I will kneel here for as long as you gentlemen kneel here today, and await my father's arrival."

Having said that, Yi Xing instructed the attendants of the Eastern Palace to bring ointment, bandages, cloaks, and hand warmers for the beaten officials to use to bandage their wounds and keep warm. After the arrangements were made, he knelt before the officials as the Crown Prince, and within moments, frost had accumulated on his hair and shoulders.

Yi Xing had only recently entered the Eastern Palace and held power for a short time. Officials in the court considered him a member of the Wu faction, and while they respected him, they lacked true deference.

Tonight, he suddenly arrived here, comforting the officials and conveying their sentiments. How could anyone not be moved? They whispered among themselves, their words filled with regret, admiration, and a hint of resentment at having met such a wise ruler and their eagerness for him to immediately bestow the imperial robes upon them.

Hearing the whispers behind him, Yi Xing knelt even straighter. He Wang stood beside him and saw a layer of snow piled up on his shoulders. He raised his hand to wipe it away, but Yi Xing stopped him with a cold look.

He Wang slowly withdrew his hand, only to see that a minor official in green had knelt behind Yi Xing, silently accumulating snow.

He Wang noticed that he had neither a hand warmer nor a cloak, and his clothes were thin and shabby. He squinted and asked, "Sir, the things have been distributed, why don't you collect them?"

(End of this chapter)