Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 179 Yuan Shu: Quickly fetch some honey water to quench your thirst!

After attending Zhang Ji's funeral, Liu Bian left without lingering.

He is the ruler, and many people feel uncomfortable when he is around.

"Your Highness, shall we return to the palace?"

The one who asked the question was Dong Huang. Dian Wei and Xu Chu would never ask where the Crown Prince was going; they would simply follow him silently, braving mountains of knives and seas of fire as if it were nothing to them.

"Go to the Court of Justice. I want to see the Yuan family's traitorous clique." Liu Bian turned around and looked at the Sikong Mansion. He stared at the white banner hanging low on the eaves. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as if he had a thousand words to say, but in the end, it turned into a deep sigh. His fist, which was tightly clenched in his sleeve, trembled slightly. He said, "Good people don't live long, but evil people live for a thousand years. The Sikong has passed away, and the Grand Commandant is also seriously ill, but that old scoundrel Yuan Ciyang is still alive."

Yesterday, upon hearing of Zhang Ji's death, Yang Ci, who was already bedridden, disregarded the advice and obstruction of his physician, son Yang Biao, and grandson Yang Xiu. He struggled to sit up and leave his sickbed, staggering towards the courtyard. He sat alone in the courtyard, drinking wine. He tremblingly filled his wine cup and even offered a toast to Zhang Ji from afar. His expression was sorrowful, and tears streamed down his face.

Although Yang Ci and Zhang Ji belonged to two major factions, the scholar-official faction and the eunuch faction, and often had disputes, they were also old friends.

Although Yang Ci was angry that Zhang Ji had joined the eunuch faction and was not fighting for his own interests, and they also argued because of the interest groups they represented, their past friendship was genuine.

Now that he has passed away, all past grievances have vanished like smoke and dust, leaving only the affection in my heart.

However, this morning, the imperial physician reported that Yang Ci's condition had worsened. Yang Ci, who had intended to attend the funeral despite his illness, was unable to get out of bed and could only ask his son, Yang Biao, to attend the funeral on his behalf.

Liu Bian inquired about Yang Ci's condition from the imperial physician, and received the same answer: there was no cure.

Unlike Zhang Ji, whose illness was severe, Yang Ci, who was 65 years old, had reached the end of his life and was lacking vital energy.

Given Yang Ci's physical condition, if he stopped being busy with official duties and stayed home to recuperate, he should have been able to hold on for another two or three years.

However, Yang Ci drank alcohol while ill and caught a chill in the evening breeze in the courtyard, which worsened his condition and made him even more depressed. Even with the use of the most precious medicines, he could only keep his life hanging by a thread and probably could only live for another year or two at most.

Once a person harbors resentment towards someone, they will blame all the unpleasantness they encounter in life on that person.

Liu Bian did not believe that he was about to become the emperor, the son of heaven, and therefore would be devoid of the seven emotions and six desires that ordinary people have.

Zhang Ji died of illness, Yang Ci fell seriously ill, and Yuan Wei was still alive. This was his fault!
As the imperial carriage arrived at the gate of the Court of Justice, Guo Tu and Fa Yan, who had just returned from offering condolences, hurriedly straightened their hats and belts and rushed out of the mansion to greet it. However, the Court of Justice, Cui Lie, was still at Zhang Ji's residence offering condolences and had not yet returned.

Cui Lie and Zhang Ji were old friends. Although Cui Lie was a famous scholar in Hebei, known for his integrity and uprightness, he had many dealings with the eunuch faction in private. He was quite a shrewd and worldly person.

"I want to see that Yuan Ciyang." Liu Bian raised his chin slightly, his words tinged with coldness.

Guo Tu, familiar with the Crown Prince's tone and temperament, naturally understood that the Crown Prince was in a bad mood. He dared not look the Crown Prince in the eye, and led the way with his head down, deliberately making his steps light, leading the Crown Prince to the dark and gloomy Tingwei prison.

The deeper they went, the more eerie and terrifying the environment became. Liu Bian unconsciously pressed his left hand against the sword at his waist, while his right hand was slightly raised to cover his mouth and nose.

According to Guo Tu, there are also differences within the Tingwei Prison, which is specifically for detaining people who hold official titles.

If it is only a temporary detention to cooperate with the investigation, the Court of Justice will not make things too difficult. The prison is relatively clean and hygienic, and prison officials will come to clean it every day.

However, if the person is clearly guilty, the environment becomes much worse, but it is still not too bad, so as to prevent the official from dying of illness in the Court of Justice prison before he has been punished.

Those officials awaiting execution were imprisoned in the worst conditions. Those convicted of treason, like Yuan Wei, were held in the deepest part of the Imperial Prison. As Liu Bian went deeper, he could clearly feel the environment deteriorating. Torches flickered with a dim red light on both sides of the narrow passage, illuminating the mold that covered the stone walls. The moss, a mixture of blue and black, looked like tentacles reaching out from hell, dripping wetly.

The chill seeped into my bones, and every step I took landed in puddles. The soles of my shoes rubbed against the ground, making an uncomfortable, sticky sound, as if the ground was silently wailing.

However, before seeing Yuan Wei, Liu Bian first saw Yuan Shu, who was also imprisoned there.

The fence was covered in rust, like dried bloodstains.

A putrid stench assaulted the senses; it was the stench of rotten straw mixed with urine and the stench of blood emanating from somewhere, fermenting in the dampness into a nauseating stench.

Seeing this, Guo Tu cleverly handed over a handkerchief that had been scented with incense, so that the prince could cover his mouth and nose.

Even he, the Left Supervisor of the Court of Justice who frequently went to prison, found the smell unbearable, let alone His Highness the Crown Prince.

Yuan Shu huddled against the stone wall of the prison, his disheveled hair covering half his face, his eyes dull and lifeless, his expression blank as if he were an idiot.

His withered fingers gripped his knees tightly, the scabs from the iron shackles on his wrists scabbed over and broke again, the dark red marks winding deep into his sleeves.

The straw mat beneath him was already soaked with dampness, turning blackish-yellow, with a few broken straws stuck to Yuan Shu's tattered prison clothes.

When Yuan Shu caught sight of the figure just outside the prison door, his blank expression froze.

Once Yuan Shu recognized who was outside the prison, his eyes turned bloodshot, his cloudy pupils suddenly bulging with blood vessels. He abruptly propped himself up, the chains rattling, and staggered towards the bars, his fingernails digging deep into the rusty iron bars. A beastly growl escaped his throat as he clenched the bars and roared, "Liu Bian, you little brat!"

Liu Bian was startled by Yuan Shu's sudden action and instinctively took a step back.

Xu Chu quickly shielded the crown prince behind him, drew his sword, and the gleam of the blade made the surroundings even colder. His tiger-like eyes widened as he glared angrily at Yuan Shu.

"Heh heh! Liu Bian, you little brat!" Yuan Shu cackled, his facial muscles contorted and drool dripping from the corners of his mouth onto his chest. He looked like a madman, pointing at Liu Bian and shouting, "You little rascal, hurry up and get some honey water to quench your thirst!"

"If you want to live, serve me like a slave, and I might spare your life!"

"As for your mother... she is quite beautiful, hehe, she will warm my bed every night!"

After speaking, Yuan Shu suddenly coughed violently, and blood splattered onto the iron fence, mixing with the rust.

But Yuan Shu ignored them, continuing to laugh maniacally and spouting ravings that made Guo Tu turn pale.

The prison guards dared not utter a sound; their torches trembled, and the atmosphere was palpable.

Clearly, Yuan Shu had gone mad, imagining himself as a prince of the new dynasty, with the emperor, empress, and crown prince all imprisoned.

But there are some things that even if Yuan Shu were insane, he couldn't say!
The prince's face was visibly gloomy, and the imposing aura emanating from him intertwined with the eerie wind in the prison, sending chills down everyone's spines.

Clearly, the Crown Prince had been thoroughly enraged by Yuan Shu's insane words.

(End of this chapter)