Minglong

Chapter 170 The Emperor Collapses and the Heavens Fall (Seeking Monthly Tickets or 2)

On the ninth day of the ninth month of the eighth year of Jingning.

On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, when the sun and moon are both at their zenith, the yang energy is at its peak for the year. However, the city of Luoyang was shrouded in darkness as a torrential rain began to fall.

The three thousand palaces were shrouded in rain and mist, the city was completely silent, and thousands of palace women looked sorrowful.

Outside the Zichen Palace, several imperial physicians, palace servants, and Taoist and Buddhist masters awaited a summons, while Cao Fo'er stood at the door holding a whisk.

The monk Wuxin, dressed in a kasaya, stood quietly in the rain, turning his prayer beads with his staff, silently reciting Buddhist mantras.

Behind him were eminent figures from various religions, and even a Northern Zhou priest, all summoned to heal the dying Emperor Qian.

But injuries and illnesses are easy to heal, while lifespan is difficult to cure.

None of us are gods or Buddhas. If we do not act against reason and morality, how can we bring the dead back to life and prolong life?
Wearing a black and white Taoist robe, Lu Wuzhen's face, which looked middle-aged, showed the weariness and helplessness of a centenarian for the first time.

The assembled religious leaders were unaware of Emperor Qian's inner workings, but he, as the supervisor responsible for suppressing evil spirits in the Great Qian Dynasty, was fully aware of them.

Twenty years ago, Emperor Qian's body was already struggling to complete the cycle of life. It was thanks to Grandfather He that he was able to extend his life to the present day by plundering the lifespans of others.

After the He family's downfall, there must still be some Yuan Dan (a type of medicinal pill) stored in the palace.

However, from the time of the incident until he was completely exhausted, less than half a month had passed, indicating that Emperor Qian did not take a single life-extending pill.

As an emperor, being able to suppress the will to live and do what needs to be done when facing death is considered a benevolent ruler among emperors throughout history.

But this emperor fell under his protection, and almost all of his and his wife's close relatives died.

Lu Wuzhen knew that Emperor Qian hadn't done anything wrong; the fault lay entirely with him.

If he had been able to discover the problem twenty years ago, Emperor Qian would have supported his younger brother to ascend the throne, and no further trouble would have occurred. This was also his responsibility.

He once thought that by taking the Dao as the truth, the Dan Ding School alone could ensure a prosperous and peaceful Qianlong era.

But now it seems he was wrong. Ye Sheng named him 'Wuzhen' perhaps because he saw through his true nature when he was just over ten years old, and was using the name to constantly remind him:
Remember why we cultivators cultivate, and don't let worldly gains and interests blind you.

Lu Wuzhen stood in the wind and rain, remaining silent for a long time before looking at the bald monk beside him:

"The position of supervisor is not easy to hold. It may indeed be more beneficial to the people if two people supervise each other."

The monk Wuxin, with his white beard and eyebrows, was far less imposing than Lu Wuzhen, who possessed an air of otherworldly grace. Upon hearing this, he stopped reciting his prayer beads and said earnestly:

"Wuzhen, your Dao heart has collapsed."

Lu Wuzhen was the sole ruler of all the sects and schools of thought in the Great Qian Dynasty, and he was arrogant all his life. In the end, the Great Qian Emperor he protected was tormented to the point of losing his family and people right before his eyes. If he could still do as he pleased after that, that would not be called having an iron will, but rather being stubborn and unyielding.

"Destruction precedes construction; perhaps I've 'enlightened'. I'm telling you this only because I don't want Taoism and Buddhism to clash and harm the nation. Can you let go of that?"

The monk Wuxin gazed at the palace before him, his tone calm:

“Build three hundred new Zen temples in the Central Plains, bring the old man Sikong back to Daqian, and let the barbarian Wei enter the Central Plains. Then I will believe that you have attained enlightenment. With the four of us working together, what evil spirits would dare to cause trouble in Daqian?”

Lu Wuzhen shook his head: "Your idea is unrealistic. We only have this small plot of land. If I eat one more bite, you will eat one less bite. If we try to coexist, everyone will be starving, and the result will only be infighting."

The monk Wuxin sighed softly:

"It's better than you and me being well-fed while everyone else starves."

The two of them were silent.

After all, this world is a battleground, with more wolves than meat. A master sect leader can see through and let go of everything, but not sect interests.

Even if Lu Wuzhen had an epiphany and relinquished the interests of the Dan Ding Sect, what he would gain would not be harmonious coexistence among all sects, but rather the election of a new sect leader by the various factions of the Dan Ding Sect, forcing him to return to the mountains to retire.

This is similar to how the Great Qian Emperor, when the country was prosperous and the people were strong, ceded several prefectures to the Northern Zhou, the Western Rong, and Lingnan in order to seek peaceful coexistence.

If the people and officials allow this lunatic to be emperor for even a second longer, it would be a disrespect to the word 'emperor'.

Meanwhile, in the Great Qian Dynasty, where Taoism and Buddhism were in charge and were still vying for their own interests, inside the palace...

Emperor Qian lay on his sickbed, his face pale and sickly, no longer possessing his former majesty and demeanor; he was merely an old man on the verge of death.

On his deathbed, Emperor Qianlong, his wrinkled hands holding his wife's right hand, spoke in a weak voice:

"I am sorry. To be honest, it was my own impulsiveness back then that led to this situation, where I also coveted the throne."

“If I were an incompetent person, your father would not have had the idea of ​​following the emperor; if I were a capable person, he would have known before the second son could make a move.”

"But I am talented, yet not many. For twenty years I have walked on thin ice, unable to find peace, which has led to my wife and I ending up in this predicament. I have no choice..."

Empress He had removed her phoenix crown and was dressed like a simple palace maid. Her face looked ten years older, but there was no hatred or sorrow in her eyes; she only smiled and comforted her.

“Poverty-stricken couples face a hundred sorrows. Your Majesty has already done your best. The trouble caused by my He family should not make Your Majesty feel guilty and remorseful.”

"Ha ha……"

Emperor Qian's eyes were unfocused, his laughter sounded like a hoarse breath, and his gaze was fixed on the dark window:

"My life has come to an end. Although I have committed many sins, the Great Qian Dynasty is in my hands, and it has reached the pinnacle of prosperity."

"Now I ask for nothing else but that God grant the people of the world another thirty years of peace and happiness, and that they will not fall into Jing Huan's hands."

"The people suffer when the dynasty prospers, and they suffer when the dynasty falls. But when the dynasty falls, the suffering will be even greater. Heaven has not blessed the Zhao family, but it should at least show some compassion to its tens of millions of subjects."

"What a pity, Heaven doesn't care..."

His voice grew softer and softer, and his pupils gradually dilated.

Empress He, her eyes red-rimmed, rose and lay down beside her, resting her head on her shoulder, and said softly:

"Heaven doesn't care about you, but I do."

"Leave the affairs of future generations to them. I will follow you wherever you go, just like when you were a prince."

"Heh~..."

Emperor Qian's eyes flickered, then he slowly closed them, and with his last strength, patted his wife's shoulder...

On the day of the zenith, the heavens weep.

When the emperor died, Empress He took poison and lay dying by his bedside.

The 30,000 chimes that signaled the emperor's death resounded from the Bell and Drum Tower.

Heavy rain poured down on Luoyang, and countless people fell silent; the streets and alleys were almost devoid of noise.

Cao Fo'er proclaimed the Emperor's will, ordering Crown Prince Zhao Jinghuan to assume the regency immediately, observe mourning for twenty-seven days, and then perform the enthronement ceremony.

The messenger, carrying the imperial edict, rode swiftly from the capital, traveling 800 li along the imperial highway to deliver the message to the princes, prefectures, counties, and districts.

Upon hearing the news, the King of Dan, far away in Danzhou, burst into tears, and his queen wept for him.

Zhao Ling and Zhao De in the capital also restrained their playful nature, changed into mourning clothes, and remained silent.

Night fell.

After finishing his business, Crown Prince Zhao Jinghuan returned to his study. His usual intelligence and sharpness were gone, and he seemed somewhat absent-minded.

Within just half a month, my parents, maternal grandfather, cousins ​​and other close relatives all died violent deaths!

Even if he were about to ascend the throne, how could he feel even a little bit of joy?
Zhao Jinghuan sat down behind his desk, with the memorials he had recently submitted in front of him. He had been reviewing memorials in the Eastern Palace for many years and was now serving as regent, so these things were not unfamiliar to him.

But I can't calm down right now.

Cao Fo'er accompanied Emperor Qian as he grew up, and was more grief-stricken than anyone else, yet she still fulfilled her duties.

Seeing that the Crown Prince was distracted, Cao Fu'er took a small wooden box and placed it on the desk:

"Your Highness, please accept my condolences. This is something Her Majesty the Empress left for you; you may take a look."

Zhao Jinghuan's eyes flickered, and he opened the small wooden box, revealing toys such as a wooden tiger, a whistle, and a cricket jar.

He remembered everything. He'd been playing with it as a child, and his father had taken it away; he'd never seen it again. There was also a letter inside the box.

Upon opening the letter, one sees densely packed, exquisitely familiar handwriting:

Jinghuan, by the time you see this letter, your mother will be gone...

Don't be sentimental. There are always new people replacing the old in this world. It's just a matter of a few days sooner or later. Your mother is happy to go with your father...

Your father is strict because you are the future emperor. You are his only son, so he has no choice but to scold you openly, but secretly he worries about you even more than your mother does...

Your father collected all these things, and your mother secretly kept them for you, intending to return them to you when you were older and more sensible. But now that you're grown up and sensible, you're too embarrassed to give them to him anymore...

I originally wanted to keep that Purple Thunderbird, but your father said you liked it too much and we couldn't keep it. We had to give it away. Don't blame me...

Don't hate your father for being heartless. Your mother knows his nature well. He respects your grandfather more than anyone else, but there's just nothing he can do...

Your father laid a good foundation for you, but your mother failed to manage the family well, dragging you and your father down...

You must be a good emperor in the future. I know you can do it very well, but don't overwork yourself. I want you to live a peaceful life...

……

The letter was long and plain, but it was filled with reluctance and longing between the lines.

Zhao Jinghuan held the letter, his eyes gradually reddening, and even his breathing trembled slightly.

Cao Fo'er sighed softly:
"In fact, the reason why His Majesty was able to fight his way back to the palace during the Jian'an Rebellion was mostly because the Empress was pregnant."

"His Majesty is about to become a father. He doesn't want his wife and children to be on the run, and he also wants to give his children a good foundation. That's why he risked his life with all his might..."

Hearing the words of comfort, Zhao Jinghuan took a deep breath, his absent-minded expression gradually subsiding, and he regained his usual gentle and refined demeanor. He carefully folded the letter and put it into the wooden box.

"Okay, I want some peace and quiet."

Cao Fo'er didn't say much, nodded, and silently left the hall.

Zhao Jinghuan stood up, carried the wooden box, put it in the bedroom wardrobe, and then went to the study window.

"Chiji..."

There was a large birdcage by the window, inside which was a small, purplish-blue bird perched on a small branch, gazing at the rain outside.

Upon hearing footsteps, the Purple Thunderbird chirped ingratiatingly, spreading its wings and displaying tiny electric sparks like strands of hair on its feathers.

Zhao Jinghuan gazed at the little bird his father had left him, his eyes reddening again. After hesitating for a long time, he opened the birdcage, held the little bird on his fingers, and stretched it out the window.

"Let's go. You belong to heaven and earth, and I belong here."

"Chiji..."

The Purple Thunderbird hovered outside the window, flapping its wings. Raised in captivity since childhood, its eyes were filled with the bewilderment and helplessness of being driven out of its home.

Zhao Jinghuan watched the little bird spread its wings and take flight, then raised his hand and waved:
"I have parents, and from now on I only want to be a wise ruler, not to indulge in frivolous pursuits that will distract me from my ambitions."

The Purple Thunderbird hovered outside the window for a long time, and only after being chased away several times did it turn around and fly into the rain.

Zhao Jinghuan watched them leave from the window. After a moment of silence, a strange, ferocious glint flashed deep in his red, tear-filled eyes, only to vanish in an instant...
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(The words below are added after the text and do not count as points.)

The endings of the first two chapters have been slightly revised. Those who haven't read them can check them out! (or 2)
Twelve thousand words, I made up for it yesterday after taking leave!

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(End of this chapter)