Chapter 120: Zhen Can Save the Regent
Early Summer, the day of the Grand Ceremony of Personal Rule.
The people from the Ministry of Rites absolutely never expected that before the ceremony could proceed, the Emperor would be missing again!
Given that this Emperor’s sudden disappearances were the norm, the Ministry of Rites was helpless and could only go to Prime Minister Xiao for a decision. Xiao Ji was also shocked:
—How… did he run away again???
Xiao Ji’s head was spinning.
Tracing back, they found that a young pharmacist at the Imperial Medical Bureau had accidentally overheard the Grand Princess presenting the Twin Gu to Your Majesty while passing the consultation room.
Xiao Ji’s ears instantly buzzed!
If others didn’t know about the Grand Princess, he did. When gathering intelligence on Yuan Xizai’s corruption case, they already knew the Grand Princess’s background wasn’t clean.
He could only blame his limited power; during the days he presided over the Chang’an court administration, he hadn’t been able to move against the Grand Princess!
Instead, he had alerted the enemy, and the Grand Princess might be making her move!
Xiao Ji hurriedly asked the young pharmacist: “Where did the Grand Princess present the Gu? Who is with Your Majesty???”
He asked a string of questions, scaring the young pharmacist into trembling. Wiping cold sweat from his forehead, he answered, “This official… this official didn’t hear too clearly. How would I dare listen intently to the Son of Heaven’s eaves? I just heard ‘Zichen Hall’.”
Zichen Hall.
Why choose Zichen Hall?
Xiao Ji’s palms tightened inside his official robe sleeves.
Theoretically, Zichen Hall was the Emperor’s sleeping quarters, even though Wei Wanlan hadn’t lived there since returning to Chang’an. If one wanted to choose a place for a mutiny, it should be outside the Imperial Palace, not inside.
Were they not afraid of the Jinwu Guard surrounding Zichen Hall from all sides?
If so, there could only be one explanation: The Grand Princess actually didn’t have enough manpower to support her ambition of seizing the entire city of Chang’an.
Their target was only the Emperor.
Lure out the Emperor, hold the Emperor hostage, and change the Emperor right there in Zichen Hall.
All actions must be swift and decisive.
Otherwise, if the Great Wei army participated, Wei Wanyi’s plan couldn’t be executed at all, because Wei Wanlan commanded military power unknown times greater than Wei Wanyi and her cohorts.
So how could they do it?
Xiao Ji concentrated, putting himself in the Grand Princess’s shoes to think about their situation. Finally, the breakthrough point landed on the Twin Gu. If Wei Wanyi used the Twin Gu as a threat to force the Emperor to enter the hall alone, with Wei Wanlan’s personality—he would definitely fall for it.
The hair on Xiao Ji’s body stood on end:
Did someone in the Imperial Medical Bureau leak the news?
Letting the outside world know, more or less, that the Regent is dying and the Emperor is seeking the Twin Gu to save the Regent’s life?
Xiao Ji’s gaze quickly swept across the entire Imperial Medical Bureau.
Medical officials, pharmacists, choresmen…
Too many people.
Even though General Tang had long sealed off this place, because of the Emperor’s presence, it had become the political core of the palace. With personnel coming and going, it was impossible to prevent everything.
Agonizing over who leaked the intelligence was meaningless.
Xiao Ji ordered: “General Li, quickly gather all available manpower and go to Zichen Hall to save the Emperor!”
Wei Wanlan would definitely be fished out…
Li Jiucheng was just about to act.
Suddenly, a Jinwu Guard from the watchtower reported a strange occurrence: “Prime Minister Xiao, this subordinate saw the Northern Bureau Imperial Guards open their camp gates. For some reason, the soldiers are pouring out of the camp.”
The Northern Bureau Imperial Guards were stationed just north of the Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Guards defended the palace. If there was a change in the court or the wild, these soldiers could go south at any time to control the entire Imperial Palace. They were the first army the Regent mobilized when he attempted to rebel back then, and also the unit Su Jingzhi had grown up with. Without a military order, no one could mobilize them.
But now someone was moving the troops!
Who moved the Imperial Guards?
Could it be…
Xiao Ji dared not think further. Could it be that the Little Emperor had already fallen into the trap, the Grand Princess had seized Wei Wanlan’s personal military tally, and Wei Wanyi had reversed her disadvantage, marching south to conquer the entire palace?
Xiao Ji: “General Li, head north with me, find Your Majesty, and save the crisis in Chang’an!”
Wei Wanlan was indeed standing alone in Zichen Hall.
That he could do this was unbelievable even to Wei Wanyi.
Wei Wanyi sat on the dragon throne, pinching the brocade box containing the cricket. Before making her move to force Wei Wanlan to abdicate, she couldn’t help but sigh with emotion:
“Sister didn’t expect it. You, who killed your brother-in-law, are actually a sentimental seed.”
Fearing Wei Wanlan didn’t understand, she raised her beautiful cheeks in the posture of the victor and explained to him:
“Not that cowardly egg of a brother-in-law, but the brother-in-law you executed on Vermilion Bird Street. This Palace had been lovers with him for several years. He came from a humble background, and This Palace was forced to marry another.”
Qin Zhen!!!
The Grand Princess was Qin Zhen’s mistress.
On the day of Yuan Mingyue’s capping ceremony, the person who privately met the Princess and injured the Consort with internal energy was none other than the military expert Qin Zhen.
However, Wei Wanlan had no heart to discuss old matters with her.
In front of Wei Wanlan, there was not only Wei Wanyi but also the Wei imperial clan members, capital officials, many people he knew or didn’t know. All of them were looking at him with eyes full of hatred and fear.
In that instant, his historical knowledge made Wei Wanlan realize that these people had a common name: The Opposition to the New Deal.
They gathered here for a common purpose, wishing to get rid of him quickly.
Crossbows were mounted…
Hidden weapons revealed cold stars…
Swords and sabers were unsheathed one after another…
It seemed that in just an instant, Wei Wanlan would turn into minced meat under a hail of arrows.
But since returning to the Imperial Palace, he had experienced too many shocking events. His heart had been tempered too frequently, making Wei Wanlan have no reaction other than a cold stare. His eyes were filled with emptiness, like a soulless jade statue.
He asked: “The Twin Gu.”
His calmness seemed like he was playing the Empty Fort Strategy!
He scared Wei Wanyi until her palms were sweaty. The cricket stifled in the brocade box let out a weak chirp, seemingly about to suffocate.
Wei Wanyi raised an eyebrow.
Even now, she couldn’t see through the Little Emperor’s depths. She didn’t dare to act rashly for a moment and wanted to test the waters by closing the distance: “You want to use this little bug to save the Regent? You forget how he treated you? You forget he isn’t a Wei family member; he is someone who can take away the Wei family’s world…”
“If the bug is real, Zhen grants you ten thousand gold. If the bug is fake, you have delayed Zhen’s affairs.”
“You—”
A calm tone spoke a trembling threat.
The rebels present were all shaken.
He was Wei Wanlan, yet not like Wei Wanlan. He was a Wei Wanlan whose heart had turned to ash, yet also a Wei Wanlan willing to pay any price to get the Twin Gu.
Tang Tuan, lying in wait on the roof of Zichen Hall, shot a feathered arrow from above. The arrowhead pierced diagonally through Wei Wanyi’s left palm, causing her to let out a sudden scream. The brocade box then tumbled down, rolling to Wei Wanlan’s feet.
Blood splattered beneath the dragon throne.
Wei Wanlan picked up the brocade box.
No one expected that the one to strike first would be the Emperor!
The hall instantly fell into chaos. These remaining parasites of the capital officials and the corrupt scum of the Wei imperial clan were accustomed to fine clothes and food. Compared to Wei Wanlan, who had been forced to walk the path of a wise ruler since transmigrating into the book, these people had absolutely no psychological quality to adapt to changes.
It looked like many people…
But actually, few were useful.
In fact, none were useful; just a disorderly mob.
The Jinwu Guards brought by Tang Tuan climbed all over the beams of Zichen Hall.
Crossbow bolts flew across the hall. White light flashed past; under the heavy bows and hard crossbows, rebels fell in response to the sound. These Jinwu Guards had all been strictly trained by the Regent and had long mastered the skill of hitting the mark every time.
For a moment inside the grand hall, the rebels scrambled everywhere looking for cover.
The rebels had absolutely no will to struggle. Upon seeing blood, they were so scared they all knelt on the ground.
The panic made the Little Emperor appear to have a terrifying calmness.
The gathering of the rebels instead caused the last of the dark, evil, and corrupt forces within the court to cluster in Zichen Hall as if piled together.
The palace resounded with the endless wailing of the rebels…
In Wei Wanlan’s mind, there were also endless voices.
【Congratulations Host, you have significantly advanced Task Two.】
【Continuing to advance Task Two.】
【Task Two is about to be completed.】
【Host has completed Main Task Two.】
【System Stage Reward Obtained: Four Seas at Peace Nine-Dragon Mirror.】
Hearing these voices, he felt as if his soul was separated by a layer.
He couldn’t hear clearly, nor did he feel any joy.
He didn’t want to see the tragic scene upon completing the task. lowering his head, he opened the brocade box. Inside was a dying cricket, caught innocently.
It wasn’t the Twin Gu…
Wei Wanlan’s heart sank to the limit again. He held the half-dead cricket in his palm.
Upon contacting the cool air outside while dying, the cricket regained some vitality. Slowly, slowly stretching its body and extending its antennae, it let out a thin sound, full of the joy of surviving death.
Wei Wanlan looked thoughtful, and let the cricket go.
He turned to face the doors of Zichen Hall.
Outside were the Northern Bureau Imperial Guards and the manpower brought by Xiao Ji, entering Zichen Hall one after another.
The commander of the Northern Bureau Imperial Guards took off his helmet, strode forward, and said respectfully to Wei Wanlan:
“Your Majesty, this subject left the camp upon receiving the military tally to stabilize the situation in the palace. We have searched for the remnants of the rebel army in various palaces and manors according to Your Majesty’s decree. The confiscation of other residences and the pursuit of rebel associates are also proceeding steadily!”
These were all response strategies the Regent had taught him by precept and example during their many adventures.
Wei Wanlan had learned them.
And some were policies he and Su Jingzhi had figured out together.
Wei Wanlan said: “You did well. Remember to reward the soldiers according to their contributions. Zhen remembers the Northern Bureau has a special ‘Special Reward Fund’.”
The Northern Bureau Commander was overjoyed and kowtowed.
Xiao Ji, who had originally thought he was coming to save the Emperor, was stunned to see Wei Wanlan unharmed while rebel corpses littered the ground. But then he felt it was reasonable.
He was the Little Emperor, and also the person who could win the Regent’s love. Being able to appreciate each other with Su Jingzhi, he surely possessed more than just beauty.
“Your Majesty…”
Wei Wanlan nodded and asked softly, “What time is it?”
“Si hour (9-11 AM).”
The time limit was approaching.
Wei Wanlan asked again: “Is there anyone else presenting the Twin Gu?”
Xiao Ji couldn’t control himself; because of this question, his eyes suddenly filled with hot tears. The Regent felt deeply for the Little Emperor, and how was the Monarch of Great Wei any different?
He was a little envious, his heart a little sour, but mostly full of regret.
“No.” Xiao Ji immediately reminded him again, “Your Majesty, the political power of the court is unclear. The disasters brought about may be more than just this one. This humble official implores Your Majesty, for the sake of the rivers and mountains (the country), please participate in the Grand Ceremony of Personal Rule as soon as possible.”
End of Si Hour.
Main Palace Hall.
Outside Hanyuan Hall, a sacrificial altar was set up, incense smoke rising high from the table.
The Minister of Rites held the prayer text, standing by the altar in full ceremonial dress. If not for fear of damaging his dignity, he would have stood on tiptoe looking around, waiting for the Emperor’s appearance.
Not only the Ministry of Rites, but the Three Departments and Six Ministries, the civil and military officials who could attend the Personal Rule ceremony, had long been waiting quietly under the scorching early summer sun at the bottom of the Dragon Tail Path.
But in reality, the emotions of these people outside the hall were complex and fluctuating. The news that rebels had just attempted to hold the Emperor hostage in the palace had spread like it had legs, from the distant Zichen Hall to Hanyuan Hall, entering the ears of every official.
Some officials felt panic, thinking the palace was about to face another great chaos.
Just then, news came again—
The Emperor entered the thieves’ den alone, the Empty Fort Strategy shocking all sides. The lying-in-wait Jinwu Guards found an opportunity for a surprise attack, and the Sovereign and subjects quelled the rebels in an instant.
Wei Wanlan’s prestige reached its peak in this instant.
Now, news was also spreading in the palace that the Regent’s life or death was unknown. After the Emperor’s assumption of personal rule, he would be the true common master of the world; no one could blunt his edge anymore. From now on, Great Wei would open an era belonging to Wei Wanlan.
Just as the officials were pondering the direction of the situation, a loud cry of “The Emperor arrives” came from the depths of the Imperial Way.
Following that, the officials’ gazes simultaneously turned to the Imperial Way:
…What they saw was not Wei Wanlan in ceremonial robes and tasseled crown, but in Dragon Robe everyday wear. His body was clad in bright yellow brocade, but it was splattered with spots of eye-stinging blood like red plum blossoms!
It was a bizarre yet stunning sight.
The Emperor was small, beautiful but indifferent, making people dare not look again.
So everyone had to lower their heads, bowing beneath his bloodstained robe hem, gazing fearfully at the tips of Wei Wanlan’s boots shimmering with gold and silver thread, and worshiped him piously: “Long live my Emperor.”
The sound of “Long Live” erupted like a mountain tsunami in Hanyuan Hall:
“Long live my Emperor, long live, long long live.”
The roar almost overturned people, seemingly about to shatter eardrums and break heads.
The loud roar, however, didn’t call back Wei Wanlan’s mind.
Although he walked in Hanyuan Hall, stepped onto the Dragon Tail Path, burned incense, and prayed to the Empress Earth and Imperial Heaven.
He stood in Hanyuan Hall overlooking the Imperial Palace. His eyes seemed filled with every court official here regardless of rank, capable of holding the common people, encompassing the Nine Provinces and Four Seas.
This was the kind of Emperor the Wise Ruler System molded.
This was also the kind of Emperor the Regent had exhausted his efforts to cultivate him into, right?
Calling himself “The Lonely One,” with no one side by side; it is lonely at the top.
He wasn’t happy; he missed that person.
There is a mental disorder in modern times called PTSD. As time passes, the longing for the deceased grows stronger.
Death means never coming back.
From now on, he would never hear “Little Wan” again. From now on, Su Jingzhi’s appearance, voice, and breath could only be preserved in his memory, meeting only in reminiscence.
Their first meeting was right here before the altar of Hanyuan Hall…
If I had known today would come, why did you always hide things from Zhen?
Why were swords drawn from the moment we met, instead of saying hello and frankly telling me:
“Hello, my name is Su Jingzhi. Don’t be afraid. I will be the person who treats you the best in this strange world.”
So.
—The Regent is a big baddie!!!
【Login Successful.】
A huge golden screen instantly gathered towards the center from the left and right sides of his field of vision.
Wei Wanlan was separated from the officials below the Dragon Tail Path by the system interface.
Chaotic and numerous items were laid out before his eyes.
Among countless icons, there was an icon with the appearance of a bamboo cage that looked particularly familiar. He had seen this kind of cage in front of Bai Linyue in the Pulse Case Room; it was a specialized vessel for raising Gu worms.
Wei Wanlan raised his trembling fingertips.
His finger tapped on the light screen. On the semi-transparent system interface, the name of this item appeared:
It was called… Twin Gu.
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