Chapter 187: The Last Letter

Chapter 187: The Legacy Letter

The safety of the emperor is intricately tied to the stability of the nation, especially sensitive in the wake of a recent palace rebellion.

Why hasn't Emperor Yuanhua appeared yet? What will become of the factions led by Prince Jin and Prince Pingxian? What will the court dynamics look like after today?

These questions weigh heavily on the minds of the ministers in the Hall of Worshiping Heaven, as the bloodstains and corpses continue to assault their senses. Many less experienced individuals are already shaking uncontrollably.

Some vaguely realize that if the Crown Prince is allowed to check on the emperor in the Hall of Prudence, the fate of the Yu Dynasty will change dramatically.

But now, with the rebellion of Prince Jin and Prince Pingxian clearly evidenced and both already executed; Prince Shen is stationed thousands of miles away at the border, and although he was not involved in the rebellion, the body of Prince Pingxian, with whom he had close ties, lies on the ground. His grandfather, Bi Yongshi, was also killed by Prince Jin, so no one would dare mention this prince.

Among the adult princes, only the Crown Prince is present. He has no connection to the palace mutiny and is the most legitimate heir, having been appointed Crown Prince by Emperor Yuanhua upon his ascension.

Who else but him has the right to enter the Hall of Prudence at this moment?

But the Crown Prince took a step back, voluntarily stating that he would invite Consort Wen and Lord Azure Phoenix to accompany him into the hall.

Consort Wen is the mother of Prince Shen, and although Lord Azure Phoenix leans towards the Crown Prince, he is also a staunch supporter of Emperor Yuanhua. Having these two as witnesses would completely quell any rumors.

After the Crown Prince spoke, no one dared to oppose.

The previously chaotic Hall of Worshiping Heaven managed to restore some order as the Crown Prince ordered the palace guards and servants he had summoned to clean the hall.

The ministers, led by Du Yunse, moved outside to stand in the large open space between the Hall of Worshiping Heaven and the Hall of Prudence, where they could see the main gate of the Hall of Worshiping Heaven from a distance.

The Crown Prince also sent people to take control of the banquet in the rear palace, temporarily detaining Consort Ying, the mother of Prince Jin, and inviting Consort Wen to the front.

By the time Lord Azure Phoenix appeared, the entire palace was under the Crown Prince's control.

Jia Hongyuan, under the watchful eyes of many, stepped up the tall stairs of the Hall of Prudence, walking past the white marble railings.

Standing on the floor that reflected like water in front of the grand doors, he looked up at the plaque hanging high above, inscribed with the words "Prudence in Reflection and Governance."

When his mother was still alive, she often held his hand and brought him here with homemade broth to see his father.

After her sudden illness and death, he rarely came here.

"Hall of Prudence? Why does the third grand hall after the Hall of Worshiping Heaven and the Hall of Canopy Stars have such a modest name?"

"The Hall of Worshiping Heaven signifies that the emperor rules by the mandate of heaven; the Celestial Canopy is a constellation in the sky, used as the name of the emperor's palace to signify the emperor's status."

"These two names are already sufficiently noble, any more would be excessive, so the name of the third hall, 'Prudence,' is the most important."

The teachings he heard in his childhood echoed in Jia Hongyuan's ears, the man's voice authoritative yet affectionate, with a hint of expectation and fondness.

"Because the emperor is the most noble person in the world, no one can defy his commands, no one dares to point out his mistakes, so he must constantly reflect and govern prudently. Otherwise, once problems arise, it will be the moment of irreparable downfall."

"Yuan'er, do you remember?"

The emperor in his prime gently patted the young Crown Prince's head, and the queen, whose face had not yet faded from memory, watched them with a smile.

"When Yuan'er can do these things and inherit this position, I will go out of the palace with your mother to enjoy life."

Jia Hongyuan stepped forward, placed his hands on the tightly closed doors of the Hall of Prudence, and pushed them open with force.

The brilliant sunlight rushed into the hall, and Jia Hongyuan slightly raised his head, straightened his back, his heart already clear.

It's time to honor your promise, Father.

In the innermost part of the Hall of Prudence, within a small compartment enclosed by several screens, the Yuanhua Emperor sat behind a desk, his eyes slightly closed, lost in thought.

Wen Xing and other personal attendants had long been detained, and now only countless unfamiliar secret guards surrounded him.

Hearing the sound of the door being pushed open, the Yuanhua Emperor let out a long sigh and looked at his eldest son, who was walking towards him step by step.

The guards bowed to the Crown Prince of the Great Yu and, upon receiving his signal, silently retreated.

The Yuanhua Emperor revealed a wry smile, as if mocking himself or perhaps in self-mockery.

"I guarded against the second and third princes, but I never expected that the one who would confront me directly would be you."

Jia Hongyuan's voice was calm, "Did Father truly not guard against me? In the winter of the 20th year of Yuanhua, during the case of corruption and factionalism in Jiangnan, Father knew it was false charges, yet because my influence was growing, you had me placed under house arrest and completely dismantled my network."

"Father simply didn't expect that I still had the ability to confront you directly, so you didn't prepare."

Jia Hongyuan did not refer to himself as "this one." The words "this one" and "I" were often confused by him in his childhood, and it wasn't until the late empress passed away that he never made the mistake again.

Hearing this long-unused word, the Yuanhua Emperor was momentarily dazed.

When had his and Kangniang's Yuan'er grown so big, so...

"What about Jia Heyan and the third prince?"

"All the traitors have been put to death," Jia Hongyuan said, looking at the Yuanhua Emperor. "I personally dealt the final blow."

The Yuanhua Emperor narrowed his eyes, "Do you know that the second prince has already led his troops to the outskirts of the capital, and the third prince's men have instigated a mutiny in one of the camps outside the city? Once there is any abnormality in the capital, they will immediately join forces to storm the city."

Jia Hongyuan remained calm, as if he had already secured victory, showing little emotion.

"Prince Shen was apprehended at the border, and now the one truly leading that army is Wu Shen."

"The spies of Prince Jin and the Chi Clan have been uprooted by me, and the rebellious generals in the camp outside the city have also been uncovered and apprehended. The activity in the camp is merely a feint."

"..."

These unexpected thunderous revelations left the Yuanhua Emperor with no time to think about when they had all happened.

In the silence, the youth who had always seemed weak had completed a coup that would alter the course of history.

Fury surged in the Yuanhua Emperor's heart, and he boomed, "I have never considered changing the heir, nor have I ever truly tried to kill you. I have always meticulously planned for your benefit. When the time came, you would naturally and rightfully become the new emperor of the Great Yu. Why would you commit such an act of killing your brothers and forcing your father's hand?"

Jia Hongyuan lowered his eyes for a moment, then countered, "More than twenty years ago, when Father killed your imperial uncles to ascend the throne, what were you thinking?"

The Yuanhua Emperor, in pain and anger, said, "When I took over the Great Yu, it was in a time of turmoil, with the state on the brink of collapse. But what I left for you is a flourishing and mighty empire!"

"I also wanted to avenge Kangniang, to kill Jia Heyan and Bi Yongshi, to destroy the Chi Clan and the Xie Clan, and I applauded with joy. But Yier and Han'er were just young children back then. I had already tacitly allowed those behind them to ruin them for your sake. Why must you wipe out your own kin?"

Jia Hongyuan remained silent for a long time, and finally, he slowly curled his lips into a smile.

"Father has reigned for twenty-four years, bringing tranquility and prosperity to the Great Yu. This is Father's achievement, and it is also my fortune. But does Father truly believe that the Great Yu today has no fatal flaws? Does Father still remember how you once explained the meaning of the 'Hall of Prudence' to me?"

Jia Hongyuan began to list the things the Yuanhua Emperor had not paid much attention to.

"Prince Pingxian used Prince Shen and Bi Yongshi to collude with the grasslands, selling weapons and provisions for huge profits to raise a private army. Father believed the situation was under control and, for the sake of balancing power, never truly investigated the masterminds behind it."

"But what do the thousands of generals and soldiers who died from weapons made by their own country, and the countless civilians and corvée laborers displaced by the very grain they grew, mean in Father's eyes?"

"The aristocratic families aligned with Prince Jin have been abducting children, either training or executing them, substituting them with impostors, and disrupting society. For decades, the number of affected families has reached tens of thousands. Father, you knew all about this, yet you chose to ignore it."

"These matters, in your eyes, were trivial and did not affect the stability of the empire. But the hidden darkness will never fade. Once it erupts, it will be the moment the empire falls. Otherwise, why do you think I was able to rebuild such a vast force so quickly?"

"The four words 'introspection and careful rule'—you taught them to me, but you yourself forgot them."

The Yuanhua Emperor's breathing grew heavy. He clenched his fists, veins standing out on his arms, but he could not refute Jia Hongyuan's words.

"Nobody in this world is a total idiot, Father. Perhaps you didn’t know, but the Tatar leadership had long seen through the intentions of Prince Pingxian and others in their dealings. They planned to take advantage of the chaos when Prince Pingxian and Prince Shen led their troops back to the capital to stage a coup, and launch a full-scale invasion of the border."

"What?!" The Yuanhua Emperor instantly straightened up, his eyes sharp. "You’ve apprehended Prince Shen, and Wu Shen is leading troops into the capital. Who’s defending the border?!"

If the border were breached, the Tatars would sweep in, and the border regions would be massacred. The tragedy of Prince Fen’s rebellion would repeat itself. The Yuanhua Emperor knew all too well that the old general he had appointed as a temporary commander for the three armies could not handle such a responsibility.

"Father, there’s no need to worry. Of course, someone is guarding the border, ensuring any invading Tatars will never return."

"You still have people?"

"Father, don’t you remember my uncle? Wu Shen did two things at the border: one was to capture Prince Shen, and the other was to transfer the border command to his father under my orders."

If there was anyone in the Yu Dynasty whose influence over the border troops could rival the Yuanhua Emperor’s, it was General Wu Dingshan. Even the renowned "Wu Shen," who had accomplished many feats in recent years, could not yet match his father’s prestige.

The Yuanhua Emperor’s heart settled back down. A storm of emotions raged within him, and a deep weariness overwhelmed all other feelings.

Even Phoenix Roost had turned against him. Even Noble Consort Kang and Noble Consort Wen had pledged their loyalty to the Crown Prince. Even a loyalist like Wu Dingshan had sided with the Crown Prince. He had no words left, no arguments to make.

The facts before him had proven that the Crown Prince was more beloved by the people than he was.

The Yuanhua Emperor slowly leaned back in his chair, scrutinizing his eldest son. "You’ve followed in my footsteps, climbing over the bodies of your kin to reach this position. This is my retribution, and you will have your own."

"You could poison me, claim I was slain by rebels, and then smoothly ascend to the throne. No one would dare openly oppose you, but even as the Son of Heaven, the voices of opposition will never fade. You may not do better than I did."

For the first time, Jia Hongyuan looked directly at his father and slowly shook his head. "I will not kill you, Father. I will have you witness how far I can go."

The Yuanhua Emperor let out a dark laugh. "What? You dare to commit such treason by forcing me to abdicate, yet you still want a good reputation, expecting me to willingly step down?"

Jia Hongyuan sighed. "I don’t care about that, Father. But Mother left a letter for you."

"What?" The smile on the Yuanhua Emperor’s face froze.

The late empress had died suddenly of illness, and neither the Yuanhua Emperor nor the Crown Prince had been able to see her one last time. The only one by her bedside was the Azure Phoenix Lord, whom she had raised herself.

The Yuanhua Emperor had asked the Azure Phoenix Lord countless times about the empress’s final words and actions, but he had never mentioned a letter.

"The letter was written in Mother’s own hand, sealed with the empress’s seal. My uncle brought it in. Father, you can verify it yourself."

The Yuanhua Emperor leaned on the arms of the chair and slowly stood up. "Give it to me."

The Azure Phoenix Lord, who had been standing behind the screen, took a deep breath, blinked his reddened eyes, and stepped forward to present an old, unopened envelope.

He dared not look at the Yuanhua Emperor, whose attention was entirely focused on the thin letter.

The hands that held the highest power in the empire trembled as they opened the envelope and pulled out a fragile piece of paper.

The words on the paper were brief, as the writer was nearing the end of her life, and the handwriting was shaky. But the Yuanhua Emperor recognized it at once—it was Kangniang’s own hand.

"Kangniang planted a pomegranate tree in the backyard of the Kuning Palace. I imagine it is now lush and fruitful."

"Please, my lord, take good care of it. Give its fruits to our grandchildren, as if I were still here. We shall meet again in the afterlife a hundred years from now."