Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Qingqing!" Lu Wei exclaimed, his face filled with shock as he looked at the woman before him, whose expression was now venomous. "That would lead to the execution of one's nine clans! How can you harbor such treasonous thoughts?"

Since she was playing a role, she had to stick to the character and the rules of the game.

In this era, the ideas of loyalty to the sovereign and the inviolability of imperial authority were deeply ingrained in people's hearts. The body's former occupant, upon hearing such words, would undoubtedly have reacted in the same way.

"But who will hold me accountable?" Jiang Qingqing turned her gaze to Lu Wei and suddenly smiled, her tone gentle. "The Meritorious Officials Party has already been eradicated. If the emperor were to be poisoned, Minmin's son would be the sole heir to the throne... Brother Wei, reclaiming your identity and military authority would be as easy as pie. The new emperor would be young, and Minmin knows nothing of governance. At that time, who else could they, mother and son, rely on?"

"Prince Chen, wielding power over the court and the country, the de facto ruler of the land. Brother Wei, then you could punish whomever you wished and pardon whomever you pleased."

"Whether Liu Hu's death is blamed on a sudden, severe illness or pinned on some insignificant scapegoat, it would all be according to Brother Wei's pleasure."

At this point, Jiang Qingqing refused to even refer to him as 'emperor,' directly calling him Liu Hu. Her eyes, dark as lacquer, boldly met Lu Wei's gaze. It was as if she had shed heavy shackles, revealing a naive and innocent demeanor reminiscent of her girlhood. Tilting her head, she said cheerfully, "Whether Brother Wei agrees or not, Qingqing is set on doing this. Qingqing believes Brother Wei would never abandon Qingqing."

For others, it might be difficult to target a heavily guarded emperor. But as the empress, Jiang Qingqing was different; she had many opportunities.

Once her mind was made up, Jiang Qingqing bowed to Lu Wei and turned to leave, but Lu Wei called out to stop her, "Qingqing, wait!"

"Don't dirty your hands." Lu Wei gazed at his childhood sweetheart, as if having resolved something. "Just help me get a message out... leave the rest to Brother Wei, alright?"

After hesitating for a long moment, Jiang Qingqing nodded through her sobs, tears streaming down her face.

In this world, everyone called her a ruthless and cunning empress. People either trembled in fear before her or kept their distance, even her former family was no exception. Only her Brother Wei still worried whether her hands, already stained with blood and filth, would be dirtied further.

Brother Wei was far more intelligent and insightful than she was, but his heart was too kind-hearted and principled, always harboring thoughts of loyalty to the throne and patriotism, which was why Liu Hu had been able to suppress him using imperial authority.

Since Brother Wei had made up his mind, his planning and strategy would surely be superior to her method of poisoning the emperor. She didn't need to insist on that path. She only needed... to assist Brother Wei from the sidelines.

Seeing that he had persuaded Jiang Qingqing, Lu Wei couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, a heartfelt smile appearing on his face.

Liu Hu could not die yet.

Because what he wanted was not to prop up a child emperor's regime, making himself the power behind the throne, nor was it the title of Prince Chen.

What he wanted was the destiny of Great Mu.

...

Five months later, the two hundred thousand troops stationed at the northern frontier rebelled.

Led by Song Qing, the generals executed the new commander sent by the court, swore a blood oath, broke camp, and led the mighty army charging towards Fengjing.

A rather miraculous aspect was that their old adversaries, the Jin barbarians, did not take advantage of the chaos to loot a burning house. Instead, they provided the two hundred thousand troops with substantial supplies like grain, fodder, and horses.

After the fall of the Meritorious Officials Party, the Pure Stream Party, which had always prided itself on its moral integrity and was composed mainly of great Confucian scholars and literati, had never been heavily involved in power struggles. During this period, the New Nobility Party, led by the Lu family, rapidly rose to prominence.

That the New Nobility Party could ascend so quickly was largely thanks to Liu Hu. Having stripped Lu Wei of his status and name and imprisoned him deep within the palace, although he never spoke of it, Liu Hu felt some guilt towards the Lu family. Coupled with a genuine lack of capable people at his disposal, he gave most of the substantial vacancies left by the Meritorious Officials Party to the New Nobility Party.

Lu Wei was constantly with Liu Hu. While helping Liu Hu review memorials, he subtly replaced all the county magistrates and prefects along the routes to the northern frontier, either by transferring or promoting them, using various methods.

Having yearned for Lu Wei for many years and finally having his wish fulfilled, Liu Hu was immersed in sweet, passionate love, too lazy to bother much with state affairs. Moreover, Lu Wei's methods were covert, and the reasons he used for the personnel changes were plausible and proper. Therefore, Liu Hu remained completely unaware of all this.

Lu Wei's actions resulted in the two hundred thousand troops marching unhindered and without incident. With ample supplies of grain, fodder, and weaponry, they advanced directly on Fengjing.

The low-level officials and commoners along the way even believed this was a normal troop transfer by the court. Hadn't they seen the county magistrates and prefects leading people to welcome the troops?

Until the two hundred thousand northern frontier troops were at the very walls of Fengjing.

The court had received no news from beginning to end. Most people in Fengjing were still living in the dreamworld of the prosperous imperial capital.

...

Late at night, on the silk-draped couch within the Yixiang Palace, after several bouts of passion behind the beaded curtain, Liu Hu, drenched in sweat, tightly embraced Lu Wei, pressing against his robust chest. Sated, he gasped, "Boxiu, why are you so good to me?"

It wasn't that Lu Wei usually treated him poorly, but this time, he was exceptionally tender and affectionate. Things he would usually do for him, things he wouldn't usually do—this time, he did them all.

At the moment Liu Hu's passion peaked, he wished he could die right then under Lu Wei, embracing each other, never to part.

"This guilty subject will always treat Your Majesty well from now on." Compared to Liu Hu's watery eyes and flushed, peach-blossom cheeks stirred with emotion, Lu Wei's expression appeared much calmer. His deep eyes gazing at Liu Hu seemed to hold countless unfathomable stars. "Your Majesty... do you trust this guilty subject?"

Liu Hu looked up, gently biting Lu Wei's Adam's apple, and laughed, "If even I cannot trust Boxiu, who else can I trust? Boxiu, let's go again."

"Your Majesty, a great disaster! A great disaster!"

Just as the atmosphere between the two was becoming intimate, Zhang Deyi, with disheveled clothes and crown, along with several young eunuchs, pushed open the doors of Yixiang Palace and rushed in.

Seeing this, Liu Hu hurriedly put on his inner garments and stepped down from the couch. Annoyed and embarrassed at being interrupted during his intimate moment, he scolded Zhang Deyi and the others, "How dare you! What time is this, what place is this, that you would charge in without announcement!"

But Zhang Deyi couldn't afford to consider Liu Hu's mood at this moment. Swallowing hard, he knelt at the emperor's feet, trembling uncontrollably, his voice shrill, "The northern frontier has rebelled, the northern frontier has rebelled! T-twenty thousand troops have already reached the gates of Fengjing!"

"Your Majesty, quickly change your clothes and flee the city with this old servant!"

Liu Hu stared blankly at the commoner's clothes presented by Zhang Deyi. The anger in his heart instantly transformed into terror. He murmured, "I... I am the Son of Heaven. I cannot, cannot abandon the imperial capital and flee."

"Oh, my Majesty, what time is it for such thoughts!" Zhang Deyi urged anxiously. "As long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. As long as we are safe, we can make a comeback in the future. If we wait until those northern frontier barbarians breach Fengjing and force their way into the palace, none of us will have our lives left!"

"I beg Your Majesty to prepare quickly!"

While Liu Hu was conversing with Zhang Deyi, Lu Wei, unhurried and composed, finished dressing and walked to Liu Hu's side, remaining silent.

In the tormenting, fiery anguish of choice, Liu Hu turned his head to look at Lu Wei and suddenly made a decision.

As an emperor, he should sacrifice himself for the realm.

But... he didn't want to die yet.

"Boxiu, quickly change your clothes, we'll escape together!" Liu Hu took the clothes offered by Zhang Deyi and said to Lu Wei.

But Lu Wei slowly and firmly shook his head at Liu Hu. Using that clear, resonant voice beloved by the emperor, he said, "Your Majesty should go with Eunuch Zhang. This guilty subject will not leave."

"You'll die! Staying here means death! Boxiu!" Liu Hu grabbed Lu Wei's sleeve, shouting in a loss of composure.

"Your Majesty still has the Imperial Guard, do you not?" Lu Wei lowered his gaze, looking calmly at Liu Hu.

"The Imperial Guard only has fifteen thousand men! Such a small force... how can it oppose two hundred thousand troops?!" Seeing Lu Wei unwilling to leave, Liu Hu broke out in a cold sweat of anxiety, his porcelain-like forehead beaded with glistening droplets.

Lu Wei let out a light laugh and said, "Even if they cannot oppose, they can still buy time."

With that, he lifted the hem of his robe and knelt on the ground, lowering his straight, sword-like back before Liu Hu. "This guilty subject begs Your Majesty to bestow the Imperial Guard's tiger tally, to serve Great Mu with utmost loyalty!"

Although Zhang Deyi hated Lu Wei, he knew he was a loyal minister and capable general. Sacrificing himself to cover the emperor's escape was indeed something Lu Wei would do. At this moment, he felt somewhat relieved that he had failed to eliminate Lu Wei several months prior. So, he urged from the side, "Your Majesty, you... you should agree to the Marquis's request, and allow the Marquis to act on his loyal devotion!"

Liu Hu gritted his teeth, strode to a hidden compartment, took out a gleaming golden tiger tally, and handed it to Lu Wei.

Lu Wei stood up, accepted the tally, and said to Zhang Deyi with earnest gravity, "Eunuch Zhang, after leaving the city, His Majesty is entrusted to you."

At this moment, Zhang Deyi was also moved by genuine emotion. With tears streaming, he performed a grand bow and said, "The Marquis can rest assured... This old servant... this old servant has wronged the Marquis in the past. I hope the Marquis, in your great magnanimity, can forgive this old servant."

"No, I will not leave!" After handing the tiger tally to Lu Wei, Liu Hu turned and swung a crimson dragon robe around his shoulders, sitting upright in the pearwood armchair at the head of the hall. "I will wait right here for Boxiu's triumphant return!"

"But Your Majesty, the Marquis is going out there... He might never come back."

Zhang Deyi swallowed the rest of his words as he saw an unprecedented determination in his emperor's peach-blossom eyes, which usually carried a hint of misty haze.

Clenching the tiger tally in his palm, Lu Wei glanced at Liu Hu.

The emperor, with his porcelain complexion and deep red dragon robe, slightly lifted his delicate face, sitting with an air of solitary courage under the bright candlelight of the Yixiang Hall.

Lu Wei turned and stepped out of Yixiang Hall, striding into the vast night, each step steady and resolute.

Your Majesty, we did love each other once; I originally intended to set you free.

It was you who refused to leave—you can't blame anyone else.