Chapter 313 The Storm Comes

Chapter 313: The Storm Arrives

"You're only one person, after all..."

Qiu Heng's heart trembled.

In the ten years of the shattered Great Xia, and the three years after returning, the crushing burden of thousands of days and nights, the grievances she could never voice, finally found an outlet at this moment.

"Brother Ling, I'm sorry."

She shouldn't have doubted him so easily before.

"No need to apologize." Ling Yun gazed at the young woman, her eyes slightly red. "A Heng doesn't need to apologize to anyone. Go on back. Don't come to the Prince's mansion for a while, and don't worry about me. The new emperor is not a cruel man; he won't take my life."

"Alright, Brother Ling, take care of yourself. I'll go see my godmother and then head back."

Qiu Heng bid farewell to Ling Yun and went to the main courtyard with County Princess Jiayi.

"A Heng is here." Princess Kang held Qiu Heng's hand, looking haggard. "A Heng is so thoughtful. I've always said you're a good child."

Qiu Heng wasn't surprised by Princess Kang's uncharacteristic warmth.

The Heir of Prince Kang was a nominal disciple of the Evil Taoist, who had brought about the former emperor's death. No matter what the new emperor thought, punishment for the Prince Kang mansion was unavoidable, and in serious cases, the title of commandery prince might be stripped.

Moreover, everyone at court knew that the new emperor valued the Imperial City Commissioner Xue Han highly.

At such a time, it was only natural for Princess Kang to welcome the sweetheart of the Imperial City Commissioner to the Prince Kang mansion.

Qiu Heng didn't mind this godmother's snobbery. Brother Ling and County Princess Jiayi were enough for her to maintain basic respect for Princess Kang.

"Don't worry too much, godmother. Your health is what matters most..."

After consoling Princess Kang for a while, Qiu Heng left the Prince's mansion.

It wasn't far from the imperial city, and the chanting of monks and Taoists could be faintly heard.

Emperor Jingping's coffin was to lie in state in the bedchamber for twenty-seven days. Each day, the new emperor led the imperial relatives and officials in paying respects.

As days passed, the news of Emperor Jingping's death and the new emperor's succession was relayed through post stations to inform the realm.

Observing the custom of substituting a day for a month, after twenty-seven days, Emperor Jingping's coffin was removed from the palace to be buried on an auspicious day. The people resumed weddings and festivities, removing their plain mourning clothes.

The ripples caused by the former emperor's death seemed to have calmed among the common people, and everything returned to normal. But for some, the storm was just beginning.

In the great hall, the new emperor, clad in dark robes, sat elevated on the dragon throne, listening to Xue Han's report.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Messenger Wang Changhai has confessed. The forged edict was masterminded by Chancellor Zhu..."

At these words, the hall burst into murmurs, with officials whispering among themselves despite the solemn occasion.

"Summon him." The new emperor cast an expressionless glance at Chancellor Zhu.

Chancellor Zhu collapsed on the floor, his face ashen, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word of defense or plea.

It was over. From the moment the crown prince ascended the throne at the coffin side, he knew it was completely over.

Day after day, as the new emperor remained patient and restrained, he was like a startled bird, living in immense fear. Gradually, he had even harbored a faint hope that the new emperor might not make this matter public.

But now he knew it was self-deception.

"Summon the disgraced minister Wang Changhai to appear before the throne—"

While waiting for Wang Changhai to be brought in, the new emperor's gaze flitted over Prince Fu like a dragonfly skimming water before returning to Chancellor Zhu.

The man collapsed on the ground trembled all over, like a pile of mud, utterly lacking in integrity or backbone.

Yet, such a man had the audacity to forge an imperial edict and plot the crown prince's death.

These days had been overwhelmingly busy, leaving little time for sleep. But whenever he was still, the new emperor couldn't help but think about that day.

So close, so close he had come to dying an unjust death.

And if he had died, his dear uncle would have gotten his wish.

The new emperor thought this, his face betraying no emotion.

"Your, your criminal subject Wang Changhai greets Your Majesty..."

The new emperor looked down from on high at the prostrate imperial messenger and asked, "On the day of the Immortal Banquet, why did you deliver a forged edict, intending to poison me?"

The shift from crown prince to emperor was stark; the once aggressive messenger now seemed a different person, stammering, "It, it was ordered by Chancellor Zhu..."

The murmurs among the officials grew louder.

"So it really was Chancellor Zhu!"

"He was already the Chief Minister, why would he do this?"

"To dare forge an imperial edict and plot against the new emperor—truly audacious beyond imagination..."

"Your Majesty, this is the confession of the disgraced minister Wang Changhai." Xue Han presented a written confession.

"Present it."

Xue Han laid the confession before the new emperor.

The new emperor read it word for word, then said coldly, "Show it to Zhu Youwei."

Xue Han walked over and tossed the confession in front of Chancellor Zhu.

Trembling, Chancellor Zhu reached for the confession, but it seemed as heavy as a thousand pounds. Barely glancing at it, the paper slipped from his fingers and fluttered to the ground.

The polished gold bricks reflected a face uglier than a corpse's.

"Zhu Youwei, do you have anything to say?" the new emperor asked.

"Your subject... deserves a thousand deaths, deserves a thousand deaths..." Chancellor Zhu kowtowed heavily.

The new emperor stared intently at Chancellor Zhu. "Zhu Youwei, you were already the Chief Minister and Regent. Why did you want to harm me?"

Chancellor Zhu opened his mouth.

Why did he want to harm the new emperor when he was still the crown prince?

After Chancellor Fang Yuanzhi fell from power, how had he become Chancellor? It was inseparable from Prince Fu's behind-the-scenes support. They had long been allies of interest.

And when the crown prince acted as regent, he disagreed with some of Chancellor Zhu's political views. With the former emperor suppressing the crown prince, he was the Chief Minister and Regent. But after the crown prince succeeded, what then?

After years of rises and falls in officialdom, having finally reached the top, who would willingly go back?

He might be willing to step back, but Prince Fu would not agree.

"Your guilty subject—" Zhu Xiang instinctively glanced at Prince Fu out of the corner of his eye.

Prince Fu wore an expression of shock and grief identical to that of the other ministers, gently stroking the agarwood beads on his wrist.

Zhu Xiang's eyelids twitched as he recalled a secret conversation with Prince Fu after Emperor Jingping's accident.

He fell to his knees, begging Prince Fu to think of a way out.

Losing his mind, he cursed Prince Fu for ruining him.

But whether he begged on his knees or hurled abuse, he knew in his heart that there was no escape, no escape.

He couldn't escape, and naturally he was unwilling to let Prince Fu get away unscathed.

It was Prince Fu who harbored disloyal intentions; Prince Fu was the mastermind, while he was merely an accessory coerced and misled. Why should he face the fate of having his family wiped out and property confiscated, while Prince Fu continued to enjoy his wealth and status?

But the thought of dragging everyone down with him was dispelled by Prince Fu's promise.

Prince Fu promised to protect his youngest grandson.

During this time, he waited for the sword hanging over his head to fall, while his youngest grandson had already been sent away from the capital by Prince Fu's secret arrangements.

No matter how much he resented Prince Fu, he had to admit that as long as Prince Fu remained standing, he could at least shelter his descendants—something the Prime Minister's residence, now under the covert surveillance of the Imperial City Bureau, could not do.

If something happened to Prince Fu, the Zhu family's line would be completely cut off.

A sinner—he was the sinner of the Zhu family.

Zhu Xiang wept bitterly: "Your subject was afraid that after Your Majesty ascended the throne, you would no longer employ your subject. In a moment of folly, your subject committed a grave mistake. Your subject deserves ten thousand deaths..."

The new emperor closed his eyes, concealing his disappointment.

Indeed, he had not implicated his dear royal uncle.

"You truly deserve ten thousand deaths," the new emperor said flatly.