After the beginning of spring, it no longer snowed in Shuo capital. Instead, it drizzled endlessly, as if there was no end to it.
Within the palace, there was no joy of the new year. Emperor Wenxuan's illness was becoming more and more serious, and the expressions of the palace servants were gloomy. Even the spring rain was dyed with a layer of gloominess.
The door to the bedchamber was opened, and the Fourth Prince Guang shuo walked out from within.
These days, he had been visiting Emperor Wenxuan very frequently. Emperor Wenxuan had always doted on this son of his, and the palace servants did not find it strange. Although they did not dare to openly discuss it, the palace servants secretly thought to themselves that although the Guang Yan was the crown prince, it was hard to say who would inherit the throne in the future.
In the bedchamber, Emperor Wenxuan lay on the bed, staring at the bright yellow curtains on the dragon bed.
In the past few days, he had told Concubine Lan not to come here every day. It was not for any other reason, but because he was afraid that outsiders would see it and spread rumors. People's hearts were hard to predict. If it was in the past, it would not be a problem. However, now that he could not even attend court, he was afraid that he would not be able to protect Concubine Lan and her son as well as before.
Thinking about Guang shuo, Emperor Wenxuan sighed in his heart.
Guang shuo was extremely good. He had both ability and integrity, and was also filial. Putting everything else aside, if he had a bit more decisiveness and coldness, he would be a rare wise emperor in Da Wei. However, it was because of his kindness and soft-heartedness that Emperor Wenxuan treated him differently. Because this kind of Guang shuo was more like his own son.
Unfortunately, even so, Emperor Wenxuan was unable to change the crown prince at this time and hand the throne to Guang shuo. Once he did so, the Imperial Court would definitely be in chaos. Based on the Guang Yan's personality, it was likely that the Imperial Family's sons would immediately fight each other and blood would be spilled in the main hall.
If he was in the prime of his life, he would be able to suppress all of this. However, he was already old. All these years, the courtiers had followed the Guang Shuo, followed the Guang Shuo, followed the Guang Yan, followed the Guang Yan. Everyone had their own thoughts, and he could no longer control them.
But … in the end, there had to be a result.
Emperor Wen Xuan was startled when he heard a slight noise coming from the door. He thought it was a palace servant. Then, he heard a Guang Yan's voice, "Father … is he asleep?"
It was a Guang Yan.
He was carrying a redwood basket in his hand. When he saw Emperor Wenxuan, who was lying on the bed, about to get up, he hurriedly went forward and helped Emperor Wenxuan up. He leaned against the headboard and called out, "Father."
"… Why are you here?" Emperor Wenxuan asked. As soon as he spoke, he was shocked to find that his voice was unusually hoarse.
"I heard that Father was sick, and I was terrified …" The Guang Yan seemed to be a little nervous, "After thinking about it, I decided to come into the Imperial Palace to see Father. Is Father's body healthy?"
The Guang Yan had always been domineering and arrogant. This was the first time he had shown such a helpless expression. Emperor Wenxuan looked at him and suddenly sighed.
Ever since Xu Jingfu's accident, the Guang Yan rarely came to the Imperial Palace. Of course, Emperor Wenxuan knew that the Guang Yan had been close to Xu Jingfu in the past because he was afraid that Xu Jingfu would implicate him, so he deliberately avoided the limelight. Emperor Wenxuan was also angry with the Guang Yan. It was also because of his relationship with Xu Jingfu that he particularly hated him.
However, the Guang Yan was his son, and he did not have many sons.
Therefore, this was the reason why the Guang Yan was still safe and sound until now. It was because the Supreme Court had received Emperor Wenxuan's verbal order to bypass the Crown Prince and the Guang Yan in all cases related to Xu Jingfu.
Seeing that Emperor Wenxuan was staring at him, he did not know what he was thinking. The Guang Yan was a little uneasy. He subconsciously opened the redwood basket and took out a small bowl of soup.
"Imperial Father, this is the ginseng soup that I ordered from the Imperial Kitchen." The Guang Yan said anxiously, "Imperial Father, please drink some."
Emperor Wenxuan looked at him. For some reason, he suddenly remembered that when the Guang Yan was young, before the Guang Shui was born, he only had one eldest son, the Guang Yan, and he had sincerely cherished him. At that time, the Guang Yan was only four years old. He was not as cruel and ruthless as he was now. He was still a small child.
Empress Zhang gave the Guang Yan a bowl of sweet soup. The Guang Yan could not bear to eat it. He carried the bowl all the way from Kunning Palace to the Imperial Study. The wet nurse who chased after him knelt down in fear and begged for mercy. Emperor Wenxuan held the Guang Yan on his knees and asked with a smile, "Why did you bring this bowl to me?"
"Imperial Father," the child could not speak clearly. He struggled to raise the bowl to his mouth, "This is delicious. Imperial Father, please drink some!"
When Emperor Wenxuan heard this, he laughed heartily, "You are so young, but you still think about me. I did not dote on you for nothing!"
Emperor Wenxuan had already forgotten the taste of that bowl of sweet soup. The laughter seemed to have come from yesterday, but in the blink of an eye, the Guang Yan had already grown up. He was no longer the child who would hold a bowl to his knees and act coquettishly. He was also at a loss. After so many years, what exactly did he do wrong to cause the situation today?
Emperor Wenxuan took a deep breath and asked, "Guang Yan, do you have anything to say about Xu Jingfu?"
Because of this bowl of ginseng soup, his heart had softened. He still wanted to give the Guang Yan a chance.
The Guang Yan's heart skipped a beat. He did not know why Emperor Wenxuan suddenly asked this question. He only said, "I did not expect that as the Prime Minister, Xu Jingfu would collude with the enemy and betray the country … After so many years, Imperial Father trusted him very much. He actually had the heart to rebel. This crime should be punished!"
Emperor Wenxuan saw the evasive look in his eyes and sighed slightly. He shook his head and said, "When I was young, I read that a scholar is in charge of governing an official. Like a hunter controlling an eagle, he takes the eagle to its back and controls it when it is hungry and full. Do not let it be full, and do not let it be hungry. When it is hungry, it does not have enough strength. When it is full, it flies. In the imperial court, old officials like Xu Jingfu are like an eagle with a full belly. They are thick-skinned and shameless. They do not eat without doing anything, and they are content with riches and honor. I do not like them when I reward them, and I do not fear when I punish them. I must not use them for the Da Wei. "
The Guang Yan listened absent-mindedly. His gaze fell on the bowl of ginseng soup. He said, "This son will follow Imperial Father's teachings. That Xu Jingfu is really hateful. This son was deceived by him. It is also this son's fault. If I had discovered Xu Jingfu's disloyal heart earlier, I would not have let those Uto succeed. "
Emperor Wenxuan looked at him deeply. "Guang Yan, it is better to correct yourself than to commit a crime."
At this moment, the Emperor's eyes, which were originally cloudy, were exceptionally clear. It was as if he could see through people's souls. The Guang Yan suddenly lowered his head. He picked up the bowl of ginseng soup and brought it to Emperor Wenxuan. He smiled and said, "Imperial Father, you must be tired after talking so much. The ginseng soup will turn cold if you don't drink it. Let's finish the soup first. "
Emperor Wenxuan saw his earnest expression. He was not as frivolous as he used to be. He thought that the incident with Xu Jingfu had finally made the Guang Yan improve a little. Emperor Wenxuan nodded.
The Guang Yan sat beside Emperor Wenxuan. He picked up the bowl, scooped up some soup with a silver spoon, and brought it to Emperor Wenxuan's mouth.
Emperor Wenxuan was stunned. "Aren't you going to test the soup?"
"Test the soup?" The Guang Yan looked at him.
"Perhaps you haven't served me soup for a long time. You don't even know the rules of testing soup." Although Emperor Wenxuan said this, his tone was still tolerant. "Lao Si comes to deliver soup every day. You have to test it first."
The Guang Yan panicked for a moment.
It was true that he had not served Emperor Wenxuan for a long time. Therefore, he did not know that Emperor Wenxuan would still remember to test for poison when he was so ill. He also did not expect that even the food delivered by the Guang Yan would not be trusted by Emperor Wenxuan.
But this ginseng soup …
His fingers trembled slightly.
Emperor Wenxuan was only joking. Although there were many rules in the palace, he did not follow every single one of them. He wanted to tell him to forget it, but when he looked up, he saw the Guang Yan's pale face and pale fingers holding the bowl of soup so tightly.
At certain times, humans would have intuition.
The bowl of ginseng soup was steaming hot. It had been left for a while, so it was just right. A faint aroma could be smelled. However, the person in front of him looked a little too nervous.
The Emperor's gaze instantly darkened. He slowly opened his mouth, and his tone was unfathomable. "Guang Yan, drink a mouthful first."
"Imperial Father … there are no other spoons here …"
"It's fine. I can order someone to get more. Now, taste the soup first."
Under such circumstances, the Guang Yan could not avoid it. He could only pick up the soup and use the silver spoon to scoop a spoonful. He slowly brought it to his mouth, but he was reluctant to touch it.
Emperor Wenxuan looked at him and his heart sank.
In the past, although he knew that the Guang Yan was tyrannical and tyrannical, they never dared to do anything to him. Moreover, he was his own flesh and blood. He also turned a blind eye to the Guang Yan's conduct outside. This time, even if something happened to Xu Jingfu, Emperor Wenxuan still wanted to protect him. Even just now, before he handed the bowl of soup to the Guang Yan, Emperor Wenxuan still wanted to give the Guang Yan a chance. He did not want to mention the matter of changing the Crown Prince until the very last moment.
However, he never expected that the Guang Yan would actually kill his father and the Emperor.
"Why aren't you drinking?" He said in a low voice as he looked at his son, who was a stranger to him.
The Guang Yan gritted his teeth and lowered his head to drink the ginseng soup. However, at the last moment, as if he had touched a soldering iron, he suddenly flung the bowl away and stood up.
The bowl of soup fell onto the velvet carpet in front of the couch and splattered all over it. The Guang Yan suddenly came back to his senses and realized how stupid his actions were. He trembled as he looked at his father on the couch.
Emperor Wenxuan looked at him with disappointment, pain, and a coldness that had never been seen before.
"I didn't know," the Emperor said word by word, "Your purpose for coming here today was to take my life."
"No, I didn't — —" The Guang Yan subconsciously denied, "I didn't do that!"
"I only need to find an imperial physician to examine it and I will know immediately." Emperor Wenxuan's expression was cold. He stood up and was about to get off the couch when he shouted, "Someone — —"
"Imperial Father!" The Guang Yan rushed over and covered his mouth. He said anxiously, "I didn't!"
Emperor Wenxuan's health was not good these days. After being pounced on, he fell directly onto the couch. The Guang Yan took the opportunity to sit on him. He glanced at the cotton pillow on the couch and grabbed it without thinking. He tightly covered Emperor Wenxuan's mouth and nose. There was only one thought in his mind: I can't let Emperor Wenxuan say anything!
The person under him struggled with all his might, but how could an old and sick person compare to a person in the prime of his life? The more he struggled, the more ferocious the Guang Yan's expression became. He almost pressed his entire body weight on Emperor Wenxuan and pressed the cotton pillow as if he was pressing a dying fish. He said in a short voice, "Don't shout. I told you not to shout!"
The fish that was thrown into the desert from the swamp desperately swayed its body, hoping for a chance to live. Its scales were flung around until the scorching sun dried the fish's eyes. It was completely lifeless.
After an unknown amount of time, the struggling under him gradually stopped. The Guang Yan's forehead was covered in sweat. He suddenly released his hand and pulled the cotton pillow away.
Emperor Wenxuan was lying on his back. His face was purple and his pupils were dilated. Under the dim light of the bedchamber, he looked like a demon.
The Guang Yan was shocked. He fell off the couch and sat on the ground. He could not help but take two steps back. After a long time, he came back to his senses and realized that Emperor Wenxuan had really been suffocated to death by him this time.
The eunuchs outside had already been sent away by him. Guang Yan had come here today to poison the Emperor. However, he did not expect that the bowl of ginseng soup mixed with Bo poison would be discovered by Emperor Wenxuan. In the end, he was suffocated to death by him.
The bedchamber was empty. The sound of the wind was like the wailing of a demon, causing a chill to run down one's spine. The Guang Yan endured the fear in his heart and stood up. He walked in front of Emperor Wenxuan. He first picked up the bowl of soup on the ground and placed it back into the mahogany basket. Then, he walked in front of Emperor Wenxuan's bed and helped Emperor Wenxuan to lie down on the bed. He smoothed the Emperor's eyes and covered him with a blanket.
Seeing his father's eyes open, the Guang Yan became bolder. His eyes flashed with a trace of madness. He looked at Emperor Wenxuan's corpse and said in a low voice, "Father, please don't blame me. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for not giving the throne to me. If you didn't force me, I wouldn't have done this … … The throne was originally mine. Father … … just watch how your son sits on this throne … … just watch … … "
He slowly clenched his fists and suddenly stood up. He took the mahogany basket and turned to leave the bedchamber.
It started to rain again in the night.
He Yan vaguely heard the sound of rain outside in his sleep. After being woken up, he couldn't sleep anymore. He turned over and hugged the person beside him by the waist.
It wasn't that he wanted to take advantage of Xiao Jue. It was just that the weather was cold. It was much warmer to hug someone beside him. Xiao Jue slept very quietly. Her sleeping posture was also very good. It was very different from her sprawling posture.
Her movements also woke Xiao Jue up. Xiao Jue lowered her head and looked at the person who was hugging her tightly. She asked softly, "Why aren't you sleeping?"
"I was woken up." He Yan said in a muffled voice, "I can't sleep."
This was a little strange. Although many years of military life allowed her to be alert in her sleep, ever since she came to the Xiao family, she still slept very soundly. It was rare for her to have such insomnia. He Yan didn't know why, but she felt a little uneasy. It was as if something was going to happen.
Xiao Jue noticed her uneasiness. Xiao Jue paused. She rested her chin on her head and asked, "Do you want to sit on the roof?"
He Yan: "…"
She said, "It's raining outside."
Xiao Jue: "It's just a joke."
He Yan wanted to say something but stopped.
She felt that after Xu Jingfu's death, things weren't over yet. The battle between the Guang Yan and the Fourth Prince had just begun. Whether it was Xiao Jue or the Xiao family, they were in a delicate position. She was afraid that it wouldn't be easy to resolve. However, it was a little disappointing to talk about these annoying things in the middle of the night.
He Yan was thinking about it when there was a knock on the door. Fei Nu's voice sounded from outside, "Young Master, I have something to report."
She was startled. It was the middle of the night. Why was Fei Nu in such a hurry? What could have happened?
This time, she didn't feel sleepy at all. Xiao Jue got up from the bed and lit the oil lamp in the room. He Yan also got up from the bed and put on his clothes. When the door was opened, the wind and rain from outside drifted in. The room suddenly became much colder.
Fei Nu walked in. His clothes were wet and his expression was serious.
Xiao Jue asked him, "What's the matter?"
"There's news from the palace. The Emperor has passed away."
He Yan and Xiao Jue were both shocked when they heard this. Xiao Jue frowned, "When?"
"The news just came." Fei Nu said, "Young Master, do you want to go to the palace?"
Xiao Jue thought for a moment and said, "I understand. Go and prepare the carriage. I'll go to the palace immediately."
Fei Nu nodded and left.
He Yan took two steps forward with the oil lamp in his hand. He couldn't hide his surprise, "The Emperor …"
She didn't expect Emperor Wen Xuan to suddenly pass away. Although there were rumors about Emperor Wen Xuan's poor health these days, this news was too sudden. She was confused. There were many rumors about Emperor Wen Xuan. However, in He Yan's opinion, although he wasn't a wise emperor, he was definitely not a fatuous one.
Xiao Jue was getting dressed when He Yan asked, "Do you want me to go to the palace with you?"
Fei Nu's words were simple. No one knew what was going on in the palace.
"No need. You stay in the residence." Xiao Jue said, "I'll go to the palace first to see what's going on."
He Yan nodded. Although he was anxious, he knew that Xiao Jue was right. Her position was not high enough for her to go to the palace in such a situation. As the young mistress of a Xiao family, there was no reason for her to go. But …
Xiao Jue saw her worried expression and turned around to pat her shoulder, "Don't worry. I'll go back to the residence immediately after I see what's going on."
"Xiao Jue, be careful." She reminded her.
Xiao Jue got dressed, picked up her sword and went out. He Yan was no longer in the mood to continue sleeping. He walked to the window and opened it. The fine raindrops drifted into the room along with the wind outside. The table was instantly covered with a thin layer of water droplets. The wind blew on He Yan's face, causing the hazy sleepiness to disappear. His mind was incomparably clear.
Although he shouldn't be thinking about such things at this time, when one thing happened, many things would follow. Before Emperor Wen Xuan passed away, he didn't mention the matter of changing the Crown Prince. Although there was a lot of discussion in the imperial court, if there was no change, the Crown Prince would inherit the throne.
However, everyone knew what kind of person the Crown Prince of Guang Yan was. Although the Guang Yan wasn't implicated in the Xu Jingfu case, He Yan had asked Xiao Jue before. The Supreme Court had received orders from Emperor Wen Xuan to protect the Crown Prince of Guang Yan in secret. Emperor Wen Xuan didn't have the heart to touch the Crown Prince because the Crown Prince was his blood. However, as the future Emperor of Da Wei, a despicable person who could lead a wolf into the house for the sake of power was not fit to be the Emperor.
The rain seemed to have no end, and so did the night.
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