The people in court did not know how long Li Yan could be proud of himself. They only knew that after the Crown Prince took over the country for three months, the Emperor issued an edict to abdicate.
This news shocked everyone.
After the cabinet ministers saw the Emperor, they were also shocked by the sickly and gray-haired Emperor.
They then heard the Emperor say, "I have been fighting on the battlefield since I was fourteen years old. When I was in danger, I was ordered to give up the military and become a scholar. I do not dare to talk about achievements, but I do not want to make mistakes. Now that I am seriously ill, I do not have the ability to govern the country. The Crown Prince has not made any mistakes, and there are many ministers helping him. I am not worried. Today, Taichang Temple will set an auspicious date for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne as soon as possible. You are all virtuous ministers, pillars of the country. In the future, you must treat the Crown Prince like I do … Cough, cough, cough. "
No matter how many thoughts he had, he could only follow the edict.
The Emperor could not wait.
Although he had taken the secret medicine many times to save his life, the consequences of the backlash were very serious.
In just half a year, his hair turned gray and his body was hollowed out from the inside. He knew that he did not have long to live, so he summoned Zhong Yue to bring forward their deal. Zhong Yue was not sure how much Li Yan's feelings for him were left, but seeing that the Emperor did not have much time left, he could only agree.
When he received the auspicious time from Taichang Temple, Li Yan could not help but be happy.
"Chonghui."
He hurried to the side hall where Zhong Yue lived and took him into his arms.
Zhong Yue was stunned for a moment, then turned back and asked with a smile, "Yan Lang, what made you so happy?"
After two years, he was almost twenty years old and had lost his youthfulness. His temperament was much more restrained, and he was like a hidden sword. It was thought-provoking. Now that his illness was gone, he was even more handsome than when they first met.
Seeing him smile like a flower, all the disgusting faces of the past turned to ashes.
Zhong Yue was very high-profile, and many people knew that the Emperor only gave the edict to abdicate after seeing Zhong Yue. The Crown Prince being able to succeed the throne so smoothly was due to him.
"Today, Taichang Temple has set the date for the ascension ceremony on the 15th of next month. In another month, I will be able to sit on the throne, and then … "
Li Yan suppressed the ecstasy and impatience in her heart. She kissed his temples and said affectionately, "Chonghui, meeting you in this life is the greatest fortune of my three lifetimes."
Tears welled up in Zhong Yue's eyes as he looked at Li Yan in a daze.
The gentleness in Li Yan's eyes did not seem to be fake. It was this kind of gaze that made him drown time and time again. The past flashed before his eyes, and he was a little uncertain for a moment. In this life, except for the man in front of him, there was probably no one else who could make him love and hate so much. Could he really be cruel enough to ruin his imperial career and take his life?
But soon, Li Yan's words cut off his last shred of hesitation.
Li Yan asked him, "That day, Chong Hui said that when you reach the age of twenty, you can take charge of the Zhong family. At that time, will you return to the Heaven's Secret Mountain? "
Zhong Yue's heart sank, he smiled and said, "There's no need to wait until my birthday. When you ascend the throne, my people will welcome me as the clan leader and welcome me back to the clan. That day, the Emperor intended to give the throne to Prince An. When I entered the palace, I used this as a condition to negotiate with him. I told him that I, Zhong Yue, will only recognize you as the Emperor. As long as I live, the Zhong family's attitude will not change. Only then did he give up on this idea. But … I'm afraid that after that day, I don't know if we'll meet again in this life. "
Li Yan did not notice the complicated look in his eyes.
When he heard that his father wanted Prince An to abolish him, Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly. In his heart, he was determined to get rid of Prince An. After that, Li Yan was happy and grateful, but he was also reluctant to part. "Chong Hui, don't go. Didn't we say that we'll work together to see the world and create a prosperous era together? Stay by my side forever, okay? "
Zhong Yue hugged him tightly and choked, "Yan Lang, I don't want to either, but … I have no other choice."
Only your life can make me.
And I, have already made my choice.
Li Yan did not know what he was thinking and asked anxiously, "Why? Tianji Mountain and Shangjing are only a few days away. Even if we can't stay together forever, you'll be the Zhong family's Patriarch and I'll be the Liang King. If we want to see each other, who can stop us? "
"You don't understand … That's the Zhong family's ancestral teachings. I originally thought that by giving up the Zhong family and my identity as the Divine Predictor, we could be together forever. But in this way, you'll have no fate with the world. You'll regret it and suffer. How can I bear to do that? Rather than making you sad by my side, it's better to forget about each other. "
"Chong Hui, don't say that. What's the point of this country without you? " Li Yan turned him around and held his face. "Rules are made by people. When you become the Patriarch, why can't you break and rebuild? Or, are you willing to be with me? "
"Nonsense. If it wasn't for you, why would I …"
"Chong Hui, don't cry. I know your difficulties. But I also believe that everything depends on human effort. We've come to where we are today by cutting off the thorns and finally stepping on the road. No one can stop us from being together. "
Zhong Yue cried even more urgently. He asked Li Yan, "Do you love me?"
"Of course. I only want you."
Li Yan said firmly.
Zhong Yue took a deep breath and hugged him tightly. He whispered, "Li Yan, remember what you said today … Don't lie to me."
Imperial Residence of Prince An.
Compared to the East Palace, everyone here was shrouded in a haze.
Niu Bi looked at the gloomy Prince An and said, "Your Highness, have you thought it through? Once you've taken this step, there's no turning back. "
Prince An clenched his fist. "At this moment, do you still have other ideas? Even if I give in, is there really a way back? "
Thinking of the news from the spies in the palace, he wanted to tear Zhong Yue into pieces.
It was obvious that his father had the intention to dethrone the Crown Prince and abdicate the throne to him. But in the end, he still succumbed to the power of the Divine Predictor Mountain and passed the throne to Li Yan, who was supported by Zhong Yue. He took away what was originally his!
Seeing that Li Yan's ascension was imminent, Prince An knew that his power was gone. He could only cut off all means of retreat and fight with his back to the river.
He knew very well that if he gave up this last chance, Li Yan would not let him be a rich and idle king. Just like how he would not let Li Yan live for a moment longer if he succeeded.
So, he could only give it his all.
On the other hand, Prince An had his own trusted aides in the Imperial Court, he also had the support of his mother's family. Even worse, there was still the Zhang family. Zhang Tian had humiliated Zhong Yue before, the Zhang family would definitely not sit by and watch Li Yan ascend the throne. Even if he failed, the worst result would be …
Thinking of this, Prince An said in a low voice, "You don't have to persuade me anymore. Winner takes all. With this, I will not back down!"
Zhong Residence.
Li Xi came in disguise again, but this time Gou Liang was too lazy to see him.
He asked Quan Ying to tell Li Xi not to do anything unnecessary. At the same time, he knew that Li Xi would not listen.
Sure enough, Zhong Quan received a report in a few days. "Master, there's a change in Jiangnan. The old subordinates left by Brother Wu Di are heading north. They will arrive before the ascension ceremony. Li Xi will take action. "
Not only that, but Quan Ya also found out that Prince An was secretly mobilizing troops. Li Yan was also recruiting troops to prevent any accidents. At the same time, the Emperor was on guard against Zhong Yue, leaving himself a way out.
Gou Liang smiled. "As expected of a family. This courage is worthy of the Ancestral Emperor's bloodline."
With this, on the day of Li Yan's ascension, at least four armies would meet in the palace.
Oh right, the Zhong family who had already left Tianji Mountain could not be left out. Li Yan was going to break through the Life and Death Order on that day. Everyone in the Zhong family paid attention to this. Even the Zhong family's Clan Leader, who had always been reclusive, came personally.
Wolves, tigers, and leopards all gathered in one place. The scene would be very lively.
Gou Liang touched his lips and smiled. He was looking forward to it.
*
Before Li Yan ascended the throne, the Zhong family's memorial day arrived first.
On this day, Gou Liang brought Zhong Quan and a few Shadow Guards to pay their respects. He did not go to the memorial tablet set up by the Emperor for the Zhong family in Huguo Temple. Instead, he went to the outskirts of the capital, where the Zhong family was buried.
This place used to be scorched earth without a single blade of grass. However, after more than ten years, weeds grew and flourished.
The locals of the capital were very wary of this place. Whether they were afraid of Imperial Tutor Xuan Shu or respected him, they did not dare to disturb the Zhong family. They all neglected this place. The official road was also diverted, so this place was very desolate.
Without a threat, the weeds grew taller than three feet and reached people's chests.
The journey was peaceful. When the candles burned out and the paper money turned to ashes, the people in the dark did not make a move.
That's right. Gou Liang came here today for two reasons. One was to pay respects, and the other was to use himself as bait to lure out the person secretly entrusted to Zhong Yue.
That person knew the secret of only one of the Destiny Twins. Now that Zhong Yue was about to break through the Calamity Order, they would definitely think of ways to get rid of him before the ascension ceremony.
Today was the best opportunity.
However, this person was far more patient than Gou Liang had expected.
As the ceremony came to an end, Gou Liang, who had been silent for a long time, raised his hand and said, "Bring wine."
A cup of yellow wine was poured into the earth.
"Grandfather, Father, Mother, Changqing did not fail to live up to your expectations. The people who harmed the Zhong family have all paid with blood."
Another toast.
"Grandfather, the fortune of the Great Liang has declined. The Li family and my Zhong family have long since broken off all ties. The will of Heaven cannot be disobeyed. If you know in the underworld, please do not worry. The Zhong family did not do anything wrong, and we have a clear conscience towards the Li family. Please rest in peace. "
Three drinks.
"Mother, I am all right now." He glanced at Zhong Quan and said with a smile, "I remember what you said to your son back then. Now … I have met the person you spoke of. There is no need to worry about me."
"Zhong Quan."
Gou Liang handed him the wine cup and called.
"Your subordinate is here."
"Kneel and kowtow for me."
Zhong Quan was moved. He knelt down without hesitation and kowtowed sincerely.
After doing this several times, he straightened up and said to himself, "Sir, please rest assured. No matter what happens in the future, Zhong Quan will not disappoint you. Your spirit in the underworld, please bless my master with no illness or disaster for the rest of his life. "
The sun was already setting in the west. Gou Liang glanced at the old earth submerged in the vines and put on his mask again. He said softly, "Let's go."
Because the weeds were too tall, Zhong Quan did not push the wheelchair. Instead, he picked him up to avoid cutting him. He had only taken a few steps when his ears twitched, his feet tapped lightly, and he flew up with Gou Liang in tow. High up in the air, he stepped on the stem and leaves of the wild grass, bending the grass slightly, but he stood steadily on top of it.
The wind whistled and the grass seeds flew, as if they had turned into sharp weapons and rushed towards where Gou Liang was.
The birds, snakes, and frogs that did not have time to escape became victims of flesh and blood in an instant. Their screams were ear-piercing.
Zhong Quan used his sword to block, and the shadow guards that accompanied him appeared one by one. They locked on to their targets and killed their way into the dense weeds.
Gou Liang took off the hood of his cloak, and all he could see were dark green grass seeds. His vigorous inner strength blew his clothes until it made a loud noise. The wilderness was overgrown with greenery. Zhong Quan led him through the weeds with ease. Wherever the Sword Qi passed, the weeds would rustle down. Occasionally, there would be some mixed leaves, which were as sharp as blades. When they collided with the Sword Qi, there would be clanging sounds.
Gou Liang looked at it and praised in his heart, "This is the legendary flying flowers and leaves that can hurt people. It's really powerful!"
"Master, be careful."
Zhong Quan saw that his ears were exposed and hugged him even more tightly.
"It's not a problem. How many people are there?"
"No less than a hundred people, but this subordinate can deal with it. Master, don't worry."
Gou Liang saw that he was handling the situation with ease and was naturally relieved. However, he still said, "You should also be careful. If you dare to get hurt, I will punish you."
Zhong Quan pursed his lips and smiled. Although he did not answer, his sword moved faster and faster.
A fight unfolded in the hidden grass. No one cried out in pain. Only the sound of the wind and the rustling of the grass became more and more intense.
Blood splashed on the grass. Unable to bear the weight of the blood, the leaves tilted. Dark red blood droplets fell and disappeared into the soil.
The battle was in a stalemate for a quarter of an hour. Suddenly, there was a long whistle. The other side changed their strategy. They no longer cared about whether the movement was big or whether the traces could be erased. Poisonous arrows covered the sky and covered the earth.
Zhong Quan frowned and retreated while fighting, "Master, Quan Yi has brought people to surround him. This time, he will not escape easily. This place is dangerous. It's not good to stay here for a long time. This subordinate will take you away first, okay? "
Although Gou Liang was not satisfied, he knew that he was now a big burden. Zhong Quan was bound to be restrained, so he nodded and agreed.
Seeing that they were about to leave, the long whistle sounded again. The arrows turned into fire arrows. After shooting down, the sparks started a prairie fire. The living grass was burned and smoke rose.
"Cough, cough."
Gou Liang choked and quickly covered his mouth and nose.
Zhong Quan frowned and used his Lightness Skill to the extreme!
It was as if he had eyes on the back of his head. The flying arrows were easily dodged by him or blocked with his long sword. In an instant, he left the battlefield.
The other side came prepared. Almost all the way back to the capital was filled with traps and ambushes. Unfortunately, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. After all, he underestimated the background of the Zhong family in Shangjing. He did not expect that Gou Liang had so many well-trained shadow guards around him. The men of sacrifice sent did not take Gou Liang's life. Instead, they were cut off one by one.
Seeing that they were at the end of the road and could not succeed today, the person who came was secretly angry. However, he had to withdraw.
Quan Yi chased him all the way and fought with him several times. In the end, he escaped.
Quan Yi came to report, "This subordinate is incompetent. I was unable to take his life. I only injured his arm."
This result was not beyond Gou Liang's expectations.
"Don't blame yourself. You did very well."
As he spoke, he took the sword that Quan Yi presented. His fingertips gently brushed the blood on the blade. After a little calculation, he could not hide his surprise and said, "It's actually … him."
*
September 15th.
The crown prince succeeded the throne and the coronation ceremony began.
"By the will of the heavens, the Emperor decrees: I have been on the throne for twenty-one years. I have remembered the unfulfilled wishes of my ancestors. I am diligent and fair. I strive hard to govern the country. I am afraid of slacking off. Although I do not have the ability to stabilize the country, I still protect the country. However, I have fought in the battlefield when I was young. I am plagued with an old illness and am unable to protect the country. Therefore, I hereby inform the Heaven and Earth Ancestral Temple that I pass the throne to the crown prince and succeed him as the retired emperor. May the country of Daliang be strong forever and the people prosper. Imperial edict. "
"We accept the edict. Long live the Emperor!"
"This son obeys the edict. Thank you for your great kindness. In the future, I will work hard and abide by myself. I will not disappoint you."
Li Yan raised his hand and took the edict. He stood up and faced the officials.
The officials bowed again and said, "We pay our respects to the retired emperor. We pay our respects to the Emperor. Long live the emperor!"
The Martial Emperor moved to the side, leaving the high and mighty dragon chair empty.
The eunuch in charge of ceremonies once again read out the rules of the ceremony. He invited the crown prince to the back of the hall to change into the dragon robe and put on the crown. Li Yan bade farewell to the retired emperor. His eyes swept across the empty dragon chair. He strode into the inner hall. Every step was steady but hurried.
"Yan Lang."
Li Yan, who had already taken off the crown prince's robe, raised his hands and waited for the officer to put on the dragon robe for him. He did not notice Zhong Yue walking to his side. He only noticed Zhong Yue when he spoke.
"Chonghui, why are you here?"
Li Yan's eyes were full of urgency. But seeing that it was Zhong Yue, he still patiently dealt with him.
Zhong Yue looked at the dragon robe, jade belt, and crown in the hands of the officer kneeling on the ground. He raised his head and smiled at him. "Yan Lang, I will personally put it on for you. Is that okay?"
Li Yan gladly agreed. He waved his servants away and hugged him. "Chonghui, I am so happy."
"I am happy for you too."
Zhong Yue raised his hands and hugged him back. Li Yan smiled.
Zhong Yue carefully put on the robe for him. He fastened the belt and put on the nine-dragon bracelet. He stood up and straightened Li Yan's crown. Through the jade bracelet, he looked at Li Yan's handsome face. There was reluctance and pain in his eyes.
"Yan Lang, are you happy today?"
"Of course!"
"Then … do you love me?"
Zhong Yue asked this question again.
Li Yan hugged him and smiled. "Of course I love you. Heaven and earth can bear witness to this. Chonghui, you should know my heart. "
"Is that so … then it couldn't be better."
"It's almost time. Chonghui, I will …"
Li Yan felt a pain in his heart. He looked down in shock and saw that Zhong Yue's face was already covered in tears. He held a dagger tightly in his hand. The tip of the dagger was stabbed into his own heart. Blood spilled out of his bright yellow dragon robe.
"You … why …"
"Your Majesty, the auspicious hour is almost here. You … Ah!!!"
The eunuch's scream opened the curtain of the day's great changes.
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