The State of Qi.
Today was the day of Cheng Zheng's funeral. No matter how unwilling Zhao Ao was to accept the truth, no matter how reluctant she was, she could not change the fact that the man she loved the most had died, leaving her to face all the evils and demons alone.
"Your Majesty." A gentle voice called out. Zhao Xiang walked into the bedroom, "The time has come."
Zhao Rao was organizing Cheng Zheng's funeral as his wife. She was still needed in the coffin.
"Any news from the Jin?" Zhao Ao asked.
"No reply yet." Zhao Xiang said in a low voice, walking over to tidy Zhao Rao's hair, "No matter what the Jin says, they will not tolerate Lu Yaoyao."
Zhao Rao clenched the comb in her hand, "We must see Lu Yaoyao die in front of us."
"Sister Chen sent someone to find out where Lu Yaoyao has been for the past four years." Zhao Xiang said. She knew that Zhao Rao hated Lu Yaoyao, but the fact that Lu Yaoyao could kill Cheng Zheng so easily showed how powerful her martial arts were. Unless she wasn't the one who attacked that night, but other than her and Mo Rongzhan, who else was hiding behind the scenes?
She had already confirmed that Mo Rongzhan had escorted Zhao Ning out of the city that night, so the person who killed Cheng Zheng could not be Mo Rongzhan.
Zhao Rao had seen Cheng Zheng killed by Lu Yaoyao with her own eyes, so she was curious how Lu Yaoyao got her kung fu. How could she have killed Cheng Zheng?
"Rumor has it that she and Mo Rongzhan went out to sea." Zhao Rao really wanted to know which sea they had gone to. Seven years ago, Lu Yaoyao had gone out to sea for two years and brought back a hundred thousand elite soldiers. She had wiped out Dongqing and founded the Yuan Kingdom. She had become the first Empress in history and had even proclaimed herself as the Heavenly Concubine. Four years ago, she and Mo Rongzhan had disappeared with their son. Everyone thought they were dead. Even the Emperor of the Jin Kingdom had changed. Who would have thought that they would kill Cheng Zheng the moment they appeared?
"Going out to sea was just an excuse. No one saw Lu Yaoyao go out to sea." Zhao Xiang said.
Zhao Ao said coldly, "Whether they went out to sea or not, I will not let Lu Yaoyao go. If I cannot kill her, then I will deal with the people around her. How many can she protect?"
"Your Majesty, it's time to go," Zhao Xiang reminded.
They still had to send Cheng Zheng on his last journey. Although Zhao Xiang didn't like Cheng Zheng before, she didn't want to care about the past.
Zhao Rao's hand trembled. She held Zhao Xiang's arm and walked step by step to the mourning hall. Everyone was waiting for her words.
The cold wind was biting cold, and the palace was immersed in silent sorrow. Zhao Rao stood in front of the coffin. She didn't look at Cheng Zheng one last time, because she wouldn't be able to wake up even if she did. She would always remember the scene when he fell in front of her. Every night, it reminded her that she had to seek revenge on Lu Yaoyao.
"Enter the coffin." Zhao Rao said in a low voice. She had lost a lot of weight recently. She stood straight in the cold wind, exuding a bit of desolate coldness.
Seeing them carry Cheng Zheng's body into the coffin, Zhao Rao's eyes were frighteningly red, but not a single tear fell.
Under Zhao Rao's insistence, Cheng Zheng's coffin would still be placed in the imperial mausoleum. When Zhao Rao's own mausoleum was finished, it would be moved out and buried with her a hundred years later. Because the officials who objected had all been demoted, there were almost no objections in the court.
A mournful song sounded, and Cheng Zheng's coffin was gradually moved out of the palace.
"Wait!" Suddenly, a shout was heard. Orderly horse steps could be heard, and hundreds of soldiers blocked the funeral procession. "Cheng Zheng cannot be buried in the imperial mausoleum! Zhao Rao, our Zhao family has been established for a hundred years, and there has never been anyone other than the imperial family in the imperial mausoleum. You cannot go against the ancestral teachings. "
"Zhao Lan, what do you want to do?" Zhao Rao's voice became cold, and she stared at Zhao Lan in front of her.
Other than Zhao Lan, the Third Emperor's son-in-law was also blocking the palace gates with his soldiers.
Song Honao walked out with large strides and frowned at Zhao Lan and the Third Emperor's son-in-law. "Third Princess, Third Emperor's son-in-law, no one is allowed to bring troops into the palace. Are you trying to force us to abdicate?"
"We don't want to do this, but Zhao Rao has been disloyal and unjust. Now, she has done such a disgraceful thing. As a princess and the Fifth Prince's sister, we must set things right. In the future, when we meet Father, we will still have the face to meet him." Zhao Lan's voice was clear and melodious.
"Treason?" Zhao Kuang chuckled. "Aren't you treason now?"
Zhao Lan said, "I am here today for the Zhao family's legitimacy!"
"Legitimacy?" Zhao Lan's lips curled into a slight smile, and she coldly looked at the hundreds of soldiers with blades. "It seems that besides these family soldiers, there should be many elite soldiers surrounding the city."
"They are all Father's loyal officials. Zhao Rao, you were bewitched by Cheng Zheng in the past. As long as you hand over the throne, you will still be the eldest princess of the Qi Kingdom." Zhao Lan said.
The Third Emperor's son-in-law added, "That's right, the Fifth Prince is the true Emperor. He was bestowed the title of Crown Prince by the previous Emperor. You shouldn't be a pushover. You have seized the throne for two years, and how many officials in the court truly respect you as the Emperor? If you don't believe me, ask the other officials if they truly respect you."
Zhao Lan's lips curled into a smile, and she looked at the officials behind her. "Is that so? Is that what you all think? "
"You all don't need to be afraid of her anymore. She was only a woman who relied on Cheng Zheng to get to where she is today. Cheng Zheng is already dead, and no one can threaten you all anymore. General Huo's troops are just outside the city. If Zhao Rao dares to move, they will immediately break into the city." Zhao Lan loudly said, wanting to convince the officials to rebel against Zhao Rao.
"I'm really curious, who gave you the courage to say such words here?" Zhao Rao calmly smiled. She wasn't afraid that Zhao Lan would instigate the officials in the court.
Zhao Lan ignored Zhao Rao's words and continued to speak to the officials. "The Fifth Prince is the true Emperor. As long as you all are loyal to him, you will be guaranteed wealth and glory in the future."
The Third Emperor's son-in-law pointed his sword at Zhao Rao. "Or do you all want to be traitors and let this demoness harm the Qi Kingdom?"
"Zhenguo Marquis, the previous Emperor treated you well. Are you going to disregard the previous Emperor's wishes and help the evildoer?" Zhao Lan turned her gaze to Song Honao.
"When the previous Emperor was still alive, he once said," Song Honao calmly said, "The eldest princess has his demeanor and is the future of the Qi Kingdom."
Everyone knew that Song Honao was the previous Emperor's confidant. Since he said such words, it proved that the previous Emperor must have said such words. The previous Emperor once believed that Zhao Rao had the ability to govern the country.
Zhao Lan's expression changed, especially when the officials didn't move at all. It was clear that they had no intention of fighting the same enemy as her. "Song Honao, what did Zhao Rao use to bribe you? Where is the backbone you had when you resigned? "
"This Marquis's actions are all for the Qi Kingdom." Song Honao calmly said.
"Good, good! Then don't blame me for not giving you a choice. "Zhao Lan coldly smiled. Today, she would finally be able to settle the score with Zhao Rao for her mother and brother.
(Nine Headed Bird Academy)
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
