With a “puff” sound, Emperor Guangxi spurted out a mouthful of black blood.
The remaining blood in his throat blocked his throat, and he kept making strange hoarse sounds, unable to utter even a clear word.
“Emperor Father, what do you want to say?” Xiao Shen’s smile became more and more weird. “Do you want to talk about the father-son relationship between us?”
Emperor Guangxi certainly couldn’t answer. He was like a dying fish, with every breath filled with pain.
“In fact, when I was young, I hoped that Emperor Father would occasionally remember me as your son from the bottom of my heart.” Xiao Shen paced with his hands behind his back, his tone cold, “Once I sneaked out of the cold palace, and it happened to be the deposed Crown Prince’s birthday. You caressed his head lovingly and gave him a priceless birthday gift. But when you saw me, your eyes instantly turned into disgust, as if I had tarnished your eyes. You angrily yelled at the palace attendants, and they pushed and shoved me back to the cold palace. On the way, I broke my knees, and it hurt for several days.”
He turned to face Emperor Guangxi and said with a smile, “But it doesn’t matter. On the deposed Crown Prince’s birthday, I personally skinned him alive, pulled out his tendons, and tortured him to death and then burned him to ashes—don’t get agitated ah, Emperor Father. Isn’t this also something you acquiesce to, just like you acquiesce to everyone in the palace to bully me at will.”
Emperor Guangxi panted with difficulty: “Scare… scare…”
“Later I understood why I, as a prince, lived a life worse than pigs and dogs. It turned out that everything was gifted by Emperor Father ah.” Xiao Shen’s smile disappeared, and his voice became colder and colder. “For so many years, you first hoped that I would die in the cold palace and then expected me to die on the battlefield. Unfortunately, not only did I survive, but I am about to ascend the throne too. You calculated everything and took great pains, but in the end, I was the winner. You must be very unwilling, right?”
He leaned forward slightly, his dark and cold eyes were devoid of warmth. “Your kingdom, your throne, are worthless to me. Now that it’s in my hands, guess what I’ll do next?”
“You…” Emperor Guangxi stared at the heir who was about to take the throne, black blood gushing out of his mouth.
“You should die with your eyes wide open. You should go to hell with hatred and resentment and reunite with the 213 wronged souls of the Zhao family.” This time, Xiao Shen smiled happily from the bottom of his heart, “In the eighteen layers of hell, look at me carefully, Emperor Father.”
As soon as the voice fell, Emperor Guangxi’s eyes widened, and he took his last breath.
“Puff—” Xiao Shen couldn’t control himself and burst out laughing, “How could you die so funny? Hahahahaha…”
He laughed so hard that he was out of breath. Soon, he heard footsteps outside the door and immediately stopped laughing.
There was a knock on the door, and it was a familiar clear voice: “Xiao Qi, I’m coming in.”
After a while, Shen Qingzhuo pushed the door open and saw the tall and straight young man standing in front of the dragon bed in a daze.
He frowned slightly and quickly walked to the bed. “When did he die?”
“Just now…” Xiao Shen suddenly woke up from a dream, turned his eyes to look at his master, and his eyes showed confusion and helplessness. “Master…”
Shen Qingzhuo took a step forward, raised his hand, and held the young man in his arms, patting his broad back soothingly, “You’ve already seen each other for the last time, and you have done nothing wrong to him.”
As the emperor of the Dayong Dynasty, Emperor Guangxi has worked diligently throughout his life, but he has never been worthy of being the father to his youngest son.
The current situation is the best outcome for them.
The door of the Zichen Palace opened wide, and Eunuch Pan stretched out his shrill voice: “His Majesty, the Emperor has passed away—”
The heavy and long funeral bells rang, which seemed particularly sad and desolate in the cold and bleak winter night.
People knelt on the ground inside and outside the palace, and the sad cries that were hard to distinguish between true and false came one after another.
At the same time, the sound of the funeral bell reached the remote cold palace, awakening Noble Consort Zhao from her sleep.
She sat up with her hair disheveled, listened carefully to the funeral bells, and suddenly laughed like crazy: “Xiao Lang, Xiao Lang! You finally went down! Go down and kowtow to my father and mother to make amends! Hahahahaha…”
The crazy laughter startled the crows outside the window. She laughed so hard that she rolled over on the bed. Tears flowed from her eyes. Her voice became hoarse. Finally, she returned to the dead silence like a corpse.
***
At the beginning of the 29th year of Guangxi, the previous emperor passed away, and the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace inherited the throne.
Shen Fenglan was summoned to the capital to attend the funeral on behalf of his father, King Zhenbei. Early in the morning, Shen Qingzhuo stood outside the city gate to welcome the mighty general.
“It’s cold. My Lord should get in the carriage and wait.” Kong Shang couldn’t help but persuade him, “What if you froze…”
Shen Qingzhuo wrapped himself tightly in fox fur. “It’s no problem.”
He had never seen the original owner’s majestic elder brother in person, but only through a few letters, so he was indeed a little curious.
Soon after, the rumbling sound of horse hooves rang out in the distance, and a tall and strong black horse galloped over and then raised its hooves and neighed in the flying dust.
The horses behind him stopped immediately.
Shen Qingzhuo covered his lips and coughed twice, then looked up at the strange man in riding clothes on the horse.
He was eight feet tall, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and he was full of vigor and power, like a hunting eagle soaring in the sky, or a sharp sword that killed thousands of troops on the battlefield.
He actually didn’t look like him at all.
“Xiao Zhuo.” Shen Fenglan jumped off his horse, looking him up and down with his sharp black eyes, his tone implying a hint of emotion. “It’s been six years since we last met, you’ve grown up.”
“Big Brother.” Shen Qingzhuo greeted him indifferently, his expression was not warm. “You’re tired from riding, Big Brother. Follow me to the palace to see the emperor first, or you can also take a rest early.”
“Alright.” Shen Fenglan handed the reins to the deputy general behind him and got on the carriage with his long-lost brother.
After the death of the previous emperor, the kings had not yet returned to their respective fiefdoms, especially His Highness King Qin, who was always watching the movements of the palace with covetous eyes.
Shen Qingzhuo had foreseen this situation and had written a secret letter to Youbei years ago. Now no one could figure out how many Zhenbei troops General Shen had brought to the capital, and he dared not act rashly.
After Shen Fenglan entered the palace, he immediately went to the coffin of the late emperor and performed the ceremony of kneeling three times and knocking nine times respectfully.
Soon, the new emperor, who had not yet ascended the throne, summoned General Shen to the study. After a secret talk, Lord Shen personally settled his brother.
When only the two brothers were left in the room, Shen Fenglan frowned and said, “Xiao Zhuo, you are too risky.”
Shen Qingzhuo replied calmly, “If I don’t succeed, I will die. Fortunately, my luck is not bad.”
“When we first sent you to the capital, father and I only hoped that you would be safe and sound. We never imagined the current situation.” Shen Fenglan stared at him seriously. “Big Brother just wants to ask you one question. Have you thought of a way out for yourself?”
Shen Qingzhuo raised his eyebrows slightly: “What does Big Brother think?”
“Do you need Big Brother to give you examples of people who became too successful and were abandoned by their masters?” Shen Fenglan said sternly, “Now everyone in the court knows that you, Lord Shen, personally helped King Jin to the throne, and the Shen family has been raising troops for many years. How long do you think the new emperor can tolerate you?”
“Don’t worry, Big Brother. I will never drag down the Shen family.” Shen Qingzhuo smiled slightly, “When it’s time to disappear, I will disappear without a trace.”
Shen Fenglan was stunned for a moment and tried to slow down his tone: “You know that Big Brother didn’t mean that. Big Brother was just worried about your safety.”
“As Big Brother said, how can I not find a way out for myself?” Shen Qingzhuo turned around, his tone still cold. “Big Brother is willing to come to the capital today, Xiao Zhuo is very grateful. After the new emperor ascends the throne, Big Brother can immediately return to Youbei. One day, I will never implicate Father and Big Brother anymore.”
***
As soon as the last emperor’s death was over, Dayong welcomed the great day of the new emperor’s ascension to the throne.
At the third quarter of Yinshi[mfn]3-5am[/mfn], Shen Qingzhuo woke up early, washed up, and walked to Chengqian Palace.
At this time, in the emperor’s bedchamber, Xiao Shen was standing in front of the bronze mirror, looking at the bright yellow figure in the mirror with cold eyes, and beside him was a black and gold embroidered dragon robe that symbolized supreme power.
The palace servants waiting in the hall were silent, and no one dared to step forward to remind the new emperor that it was time to change clothes.
“Xiao Qi—no, Your Majesty.” Until Lord Shen stepped into the bedchamber, he smiled and broke the silence, “Congratulations, Your Majesty.”
“Master, you’ve come just in time. I’ve prepared a dragon robe for Master.” The new emperor smiled instantly, turned around, and waved his hand, and the eunuch immediately presented him with a bright red dragon robe.
“Master is not even a prince or a noble, why would I wear a dragon robe?” Shen Qingzhuo said jokingly, “Besides, the protagonist today is Your Majesty, and the humble minister dares not steal the spotlight from Your Majesty.”
“Master is not a prince or a noble, but you are the emperor’s imperial preceptor above all others.” Xiao Shen stretched out his hand and pulled him in front of him. “Master, help me change my clothes.”
Shen Qingzhuo smiled helplessly and worked hard to dress the new emperor, carefully unfolding every fold on the embroidered dragon robe.
“Does it look good?” Xiao Shen stared at his master with his eyes downcast, smiling, “Does Master like it?”
Shen Qingzhuo picked up the gold-inlaid jade belt from the tray, hugged his thin waist with both hands, and prepared to buckle the belt for him. “Whether Master likes it or not is not important.”
The next moment, a hot hand grasped his snow-white wrist, stopping his action.
“It’s very important.” The dark eyes looked into his eyes without blinking. “I will only like it if Master likes it.”
Shen Qingzhuo laughed, thinking that he had already become an emperor, but why was his little disciple still so childish?
“I like it.” He coaxed in a low voice, “This dragon robe is handsome and majestic, it suits you very well.”
Xiao Shen finally loosened his hand after rubbing the thin skin on the snowy wrist with his fingertips, letting his master buckle his belt, and said with a smile, “It’s my turn to change Master’s clothes.”
The eunuch serving beside him didn’t dare to raise his head and respectfully held up the bright red dragon robe with both hands.
Shen Qingzhuo stretched out his arms and let the new emperor change his clothes for him.
But soon, he noticed something strange.
The young man’s hands were caressing his shoulders, arms, chest, back, and even his sensitive waist.
Although there were layers of clothes between them, but the heat from those big hands seemed to penetrate the embroidered dragon robe, and he could not help but dodge back.
“Don’t move, Master.” Xiao Shen quickly raised his hand to hold his neck and pulled him into his arms. “You haven’t put on the dragon robe yet.”
The warm breath fell on his ears, and the white ears suddenly turned red, and his body trembled slightly.
“Xiao Qi…” Shen Qingzhuo felt that his little disciple was different today, and said in a somewhat helpless tone. “You are too slow in dressing, Master should do it myself.”
“How can it be?” Xiao Shen rested his lower jaw on the soft neck and said meaningfully, “I just enjoy… the fun of dressing Master.”
Of course, taking them off one by one by himself will be another kind of indescribable fun too.
