Chapter 819: Chapter 819: How Did It Come to This
It was all because of that vile Liu Lingyi, because of her, she destroyed my entire life, a wrong step leading to endless missteps!
Feeling a chill on her face, the Noble Consort touched it with her hand and found it covered with tears. She pressed against her heavy heart: "But why does my heart ache so much..." After the exhilaration came a void, accompanied by sorrow.
During their youthful years, the two beauties of the Capital were once close friends; she called her Sister Xue, they spoke softly and laughed gently, closer than sisters, inciting the envy of others.
"Why did it come to this, why... I never thought of being your enemy, even when I failed to become the Crown Princess Consort, I never wanted to blame you, why..."
She clutched her heart, growing sadder, shedding tears while laughing, the one who ruined her life was dead, she should be happy, should burn incense and pray to heaven, but why did she feel so miserable?
Liu Lingyi, Lingyi, dear Lingyi... From now on, there is no such person in the world, those years, that friendship, those love and hate, all gone with the wind...
The Noble Consort laughed mournfully, a hard-to-describe fear and despair rising alongside the laughter. Did she win? No, ultimately, neither of them won, they were defeated by those who came after, why did it come to this...
The north wind blew in from the window, bringing a chill to the room. The splendid and noble woman in the room was tearful, her face smiling but her expression sorrowful and confused, unsure if she was mourning the deceased or hurt by past experiences, or bewildered by future incidents...
At this moment, she naturally did not know, a greater storm was about to come, involving the entire Xue Family.
Good and evil are ultimately repaid; heavenly cycles favor retribution.
There was a huge change in the Harem, but compared to the former court, it was merely like one hair from nine oxen, merely the death of a consort.
But events in the former court came one after another, overwhelming everyone, shaking the entire court with widespread implications.
The day after the Longevity Event, Minister of Revenue Xue Ping sought to see the Son of Heaven, but was denied access.
On the same day, the former Libationer of the Imperial Academy, Liu Xianzhang, succumbed to an old illness and died, fading into dust within the mortal world. His disciples and former officials wanted to pay their respects but learned that Liu Xianzhang’s daughter committed great disrespectful acts in the palace. The Emperor, considering their past as ruler and subject, did not blame the Liu Family, leading disciples and former officials to shut their doors and refrain from visiting.
The court officials were secretly alarmed, unaware of what had happened, quietly awaiting change.
On the third day, Minister Xue Ping departed from the Xue Family at Mao Hour, removed his official hat, his steps faltering, reached outside the palace, and performed a ritual kneeling and bowing, again requesting an audience with the Son of Heaven, stating there was an urgent matter connected with the remnants of the Rebel Prince, seeking the Son of Heaven’s summons. He was denied access.
When the news spread, the entire court was shocked; it had been nearly ten years since the rebellion of the Rebel Prince had been quelled—were there remnants? Some ministers intended to inquire at the next morning assembly.
On the fourth day, the Emperor canceled court. Before the civil and military officials could react, an explosive revelation occurred: Left Deputy Imperial Censor Xie Qing, Minister Xie, returned from the border with the leaders of the defense, finding various crimes, including false claims to meritorious deeds, among which was Shen Ming’s false military merit, with unequivocal evidence.
Furthermore, these leaders had, during the Late Emperor’s time, siphoned off soldiers’ pay, embezzled military funds, even accepted bribes to allow merchants to smuggle with foreign tribes, and colluded with close court officials, all outrageous acts that stirred shock throughout the court. The connections subtly pointed to Xue Ping, causing greater uproar.
The preparation of these proofs had taken considerable time, not mere days. Finally realizing they were doomed, these leaders understood that from the moment they embarked on their journey back to the Capital, their heads were destined to roll.
Minister Xie petitioned the Emperor to deal with these leaders; the verbal royal decree was swift: behead!
Just one word prompted the court’s officials to sense something different, the plot to harm the Imperial Heir continued its turbulence, stirring a new storm within the military, hinting at impending chaos, extraordinary in every aspect.
The news reached the Harem, leading Consort Xu De to drink heavily in despair.
On the same day, a pigeon from the north returned after a tortuous journey, its wings injured from the cold, landing within the Internal Guard Bureau, prompt visit to the palace followed by prompt exit.
The Commander of the Imperial Guard promptly mobilized, leading the Guards directly to the Xue Family, arresting the direct and collateral lines all at once, imprisoning them, with the government issuing a bulletin to seize all living descendants of the Xue Family.
The civil and military officials were astounded; some ministers petitioned to see the Son of Heaven, wanting to know why such a great commotion, when court would reconvene?
The Emperor denied access, even the next day court remained canceled.
On the sixth day, court remained canceled, prompting many ministers to sit restlessly, drafting memorials in anticipation of collectively requesting an audience with the Emperor the next day.
On the same night, a troop traveled hastily to the northern gate of the Capital.
On the seventh day, court resumed, with the Son of Heaven, radiating an aura full of solemnity and severity, sitting in the grand hall. After the Eunuch in charge of announcing declared court open, a hand was raised directing the reading of a report:
The Xue Family intended rebellion, had sustained private soldiers loyal to the Rebel Prince hidden deeply among the mixed population of Northern Liaoning, blessed by an imperial foresight thus averting a grand disaster. After long planning, Shen Ming’s younger brother Shen Shi led troops in capturing without a fight over fourteen thousand three hundred twenty private soldiers and collaborating civilians. A major victory! The leader of the private soldiers, Kui Bao, had already been escorted by the Internal Guard Bureau to the Capital, now detained in prison, while the remaining leaders were en route. There’s also about ten thousand others awaiting the Emperor’s decision for disposition.
With that, silence enveloped the hall, the sound of a pin drop audible, the civil and military officials were stupefied and speechless, frozen by fear.
The Emperor, with a stern face, said nothing, waving a hand and marched away from the assembly, leaving the Imperial Eunuch with Decree to announce the imperial decision:
The leader of the private soldiers, Kui Bao, along with other leaders to be executed immediately. Any soldiers who remain stubborn to be killed without mercy; innocent civilians, though sheltering private soldiers for long, were forced involved, thus no pursuit of their culpability, to be relocated in groups for reclamation and farming, the remaining soldiers regretting to be treated similarly to civilians.
As for the Xue Family, to be executed to the ninth degree of kinship.
Upon the decree’s pronouncement, the entire court was in uproar; some court officials applauded, praising His Majesty’s insight and decisiveness, his ability to predict the enemy, his benevolence towards the people, and his swift justice towards those who were disloyal.
Others felt ashamed; as colleagues, Xue Ping raising private soldiers to rebel was something no one in the court detected, only requiring the Emperor’s exhaustive efforts, a failure as ministers.
Yet some were both shocked and afraid, shocked at how amidst their unawareness, the Emperor had already nipped Xue Ping’s rebellion in the bud; afraid of being implicated by this affair.
The Xue Ping rebellion case, the most significant since the Emperor’s accession besides the Rebel Prince rebellion, was a grand affair sweeping blood-soaked storms, propelling the Capital’s intrigue to its climax.
All at once, the Ministry of Punishment’s three divisions were fully mobilized, purging broadly, with innumerable individuals imprisoned due to implication, the prisons overflowing, the execution grounds witnessing daily executions.
Meanwhile, regarding those implicated in the Imperial Heir assassination plot, their crimes uncovered, with massive ties to aristocratic clans, incarcerated court officials received imperial edict for verdicts: crimes confirmed, family-wide implication!
-- Words in the chill of the autumn wind --
Recently, writing has felt extremely oppressive, the story writer dislikes the bloodiness, thus the Emperor sent former erring consorts to the temple, since the death of Consort Liu, the writer doesn’t want to write so brutally, feeling a desire for leniency. On one hand, everyone seems to have reasons not to die, appears quite pitiful, but on the other hand, they were heartless to the innocent for personal gain, each step was their own choice, yet it was the path to their downfall, oooohh...