pdf-ebookys Chapter 186 The Emperor's Wrath, Ten Thousand Corpses
Chapter 186 The Emperor's Wrath, Ten Thousand Corpses
The night was deep and the silence was somewhat oppressive.
Upon returning to the palace, Pei Yuanling immediately settled Chu Qingyin in his Zichen Palace and ordered all the imperial physicians to gather there in shifts to monitor Chu Qingyin's injuries at all times.
He sat by the bed, never leaving for a moment, his eyes fixed on the woman on the couch, afraid that she would disappear from his sight again.
In the blink of an eye, three days have passed.
Pei Yuanling also did not attend court for three consecutive days.
When Empress Wang rushed over, the first thing she saw was the emperor, who looked haggard, standing guard by her bedside.
He looked much more haggard, with dark circles under his eyes, a heartbreaking sight.
Looking at Chu Qingyin lying unconscious on the bed, her face was as pale as paper, and she remained unconscious.
"Your Majesty, is Consort Qiao feeling any better?"
Empress Wang peered through the curtain, and as she spoke, her eyes reddened again.
Now that Qiao Qingyin has taken an arrow for His Majesty and become His Majesty's savior, if she wakes up, she will be showered with imperial favor and honor, and the entire Qiao family will rise to a higher position in the court.
The situation in the harem had finally begun to change thanks to Li Die's appearance, and she didn't want all her efforts to be in vain.
Seeing that Pei Yuanling remained silent, Empress Wang comforted him again, "Your Majesty, Consort Qiao is a lucky person. I believe she will recover soon."
Pei Yuanling remained silent, as if he had lost his soul.
Empress Wang felt a pang of sorrow upon seeing this.
The last time I saw His Majesty like this was when Consort Chu passed away.
Unexpectedly, more than half a year later, he was heartbroken again for a woman.
The woman's voice remained clear.
Could it be that the name "Qingyin" is a curse he cannot escape in this lifetime?
Empress Wang was unwilling, but on the surface she gently advised again: "Your Majesty, the assassination attempt that day resulted in heavy casualties, and the court is in chaos. You must take care of your health."
As the empress, she had to prioritize the overall situation at this time, even though she knew that speaking up would only make Pei continue to dislike her.
Pei Yuanling finally slowly raised his head, shifting his gaze from Chu Qingyin to Empress Wang, his voice hoarse: "Empress, who do you think was behind this assassination attempt?"
Empress Wang's heart tightened, but she remained calm on the surface and gently shook her head: "Your Majesty, I truly do not know. Such a treasonous act must be the work of treacherous and rebellious officials plotting a rebellion."
What she meant was that she suspected Zhang Xian's old party members had failed in their previous attempt and, out of anger and embarrassment, had launched another attack.
Pei Yuanling scoffed coldly, his eyes filled with icy intent: "This time, I will investigate thoroughly."
If it's still the Wang family causing trouble, then don't blame him for being ruthless.
***
Because Pei Yuanling had not attended court for many days, there was already much discussion in the court.
A censor advised that even if Consort Qiao had saved the emperor's life, His Majesty should not neglect state affairs because of such a serious incident!
Lu Zhiheng worked tirelessly for many days to thoroughly investigate this matter.
He stood at the head of all the officials, raising his eyes to look at the empty dragon throne, his eyes also filled with a thin layer of blue.
"My lord, the assassination attempt has been investigated and it was carried out by a former subordinate of the Duke of Chu's mansion."
In the imperial court, a young military general who had previously been at odds with Chu Tianheng took the lead in speaking.
The coroner examined all the assassins' bodies, and many of them bore old wounds from swords and spears on the battlefield. Their identities could be determined simply by comparing them with those of military officers.
The man continued, "A few days ago, the Chu clan was ambushed and assassinated during their exile, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. This incident has likely caused discontent among Chu Tianheng's former subordinates."
Someone else suggested, "Chu Tianheng has long held considerable power in the army, and his former subordinates are extremely loyal to him. This assassination attempt is likely an act of revenge against His Majesty for Chu Tianheng's imprisonment for treason!"
Lu Zhiheng frowned and said in a deep voice, "We cannot jump to conclusions about this matter; further investigation is needed."
The young military officer retorted, "The evidence is conclusive. Is Lord Lu perhaps trying to protect the Chu family?"
cover?
He scoffed. He was the one who orchestrated Chu Tianheng's imprisonment, so how could he be accused of protecting him?
Moreover, the accusation that Chu Tianheng colluded with foreign powers was a fabricated charge, and Lu Zhiheng knew the intricacies of the matter all too well.
Currently, most of Chu Tianheng's former subordinates have been taken over by the eldest son of the Wang family, and the Chu State Duke's Mansion has completely fallen into ruin. The only beneficiary in the end is the Wang family.
Pei Yuanling has been delaying in dealing with Chu Tianheng, and even has the idea of thoroughly investigating the matter again. Isn't this just letting a tiger return to the mountain?
There will only be greater hidden dangers in the future.
Lu Zhiheng looked at him sharply, his eyes revealing a hint of coldness: "I am only acting on the facts, not letting any real culprit go unpunished, and naturally not wronging any innocent person."
As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Yuanling stepped into the Golden Palace.
The crowd quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome you! Long live the Emperor!"
The man was dressed in a black dragon robe with cloud patterns, but even though he was dressed neatly, he couldn't hide his exhaustion.
He swept his gaze across the sea of officials below the stage and said indifferently, "Rise, all of you."
The officials then stood up one after another.
Pei Yuanling settled himself on the dragon throne before turning his gaze back to Lu Zhiheng. "Where were we? Continue."
"Yes."
Lu Zhiheng then recounted the matters they had just discussed to him.
Upon hearing his ministers' speculations, Pei Yuanling's face instantly darkened.
Based on his understanding of Chu Tianheng's military management style, he knew that his subordinates would never do such an absurd thing.
Moreover, Chu Tianheng is still imprisoned, so there is still a chance for things to turn around. If this assassination attempt were to occur, Chu Tianheng's chances of survival would be completely ruined.
“Your Majesty, this matter still needs to be investigated in detail. Although General Chu’s former subordinates are suspects, we cannot conclude that they were responsible based solely on the old wounds on his body.”
Lu Zhiheng cupped his hands and said, "It is inevitable that soldiers will be injured. We still need to investigate their recent whereabouts and whether there are any signs of them contacting others. It would be too hasty to draw such an important conclusion so easily."
"If this matter is truly related to Chu Tianheng, I will not let him off lightly!"
After a pause, Pei Yuanling continued, "But if this matter has nothing to do with Chu Tianheng's former subordinates, then the person behind it must be found and severely punished! I want to see who dares to stir up trouble in this court and slander a loyal minister!"
Lu Zhiheng replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my utmost to find out the truth."
Pei Yuanling added, "The case of Chu Tianheng's treason also needs to be thoroughly investigated. Both cases should be handled concurrently, and anyone who violates this rule will be punished according to military law!"
These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, and the golden hall fell silent instantly.
No one expected that Pei Yuanling would order a reinvestigation into the Chu State Duke's Mansion's treason at this critical juncture!
Wang Chengxun's face turned deathly pale.
He had just spoken ill of Chu Tianheng in court, but he never expected His Majesty to act in this way, completely disregarding the dissent in the court.
He forced himself to remain calm and advised, "Your Majesty, it is a foregone conclusion that Chu Tianheng has colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country. Moreover, this assassination attempt is inextricably linked to Chu Tianheng. I urge Your Majesty to prioritize national affairs and not act on impulse!"
Many courtiers, realizing what was happening, began to echo, "Yes, yes, Your Majesty, please reconsider."
For a time, the court was in an uproar, in complete chaos.
"Shut up, all of you!"
Pei Yuanling slammed his fist on the dragon throne angrily: "You're all so opinionated, why don't you sit on this dragon throne?"
Upon hearing this, the audience fell silent.
They dared not utter a word about such a heinous act.
Pei Yuanling sneered inwardly upon seeing this.
His Yinyin was still unconscious on the bed. Did he have to deal with her brother at this time?
Even if he were an emperor, he would not do such an ungrateful thing.
"My mind is made up. Anyone who dares to speak recklessly again will be severely punished!"
When an emperor is enraged, millions will die.
The people in the hall immediately fell silent, not daring to say another word.
Pei Yuanling did not linger any longer and slowly rose to his feet: "Since there are no objections, then you may all leave."
Just as the officials bowed and took their leave, Pei Yuanling's gaze fell on the tall, imposing figure in the hall. "Chief Minister Lu, come with me."