pappabearbooks Chapter 5536 Dying with Unresolved Feelings
Chapter 5536 Dying with Unresolved Feelings
Chapter 5536 Dying with Unresolved Feelings
Upon hearing Helan Sengjia's shout from the city wall, everyone's eyes immediately turned to Fang Jun.
Clearly, the purpose of summoning civil and military officials to the palace for so-called discussions was to determine their status and righteousness, which could be the succession to the throne or even the succession of the emperor. Once all matters were agreed upon in the Taiji Hall and their status was determined, there would be no other way but to rebel in public.
They could either wait outside the palace and gamble on the integrity and character of the ministers present, or immediately lead troops into the palace to forcefully quell the chaos.
Fang Jun's expression was solemn and his gaze was deep. Even with his usual ruthlessness, he was clearly caught in a dilemma and unable to move forward or backward.
Li Ji walked up and patted Fang Jun on the shoulder, saying in a deep voice, "You stay outside the palace to oversee the overall situation. I'll go into the palace to see how things are going."
Those standing nearby could not hide their surprise.
If Li Jingye is currently in charge of the overall situation in the palace, wouldn't Li Ji's entry into the palace be an additional boost to his power?
In terms of status, achievements, and prestige, Li Jingye wasn't even worthy of carrying Li Ji's shoes. Once he gained Li Ji's support, Li Jingye's chances of success would greatly increase…
Fang Jun clearly shared this concern and looked at Li Ji.
Li Ji's face was grim: "If everything is His Majesty's will, I will persuade His Majesty to rescind the decree. If it is a despicable villain who forged the edict and disrupted the order, I will personally kill the traitor and cleanse the court!"
The people looked at him with increasing bewilderment.
If Li Jingye is the instigator of this turmoil in the palace, would you also put righteousness before family?
If it is indeed His Majesty's order, given your consistent support for His Majesty, would you advise him to rescind the order to change the heir apparent?
Fang Jun remained calm and silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Li Ji said sternly, “Do you think you are the only one in this court who is loyal to the empire? My loyalty to the empire is no less than yours! In the past, I stood on His Majesty’s side because His Majesty is the empire, and supporting His Majesty is loyalty to the empire! If His Majesty uses such means to forcibly change the heir apparent, completely disregarding the collapse of the empire and the turmoil of the state, it is a chaotic order!”
In truth, he was more certain than anyone else of what Li Jingye had done. The reason he was in such a hurry to enter the palace was to stop Li Jingye in time, otherwise the entire Li family would be dragged into the abyss by this wicked grandson and die without a complete corpse.
Li Jingye probably thought that as long as he summoned his ministers to the Taiji Hall and completed the ceremony of passing on the throne, the succession to the throne would be legitimate, and Fang Jun would have no choice but to accept it...
But Li Ji knew Fang Jun too well.
What does personal honor or disgrace matter?
What does historical reputation matter?
Even if he bears the infamy of being a treacherous minister who brought disaster to the country, Fang Jun will definitely order his troops to storm Taiji Palace, kill the new emperor, and restore order!
For Fang Jun, the phrase "national interests are above all else" is not just empty talk. Anyone who dares to undermine the new policies he has painstakingly planned or shake the hard-won stability will surely face military action!
Fang Jun finally nodded: "I believe in Duke Ying's integrity and loyalty to the empire. I hope you will take good care of yourself."
Li Ji said no more, strode to the city wall, and was the first to jump into the hanging basket that was suspended from the city wall.
Ma Zhou, Li Yuanjia, Ren Yaxiang, Tang Jian, Liu Rengui and others followed suit, and more than ten baskets were used in two groups to hoist the civil and military officials up to the city wall...
*****
Li Ji was hoisted up the city wall in a basket by soldiers. Stepping out of the basket onto the blue bricks, the rain quickly soaked his headdress and clothes. He looked back at the densely packed Imperial Guards outside Chengtian Gate and inside the imperial city. In the distance, he could see the brightly lit Zhuque Gate, where countless troops were kept out of the imperial city.
Looking ahead, the scattered lights outlined the Taiji Hall as a vast and indistinct structure. Many soldiers patrolled the area, fully on guard, while more palaces remained hidden in the shadows of the rainy night, silently watching this dramatic change that could very well alter the course of imperial power and even the future of the empire.
With a heavy heart and without saying a word, I walked down the city wall along the ramp, passed through Jiade Gate and Taiji Gate, and headed straight for Taiji Hall.
Regret, like a snake, began to gnaw at his internal organs.
If he had insisted on not allowing Li Jingye to enter the palace to serve as the leader of the "Hundred Cavalry Division" and had not stood on His Majesty's side to support Li Jingye, how could things have come to this?
This eldest grandson, whom he had always valued, had stepped into an abyss of no return. How could he not feel heartache amidst his anger, regret, and remorse?
Just by looking at how Li Jingye conspired with Li Bi to drug him and get him drunk, and then tied up Li Siwen, it becomes clear that Li Jingye's true intention was to exonerate his grandfather, uncle, and the entire Li family...
But how could that be?
For stirring up such a storm within the Forbidden City, Li Jingye cannot escape blame, regardless of the final outcome, and will inevitably have to atone with his death. The Li family cannot be as pure and innocent as white lotus flowers; rather, the entire family must endorse Li Jingye's actions.
He might escape death by relying on his merits and prestige, but exiling his entire family to the army would be the best-case scenario. Generations of wealth and power would be lost in a single day, and if the world were to be peaceful and stable, there would likely be no chance of recovery...
Ma Zhou and the others followed closely behind, their hearts heavy with the tense and solemn atmosphere within the Taiji Palace. How was His Majesty? How was the Crown Prince? How were the other concubines?
Did Li Jingye cause all the changes in the palace tonight?
Is it because he acted recklessly and arbitrarily?
Or was it at His Majesty's behest?
Or was Li Ji the mastermind behind it all?
Everything is unknown, so it's inevitable to feel lost and panicked.
All the soldiers were only responsible for maintaining martial law and patrolling. They neither questioned nor stopped the group of civil and military officials, but watched coldly as the group entered through the Taiji Gate, crossed the entire square, and came down the steps.
Li Ji stopped there, looking up at the high steps of the Taiji Hall, and suddenly felt a sense of dread.
It seems that once you reach the top of these steps, it's like falling into an ice cave with no way back.
Ma Zhou stood to Li Ji's left, expressionless, and said in a deep voice, "Please, Lord Ying, go first."
If all the affairs within the palace were orchestrated by Li Jingye, then you, as his grandfather, bear an unshirkable responsibility and must give an explanation to the world.
Li Ji's face was ashen as he pursed his lips and stepped onto the stairs.
Even if you are terrified, there is no escaping it now. You must face it bravely, even if there are floods, ferocious beasts, or the collapse of the heavens and earth.
The rainwater made the white marble steps slippery. Among the nearly twenty high-ranking officials of the third rank or above, many were getting old and weak. They would slip every now and then and stumble, needing to help each other to reach the end.
The grand and solemn gates of the Taiji Hall were wide open, with soldiers in armor standing solemnly on both sides, holding spears. Inside the hall, the lights were bright and shadows were everywhere.
The ministers exchanged glances, their minds serious, and stepped into the main hall.
Upon entering the hall, the wind and rain ceased, and the hall shone brightly.
Rows of imperial guards, armed with spears, stood solemnly on both sides, creating an imposing atmosphere.
Wherever the eye falls, a couch is placed in the center in front of the steps, covered with a bright yellow embroidered dragon quilt.
Li Ji and the others were greatly shocked, speechless and incredulous.
The clearly visible human-shaped body beneath the quilt... could it be...?
Looking again at Consort Shen kneeling beside the bed, Prince Li Jun, and the many concubines around her trembling with fear... she could no longer verify her suspicions.
Li Jingye, clad in full armor, had removed his helmet. His eyes were bloodshot, but his once resolute face showed no signs of fatigue. He stepped forward, one hand on the sword at his waist. His gaze met his grandfather's for a moment before shifting away, his tone filled with undisguised sorrow.
"Last night, the Crown Prince hid several hundred members of the 'Divine Machine Battalion' in the Wanchun Palace, all armed with firearms, attempting a rebellion. This humble general was ordered by His Majesty to suppress them, but was caught off guard and they escaped. Little did we know that this was a ploy by the Crown Prince to lure the tiger away from the mountain. He secretly ordered the chief eunuch, Wang De, to poison His Majesty's tea. His Majesty was unaware and died from the poison, passing away. Wang De, feeling deeply guilty, hanged himself in the Imperial Study..."
"what!"
"His Majesty!"
Tang Jian cried out in grief, staggered forward, and sobbed, “You were granted the title of Crown Prince at a young age, and upon ascending the throne, you worked diligently day and night, truly a wise ruler destined for eternal fame. Yet now you have been harmed by treacherous officials, a tragedy that pierces my heart…”
"Shut up!"
Li Ji's ears rang from the sound of his crying, and he angrily shouted at him to stop.
"Now is not the time for you to mourn!"
Then, with a pained look in his eyes, he looked at his grandson and said, word by word, "His Majesty was the ruler of the four seas. Now that he has passed away, how can we listen to the words of Li Jingye alone? Where are the imperial physicians!"
Several elderly imperial physicians, their hair and beards all white, approached from behind, bowing and taking small, hurried steps. They all looked anxious and said, "We are here."
Several old imperial physicians were on duty in the palace that night when soldiers dragged them from their beds to the imperial study in the middle of the night. What they saw there was a scene that terrified them: His Majesty was lying on his back on the ground, not breathing.
Although His Majesty did not die from illness, the consequences of being poisoned were clearly more serious, because this inevitably involved the cruel and ruthless struggle for imperial power. As a royal physician who had come all the way from the "Xuanwu Gate era", how could he not know that even the slightest contact with it would lead to his death?
They knew this wasn't the time to showcase their medical skills; they could only say whatever they were told to say...
Li Ji glanced around and gestured for Li Yuanjia to come forward.
As the Minister of the Imperial Clan Court, Li Yuanjia naturally took the initiative, took a deep breath, and stepped forward to lift a corner of the bright yellow quilt...
"His Majesty--"
Li Yuanjia cried out in grief, knelt on the ground, and wailed loudly.
The other ministers also came closer to look at His Majesty's appearance. In order to preserve the "evidence", they did not wash or comb their hair. The blood flowing from his mouth and nose had dried and turned blackish-brown. His face was ferocious and he died with his eyes open.
They all knelt down, kowtowed, and wept bitterly.
When Li Chengqian was the crown prince, he was always cautious and apprehensive, which many ministers felt sorry for him. After ascending the throne, he was diligent in his duties and kind to others, earning him a reputation for benevolence and earning him the deep love and respect of his subjects.
Who could have imagined that he would suffer such a terrible misfortune and die so young?
"Why are you all crying?"
Li Ji roared, "His Majesty has been poisoned! The real culprit should be apprehended and executed immediately!"
Li Jingye said, "His Majesty left a will on his deathbed, deposing the Crown Prince and establishing a new one..."
"Shut up!"
Li Ji glared at him, his eyes practically spitting fire.
This wicked grandson dares to wield the divine weapon; does he fear that the entire Li family might not be wiped out?!