AMLFS Chapter 109
by VolareThe Emperor lay on the dragon bed, his eyes tightly shut.
The imperial physician hurried forward to administer acupuncture, and after a quarter of an hour, the Emperor slowly woke up. The imperial physician quickly ordered the medicine boy to bring the vitalizing pills and place them under the Emperor’s tongue to dissolve.
“Quick! Tell someone to brew ginseng soup!”
Just now, while taking his pulse, the imperial physician had noticed that the Emperor’s body was severely depleted. Coupled with excessive indulgence and rage attacking his heart, his condition was now even worse.
The Emperor opened his eyes, and the first thing he did was summon the several ministers he usually relied on.
“Go… go and call them to me! Cough, cough, cough… Quick!!”
The Emperor’s face was pale, and he coughed incessantly as his blood surged upward while speaking. He seemed to have aged ten years in an instant.
He had no idea that these lackeys had taken advantage of his favor and power to do so many outrageous things. A mere few hundred thousand rebel troops had actually brought him to such a state.
The eunuchs in front of the Emperor practically raced to the residences of the Chancellor and several other Grand Secretaries, but without exception, they found them deserted.
Sweat streamed down the little eunuch’s face as he trembled, unable to grip the reins. He returned to the Emperor’s presence with trembling legs.
The little eunuch knelt on the ground with a thud, his voice shaking: “Your Majesty… the Chancellor and the Grand Secretaries… they… they have all fled in fear of punishment…”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall felt a thud in their hearts, followed by panic. No one knew how Prince Zhao Fangye of the Ning district, who was about to attack, would deal with them.
The Emperor, lying on the bed, looked at the empty space behind the eunuch and spat out a mouthful of blood in anger.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!!”
A crowd of eunuchs and palace maids gathered around him, and the Emperor lay on the bed, trembling, reaching out his hand. He said to the head eunuch beside him: “Kill! Kill all the rebellious traitors! Leave not a single one alive!”
The entire palace was thrown into turmoil by this night, and everyone in the palace was in danger, but no one dared to act rashly.
Although the dynasty was about to fall, the Emperor was still there, and who would dare to be presumptuous? Everyone could only live in fear, not knowing what kind of baptism the imperial city would undergo when Prince Zhao Fangye of the Ning district entered the capital.
At the same time, Zhao Fangye’s troops had already arrived in the capital. Yang Junliang and Li Yuanwu’s armies were also stationed in the suburbs, waiting for Zhao Fangye’s order to enter the capital and go straight to the Forbidden City.
The Minister of War had already committed suicide in fear of punishment, and his generals were now leaderless. The people in the capital were fleeing in a chaotic mess.
Zhao Fangye sat upright on his horse with a majestic aura, followed by a vast army, a dark and oppressive mass of coldness andsùshā – bleak and murderous aura.
The soldiers guarding the city looked at Zhao Fangye’s troops below the city, and their hands holding their spears trembled slightly.
It was a tender, young face, probably only in his teens, a prime age, yet he was holding a cold spear to face the enemy.
Zhao Fangye sat quietly on his horse, not ordering an attack. His light-colored eyes looked at the tender face on the city wall.
“Hey! This general advises you not to put up a futile resistance. Open the city gate obediently.”
Feng Zhen rode his horse to the city gate, pointing at the guards with his riding whip and saying, “Your generals have all abandoned the city and run away, what are you still guarding for?”
“You were all forcibly conscripted, right? The Prince doesn’t like indiscriminate killing, so open the gate early and let you go home to reunite with your families.” Feng Zhen was always very good at inciting the people.
As expected, joy appeared on the faces of the little soldiers guarding the city. When they were forcibly conscripted, someone told them that if they deserted, it would implicate their families.
Now that they had a chance to go home, their expressions changed. Several soldiers looked at each other and nodded.
Then the city gate slowly opened, and Zhao Fangye led his troops into the capital without firing a single shot.
After the mighty army entered the city, Feng Zhen looked at the remaining soldiers left to guard the city: “Go home.”
After saying that, he rode his horse to catch up with the main force.
The remaining soldiers covered their faces and wept, crying that they had finally ended the days of daily anxiety and fear.
The army entered the city, and everything in sight was desolate. Shops and vendors were all closed, and the once prosperous streets were now like a dead silence. Only the scattered fallen leaves swirled with the autumn wind.
From time to time, people secretly observed the streets from the cracks in the doors, only seeing orderly troops passing by.
The imagined burning, killing, and looting did not happen. Gradually, some people dared to open their doors and watch. General Sikou Lanfeng looked at the capital like this and felt quite disappointed.
She had never been to the capital, but when she entered the city and saw such a desolate scene, she felt very disappointed.
It was not as prosperous as her father had said.
Little did she know that those who remained in the capital were all poor people who had no ability to escape. Those powerful and wealthy merchants had long since disappeared.
In addition, the court had forcibly conscripted young adults and demanded that the people provide subsidies. Life was miserable, and it was already very good to be able to survive.
Seeing more and more people gathering on the street, Feng Zhen said at this moment: “Everyone, don’t be afraid, we won’t hurt you.”
“In the court, treacherous ministers form cliques for their own selfish interests, and the law and discipline are abolished. Prince Zhao Fangye of the Ning district saves the people from suffering and comes in accordance with the will of heaven. Everyone, don’t be afraid!! Follow me to support the new ruler!!”
Obviously, Feng Zhen’s words were like a reassurance to the people. Anyway, life could not be more difficult than it was now, so it was better to take a gamble. The oppressed people seemed to have found an outlet.
They responded enthusiastically: “By the Mandate of Heaven! Establish a New Ruler! By the Mandate of Heaven! Establish a New Ruler!”
Imperial Palace, in front of the Emperor’s bed.
“Your Majesty…” The head eunuch, holding a whisk, walked quickly: “Your Majesty, the rebel troops have already reached the capital. I’m afraid they will reach the Meridian Gate before long.”
“Cough, cough, cough…” The Emperor lay on the bright yellow bed, propping himself up to sit up: “Heh… I really didn’t expect…”
A look of disgust appeared on the Emperor’s face. He didn’t expect that in the end, his entire dynasty would be overthrown by the son he hated the most.
Prince Zhao Fangye of the Ning district… Prince Zhao Fangye of the Ning district… Heh! Thinking that he would be content to stay put was just a joke. Thinking of Zhao Fangye’s face, the Emperor’s mind could not help but conjure up another person’s face.
The head eunuch watched the Emperor get up and get out of bed and said anxiously: “Your Majesty… where are you going?”
“Someone, help me change my clothes.” He knew that he was powerless to turn the tide, and now he just wanted an answer.
The head eunuch did not dare to disobey, so he quickly ordered people to wash him and change his clothes. After doing all this, the Emperor walked slowly towards the Kun Ning Palace.
The Kun Ning Palace stood quietly in the imperial palace, and the noise of the world seemed unable to disturb it in the slightest.
The autumn leaves fluttered in the wind and piled up in front of the Kun Ning Palace gate. Since the dynasty declined, few people came to clean the Kun Ning Palace.
The Emperor stood outside the palace gate, and the head eunuch stepped forward to knock on the door.
After knocking several times, the Kun Ning Palace gate finally moved. A nanny wearing a Taoist hat opened a door and poked her head out.
After seeing who it was, she was slightly stunned. Then she stood inside the door and respectfully saluted the Emperor.
“Your Majesty. The Empress does not receive guests.”