Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 206 - 205. Crowds at the Palace Gates Begging for Mercy

Chapter 206: 205. Crowds at the Palace Gates Begging for Mercy

205. Citizens Before the Palace Gate Pleading

The disappearance of a monarch, the ruler of a nation, in broad daylight was no small matter. The entire Capital City and the imperial palace were now under martial law, with house-to-house searches and investigations. An air of panic had swept over those inside the palace who knew the truth.

The Empress Dowager, who had already retired to live in the harem and took no part in worldly affairs, had also stepped forward. The Empress and Noble Consort Liu were there as well. The Steward-in-Chief of the palace eunuchs and the Commander of the Imperial Guards knelt before her. Prime Minister Liu, who had been the last to meet His Majesty, also knelt. With a stern face, the Empress Dowager rebuked, "After all this time, how could His Majesty just disappear? What on earth do We feed all of you for?" No one dared to argue; they could only repeatedly beg for mercy. Prime Minister Liu felt the most innocent. He had merely sought an audience with His Majesty on some matters. How could he be blamed for the emperor’s disappearance? Just because he was the last person to see His Majesty, he naturally couldn’t escape the intense questioning.

"Search carefully for Us! We must rescue His Majesty safely! As for your fates, they will be decided after His Majesty returns!" the Empress Dowager coldly ordered, and everyone quickly agreed. Only after venting her anger did the Empress Dowager turn to Prime Minister Liu, who was kneeling on the ground, and ask, "Prime Minister, what did His Majesty say to you at the end?"

Prime Minister Liu said, "Reporting to Your Highness, we only discussed some matters concerning state affairs, nothing else special."

The Empress Dowager could easily see through his perfunctory words. Her eyes chilling, she commanded coldly, "Tell me in detail."

Needing a moment to think, Prime Minister Liu said, "Because of some affairs from the morning court, His Majesty was very angry. Apart from saying that he would further discuss it in the next morning court, he didn’t say anything important." It wasn’t that Prime Minister Liu deliberately wanted to hide something from the Empress Dowager, but the handling of the Xu Family was top secret. As long as His Majesty had not yet issued the decree, it absolutely could not be revealed. Otherwise, his own Liu Family would be the one in trouble.

The Empress Dowager looked at Prime Minister Liu with a measure of suspicion. Prime Minister Liu remained calm and sincere under scrutiny. How could an old fox who had maneuvered through court politics his whole life let others see his weakness? 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Finally, the Empress Dowager waved her hand dismissively, sending everyone on their way. After everyone had left, the nanny attending the Empress Dowager carefully asked, "Your Highness Empress Dowager, what do you think of His Majesty’s affair..."

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes in contemplation, saying lightly, "We have retired to the harem; how can We be bothered with such things? The Empress and the court officials should be the ones worrying about this. Where is Prince Li now?"

The nanny replied quietly, "Following the peace agreement with His Majesty, His Highness Prince Li had promised to return to the Capital City to celebrate Your Highness’s birthday this year. Judging by the time, he should already be on his way."

The Empress Dowager nodded. "Good. Send a message to Prince Li and tell him to come to the Capital City quickly. Also, that Ye Ying whom Prince Li left in the capital... hasn’t she gotten pregnant?"

The nanny nodded and said, "You are correct, Your Highness Empress Dowager. Consort Ye has borne His Highness Prince Li a son, and the child is nearly a year old."

"Send someone to look after them a little," the Empress Dowager commanded, then waved her hand, indicating that the nanny could leave.

Recalling her two sons, the Empress Dowager’s face couldn’t help but darken. Everyone else said she was blessed. She had borne two sons when childbearing was extremely difficult in the harem of the former emperor. Her eldest son had even ascended to the throne, allowing her, due to his supreme imperial rank, to become the Empress Dowager. But who could ever know the truth about her eldest son? Suspicious by nature, he was wary of her, his own mother, in every way, fearing that her power would threaten his. If it weren’t for this, why would she, an Empress Dowager who should be enjoying a peaceful life, conspire with her younger son against the Emperor? Over these years, she had apparently enjoyed immense honor and power in the palace, but in reality, it was nothing more than an ostentatious show. His Majesty would not hesitate to contradict her, his own mother, even over a favored consort. As a result, she didn’t have the slightest power in the harem. How could this satisfy the Empress Dowager, who had been scheming throughout her life and hoped that she could enjoy a smooth ride from now on?

After saying goodbye to Noble Consort Liu, the Empress returned to her own palace. Her normally calm face betrayed a hint of worry and bewilderment. She waved for the palace maids and nannies following her to retreat and entered her bedroom by herself. The Empress sat down at the table in her quiet room and said softly, "Come out."

A moment later, Feng Zhiyao stepped out from behind the curtains of the phoenix bed and silently observed her. The Empress’s eyebrows furrowed lightly. Not waiting for her to speak, Feng Zhiyao said, "I’ve come to take something and will leave immediately."

The Empress was taken aback and asked, "Take what?"

Feng Zhiyao replied, "The white jade box Mo Jingqi entrusted to you eight years ago."

The Empress pondered for a moment and then asked, "Was it you who kidnapped His Majesty?"

"Yes," admitted Feng Zhiyao. "Would you like to call someone to capture me?"

The Empress rose and quickly approached him. "Kidnapping a monarch? This is a rather audacious move! The Capital City and the imperial palace are now completely sealed off. I’m curious how you plan to handle this afterward!"

Feng Zhiyao raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and smiled faintly. "If I could get in, of course, I can get out as well. Moreover... Mo Jingqi’s life is still in my hands."

The Empress shot him an angry look and shook her head. "After serving under Prince Ding all these years, have you lost the ability to think for yourself? Do you really think everybody genuinely wants His Majesty to return safely? I suspect many wish you would kill him."

"I truly wish I could kill him!" Feng Zhiyao retorted hatefully.

"Ridiculous!" countered the Empress quietly. "Kidnapping His Majesty was definitely not Prince Ding’s idea. What are you up to this time?"

Feng Zhiyao paused. "I’m here to retrieve the Bilo flower by Princess Consort Ding’s command."

"Bilo flower?" The Empress frowned. Not knowing much about medicine, she had no idea what the Bilo flower was for. She glared at Feng Zhiyao and said, "It must be something important if Princess Consort Ding asked you to come back for it. Couldn’t you have asked someone to deliver a message so I could have found it for you? Are you pleased now that you’ve caused such a commotion?"

Feng Zhiyao snorted. "Without causing such a stir, no one would ever be able to locate that thing. Mo Jingqi valued the Bilo flower highly; over these years, even those closest to him, including Noble Consort Liu, weren’t privy to its existence. How could he have told you? Besides, if he knew you were investigating the whereabouts of the Bilo flower, you’d be implicated."

The Empress sighed lightly and asked, "So, you already know where the Bilo flower is?"

Feng Zhiyao nodded. "Mo Jingqi said he gave it to you half a year ago. Do you recall a white jade box?"

The Empress pondered for a moment and then nodded. "I remember. Wait a moment." She turned and entered her inner chamber. Soon, the Empress appeared, holding an exquisitely carved white jade box. She handed the box to Feng Zhiyao and asked, "Is it this one?"

Feng Zhiyao took the box and carefully opened it. Inside was a soft, pale green flower, much like a peony. Its faint, unusual fragrance was clearly discernible as he touched its petals. Despite having been picked long ago, there was no sign of wilting, making it seem like a jade flower. Feng Zhiyao carefully compared the flower to the description given by Mr. Shen and confirmed the flower in the white jade box was indeed the legendary Bilo flower.

"Take the flower and go," whispered the Empress. "Return His Majesty at the earliest opportunity and then go back to the Northwest."

Feng Zhiyao put the box away and looked deeply at the Empress. "Do you truly wish to spend your whole life in this imperial palace?"

The Empress gave a faint smile and replied, "If I don’t stay in the palace all my life, where else can I go? Leave quickly and be careful."

Feng Zhiyao pressed her, "Are you not afraid I’ll kill Mo Jingqi?"

The Empress shook her head and smiled. "You would not do that. If His Majesty dies now, it brings no benefit to Prince Ding’s Mansion. Even though no one has spoken openly yet, I believe many are already suspecting them. If His Majesty cannot return, regardless of whether it was the doing of Prince Ding’s Mansion, those people would still lay the blame on Prince Ding."

Feng Zhiyao huffed resentfully but wasn’t able to refute the Empress’s accurate view of the situation, then turned to leave. "I’m going!"

The Empress nodded. "Take care on your way." Just as Feng Zhiyao walked a few steps away, he turned back and chuckled, "Do you know what your beloved His Majesty has done? He’s going to confiscate the Xu Family’s assets!"

The Empress was stunned. By the time she came back to her senses, Feng Zhiyao had disappeared from sight. She sighed softly, her beautiful face revealing a bitter smile.

With Mu Qingcang secretly protecting them, Feng Zhiyao, also a master, managed to leave the heavily fortified palace without mishap. The two returned to where they had hidden Mo Jingqi. Leng Haoyu was in the room, keeping watch over Mo Jingqi while waiting for news. Seeing them enter, Leng Haoyu hurriedly stood and asked, "Did you retrieve the flower?"

Feng Zhiyao waved the box in his hand. "We got it, but whether it’s genuine or not, His Majesty will have to confirm."

Mo Jingqi’s face darkened. "You have the flower now, what else do you want?"

Feng Zhiyao laughed. "I’m quite the suspicious type. I hear that this Bilo flower is not just an elixir; it’s a remarkable healing remedy as well. A small amount can heal wounds instantly. I wonder if it’s true?"

Mo Jingqi, his eyes fixed on the dagger Feng Zhiyao brandished, asked, "What are you trying to do?"

Feng Zhiyao gave him a malicious smile and said, "Of course, I want His Majesty to test the Bilo flower’s efficacy. We went through so much trouble to obtain this thing; it would be quite embarrassing if it turned out to be a fake."

Mo Jingqi gritted his teeth. "I guarantee it’s genuine!"

Feng Zhiyao shook his head and said, "His Majesty’s guarantee isn’t worth a penny." Without hesitation, he then drove his knife into Mo Jingqi’s shoulder. Mo Jingqi screamed, his blood spurting out wildly. A flash of delight gleamed in Feng Zhiyao’s eyes as he held up the knife playfully towards the Bilo flower in the white jade box, saying, "So, how should this be used? Ah, I heard it should be scraped off into a fine powder using a blade. However, such a beautiful flower would lose its worth once scraped. Maybe I should just scrape the bottom and see."

Mo Jingqi hurriedly spoke, "You can’t use a dagger. The Bilo flower must be kept in a jade box to maintain its medicinal properties. It must also be cut using a jade knife."

"Oh, thank you for the tip." Feng Zhiyao put his dagger away, placed the Bilo flower back into the box, then turned to Leng Haoyu and said, "Is there any Golden Wound Medicine? Apply some to him."

Leng Haoyu raised an eyebrow and silently pulled out the Golden Wound Medicine, sprinkling some carelessly over Mo Jingqi’s wound. Mo Jingqi, his face pale with pain, grimaced and glared at Feng Zhiyao, bellowing, "I will never let you off!"

Feng Zhiyao sneered, "Instead of threatening us, you should think about how you will return to the Capital City. As far as I know, many people want you gone. I heard the Empress Dowager has already sent a message to Prince Li, ordering him to march into the Capital City as soon as possible. It seems our Emperor is rather unloved by his own father and mother, isn’t he?"

"You!" Mo Jingqi’s sore spot had been hit, but under the circumstances, he was helpless.

Feng Zhiyao was not interested in Mo Jingqi’s feelings. He put the Bilo flower away contentedly and gestured towards Leng Haoyu with his chin, saying, "He’s yours to deal with. There’s no need to rush to send him back, lest it causes trouble for us before we even leave."

Leng Haoyu laughed. "Don’t you trust me to handle matters? You take care of your own business."

Feng Zhiyao nodded, glanced at Mo Jingqi, and added cheerfully, "Considering His Majesty’s cooperation, how about I gift you a piece of information for free?"

Mo Jingqi eyed him coldly, clearly not believing that he would be kind enough to offer him any information.

Feng Zhiyao, unconcerned, smiled and said, "It’s news about His Majesty’s trusted official, Lord Tan. It’s said that his real surname is Lin, and his given name is a single character: Yuan. He is actually a member of the former imperial family. Can you guess what Lin Yuan’s ’Yuan’ stands for, Your Majesty? Surely it’s not a wish for Your Majesty to have a long reign and unending good fortune, right?" As he finished, Feng Zhiyao burst into loud laughter and turned to leave, leaving Mo Jingqi, his face alternating between pale and ashen.

Taking the Bilo flower and the edict left by the Great Ancestor Emperor that Su Zuidie had revealed before her death, Feng Zhiyao quietly disappeared from the Capital City. Those who were not close to him had no idea of his return. Leng Haoyu was also unceremonious. He imprisoned Mo Jingqi in a dark room for three full days. Only on the fourth morning, upon hearing that Prince Li was about to enter the Capital City, did he have someone put the unconscious Mo Jingqi in a sack and, under the cover of the dull morning before the city gates opened, dump him by one of the gates. From beginning to end, Mo Jingqi didn’t even know where he had been taken. Clearly, Mo Jingqi would not be able to remember faces like Feng Zhiyao, Leng Haoyu, or Mu Qingcang. So, this time, he had suffered a silent, undeserved loss.

Amidst the varied gazes of the crowd, Mo Jingqi returned to the palace, seething with rage. Ignoring the concubines and court officials who came to welcome him and curry favor, he furiously issued several imperial edicts. First, a warrant for the arrest of the audacious rebels who had kidnapped him, to be brought in dead or alive. Second, a thorough investigation of all court officials with close ties to Tan Jizhi and his actions over the years, and the arrest of Tan Jizhi. Third, the investigation and confiscation of the assets of the Xu Family of the Imperial Censor’s Mansion in the Capital City, as well as the Xu Family in Yunzhou and Lishan. Furthermore, the entire family of Imperial Censor Xu was to be immediately imprisoned in the dungeons.

While the first two edicts were somewhat understandable, the third one was like stirring a hornet’s nest. Prime Minister Liu had just stepped out of the palace with the edict and officials to confiscate the Xu Family’s properties when a commotion broke out at the palace gate. Hundreds of scholars knelt on the ground, crying out for justice for the Xu Family. Prime Minister Liu looked and saw that among them were many who were already officials in the court. Although he knew the Xu Family was considered the head of all literary families in the land, Prime Minister Liu hadn’t expected them to be so popular. Less than half an hour had passed since the Emperor’s edict was issued, yet so many people were already kneeling before the palace gate. If more time passed, he couldn’t imagine what it would be like. He couldn’t help but feel both envious and resentful. Unfurling the edict in his hand, Prime Minister Liu began to read it out at the palace gate. However, the Emperor’s golden rules and precious edicts failed to silence these scholars; they vociferously refuted the charges.

It wasn’t that these scholars were fickle; rather, the Emperor’s edict was truly difficult to accept. It neither clearly stated what crime the Xu Family had committed nor specified which member of the family was at fault. Ordinarily, whether the Emperor’s edict was convincing or not didn’t matter much, as very few dared to question it. But the problem lay in the Xu Family’s immense influence. The Xu Family had produced many great scholars throughout the generations. Although they couldn’t be called Sages themselves, they were regarded as the teachers of most scholars since the founding of Great Chu. And scholars were a very peculiar type of people. They appeared extremely gentle, unable to lift heavy things, but sometimes the pride in their bones was astonishingly firm and stubborn. The moment Prime Minister Liu saw so many people kneeling before the palace gate, he knew things were about to go wrong. The guards following Prime Minister Liu were also at a loss. Although it would be an easy matter for them to deal with these scholars given their skills, these were not people they could casually touch. Without the Emperor’s explicit command, who would dare to touch so many scholars? If they did, it was feared that half the sky of Great Chu would be overturned.

Looking at the people kneeling on the ground, kowtowing and pleading, Prime Minister Liu had no choice but to send someone back to the palace to report to the Emperor.

Upon hearing the guard’s report, Mo Jingqi was so enraged that he almost passed out. Disregarding the injury to his shoulder, he hurried towards the palace gate with Noble Consort Liu. In this world, people were classified as scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, with scholars ranked first. To put it bluntly, the land of successive dynasties was governed by these scholars. If this group of people encountered any problems, the country would not be far from ruin. By the time Mo Jingqi arrived at the palace gate, in no more than half an hour, the number of people at the palace gate had more than doubled, and it looked as if more were continuously joining their ranks.

Upon seeing the Emperor come out, the begging crowd grew more agitated, screaming relentlessly for his mercy and justice, insisting on the Xu Family’s innocence. Their clamor made Mo Jingqi, whose body was already somewhat weakened from the fear and shock of the past few days, feel waves of dizziness.

"What’s going on?!" Mo Jingqi thundered.

A young man kneeling at the very front said loudly, "The Xu clan, since the founding of the nation, has served Great Chu loyally. Generations of Xu ancestors, furthermore, have taught and nurtured people, diligently cultivating talent for Great Chu. Their contributions will last for ages. May I ask, Your Majesty, what crime has the Xu clan committed to warrant the confiscation of their entire family’s property?"

Mo Jingqi choked for a moment, his inner fury growing. "The Xu clan plotted rebellion; their crime is worthy of death! All of you, as citizens of Great Chu, dare to plead for these rebel traitors?"

Someone from the crowd lifted his head and said, "If the Xu clan plotted rebellion, where is the evidence? We implore Your Majesty to present it!"

Hearing this, everyone kneeling before the palace gate cried out in unison, "We implore Your Majesty to present it!" The message was clear— if His Majesty could prove treason by the Xu Family, they would have nothing more to say.

Where would Mo Jingqi get any evidence? The initial charge against the Xu Family was not even treason. But agitated by these scholars, Mo Jingqi’s anger surged, and he paid no heed to other considerations, simply pinning the most serious crime on the Xu Family. Besides, declaring the Xu Family’s alleged collusion with Prince Ding would cause a stir among the people. Prince Ding’s popularity among them was no less than that of the Xu Family. That would likely cause another uproar.

"Outrageous! All of you, disperse at once, and I shall pardon your offenses!" Mo Jingqi demanded.

"The Xu clan is innocent! We implore Your Majesty to see clearly!" Those who dared to plead before the palace gate wouldn’t retreat just because of a few words from Mo Jingqi. There was an uproar at the palace gate. Even many ordinary citizens, hearing the news, rushed over, almost completely surrounding the palace gate, making it impassable. This made it even more difficult to take action.

"Your Majesty! For what crime does Your Majesty intend to confiscate the Xu Family’s property?" Suddenly, a resonant voice cut through the noise. The crowd parted to make way, and Old State Duke Hua, with his white hair and beard, strode forward majestically with a group of people. Mo Jingqi’s face turned as black as ink. He glared at Old State Duke Hua, who approached with a dragon’s gait and a tiger’s stride, and inwardly cursed him as an old fool who wouldn’t die. State Duke Hua stepped forward, lifted the hem of his robe, and knelt on the ground. "The Xu Family is loyal and righteous, and Mr. Qingyun’s reputation is renowned throughout the nations. I do not know what crime the Xu clan has committed to so enrage Your Majesty. We implore Your Majesty to clarify." Those who followed him included upright court officials, persons of high rank in the nobility and imperial family, and even old ministers of the previous emperor who had retired. These were all people who had a good relationship with Mr. Qingyun and the Xu Family. They all echoed his words in unison, demanding a clear answer from the Emperor.

Mo Jingqi exploded in anger, "The Xu clan plotted rebellion! State Duke Hua, are you trying to shield these traitors?!"

State Duke Hua looked up and said loudly, "If the Xu clan has truly plotted rebellion, this old subject is willing to be a vanguard and personally apprehend them, allowing Your Majesty to punish them as you see fit. But Your Majesty, where is the evidence?"

Mo Jingqi replied, "The Xu Family are the maternal grandparents of Ye Li, wife of Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao now occupies the Northwest and is clearly poised to oppose the Imperial Court. Shouldn’t the Xu Family’s assets be confiscated?"

State Duke Hua, unyielding, responded loudly, "Whether Prince Ding is an enemy of the court is not yet known. However, it is clear to everyone in the world that the Xu Family has never been overly close with Prince Ding’s Mansion, nor have they ever spoken a single good word for Prince Ding. Your Majesty, merely because of Prince Ding, intends to confiscate the assets of the Xu clan, who have nurtured countless talents for Great Chu. This is truly difficult for the people to accept!"

"You’re out of line, State Duke Hua!" Mo Jingqi’s chest heaved violently with anger. He pointed at State Duke Hua, speechless for a long moment. Noble Consort Liu, standing by his side, quickly reached out to support him. Mo Jingqi took a few deep breaths and was just about to speak when a eunuch’s somewhat shrill voice came from within the palace gate, "The Empress Dowager arrives! Her Highness the Empress arrives!"

Before he could even turn to look, another loud report came from the end of another street, "Eldest Princess Fuxi arrives! Eldest Princess Zhaoyang arrives!"

As if Heaven itself deemed Mo Jingqi not harried enough, just as he saw the processions of Eldest Princess Fuxi and Eldest Princess Zhaoyang slowly approaching, a clatter of hooves sounded from another street. The rider was none other than Prince Li, Mo Jingli, who had not returned to the Capital City for a long time. Mo Jingli leaped from his horse and, leading his men, strode quickly to the palace gate, arriving even before the Eldest Princesses.

"Your younger brother greets Your Imperial Brother. Your son pays respects to Mother Empress." Having completed his salutations, Mo Jingli rose and then smiled, "Why is it so lively at the palace gate? Imperial Brother, Mother Empress, Imperial Sister-in-Law, what are you and so many people doing here?"