The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 76 - 75
Chapter 75
To the east of the Qingzhou Region lay the land of the Basui Region. This region was relatively large, with extensive territories rich in natural resources. The citizens were prosperous and free from hunger, and natural disasters were rare, making it an enviably fertile land.
When the populace’s well-being was secured, the economy flourished, and the region’s military became stronger. The emperor had consistently increased the budget for the training and maintenance of the army each year, making the Basui Region’s military renowned for its strength throughout neighboring regions. Both in wealth and military might, Basui Region surpassed all its neighbors, which was why no one had dared to invade their land for the past hundred years, fearing their power.
However, with great power came the desire for dominance. Every dynastic change was marked by fierce struggles, often leaving only one heir to the throne as the victor.
The same was true in the current reign. The Emperor had had only a few sons, and over the past ten years, they had perished one by one, leaving only the eldest prince and the third prince that survived until now.
The eldest prince, Ke Nanlong, was the son of Gui Fei. He was highly accomplished and praised as a brilliant scholar akin to a chief strategist of the land. He was well-regarded among the populace, known for his kindness and concern for the people.
The third prince, Ke Tianjin, was the son of Xian Fei[1]. Although not as famous among the populace, he was highly respected by the nobility for his top martial prowess, earning widespread recognition for his achievements.
Both princes excelled in different areas, and the royal court was divided into factions supporting each prince. However, there remained a neutral group, still hopeful for the true heir to the throne...
Lu Jiu, having traveled tirelessly for over three months, finally reached the capital of Basui Region. Throughout his journey, he faced numerous obstacles, especially assassins sent to kill him and prevent him from reaching the capital. Since setting foot in Basui Region, Lu Jiu had had to kill countless enemies, shedding blood throughout his path, the stench of which now clings permanently to him.
As Lu Jiu arrived at a large official’s manor, he followed the imperial guards who had been sent to escort him from Qingzhou Region. Inside, an elderly man sat waiting for him in the corner of the room, surrounded by a group of men in their forties, who seemed to be awaiting his arrival.
When they saw Lu Jiu, their eyes filled with a mixture of joy and apprehension, especially the old man at the corner who scrutinized the tall figure in black before him with complex emotions. As his gaze rested on the half-revealed face of the young man outside his mask, memories of his daughter flooded his mind.
He looked...just like his mother.
"Ren’er..."
The old man croaked, rising and walking to the tall figure before him while extending a hand to touch the half-uncovered face with a distant look in his eyes.
Lu Jiu stepped aside to the left, avoiding the hand, and bowed his head in respect, his voice cold. "Grandson greets you, Grandfather."
The sixty-year-old principal commander snapped back to reality, a bitter smile appearing on his face. Even now, his only grandson had not forgiven him.
"Jiaren, you have finally returned. I was so worried about you."
"You chose to abandon my mother and me that day. To say you were worried now is rather nonsense," Lu Jiu retorted without giving face. To him, either relatives, a grandfather, or even a father, he could no longer consider them as family since his mother had passed away.
Sensing the growing tension in the room, the elder officials quickly interjected, "We pay our respects to Your Highness, the Crown Prince."
Lu Jiu cast a cold glance at the officials before dismissively waving his hand. "No need for such formalities..."
"Thank you, Your Highness," they replied, standing up with visible relief. Many of them couldn’t hide their joy. The situation in the royal court had been reaching a crisis, and the Crown Prince’s return meant they no longer had to worry themselves to the point of sleeplessness.
"Take the Crown Prince to rest. He must be tired from the long journey. Tomorrow morning, he will need to meet His Majesty at the throne room,"
The elderly commander, Du Chisuan, who was Lu Jiu’s maternal grandfather, instructed the two imperial guards who had accompanied Lu Jiu. He understood that his grandson was not ready to discuss anything with them yet. The matter of their relationship would have to be set aside for now.
"Yes, sir," the man in black replied respectfully and led Lu Jiu to his quarters.
As Lu Jiu followed to the familiar large quarters, memories from the past surged in his mind non-stop. When he was young, his mother would occasionally take him out of the palace to visit the Du family manor, her maternal home. This quarter was her old residence where she had lived since she was a child.
Whenever he had free time, he would come here to play and stay overnight. Those were such happy memories. However, standing in front of the familiar quarters now, Lu Jiu felt a chill, as if he were stepping back into a nightmare that had once haunted him. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
“If Your Highness needs anything, you can command me at any time,” the imperial guard said, bowing and clasping his hands together. However, he received only silence in response. When he looked up again, he saw that the Crown Prince had already entered the residence, leaving only the air in front of him.
Lu Jiu walked through the inner rooms, relying on his memories. The furniture and items remained untouched, as if no one had dared to move anything in this quarter. He continued to the inner bath chamber to cleanse himself.
He soaked in a large tub to relax, the warm water soothing his tense and aching muscles greatly. Lu Jiu removed his mask and placed it on a wooden shelf beside him, revealing a face marred by terrifying burn scars. Leaning his head against the edge of the tub, his usually stoic face showed signs of exhaustion.
Originally named Ke Jiaren, Lu Jiu was the son of the late Empress Du, who passed away six years ago, and he was also the fourth prince who had been formally appointed as the Crown Prince due to his status as the Empress’s son. However, six years ago, a fire at their private residence outside the palace had resulted in a great loss for the royal family.
Not only did the fire claim the life of Empress Du, but the life or death of fourteen-year-old Crown Prince was also uncertain. Rumors spread that Ke Jiaren had been incinerated that even his skeleton had not remained or had managed to escape but disappeared without a trace; all this became unproven truth up until today.
Various factions sent people to search for the Crown Prince tirelessly. Both Gui Fei and Xian Fei had the same goal, which was sending people to eliminate the Crown Prince completely!
In contrast, Du Chisuan, the Crown Prince’s grandfather, and loyal officials to the late Empress Du dispatched their own search parties to find and protect the Crown Prince, hoping to restore him to his rightful position. And finally, this day had come. Today marked the return of Crown Prince Ke Jiaren to the royal court!
Tomorrow, the faction supporting the Eldest Prince planned to present false evidence accusing the late Empress of adultery, seeking to dethrone the missing Crown Prince and force the Emperor to appoint a new Crown Prince inevitably according to the tradition!
In these past six years, the Emperor had remained indifferent about the heir. He had neither declared a new Crown Prince nor formally dismissed the missing Fourth Prince from his position, leading to growing impatience among officials and the two competing princes. Thus, they decided to act according to the plan.
Lu Jiu closed his eyes and let himself relax. His return was not driven by a desire to seize the throne but by a need to avenge his mother’s murder and repay the suffering he had endured!
The throne?
No!
He certainly did not want it!
However, because it was something his enemies desired, he would take it from them!
As he tried to clear his mind, a small face suddenly appeared in his thoughts, unbidden. The innocent face transformed into a cunning one, then into a sorrowful one. Lu Jiu was unaware that when Mu Yingying’s face emerged in his mind, the coldness in his heart dissipated completely,
As if she were the only light in his dark life for the past six years...
The Throne Room, Basui Region.
The next morning, the officials of the royal court rose early to dress and prepare to meet the Emperor in the throne room. Many knew that today would not be an ordinary day. If nothing went wrong, today’s events might change everything forever.
When they arrived at the throne room, they lined up according to their ranks. At the front, near the golden dragon throne, stood two handsome men who resembled each other in some ways. One always had a gentle smile on his face, while the other maintained a serious and stern expression all the time.
"The Emperor is arriving!"
The high-pitched voice of the eunuch announced the Emperor’s entrance. All the officials and the two men knelt and bowed, saying loudly in unison. "Long live the Emperor! Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years."
"You may rise,"
A deep voice commanded. Although the current Emperor was in his late forties, he remained physically robust. His handsome, chiseled face and calm, dark eyes made it difficult for anyone to read his emotions or thoughts.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," the officials and princes said in unison before standing up. Those aligned with the Eldest Prince exchanged glances, signaling to each other. The official responsible for investigating the matter immediately stepped forward to report.
"Your Majesty...the investigation into the rumors concerning Empress Du has been completed!"
"What did you find?" The Emperor raised his eyebrows slightly, showing no surprise. His expression remained calm and composed.
"The rumors about Empress Du’s adultery and the resulting illegitimate pregnancy, as well as the cover-up, have been thoroughly investigated by the Special Royal Page Unit. They discovered a critical piece of evidence, which was a final letter left by the guard who secretly had an affair with the Empress."
"After the rumors spread, the guard who had been stationed around Kunning Palace took his own life. However, when his residence was searched, a hidden compartment was found containing a letter that confirms their guilt."
The Emperor immediately furrowed his brows upon hearing that there was evidence. "What does the letter say?"
The official from the Bureau of Investigation glanced briefly at the smiling face of the Eldest Prince before lowering his head further and replying, "Your Majesty, it mentions...the location of a birthmark on the Empress’s body, beneath her clothes!"
At these words, the officials in the throne room broke into a commotion. The location of a birthmark in such an intimate place was typically known only to a mother or husband, and no other man could know of it unless he had seen it himself...
Du Chisuan, who stood in front of the martial officials, clenched his fists tightly, his body trembling with fuming rage. He, the father, knew his daughter better than anyone, but today he could do nothing but endure, waiting for the moment to restore justice for his poor daughter!
The Eldest Prince glanced at his father’s darkening face on the throne and then lowered his eyes, a malicious smile briefly appearing on his lips. Soon, when this plan succeeded, the position of Crown Prince would be within his grasp.
"Speaking ill of the Empress carries the penalty of having one’s tongue cut out and being exiled to the frontier as a slave, along with one’s entire family, for life. If you from the Bureau of Investigation still wish to continue speaking ill of the Empress...be my guest."
A cold voice suddenly echoed, drawing everyone’s attention. When they turned to see the tall figure dressed in black imperial robes embroidered with dragons, they were perplexed. But when they saw the half of his face that was exposed beyond the mask, many officials recoiled in shock.
Even the Emperor on the throne strained to see the face of the young man who boldly stepped into the throne room. His long brows knitted together, and his sharp eyes focused through the beaded curtain to the tall figure approaching.
"How dare you! Who are you!? Guards, seize him immediately!"
An official shouted at the young man, his face stern. But before the guards outside could enter the throne room, another voice thundered.
"You dare! In the presence of the Crown Prince, and you fail to show respect!"
Du Chisuan’s authoritative voice roared like thunder, striking everyone on the heads. The officials in the throne room were thrown into a frenzy of panic. Many wondered if they had misheard.
The Crown Prince?
Which Crown Prince?
Could it be the Crown Prince who disappeared years ago?
Not only the officials but even the two princes froze in shock, their faces turning pale as they clearly saw the young man’s face. Although half of his face was covered by a mask, the exposed half bore a striking resemblance to the Emperor on the throne, almost a perfect copy of His Majesty!
The only distinguishing feature was his unique eyes, inherited from his late mother...
The Emperor stared at the figure of his son, who had been missing for over six years, with a mixture of emotions. His once-calm eyes now gleamed with a blend of joy and shock. His body trembled uncontrollably. When he locked eyes with the son who had inherited his mother’s eyes perfectly, his thick hands under his sleeves gripped the armrest of the throne tightly. He felt as if he could barely breathe, as if someone was squeezing his heart.
Lu Jiu, who had walked to the front of his father who he hadn’t seen for so long, merely looked at the man on the throne with cold eyes. He showed no respect or interest in the commotion within the throne room. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the official from the Bureau of Investigation who had been reporting.
The young man smirked coldly, his icy eyes fixed on that official, making the man shiver to his core. The official felt as if his body had suddenly become weak, his heart was weighed down by the pressure radiating from Lu Jiu.
“Well...won’t you continue?”
[1] Worthy Consort (賢妃; xián fēi) is one of the highest ranks of imperial consorts of China.
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