lcionline Chapter 190 Emperor Longyun has achieved balance.
Chapter 190 Emperor Longyun has achieved balance.
Upstairs in the private room, Emperor Longyun, who had been waiting for a long time, finally got up slowly, pushed aside Lin Shiming who was happily peering out the window, and took the best spot with the best view.
Squeezed aside, Lin Shiming angrily raised his fist and waved it in front of Emperor Longyun, but the next second, under Emperor Longyun's amused gaze, he reluctantly switched to another window.
Lu Yuxi, who was waiting in the new place, was prepared. She smiled and made room for Lin Shiming, then half-encircled him in her arms.
Lin Yunyue, looking out from the other window, glanced over and followed suit, pulling Zhang Ting into his arms as well. Then he received an elbow to the head.
"His Majesty is also present in front of the child, what are you doing!"
Emperor Longyun cast a gloating glance at Lin Yunyue, who rubbed his aching stomach in grievance, but still obediently stood in front of the window and looked down.
The time was approaching, and the crowd downstairs had gradually quieted down.
The executioner looked up at the small sundial in front of him to determine the time, then gestured to the executioner before rising to read the verdict.
"...The commoner Qin Hanzhang plotted rebellion, murdered the emperor, and harmed the crown prince. His crimes are numerous... His Majesty has personally sentenced him to be beheaded and his head displayed to the public."
The crowd erupted instantly, and within moments, it was a cacophony of voices. Countless accusations, curses, and verbal insults poured in from all directions, crashing down on Qin Hanzhang's heart like a torrential downpour.
Qin Hanzhang, kneeling in the center of the execution ground, trembled all over.
In a daze, she seemed to see the scene of herself being successively named Crown Princess, Empress, and even Empress Dowager.
The same level of public attention, yet a world of difference.
How did I become like this? I shouldn't be like this...
I should be the Empress Dowager, handpicked by the founding emperor, a chosen one of heaven, a model woman whose virtues will endure for a thousand years, her name forever remembered, not the wicked woman I am today, condemned by all…
After a few days of quiet reflection, Qin Hanzhang's emotions surged again. He tried to raise his head, but all he saw was a vast sea of people, all filled with disgusted looks.
"cut--"
Upstairs, Emperor Longyun gripped the windowsill tightly with both hands, his palms turning white, and then faint streaks of blood trickled down.
The crowd fell silent.
The executioner spat a mouthful of wine on his blade, then raised it high.
A flash of white light streaked past, and blood splattered everywhere.
Emperor Longyun's tense body gradually relaxed, and his hands finally loosened.
He murmured, "Finally, it's finally over..."
*
It is the hour of You.
The Hall of Central Harmony has become lively.
As is customary, a banquet is held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony at the Imperial Palace on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month every year, where the emperor and his officials celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together. Throughout the year, there are only two major banquets in the palace, one for the Mid-Autumn Festival and one for New Year's Eve, which are generally indispensable.
In the past, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was always organized by the Empress. Now that the Empress has officially passed away, the task of organizing the banquet naturally falls to Lin Shiming.
In fact, according to the national mourning period, banquets are prohibited within three months of the Empress's death. However, Bai Qiongzhu left a will in advance to simplify the funeral arrangements, so the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was still held as usual at the end of the three-month mourning period. However, the scale was much smaller, and singing, dancing and drinking were also prohibited, which was good news for Lin Shiming.
After much preparation, by early 7 PM, the sun had already set and the bright moon had risen, and this year's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet finally began.
Although Qin Hanzhang had just been executed at noon today, and Prince Ping had also given him poisoned wine, and many implicated ministers had been either killed or demoted, the remaining people dared not show any unusual expression to provoke Emperor Longyun. Everyone attending the banquet was all smiles, and the atmosphere was peaceful, treating today's Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet as Emperor Longyun's victory celebration.
Without song and dance to entertain the guests, the palace banquet couldn't just be a dry meal and prayers. After the emperor and his ministers exchanged greetings, the men and women of the banquet sat separately. Some composed poems on the theme of the moon, while others admired the moon, drank tea, and chatted about the past. For a time, the emperor and his ministers were harmonious and happy.
Lin Shiming naturally had no interest in dabbling in the refined manners of those old scholars, nor in engaging in the petty squabbles of the noblewomen. He had forgotten his past mistakes and hadn't even remembered his promise to Lu Yuxi to stay away from Lou Yun Su. He happily went out of the palace with his arm around someone's shoulder to find some fun.
The poor Crown Prince was left all alone, drinking tea in his seat. Finally, it was the equally lonely Emperor Longyun who summoned Lu Yuxi and Lin Shihe to his side.
"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions. It's just a pity that the three of us, who are all alone, can only find solace in each other."
Lu Yuxi nodded in agreement, looked in the direction of the palace gate, and sighed resentfully.
Lin Shihe took a sip of tea without changing his expression. "Your Majesty and Your Highness are 'lonely men,' so please don't include me in that. I have a wife and children. If Your Majesty hadn't summoned me, I would be enjoying tea with my wife right now."
Instead of coming here to listen to you two, this "resentful husband and son," pour out your grievances!
"Besides, His Highness the Crown Prince is only temporarily alone. After the palace banquet, won't the spring night still be too short?"
As he spoke, he glanced indifferently at Emperor Longyun, the meaning of which was self-evident.
There are three people, but you are actually the only one who is "all alone".
Emperor Longyun's smile froze on his face, and his grip on the cup tightened.
Lu Yuxi looked away, trying her best to minimize her presence.
Damn it, none of the three members of the Lin family—father and sons—are any good! They're all here to cause me trouble!
Emperor Longyun pondered for a long time and still felt that Lin Shi and this little fox were much smarter than his younger brother and should not be easily provoked. It was best not to invite trouble for himself today.
He forced himself to swallow his anger and changed the subject, "I told you to keep an eye on the sixth prince, how's that going?"
Lin Shihe pointed in one direction with the hand holding the teacup, "That's not it."
The Sixth Prince and his wife did not participate in any activities; they simply sat in their seats eating and drinking tea. Upon closer inspection, the two were eight zhang apart, as if they were strangers.
At least I can wait a year to see Zitong and be loving and affectionate. But they seem destined to hate each other for life. That's what you call a "lonely man"!
Emperor Longyun achieved balance.
Emperor Longyun: "What can you tell just by looking? Explain in detail."
Lu Yuxi tentatively interjected, "Father, Sixth Brother is also your own son." Don't be so heartless while watching the show!
"Hmph." Emperor Longyun added a piece of food to his mouth and ate it slowly. "When he was watching the second son plot rebellion and murder the emperor from behind, knowing the truth but not reporting it and even interfering, waiting to take advantage of the situation, he didn't think that I was his real father."
If this person's methods weren't so underhanded and opportunistic, making it difficult to find evidence, he would have dealt with him long ago.
Although Emperor Longyun was fair to all his sons, favoring his eldest son and daughter, he was not without fatherly affection for his sons. He let them marry and arrange marriages as they pleased, and they received all the benefits they were entitled to. Before they had their own ulterior motives, Emperor Longyun even made time to visit each of his sons every month.
Even King Ping was only given poisoned wine after being convicted of treason and murdering the emperor, and was punished for multiple crimes.
Lu Yuxi was naturally aware of these things as well.
"Crown Prince," Emperor Longyun tapped Lu Yuxi's head, "I'm telling you, as an emperor, you shouldn't unjustly suspect and suppress your ministers. But you can't show the slightest kindness to anyone with impure intentions, especially those you've already taken action against. How can you control an empire if you're soft-hearted and lenient?"
Lu Yuxi quickly bowed his head and clasped his hands, saying, "Your subject knows his mistake."
"To admit your mistake is too lenient. I punish you by making you copy military texts at the Fengxian Hall tonight." After taking another bite of food, Emperor Longyun finally revealed his true colors. "You are not allowed to have the Crown Princess accompany you!"
Lu Yuxi, who was feeling extremely apprehensive and humbly admitting her mistake, was speechless.
Lin Shihe chuckled softly but remained silent.