Chapter 728 – The Emperor’s Fall, Chenzhou’s Imperial City Breached (Part 1)
Time flew by, and in eleven days, the allied forces of “Unity” finally breached the Jia Gate. That very night, they celebrated wildly, singing and dancing.
Seeing this, Huang Song and several of his confidant strategists sighed in exasperation.
“These fools took eleven days to break Jia Gate and still think there’s something worth celebrating…”
Huang Song angrily slammed the table, the distant sounds of silk and bamboo music drifting in and nagging at his ears, leaving him restless.
Feng Jue and the others could only exchange bitter smiles. Was there really any difference between the allied forces and mud that couldn’t be propped up?
“Our army will set out over Jia Gate tomorrow. I just hope it’s not too late—” Feng Jue sighed.
Cheng Jing lowered his gaze and said coldly, “How could it still not be too late? The Chenzhou Imperial City is probably already in critical condition… Ugh, these shortsighted pests still gloat here. If called ‘self-satisfied’ who would dare admit it? Now, we can only pin our hopes on Liu Xi and Yang Jian, hoping they’re fast enough. Even if they can’t save Chenzhou Imperial City, they must save His Majesty…”
Given that the five nations had been established for a brief period and the gentry’s family education, the scholarly elite showed low loyalty to the state.
Cheng Jing and Feng Jue were typical representatives of this sentiment.
To them, the royal family was bound to fall sooner or later, but it better not be now.
With the Emperor of Dongqing still alive, some powers could be kept in check for the time being. If the Emperor were to completely perish, Dongqing would plunge into an era of feudal lord fragmentation. For Huang Song, there was still the need to develop further in hiding; the Emperor was essential.
Feng Jue snorted coldly with evident sarcasm, “Let’s hope for the best, may heaven bless Dongqing.”
Yet heaven did not stand on Dongqing’s side; the kingdom’s fortune was at its end, and no matter how hard they tried, it would only be a mere struggle to survive.
On the second day after the allied forces broke through Jia Gate, they marched through triumphantly, while Chenzhou Imperial City was already in a state of emergency.
Ever since the capital was relocated to Chenzhou, the Emperor was keen on major constructions to transform Chenzhou Imperial City into another capital.
However, the state treasury was empty, and Changshou Wang took the opportunity to interfere; most of the silver could only be poured into the army.
Due to insufficient funds for large-scale construction, the Emperor and his countless concubines were forced to live in the Chenzhou Temporary Palace as a makeshift imperial residence.
Though referred to as a temporary palace, its opulence was on par with the former capital palace, allowing the Emperor and his concubines to continue living lives of excess and indulgence. The Emperor was indifferent to the dire battles outside, focusing solely on his own pleasures, immersing in a world of beauty, wine, and feasting.
Such lavish living required financial support, but how could he possibly gather enough funds for his extravagance?
The Emperor brazenly moved the previously covert sale of official titles out into the open, publicly pricing every official rank. It was a grotesque display that made the gentry lament.
Around the Emperor were three thousand beauties, but the one he cherished most was none other than the former imperial noble consort, now Empress Hui Jun!
When this Empress was mentioned, many officials felt both love and hatred, grinding their teeth in frustration.
Why the mixture of emotions?
Because, whenever she was present, the Emperor’s violent temper would be greatly tempered, and he wouldn’t lash out and behead people at a whim.
Countless officials owed their lives to the presence of Empress Hui Jun, who would plead for mercy whenever the Emperor raged. Without her, their families would have faced death sentences!
Logically, given the favor they received, why did they still resent her?
It was because when she was still a noble consort, she had schemed to poison and murder the former empress, seducing the Crown Prince, causing a rift between the Emperor and Crown Prince, leading to an estrangement that culminated in the Crown Prince’s entire family being stripped of their titles and dying miserably!
And what about the Crown Prince himself?
He was executed with a single sword strike by the furious Emperor, leaving him unable to close his eyes in death.
As for the Second Prince and Third Prince, as well as the Fourth Prince Wu Ma Jun, they faced similarly grim fates.
The Second Prince was found to have used witchcraft to harm the Emperor and Empress Hui Jun, leading to the extermination of his family for his crimes.
The Third Prince had a weak presence, but his status was the highest, as his mother hailed from the Feng side branch. He was accused of seducing his stepmother, causing a scandal in the palace with the Emperor’s new favorite, leading to his identity being revoked and him being reduced to a commoner.
As for the Fourth Prince Wu Ma Jun, his outcome was also unfortunate.
One day, he drunkenly ran out of the residence, got lost, and was crushed by several passing carts, leaving him crippled.
Many officials investigated, pointing fingers at Empress Hui Jun, but the Emperor, infatuated with her, ignored their words completely.
The court was in chaos, and the public was anxious.
The Cangzhou Meng Clan turned against the Emperor overnight, the once-declining Changshou Wang made a comeback, forcing the Chenzhou army into retreat.
The Emperor drank to forget his worries, while Hui Jun spent all her time clinging to him, dismissing all the ministers who sought an audience.
Currently, Hui Jun seduced to the core, her demeanor a mix of disdain and allure, her eyes filled with tantalizing charm.
She spoke to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, they’re shouting outside again. Day after day, isn’t it bothersome?”
“If Jun’er doesn’t like it, have a little eunuch drive them out.”
The Emperor, dazed and intoxicated, caressed Hui Jun’s soft hand; thinking of those babbling officials only served to irritate him further.
Each day, terrible news arrived from the frontlines, and those ministers couldn’t help ease his worries, yet they insisted on meddling with his personal affairs, really getting under his skin. Thus, he preferred to stay with Hui Jun, relishing her body, listening to her sweet words, indulging in ephemeral pleasures, welcoming death if it came, without a care for those annoying officials outside.
Hui Jun smiled, truly a beauty who could topple a city with a single grin.
“Your Majesty, it’s best you go outside and have a look. If you keep lingering here with me, the ministers will likely talk poorly about me again.”
The more gracious she was, the more loathing the Emperor felt for those ministers.
With a fierce gaze, the Emperor retorted, “No need! Let them kneel and die outside! They’re useless, unable to ease my worries, and only bring me trouble. If not for Jun’er pleading for them numerous times, their heads would have rolled long ago, and they wouldn’t be out there making noise!”
Hui Jun understood him well, saying, “As His Majesty’s pillow companion, how could I not understand your worries? However, these ministers are the pillars of the nation. If something goes wrong while they’re kneeling outside, they’ll only add more false accusations against me… Alas…”
The Emperor, filled with affection, wrapped his hands around her delicate fingers, his heart swelling with satisfaction.
“They misunderstand Jun’er so; still, you plead for them… But all those ungrateful wolves outside aren’t worth your concern!” The Emperor frowned inwardly, growing more and more resentful of those oblivious ministers. “Jun’er is the best.”
Hui Jun said, “One can’t completely blame the ministers; with several princes facing calamities, I am indeed the most suspicious one.”
