OBS Chapter 669: The Emperor Dies, and We Meet Again
Chapter 669: The Emperor Dies, and We Meet Again
When the ice and snow melt next spring, the roads open up, and the flowers bloom, the prince thought that his father would also leave him.
In the winter of the 34th year of the Shenwu reign, when the first snow was about to stop, Emperor Shenwu fell seriously ill and soon died.
Only two days later, the death knell in the palace rang again after just one year, and Emperor Shenwu passed away!
Many people did not react when they first heard the bell, and only realized after a moment that it was the death knell of the emperor!
When the emperor passed away, the whole nation was in mourning. The world turned upside down, the mountains and rivers changed color, and the sky and the earth were covered in silver. The imperial city was covered in a blanket of white, just like the scene when Empress Zhaoyi passed away the previous year.
In the Cining Palace, Empress Dowager Li was resting after drinking some medicine. When the palace bell rang, she was stunned for a moment. She was dazed for a moment, looking at Prince An who was also stunned. Suddenly, her whole body trembled, and her voice was filled with fear and anxiety: "Is this the palace's death knell? The emperor? It's the emperor... Impossible! Impossible! I am still alive!"
Empress Dowager Li struggled to get off the bed. She rolled off the bed and ran out barefoot, tears streaming down her face. "I want to go out! I want to go out! It's definitely not the emperor... It's definitely not..."
Outsiders are unaware of Empress Dowager Li's madness.
The Crown Prince presided over the funeral ceremony of Emperor Shenwu. In the Qianzheng Hall, the Seventh Prince rushed back from the border for thousands of miles. He was weathered and rushed into the palace. He threw himself in front of the emperor's coffin and burst into tears.
After the emperor's coffin had rested for 49 days, the crown prince personally carried the coffin to the imperial mausoleum. Only the crown prince, the seventh prince, and the seventh princess knew that the coffin actually contained only a strand of their father's white hair.
The real Emperor Shenwu was lying quietly in the secret room recuperating. Just after the New Year, when spring came back to the earth, the weather became slightly warmer, and the ice and snow melted a little, he couldn't wait to set off to the border to look for Lan Qingwu.
At this time, the crown prince had already ascended the throne. Only he, the seventh princess and the seventh prince consort quietly watched the departure of Emperor Shenwu outside the imperial city. The seventh prince followed his father closely and did not dare to relax for a moment. However, after Emperor Shenwu got on the carriage to the border, his expression became peaceful and calm, and his physical pain also improved a lot.
The Shenwu Emperor took the generals Qian Hui and Wei Yanting with him, along with Li Xiang and Li Zhong, one a prominent official and the other a covert official, from the palace. All the Phantom Guards, save for their respective leaders, were left to the next emperor upon his ascension. From then on, the new emperor could appoint his most trusted generals and eunuch leaders, controlling all power within and outside the palace, both overt and covert. Prince Ding followed silently behind the Shenwu Emperor's carriage. Upon learning of this, the Emperor said nothing; he was desperate to return home, consumed by anxiety and unable to care for anything else.
In early spring, the carriage stopped and started many times, and it took more than a month for Emperor Shenwu and his entourage to reach the border.
It was spring and flowers were blooming. Emperor Shenwu got off the carriage and walked step by step into the peach garden, where Lan Qingwu was waiting for him.
Ever since Emperor Shenwu stepped into the small peach garden, the colors in his eyes became richer bit by bit. Green leaves, red flowers, colorful butterflies, flying birds, warm breeze... slowly filled his eyes. Emperor Shenwu slowly walked towards the big peach tree. The breeze was blowing gently, the branches were creaking, and the peach petals were falling down.
Emperor Shenwu lifted his head and saw Lan Qingwu sitting on a branch of a peach tree, looking down at him with a faint smile. Everything in his eyes lost its color, and Lan Qingwu's surroundings were a blur. Only she remained clearly imprinted in his vision, her colors vibrant and her beauty unparalleled. So, Emperor Shenwu smiled, "Wei Ruo Ruo, have you been waiting for a long time? I'm here!"
Lan Qingwu lightly leaped down from the branch of the peach tree, her skirt swaying like waves, a sight beyond compare. She walked up to the Shenwu Emperor, looking at his still handsome face, his black hair now white, and gently stroked his snow-white hair. "Zhou Xuheng, you're finally here!"
Emperor Shenwu hugged Lan Qingwu tightly and said contentedly, "Yes! I'm finally here!"
I will never leave again!
In this small peach garden, they began to meet. They had broken up before, which was not only Lan Qingwu's nightmare but also the pain of Emperor Shenwu. They both tried their best to forget the past and worked together for many years. Now, they meet here again and will be together forever.
Lan Qingwu's singing softly rang in Emperor Shenwu's ears. Her voice was so touching that it seemed to snake its way into his heart, making it impossible for him to escape. Nor did he want to escape.
The world was silent, with only the sound of falling peach blossom petals. Silently and silently, they fell all over the two people hugging each other.
The truly great emperor, Shenwu Emperor Zhou Xuheng, passed away in the spring of the first year of Mingzhao. On the first day he entered the small peach garden that belonged to him and Lan Qingwu, he passed away, leaning against a large, leafy peach tree. His posture was relaxed and unhurried, just like when he first met Lan Qingwu, injured his leg and leaning against the peach tree to recuperate.
The seventh prince followed the Emperor Shenwu from beginning to end, and put the real Emperor Shenwu into the coffin. Following his father's last wishes, he buried his father and his mother together in an ice jade coffin, and chose a warm spring day for the burial. From then on, they will be together forever!
After many changes, the land gradually became known as the Peach Blossom Tomb. It is said that this is the burial place of a pair of lovers who lived and died together. And this place has been guarded by people for generations, who later became known as the Peach Blossom People.
The Taohua people guarded the Taohua Tomb, and they gradually formed a new powerful family here, which was passed down to later generations.
In the spring of the first year of Ming Zhao, in the Qianzheng Hall of the Imperial City, the young emperor, feeling uneasy, received a letter from the distant border. It was a letter from his younger brother, who had been canonized as Prince Jing by the new emperor. The new emperor seemed to be moved. He dismissed all the palace servants and eunuchs who served him. After opening the letter with trembling hands, he finally collapsed at his desk and burst into tears...
The letter contained only a few words:
Xiaoqi respectfully reports to my elder brother that my father passed away on the first day we arrived at Taoyuan on the border. I have followed my father's wishes and buried my parents together in an ice jade coffin under a big peach tree. I hope my elder brother will know and express my condolences!
The young emperor wept bitterly at his desk. "Father, Mother, you have finally met, and I—I have finally lost both my parents!" The sky above his head had finally collapsed, and from now on, he must become the new sky, the new earth, the new king, and continue to support the Dasheng Dynasty!
More than a month later, after the hundred-day mourning period for Emperor Shenwu, the Seventh Princess came to Qianzheng Hall to meet Emperor Mingzhao.
When she informed Emperor Ming Zhao of her decision, he almost lost his composure, "Yueyue, what did you say? You want to leave the imperial city? Travel around the world?"
The Seventh Princess, Zhou Chengyue, nodded firmly. "Yes! My Royal Brother, Yueyue has decided to travel the world with the Seventh Prince Consort. I want to see with my own eyes everything my mother has wished for in her life. I want Qingciyuan to be established all over the world, and I want to visit the Heli Bureaus and Women's Charity Schools in every city... As the daughter of my father and mother, as a princess, I have the responsibility and obligation to observe and promote the changes in this dynasty! My Royal Brother... you will support me and agree to it, right?"
Emperor Ming Zhao opened his mouth, somewhat bewilderedly asking, "But Yueyue, what about your husband? Does he agree? And what about his family?"
The Seventh Princess said, "He agrees! He's willing to travel the world with me. We've agreed to discuss the issue of succession in two or three years. He said he's a military commander, and now that the world is peaceful, there's no place for military commanders to use their skills. He's willing to work with me to do what we can! I've already arranged for someone to take care of the Qingci Temple in the Imperial City, and she'll keep in touch with me. My royal brother, the first place we need to go is the border. After we've guarded our father and mother for a few months, we'll tour the surrounding cities one by one! My royal brother, Yueyue will be back!"
"Yue Yue……"
Emperor Ming Zhao hugged his sister tightly in his arms: "Yueyue has grown up! I shouldn't... shouldn't restrain you anymore!"
"Royal brother, from now on you will be alone in the palace, so you must take good care of yourself! Yueyue will pray every day for your longevity and good health!"
Emperor Ming Zhao's heart tightened, but he reluctantly began to make plans for the Seventh Princess: "Yueyue is traveling abroad, and my brother will send a team of people to you and give you a token to command local officials to obey his orders. Also, you must not be wronged in terms of food, clothing, housing and transportation. As for your body odor, I will prepare a special perfume for you to cover it up so that nothing unexpected happens! And..."
The Seventh Princess burst into tears: "Royal brother...Brother Crown Prince...Remember, try to be happy! Father and Mother both want you to relax! Yueyue and Seventh Royal Brother will always be behind you to support you! Royal brother - take care!"
"In this short yet long life, we will all lose it in the end!"
Emperor Ming Zhao recalled what his father had said to him when he was still alive. Yes! He had been constantly losing his loved ones. They either left or passed away. After all, they had their own choices and lives.
The young emperor once again watched his sister go away from the high city wall. His handsome face had a straight nose, sword-like eyebrows, and facial features as deep as the mountains, which was awe-inspiring. His eyes were as deep as the night sky, dark and bottomless.
The Seventh Princess's worried words were still ringing in her ears: "Crown Prince, this is the last time Yueyue will call you this. Life is fleeting and unpredictable, just like the fleeting moments of time. Crown Prince, why don't you let go a little and not be trapped by the false friendships of the former dynasty and the harem? Try chasing a dream and falling in love with someone! Yueyue only hopes that you will be happy every day!"
Emperor Ming Zhao turned around and walked down the city wall. He walked slowly along the palace road and thought of his father.
The young Emperor Ming Zhao gazed toward the border, wondering if the peach blossoms would be in bloom when his father arrived at the Little Peach Orchard. Had he seen his mother? He even wondered, now that his father and mother had finally met, would they continue to enjoy plum wine and boat trips in the misty rain? Would the saplings they had planted together sprout this spring? But he was certain that they would have no regrets in their lives.
If they could do it again, they...
Emperor Ming Zhao did not understand the profound and heartbreaking feelings his parents felt; he only knew they deserved it. Unconsciously, he entered the Golden Throne Hall, a symbol of supreme imperial power. He ascended the Nine Dragon Jade Steps, stepped onto the elevated platform, and slowly sat upon the solemn and majestic Dragon Throne.
Emperor Ming Zhao wore a purple-gold crown and a black-gold robe. His features were deep, his eyebrows were sharp, and his eyes were like cold stars. He was handsome, heroic, and naturally noble, with an extraordinary aura! He looked down at everything below the high platform from a high position. At this moment when he gained supreme power, all his loved ones left him!
"Finally... I'm the only one left..."
The biting cold loneliness and solitude at the top surrounded Emperor Ming Zhao, making him silent and motionless for a long time.
The dynasty ruled by Emperor Shenwu ended, and the dynasty belonging to Emperor Mingzhao finally arrived!