Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 379 Under an Iron Fist

Upon returning to the sleeping quarters, the tense atmosphere in Chenghui Palace dissipated.

Li Zhao took off his inner garment, revealing his strong and muscular back.

Below his shoulder blade, a ridge-shaped bruise about an inch wide stretched out, its edges swollen and its color a deep purple, clearly the wound inflicted by the Grand Princess's golden mace.

"You still say you're fine?"

Xue Sui's breath hitched, and he gestured for Xiao Zhao to fetch the medicinal oil for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.

"Without medicine, this injury probably won't heal for ten days or half a month."

Li Zhao turned to look at her, chuckling, "This little bit of physical pain is worth it for the peace and care you receive..."

Ruyi, who was listening nearby, blushed and hurriedly lowered her head, pursing her lips and secretly smiling.

Xue Sui glared at him, silently poured the medicated oil into her palm, rubbed it to warm it, and then steadily pressed it onto her palm.

"hiss--"

Li Zhao's shoulder and back muscles suddenly tensed up.

It wasn't the extreme pain, but rather the warmth of the palm against my back, like a strange penetrating force, tingling and soft, seeping into my bones along my muscles...

He couldn't take it anymore.

"Your Highness, please bear with it." Xue Sui thought he was in great pain, so he frowned slightly, slowed down the pressure of his fingertips, and gradually increased the pressure as he massaged and pressed.

"If the blood clots don't clear up, the pain will be even worse tomorrow."

"Hmm..." Li Zhao's jaw tightened, and a fine layer of sweat gradually seeped from his forehead, a stark contrast to his calm demeanor when he took the blow from the golden mace.

Xue Sui listened to his suppressed gasps and slightly pursed her lips.

"Now you feel pain?"

"Alright, that's enough..." Li Zhao gritted his teeth, his voice escaping from between his teeth, trying to stop her.

"Does it really hurt that much? You're so pathetic!" Xue Sui said, somewhat puzzled.

"You woman..."

Each massage felt like a gentle knife, scraping his heart and making it tremble, yet she still questioned him?
Li Zhao reached behind him, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her closer. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was low and hoarse, "If you keep rubbing like this, I'm afraid my willpower will be exhausted..."

Xue Sui's fingertips trembled, so he simply poured some more medicated oil into his palm and applied the pressure steadily.

"Endure the pain, no matter how much it hurts. How will we deal with Xiao Yan's uprising if our injuries don't heal?"

She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting small shadows beneath them.

"The rebels are approaching. If the capital is thrown into turmoil, and we are attacked from both inside and outside, the consequences will be unimaginable..."

Before the words were finished, a series of hurried footsteps shattered the tranquility.

"Your Highness... an urgent report!"

Guan Ya jogged into the hall, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and solemnly said:

"Your Highness! Xiao Yan has truly rebelled—he has mobilized all the troops from the three towns of Longyou, Yunzhong, and Hehuang, claiming to have 100,000 iron cavalry. He has already broken camp and marched eastward, posting proclamations along the way, inciting the prefectures and counties, and declaring... to purge the court of corrupt officials and punish the evil ones... This is... this is the rebel army's proclamation..."

He presented a scroll of silk with both hands.

Li Zhao narrowed his eyes slightly, his languid demeanor vanished, and a fierce aura suddenly arose.

He didn't speak, but got up and took the clean clothes that Laifu had brought. He put on the clothes and tied the belt neatly while coldly scolding him.

"A clown jumping around, a cornered beast still fighting."

After fastening his jade belt, he took the silk scroll and unfolded it.

The proclamation was extremely inflammatory, accusing Li Zhao of "imprisoning the emperor and father, employing cruel officials, favoring wicked women, and corrupting the court." Every word pointed to Xue Sui as the scapegoat, directly comparing her to Daji and Bao Si, claiming she was the root cause of the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people, and the reason why loyal officials were forced to rebel.

"What a righteous army!"

Li Zhao was so angry that he laughed and suddenly threw the silk book to the ground.

Xue Sui calmly bent down to pick it up, glanced at the glaring words, and actually laughed.

"I never imagined that I, Xue Liu, would one day stand shoulder to shoulder with Daji and Bao Si."

Li Zhaojian frowned deeply. "You can still laugh?"

Xue Sui winked at him with a hint of mockery, "Why don't you smile when someone flatters me like this? At least you're a beauty who has caused a disaster, so I don't have to go through all the trouble of proving that I'm not that ugly. It's a good thing."

"..." Li Zhao gave her a deep look.

That smile strangely soothed his anger.

He looked at Guan Ya with a serious expression.

"Immediately issue the order! Imprison all of Xiao's relatives in the capital, regardless of age or gender... Search the mansion inside and out, and execute anyone with official seals or who has colluded with the rebels without mercy."

"That Grand Princess..."

"Increase the number of guards; allow entry but not exit."

Li Zhao paused, then continued, "I hereby order the Ministry of War to issue a proclamation throughout the land, stating that Xiao Yan, with his military power, has brazenly plotted rebellion and is truly the ringleader of a traitor who has brought disaster to the country and its people. Any generals in the three towns under his control who abandon their allegiance to the Ming will be richly rewarded and given important positions, and their past transgressions will be forgiven. Those who remain obstinate and join the rebellion will have their entire families executed without exception..."

"Yes!"

"Order the generals guarding the passes along the way to hold their positions and await reinforcements. Anyone who retreats even a step will be executed!"

"Your subordinate obeys." Guan Ya responded sternly, then turned and ran off.

The wind outside the window grew stronger, and the sky was shrouded in gloom.

Once the storm begins, it won't stop at the temples.

As Xue Sui had predicted, news of Xiao Yan's uprising and his direct advance towards the capital spread throughout the entire capital city in less than three days.

With war looming, a tremendous panic silently spread and fermented in the streets and alleys, while rumors even more insidious than war surged forth, becoming increasingly rampant...

"A beautiful woman, she shifts the blame eastward. The crown prince is infatuated with her, and loyal officials are disheartened."

"An ominous aura obscures the sun, war breaks out on all sides. A beautiful woman brings ruin, and the nation is on the verge of collapse..."

Foul language and vulgar, defamatory poems were plastered on the walls of teahouses and taverns overnight, and even brazenly appeared on notice boards in the market.

Under the guidance of certain individuals, the people, filled with anxiety and unease about the war, poured out their pent-up resentment and unease through their words, endlessly cursing the wicked and treacherous woman who brought ruin to the country...
-
The air in the Crown Prince's study was as still as lead.

“Your Highness…” Mei Ruhui forced a smile, his face betraying his anxiety: “In the capital…rumors are rampant. They’re pointing the finger at Miss Xue…saying that Xiao Yan’s sudden uprising was because His Highness the Crown Prince…was bewitched by a woman…”

Li Zhaoduan sat at his desk, looking at the urgent report from the western military town without even raising his head.

"Investigate! Those who posted it, those who spread it, those who fabricated it—not a single one will escape. Anyone who speaks ill of the Crown Prince's Palace or slanders the Crown Princess will be punished as an accomplice to treason..."

"Your Highness, you mustn't..." Mei Ruhui stepped forward anxiously, almost kneeling down. "If we were to use harsh punishments now, it would only add fuel to the fire, intensify public resentment, and play right into Xiao Yan's hands... Rumors are like wildfire, and they can't be suppressed..."

"Even if we can't suppress it, we must suppress it." Li Zhao slammed down the wolf-hair brush, the ink almost splashing onto the hem of Mei Ruhui's robe.

"How can I allow petty people to slander my actions? Go and do it!"

Mei Ruhui's Adam's apple bobbed, and in the end he could only bow and say, "Yes."
-
The Crown Prince's will once again manifested as a cold, iron fist.

In the streets and alleys of the capital, heavily armed imperial guards frequently went out to tear up defamatory articles, shut down teahouses that spread rumors, and arrest idlers who fanned the flames...

The atmosphere was tense and the country was in turmoil.

The fire was ultimately extinguished...

However, even beneath the ashes, embers still flickered.

The following evening, Zhou Zhengping, the Imperial Censor known for his outspoken remonstrances, took off his official robes, held a letter of remonstrance in his hands, and knelt beneath the white marble steps of the Eastern Palace. Tears streamed down his face, and his voice was filled with grief.

"This old minister, Zhou Zhengping, tearfully begs Your Highness—to repent and punish this vixen to atone for your sins. Ancient wisdom teaches that beautiful women bring ruin… King Zhou of Shang perished because of his infatuation with Daji, and King You of Zhou was destroyed because of his infatuation with Bao Si. Now, Xiao Yan has raised an army, wreaking havoc on the state, shaking the world, and causing immense suffering to the people. The root of all this is Your Highness's infatuation with beauty and your past moral failings… The century-old foundation and glorious reign of our Great Liang cannot be destroyed in an instant… Today… this old minister risks his life to remonstrate, hoping Your Highness will pull back from the brink, punish the wicked, and restore order to the court… Otherwise, this old minister will die with regrets… Your Highness…"

Before the words had even faded, under the horrified gazes of the surrounding guards, this elderly minister, well past sixty, used all his strength to ram his head against the cold, coiled dragon stone wall.

"boom!"

The dull thud sent a chill down one's spine.

Blood gushed out, staining Zhou Zhengping's graying temples red...

His eyes widened, and his body went limp as he collapsed, the letter of advice he had been clutching tightly in his hand stained with blood, falling heavily onto the blue bricks...

"Foolish!" Upon hearing the news, Li Zhao rushed out, his face turning ashen as he looked at the glaring crimson.

"My lord, there are traitors right in front of us. They are setting a trap, framing us, and turning black into white. Can't you even see that?"

Zhou Zhengping was still breathing, his lips moving as if he were still silently telling something.

Li Zhao closed his eyes and said sternly, "Guards, carry Lord Zhou into the side hall and summon the imperial physician... spare no effort to save him."

(End of this chapter)