LRAB Chapter 37 Emperor Qing: Kill!
Chapter 37 Emperor Qing: Kill!
The Imperial Study was deathly silent.
Emperor Qing's gaze slowly swept over Fan Jian, who was kneeling on the ground, and Chen Pingping, who was weeping with his eyes closed. His face was expressionless, only a bottomless coldness.
He didn't speak, but simply raised his hand and gestured to Eunuch Hou.
Eunuch Hou immediately understood, bowed and quickly walked to the imperial desk, took a blank imperial edict and a red ink pen, and respectfully laid them in front of Emperor Qing.
Emperor Qing picked up his brush, dipped it in cinnabar, and his wrist remained steady without trembling.
He wrote only one word on the bright yellow silk.
kill!
The brushstrokes are sharp and powerful, penetrating the paper; the intense red is like a pool of blood that has just been splashed and has not yet congealed.
After writing, he took out the imperial seal and slammed it down heavily.
When Eunuch Hou held the imperial edict in both hands, he felt as if the thin silk was as heavy as a thousand pounds.
He unfolded it as was his habit.
Just as he was about to read it aloud, his father-in-law felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave when his eyes fell on the scarlet character for "kill".
He hurriedly rolled up the imperial edict, almost staggered, and handed it to Chen Pingping.
Fan Jian had already stood up and walked a few steps to Chen Pingping's wheelchair.
Chen Pingping extended his slightly trembling hand, accepted the imperial edict, and slowly unfolded it together with Fan Jian.
On the enormous imperial edict, there was only one shocking word: "Kill." Apart from that, there was not a single other word.
kill……
Should everyone be killed?
Fan Jian suddenly looked up at Emperor Qing, his eyes bloodshot and his chest heaving violently.
Chen Pingping gripped the edge of the imperial edict with his fingers, his knuckles turning white.
Just then, Emperor Qing's calm yet icy voice rang out, breaking the almost stagnant atmosphere in the imperial study:
"Kill everyone outside the palace!"
"Clean it up thoroughly."
His gaze shifted to the direction of Chang Le Palace outside the window, his tone devoid of any emotion:
"As for the palace... leave it to me."
Chen Pingping and Fan Jian exchanged a glance, both seeing deep grief and resentment in each other's eyes.
They understood that the Empress Dowager and the Empress were ultimately not people they could touch.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Suppressing their surging emotions, the two responded in unison, their voices echoing in the empty imperial study.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Guangxin Palace, main hall.
The atmosphere was completely different from the somber atmosphere of the Imperial Study, yet it was equally tense.
Wu Feng and Chunmei were directing several maids to pack some necessary clothing and supplies into boxes.
Li Yunrui leaned against the soft couch.
Watching them busy, her plain white dress accentuated her slender figure, her face carrying a hint of languor, yet seemingly concealing a complex and subtle emotion.
She was going to leave the palace and stay at a villa in the suburbs of the capital for a while. She didn't plan to come back until the storm in the capital city had subsided.
Wu Feng asked her why, but she just smiled and didn't answer.
Actually, staying in Kyoto wouldn't have been a big problem. Given her status, this purge wouldn't have affected the Guangxin Palace in any way.
But she just didn't want to stay here.
While tidying up, Wu Feng found Aunt Mei.
"Sister Mei, there's something I'd like to ask of you," Wu Feng said in a low voice. "Please keep an eye out for when His Majesty goes to Chang Le Palace. As soon as His Majesty goes, please immediately send a message by carrier pigeon to my residence outside the city to inform me."
Mei gave him a deep look, but didn't ask him why.
Wu Feng is now the most favored person by His Highness's side, and his words, to some extent, represent His Highness's will.
She only needed to do as instructed.
"Okay, I've got it." Aunt Mei nodded in agreement.
As for whether the corpse could disappear just in time for Emperor Qing to visit Ye Qingmei, Wu Feng could only gamble on his luck.
Now that Emperor Qing, Fan Jian, and Chen Pingping have returned to the capital, the entire city's attention and undercurrents are focused on these three people who have the deepest relationship with Ye Qingmei.
The princess's carriage left the palace quietly, which did not attract much attention.
As the carriage drove out of the south gate of Kyoto, Li Yunrui gently lifted the curtain of the carriage and glanced back at the majestic city wall.
She chose to leave at this moment for two reasons.
Firstly, she knew very well that His Majesty and his men would definitely take action, and it would be a thunderous and bloody affair.
Kyoto, Guanzhong, Jiangnan... all the aristocratic families and powerful clans that participated, as well as the empress and empress dowager's influence outside the palace, will be uprooted and thoroughly cleansed.
But what happens after cleaning?
Your Majesty will face the predicament of having no one available.
Fan Jian and Chen Pingping's power is rooted in Ye Qingmei's legacy, and His Majesty cannot and will not rely on them completely for many things.
At that time, His Majesty will have no choice but to think of his younger sister.
She needs to wait outside the storm for the moment when she is needed.
As for the second...
She was somewhat afraid to see His Majesty at that moment.
She feared that her already twisted heart would, at that moment, feel an inappropriate tenderness and reluctance.
So she chose to escape, hiding in the outskirts of Beijing, away from the source that might shake her resolve.
The carriage rumbled along, heading towards the villa outside the city.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Almost at the same time that Li Yunrui drove out of the city.
The imperial edict with the word "kill" in the hands of Chen Pingping and Fan Jian transformed into a bloodbath that swept through the capital and beyond.
The elite Tiger Guards, in coordination with the Imperial Censorate's forces, operated like a highly sophisticated killing machine, simultaneously striking both inside and outside Kyoto.
The Empress's family residence, the Empress Dowager's relatives' residences in the capital, and all the strongholds of family forces that had previously reached out to Taiping Villa were instantly surrounded by heavy troops.
Screams, clashing swords, and desperate cries replaced the former prosperity and tranquility.
These forces that were purged were completely bewildered.
They couldn't believe it. Ye Qingmei was clearly dead, so why would His Majesty still slaughter them, these meritorious officials, so recklessly?
Didn't the Empress and Empress Dowager promise that after this matter, His Majesty would not only not punish them, but would instead rely on them?
Where exactly did things go wrong?
No one could answer them.
The black cavalry's iron hooves have already set foot on the official roads leading to Guanzhong and Jiangnan, bringing with them the same cold and ruthless orders to slaughter.
A bloody purge targeting the old nobility and those involved in the attack unfolded without warning and with swift force.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Three days later, at Weiyang Palace.
The empress seemed to have gone completely mad.
Her once elegant and splendid hair was now disheveled, and the heaving chest beneath her dark gold palace dress revealed her extreme excitement and fear.
She tried to rush towards the palace gates time and time again, but was stopped by the expressionless imperial guards each time.
"Let me out! I am the Empress! I demand to see His Majesty!" Her voice was hoarse and shrill, trembling with a desperate sob. "Li Yunqian! Why are you so cruel! Why?!"
She received the news that her family, her maternal clan, and all the forces that depended on her, regardless of their relationship to her, had been slaughtered in the past three days!
Her residence, Weiyang Palace, had long been surrounded by the Imperial Guards by order of Emperor Qing, resembling a prison.
The Imperial Guard soldiers stood like iron statues, unmoved by her cries and curses.
The palace gates were tightly shut, isolating her despair and madness within the magnificent palace.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Chang Le Palace.
Compared to the bloodshed and chaos outside and the collapse and madness of Weiyang Palace, this place was unusually quiet.
It was even so quiet it was somewhat oppressive.
Three days after returning to the capital, and after handling the most urgent purge orders, Emperor Qing finally stepped through the gates of Chang Le Palace to see his mother.