Chapter 683 - Chaos In Jingdou, Swaying Red Candle(1/2)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
When the betrayal, subjugation, and broken borders were demonstrated in the Overwatch Council, Jingdou was enveloped in a strange and oppressive atmosphere. Naturally, the small court conference would not be held. Although each ministry and yamen carried on as usual, the shocking information that came out of the Royal Palace had long made the officials of the Qing Kingdom tremble. No one had any thoughts to spare for state affairs, and no one dared to whisper secretly in the yamen. Occasionally, there would be officials who got along well in private that would meet in an isolated location and mutually exchange the news they possessed.
The Emperor was almost assassinated! The evil and unforgivable treasonous renegade was Director Chen! Everyone found this information to be shocking and unbelievable. However, the reality was in front of their eyes. Other than feeling unsettled and shocked, the civil officials turned their gazes toward the Overwatch Council. They worried faintly whether the court would be able to control that Council under these circumstances.
historical
Fortunately, steady information flowed in without end. For now, it seemed these officials did not need to worry too much. In the morning, after the incident exploded, various ministers and dukes, as well as a few elders of the Hall of Governmental Affairs, all rushed to the Royal Palace. After a few hours, they left the Palace and began to deal with state affairs anew, leaving behind only Hu the Scholar to wait in the Royal Palace.
The foremost matter in the Qing court was to investigate Chen Pingping’s case of treason. All the yamen were mobilized. This was the first time the civil officials system independently investigated such an important case away from the gaze of the Overwatch Council. No one knew how the various yamens felt, whether, among the sorrow and shock, they also felt much more relaxed. However, the Emperor’s edict was clearly urgent, and cold. The so-called investigation was nothing more than a show.
In less than four hours, the various yamens of the Qing court, with the Supreme Court as the leader, drafted up a number of major crimes relating to Chen Pingping and sent it to the Royal Palace. However, it was immediately sent back. It was clear that the angry and heavily injured Emperor was not satisfied with the crimes these civil officials had drafted.
The Emperor would not allow Chen Pingping to die easily. Since Chen Pingping thought that he stood in a glorious and righteous platform from which he questioned and sought revenge, the Emperor would make sure Chen Pingping suffered a complete defeat and fall from grace and would die with endless humiliation and criminal offenses.
It was a difficult matter to fabricate crimes. Tying them to Chen Pingping made these court officials sink into a panicked state. However, the Emperor’ strict orders remained. No one dared to offer any objection. They could only pile, with trembling bodies, the crimes of evil officials who had appeared throughout the annals of history onto Chen Pingping.
Once the 13 great crimes were finally laid out, Chen Pingping had finally become the greatest evil in history. After becoming the evilest and most unforgivable official, the Palace finally sent a word of approval. It was clear that Chen Pingping would not escape the punishment of death by a thousand cuts.
Everything happened quickly. Other than shock, all of the court officials could not help but feel slightly suspicious. If there really was a case of treason, once it was investigated, it would probably take a number of years. If Director Chen was the main culprit, he would not be killed so easily. Furthermore, the number of officials who would be implicated in this matter of treason would probably be in the thousands.
However, the injured Emperor seemed to have focused his anger solely on Chen Pingping’s person and did not seem to want this matter to implicate widely.
Finally, there were officials who guessed the Emperor’s intentions. They could not help but feel an immediate chill. The Emperor hated Chen Pingping to the extreme, so he had to punish him according to the law and kill him in front of the eyes of tens of millions of common people. The reason the Emperor forced the entire Qing court to speed up the process of this affair was because Chen Pingping was no longer just Chen Pingping. He represented the Overwatch Council. The new Director of the Overwatch Council, the powerful Sir Fan junior, was, at this moment, rushing back to Jingdou from Dongyi.
If it were an ordinary official, presumably the Emperor would not care at all. In fact, he might coldly and cruelly wait for him to return and then have Chen Pingping die in front of him, once again touching on his bleeding heart. However, Chen Pingping was not an ordinary official. The power he held in his hands was too great. It was to the point that the Qing Kingdom had to consider its future. Most importantly, he was the Emperor’s illegitimate son.
Without openly killing Chen Pingping, it was impossible to release the hatred in the Emperor’s heart. However, the Emperor had to finish all of this before Fan Xian returned to Jingdou and turn this matter into a reality with no chance of things being turned around.
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The entire court kept busy because of the shocking assassination case in the early hours of the morning in the royal study. In the south of the city, the Fan manor with stone lions outside that watched the world with cold and disdainful eyes was sunk in a strange silence.
It was just past noon. The news of the attempted assassination of the Emperor had just traveled outside of the Palace. Chen Pingping had not yet been sent to the prison of the Overwatch Council, yet an edict announcing eunuch, accompanied by palace guards and imperial soldiers, had come straight to the Fan manor’s front doors.
Without any incense or ceremony, the members of the Fan manor, who were having lunch in the Flower Hall, listened to the eunuch’s words. Their faces immediately turned white. As the mistress, Lin Wan’er slowly rose and said, as she stared at the eunuch, “Repeat that again?”
The eunuch knew very well that the Emperor was waiting to be treated in the palace. However, faced with Princess Chen’s cold-voiced inquiry, he did not become angry. In a hurried voice, he repeated what he said.
A shocked expression flashed through Lin Wan’er’s eyes. She unconsciously turned her head to glance at her sister-in-law by her side. Fan Ruoruo’s face was very pale. Presumably, whoever heard this message would have the same expression, particularly the women of the Fan manor. Regardless of whether it was the Emperor or Chen Pingping, whose life and death was unknown, they were both too deeply and closely connected to the Fan manor. It was impossible to separate from.
Lin Wan’er knew what sort of affection her husband had toward Chen Pingping. But, after all, the Emperor was Fan Xian’s father and her own uncle.
Fan Ruoruo put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hand and looked at her sister-in-law. Gently biting her lower lip, she did not speak. Her fingers trembled slightly.
Lin Wan’er’s large eyes gradually calmed. She lowered her head slightly. “Is the Emperor in danger?”
Hearing Princess Chen’s question, he could only shake his head with fear. The eunuch knew no details. He could not even enter the palace the Emperor was staying in. It was impossible for him to explain anything. His trip was only by Commander Ye’s order. He had come to invite, or escort, the young lady of the Fan manor into the Palace to save the Emperor.
Lin Wan’er glanced at Fan Ruoruo, who lowered her head slightly. She did not think about anything before standing up and saying lightly, “I’ll go into the Palace.”
After saying this, Fan Ruoruo left the dinner table and followed the eunuch and soldiers out of the Fan manor. Her medical chest was still in the Danbo medical shop on Dongchuan Road, so they had to detour there first.
Watching her sister-in-law’s figure disappear through the gates of the manor, thick worry and unease rose in Lin Wan’er’s eyes. To the wife of the Teng family standing to the side, she said, “Send a few clever servants to wait outside the palace. If there’s any news, have them report back quickly.”
“Yes.” The wife of the Teng family also knew that something major had happened. She maintained a solemn expression as she replied and then prepared to leave and arrange things. She then heard the mistress speak again. “Have Teng Zijing come here. I have instructions to give him.”
The expression on Lin Wan’er’s face was cautious. Other than nervousness, there was more worry than anything else. She was deep in the Fan manor and had no idea what chaos had exploded outside. She had even less idea of what exactly had happened in the Royal Palace. Why had Director Chen suddenly returned to Jingdou and was inside the royal study? What exactly had happened between the Emperor and Director Chen?
From the Jingdou rebellion three years ago, she knew that the cold-hearted Emperor would not give Director Chen any chance to live. But, she knew that if Fan Xian was in Jingdou now, he would not just watch and do nothing as this happened.
Since she knew what Fan Xian’s stance would be, she knew that the Fan manor’s position in this matter was dangerous. With one misstep, it would be an end without any hope of reprieve.
She glanced at Sisi next to her and quietly ordered, “When Teng Zijing arrives in a moment, I will have him make arrangements for you all to leave the capital first. Take Shuning and Liangzi and hide for a while in the country estate outside of the capital.”
Sisi was not surprised by this arrangement. After all, she was one of the four servants Fan Xian had taught personally. Although she had been by the mistress’s side these years dealing with family and clan affairs, she had not lost that sensitivity. Particularly when it came to hiding outside the capital, Sisi was no stranger to that. When she had been pregnant with Fan Xian’s first child, it had been during the tense moments of the Jingdou rebellion. The old master, Fan Jian, had arranged for her to hide in Chen Garden.
Chen Garden? Sisi looked at the mistress and suddenly said, “The young master owes the old Director.”
Lin Wan’er sighed and gently nodded her head. “For such a major matter, who can turn it around? Don’t talk now. Go pack and leave the manor as soon as possible.”
“At this time, the city gates should already be closed,” Sisi reminded her. “Jingdou is about to be tightly closed off. I’m afraid there’s no getting out with Teng Zijing leading.”
During these years, Fan Xian’s one wife and one concubine had sorted clan affairs, family matters, and all the details of the Jiangnan Hangzhou Conference on Fan Xian’s behalf. These two women, one mistress and one deputy, worked together well. Their implicit understanding grew deeper and deeper. Lin Wan’er was the one who came up with the ideas while Sisi was the one who caught what she missed and corrected any errors.
Lin Wan’er also handed her own son to Sisi take with her. She trusted her greatly. Her brows knitted together slightly as she said, “That is why we have to hurry.”
As she said this, an Overwatch Council official wearing black official robes appeared outside the Flower Hall. Earlier, Lin Wan’er had already secretly notified the Qinian Unit member who protected her, so she was not surprised at his appearance. Approaching the railing of the Flower Hall, she looked at him and worriedly said, “You already know what happened. Immediately send someone to the outskirts of the Overwatch Council to see what is happening. Then make some arrangements for Guard Teng to take them away.”
The member of the Qinian Unit nodded heavily. As a subordinate of the Overwatch Council, his current emotions were unusually heavy and shocked. However, he knew that the young mistress’ orders were unusually clear. The Overwatch Council would certainly be heavily surrounded. It would be difficult to make contact with those inside.
He made a gesture behind him. A member of the Qinian Unit went to make the necessary arrangements. Lin Wan’er looked at him and said, “Send someone to ride quickly to Yanjing. If they run into Fan Xian on the road...” Her brows furrowed.
The member of the Qinian Unit looked at her tensely, waiting for her final decision.
“Tell him what happened.” A decisiveness flashed across Lin Wan’er’s face. “Just say, Director Chen... is about to die.”
The person sighed and glanced at her gratefully, He then left to prepare everything. The Fan manor burst into ordered activity. There was only Lin Wan’er left alone in the Flower Hall. She thought about what had happened today and suddenly felt a gust of cold wind from all around that made her shiver.
She had managed the affairs of the Fan family for three whole years. Additionally, she managed the Hangzhou Conference and clan affairs. At the height of her youth, Lin Wan’er already felt like the mistress of a family. As each clearly and powerful order was given out, the people of the Fan manor reacted methodically.
By the side door of the garden in the rear residence, Lin Wan’er took the eldest daughter and little son from the nanny and pressed two hard kisses to their faces before reminding Sisi of a few more things. She then let the carriage begin moving. At her side, Teng Zijing lowered his voice and said, “I’m afraid leaving the capital at this time will be somewhat conspicuous.”
Lin Wan’er glanced at him. She knew that although this guard, who was absolutely loyal to the Fan family, had been shocked by the assassination in the Royal Palace, he still thought that her reaction was too strong. She shook her head and said, “Although it is conspicuous, it is best to leave as early as possible.”
There was one thing that she did not explain to Teng Zijing. Although the Qinian Unit had already sent someone to notify Fan Xian, the road was long and the journey was far. She was afraid that by the time Fan Xian got back, Chen Pingping would have already died on the execution ground. She was well aware of the emotions hidden beneath Fan Xian’s gentle exterior. Who knew what extreme reaction Fan Xian would have at that time?
Since she predicted that Fan Xian would react fiercely, her reaction now appeared tense and urgent.
“Don’t mind this side, I’ll personally go into the Palace in a while to have a look.” Lin Wan’er inclined her head slightly at him.
Teng Zijing sighed, bowed, and chased after the carriage that had not gone far.
Lin Wan’er returned to the manor and gathered all of the servants and guards in the Fan manor in the shortest possible time. In a cautious tone, she instructed them on the things they should be careful about, particularly strictly forbidding any discussions in private.
Although she had always been known to be simple-minded and happy, her rule of the family these years had long solidified her reputation in the manor. With the commotion in Jingdou, no one knew that the Fan manor was one of the centers of chaos. The servants all promised in unison, not daring to lie.
Lin Wan’er slowly swept her gaze across and roughly calculated the forces she could mobilize. There were not many members of the Qinian Unit left in the manor. Most were swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau. However, these people needed to ensure the safety of the Fan manor and could not be sent out. Da Bao had gone to the old Lin Manor to bury crickets. With such a major incident, someone had to be sent to quickly bring him back.
She immediately thought of another matter and gently waved her hand to summon the member of the Qinian Unit. Quietly, she said, “Also, send someone to the First Bureau. There is no need to do anything. It’s just to maintain contact.”
Although no news had come back from the Overwatch Council, Lin Wan’er knew that given her Uncle Emperor’s imperial wisdom, the square and sinister building would certainly be suppressed by powerful military forces. But, the First Bureau was close to the Supreme Court. There could be an opening there.
Everything Lin Wan’er had done was actually in preparation for Fan Xian. She knew that once he returned to the capital, the thing he needed to know the most was the truth. Although she didn’t want Fan Xian to take such a risk or go crazy, if her husband really were to go crazy, as his wife, she could only make some necessary preparation for his craziness.
After making all of these arrangements, she ordered the doors of the Fan manor to be tightly closed and strictly forbid any comings and goings unless an edict arrived. Only then did Lin Wan’er relax a little and sat down in the long prepared carriage. She drove out of the streets in the south of the city and headed north, toward the expansive Royal Palace that seemed particularly severe today.
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The Royal Palace was strictly guarded. The density and strength of the patrolling soldiers could not be compared to the usual. Everyone wore a tense and severe expression on their faces. Although the old Director was already heavily injured and captured, no one felt relaxed.
Lin Wan’er got down from the carriage and came straight to the palace gates. She had grown up in the Royal Palace and was deeply loved by the empress dowager and Emperor, which was an oddity in the Palace. In the past, she had moved in and out of the Palace without obstructions. Now, she had been forced to stop outside the palace gates.
The Commander of the Imperial Army, Gong Dian, glanced at her with a complicated gaze. After he bowed toward her, he said, “The Emperor has ordered the Palace to be sealed today.”
Lin Wan’er tilted up her face. Her large eyes were calm. Without shrinking back at all, she said, “The Emperor was almost assassinated. I wish to enter the Palace to visit him, is that not allowed?”
Gong Dian furrowed his brows. In reality, the supposed sealing of the Palace was a selective locking out. Logically speaking, Princess Chen was the Emperor’s favorite niece. It was right and proper for her to enter the Palace. The problem was that the source of the current mess was the Overwatch Council. As everyone knew, Princess Chen was the proper wife of the present Director of the Overwatch Council, Fan Xian. Wanting to enter the Palace right now...
“I’m just not sure if the Emperor wishes to see you,” Gong Dian said heavily.
Lin Wan’er’s heart tightened. She knew what Commander Gong Dian was secretly reminding her of. He was worried that she would enter the Palace to ask for mercy for Chen Pingping. If anyone dared to ask the Emperor for mercy, it would probably greatly anger the Emperor. Particularly as her identity was complicated, once she opened her mouth and asked for mercy, she might actually incite problems and make the Emperor develop peculiar emotions toward the Overwatch Council and Fan Xian.
She was silent for a moment. She then forced a smiled and said, “I hear that a few scholars are in the Palace and King Jing is also inside. I want to go see.” After a pause, she said quietly to Gong Dian, “Don’t worry, I know what to do.”
Gong Dian sighed and ordered the soldiers behind him to make way.
After entering the Royal Palace, she moved smoothly into the back of the palace. Lin Wan’er moved quickly. By the time she had arrived in front of the Emperor’s sleeping palace, there were fine beads of sweat on the tip of her nose, and her cheeks were slightly red.
However, she could only get to the sleeping palace. No one could get in. Lin Wan’er looked around at the people. She saw Yi Guipin holding the Third Prince’s hand, looking with worry at the tightly closed palace doors. The Great Prince’s birth mother’s face was unusually cold. She stood alone to the side with serving girls for company.
King Jing stood by the palace doors and was quietly saying something to Ye Zhong. To the right of the stone steps, the head of the civil officials of the court, Hu the Scholar, stood with a heavy expression. Behind him were two other scholars of the Hall of Governmental Affairs. He Zongwei had already escorted Chen Pingping to the Overwatch Council and was not present.
What surprised Lin Wan’er the most was that the previous scholar, Sir Shu Wu, who had retired three years ago and only stayed at home to play with his grandsons, was also outside the palace, looking at the tightly closed doors with sunken eyes. He maintained a silence that was completely at odds with his explosive nature.
Everyone saw that Princess Chen had arrived. Each separated to greet her. Only the gaze Hu the Scholar turned on her had the same worry of Gong Dian’s. It seemed that these major figures of the Qing court were all worried about the same thing. They were worried about the Overwatch Council’s reaction after the Emperor killed Chen Pingping, particularly Fan Xian’s reaction.
Among the people present, Lin Wan’er was closest to Lady Ning. Ever since her childhood, she had often eaten and slept in Lady Ning’s courtyard. Now, she saw Lady Ning’s expression was slightly strange. Her heart thumped. After she greeted the scholars, she came to King Jing’s side.
“Ruoruo has already been inside for an hour.” King Jing seemed to know what his niece, who appeared confused but actually just as clever as her mother, wanted to ask and dimly said, “Other than her, the Emperor has not seen anyone. Don’t think about charging inside to ask for mercy for that old dog based on the Emperor’s usual fondness of you.”
Everyone present was caught up in their own thoughts. No one noticed the conversation between King Jing and Princess Chen. After listening to King Jing’s words, Lin Wan’er’s expression darkened. She lowered her head and quietly said, “Is the Emperor in danger?”
“A bad person lives for a thousand years. How could he die so easily?” King Jing said in a low voice and smiled superficially.
Lin Wan’er’s head jumped. She had not expected King Jing to say such treasonous words inside the Royal Palace. When she was entering the Palace earlier, she had also thought about seeing the Emperor and asking for mercy for the old Director. Like Fan Xian, she understood the Emperor’s character well. She knew that at this juncture, it was impossible for the old Director to escape death.
“I received the news while on the way to the Palace earlier. I hear it’s to be death by a thousand cuts.” Lin Wan’er wanted King Jing for confirmation.
King Jing glanced at her and said, “It looks like even though the Overwatch Council has temporarily been taken out today, Fan Xian has still left some people to you. You’re correct, my brother’s meaning is very clear.”
Lin Wan’er voice shook as she said, “Can there be no clemency? After all, the old Director is not a normal person.”
“I know what you’re worried about, what those people are worried about.” King Jing’s gaze was distant. “That old dog offended too many people. Do you think those civil officials want to ask the Emperor for mercy for his matter? They’re just worried about whether Fan Xian will go crazy.”
He looked at Lin Wan’er and shook his head sorrowfully. “The Emperor won’t see anyone. It’s clear he’s already made up his mind.”
There were many kinds of death. The people who went in and out of the Royal Palace did not actually care much about life and death because the coldness of the throne had long made them aware of this. However, the manner of death was an important thing. If Chen Pinging actually did fall from grace and died by death from a thousand cuts, who knew what chaos would descend on the Qing Kingdom once the resentment in the Overwatch Council was triggered by this show of blood?
Chen Pingping attempted to assassinate the Emperor. Without a doubt, it was a death sentence. If he was granted suicide, or even beheading or hanging, perhaps it would demonstrate the Emperor’s benevolence and defuse the explosive currents this incident would bring. However, no one knew what kind of conversation happened between the Emperor and subject inside the royal study for the Emperor to reveal a rarely seen hatred and anger and command that Chen Pingping die in the most wretched manner.
Lin Wan’er listened to King Jing’s words and fell silent. If the Emperor could be slightly benevolent, perhaps Fan Xian could accept it a bit better. Of course, all of this was based in their imaginations. No one knew what Fan Xian’s actual reaction would be after learning about this matter.
“Aunt Ning is a bit strange today,” Lin Wan’er said, furrowing her brows as she looked at the blank-faced Lady Nin in the corridor in the distance.
King Jing’s expression changed slightly. He didn’t say anything. There were many things that only they, the previous generation of the Li royal family, knew about. There was no need to tell these juniors and outsiders. He believed that during these years, Lady Ning had true affection. He also believed that until today, Lady Ning still had not forgotten that old cripple.
The sun gradually moved west and dusk arrived. It had rained in the morning. There was still water on the paving stones. The light gradually dimmed as the water began to shine like lit lanterns.
The lanterns in the Royal Palace began to shine. Although it could not compare to the dazzling beauty of the red clouds in the western sky, they sparkled with particular prettiness.
The lanterns in the Emperor’s sleeping palace were lit the earliest. They were incomparably bright and shone through the windows, lighting up the outside clearly so that every detail could be seen.
Lin Wan’er heart trembled slightly. She thought of the time when Fan Xian had been heavily injured a few years ago and almost lost his life. It seemed that he had also been treated in this palace. At the time, the lanterns were just as bright as they were now. The main surgeon was also that girl inside.
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A bead of sweat almost dropped from the strand of wet hair on her forehead. Fortunately, a serving girl at her side extended a handkerchief and caught it. This serving girl retreated with fear. Fan Ruoruo’s expression did not change. She continued to gently move the sharp scalpel in her hand under the bright lights in the room.
The entire chest of surgery medical instruments had been created by the palace treasury by gathering together the most advanced craftsmanship skills. It brought together Ye Qingmei, Fei Jie, and, later, Fan Xian’s knowledge. Fan Ruoruo had learned from these people how to use these things.
The years of training on Qing Mountain and her study of external wounds had finally turned Fan Ruoruo into a good doctor rather than the inexperienced girl whose trembling hands had drawn bloody wounds across her brother’s body.
The half-naked Emperor lay on the hard bed with his eyes slightly closed. Fan Ruoruo was by his right-hand side and carefully slid the little knife over his body. The blade of the knife moved with her finger. Smooth skin split open, sticky holes opened, and blood seeped out. Fan Ruoruo used her steady hands to explore inside with tweezers. Picking up a hard nub, she pulled it out with strength. With a clank, she dropped a poisonous metal bead into the flat basin by her side. There were already seven metal beads in the basin. Half the surgery was over.
Fan Ruoruo took a deep breath and slowly circulated the basic Tianyi Dao zhenqi in her body to help calm herself. She looked at the Emperor lying on the bed and said, “There are still a few pieces that are very deep. It might be very painful. Does Your Majesty need some chloroform?”
Chloroform was the most successful anesthetic Fan Xian and the Third Bureau had created. It was indeed effective during surgery. However, Fan Ruoruo’s question exposed a shocking truth. Had the Emperor not used anesthetic in the surgery until now and simply allowed the sharp knife to slice across his body?
Particularly when Fan Ruoruo had used the tweezer to remove that metal bead earlier, she had used a lot of strength. Yet,-->>