Chapter 669: A Rag
Three days later, Kyoto had returned to calm.
The Imperial Guard stood on high alert outside the palace, their expressions as cold and resolute as ever. Only the most observant could detect the weariness and faint bewilderment in the soldiers' eyes. The city gate troops, under strict orders, continuously patrolled the various wards and markets, arresting many rebels who sought to exploit the chaos. Public order was not an issue.
The common folk had resumed their daily struggles for survival. In their spare time, they no longer gathered in teahouses to discuss politics or secretly curse that demon empress for ruining the nation. Instead, they returned home early, bolted their courtyard doors, and pretended the storms outside had nothing to do with them. The people of Kyoto had seen too much and heard too many stories. Forget the affairs of the Hundred Herb Garden—twenty years ago, when the National Academy bloodbath erupted here, many had witnessed even more gruesome scenes. Whether it was coups, rebellions, purges of the court, or the restoration of the rightful heir, they had long since learned one lesson: none of this had anything to do with them. The only thing to do was wait in silence for the initial turmoil to fade.
The weather these past few days had been exceptionally fine—crisp autumn air, a bright sun overhead, and gently drifting leaves, as if nothing had happened at all. Yet the streets were empty of pedestrians. This quiet Kyoto was not peaceful; it was dead silent. Because too many things had indeed occurred.
On the morning after Empress Tianhai's death, a young Daoist, accompanied by former National Academy Dean Shang Xingzhou, Prince Chen of the royal family, and countless ministers, walked from the Heavenly Book Mausoleum into the palace. There, in the court, he once again received the homage of his subjects and officially ascended the throne.
Word had it that he was the Crown Prince Zhaoming, who had fled the palace years ago.
The first thing the new emperor did after his coronation was issue an imperial edict. The edict was lengthy and complex; even officials from the Ministry of Rites could not remember every detail. But even the dullest brute could grasp the basic meaning from those grand pronouncements: everything Empress Tianhai had done over the years was wrong, and those she had punished were innocent. Then came rewards—and naturally, punishments.
The rewards were official posts in the court, since all officials loyal to Empress Tianhai had been thrown into prison, and the honors of divine generals, since those divine generals loyal to her were either dead, gravely wounded, or had defected. As for the punishments, they were even simpler—just a single word: kill.
They say autumn winds and rains are good for killing. These days were a cold, fine autumn, with no bleak winds or dreary rains, but still, many people were killed.
Once those who had to be killed, who absolutely had to be killed, were all dead, many eyes turned to one place. Logically, at this moment, everyone's attention should have been on the palace or the detached palace. But people couldn't help looking there, with entirely different emotions.
That place was the National Academy.
Only a few knew that on that morning, Chen Changsheng had carried Empress Tianhai's body back to the National Academy. From that moment on, the academy's gate had never opened again. Even the fruits and vegetables that Cheng Lake Tower risked sending over were not delivered, because the gate remained shut—and also because the National Academy had been surrounded.
Two thousand black-armored cavalry had encircled the National Academy, sealing it off completely. Cultivators filled Hundred Flower Lane and the Hundred Herb Garden. Only a very few knew that the first thing the new emperor did after his coronation was not to issue that edict to the world, but to give an order: place the National Academy under guard, strictly forbid anyone from entering or leaving, and kill any violator without mercy.
Somewhat subtly, those in charge of guarding the National Academy were Tianhai Shengxue and a certain Prince He.
Prince He was King Xiang's full brother, and they had always been close. Years ago, to vent King Xiang's anger, he had even beheaded a subordinate official sent by the palace. Tianhai Shengxue was the most outstanding young member of the Tianhai family. He had old grudges with the National Academy, though they seemed resolved. The key question was: why had the palace assigned these two to handle this matter together? Empress Tianhai was dead. Would the complicated relationship between the Chen and Tianhai families continue?
Those in the know remained silent, their gazes toward the National Academy filled with complex emotions, because Empress Tianhai's body lay inside. Those who didn't know the inside story discussed it in their mansions, looking at the National Academy with mockery, sympathy, or schadenfreude.
That night three days ago had truly been long. It began when Chen Changsheng left the National Academy, went to the courtyard with the crabapple tree on North Military Command Alley, and beat Zhou Tong half to death. Then he was sent back to the National Academy by the National Church, only to be taken by Her Holiness to the peak of the Heavenly Book Mausoleum. Just when everyone thought Her Holiness would kill him, for some reason she let him go. Then, as the world's strongest gathered in Kyoto, Her Holiness's divine soul finally returned to the sea of stars... In that single night, so many earth-shattering events occurred that the details of relatively less important matters were easily forgotten. But the whole world would not forget Shang Xingzhou's words.
Chen Changsheng... was not Crown Prince Zhaoming. He was not Her Holiness's son. He was merely a decoy to protect His Majesty's safety, a lure to weaken Her Holiness. Now that Her Holiness was dead and His Majesty had successfully ascended the throne, what use was he? Without his background and identity, even if Chen Changsheng's cultivation talent was unparalleled, what good was it? Everyone admitted that in the matter of killing Zhou Tong, he had displayed extremely rare ability and courage. But... barring unforeseen circumstances, Lord Zhou Tong, who had played the most crucial role in this rebellion, would surely take on an even more important role in the new court structure. Then how would Chen Changsheng manage?
The great figures thought of the black-armored heavy cavalry surrounding the National Academy. They believed it wouldn't be long before a new, precise decree came down. Chen Changsheng would lose everything he once had. Head of the National Academy? Successor to the Pope? It was all just the reflection of stars in Luo River water—never real in the end.
Looking at the tightly shut gate of the National Academy, thinking of the mocking smile on his father's lips these past two nights, and the gloating expressions of Tianhai Ya'er's branch of the family, two unnatural red patches appeared on Tianhai Shengxue's pale face. He said, "The moment things are done, he's to be discarded. Are they really treating him like a rag?"
Prince He knew he was talking about Chen Changsheng. He sneered, "Who knows what bastard he is? Just because he was lucky enough to be chosen by Dean Shang as His Majesty's stand-in, he came to the capital and stirred up all this trouble. But a chess piece is just a chess piece. Does he really think he can keep holding onto things he has no right to?"
...
...
(Everyone's good friend, Wandering Toad, has returned to Qidian to release a new book. It's called "One Sword Soars to Immortality." The fiercest demon, the strongest sword immortal—fight! fight! fight! Back to Qidian with a new book, book number 3623328. Address: .../book/3623328.aspx... Also, updates will be a bit erratic in the next few days, because my mind is a mess.)