Chapter 620: The Only Choice
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The emperor’s funeral was held seven days later.
The Crown prince led the civil and military officials to send him off. All the citizens in the city knelt down along the streets.
The white banner fluttered in the wind, and paper money fell like snowflakes.
Amidst everyone’s cries, a dynasty ended.
The next day, Crown Prince Shen Zhuo held the coronation in the Imperial Capital and officially ascended the throne. Empress Dowager Deng was respected as the Grand Empress Dowager, and Empress Wen was acknowledged as the Empress Dowager.
However, before Shen Zhuo could stabilize the throne, Prince Jia’s Mansion far away in Jiangbei suddenly mutinied.
Prince Jia was killed on the way back to his fief. His family guessed that the emperor had done it.
In order to protect himself and take revenge, Prince Jia’s eldest son took the handwritten order left behind by his father and summoned his troops. First, he killed the local provincial governor and used his head to force the other officials to surrender.
When this matter spread to the Imperial Capital, it immediately caused a huge commotion.
Shen Zhuo issued a decree to send troops to suppress it, but the Ministry of Revenue said that Liaodong County was still fighting. There was not enough money and food in the treasury to support two wars at the same time.
Hence, Shen Zhuo issued another decree and suspended the reinforcements to Liaodong County.
Even the food that had been sent to Liaodong County had been recalled.
Empress Dowager Wen was very worried. “This is equivalent to giving Liaodong County away. Not only will this damage our Dayan’s reputation, but it will also make those with ill intentions seize on this matter and make an issue of something. You have to think twice.”
Shen Zhuo had already made up his mind about this matter. He only smiled at his mother’s persuasion.
“Mother, don’t worry. This is just a temporary measure. After the rebellion in Jiangbei is calmed, I will send troops to take back Liaodong County. It belongs to our Dayan and will definitely not be taken advantage of by outsiders.”
Empress Dowager Wen was still a little hesitant. “But what about the 300,000 troops of the Eastern Expedition Army?”
Shen Zhuo spoke his considerations unhurriedly.
“Those 300,000 people are indeed very important to us Dayan, but most of them follow Tang Guixi’s lead. No matter how much money and food I send over, I’m just supporting Tang Guixi. Why don’t I take this opportunity to let the Chen Nation help us deal with a portion of the Eastern Expedition Army? It can be considered helping us clean up the mess. When the Chen Nation kills Tang Guixi later, I’ll send someone to take over the Eastern Expedition Army. Wouldn’t that be killing two birds with one stone?”
Empress Dowager Wen thought about it carefully and felt that he was quite meticulous in his thinking, so she nodded slightly.
“Since you know what to do, I won’t say anything else.”
She looked at Shen Zhuo’s increasingly calm appearance and sighed softly.
“Now that you’re the emperor, you’re getting more and more organized. It’s just that you look thinner. You probably didn’t rest well, right? I have to take care of the Empress Dowager every day during this period of time and don’t have time to take care of you. You’ll have to bear with it for a while. When I’m free later, I’ll choose an empress for you. With the empress taking care of you in the future, you’ll be much easier.”
Shen Zhuo said, “I’m very good now. Mother, you don’t have to worry about me. As for helping me choose an empress, it’s still early. We’ll discuss it at length in
the future. ”
Empress Dowager Wen looked at him deeply. “Are you still thinking about Yu Niaoniao?”
Shen Zhuo neither admitted nor denied it.
Empress Dowager Wen frowned slightly and advised painstakingly, “You know very well that she’s not suitable to be the empress. Her thoughts are not on you at all. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. Let go.”
Shen Zhuo lowered his eyes, looking very respectful, but his words were stubborn
“She was just blinded for a moment. I have a way to make her realize that I’m her only choice in this world.”
Empress Dowager Wen wanted to say something else.
However, Shen Zhuo spoke first. “Mother, you’re tired these few days. You should go back and rest early. I still have some memorials to review, so I won’t send you off.”
Empress Dowager Wen looked helpless and could only leave silently.
As soon as the Empress Dowager left, Shen Zhuo called the commander of the imperial guards and instructed in a low voice.
“Take 200 elite soldiers and search along the route from the Imperial Capital to Liaodong. Once you find any traces of Xiao Juan, kill him without mercy!”
Although he had already sent out the arrest warrant for Xiao Juan, eight days had passed, but there was still no news.
Now that Xiao Juan was like a street rat, there was no place for him in the Dayan Dynasty.
If he did not want to leave Dayan, he could only go to Tang Guixi.
As Tang Guixi was in Liaodong, Xiao Juan was most likely going to Liaodong County.
The commander of the imperial guards hesitated. “My duty is to protect the palace and His Majesty’s safety. If I leave the Imperial Capital, what will happen to His Majesty’s safety?”
Actually, he was more worried that once he left the Imperial Capital, his official position would be replaced.
After all, this emperor had just ascended the throne and needed people. Many people were racking their brains to get in front of the emperor.
Shen Zhuo understood what he was thinking and said calmly, “You don’t have to worry about this. I’ll get someone to temporarily replace you. If you can successfully complete the mission, the position of commander of the imperial guards will still be yours. But if you can’t complete the mission, you don’t have to come back.”
The commander of the imperial guards trembled and hurriedly knelt down to show his loyalty.
“Your Majesty, don’t worry. Even if I have to climb mountains of blades and seas of flames, I will definitely take Xiao Juan’s head!”
Shen Zhuo suddenly reminded her.
“If you meet Yu Niaoniao, tell her for me that as long as she can come back obediently, I’ll let bygones be bygones.”
“Yes.”
The commander of the imperial guards accepted the order and left. Shen Zhuo looked at the scenery outside the window, his gaze becoming deeper and deeper.
He knew that with Niaoniao’s personality, even if Xiao Juan became a traitor that everyone had to kill, she would not abandon him and leave on her own.
However, he also knew that with Xiao Juan’s personality, he would definitely not let Niaoniao suffer with him.
Shen Zhuo placed one hand on the window lattice and tapped his index finger gently.
“You love her so much, you must know what’s best for her, right?”
Although Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan had successfully escaped the Imperial Capital, the Imperial Court’s arrest warrant for them had not stopped.
In order to cover their tracks, they changed their appearances and disguised themselves as an eloping couple.
Seeing that night was approaching, the two of them found a guest house to stay at.
The lady boss of the guest house was sharp-eyed. When she saw Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan’s cautious appearance, she revealed an ambiguous smile. “Are you two hiding from someone?”
Yu Niaoniao blushed and pretended to be shy as she defended herself weakly.
“We’re not hiding from anyone. We’re just going out to join our relatives. Please get us a guest room.”
The lady boss’s smile became even more ambiguous. “Get a guest room. Looks like the two of you are husband and wife.”
Yu Niaoniao’s face immediately turned even redder.
Xiao Juan took out a piece of silver and threw it on the counter. “Please boil some hot water. My wife wants to take a bath.”
The lady boss accepted the silver and sized Xiao Juan up. She saw that had broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His posture was straight and his bearing was very extraordinary. Even though he had deliberately lowered his bamboo hat and used the brim of it to cover most of his face, she could still tell that this person’s appearance and temperament could be said to be excellent..
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