Rumors, however, began to proliferate. Even the most gentle of souls harbored their own hidden thoughts, let alone an Emperor who had already ascended the Dragon Throne.
As the saying goes, where there is smoke, there is fire. With so many rumors swirling, the current Emperor could not help but harbor suspicions and ponder. To preserve his relationship as sovereign and subject with Huo Sizhun, he secretly dispatched an investigation.
Had it been the late Emperor and Huo Sizhun back then, an investigation likely would not have been necessary. This was because the two men had shared countless life-and-death experiences. The late Emperor had also placed his utmost trust in Huo Sizhun.
It was precisely due to the late Emperor's trust that Huo Sizhun, holding significant power, was perceived by outsiders as merely favored. No rumors could have driven a wedge between their bond.
However, a new monarch brings new ministers. Now, with a different Emperor, and a man holding great power, an outsider King with surpassing merit—when all these qualities converged in one person—there was absolutely no positive outcome to be expected! This was an unavoidable tragedy in any dynasty.
Initially, the Emperor merely harbored a sliver of doubt. Deep down, he still believed that Huo Sizhun would not rebel. After all, Huo Sizhun had been instrumental in his ascension to the throne!
Perhaps it was excessive thought and suspicion. This could be considered a common ailment among all Emperors. Nearly every Emperor suffered from persecution complex, feeling that everyone coveted the Dragon Throne!
The Emperor had, in fact, spoken openly with Huo Sizhun once. He believed the Huo family to be loyal, even reprimanding the officials who relayed the rumors to him and vindicating Huo Sizhun.
However, just as the Emperor declared to the court that no one was to speak of the matter again, the situation took a drastic turn.
Huo Siming, Huo Sizhun's paternal half-brother, knelt outside the palace gates with dozens of letters, accusing his own brother of colluding with the enemy, the Xichu Kingdom, and of treason.
Furthermore, Huo Sizhun had allegedly stockpiled numerous weapons and explosives in the underground chambers of the Prince of Bingjian's mansion. It was even claimed that a dragon robe had been prepared, and that when the time was ripe, he would force the abdication of the Emperor.
The so-called opportune moment was when Huo Qiyuan, who had defeated the Dongyao Kingdom, was about to return to the capital, along with his army of 400,000 Southwest troops.
Moreover, Huo Qiyuan had fully incorporated the Southwest Army. While outwardly part of the Dayu army, it had, in reality, become his private force, preparing to overthrow the Dayu Dynasty and enthrone Huo Sizhun! (Could this be considered the Yellow Robe Oath in a parallel world?)
Huo Siming's sudden accusation caught Huo Sizhun completely off guard. Standing in the Golden Imperial Hall, he looked at his brother kneeling on the ground, speechless for a long time.
After years of campaigning, he had elevated his family, originally farmers, to their current noble status. Which of his siblings had not benefited from his good fortune? Even Huo Siming, who was now falsely accusing him, had been recommended by him to become the Mingwei General, a Fourth Rank official!
Huo Sizhun could not comprehend why Huo Siming would frame him in such a manner. Their family's prosperity was intertwined; if one fell, all would fall. Did he not understand the catastrophic disaster that would befall the Huo family if the charges were proven?
Besides, when the Prince of Bingjian's mansion was being constructed, he was still away on campaign, returning home less than once a year. It was his brothers who were at home at the time who helped manage the renovations.
Therefore, he himself did not know how many secret rooms and tunnels the mansion contained, nor how much wealth was hidden within!
Upon hearing Huo Siming's words, the Emperor felt publicly humiliated. He did not respond immediately. He glanced at the letters handed to him by the eunuch, carefully examining the personal seals on them. They were indeed Huo Sizhun's unique seals.
The dozen or so letters detailed his plans for the forced abdication, how the divisions of power would be made, and how, after successfully seizing the throne, he would immediately open trade routes with Xichu.
The letters also stated that the Huo family comprised numerous talented individuals, surpassing the current Emperor in both literary and military prowess. They claimed the current Emperor was mediocre and unfit for the great responsibility, asserting that Huo Sizhun should have ascended the throne long ago and had only recently come to this realization.
Holding the letters, the Emperor remained silent for a long time. Finally, he summoned officials from the Capital Prefecture, the Grand Court of Revision, the Cabinet Secretariat, and other departments to accompany him to the Prince of Bingjian's mansion.
In a secret chamber beneath a rock garden, the dragon robe was indeed discovered. The Emperor flew into a rage! He ordered men to the locations Huo Siming had mentioned for weapon caches, and as expected, numerous weapons were found!
Huo Sizhun perceived the suspicion in the Emperor's eyes. He knelt heavily on the ground. At the age of sixty-five, in his youth, he had sustained countless injuries on the battlefield. His knees would ache incessantly during seasonal changes or on rainy days.
The late Emperor had instructed him to take care of his health, thus exempting him from the ritual of kowtowing. Now, kneeling on the bluestone slabs, he felt a numbing pain in his kneecaps.
With the letters, weapons, and dragon robe as overwhelming evidence, even though Huo Sizhun pleaded his innocence and attempted to defend himself, the Emperor's gaze towards him had irrevocably changed!
Ultimately, Huo Sizhun was imprisoned in the Heavenly Jail, and an order was issued for a joint trial by the three judicial departments to thoroughly investigate the matter. All members of the Prince of Bingjian's mansion were confined to their homes, forbidden to leave without imperial decree, with death as the penalty for disobedience!
In an instant, the Huo family's world was turned upside down! It would not be an exaggeration to describe it as a fall from heaven to hell!
Huo Qiyuan, stationed at the border, learned of the affair five days later. Deeply worried, he prepared to depart for the capital immediately to rescue his father.
However, he was currently a general on campaign. To return without an imperial summons was equivalent to defying an imperial decree. Would this not bring further disaster upon his father?
Just as he was agonizing over this, the Dongyao Kingdom suddenly reappeared, launching a massive offensive against the border city of Sucheng. Huo Qiyuan suppressed his anxiety for his family and chose to don his armor and take the field.
He hoped that by doing so, he could demonstrate to the Emperor the Huo family's loyalty to the Dayu Dynasty, and make it clear that these baseless accusations were merely a frame-up against the Huo family.
Not long after Huo Qiyuan took to the battlefield, he felt something was amiss. A chill ran through his body, leaving him weak and listless!
He was struck from his horse by a Dongyao general, his fate unknown. His personal guards protected him as he was withdrawn from the battlefield, while his副将 (fùjiàng - deputy general) and other generals valiantly held the line. They ultimately repelled the Dongyao offensive.
However, Huo Qiyuan's condition continued to deteriorate. His entire body felt as if it were freezing, and at one point, he even ceased breathing.
His guards, helpless, had no choice but to escort him back day and night.
As fate would have it, after a day's journey, they encountered Master Zhikong, the abbot of the National Temple, who was traveling on the road.
Upon seeing Huo Qiyuan's condition, the master frowned. Within a mere day, his hair had turned white, and his entire body had begun to stiffen, resembling an ice statue.
Could this be poisoning from the Bingxingcao, a rare poison of unparalleled potency? He quickly administered a Fierce Flame Fruit, thus averting the crisis of his heart meridian freezing.
Master Zhikong took Huo Qiyuan to Yixian Valley, where, after half a month, he managed to pull him back from the brink of death. However, he could not entirely expel the toxins; he could only temporarily preserve his life.