Ultimately, Emperor Rui had long been wary of his father! Even without Huo Qixiao's instigation, he would have eventually moved against the King of Companionate's manor.
The trust Emperor Rui displayed at the time was merely because his father held military power and had fully supported his ascension to the throne.
Furthermore, Emperor Rui's maternal clan offered no assistance to him. Coupled with the fact that he was a newly ascended emperor, the court was inherently unstable. Not to mention, many princes who were displeased with his ascension were also eyeing him covetously.
If he lost his father's support at this juncture, it would be equivalent to losing the allegiance of more than half his generals, making his imperial throne precarious.
As for Emperor Rui's claim that he never intended to harm his parents, Huo Qiyuan believed him.
However, it was precisely because of this that Huo Qiyuan felt even more heartbroken.
He raised his hand and pressed against his aching chest, his eyes involuntarily reddening. His parents could have lived, and so could the innocent people implicated in the King of Companionate's manor.
But fate had other plans!
In the beginning, Huo Qiyuan even resented his father. He resented him for being so stubborn, for working himself to death with such devotion.
His father was already old, and his health was deteriorating. He had already spent his life guarding Da Yu and could have retired to enjoy his twilight years.
Moreover, he had decided long ago to retire from military service. Then, he would have taken his mother to travel and enjoy a peaceful, stable life in the quiet countryside.
Yet, after Da Yu Dynasty was plunged into chaos by a sudden plague, he returned without hesitation, took on the responsibility of overseeing the situation, and in the end, became an eyesore to the emperor.
Huo Qiyuan raised his reddened eyes and looked at the man on the dragon bed. Recalling his heart-to-heart talk with his father before his last campaign, tears finally streamed down his face.
If only Emperor Rui had trusted his father and the King's manor more, if he had just waited patiently. In less than a few months, his father would have voluntarily surrendered his military authority.
Huo Qiyuan would never forget his father's repeated instructions that day.
His father said sternly, "One emperor, one court. Our manor, protected by the late emperor, has enjoyed prosperity for so long, but it can only go this far."
"Although Emperor Rui was supported to the throne by me, he lacks any sentiment, let alone trust. Currently, the manor's popularity is too high. Although the Emperor has said nothing outwardly, we must be vigilant. If this continues, the manor will surely bring disaster!"
"Therefore, Yuan'er, you must be prepared. On the day of my retirement, you must voluntarily request to return to the capital for reassignment. It would be best if you could settle down and establish a family in the capital. Unless the Da Yu Dynasty faces war again, you must never touch military power again."
"The late emperor was too good to our Huo family. I cannot repay him even if I die trying! So, I want you to swear! Never betray the Da Yu Dynasty. If Da Yu ever falls into crisis, you must help with all your might!"
...
These words of Huo Sijun continued to echo in Huo Qiyuan's mind. He wondered what his father was feeling at the moment of his death. He must have been very sad, right? Did he have any regrets?
Although Emperor Rui was somewhat disappointed by Huo Qiyuan's lack of response to his confession, it was within his expectations.
Upon hearing Huo Qiyuan inquire about the remains of Huo Sijun and his wife, Emperor Rui swallowed and glanced at him with evasive eyes before saying, "The old King and the Queen's bodies are in the Chonghua Hall..."
The reason for Emperor Rui's evasiveness was that he suddenly recalled how, a few years ago, after the King of Companionate's manor had just fallen and Huo Qiyuan had disappeared from the battlefield, his fate unknown.
At that time, in order to eradicate the remaining loyalists of the King of Companionate's manor, Emperor Rui had used the bodies of Huo Sijun and his wife as bait, successfully eliminating many of the manor's old retainers.
Emperor Rui was deeply influenced by Huo Qixiao at the time, and coupled with the deaths of Huo Sijun and his wife, he was constantly uneasy, thinking that Huo Qiyuan was merely missing.
It had to be said that Emperor Rui's premonition was quite accurate. Even then, he had a strong sense of foreboding, always feeling that Huo Qiyuan was not dead. It was only after Huo Qixiao's repeated assurances that he dispelled his inner worries.
Huo Qiyuan ignored Emperor Rui's averted gaze. Holding the invisible cloak Su Muqing had just purchased, he stood up and walked towards the bed.
Emperor Rui's pupils contracted, thinking Huo Qiyuan was about to do something to him. However, before he could react, Huo Qiyuan had already draped the cloak over his head.
After putting on the cloak, Emperor Rui's body instantly disappeared from the bed. Huo Qiyuan pulled the hood of the cloak up, saw Emperor Rui's phantom-like body, and watched him helplessly.
At the same time, Su Muqing also stood up and put on her cloak hood. Emperor Rui looked at their somewhat transparent bodies with horror. The painful memories of being tormented and frightened by a host of ghosts in his nightmare returned to him.
Were these two ghosts? Why could he see ghosts? Had Huo Qiyuan died? Or had he died? Could it be that the nightmare was not just a dream, but a reality? Had he really gone to hell?
After finally distinguishing reality from dream and regaining some clarity, Emperor Rui felt his thoughts becoming muddled again.
Huo Qiyuan did not offer any explanation to Emperor Rui. He stepped forward, sealed his acupoint for speech, then grabbed him by the arm and walked out. "Take us to the Chonghua Hall!"
Emperor Rui was still a little scared. He nervously wanted to shout, but when he opened his mouth, he found he could not make a sound. Only when his upper and lower teeth collided could he make a crisp "clack-clack-clack" sound.
Huo Qiyuan lowered his gaze for a moment, then suddenly reached out and dislocated Emperor Rui's jaw. Immediately, the saliva he hadn't had time to swallow flowed down from the corners of his mouth.
The sudden, intense pain made Emperor Rui's eyes instantly well up with tears. He had been pampered since childhood. Even as an unfavored prince, he had protected himself well.
Emperor Rui's body was already weak, and Huo Qiyuan was a martial arts master. When he was lifted, he could not even resist simply, only gaping his mouth, allowing Huo Qiyuan to drag him out.
They did not leave through the main entrance but jumped out of a window that had been opened. Just as they jumped out, a patrol of soldiers walked towards them.
But what happened next made Emperor Rui drool uncontrollably.