Although years had passed, the bodies of Huo Sizhun and Leng Muran were still remarkably well-preserved. Through the thick ice coffins, one could still see their eyes, not fully closed.
Emperor Rui reached out and brushed the lid of Huo Sizhun’s coffin, his eyes flickering with an unnamable emotion. “Old Master Huo! Your son is still alive; he’s close to reaching the capital…”
“In truth, you know, I never intended to treat you this way. You held command of all the armies, your wife was from a prominent family in the martial world, and you bore a son who was also valiant in battle. I was simply afraid! Afraid of you all…”
“But I truly didn’t want to kill you! I only wanted to reclaim the military power from your hands, to let you retire and live a commoner’s life… Why did it turn out like this? Why did you rebel against me?”
“If only you hadn’t harbored thoughts of rebellion, then you wouldn’t be lying here so cold and still, and my empire wouldn’t be so riddled with holes! If your wife hadn’t attempted to assassinate me, neither of you would have to die…”
As Emperor Rui spoke, he slumped to the ground next to the ice coffin, his face etched with a fear and sorrow that outsiders had never seen. It was unclear whether he feared his empire’s impending demise or mourned the fleeting nature of his glorious moments.
After muttering to himself for a long while, he slowly stood up. The room was incredibly cold, leaving him numb. Emperor Rui patted the frost-stiffened fur of his cloak, his face returning to its usual impassive mask.
By the time he exited the bedroom, the sun was already setting. Without the sun’s blinding glare, Emperor Rui suddenly pulled his thin robes tighter. It was midsummer in July, yet he felt an overwhelming chill.
As the door opened, two deaf and mute eunuchs guarding the entrance quickly knelt and kowtowed. Then, they silently bowed, escorting Emperor Rui out of the gates of Chonghua Hall.
Since the reconstruction of Chonghua Hall, Emperor Rui had visited periodically. His visits had become more frequent since the drought began.
Upon leaving the building, the eunuchs and the attendants carrying the sedan chairs immediately rose. The group, having endured the scorching sun all afternoon, still had sweat-soaked clothes that had not yet dried.
Emperor Rui returned to the Imperial Study. The room, which had been messy and chaotic when he left in the morning, had been meticulously tidied and had regained its usual solemnity and dignity.
“Summon all officials of rank three and above to the palace immediately. I have important matters to discuss with them.”
“Yes! Your humble servant will attend to it at once.” Seeing Emperor Rui so different from before, the head eunuch breathed a sigh of relief.
That day, the officials who received the imperial decree were quite bewildered. Why had Emperor Rui, who had been neglecting his duties for so long, suddenly decided to resume them?
The Grand Tutor, the Prime Minister, and other officials loyal to Emperor Rui were overjoyed to hear of his decision to govern diligently again. These families had daughters or granddaughters serving as consorts in the palace, and they had already formed intricate, inseparable bonds with Emperor Rui.
As for those who had secretly contacted other princes, their hearts were filled with unease. Had Emperor Rui discovered their intentions to seek a new master? At such a sensitive time, being discovered would be disastrous.
With mixed feelings of excitement and apprehension, the various factions entered the palace that evening to meet Emperor Rui. He was no longer the debauched and disheveled figure he had been previously.
He sat on the dragon throne, impeccably dressed, with stacks of memorials piled higher than himself beside him. He held one in his hand, engrossed in reading it.
“Long live His Majesty, long live, long live!” The assembled ministers knelt to pay their respects. The spacious Imperial Study was immediately crowded.
“Your esteemed ministers are excused. Please rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
“For the past period, I was unwell and in low spirits, which led me to neglect my duties for a time. I apologize for making you all witness my follies…”
“Your humble servants dare not.”
“Enough! I have no other words to add. These are the memorials that have accumulated recently. I had originally planned to read them myself, but a single person’s time is truly limited. Therefore, I have summoned all of you to the palace to help me share the burden. Everyone is welcome to offer their opinions. Please be seated!”
“His Majesty’s benevolent heart for his people moves us. We are willing to share Your Majesty’s burdens.” The Grand Tutor was the first to step forward and declare his support. His granddaughter was the Empress, and he was delighted by the Emperor’s significant change.
The remaining officials hastened to pledge their loyalty, and then everyone took their seats in order. Eunuchs carried stacks of memorials, each as tall as a person, and distributed them to the officials.
With collective effort, after a night of working overtime by Emperor Rui and the officials, nearly a month’s worth of accumulated work was almost entirely cleared. However, the Great Yu Dynasty was truly riddled with holes and fractured.
Although the drought had completely ended, many regions were now facing new problems. Floods, locust plagues, and in a prefecture city in the far north of Great Yu, a severe earthquake had occurred.
It was said that the casualties were heavy, not only leaving a large number of people homeless but also leading to an outbreak of plague. These were all natural disasters, yet it was the common people who suffered.
The west was also not at peace. Prince Shun was a feudal lord of the western territories. After Emperor Rui ascended the throne, he had banished him to the most barren western lands. Little did he know, this fellow had directly declared himself king and had even vowed to march his army towards the capital.
However, because the western regions were sparsely populated and lacked resources, Emperor Rui was not overly concerned. The Emperor was also aware of the secret machinations of his brothers in other prefectures. But their actions were within his control, posing no significant threat in the short term and could be temporarily disregarded.
What troubled him most now was the southern part of Great Yu. Following the fall of Chehe City, only two large prefectures remained in the south. If the armies of the Huaxia Dynasty captured Luoning Prefecture and Qingmu Prefecture, the entire southern region would be lost.
Faced with Huaxia’s aggressive offensive, the officials who had been speaking eloquently moments before suddenly fell silent.
It was only after Sian Prefecture fell into enemy hands that they learned that Huo Qiyuan, the son of Huo Sizhun, the Prince of Unified Command who had once commanded great power in Great Yu, had not died years ago and had now become the Regent of Huaxia.
Many harbored feelings of guilt towards the Prince of Unified Command’s mansion, especially those highly ranked elders with graying beards. They had all strived alongside the late Emperor to reach their current positions.
They had decades of friendship. When the Prince of Unified Command was accused of rebellion, they had not been without internal struggle. However, Emperor Rui’s stance had been firm at the time, and evidence of rebellion had indeed been found in the Prince of Unified Command’s mansion.
In the face of irrefutable proof, and with the ruler of the nation having already made his decision, how many were willing to risk punishment or even collective punishment to plead for a traitor? No one dared, nor were they willing to engage in such a losing proposition.