The Emperor, facing a desk piled high with tearful memorials from all regions complaining about poverty, wearily pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn't recall the last time he'd encountered a matter that required such personal exertion.
At the same time, his anger reached a peak. What had Huo Qixiao been doing? Why hadn't Huo Qixiao provided him with advance warning of such a severe drought in the Dayu Dynasty?
Now, everything had converged. These troublesome affairs plunged him into endless vexation and anxiety stemming from his inability to resolve them.
Four great prefectures had already sent pleas for help. It was said that in some towns, commoners and farming families unable to sustain themselves by cultivation were even considering migrating elsewhere. If this matter was not handled properly, the Dayu Dynasty might face another period of significant unrest.
Emperor Rui had not yet realized a crucial problem: he had become increasingly reliant on his own thoughts. Everything he did required Huo Qixiao.
When he was still a prince, no matter what the Emperor assigned him, he would personally handle it. Even if he couldn't solve all the problems, he at least had his own ideas and tried to make things as perfect as possible.
However, after Emperor Rui began interacting with Huo Qixiao, the latter would always inform Emperor Rui of impending events, and then meticulously plan the solutions and outcomes. Emperor Rui merely had to follow the steps Huo Qixiao laid out.
The result was that now, whether it was a matter concerning the court or the populace, Emperor Rui felt incapable. Even for a very minor issue, Emperor Rui could no longer complete it independently.
Meanwhile, at the Loyal and Righteous Marquis's estate, Huo Qixiao was listening to Wang Bingchang's report on recent events.
It had been over a month since the incident at the Prince of Companionate's estate. It was said that after Huo Qiyuan was poisoned and disappeared, he was escorted to find the Ghost Hand Divine Physician. The people Huo Qixiao had dispatched were closely monitoring their movements.
However, Huo Qiyuan's escorts were unaware they were being followed. After the plague in the capital, the Ghost Hand Divine Physician had gone traveling again. His subordinates could only escort the injured Huo Qiyuan around, hoping for a chance encounter.
Hearing that they were searching for the divine physician, Huo Qixiao devised a plan. He instructed Wang Bingchang to capture Gongsun Zan and then imprison him in a hidden location.
Afterward, he ordered his remaining subordinates to continue following Huo Qiyuan's group. Perhaps his subordinates were not cautious enough this time, as they were discovered by Huo Qiyuan's men not long after, and subsequently lost them.
Logically, Huo Qixiao would have punished his subordinates for losing their target. However, this time, Huo Qixiao did not punish them. This was because, according to the timeline of his previous life, Huo Qiyuan should have already died by this time and was no longer a threat to him.
Even though some aspects of the outcome in this life differed from before, such as Huo Qiyuan dying in a different location, Huo Sizhun also dying, and even before Huo Qiyuan, these were all discrepancies.
However, because he firmly believed that the poison of the Ice Silk Grass was incurable, and Gongsun Zan, who had the greatest hope of attempting a cure, was now under his soft confinement, Huo Qixiao was thus supremely confident that Huo Qiyuan had no chance of survival.
Just then, a servant knocked on the door. "Young Master, someone from the palace requests your presence."
"Mm, I know!"
Huo Qixiao dismissed the servant who delivered the message and then began to instruct Wang Bingchang on a few matters. "You can hand over your current tasks to others. You will personally travel south to liaise with the Fierce Tiger Village active around Si'an Prefecture. Whether by coercion or incentive, you must bring them under your command. Ah, yes! Huo Qiyuan and his son are both dead now, and the Prince of Companionate's estate has become an abandoned residence. My biggest thorn in the side has been removed. Don't forget to go to Shimen County and have the Ghost Hand Divine Physician quietly released. Make sure he doesn't discover your identities. This person's medical skills are superb, and he might be of use to us in the future."
Wang Bingchang frowned, somewhat confused as to why Gongsun Zan was being released now. "We're releasing the divine physician now? But Huo Qiyuan's body hasn't been found yet. What if he's not dead, and the divine physician finds him to administer the antidote?"
"Ah... just do as I say. Although Huo Qiyuan's body hasn't been found, I have a premonition that he is dead. Gongsun Zan has been missing for a long time. By the time you contact the people of Fierce Tiger Village and then release him, several more months will have passed. So, counting it that way, it's not too early! But it can't be too late either. If that old man suffocates to death, it might be our loss." Huo Qixiao finished speaking, then leisurely sipped his tea before standing up and heading to the palace to see Emperor Rui.
Recently, the Emperor had been somewhat dissatisfied with his performance. After all, in his previous life, at this time, Huo Qixiao was relentlessly pursuing the truth behind Huo Qiyuan's death. Huo Qixiao was also busy covering his tracks, making excuses and concealing his actions.
Huo Qixiao was not entirely clear about when the drought began or when it started to worsen. His inability to provide any answers and his lack of effective solutions naturally led to him being reprimanded and blamed by Emperor Rui.
"Young Master Huo, His Majesty requests your presence." Huo Qixiao straightened his clothes and then followed the eunuch who led the way into the imperial study.
"Qixiao greets His Majesty. Long live His Majesty, long live, long live." Huo Qixiao bowed to the Emperor and then stood up on his own.
Seeing Emperor Rui's somber expression, Huo Qixiao knew that the situation must be quite serious. Could it be that the drought had escalated beyond control?
He had spent so much time and effort gaining the Emperor's trust; he couldn't afford to fail because of a minor issue. It seemed he needed to come up with a suitable explanation to smooth things over.
Emperor Rui pinched off a stray hair from the tip of his brush and greeted him in a nonchalant tone. "Qixiao, you're here. Have you found any trace of Huo Qiyuan?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, we, we still haven't found him."
Emperor Rui threw the vermilion brush down on the table with a heavy thud, his expression exceedingly grim. "Hmph! A person poisoned, and after more than a month, there's no result. What are your subordinates eating!"
Huo Qixiao paid no mind to Emperor Rui's anger and stated with certainty, "Your Majesty need not worry too much. Qixiao has divined that the traitorous minister Huo Qiyuan has succumbed to the poison and died. His corpse might even be frozen solid by now."
Seeing his confident expression, Emperor Rui believed him to some extent. He had been accurate in so many matters before; it was unlikely he would be wrong this time. "Very well! Since you are so confident, then can the news of Huo Sizhun's death be announced to the world?"
Huo Qixiao stood up and bowed to Emperor Rui. "Your Majesty is wise. Qixiao has come to the palace today precisely to request Your Majesty to publicly announce the verdict against the rebel Huo Sizhun, so that the people of the world can clearly recognize the true nature of the Prince of Companionate's family."
"Good! Guards, convey my decree. The Prince of Companionate plotted rebellion and treason, and the evidence is now conclusive. Considering his past service to the Dayu Dynasty and his advanced age, I intended to show leniency and confine him for life. Who knew that the Huo family's Madam Leng, ungrateful for imperial favor, would lead people to storm the imperial prison and ambush the current Emperor, causing injury to His Majesty's person. Their crimes are heinous! Out of consideration for her status as a princess, she is spared the penalty of execution in the marketplace and is instead granted the right to commit suicide. Huo Sizhun, deeply regretting his grave sins and ashamed to face the people of the world, had no face to continue living and committed suicide in the imperial prison yesterday out of guilt. All members of the Prince of Companionate's estate are rebels plotting treason. To prevent any further disturbances from remaining remnants, all remaining individuals in the estate are to be executed. They will be brought to the Meridian Gate for execution in three days!"
Emperor Rui waved his hand, and with a single, fluid motion, he completed writing the imperial edict to deal with Huo Sizhun and his wife. Seeing him write with such speed and without pause, it was evident that this decree had been in his heart for a long time, and today, he could finally pronounce it.
"Send this imperial edict to all prefectures, posting it at every pass and city gate. It is imperative that the people of the world know of the wicked deeds of the Prince of Companionate's estate!" Emperor Rui affixed the imperial seal to the edict and handed it to his trusted eunuch.
"The matter of the Prince of Companionate's estate has been resolved. Now, let us discuss the drought around Luoning Prefecture. I asked you to divine this earlier; have you obtained any results?"
When Huo Qixiao spoke of this matter, his expression was one of great difficulty. "Qixiao also attempted to divine the cause of the drought, but just as I was about to get a result, I was severely counter-attacked. That is why Qixiao was unable to enter the palace to assist Your Majesty these past few days."
Upon hearing that Huo Qixiao had been counter-attacked, Emperor Rui's expression showed increased concern. "Oh? Why did such a thing happen? Did you perhaps reveal too much of heavenly secrets, leading to the backlash? How is your health?"
Huo Qixiao was now Emperor Rui's spiritual pillar. If even a small drought caused any unforeseen harm to his health, what would happen later?
"Thank you for Your Majesty's concern. Qixiao has recovered considerably after a few days of rest. Your Majesty guessed correctly; it was precisely because of frequent divination previously, revealing too many heavenly secrets, that I suffered the backlash." Huo Qixiao felt a sense of relief after answering.
He hadn't thought of a suitable reason to explain the backlash, but Emperor Rui had already provided him with an explanation, saving him the trouble of racking his brains for an excuse.
Upon hearing that he was truly injured, Emperor Rui became extremely anxious. "Then what should be done now? How should your body be recuperated? How long will it take for you to recover your ability to divine? Just tell me what tonics you need, and I will find a way to get them for you."
"Your Majesty need not worry too much. Yesterday, an old immortal appeared to Qixiao in a dream, saying that I had merely expended too much of my own fortune and that the current environment of the capital might not be suitable for me. He told me to travel more, preferably to more desolate places, to absorb more spiritual energy from heaven and earth, so that I could recover as soon as possible." Huo Qixiao, seeing that the Emperor was already anxious, spoke the words he had prepared long ago.
Absorbing spiritual energy from heaven and earth, and that's it? Did the old immortal want him to become a monk? "Is that all? Do you really not need any tonics? Perhaps the imperial physicians can examine you?"
"Your Majesty, Qixiao truly doesn't need tonics. Loss of fortune and depletion of spiritual energy cannot be replenished by earthly tonics to restore supernatural abilities. It's just that Qixiao is injured now and temporarily unable to use the art of divination. *Cough cough cough* Regarding the drought and corresponding solutions, I'm afraid Qixiao won't be able to help Your Majesty for the time being." Huo Qixiao feigned a couple of coughs afterward, his expression filled with remorse.
With this, the old immortal's dream was not about Huo Qixiao becoming a monk and severing his worldly ties. This eased Emperor Rui's mind considerably. If merely traveling could restore his supernatural abilities, then the situation was likely not too serious.
"Alas~ Your health is not yet robust. Such minor matters as the drought need not trouble you further. What you need to do now is to take good care of yourself and strive to recover your foresight abilities as soon as possible. At that time, there will be ample opportunities to serve the Dayu Dynasty and me."
"Thank you for Your Majesty's concern. Qixiao will diligently recuperate and strive to return to the capital as soon as possible to continue serving Your Majesty."
Thus, Huo Qixiao left the palace again. This visit not only solidified the fate of the Prince of Companionate's estate but also shifted the burden of the drought entirely onto Emperor Rui. Meanwhile, Huo Qixiao, along with Chu Ruo Qiao, headed west towards the no-man's-land outside Changning Prefecture.
Emperor Rui would never have dreamed that Huo Qixiao would be gone for over a year before returning, and that his return would be so disheveled. Even less did he imagine that what he considered a minor drought would eventually turn into a nationwide disaster. And in this disaster, the Dayu Dynasty would be precarious, facing the constant threat of annihilation.
Since Huo Qixiao returned to the capital from the no-man's-land, he had been trying to avoid Emperor Rui. In his previous life, he had already been executed by this time, and he had no knowledge of subsequent events. Therefore, dealing with the Emperor became increasingly taxing.
Especially as the drought situation worsened, with more than half of the Dayu Dynasty falling into a state of complete crop failure. However, Huo Qixiao was unable to predict any useful information, and Emperor Rui's impatience with his uselessness grew day by day.
Huo Qixiao sat in the carriage, pinching his slightly throbbing temples. Today marked a month on the road, and his mind had been unable to settle. The current developments were deviating further and further from his expectations. Moreover, for some reason, he had been recalling past events recently.
Past and present lives, good and bad, scenes flashed through his mind. He watched like an outsider as the person in the scenes lived through two lifetimes of thrilling adventures without any tangible outcome.
"Is the Huo Qiyuan in Si'an Prefecture truly him? Could it be that Huo Qiyuan was poisoned but ultimately did not die? Why have so many things deviated in this life? No! I am the chosen one; there must be something I have forgotten." Huo Qixiao tightly gripped the cup in his hand, his eyes blazing with intense unwillingness.