NFBE Chapter 403: To Take Liang Yuhua as a Concubine
Chapter 403: To Take Liang Yuhua as a Concubine
As soon as Princess Anning's carriage left the palace gate, the imperial guard knelt on the golden bricks of the Hall of Mental Cultivation and recounted the conversation between Tang Bo and Princess Anning word for word.
The emperor leaned against the dragon-patterned armchair, his knuckles tapping the surface of the table intermittently.
"At least you know your limits."
The emperor gave a soft snort, and the gloom in his eyes softened slightly.
Tang Bo's words, "I have no regrets even if I die," clearly pleased him—the old doctor was quite sensible.
But in a flash, the emperor's face darkened again.
How dare Lady Zhaohua spy on the Emperor?
The flickering flames on the gilded candlestick cast an indistinct glow on his face.
When did that gentle and understanding woman acquire such courage?
What's even more infuriating is that his personal attendants actually...
It seems that the people around him need to be properly dealt with.
But before that, there's one more thing to settle.
The emperor's gaze was icy: "Give Tang Bo poisoned wine, and give him a quick death."
He paused, then added, "The body will be handed over to the Eldest Princess for disposal."
-
The eunuch on duty carried a pale white lantern, which illuminated the bluish-gray corpse on the straw mat.
Tang Bo still had a streak of black blood on the corner of his lips, but his expression was unusually peaceful, as if he were just asleep.
"Your Highness, the examination has confirmed that he is indeed dead."
The imperial physician reported back tremblingly.
That night, news of Tang Bo's death reached the Emperor. The Emperor did not take it to heart and simply ordered the body to be taken out and handed over to Princess Anning.
That very night, Princess Anning had the body taken to Qihuangzhai.
Old Man Su stood under the eaves with a lantern in hand, the orange-red light spreading a warm glow in the night.
When the Princess's carriage came to a stop in front of the gate under the moonlight, he led Su Shaodong to greet it. Tang Bo's remains were revealed in the carriage, and Old Man Su's face showed just the right amount of astonishment: "This...this is..."
The steward jumped off the carriage shaft and whispered a few words in his ear.
Old Man Su trembled, his long, slender fingers gripping the carriage shaft, and suddenly tears streamed down his face: "This humble subject understands, thank you, Your Highness..."
He wiped away his tears and bowed towards the carriage, saying, "Tomorrow, I will escort your coffin away from the capital. Brother Tang always said before his death... he wanted to return to his roots."
-
As Xuan Ying's figure swept past the window, Lu Jiangnian was reviewing official documents in his study, while Yuan Wanru was beside him, studying medical cases by lamplight.
Xuan Ying told Lu Jiangnian and his wife that Tang Bo's body had arrived at Qihuangzhai, and Yuan Wanru immediately beamed with joy.
“It’s done!”
She twirled, lifting her skirt, her almond-shaped eyes shimmering. "The Princess is truly so decisive, directly getting the Emperor to 'kill' Imperial Physician Tang!"
Lu Jiangnian reached out and caught his wife as she lunged at him, his fingertips brushing against the trembling beaded hairpin in her hair: "Precisely because we are asking for someone openly and honestly, we have cleared ourselves of suspicion."
He chuckled softly, "The Emperor's younger sister has always been the best at understanding how to handle her brother's temper."
As Yuan Wanru gazed at the flickering candlelight, she suddenly recalled Tang Bo's eyes, which, though weathered by time, remained gentle and forgiving.
After tomorrow, this old physician will be able to truly continue saving lives and healing the wounded in every place where he has practiced his healing arts, all under a new identity.
-
As he grew older, the emperor became increasingly concerned with leaving his mark on history.
Over the years, he has worked tirelessly day and night, striving to improve the country, all for the sake of leaving a good name for himself as a wise ruler in history.
Now that I have reached the age of fifty, how can I allow the old story of the late empress to tarnish my virtuous character?
Now that Tang Bo has drunk the poisoned wine, this old case should be put to a complete end.
The Emperor sat alone in his study until the third watch of the night, his vermilion brush making the final stroke on the bright yellow silk.
Consort Liang bestowed a white silk ribbon upon the Second Prince, Murong Xiao, and imprisoned him in the Heavenly Prison for life. The entire Gao family was executed, and not a single member of the Liang family's eldest branch was spared.
As for those palace servants who knew the inside story, they should naturally keep their mouths shut forever.
The imperial edict was issued at dawn.
The commander of the Imperial Guards, carrying the imperial decree, rushed to various locations, the clanging of armor startling the crows perched on the palace walls.
Consort Liang was unusually calm when she received the white silk, only asking to see the Second Prince one more time, but was ruthlessly refused.
She looked towards the palace, recalling how she had secretly fallen for the emperor back then, how he favored the late empress, how jealousy turned into hatred, how she took a wrong step and never wanted to turn back.
"Your Majesty, you probably never liked me. If only I had never met you!"
Her life wouldn't have been such a mess.
Her father, her brothers... everyone in the family, all vanished with her.
She's a sinner!
When the members of the Liang family's eldest branch received the imperial edict, their wailing was deafening. Liang Shangjiong shook the wooden stakes in the prison and shouted, "My father has a get-out-of-jail-free card, we won't die!"
"Our Liang family has a get-out-of-jail-free card!"
Madam Liang laughed three times and then rammed into the executioner's dagger.
She lost two of her children and had long since given up on living.
That's wrong!
If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have dared to covet power.
At this moment, she felt immense regret. She should have advised her father and husband to leave the capital. Now, would she still be able to hold her beloved daughter and hear her son call her "Mother" obediently, just like before?
The Gao family suffered the most.
Back then, Gao Peng was directly involved in the murder of the late Empress. As a royal physician, he was deeply hated by the Emperor, who ordered him to be torn apart by five horses, not even leaving a complete corpse.
This purge came swiftly and ruthlessly.
When the court officials came to court, the emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, discussing the floods in the Yangtze and Huai Rivers with a calm expression, as if the bloodshed and chaos of the previous night had never happened.
-
Meanwhile, the Fifth Prince Murong Jun could no longer contain himself.
With the deadline given to the second branch of the Liang family by the Emperor fast approaching, he couldn't just stand by and watch Liang Yuhua leave the capital.
So, that day he went directly to Liang Shangde's door and asked him to return the person.
When the Fifth Prince Murong Jun kicked open the crooked gate of the mansion, Liang Shangde was trembling as he packed his bags.
Upon seeing the figure in the python robe and jade belt, the bundle in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud," and his knees buckled, causing him to kneel down.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Murong Jun glanced at the mess in the courtyard with disgust, crushing a celadon teacup with the sole of his boot: "Liang Shangde, this prince will show you the way."
He bent down and grabbed the other man's chin. "Send Liang Yuhua to my residence, and your second branch of the family can continue to establish itself in the capital."
Liang Shangde trembled all over, his forehead pressed against the blue brick: "This humble subject...this humble subject dares not..."
Murong Jun sneered: "You get to choose?"
"I, the prince, order you to stay. Do you dare refuse?"
Liang Shangde was not very brave to begin with, and this imprisonment had terrified him even more. When the Fifth Prince shouted at him, he immediately knelt down: "This humble subject... really dares not stay."
Murong Jun had no patience to argue with him. "Whether you stay or not, I'm here today to tell you that tomorrow I'm going to welcome your daughter, Liang Yuhua, into my family. Do you understand?"
"You'd better be sensible. The Liang family is now like stray dogs. If you want to live, you'd better obediently send the people into my mansion."
Liang Shangde collapsed to the ground, looking at Murong Jun, speechless.
Suddenly, she caught sight of the young man standing in the shadows of the corridor. "?"
Liang Nian slowly stepped out of the shadows, her knuckles white from clenching her fists: "Does the Fifth Prince intend to forcibly take my younger sister as a concubine?"
The Fifth Prince nodded matter-of-factly: "That's right, I like her."
"Don't worry, I will take her into my home and treat her well."
Liang Nian frowned: "What if we don't want to?"