The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 201 - 200

Chapter 200

One month later.

The royal court of the Qingzhou Region was in turmoil. Hundreds of officials were involved in a major investigation. The cause of this chaos stemmed from some officials illegally trafficking salt. Their crimes were reported by a group of virtuous officials.

Inside the Qingzhou throne room, tension was palpable. Chen Feng Yue sat on the dragon throne, emanating an aura of power. The accused officials knelt, awaiting their fate with anxiety, aware of the gravity of the charges against them.

"Your Majesty, we have been falsely accused. Please reconsider this case,"

One of the accused officials pleaded, kneeling before the Emperor, insisting on their innocence and asking for the Emperor to reconsider the case.

Following his lead, several others joined in, "Your Majesty, for the sake of our long service to the court, please reconsider this case."

"Your Majesty, please show mercy," they implored, knocking their heads on the floor to assert their innocence.

Chen Feng Yue gazed at the officials who knelt and knocked their heads on the floor below him, then declared, "With such conclusive evidence and witnesses, how can you claim to be falsely accused?"

Upon hearing the Emperor’s authoritative voice, whispers filled the hall. Chen Feng Yue’s advisor presented evidence showing how these officials were involved in the illegal salt trade. Confronted with overwhelming evidence, the faces of the corrupt officials turned pale. Even though they knew they were framed, none dared to plead for their lives anymore. Silence once again enveloped the hall as the corrupt officials realized their futures were hanging by a thread.

The Emperor surveyed the officials one last time before announcing in a firm and powerful tone, "You have not only betrayed the laws of the land but also the trust I placed in you. Guards, take these officials away to face their punishment."

Following the Emperor’s decree, soldiers began escorting the accused officials out of the throne room. They hung their heads in shame, their previous arrogance replaced with despair. The case concluded with significant bloodshed, dozens of noble families executed for nine generations, and dozens of other families were exiled from the capital or sent to labor or serve as slaves in various provinces. Every official implicated in the case was punished.

However, the true underlying reason was that all the punished officials belonged to the factions of the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang.

"His Majesty’s actions indicate he intends to eliminate us!"

The Empress Dowager said angrily. The execution and exile of the officials had severely weakened her faction’s power, clearly showing the Emperor’s intent to eliminate threats to his authority. If she didn’t act now, she feared even her life would be in danger in the future.

"What should we do now?"

Shin Wang asked, sensing the Empress Dowager’s thoughts from her expression, though he couldn’t voice them directly.

"Three months from now, I will start a rebellion..."

When the word rebellion slipped from the Empress Dowager’s mouth, Shin Wang showed no surprise. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time, a cruel smile forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Then, shall we start creating chaos now?"

Shin Wang suggested. The Empress Dowager nodded in agreement. From that day on, turmoil erupted within the royal court of the Qingzhou Region as the factions of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor clashed in earnest.

Three months later.

Another major event shook the capital. The Empress Dowager and Shin Wang led a rebellion, gathering their troops at the city gates. Chaos ensued as their forces breached the palace walls.

"Protect His Majesty. Do not let the enemy troops attack the royal palace!"

The chief of the palace guards shouted orders as the troop of imperial guards tried to hold off Shin Wang and the Empress Dowager’s forces.

Shin Wang, clad in silver armor, rode a black steed. In his hand, he wielded a blood-soaked sword, decapitating anyone who stood in his path without mercy.

The battle within the palace walls grew fiercer, the screams of eunuchs and maids echoing amidst the blood and corpses. The royal palace had become a battlefield in the blink of an eye.

"Your Majesty, Shin Wang’s forces have breached the palace!" The chief eunuch reported to Chen Feng Yue with urgency. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

The strength of Shin Wang’s army overwhelmed the palace guards so they couldn’t hold off, and now he led his troops into the throne room of the Qingzhou Region.

Chen Feng Yue grabbed a sword. As the enemy appeared at the throne room’s entrance, Shin Wang, donned in silver armor drenched in blood of the palace guards, stood with the Empress Dowager by his side. She held a decree in her hand, dressed in a dark phoenix-patterned robe.

"Chen Feng Yue, Emperor of Qingzhou, is guilty of fabricating evidence to falsely accuse loyal officials of illegal salt trading, causing the loss of hundreds of lives,"

The Empress Dowager declared with a commanding voice. The officials in the hall looked at the Emperor in his golden dragon robe sitting on the throne with surprise and disbelief. Had the Emperor really framed innocent people? How could such a thing be possible?

Some officials believed the Empress Dowager’s declaration, while others did not. However, with Shin Wang’s forces surrounding the palace, even if Chen Feng Yue were innocent, escaping the rebellion’s encirclement would be impossible.

Chen Feng Yue remained unmoved by the Empress Dowager’s accusation, as if her proclamation was nonsense not worth his attention.

"For this crime, I declare Chen Feng Yue deposed from the throne of Qingzhou and sentenced to death!"

As her voice echoed, Shin Wang’s soldiers rushed to surround the Qingzhou Emperor’s throne. Chen Feng Yue rose from the dragon throne, wielding his sword against the approaching enemies. Bloodshed erupted once more in the throne room as officials fled for their lives. The battle was brief, ending in Chen Feng Yue’s defeat.

The young Emperor was imprisoned in the palace dungeon. Overnight, he had fallen from the highest power to a condemned traitor.

After being imprisoned for only one day, the Empress Dowager offered Chen Feng Yue a cup of poisoned wine. Giving poison like this was considered a great kindness of the Empress Dowager. At least, dying this way was better than beheading.

After staring at the poisoned cup for a long time, the young man in the white prisoner’s robe decided to drink it. With Emperor Chen Feng Yue’s death, the Empress Dowager proclaimed Shin Wang the new emperor of Qingzhou and appointed Mu Luofei as the empress.

Two months later.

Shortly after the new emperor ascended to the throne of the Qingzhou Region, another rebellion erupted in the capital. The leader of this rebel army was none other than Chen Feng Yue, the former emperor whom everyone believed had died after being forced to drink poison. In reality, the events of that day had been staged to deceive the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang.

It was all part of a plan devised in collaboration with Ke Jiaren...

"Is it really Chen Feng Yue!?"

The Empress Dowager’s face showed signs of panic. Hadn’t he drunk the poisoned wine? How could he still be alive and leading a rebel army attacking the capital of Qingzhou? But then, she recalled that she had not seen his body herself that day. Could it be...

Chen Feng Yue was not dead!

It was all a ploy to trap her!

"It is indeed him, Your Majesty. The one leading the rebels is undoubtedly the former emperor,"

The reporting soldier confirmed with a resolute voice. Even if the former emperor had risen from his grave, the soldier would still recognize that face anywhere.

"What should we do, Your Majesty?" Mu Luofei asked urgently. She had just been appointed Empress of Qingzhou, and now another rebellion had arisen.

"Don’t worry. Even if Chen Feng Yue crawls out of his grave, I will bury him again myself!"

The new emperor of Qingzhou declared firmly. It had only been two months; he refused to believe that Chen Feng Yue could muster the forces to attack and reclaim power so quickly.

If he couldn’t be killed by false charges against officials, then this time he would die a traitor!

"Soldiers, bring me my armor," the Emperor commanded. Soldiers quickly brought him the gear for battle.

"Be careful," Empress Mu said with concern. The Emperor nodded and headed out to face the rebel forces outside.

Chen Feng Yue, rode on his horse, led his rebel army into the capital of Qingzhou. If it hadn’t been for his collaboration with Ke Jiaren, he wouldn’t have known how to overthrow the Empress Dowager and the former Shin Wang.

After three days and nights of fierce fighting, Chen Feng Yue successfully reclaimed the royal palace. The current emperor was killed on the battlefield, while Empress Mu was slain while trying to escape. As for the Empress Dowager, Chen Feng Yue did not kill her immediately. He ordered her imprisonment in the palace dungeon, planning to personally give her the poison, just as she had done to him in the past.

The eyes of the Empress Dowager were empty as she gazed at the cup of poisoned wine before her. She had never imagined that the poison she had once bestowed upon Chen Feng Yue would now be returned to her.

The Empress Dowager’s faction had been utterly defeated. Everyone around her had perished, leaving her in a state of despair.

What was the point of continuing to live...?

With this realization, she lifted the cup of poisoned wine and drank it in one swift motion without a moment’s hesitation. Her death brought peace and tranquility back to the Qingzhou royal court.

After reclaiming his position as emperor, Chen Feng Yue swiftly purged the remaining loyalists of the Empress Dowager, restoring the integrity of the royal court. The nation flourished once more. Furthermore, he exonerated and vindicated Mu Yingying and Mu Qingxuan, who had been wrongfully executed for allegedly poisoning Lady Ping An.

Now, the two of them were finally cleared of all charges...

With everything resolved, Ke Jiaren journeyed to the hill outside the city where Mu Yingying was buried. As the sun set, bathing the hill in golden light, a sense of peace filled his heart. He sat down beside the grave, trying to overcome the sorrow within him, and spoke to Mu Yingying’s spirit tablet.

"Everything is over now..."

In his heart, he wished for her to rest in peace. He had cleared her name and restored her honor. He hoped that from now on, she would have no more burdens.

"You no longer have to bear those false accusations. You and your sister were innocent victims, and those responsible have been brought to justice..."

After speaking these words, he sat quietly beside the grave, saying nothing more. His sharp eyes gazed at the soft orange sky for a while, feeling an inexplicable emptiness inside. His eyes then wandered around the surrounding trees, flowers, and grassy hills, filling him with a sense of numbness. In this world, there was nothing left for him to care about.

As his mind drifted, memories of the first day he met Mu Yingying resurfaced. It was a bitterly cold day with a heavy snowstorm. His body had been weak from severe abuse and left on the roadside like worthless trash. If Mu Yingying hadn’t found him that day, how could he have survived to this day?

He remembered the young Mu Yingying, whose face was a bit blurry at that time, but he could never forget her bright, sparkling eyes. Thinking of the warmth and kindness she had shown him, a hollow feeling rose in his heart.

Was he missing her...?

"That day, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have the chance to sit here now."

Ke Jiaren turned to look at the spirit tablet beside him once more. He reached out and gently caressed the name he had carefully carved himself. The initially hardened, cold, distant, and emotionless look in his eyes softened to warmth and tenderness as he gazed at Mu Yingying’s name.

"If I ever get the chance to meet you again, I promise I will not let you go like I did this time."

The words Ke Jiaren spoke came from the depths of his heart, firm and sincere. If the opportunity he longed for were to truly arise, he would seize it without hesitation. He would never let her go, and he would not allow himself to regret it later as he did now.

Shortly after he uttered these words, a breeze swept around him, as if Mu Yingying were acknowledging his wish.

I will come back to you for sure, I promise...

Ke Jiaren sat beside the spirit tablet in silence for a long while. Despite the stillness, he felt a peace and relaxation within him that he had never experienced before.

As the sun set and night began to fall, Ke Jiaren rose and walked away to resume his duties.

Yet, in his heart, he would forever engrave her name, Mu Yingying...

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