Chapter 37: The Grand Procession of Emperor Kangzhi (Please Subscribe)

Tang Ming also knelt to one side to admit his fault, selectively recounting the details of his correspondence with Tang Zhao to Old Madam An.

Old Madam Tang had not expected that the entire affair had been instigated by Tang Zhao from beginning to end. Disgusted, she said, "It seems I misjudged her. Since she is unwilling to acknowledge the Duke of Wei's manor as her natal family, she shouldn't blame the Duke's manor for being heartless."

Tang Ming complied, and some of his stifled resentment over being schemed against by Tang Zhao dissipated.

Old Madam An's fury shifted entirely toward Tang Zhao. Seeing the mother and daughter kneeling on the ground admitting their faults honestly, she found them somewhat more tolerable. She reclaimed the power of household management and punished the two with three months of confinement and the transcription of a hundred copies of Buddhist scriptures before finally sending them away.

After a day of chaos, the Duke of Wei's manor finally settled down.

Inside the Bidan Courtyard of the Prince Xuan's Manor, Nanny Song was directing everyone, keeping them running in circles. "Arrange all the silks, jade, treasures, and jewelry sent by the Ministry of Rites properly. These are imperial gifts; ensure nothing is chipped or bumped."

Chunfeng personally watched the treasures being placed into storage, recording every item in detail.

Tang Zhao sat on a chaise longue, playing with a golden seal in her hand. The four large characters "Commandery Princess Zhaoshan" were engraved upon it, looking both domineering and noble.

The candlelight reflected off the golden seal, shining directly into Gu Ci's face.

Gu Ci turned his head to avoid the piercing light. "Next time, before you do something earth-shattering, could you perhaps give me a heads-up?" To give him some mental preparation.

"Alright," Tang Zhao replied, in a very beautiful and agreeable mood.

Gu Ci looked at her suspiciously, and after a moment, said, "If there is a next time, I—"

Tang Zhao: "You'll what?"

The man thought for a moment, realized he was powerless against her, and pursed his lips in displeasure.

Tang Zhao burst into laughter. "Fine, fine. I know you're worried about me. I'm not stupid; if I weren't absolutely certain of success, how would I dare to file an imperial appeal?"

"I promise, next time—the next time I stir up trouble, I will definitely tell you in advance!"

Gu Ci reluctantly believed her.

For the next few days, Tang Zhao stayed quietly in the manor.

"Miss, your act of beating the Dengwen Drum to file an imperial appeal has been written into a storybook by a storyteller!" Qiu Yu had gone out to run errands and returned eagerly to share the latest news.

"What was the reaction?" Tang Zhao asked.

"It was incredibly enthusiastic! You really ought to see it for yourself; the crowds were so massive there wasn't even room to step in the teahouses," Qiu Yu said. "The common people all sided with you and cursed that Song woman." She tapped her head. "Oh, wait, that mistress doesn't have a surname anymore. That mistress is a piece of work; it's one thing to be shameless, but she also tarnished the reputation of the Protector General and the Song clan."

Tang Zhao let out a smile as she released an arrow, hitting the straw man right in the heart.

"Wow!" Qiu Yu continued while clapping. "Besides that, quite a few people spoke up for the Second Madam."

They spoke of how she had endured hardships to give birth to a legitimate son, how she was gentle and virtuous, setting aside her status to personally welcome the mistress into the manor, and how she had even handed over household management to ensure the proper upbringing of the mistress's children, effectively washing away most of the filth cast upon her.

"That's for the best," Tang Zhao said, aiming at the straw man. "Though Lady An holds the status of the legal wife and has the support of the Old Madam, she ultimately cannot compete with the Duke of Wei's favoritism. Now that her reputation has improved significantly, she can fight tooth and nail with Song Qingyan."

"Aren't you afraid of Lady An making a comeback?"

Tang Zhao released the bowstring. "A comeback? In front of me, her original legal daughter and the victim, she will never be able to make a comeback in this lifetime."

*Swish!* The arrow pierced through the straw man's head and drove deep into the blue bricks of the ground.

Three days later, the first spring rain fell in Luoyang. Emperor Kangzhi personally left the palace to inspect the disaster areas. Seeing the refugees busily preparing for spring plowing and the fields flourishing, the heart that had been hanging in suspense since the snow disaster in Luoyang finally settled. As his spirit relaxed, he fell ill upon returning to the palace.

The imperial physicians stood guard by the dragon bed for a day and a night before Emperor Kangzhi finally woke. This bout of a common cold seemed to be the last straw; Emperor Kangzhi drifted in and out of consciousness.

A nation cannot be without a ruler for a single day. With the insistence of the officials and the support of the Empress, the Crown Prince took over the administration of state affairs. He was busy to the point of exhaustion every day, even having to personally go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to serve medicinal soup.

In the blink of an eye, early summer arrived.

Under Emperor Kangzhi's signal, the imperial physicians forcibly applied acupuncture. Emperor Kangzhi finally regained a glimmer of strength and waved his hand toward the Crown Prince, who was kneeling on the footstool watching him intently.

Emperor Kangzhi's aged hand touched the Crown Prince's head. "In the blink of an eye, you have been the Crown Prince for thirty years."

"In these thirty years, though you have made mistakes, overall you have committed no great transgressions. You do not lack the necessary breadth of mind or capability," Emperor Kangzhi said, looking at the legitimate eldest son he had raised himself. "It is only regarding the matters in the Northwest that you are often impulsive."

The Crown Prince lowered his head. "Your son knows his fault."

"Your Father understands. Prince Xuan commands the three hundred thousand troops of the Northwest, but as the Crown Prince, the Northwest army does not just make you uneasy; it makes the Turks unable to sleep at night. No matter how you fight, the mountains and rivers of Great Yu always belong to the Gu imperial clan. But if one day the Turkic soldiers arrive at the city gates, then the dynasty will truly change."

"Your son knows his fault."

"You are the Crown Prince, the future Emperor. Prince Xuan is your biological brother, your subject, your ally, and more importantly, your right arm!" Although Emperor Kangzhi was gravely ill, his imperial majesty remained undiminished. "The Son of Heaven guards the capital, and the vassal princes guard the borders. Only when the sons of the Gu imperial clan are united can the mountains and rivers of Great Yu be preserved for ten thousand years!"

The Crown Prince was deeply shaken.

"Prince Xuan is a man of sentiment. You grew up with him and have been fond of your brother since childhood. On the day Prince Xuan left the capital, he told me personally that he was willing to guard the mountains and rivers of Great Yu for his elder brother," Emperor Kangzhi's breathing became rapid. "Do you know what that means?"

The Crown Prince hurriedly reached out to help Emperor Kangzhi soothe his breathing, weeping loudly. "Your son understands! It was because your son was blinded and lost his heart that I misunderstood my second brother. Your son swears that I shall never be so foolish again!"

"It is good that you understand," Emperor Kangzhi said with relief. "My son is benevolent. Your father does not ask you to expand our territories; I only wish for you to guard this hard-won land and protect this precious peace. Only then can your father rest easy."

"Father! Father!" The Crown Prince sobbed. "Your son will strictly follow your imperial decree."

Emperor Kangzhi: "Arrange everything properly, and call the ministers in."

The Crown Prince finally managed to stop his weeping, tidied his appearance, and summoned the kneeling officials and concubines from outside the hall.

Not a single official of the third rank or above was missing, and the Empress along with the various concubines knelt before the dragon bed to hear the decree.

"After I pass away, the Crown Prince shall ascend the throne. You all must assist him with all your heart."

"Your servant obeys the decree."

"After the period of great mourning, Prince Xuan's family shall go to his Northwest fiefdom. They shall not return to the capital without an imperial decree; the same applies to the other vassal princes."

Gu Liu and Gu Ci kowtowed to receive the decree.

"The national treasury is empty and the people's lives are difficult. The funeral rites shall not be grand. Simply bury me with the items I used frequently during my life; do not waste the treasury's money and grain, and let the common people not engage in excessive mourning."

Feeling that he had said everything that needed to be said, Emperor Kangzhi peacefully closed his eyes to rest.

The Empress bit her lower lip with all her might to keep from crying out.

In his dreams, Emperor Kangzhi's life flashed before his eyes, finally stopping at the great desert of the Northwest.

Song Hongcheng, dressed in armor and carrying a wine jar, walked up to Emperor Kangzhi. "Your Majesty, the wine I owe you, I can finally return it to you today."

Emperor Kangzhi laughed loudly, and the two of them walked off into the distance together.

The person on the dragon bed gradually stopped breathing.

"Your Majesty has passed away!"