Chapter 136 Lawlessness
Fu Chen was heartbroken and promised firmly: "I will do my best to help you get revenge!"
Tang Ying stammered, "...Actually, you don't have to help me like this." She felt uneasy because she owed too much debt.
Fu Chen seemed to have guessed what she was thinking, and chuckled, "You saved my life, and I haven't repaid you yet. One life is yours, not to mention it's just a small thing within my ability."
Tang Ying: "You've saved me more than once, so how does this count?"
Fu Chen smiled: "Yingying, there is already a mess between you and me. I am afraid it is impossible to settle everything clearly . I originally wanted you to owe me a lot of debts, preferably debts that you can never pay off in your lifetime, so that you will always think about paying off the debts, and you will always keep me in your heart." He sighed: "Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes, and I am the one who drags you down."
Tang Ying: "None of the money lenders in the capital is as cruel as you." He actually wanted her to be in huge debt for the rest of her life, with the creditor's face in her mind day and night - if the creditor's face wasn't so good-looking, it would have been a lifelong nightmare.
Seeing her eyes wide open, Fu Chen was so adorable that he said self-deprecatingly, "You still expect people from our Cavalry Prohibition Department to be kind?"
It is said that the people in the Forbidden Cavalry Division are cruel and ruthless, and can stop children from crying at night. The most outstanding representative among them was temporarily led by Lord Fu in the past two years, and was replaced by Chief Envoy Tang in the past year. He bowed to Tang Ying in a serious manner and said, "Who in the capital doesn't know the great reputation of Chief Envoy Tang? If we really compare the cruelty of the heart, I will admit defeat."
Tang Ying couldn't help but be amused: "I never realized that you have such a lively side before."
"Maybe the air in Gyeongzhou is more free." Fu Chen couldn't help but smile when he thought of Gyeongzhou.
If the air in the capital is suffocating, with ubiquitous rules restricting people and trapping them in narrow iron cages, where they fight endlessly for fame and fortune; then Gyeongju is a free world full of wild flowers, where it is common for men and women in love to ride on the same horse. There is less fighting for fame and fortune, and more of a simple and indifferent atmosphere of life.
He said, "When the situation in the capital is settled, I want to take you to live in Gyeongju for a while."
Tang Ying never dared to think about the future, always feeling that she was always walking on the edge of a knife, and might fall into the abyss and be smashed to pieces if she was not careful, so she did not dare to make promises to others easily, which would hurt herself and others. However, when he naturally planned her into his future, as if the free life was waiting for her not far away, she could not control her emotions after all, and blurted out a sentence.
"If this is over and I can leave alive, will you go somewhere with me?"
Fu Chen seemed to have not expected her to say that and was stunned .
It is rumored that Commander Fu is cold-hearted, but compared to him, the little girl in front of him is like a piece of ice. After holding her in his arms for so long, he finally waited for her to agree: "Go! You must go! No matter where you go, I will accompany you!" Her excitement is evident.
"That's not necessary." Compared to Fu Chen's high spirits, Tang Ying was as solemn as if entrusting her with her last wishes: "In the summer, it will be the third anniversary of my father and brother's death. If I can avenge them and escape with my life, I will take you back to Baicheng to pay tribute to them. If I... I will have to trouble you to bury me with them." She looked at Fu Chen's face and asked tentatively: "Isn't it a bit unreasonable?"
Fu Chen's eyes were sore, and he was afraid that if he blinked a few more times, it would reveal the surging pain in his heart.
Most girls of her age in Beijing have already married and are living their own lives. Perhaps they already have children and are enjoying a peaceful and happy life. But she had already sentenced herself to death before coming to Beijing. She was trapped in the blood feud between her father and brother like a prisoner, and she had to take every step carefully, ready to give up her life at any time.
When he was dreaming of building a beautiful future with her, she rejected him bitterly, calculated her remaining days, and marched forward through the thorns, not hesitating even though she knew it was a dead end.
He pulled her into his arms, hugged her tightly, and said in a hoarse voice: "I will definitely accompany you back to White City to pay tribute to them, and I won't give you a chance to regret it."
He lowered his head and kissed her hair lightly.
※※※
When Tang Ying entered the palace again, she happened to catch the Crown Prince going out to handle state affairs. The Emperor of Southern Qi was awake, leaning against the head of the bed to rest.
The eunuch reported Tang Ying's request for an audience, and the Southern Qi Emperor said, "Summon him."
When Tang Ying came in, he opened his cloudy eyes and asked, "How did the trial of Xuan Zhen and Zhang Wenhua go?"
The Crown Prince was afraid of irritating him, so he kept it secret.
Tang Ying was not afraid of stimulating him, but was afraid that the stimulation was not enough.
She knelt down and handed over the confession she had prepared long ago: "According to Zhang Wenhua's confession, he was instructed by His Royal Highness the Prince of Xiang to recommend Xuan Zhen to the palace to make elixirs for Your Majesty, and... from his confession, it can be seen that His Royal Highness the Prince of Xiang had also consulted a lot of records of taking elixirs before, and even the amount of elixir Your Majesty took was determined by His Royal Highness the Prince of Xiang and Xuan Zhen. I also took the time to read some books on elixirs, and combined with the confession of the eunuchs around Your Majesty, I found... found that Your Majesty took an overdose..."
The blood vessels in Emperor Nanqi's body were like boiling magma. He could even hear the sound of "gurgling" rolling in his ears. The other sounds became distant. He could only see Tang Ying's mouth opening and closing, but could not hear what she was saying. The confession in front of him became a blur. A fishy taste surged in his throat. He gritted his teeth and swallowed it down. It took a long time before he could hear Tang Ying's anxious voice.
"His Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, are you alright?"
The Emperor of Southern Qi experienced countless crises, both big and small, in his life, and he was able to turn danger into safety every time. He once firmly believed that he was deeply blessed by God. However, today, when he was plotted against by his own son, he suddenly began to doubt his identity as the Son of Heaven and what it had brought him.
"I, it's okay."
Seeing Tang Ying hesitate to speak, he smiled bitterly: "Do you have anything else to say?"
Tang Ying looked worried: "Your Majesty, your health is the most important thing, you should take good care of yourself. Why don't I report to the Crown Prince and let him handle it?" She thought to herself: I don't believe you won't be irritated.
The Southern Qi Emperor held the power of life and death. Even though he was bedridden, he did not want others to control him. Moreover, at this moment, he was angry and frustrated, so he could not think of Tang Ying's intentions. He just wanted to know the whole truth: "I can still hold on. Tang Qing, don't worry. You can tell me."
Tang Ying looked at his face and said cautiously, "According to my investigation, this matter is also related to the Grand Princess Yuan Heng. The Grand Princess supports His Royal Highness the Prince of Xiang, not only providing money and people, but also... giving him advice. I sealed Xuan Zhen's Taoist temple, and found that the Grand Princess often went in and out of Xuan Zhen's Taoist temple, and had frequent contacts with Taoist Xuan Zhen, but I can't go to the princess's mansion to inquire. Your Majesty has to make the decision on this matter."
The Southern Qi Emperor was so angry that he laughed: "I never thought that my good sister would actually instigate the Prince of Xiang to attack me. She is really my good sister!"
He covered his chest with his hands, his face grim, as if he was trying hard to suppress the surging blood, but he failed. Immediately afterwards, a large mouthful of blood spurted out, like a punctured air bag, and as the air leaked, his whole body trembled, but he was unable to stop it.
When people reach a certain age, their will still exists, but no matter how strong the will is, it cannot control the gradually aging body. It may even give people the illusion that the mind, will and body are two completely unrelated things that cannot cooperate and drive each other.
At this moment, the Emperor of Southern Qi was caught in such an illusion.
He clearly wanted to roar in anger, wanted to stand up, wanted to swing his sword to kill that unfilial son and that elder sister whom he had always regarded as his closest relatives, but his body was like a piece of rotten wood lying on the bed, and he couldn't move at all.
Anger made his whole body spasm and his pupils constrict.
Reflected in his constricted pupils were the frightened faces of Gan Jun, Tang Ying, and his attendant Liu San. Everyone had an anxious look on their face. Even the little girl named Tang was trembling slightly with fear and kept shouting, "Your Majesty—" The shouts sounded as far away as if in the sky.
Gan Jun remained calm and sternly ordered the eunuch: "Hurry up and call the imperial physician over." While doing so, he held down his spasming and uncontrollable hands and feet.
The Southern Qi Emperor, who was almost losing his mind with anger, tried his best to get rid of the shackles on his body and to find his own high spirits. When he was suppressed by Gan Jun, he even took his anger out on him. Unarmed and unable to drive himself, he made full use of his only weapon - his voice.
Use sound to intimidate this lawless dog slave.
"Ahhhhh——" He shouted at the top of his lungs, but was stunned by himself.
He found that he had lost control of his voice. He wanted to shout and curse, but the sounds that came out were all meaningless. He even lost the ability to fully express his wishes. At the same time, he was horrified to find that half of his cheek was as stiff as iron, as if it was a part that was sewn on, something that did not belong to his face. He could neither take it off nor use it.
“Aaaaaa——”
The Emperor of Southern Qi became even more anxious, his eyes widened, and he finally fell from his arrogant throne. His heart was gripped by deep fear, and he couldn't help but shed tears.
Turbid tears flowed down his eyes. Even he was frightened by his own weakness. He forgot his anger and struggle and shouting for a moment. He just wanted to quickly cover up his gaffe, but Gan Jun, that dog slave!
This dog slave also pressed down his arms, making it impossible for him to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes.
It was the little girl surnamed Tang who was understanding and hurried to pull him away: "Lord Gan, His Majesty seems to have something to say, please let His Majesty go."
Gan Jun, this dog slave!
He actually...actually suppressed me, and even comforted the girl surnamed Tang: "Your Majesty is a little out of control, wait for the imperial physician to come and give him an injection and he will be fine."
Dog slave!
The Emperor of Southern Qi was so angry that his eyes went dark and he finally passed out.
Gan Jun watched the Emperor faint and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
