novelAbuy Chapter 8: This time, I will be the one to wield the knife!
Chapter 8: This time, I will be the one to wield the knife!
"His Majesty!"
Just as Crown Prince Liu Ju left Ganquan Palace, Su Wen, the Yellow Gate Attendant, entered the main hall with a servile bow.
"How could I not have thought that he was Wei Qing's nephew, with the blood of the Wei family flowing in his veins?"
With a deep gaze, Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, lingered on the imperial platform, looking in the direction Liu Ju had gone, and inexplicably uttered a sentence.
"His Majesty."
"Your Highness is acting recklessly..."
"Um?"
Before Su Wen could finish speaking, Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, narrowed his eyes, exuding an imposing aura without anger.
*Thud!*
Su Wen was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground, not daring to breathe.
"I am old, not dead."
"What is the crime of speaking ill of the Crown Prince? Go to the Inner Palace to receive your punishment."
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, spoke coldly, without even glancing at Su Wen on the ground.
"promise."
The Imperial Attendant Su Wen trembled all over, not daring to refute, and his figure, as forlorn as a dog, disappeared outside the palace.
The Commandant of Ganquan then entered the hall and respectfully reported, "Your Majesty."
What should be done with the body of Jiang Chong, the Imperial Censor in Embroidered Uniform?
"It's just a dead dog, do whatever you want with it."
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, waved his hand dismissively, completely unconcerned about Jiang Chong's life or death.
In his mind, Jiang Chong's use of his name to intimidate the Crown Prince was a capital offense.
It was precisely Jiang Chong's audacity that allowed him to see another side of Crown Prince Liu Ju, and Jiang Chong's value ended there.
"promise."
The Commandant of Ganquan understood immediately and quickly arranged for his guards to hastily wrap the body of Jiang Chong, the Imperial Censor in Embroidered Robes, in a reed mat and dump it in the mountains.
Outside of Chang'an, Jianzhang Palace, Ganquan Palace, and the Crown Prince's Palace (Bowang Garden) were all part of the Shanglin Garden. The Shanglin Garden stretched from Lantian, Yichun, Dinghu, Yusu, and Kunwu in the east, along the Zhongnan Mountains to the west, reaching Changyang and Wuzuo, then circled Huangshan in the north, and turned east along the Wei River, covering an area of more than 300 li.
The garden is filled with rolling hills and towering peaks, deep forests with giant trees and jagged rocks. Eight rivers flow into the garden, where mountains and waters are abundant and the forests are lush. It has nurtured countless birds, beasts, fish and turtles. In less than three days, Jiang Chong's corpse will be devoured by jackals, wolves and tigers.
...............
at the same time.
Crown Prince Liu Ju spurred his horse and returned to the Crown Prince's Palace, finally arriving back at Bowang Garden at dusk.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince."
He was greeted not only by Zhang He, the Crown Prince's guest, but also by Wei Yong, the Grand Chamberlain.
"Wei Yong".
"Why are you here?"
When Liu Ju saw Wei Yong, he looked suspicious.
The Grand Chamberlain was an official under the Empress, mainly responsible for conveying the Empress's decrees and managing the affairs of the inner palace. He held a rank of 2,000 shi (a unit of grain), and was granted a silver seal and blue ribbon.
Empress Wei Zifu came from the Wei family, and her chief charioteer was naturally also a member of the Wei family.
"Your Highness."
Zhang He hesitated and said, "After you left, I went to the General's Mansion to see Marquis Changping."
Princess Pingyang sent a female official to inform me that Marquis Changping is bedridden and unable to receive guests.
"Only then did I go to Weiyang Palace."
"I understand."
Upon hearing this, Liu Ju immediately understood.
Unable to find Wei Qing, Zhang He went to Weiyang Palace to pay his respects to Empress Wei Zifu, also out of concern for his own safety.
"Thank you for your help, Grand Chamberlain, to report back to the Empress Dowager."
"The affairs of the Crown Prince's palace are numerous and complicated. I will go to Chang Le Palace to pay my respects after I have sorted them out."
Liu Ju turned his gaze to Wei Yong and said calmly.
"promise."
Grand Chamberlain Wei Yong's eyelids twitched slightly, a hint of surprise rising in his heart, before he left Bowang Garden.
"Tap tap!"
Liu Ju dismounted and strode into the main hall.
Zhang He followed closely behind, and the attendants around him tactfully led the horse back to the stable.
"I will kill Jiang Chong!"
What?
Zhang He stood there, completely stunned. The Crown Prince had killed Jiang Chong, the Imperial Censor, an official personally appointed by His Majesty.
"I hereby order Shen Yu to be beaten to death!"
Liu Ju then uttered another piece of information.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Zhang He was completely dumbfounded.
Crown Prince Liu Ju only went to Ganquan Palace once, and killed two people in succession: one was a confidant of the emperor, and the other was a retainer of the crown prince.
If this matter were to spread, it would surely cause an uproar both inside and outside the court, and the matter would be difficult to resolve with the censors alone.
Moreover, Shen Yu's death will inevitably cause turmoil in the Crown Prince's palace. All the guests and retainers who follow the Crown Prince will surely feel a sense of dread, wondering what the Crown Prince is doing.
"Be careful not to violate the law of the country, and the crime will not be forgiven."
"If Jiang Chong doesn't die, I, the crown prince, will likely become a laughing stock in Chang'an."
Liu Ju seemed to have guessed Zhang He's thoughts and added two sentences.
"call!!!"
Zhang He took a deep breath and said in a solemn voice, "What about His Majesty..."
"The Emperor has agreed to allow the Marquis of Champion to be raised in the Crown Prince's Palace."
"The Crown Prince's palace was staffed with Left and Right Guards, each with a rank of 800 shi (a unit of grain), a bronze seal and a black ribbon, and commanding 800 guards."
"In exchange, I will support His Majesty's trip to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony at the court meeting five days from now."
Liu Ju revealed everything he had done at Ganquan Palace, which was not only a sign of trust in Zhang He, but also a test for him.
If Zhang He cannot make the right judgment, then he is not qualified to continue serving as the Crown Prince's guest, let alone be entrusted with important responsibilities.
From the moment Liu Ju stepped out of Bowang Garden, this young crown prince was already prepared to reshuffle the Crown Prince's palace.
"My God!"
A storm raged within Zhang He's heart as one "surprise" after another, or rather, one "fright," completely engulfed him in this vortex.
Everyone knows that after the death of Huo Qubing, the Marquis of Jingheng, Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, placed high hopes on his only son, Huo Shan.
Huo Qubing died in the sixth year of Yuanshou (117 BC). Huo Shan inherited the title of Marquis of Champion in the first year of Yuanding (116 BC), was appointed as a court attendant, and was granted the title of Commandant of the Imperial Carriage. His rank was equivalent to two thousand shi, and he was in charge of driving the imperial carriage and serving at the emperor's side. At that time, Huo Shan was only five years old.
Huo Shan was brought into the palace at a young age and was raised by people personally assigned by Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che. His diet and daily life were all treated the same as those of the princes.
No one could have imagined that Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, would agree to hand Huo Shan over to Crown Prince Liu Ju, who actually took on this hot potato.
Even more unbelievable is that His Majesty actually set up eight hundred guards in the Crown Prince's Palace. You must know that this is real military power.
"Does Your Highness know what will happen if you support the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai during the court assembly?"
"Of course I know that."
Liu replied without hesitation.
"Your Highness, I would like to know what exactly Your Highness intends to do?"
Zhang He stared intently at the person he had served for over a decade, trying to discern something from Liu Ju's expression. Unfortunately, Liu Ju remained calm and composed, showing no change whatsoever.
"Having a knife and not using it is one thing, and not having a knife to use is another."
"I have always been a knife in other people's hands. This time, I want to be the one wielding the knife."
Liu Ju made no attempt to conceal his words, and his resounding words echoed throughout the main hall.
Boom!!!
Zhang He felt as if struck by lightning, and staggered back several steps before barely managing to regain his footing.
He never imagined that Crown Prince Liu Ju would have such a thought. How could he have come to this!