Chapter 540 - 522: Slaughter
Inside the Yangxin Palace, after Chen Mo saw Lin Yushu, he respectfully performed the ceremonial bow.
Lin Yushu watched Yuwen Jing collapse in anguish atop Feng Shu’s body, sobbing uncontrollably, filled with regret and grief. A trace of disgust flashed in her eyes, and she couldn’t help but think back to the days of marriage negotiations. Lin Yushu had long understood that she could never marry the man she truly admired, and thus never expressed her feelings, instead adhering to family interests and choosing a marriage suitable for herself.
Her options for a husband were few. Back then, she could choose only between Yuwen Jing and Zhang Boju. Zhang Boju, though her childhood friend, had no romantic feelings for her and regarded her merely as a younger sister. At the time, Yuwen Jing, as the Crown Prince, was distinguished, charming in appearance, and though raised in Ningzhou, exuded noble demeanor, behaved appropriately, and was highly perceptive and understanding. They shared similar interests. He wasn’t merely a fleeting moonlit gentleman who played the zither under the moonlight; after their marriage, Yuwen Jing treated her well—gentle, courteous, and exclusively devoted to her. Emotionally stable, and never revealing his darker nature publicly, for a long time, he could be considered a good husband.
After her marriage, Lin Helin once inquired about her wellbeing. Lin Yushu told her elder brother that she was doing well. Yuwen Jing and she treated one another with mutual respect, and as the Crown Princess Consort, she lived a fulfilling life. Even the Empress at that time dared not criticize her recklessly. Her family background, standing, and character were the reasons Yuwen Jing respected her, and indeed, in the beginning, things were good.
When did he change?
Or perhaps, he had always been this way—that gentleman as refined as jade was merely a role he played along his path to power. The true Yuwen Jing seemed to have emerged after he ascended to the throne, unchecked, unleashing the beast within him, awakening his hidden brutality.
Execution of loyal ministers, plundering of wives.
Such a tyrannical monarch—how could his reign ever be stable?
"Why have you come? Leave now!" Yuwen Jing’s expression shifted as his peripheral vision caught sight of Lin Yushu.
Others often say that moments shared as a couple build a lifetime of affection.
They were a young couple who had borne a child together. To Yuwen Jing, Lin Yushu was not like the other women of the harem; at least, he had never publicly embarrassed her.
After Feng Shu entered the palace, Lin Yushu frequently brought the Crown Prince to Yingchun Palace, and Yuwen Jing never interfered.
"Your Majesty, the deceased is gone—let her rest in peace and be laid to rest," Lin Yushu said softly. Even if the truth was difficult to hear, as the Empress, there were some things she was obligated to say. "She never had any attachment to this mortal world. If not for your threats against her family, she would have left three years ago!"
"Silence! Hold your tongue! My matters are none of your concern. Get back to your Weiyang Palace!" Yuwen Jing glared at her venomously. "Over the years, you’ve grown close to her. What have you done, said, or plotted together? Don’t think I’m unaware! Did you know all along she was carrying a child—that’s why you persuaded me to let her leave for Xiangguo Temple?"
Lin Yushu spoke calmly, "Back then, you executed the Marquis Mansion, surrounded and killed my cousin, and then sought to seize a widow. So many pairs of eyes watched you; so many rumors and whispers criticized you. In the early days of your reign, the throne was unstable. I hoped for peace in the harem and stability in the court. I did what an Empress must do and advised you to make the right choice. I did not know she was pregnant. The year she went to Xiangguo Temple, I never visited even once. How could I have known she was with child? It was only later, after she returned to the palace, that she mentioned giving birth to a child. But by then, the matter was irrevocable. I feared you could not accept it, and I worried the two of you would fall into further conflict. That is why I concealed the truth. Everything I did was for your benefit!"
Lin Yushu knew she couldn’t outright deny everything. She frequently brought the Crown Prince to Yingchun Palace, and Yuwen Jing, being highly alert and suspicious, would certainly suspect her involvement. In a flash of insight, Lin Yushu concocted a flawless explanation—a mix of truth and lies impossible to discern. Even with Yuwen Jing’s acuity, he would find no flaw.
"So it all turns out—you’ve all been lying to me!"
"Your Majesty, she gave birth to children—they are also Feng Shu’s. She originally... was..." Lin Yushu had grown weary of reasoning with him. If Yuwen Jing were truly willing to listen, he would not have done such foolish things. Yet, sometimes Lin Yushu felt a profound sorrow when she reflected, "Your Majesty, we had such a promising future. Yanyang could have been a land of harmony and prosperity. If only your obsessions were fewer, your suspicions lighter, and your tolerance greater, everything would be different. No one would have died. You would have sat securely on the throne, with the seas and rivers peaceful, and neighboring states in submission. You could have been the finest ruler in the hearts of Yanyang’s people. Instead, you chose to ruin it all with your own hands."
"Get out!" Yuwen Jing roared furiously. "Don’t make me repeat myself!"
Chen Mo, fearing the clash between the Empress and the Emperor might spiral into tragedy, hurried forward to mediate. "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, His Majesty is in anger. Please, consider leaving for now."
Lin Yushu, having come this far, would not leave so easily.
"I’ll leave, but only if Your Majesty wishes to avoid rivers of blood. Withdraw your orders and cease killing the innocent. Haven’t the Jinyi Guard’s atrocities been enough already?" Lin Yushu said gravely. "General Chang’s entire household was slaughtered—even his young granddaughter was not spared by the Jinyi Guard. Haven’t you killed enough? This Imperial City is shrouded in the grievances of countless souls. Please, Your Majesty, halt before the precipice. Stop compounding error upon error."
Lin Yushu knelt, pleading with Yuwen Jing to show mercy and stop perpetuating tragedies; otherwise, the Capital City would truly spiral into chaos. Grandmaster Zhang and several royal uncles were confronting Zhang Shun outside the Jinyi Guard dungeons. The palace had long received reports of the dispute, but Chen Mo dared not hide the truth. Yuwen Jing, entirely indifferent to who was detained in the Jinyi Guard’s prison, or to the lives of Grandmaster Zhang and the royal uncles, had directly ordered the Jinyi Guard to storm inside, killing any who defied the order without mercy.
Yuwen Jing issued a proclamation to the Capital City, demanding Xie Xun surrender and turn himself in. If Xie Xun failed to appear within the hour, an entire family held in the Jinyi Guard dungeons would be executed—continuing until all clan members detained were annihilated. Every drop of blood spilt would be blamed on Xie Xun, as he drove them to their deaths.
The malevolence of Yuwen Jing’s intentions could only be described as utterly insidious!
A few royal uncles from the clan attempted to remonstrate, and the Princess entered the palace seeking an audience with the Empress Dowager, hoping she might intervene to persuade Yuwen Jing. Yet, the Empress Dowager refused to become embroiled, remaining in her small Buddhist chapel, chanting prayers, unwilling to intervene.