Chapter 1583

Xue Shengjing has been weeping uncontrollably since entering the memorial hall, and no one doubts his sincerity, for the deceased is his birth mother; moreover, Empress Jiang's death means he has lost his backing, and now Xue Daohong has no scruples left, needing to fear no one.

Xue Daohong rose to his feet, gave Xue Daoming a glance, and Prince Ming Xue Daoming hurriedly followed him up; the two brothers stepped outside, snow still falling, Xue Daohong clasped his hands behind his back and silently watched the drifting snow.

Xue Daoming feigned concern, saying, "Your Imperial Highness, it's bitterly cold outside; be sure not to catch a chill." While speaking, he specially took off his own outer robe and draped it over Xue Daohong, though in his heart he wished Xue Daohong would die, even of illness.

Xue Daohong sighed, exhaling a plume of white vapor; the temperature had dropped even lower than earlier that night, his breath turning to frost—this was the coldest spell in Yongdu—and he whispered, "Daoming, how have I treated you?"

Xue Daoming bowed his waist low like a shrimp, and said with utmost reverence, "Your Imperial Highness, your kindness to me is En ru shan, leaving no detail unattended."

Xue Daohong said, "Although I am the emperor of Da Yong, I don't want to wear this crown at all; to wear a crown is to bear its weight. Do you know that since I ascended the throne, I have never slept a peaceful sleep?"

Xue Daoming inwardly cursed, "Talking while standing doesn't hurt your back; you don't want to be emperor, so what did you do earlier? Why did you initially fight me to the death? Are you saying this sort of windy talk to me?"

Xue Daohong said: "I know no one will believe these words, but the realm of Da Yong is not mine alone; it belongs to the Xue clan, it belongs to us brothers. To secure the realm and prosper Da Yong is our shared responsibility."

Xue Daoming said: "Older brother, wherever I can be of use to you as a brother, I will go through fire and water without hesitation."

Xue Daohong turned, looked at him, and said: "If something happens, will you stand on my side?"

Xue Daoming said: "Of course!"

At this moment, the commander of the Jinlin Guard, Shi Kuang, came to the two of them and respectfully said: "Your Majesty, the Long Princess has been brought!"

Xue Daohong nodded, looked up, and saw eight people escorting Long Princess Xue Lingjun through the wind and snow toward the spirit hall; accompanying her was Li Shen Zhou. As Xue Lingjun stepped onto the stairs, Shi Kuang blocked her path. She widened her phoenix eyes and shouted angrily: "Move aside!"

Shi Kuang glanced at Xue Daohong, who nodded, and then Shi Kuang made way.

A crowd entered the spirit hall, which was actually the sleeping quarters of the late grand empress dowager; her corpse still lay on the bed. Upon entering, one heard Xue Shengjing's wailing, while the other officials were mostly kept outside by the curtains.

The unexpected death of Empress Dowager Jiang dealt a huge blow to these veteran officials. Now everyone feels anxious; given their situation, the emperor will surely investigate the cause of the grand empress dowager's death, and all signs point to Xue Lingjun. The current evidence is extremely unfavorable to her.

Everyone awaited Xue Daohong's decision; he seemed in no hurry to decide, merely returning to the spirit hall with the others.

Upon seeing her mother's remains, Xue Lingjun finally lost all hope, yet she did not weep bitterly like Xue Shengjing; not a single tear fell. She bowed three times before the late grand empress dowager's corpse, then rose and approached Xue Daohong, respectfully asking: "Your Majesty, do you need an explanation?"

Xue Daohong nodded, having carefully set this trap just to wait for her arrival. Now the evidence is solid; even if Xue Lingjun had heavenly abilities, she could not escape responsibility. He sighed, his face full of sorrow and indignation, saying: "I truly do not understand why you would do this—colluding with outsiders to plot against the grandmother!"

Xue Lingjun calmly said: "The Grand Empress Dowager is Your Majesty's grandmother, but she is my birth mother. How could a biological daughter harm her own mother? Though words alone are proof enough, I still wish to clarify things frankly before Your Majesty and the officials; I do not know if Your Majesty will grant me this chance."

Xue Daohong glanced at Li Shen Zhou, who nodded, meaning to give Xue Lingjun a chance to defend herself.

Xue Daohong said: "Speak!" He believed the evidence was solid; even if Xue Lingjun were silver-tongued, she could not change today's facts.

Xue Lingjun said: "The one who asked me to rescue Liu Changsheng and his son is Hu Xiaotian!"

Everyone was startled; although hearing Hu Xiaotian's name surprised them, they immediately thought Hu Xiaotian could play no role in this matter, merely adding a charge of colluding with foreign powers. The Long Princess, in her desperation, was grasping at straws; saying this now is utterly pointless.

Xue Daohong said: "So you conspired with Hu Xiaotian to murder the Grand Empress Dowager?" His implication was clear, step by step pressing her, leaving her no retreat.

Xue Lingjun said: "Your Majesty, why not ask Hu Xiaotian why he came to see me?"

At that moment, the weeping behind the curtains stopped abruptly; it was Xue Shengjing who had ceased his crying, also drawn by the commotion outside.

Xue Daohong said scornfully: "Then ask yourself!" He had already decided to pin the charge of colluding with Xue Lingjun and Hu Xiaotian on them.

Xue Lingjun said: "Before coming to see me, Hu Xiaotian first sought out the Prince of Yan!" She even couldn't be bothered to call her older brother.

Everyone's gaze turned simultaneously toward behind the curtains; someone had already pulled them back, revealing Xue Shengjing's bulky figure beside the spirit bed, nowhere to hide. He remained kneeling before the bed, his small eyes shining with the same calm as before, showing no panic; he had long been mentally prepared for this. When disaster strikes, each flies for themselves—what can siblings do?

Xue Daohong coldly stared at Xue Shengjing: "Imperial Uncle, what explanation do you have now?"

Xue Shengjing chuckled and said: "Explanation? Why explain? Everyone knows the truth. After my mother's demise, who gained the most? Lingjun, you only look out for yourself—I don't blame you—but in the imperial family, where is there room for familial affection?"

Hearing this, Xue Lingjun unexpectedly felt a twinge of guilt, yet Xue Shengjing's words were not wrong—there is no place for familial affection in the imperial family.

Xue Shengjing nodded and said: "Actually, my situation today is your tomorrow. The late emperor reigned for so many years yet never moved against me; in vain I devoted myself to helping you ascend the throne, yet you repeatedly pressured me, driving me to my death. You think that if I die you can rest easy, that if you killed my mother, Da Yong will have no one left to make you wary?" Xue Shengjing gave a cold chuckle: "If you truly think that, you are underestimating your father, the Grand Empress Dowager, and me."

At this moment, Xue Daohong remained composed, calmly gazing at Xue Shengjing; in his view, the Imperial Uncle was already a trapped beast, and his words were merely the struggles of a cornered animal, utterly meaningless.

Xue Shengjing said: "Da Yong's development to this point is indeed due to your father's wise and martial rule, but if I had not been laboring abroad for the state, Da Yong's economy would not be prosperous today; if not for the Grand Empress Dowager's wholehearted protection, how could you, this little beast, have ascended the throne? My aunt and I contributed greatly to your enthronement, yet we end up framed for your murder. The Bohai affair—you failed to harm us there, and now you even scheme against the Grand Empress Dowager. Xue Daohong, Xue Daohong, you are truly ruthless!"

Xue Daohong smiled faintly and said: "Out of respect for your seniority, I wished to spare you face and give you a way out, but you refuse to repent, spouting nonsense and smearing my innocence."

Xue Shengjing sneered: "Back then I deferred to you, not because you are the emperor, but because I looked after the greater good, unwilling to see Da Yong's territory split and its halls collapse; yet my concessions were taken as weakness to be exploited—do you not fear that your actions today will chill the hearts of all officials?"

Xue Daohong coldly stared at Xue Shengjing, then waved his hand—he could no longer tolerate the Imperial Uncle.

Xue Shengjing sighed and said: "You need not come over; allow me to kowtow three times to my mother and bid her farewell."

Xue Daohong gave a glance; Shi Kuang and the Jinlin Guard thus halted their advance. Xue Shengjing's request was not excessive; if he himself refused even this, it would seem inhumane, especially before so many officials, where Xue Daohong would have to feign benevolence and righteousness.

Only then did Xue Shengjing respectfully kowtow three times before the corpse of Empress Dowager Jiang, sighing deeply: "Empress Dowager, your unfilial child has let your grievances go unredressed, allowed villains to harm you, and I cannot let your corpse be used by others." As he spoke, the ground suddenly trembled, a pounding sound echoed all around, smoke and mist instantly filled the air, and a pungent odor arose.

Everyone was startled by the sudden tremor, worried the smell might be toxic, held their breath, and fled the room with sleeves flung out; Li Shen Zhou reacted first, darting to the spirit bed, but upon looking again, he saw the Grand Empress Dowager's bed overturn entirely, taking Xue Shengjing's bulky frame with it, vanishing from sight.

No one expected such a scene; though Xue Shengjing was clearly a trapped beast, no one thought he could escape this way. After the smoke cleared, everyone returned to the spirit hall; the pungent smell was not poisonous, and no one showed signs of poisoning.

Xue Daohong had thought victory was in his grasp, yet he did not expect Xue Shengjing to slip away from under his nose; furious, he shouted: "Search! Even if we must dig three feet deep, we will find this traitor!"

A group of Jinlin Guard arrived at the spot where the spirit bed had been, clanging away nonstop, but without several days' work, it was impossible to dig open the ground.

Xue Daohong coldly stared at Xue Lingjun; even if Xue Daoming escaped, even if Xue Daoming bore all the blame, he would still not spare Xue Lingjun, transferring all his hatred for Xue Daoming onto Xue Lingjun, gritting his teeth as he said, "Do you know your crime?"

Xue Lingjun calmly looked at Xue Daohong and said, "What crime have I committed?"

Xue Daohong angrily said, "If it weren't for you colluding with Hu Xiaotian to release the Liu father and son, how could the Grand Empress Dowager have suffered this misfortune?"

Xue Lingjun chuckled and said, "The Liu father and son were captured by you, releasing them was also your decision; if I am suspicious, how are you not equally suspicious?"

"Impudent!" Xue Daohong angrily shouted.

Feeling that these two chapters were a bit too stimulating for everyone, Zhangyu was writing while thinking, posting while writing; speaking of which, some readers are really sharp, already guessing some key plot points; Zhangyu crawled away to type! Controversy is always good! A dead pool of water is boring; um, follow my public account stonesquid (to be continued~^~)