Chapter 390

The first snow of early winter fell silently upon Bian Liang.

Tiny snowflakes swirled in the piercing north wind, dampening the glazed tiles of the palace.

It added a touch of solemn austerity and chill to this majestic imperial city.

The underground heating ducts of the Hall of Purple Harmony were lit earlier and burned brighter than in previous years.

Yet the heavy medicinal odor permeating the air seemed unable to dispel even this warmth.

Chen Wen lay on the dragon throne in the inner hall, covered with a heavy brocade quilt, his face a near‑transparent pallor.

His breathing was a feeble whisper; each slight cough seemed to drain all his strength.

A few days earlier, a sudden cold snap had stirred the old wounds and chronic ailments long festering within him.

This time, the illness came with exceptional ferocity.

The director of the Imperial Medical Institute and several master physicians took turns attending, employing decoctions, acupuncture, moxibustion—every remedy at their disposal.

It merely managed to cling to a vestige of his vital energy, yet could not halt the rapid ebb of his life force.

Everyone understood that the emperor's lifespan was likely truly at its end.

Inside the hall, lights blazed, yet an eerie silence prevailed.

Fu Quan stood beside the bed with red‑rimmed eyes, not daring to draw a breath.

The Crown Prince, Chen Hong, knelt before the bed, gripping his father's emaciated hand, his eyes swollen and tears still wet on his cheeks.

"Don't cry…"

Chen Wen's voice was so faint it was almost inaudible; he struggled to form a reassuring smile.

"Everyone must face this… I am no exception."

He laboriously turned his head, sweeping his gaze across the hall.

"Have they all… come?"

Fu Quan hastily bowed.

"Reporting to all, Minister Zhang, Minister Wang, General Shi, Commander Qian, and Minister Zhao—the five officials are awaiting orders outside the hall."

"Summon…" Chen Wen closed his eyes, gathering his last strength.

Moments later, Zhang Cheng, Wang Ru, Shi Dun, Qian Gui, and Zhao Lao Nian entered the inner hall with heavy steps.

They had all received the secret report of the emperor's critical condition, and now beheld the emperor on the bed, gaunt and breathless.

Even these five veteran ministers, accustomed to storms, could not help but be overcome with grief, all kneeling together.

"We subjects… pay our respects to Your Majesty!"

Gazing upon these five who had followed him from obscurity, endured life and death together, and helped found the Great Chen Empire,

a flicker of indecipherable complex light passed through Chen Wen's clouded eyes.

There was relief, reluctance, entrustment, and a deep‑seated resolve that none could fathom.

"All… rise. Come closer… speak."

Chen Wen's voice remained weak, yet carried an indisputable authority.

The five obeyed, rising and tightly gathering around the bed.

"I… have little time left."

Chen Wen got straight to the point; his words fell like cold stones into a still lake, stirring endless sorrow in everyone's hearts.

"Your Majesty!" Shi Dun's tiger eyes brimmed with tears, as if he could hardly hold back a sob.

Chen Wen gently waved his hand, signaling him to be silent.

His gaze swept over each of those five familiar faces in turn.

"After I am gone… the Crown Prince is entrusted to you all."

His speech was slow, almost word by word, yet each word weighed a thousand jin.

"Zhang Cheng… you excel in economics and are clear in governance; you must… must oversee the whole, coordinate internal and external affairs, and aid the Crown Prince… to stabilize… the court."

Zhang Cheng shed tears profusely, bowing his head to the ground.

"This old minister would spare neither liver nor brains to fulfill Your Majesty's trust!"

"Wang Ru… you conduct yourself with integrity and perceive the finest details. The administration of officials and the people's hearts lie… at the foundation of the state. You must… must assist the Crown Prince, draw near virtuous ministers, keep away petty men, and make the court… clear… bright."

Wang Ru knocked her head to the ground, her voice choking yet resolute.

"I, your servant, will exert all my ability to rectify the court's order, to repay Your Majesty's kindness in recognizing me!"

"Shi Dun…" Chen Wen looked at this old general who had followed him the longest and whose military exploits were most outstanding.

"The defenses of the northern borders… concern the fate of the nation. The False Song and the Khitan… must not be underestimated."

"The army… is the state's sharp weapon, and must also… be loyal to the state. You… must, for me and for the Crown Prince, guard well… this realm."

Shi Dun knocked his head heavily; his forehead instantly turned a bruised red.

"Your Majesty, rest assured! As long as Shi Dun draws breath, no foreign foe shall set even a foot upon Great Chen soil! The soldiers too shall forever be loyal to the Chen imperial line!"

"Qian Gui…" Chen Wen turned his gaze to this head of the Jing'an Office who wields dark power.

"The knives hidden in the dark… are hardest to guard against. The remnants of the Iron Crow Army, False Song spies, and even… internal troublemakers—after I am gone, there may be unrest. You… must be ever more vigilant, to sweep away the gloom for the empire."

Qian Gui bowed deeply.

"My eyes and ears are Your Majesty's; my blade shall forever be the vanguard for the Crown Prince!"

Finally, Chen Wen looked toward Zhao Lao Nian.

"Minister Zhao… the 'Essentials of Investigating Things' is complete; I am greatly reassured. The study of crafts and technology is the foundation of a strong state."

"I hope you… will continue to preside over the Investigation of Things Institute, nurturing the next generation. Those… devices for dealing with occult abilities must also… be continually improved."

Zhao Lao Nian wept uncontrollably.

"This old minister will surely devote his lifetime of learning, pouring it all out… the entire Ministry of Works will be diligent and conscientious, not failing Your Majesty's… pioneering foundation!"

After finishing explaining this most core entrustment, Chen Wen seemed to have exhausted all his strength, he began to cough violently, and even a trace of dark red blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"Father Emperor!"

"Your Majesty!"

Chen Hong and the five ministers were all shocked and turned pale.

Chen Wen waved his hand, indicating it was fine.

He caught his breath for a moment, his gaze turned to Chen Hong, carrying the last, paternal affection.

"Hong'er…… your aunt Wan'er…… is gentle and has no scheming. I…… have already ordered the inner treasury to allocate another generous estate to protect her…… and her two children, ensuring lifelong wealth and safety. You…… in the future, must look after her more."

Chen Hong burst into tears like rain, tightly gripping his father's hand.

"Your subject…… your subject remembers! I will treat the aunt as a mother, never letting her suffer the slightest injustice!"

Chen Wen nodded, as if he had finally let go of the last worldly concern.

He closed his eyes again, fatigue washing over him like a tide.

Inside the hall, only suppressed sobs and the occasional crackle of bursting charcoal remained.

"Hong'er……"

Chen Wen suddenly opened his eyes again, his voice growing ever weaker.

"You…… go wait in the outer hall first. I…… still have some words to say privately with you few uncles."

Chen Hong hesitated slightly, seeing his father's resolute gaze; though he was deeply reluctant and worried, he dared not defy.

"Yes…… Father Emperor. Your subject is in the outer hall; you…… you may call me anytime."

He again knelt and bowed three times heavily, then, supported by Fu Quan, he retreated step by step, glancing back three times with tear-blurred eyes, leaving the inner hall.

The heavy hall doors slowly closed, separating inside from outside.

Now, inside the hall, only Chen Wen remained, along with the five elderly ministers standing solemnly before the couch, heavy-hearted and puzzled.

"Your Majesty…… is there anything more urgent to convey, that needs to be kept from the Crown Prince?"

Chen Wen's gaze slowly swept over the five people; deep in his eyes, it seemed as if a final spark was still burning.

"Some words…… concern the empire's deepest secrets, concerning…… those 'abnormalities' we discovered together back then…… the Crown Prince…… is still too young; knowing too much would only bring him harm. Some burdens, some secrets, ultimately…… must be borne and carried to the grave by us old-timers."

He did not specify exactly what the secret was, but these words made Zhang Cheng and the five others instantly feel a chill.

It felt as if we had returned to those years when we explored the unknown side by side and fought against the Iron Crow Army.

A heavy sense of mission overwhelmed the grief.

"Subjects, we solemnly obey Your Majesty's command!"

The five whispered in unison, their expressions solemn.

After finishing this last sentence, almost like a testament, Chen Wen seemed to completely relax, also exhausting all the strength that had been supporting him.

"All right…… I…… am tired. You…… stay here…… and accompany me…… on my final journey."

Having said that, he no longer looked at the crowd, slowly closed his eyes, his breath becoming ever weaker and finer, as if it could stop at any moment.

Zhang Cheng, Wang Ru, Shi Dun, Qian Gui, and Zhao Lao Nian, five people, as instructed, silently knelt on the futons before the couch.

Like five silent statues, they guarded their soon-to-depart sovereign, their hearts filled with endless sorrow and heavy worries for the future.

Inside the hall, it fell into a deathlike silence.

Only Your Majesty's barely audible breath proved that the final spark of life had not yet been extinguished.

They did not know that this seemingly final farewell scene was actually the eve of a staggering upheaval.

They would never know that their present vigil was not merely a simple seeing-off.

Rather, it was fate, amidst countless coincidences, laying out an unexpected path for them.

An abnormal change approaches! Finding life in desperation!

The sound of wind and snow outside the window seemed to have grown distant as well.

The night, deep enough that its bottom cannot be seen.