702 Beginning of the Show (1/2)
Xu Chi felt even more disbelief after he finished reading the files on the desk. He looked up at Hua Shanyue coldly, and said, ”This is ridiculous! It's a blatant witch hunt!”
Hua Shanyue was not surprised by Xu Chi's reaction, because he himself couldn't believe the mystery, either, even though he was the most trusted general of the Princess.
After all, the secret that the Empress of Tang was the Saintess of Diabolism was unbelievable enough by itself. Hua Shanyue reacted just like Xu Chi, thinking it might be a witch hunt the Princess had set up.
”I didn't believe when I heard it at first, either, but the evidence was too convincing.”
He looked depressed and continued, ”Now that we've got Li Qingshan, the Nation Master's last words as evidence, all we have to do is to prove the relationship between the Empress and Xia Hou. Thus all the other things would be revealed.”
Xu Chi recalled what he saw in the files, and in the secret files brought by the Southern Gate Temple from the West-Hill Divine Palace. When he connected that information with what he had learned from the secret files in the palace, his hands suddenly began trembling.
”When was the last time that the Empress was injured or fell ill? The Qingcheng Palace was once on fire, and Her Majesty rushed into it with her servants to save lives. She was highly praised then for her bravery and kindness. However, few people had noticed that all her servants had been burnt, but Her Majesty was barely injured except for some singed hair.”
Hua Shanyue turned serious and said, ”Uncle, we Tang people are all believers of Haotian. Our empire might be a tolerant one, but it hasn't grown that tolerant to harbor villains from the Devil's Doctrine. The Devil's Doctrine had been wiped out by Ke Haoran, and since then its dregs had been working on their evil avenging plan. The Empress and Xia Hou were the most important planners. We cannot watch them while doing nothing.”
Xu Chi turned earnest and suddenly answered, ”The West-Hill Divine Palace wants to take advantage of His Majesty's death to attack our kingdom. All the choices we make now can be of vital importance, and I don't mind if results are evil as long as it can keep the Tang Empire standing strong.”
Hua Shanyue was slightly surprised. He was after all a young man. However, Xu Chi had lived long enough to have killed and fought in all kingdoms, to have dealt with tough Haotian Taoism powerhouses in the darkness. It was hard for Hua Shanyue to understand Xu Chi's crazy idea to team up with the Devil's Doctrine.
He asked sternly, ”Will you let a she-devil from the Devil's Doctrine be the Empress?”
Xu Chi rattled, ”I think His Majesty was wise enough to figure out who the Empress was during their 20-year marriage. And I'm OK with it if His Majesty had lived with it.”
Hua Shanyue suddenly felt tired because the book he had brought here didn't work as he expected. He asked in frustration, ”What if her son becomes the ruler of the Tang Empire?”
Xu Chi was silenced.
The words of His Highness in the secret letter suddenly came into Hua Shanyue's mind. He walked towards the desk and questioned in anger, ”His Majesty died young because the Empress poisoned him, how about that?”
Xu Chi looked up all of a sudden.
Hua Shanyue stared at him in the eyes and said, ”All of these will become clear one day. And what His Highness asked was to do it in a slower way. The long ruling and stability of the empire, they all depend on your choice now.”
In the Imperial Palace of Chang'an.
The present emperor of Tang, Li Huiyuan, was looking up at the sky. Unlike the sky which was grey, his face looked quite lit up. With a smile he said, ”My Royal Sister used to tell me never to mind the rumors. No matter how those rebels and traitors suspected the Edict, or no matter who supported me. The only thing that matters is the military leadership and the stability of Chang'an.”
He Mingchi was listening to him silently, the yellow oiled-paper umbrella in his arms. Then he said, ”Your Majesty surely has reliable judging ability on those things, considering how many years you've been engaged in political affairs.”
”To be reliable in one aspect didn't mean being reliable in everything. And furthermore, what's the point of you being here if you rely on me to do all things?”
Li Huiyuan was smart enough to read between the lines. He turned acrimonious and said in a cold voice, ”Don't you ever try to make mischief between me and my sister! I'll forgive you this time since you've made such a generous contribution. I will pretend that I didn't hear anything today. You know very well what will happen if you do it again.”
He Mingchi frowned and answered, ”Yes, I know.”
”The year before last, my sister sent Xian Langzhi to Tuyang City, and now I'm almost in control of the Northeast Border Military. Shucheng was too young, and the West Military of Tang was too weak. Shu Cheng wouldn't speak a word before the whole situation is cleared out if he was smart enough.”
Li Huiyuan then said calmly, ”Hua Shanyue must be talking to Xu Chi about that thing now. And if it works, the Northern Military Camp will no longer support that woman.”
He Mingchi was clear about ”the thing” that His Majesty meant. Actually, He Mingchi was the one who had told Li Yu and her brother about the Empress' secret.
”The only problem now is Xu Shi. He's enjoying his old age in the south.” Said Li Huiyuan, and he frowned again.
He Mingchi agreed, ”He may be the most difficult one to deal with.”