Chapter 399: Rebellion in the West Capital (1/2)
Chapter 399: Rebellion in the West Capital
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
It had been raining for five days. The rain shrouded the capital city in the gloom, like the mood of most people in the imperial palace.
The Queen was dying.
Luo Xuehuan, the Queen of the Jin dynasty, was critically ill.
Luo Xuehuan and Yan Yuntian got married young. After suffering together all these years, they were deep in love. Thus, when she was seriously ill and could not be cured, Yan Yuntian's temper become eccentric. These days, a large number of little eunuchs and little maids were beaten to death for little mistakes. It was precisely because of the Emperor's bad mood that the whole palace was put into a rather downcast atmosphere. Except for some people with ulterior motives, everyone in the palace hoped that the Queen would recover quickly so as that they would not be caught up in the wrath of Yan Yuntian. But, the reality is always cruel.
Early this morning, Luo Xuehuan was in a state of dying. From morning till afternoon, Yan Yuntian remained in the Queen's bedchamber and beheaded 48 imperial doctors in a row, but it still useless.
”Yunfei, Yunfei...”
At the Queen's bedchamber, the Queen, who was already in her final state, murmured Yan Yunfei's name with her dry mouth. Her left hand was clasped in Yan Yuntian's hands, and the latter stared at her with his bloodshot, unblinking eyes, afraid that Luo Xuehuan would die in the blink of an eye.
”Xuehuan, Xuehuan, don't worry, Yunfei is coming, Yunfei is coming!” He whispered to console her but felt helpless in his heart. Yan Yunfei was in the northwest. Though he had sent the letter as fast as he could, it was tens of thousands of kilometers from the northwest to Western Capital. It took some time to come here. He hadn't received any news yet, so he surmised Yan Yunfei should be unable to come. Even if she did come, the Queen seemed unable to wait until then.
Deep sadness pervaded the bedchamber. Of course, there was sadness. After the Queen died, perhaps the maidservants and eunuchs in the palace had to be buried with her. Even if they died, they must serve the Queen in the netherworld. It was a rule, an iron rule. Therefore, within that bedchamber, the Queen was the last person that they had hoped would die.
”Tap-tap, tap-tap, tap-tap...” Suddenly there was a knock at the door of the quiet bedchamber.
”Who?” Yan Yuntian asked impatiently. He raised his head suddenly but was afraid to frighten the Queen, so he deliberately lowered his voice. The voice traveled to the door flatly and startled the little eunuch who was knocking at the door.
”Your Majesty, Grand Tutor begs for an audience!”
”No!”
”But...”
”Didn't you hear me? No!” Yan Yuntian yelled, louder than before, making the little eunuch too scared to go on. When the eunuch was about to turn away, unexpectedly, there was a resonant voice rang out.
”I, Pei Tianming, beg for an interview! I have something important to say to Your Majesty!”
The voice went straight to the bedchamber, and Yan Yuntian's expression changed, a flicker of exasperation crossing his face.
”Whatever it is, wait!”
”This matter is too important to wait!” Pei Tianming, whose beard and hair were perfectly white, refused to yield an inch.
”Humph, Pei Tianming, what makes you so bold?” Yan Yuntian was really in a peeve, and his voice became dramatically sharper. ”Tell me, what makes you so bold?”
”Your Majesty, you have not held court for 10 days. All the big events are pending. But you have killed imperial doctors and servants continuously for a woman. The whole inner city is filled with panic and complaints. It is against the way of being a sagacious king!”
”How dare you!” His thunder-like fulmination hit Pei Tianming hard as though it was tangible. Pei Tianming's expression changed, and he retreated three steps successively. Though the fulmination could break metal and stone, it only made him take three steps back.
He knelt down, saying, ”Your Majesty, I'm loyal! All I do is for the Great Jin. Please go to the Taiyuan Palace to hold court!” After that, he banged his head on the ground.
Yan Yuntian was unswayed and looked even more serious.
However, as Pei Tianming kowtowed, one by one, more and more people gathered outside the bedchamber.
This was the Queen's bedchamber, the royal interior. Even ministers like the Three Ducal Ministers could not enter. But today, it was as if there was no defense, or, the defense did not work. All the officials rushed in through the palace gate. Neither the eunuchs nor the guards in the palace could stop them.
Rushing in, they all knelt and kowtowed at the door of the bedchamber, begging the Emperor to leave and to hold court.
The sound was getting louder and louder.