Chapter 474: Chapter 474

Again, the middle finger.

"You harmed the Cui family father and son, colluded with the enemy army by using the noble sacrifice of the soldiers in their loyalty to the country, leading to their deaths, despicable and shameless."

Another finger is pointed.

"You are sinister and crafty, replaying old schemes to achieve your goals, bringing disaster with a marriage, costing many lives."

Lastly, the little finger.

"You are muddled and lacking in virtue, disregarding the well-being of countless common people, and showing no respect for laws and decrees." Latest content publıshed on N0v3l.Fiɾe.net

Ten fingers are connected to the heart; Emperor He winces and spasms in agony. Yet Ji Teng has yet to enumerate all of his misdeeds.

"There’s not enough fingers to count them."

Ji Teng looks like a death god, looking towards the other undamaged hand.

Emperor He’s hair stands on end: "You might as well kill me with one slice!"

"Death is always the easy way out."

"I was wrong, I was wrong."

He no longer has any authority to speak of, now he looks like a pitiful clown. The several bloody fingers on the ground completely shatter his nerves.

"What do you want? I grant it, even if it means abdication, as long as you spare my life."

This time, Ji Teng is rather agreeable.

He nods his head: "Your evil deeds are manifest, and the whole world must see them clearly. You must restore the good names of those who died unjustly, and here in the imperial study there is all that’s needed to write."

Emperor He’s eyes widen.

"It seems you know that your deeds are numerous and evil, your heart as poisonous as a viper, indulging in the utmost filth."

Ji Teng smiles: "The commands of the father are of utmost importance, if you refuse, you will truly lose everything."

"You should be clear, it’s not that I’m asking you for a favor, but with time and effort, I can always reverse the verdict. You would still leave an eternal stench."

Emperor He looks at him with eyes that almost wish to slice him to a thousand pieces. He knew that Ji Teng should not have been allowed to live! It was his own merciful mistake that he hadn’t had Ji Teng killed when he was younger, instead leaving him a sliver of chance!

But he’s in terrible pain.

If he doesn’t treat it, he will truly die.

He grits his teeth: "I’ll write."

Ji Teng commands the soldiers: "Bring more decree papers, in case there aren’t enough."

Emperor He struggles to put pen to paper. He is debased to the marrow, but as he finishes the last character under Ji Teng’s supervision—

The dagger pierces thoroughly into his chest. Ji Teng, as if not satisfied, twists the handle, stirring his heart.

Like a slow slicing execution.

"You... break your promise."

Ji Teng says before he breathes his last.

"There is an heir in Prince Huai’an Mansion, I, Ji Teng will never forget the kindness of Old Marquis Cui, my cousin is healthier than anyone."

After speaking, he lets go. He picks up the imperial seal from the case and stamps it.

Then he wipes his hands with a handkerchief.

Cui Yun stands to the side, without any reaction. Xie Xun, however, is visibly shocked and suddenly looks at Cui Yun.

General Jin can hardly believe it: "Who? The Young Heir from Prince Huai’an Mansion is still alive, do I know him?"

Ji Teng doesn’t answer. He looks at Ji Wang, who is detained nearby, and coldly says: "The Crown Prince plotted treason and patricide, the Fourth Prince took the opportunity to rebel. Ji Teng is powerless, failed to save the father and allowed him to be harmed, filled with regret and remorse. Therefore, strangulate Ji Wang to cleanse the side of the throne and appease the lost souls."

Emperor He breaks down.

Prince Gong grieves inconsolably, kneeling by the coffin.

Supporters of Ji Wang and Ji Zhui, most officials are imprisoned on charges of conspiracy, awaiting disposition after the Emperor’s funeral. A few tremble with fear, kneeling behind Prince Gong.

Every temple in Shengjing rings the bell thirty thousand times. With the mourning bell ringing, all civil and military officials must mourn for twenty-seven days. In plain clothing, the Imperial family wails and dances according to ritual.

Afterwards, matters are discussed in the hall, setting Ji Teng’s period of mourning.

Prince Gong wiped away his tears: "A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. The departure of the brother Emperor was sudden, without leaving a will, nor was another Crown Prince established."

Cui Yun swept aside his robes and knelt toward Ji Teng, his voice cold and clear: "We are willing to follow your lead, to help right the state."

Ji Ge followed and knelt down: "We are willing to follow your lead, to help right the state."

The courtiers looked at each other. Anyone with sense knew that today’s events demonstrated that Ji Teng was far from the simple figure he appeared to be. But... what of it? Now, only three Princes remain: Ji Teng, Ji Ge, and the foolish Ji Cong. Ji Teng is the clearer of the corrupt, isn’t he?

As they hesitated, Prince Gong knelt down. The Duke knelt down, the Yongchang Marquis Mansion’s Princely Heir Xuan Chen knelt down, General Jin Zhong, Imperial Censor Shu knelt down.

Then came the Grand Tutor, Yuan Shaqing of the Chen County Yuan Family, the bewildered Minister of Ministry of Industry Wei Han, and the perceptive Marquis Chengbo.

Soon one by one others knelt down.

"We are willing to follow your lead, to help right the state!"

Everything proceeded so naturally.

As the imperial tomb was being buried in the Imperial Mausoleum, the Funeral Officer, under Ji Teng’s command, holding the blood-stained will written by the late Emperor He himself, loudly recited the many sins of a lifetime of the Emperor.

Over and over, in ceaseless cycles.

The most observant to propriety, Imperial Censor Shu, did not call to halt. Commanded women and officials followed behind, bowing their heads, filled with shock and terror.

Aside from the Funeral Officer’s voice, the streets were deathly silent, the common folk becoming indignant upon hearing.

A childish voice suddenly rose from the crowd.

"Grandfather, you said that the Cui family General was a hero who fought bloody battles, why did the late Emperor want to kill him? Even at seven years of age, I remember before this year Heir Xie and General Jin triumphantly recaptured the city of Da Qi, with Shengjing Street jammed with people. It shows that reclaiming cities is good, and it is what the people want. Then why did the late Emperor give it away?"

The seven-year-old child: "Did he go mad?"

The crowd was terrified, and the child’s mouth was promptly covered.

Yet the procession continued without a hint of blame.

Soon, someone in the crowd began to shout.

One voice called out, a hundred voices responded.

And it continued endlessly.

On the fifteenth of September, the new Emperor ascended the throne, reduced taxes, granted amnesty to the world, and changed the state title to Jin He.

Decree after decree was issued.

Those who were removed from their posts, whose properties were confiscated and were sent into exile, those who were reinstated, transferred, promoted, and the announcement restoring Cui Yun’s identity.

Officials who were not worthy of their positions were one by one punished, a great purge and transformation occurred in the court. In just a few days, the common people cheered and rejoiced. Long-standing cases with doubtful points were reviewed anew. Unresolved cases came to light once more.

From that day on, the court was bustling with activity. Cui Yun spent three whole days laboring over documents at the Ministry of Justice without taking a single step into Marquis Yangling Mansion.

He was afraid of his grandmother’s hysteria, and even more of Cui Xuan’s tearful eyes and indifference.

Until footsteps were heard from within.

Without announcement, led personally by Jiang Zhao, Cui Xuan entered carrying a food box.

Cui Yun’s hand clutching the pen suddenly tightened. He stood up, but the word "Mama" that reached his mouth got stuck in his throat.

The usually composed him was at this moment as flustered as a child.

Cui Xuan didn’t look at him, moving towards the tea table.

"On the day of my delivery, in a haze before I passed out, I heard the midwife say that the little master had a red birthmark between his eyebrows, much like the child under Guanyin’s care."

She suppressed her emotions: "Upon waking up, the child the old father brought to me had none; he was fair and clean, very pretty."

Cui Xuan opened the food box: "You might not know, every year on your birthday, the old father would go to the temple to pray for your safety, but I knew, every time he would light two sticks of incense."

Cui Yun seemed frozen, unable to move.

He saw Cui Xuan turn around, smiling softly at him. She said the words he had heard most often and was most familiar with when he was younger.

"Yun, won’t you come over and have some pastries?"