NOVPUBChapter 156 -140: Bloodstained Love
Changes were afoot, truly a whirlwind of change.
Two matters of note.
Firstly, Liu Yigong, the same elder who had shown a blatant disregard for Liu Ziye’s authority when Chu Yu saw him in the little emperor’s study, plotted a rebellion with several influentialurt elders including Liu Yuanjing and Yan Shibo. Later, Liu Yuanjing brought Shen Qingzhi into the fold. However, Shen Qingzhi, upon learning of their plan, outwardly agreed to keep their secret, but he immediately went and informed Liu Ziye. Liu Ziye personally led the Yulin Army to kill Liu Yigong and then sent for Liu Yuanjing, who, knowing his fate was sealed, dressed in hisurt robe and met his deathmposedly. Yan Shibo was also killed en route.
All threenspirators died, and Liu Ziye had several of their amplices executed before he was finally satisfied.
He killed several people, swift as lightning.
Liu Ziye didn’t care how much influence or clout these old ministers had inurt; he held the military power, and from that perspective, he shared somemmon ground with Zhong Niannian.
The snd matter, however, was not about theurt but related somehow to the Wang family.
Upon hearing these two pieces of news, Chu Yu’s mind was greatly disturbed. Even though she knew that He Jue had not been caught and was still lurking outside, possibly ready to assassinate her at any moment, sheuld not sit still. After struggling for a while, she decided to take the risk and go out.
She went to the Imperial Palace first.
Upon seeing Liu Ziye, Chu Yu didn’t bother withurtesies and immediately asked, “Why did you kill those people?”
Liu Ziye, initially delighted to see Chu Yu after many days, was taken aback by her loud questioning. It took him a while to realize she came because of Liu Yigong and the others. He felt wronged, “Sister, they wanted to stage aup; am I not allowed to kill them?”
Chu Yu was at a loss for words, unsure of what to say next.
She had been too angered by Liu Ziye’s ruthless killings to remember that, as an emperor, this was what he was supposed to do. If he didn’t execute Liu Yigong and the others, was he supposed to wait for them to overthrow him?
Chu Yu remained silent for a while before taking a deep breath to calm herself, “Indeed, Your Majesty, killing the rebels is certainlyrrect. But have you ever thought about why they would rebel in the first place?” Ultimately, it was probably because Liu Ziye was an inadequate emperor.
If Liu Ziye hadn’t been capricious, tyrannical, and prone to senseless killings, why would anyone risk their lives tommit such treason? Though as a modern person Chu Yu did notnsider rebellion to be inherently bad, she knew that in ancient times, it was a cause for great infamy.
Liu Ziye dismissively said, “What elseuld it be? That old thief Liu Yigong also wanted to be the emperor.”
Chu Yu glared at him helZiye now, it wouldn’t bring them back to life. After a moment of silence, Chu Yu changed the subject, “Your Majesty, having dealt with these people, some positions in theurt will be vacant. What do you plan to do?” Although Liu Ziye had killed a few old ministers, theurt’s loss was not just those few men; among the dead were friends, partisans, and-beneficiaries. Seeing the dire situation, many had submitted their resignations.
In just a day or two, a vacancy had appeared in theurt.
Even so, this situation did not make Liu Ziye feel any urgentncern to reflect on his mistakes, but blame others instead. Suddenly, he recalled something and said to Chu Yu excitedly, “Oh Sister, that day in the study, when I saw that old thief Liu Yigong glaring at you, I gouged out his eyes. Would you like me to give them to you to play with?”
His gaze was pure and fervent, directly focused on Chu Yu, as if offering ammon jewel, about to present a pair of eyes that seemed still to be bloody.
Even though Liu Zilife as trivial, noruld she accept such a gift drenched in bloodstained love.
No matter what, she was not Shan Yin’s Princess.
Yes, Liu Ziyue loved Shan Yin’s Princess, regarding her as his sister, mother, and intimatempanion, thinking of her in nearly everything, and feeling that he should give her anything good he acquired. However, for Chu Yu, such one-sided love was too twisted and poignant. Rather than being moved, she was terrified.
So terrified… that she wished sheuld flee through the doors.
After witnessing Liu Zilling of four children and Moxiang last time, Chu Yu once again saw the brutal and cruel side of this young Emperor.
Or perhaps, he did not even think he had done anything extraordinary. Killing was natural to him, and even gouging out his great-uncle’s eyeballs to give as gifts was merely a trivial matter.
How dark human nature is, how twisted the era, Chu Yu stared at Liu Ziyue in a daze, feeling that everything was absurd and unreal.
Liu Ziyue, unaware of her inner thoughts,ntinued cheerfully, “Sister, we used to play the eyeball digging game before. Let’s play it again in the future.”
Chu Yu forced a smile, barelyncealing her inner fear, found an excuse that she was feeling unwell that day, and quickly bade her leave, leaving the Imperial Palace in a hurry.
Lately, many things had gone wrong.
As Chu Yu sat back in the carriage, this was all sheuld think about.
Those she wanted to save, sheuld not save in time; those she wanted to kill, sheuld not kill; things she wished not to happen, happened anyway. When her reputation among the aristocratic families was at its best, along came Zhong Niannian, known as the World’s First Beauty, and just when Zhong Niannian finally left of heeuldn’t even react beforehand, let alone make a slight effort.
A series of events happenedntinuously, seemingly unrelated, yet sometimes Chu Yuuldn’t help but wonder, was there an invisible hand manipulating everything behind the scenes?
Could there really be such a person, opposing her directly? If she wanted to kill someone, the person would be saved; if she wanted to save someone, the person would be doomed; if she wanted to build up her reputation, it would be ruined; if she wanted to influence the Emperor, she would benfined indoors?
Who was that person? Could there really be someone in the world capable of manipulating everything without leaving a trace?
Although this possibility seemed small, as Chu Yu was idle in the carriage, she still sifted through the suspicious individuals in her mind one by one.
After filteri and Prince Consort He Ji, shencluded that the most likely person was Tian Rujing.
But that didn’t seem right either. If it were Tian Rujing, he had many opportunities to kill her, so why would he bother hiring an assassin?
It felt as if something was obscuring and hiding the most crucial part, preventing her from seeing the crux of the matter and the truth.
Chu Yu first returned to the Princess Mansion, then changed into men’s clothing, and immediately had someone drive her to the Wang family.
to the Wang family, to Wang Xuanmo, and also to Wang Yizhi.
During hernfinement indoors, there had been some changes in the power structure of the Wang family. Wang Xuanmo had stepped down from the position of Family Head, not voluntarily, but rather, he had been forced out.
And the new Family Head, who greatly disapproved of Wang Yizhi’s carefree attitude, was the first to target him for action.
