Chapter 41

“Xiao Yudao, I presume you already know about the He Xin Gu. I’m confiding in you… As history shows, emperors are inherently suspicious, and I am no exception. The remedy for the He Xin Gu is attached behind this. If you go to see it, it means you agree to close the coffin and let me off the hook. I know you are a man of your word.”

“Zhaoyou lost his mother at a young age and has had a difficult life. I, as an incompetent ruler, am unable to protect the mother and child. I imagine you, now twenty-seven, sparing Zhaoyou’s life, allowing him to live until twenty-seven… “

The tiny characters densely engraved on the copper sheet made Chu Zhaoyou’s eyes blur as he held a torch to read them. He closed his eyes, and suddenly, his moist eyes turned red.

He didn’t know where the strength came from, but he crumpled the palm-sized copper sheet into a scroll, his fingertips pale, trembling as he wiped the corners of his eyes.

The underground chamber was so quiet that one could hear the sound of a silver needle dropping. Chu Zhaoyou sniffed, and suddenly everyone knew that the Emperor had teared up after reading the copper scroll.

Chu Zhaoyou choked up, saying, “General Lu, please help me destroy the copper scroll.”

Lu Huai took the copper scroll with “Xiao Yudao” written at the top, its other words already crumpled by Chu Zhaoyou, leaving only “He Xin Gu” visible.

Lu Huai, uninterested in delving further, crushed the copper scroll into a compact ball in his palm, then threw it to the ground and forcefully struck it with the back of his knife. Sparks flew, and the surface of the copper scroll instantly turned into an unrecognizable pulp.

Chu Zhaoyou stared at the fleeting sparks, as if the fury was burning in his heart and lungs.

The late Emperor had been nothing more than a name in his mind. No one in the court ever discussed the late Emperor, but it was apparent that the late Emperor hadn’t been a particularly good ruler.

After reading the copper scroll, Chu Zhaoyou realized that the late Emperor’s character wasn’t particularly admirable either!

Did he think begging the Regent to spare his life through the copper scroll would make him grateful?

Wrong!

Chu Zhaoyou, with eyes reddened, felt not only unimpressed but also disgusted.

No amount of grandiloquent words could hide the shamelessness of his actions!

Giving the loyal minister the He Xin Gu, then burying the remedy with him, and insisting that Xiao Heng close the coffin after reading the solution.

At this moment, why pretend with “I know you’re a man of your word,” to kidnap Xiao Heng to halt his revenge? If he had this realization long ago, why resort to poisoning?

It’s laughable to think with a villain’s heart and estimate a nobleman’s intentions. The late Emperor had everything planned out. He calculated that if Xiao Heng didn’t come to whip the body, and the underground chamber was raided by grave robbers, the bones would be separated from the body, right?

Chu Zhaoyou’s right hand trembled over his abdomen, clenching into a fist.

The late Emperor said to keep him until he turned twenty-seven. Chu Zhaoyou, at twenty-seven, would be one year after the seventh onset of the He Xin Gu.

After seven onsets, Xiao Heng would become completely foolish, beyond any cure. In other words, Xiao Heng had until the seventh onset to dig up the tomb, find the cure. If he exceeded this deadline, Xiao Heng would be utterly defeated, and the late Emperor tomb would be safe.

Why did the late Emperor insist on finding an excuse, even resorting to playing on Chu Zhaoyou’s maternal tragedy, to ensure Chu Zhaoyou lived until a year beyond Xiao Heng’s latest deadline to cure the poison?

Why was he so certain that Xiao Heng would accept his plea?

Chu Zhaoyou didn’t know the answer to the latter, but the answer to the former was in the cure for the poison.

The late Emperor not only plotted against Xiao Heng, but when one plan failed, he also plotted against his descendants!

The cure for the He Xin Gu method emphasized that the Yin and Yang needed to be combined multiple times. However, according to the method the old man provided, once was enough.

The late Emperor was seemingly afraid that Chu Zhaoyou wouldn’t conceive!

He anticipated that Xiao Heng would notice something amiss soon after the first onset and begin seeking the cure, at the latest by the seventh. Therefore, Chu Zhaoyou had to live until twenty-seven, with ample time to bear a child.

Even if the throne was taken by Xiao Heng, the next generation had to carry the blood of the Chu family.

The late Emperor devised a shrewd strategy. Xiao Heng, once he realized he had been manipulated, would be furious and would not spare the chief culprit, Chu Zhaoyou. But a tiger does not devour its own cubs; the Chu heir would surely be spared. With the enmity between Xiao Heng and his son, if the son and father did not get along, there might be no hope for the restoration of the Great Chu in the future.

Xiao Heng’s entire life of painstaking efforts for the Great Chu was filled with the late Emperor’s calculations.

Chu Zhaoyou stared blankly, realizing he might have unwittingly contributed to all this.

He never asked Xiao Heng whether he wanted to die and be done with it, or if he was fighting for his life, as the enemy had wished, forever entwining the fates of the Chu and Xiao families.

He had inadvertently made a choice for Xiao Heng.

Yet, as Chu Zhaoyou gazed at the late Emperor’s coffin, he thought that Xiao Heng would probably prefer the former.

Better to be a shattered gem than an intact tile, or perhaps both to perish together.

The atmosphere in the underground chamber became too suffocating. Chu Zhaoyou walked out.

In the current situation, it’s not bad at all. I helped Xiao Heng detoxify, and he won’t remember who helped him. He can just hate the late Emperor, without being entangled in pain.

As for the child, Chu Zhaoyou sneered. Even in this imperial mausoleum where his ancestors rested, he would be straightforward—

Under the reign of an emperor as incompetent as the late Emperor, the country should have perished long ago!

He might father a child, but not according to the late Emperor’s wishes.

After all, he wasn’t a real emperor. Whether the Chu Empire continued was none of his concern.

Chu Zhaoyou thought contentedly. Perhaps even heaven couldn’t stand it, allowing me to come through.

…

One thing led to another. The grave robbery case still needed to be investigated. If not, he might have to reside here permanently. If thieves roamed freely at home, they would continue to plunder the tomb of the previous Emperor. He wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully.

After finishing his morning meal in the underground chamber, Chu Zhaoyou hurriedly ate some noodles upon coming out.

“Bring the guards of the mausoleum here.”

Under orders, Lu Bo escorted three guards, each wearing shackles and looking vacant.

“Unshackle them.” At their age, it made no difference whether they were shackled or not.

Chu Zhaoyou asked, “Do none of you old folks hear properly?”

The cloudy eyes of the elderly men widened. They didn’t recognize Chu Zhaoyou, but his dragon robe was unmistakable.

“Your Majesty, we, humble servants, pay our respects to Your Majesty…”

“When did you all start guarding the mausoleum? Did any of you participate in constructing the late Emperor’s tomb?”

The three men looked at Chu Zhaoyou with bewildered eyes.

Lu Bo answered on their behalf, “Seven years ago, the Regent announced budget cuts, and most people left the mausoleum to find other places. Only these three had nowhere else to go, so they stayed. They were eunuchs who served in the palace during the late Emperor’s reign.”

“You haven’t left the mountain in seven years?”

“According to the villagers from the nearby Xiahe Village, that’s correct. Every three days, villagers bring clothes and food to sell. Although the mausoleum’s budget has been reduced, it’s enough for these three to live on.”

Chu Zhaoyou instructed Zhao Jin to determine whether they were deafened, poisoned, or simply suffering from old age.

“Your Majesty, they’ve been poisoned.”

No one noticed the transportation of such a large quantity of explosives into the mausoleum. The explosion was loud enough for the villagers of Xiahe to hear. Why then poison these three men, adding insult to injury?

Chu Zhaoyou ordered Lu Bo to detain the three men and to schedule another interrogation for later.

“Lu Bo, accompany me to Xiahe Village.” As he spoke, a torrential rain began pouring outside.

Zhao Jin said, “Your Majesty, the rain is heavy, and the wind is cold. It might be better to wait until the rain stops.”

Chu Zhaoyou expressed concern, “This rain is most inconvenient.”

Whether transporting explosives or burial items, they are heavy and leave tracks. In this downpour, it would be difficult to find any traces.

Lu Bo added, “This morning, we already sent people to check, but there are no visible footprints or wheel tracks. It seems the grave robbers are skilled in martial arts.”

Chu Zhaoyou raised an eyebrow. Well, it seemed that they could investigate whenever.

He wasn’t in a hurry to investigate anyway, especially after reading the late Emperor’s copper scroll.

“The rain is heavy. Find a comfortable place for the three elderly men and make sure they have proper bedding.”

“Your kindness knows no bounds,” Lu Huai emerged from the underground chamber and reached the same conclusion as Lu Bo: the grave robbers were skilled, careful, and had cleaned up the scene.

As his gaze fell on Zhao Jin, Lu Huai’s eyes deepened.

The young man was still young after all. In the dim light of the underground chamber, and surrounded by allies, he had subconsciously glanced at Chu Zhaoyou’s belly when preventing him from touching the bones earlier.

But outside, Zhao Jin had never revealed anything.

Lu Huai stroked his beard. There was something to this. The Regent was actively searching for his benefactor, yet the token was in Chu Zhaoyou’s possession. Could he assume that during those three days of disappearance, the Emperor had saved Xiao Heng?

Xiao Heng’s attitude towards the late Emperor, the mention of his name on the copper scroll, indicated that the late Emperor had deliberately stirred up conflict, fearing retribution from Xiao Heng after his death. Emperors are suspicious, and Lu Huai could almost guess that it involved poisoning or other clandestine methods. The fact that the Emperor had the copper scroll destroyed after reading it indicated that he knew its contents. Combined with the Seal of Authority and the packet of medicine, Lu Huai suspected that Chu Zhaoyou had already helped Xiao Heng detoxify.

What happened next? What’s with the belly?

Lu Huai had a bold guess.

He reminded, “The thieves haven’t been caught. Tonight, I will strengthen the patrols. Your Majesty, please rest early and don’t catch a cold.”

Chu Zhaoyou replied, “Uncle Lu, you as well.”

After dinner, a performance suddenly echoed through the mausoleum. It was the popular play “The Fourth Son Seeks His Mother,” a favorite of the capital’s residents ten years ago.

The Emperor was known to enjoy singing opera; most people had some knowledge of this. Although it wasn’t entirely appropriate in the mausoleum, given the content of the play, the Imperial  Dragon Guards felt that it was understandable.

In “The Fourth Son Seeks His Mother,” the Emperor had explored the tomb in the morning, just as Yang Si-Lang faced defeat and humiliation and persevered. Similarly, the Emperor faced the Regent’s watchful eyes, in equally challenging circumstances.

The Emperor was truly filial.

After finishing the performance, Chu Zhaoyou seemed a bit unsteady. He was resolute in attributing this to the pregnancy rather than neglecting his old skills.

“How did it go?”

Lu Bo, standing outside, replied, “As Your Majesty anticipated, two of the three men showed a response.”

The guards of the mausoleum lived a dull life and hadn’t left the mountain in seven years. Chu Zhaoyou deliberately sang a popular tune from the capital ten years ago. Even wooden men would listen to a couple of lines. It was clear that someone was secretly listening to the opera.

No one could resist his singing; not even the Regent.

Chu Zhaoyou lay down contentedly. “You should go rest. We’ll make plans tomorrow.”

As it continued to rain at Hualing Mountain, a dark figure swiftly moved through the mountains, lurking like a ghost on the eaves of the imperial mausoleum.

In no time, he seemed to have found a specific room. Taking advantage of the unprepared Imperial Dragon Guards, he swiftly climbed in through the window, bringing with him a chill from the rain.

Chu Zhaoyou was sleeping lightly in the mausoleum and was immediately awakened by the cold sensation.

Opening his eyes, he met the gaze of a figure approaching the side of his bed.

Xiao Heng paused for a moment, pretending to be composed as he rose, securing both the window and the door. He had broken the window in his haste, and he had to use a table to block it.

Why is the little one not sleeping so soundly as usual?

“Don’t make a sound,” Xiao Heng threatened in a low voice.

Still reeling from the shock, Chu Zhaoyou thought to himself, “I can keep quiet, but then why lock the doors and windows? And using a table as a barrier?”

Didn’t Lu Huai say they would strengthen the patrols? Why did the Regent manage to come in so easily?

He shifted his neck, feeling as though the Regent’s eyes were suggesting he would be locked in here for the rest of his life.

Could this be the real… mausoleum plot?

What was he doing here?

In the dead of night, was the Regent forcibly advancing the plot, making incomprehensible moves beyond control?