Discussing The Correct Posture To Enjoy Dog Food

Chapter 140 - Grape Flavored Imperial Gong (19)

Translated by Hua Li ^_^

And finally the last chapter of the arc!!!!!

Thirteenth Year of Chenwu, April 18.

On this day, it was recorded in history as the end of the Chenwu Reformation and the beginning of the Chenwu Golden Age.

However, the courtiers involved were not filled with the joy of fulfilling their desires or the solemnity described by later generations.

In reality, they appeared far from heroic. Faced with overwhelming power, even the most upright and strict officials, who had long wished for the downfall of the corrupt nobility, who had even cursed them with thunder and lightning, were now trembling with fear.

Emotions such as excitement, joy, or satisfaction would only come later, after the dust had settled.

At this moment, the officials kneeling in submission were drenched in cold sweat, yet no one dared to wipe it away. They all listened solemnly as Eunuch Tong detailed the shocking crimes one by one in his sharp, drawn-out voice.

Everyone was tense, not daring to relax in the slightest.

The crimes of these twenty-one noble families included bribery, buying and selling official titles, forming factions for personal gain, murdering court officials, falsely accusing the loyal, killing people, seizing farmland, and occupying civilian property…

Their crimes were heinous and outrageous!

Especially the Boyang Marquis’s estate, which had committed nearly all of these offenses, completely disregarding the laws of the court.

The saying “a life for a life” was fitting; any one of their crimes would have been enough to condemn them to life imprisonment, not to mention the accumulation of multiple offenses.

The Boyang Marquis’s face was full of despair.

After witnessing the queen’s disgraceful behavior the previous night, he had already realized that the Wang family was doomed. After a night of turmoil, he was now left numb.

After the evidence was presented, the emperor spoke, “If anything I have stated is untrue, and any loyal minister has been wronged, stand up now. I will not tolerate anyone disregarding the law, nor will I wrong anyone. You may speak frankly before me and the entire court.”

Wronged?

If the evidence wasn’t solid and there wasn’t absolute certainty, how could the emperor have dared to accuse them in court?

Moreover, these twenty-one courtiers knew better than anyone that everything the emperor said was true. They were doomed and could only hope that a confession might lead to leniency. None dared to stubbornly deny the charges.

“Your humble servant deserves to die!”

“This old minister was foolish, please punish me, Your Majesty!”

“This old minister is ashamed of the emperor’s grace, I deserve to die a thousand times…”

“I confess my guilt…”

Tearful pleas filled the grand hall.

The emperor watched the kneeling, confessing officials for a moment, his heart unmoved. After a while, he gestured to Eunuch Tong.

Eunuch Tong continued, “By imperial decree, due to the gravity of this matter, it must not be handled carelessly. The male members of the Boyang Marquis’s household are to be detained in the imperial prison pending trial, while the women and children are to be confined within the inner courtyard. Left Assistant Minister of Works, Xu Jinshui, and the other twenty individuals are to be temporarily held at the Dali Temple. The three judicial departments are to re-examine the evidence, extract confessions, and determine the charges and penalties. Everything must be done according to the law, with no errors or exaggerations, and a report is to be submitted to the Secretariat within five days.”

“Your humble servant obeys!”

The Ministry of Justice, the Dali Temple, and the Censorate all responded in agreement.

The officials thought that the agonizing morning court session was finally coming to an end, but Eunuch Tong did not announce the adjournment. Instead, he took out another imperial decree.

The officials tensed again, the brief moment of relief vanishing.

Eunuch Tong loudly proclaimed, “By the Mandate of Heaven, the emperor decrees: Empress Wang, lacking virtue and ability, has defiled the inner palace and repeatedly attempted to harm the emperor with unclean substances. His crimes are unforgivable! He is hereby deposed from his position as empress and reduced to commoner status, to uphold the moral order!”

A slight gasp echoed through the hall.

This decree carried immense implications, and they finally understood why the emperor, after years of patience, chose this moment to act against the Boyang Marquis’s estate.

—They had harbored an empress who defiled the palace and even tried to poison the emperor…

The Boyang Marquis’s estate was essentially planning a regicide and rebellion!

The officials, who had been fearful of the emperor’s swift and decisive actions, especially those noble families worried about old grievances being revisited, now felt a mix of contempt for the empress and the Boyang Marquis’s estate and a sense of relief.

However, the decree was not yet finished:

“Since my ascension to the throne, I have diligently governed for over a decade without any negligence, yet I have neglected the inner palace. These criminals, using their royal status, have oppressed the weak and committed heinous crimes, for which I bear the responsibility of oversight. The fact that the inner palace is childless and the empress has lost his virtue is Heaven’s warning to me. Therefore, I hereby announce to the world that I will dissolve the inner palace, allowing each to marry freely, and there shall be no more disputes. Let it be so.”

The emperor’s decision was like a bolt from the blue, leaving the officials in shock.

It was only after a long silence that someone finally reacted, crying out, “Your Majesty, reconsider! This cannot be!”

“Your Majesty, reconsider!!”

“We beg Your Majesty to retract this decree!”

The officials, now fully awake, all shouted in protest.

The emperor stood up and said, “It is my neglect of the inner palace that allowed distractions to arise, leading to these royal residences committing grave crimes. I cannot shirk this responsibility. Now that Heaven has warned me, following its mandate is the best way to protect the nation and its people. Once this matter is settled, I will mourn at the imperial mausoleum and confess my failings to our ancestors.”

“Your Majesty, you are too harsh on yourself. These criminals were driven by treachery; it is not Your Majesty’s fault…”

“This matter is decided; there is no need for further discussion,” the emperor interrupted the officials’ pleas. “The crimes of the Boyang Marquis’s household are monstrous and unforgivable. I hope all of you will take this as a lesson to reflect on your actions and avoid repeating their mistakes.”

The officials, now fully alert, dared not press further.

By the time the Boyang Marquis and the others were convicted and everything had settled, the emperor’s inner palace was already empty.

Although some direct officials continued to protest, they were ignored by the emperor, leaving them helpless.

The empress dowager made a great show of summoning imperial physicians several times because of this matter.

After a few “illnesses,” the emperor issued a decree to bring all young boys under the age of five from the various princes’ households into the palace to accompany the empress dowager, fulfilling her desire to be surrounded by grandchildren. The emperor also hinted at selecting an heir from among the princes’ children, which frightened the empress dowager into no longer daring to use filial piety as a pretext.

Meanwhile, the princes, who had been eagerly awaiting the end of the imperial mausoleum sacrifices to leave the capital, suddenly became exceptionally enthusiastic, demonstrating brotherly love and cooperation as never before.

But that’s a story for another time.

After the morning court session, Xu Fei requested an audience with the emperor, but like all the high-ranking officials who wanted to probe the emperor’s intentions, he was turned away and had to leave the palace anxiously awaiting news.

“Husband!”

A familiar, rough voice snapped Xu Fei out of his daze. He turned to see Liu Jia striding towards him.

Xu Fei’s frozen heart finally found some warmth, and he asked, “What are you doing here?” A small smile unconsciously appeared on his face as he spoke.

Liu Jia looked him up and down nervously. Seeing that Xu Fei was unharmed, he let out a huge sigh of relief and said, “How could I not come? Do you know what time it is now?”

Xu Fei hadn’t noticed the time and only now realized that six hours had passed since the morning court session had begun at Mao Hour, and the sun was already slanting in the west.

Liu Jia continued, “I’ve been standing here for two hours. Only half an hour ago did I see people starting to come out. Each one looked like they’d just lost their father… Fine, don’t glare at me. I won’t talk about them anymore. But you, why were you so much later than the rest? I heard that your lecherous old father was also detained. Are you implicated?”

“If I were, what would you do?”

Xu Fei found his serious, battle-ready expression amusing.

Liu Jia’s expression grew even more grave as he grasped Xu Fei’s hand and whispered, “If it comes to that, I’ll take you away. Forget about this broken official position. Once we’re in the underworld, it’s my domain, and not even the emperor could drag you back.”

The psychological pressure Liu Jia had endured outside was no less than Xu Fei’s inside. There were countless times when he’d wanted to storm the palace and drag him out.

“What nonsense are you spouting? That foul mouth of yours hasn’t changed, has it?” Xu Fei scolded, then said, “Let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s go back.”

Liu Jia said, “If we go back, who knows how your little mother will cry to you? By now, they must have heard the news, and I’m sure it’s complete chaos.”

The thought alone gave him a headache.

Xu Fei smiled, “Then let’s not go there. Let’s go back to my own residence.”

“Huh?” This was the first time Liu Jia had heard this.

Xu Fei said, “I’m a second-rank official of the court, after all. What’s strange about having my own residence? Before I returned to the capital, His Majesty even bestowed a mansion upon me. It’s a bit smaller than the Xu family mansion, but it’s much more comfortable.”

Liu Jia snorted.

Xu Fei, half-smiling, said, “As a minister, I live off the emperor’s bounty. Everything in my mansion, from the food to the clothing to even a single needle or grain of rice, is granted by His Majesty. Grateful for his immense kindness, I must be careful not to waste anything.”

Liu Jia’s face turned dark—there was nothing more infuriating than having his “free meal” taken away by a rival.

Xu Fei burst out laughing and stopped teasing him, urging him to move along.

However, he hadn’t eaten lunch, and after kneeling for several hours, his legs were weak.

Without a word, Liu Jia lifted him onto his back. Xu Fei was startled, looking around to see some colleagues on the road discussing matters with anxious faces, seemingly unaware of the scene. But still, Xu Fei struggled in embarrassment, “Put me down! This is improper!”

Liu Jia said, “I’m carrying my husband; how is that improper? If they have the ability, they should marry a husband as strong as an ox, like me.”

Xu Fei couldn’t help but laugh.

At Xu Fei’s insistence, Liu Jia carried him on his back, avoiding the crowds and using the rooftops. When they arrived at the residence, Liu Jia didn’t put him down, and Xu Fei didn’t bring it up either.

Lying quietly on his shoulder for a while, Xu Fei suddenly whispered, “I never expected that His Majesty would go to such lengths… It’s true what they say, the most emotionless people are often the most deeply emotional.”

Liu Jia only half-understood, and when he wanted to ask further, Xu Fei didn’t continue.

Five days later, the Three Judicial Offices submitted the finalized verdict to the Secretariat.

After reviewing it, the emperor made a few remarks about the contributions of the ancestors of these noble families to the dynasty. The Three Judicial Offices, understanding the emperor’s intentions, lightened the sentences. Finally, the emperor personally approved the final judgment:

The crimes of the Boyang Marquis’s estate were unforgivable, but considering the virtues of their ancestors and their contributions to the state, the punishment of implicating nine generations was waived. The first-rank marquis title was stripped, the official statuses of three families were revoked, and no one from the family could hold office for three generations.

The main perpetrator, Wang Yinhou, along with his three sons and one nephew, was involved in multiple murders and crimes against the people, for which the sentence was execution in the autumn.

The other individuals involved were sentenced to exile in Ningzhou, with punishments varying by the severity of their crimes, including exile, demotion, and removal from office.

When the decree was issued, the officials were both surprised by the emperor’s leniency and relieved. This example of severe punishment worked exceptionally well. After the fall of the Boyang Marquis’s estate, the noble families, both fearful and grateful for the emperor’s mercy, cultivated themselves and dared not follow in their footsteps. This brought decades of peace to the court, contributing significantly to the Chenwu Golden Age.

The emperor was merciful, but not everyone was grateful.

The deposed empress Wang ranted and raved in his mansion, cursing the emperor as cruel and unjust.

When his family tried to stop him, he not only refused to restrain himself but also blamed them for dragging him down and causing him to lose his position. The night before his exile was to be carried out, he set fire to the Boyang Marquis’s estate!

Survivors reported seeing him standing outside, watching as his family, locked inside, pounded on the doors, screaming for help, completely unmoved.

He hated everyone, especially the men who had seen him at his ugliest.

—Ever since that incident, he had thought of nothing but grinding their bones to dust to cover up the disgrace he had inflicted upon the imperial family.

In his madness, he even screamed towards the imperial palace, claiming he had done a great service by removing traitors and begging the emperor to forgive him and take him back.

In the end, the doors burned down.

The crazed empress finally tried to escape, only to be caught by those he had derided as “trash,” cutting off his escape route. The entire household perished in the flames.

The fire started at Mao Hour and quickly spread. By the time the patrol battalion arrived to extinguish it, it was too late.

At the same time, Gou Liang suddenly awoke from his sleep with a jolt.

[Master, what’s wrong?]

Gou Liang, utterly confused, pasted a payment receipt onto it. The note read:

Soul ID No. 1781781 gifted you 66,666,666 Soul Coins at Time-Space Date X Year X Month X Day X Hour X Minute X Second.

[Huh?!]

[System: Master, the negative soul energy from the wrongful death of the host body isn’t even worth 10,000 Soul Coins. Even if the empress’s death avenged the wrongs, he shouldn’t have transferred all his positive soul energy to you, especially without going through the Bureau’s financial screening…]

[Gou Liang suddenly realized and cheerfully said: Who cares what happened, only a fool wouldn’t take the money!]

[System froze: …But Master, I just accidentally reported this situation to the main system… pointing_fingers.gif]

[Gou Liang: (〝▼皿▼)!!]

The two nervously waited for a moment, then heard the main system’s mechanical voice say:

[To Executor No. 00401, due to an unknown error, the soul energy transfer of Soul ID No. 1781781 was mishandled. After review, given your outstanding mission performance, these Soul Coins will be considered an extra reward and will not be reclaimed.]

Gou Liang’s mouth dropped in surprise, then he let out a shout of joy.

“Xiao Keng’er?”

The emperor, who was in the outer hall dressing for court, heard his shout and came in.

Gou Liang, beaming with joy, jumped out of bed and threw himself at him.

The emperor hurriedly caught him, holding his face as Gou Liang planted several kisses on him. Seeing his delight, the emperor also smiled, “What’s going on?”

Gou Liang, grinning from ear to ear, said, “I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll make you a feast~”

The emperor patted his butt, “You’re getting bolder.” But he smiled indulgently.

*

Fifteen years later.

Zhao Chuyang, now the governor of Ningzhou, returned to the capital to report to the emperor, accompanied by his deputies Lu Yiming, Tang Qingfeng, and You Jing.

Although Ningzhou could not yet be called a land of wealth, it had undergone a complete transformation, and Governor Zhao’s achievements were remarkable, causing those who had doubted him to regret their misjudgment.

Gou Liang had kept in touch with them over the years, and there was no sense of estrangement between them. At the welcoming banquet, Xu Fei, who had long admired Zhao Chuyang and his companions, also joined in. Lu Yiming had become much more composed, and Tang Qingfeng had grown quite slick, speaking in nothing but official jargon, which he couldn’t shake off. But a few drinks later, he reverted to his old self, making quite a scene.

Especially Tang Qingfeng.

Ningzhou’s climate wasn’t conducive to good health, but somehow, Tang Qingfeng had grown even fatter. What was once a round physique now sported a belly, and his “pectoral muscles” had grown so prominent that it was hard to look at him in his official robes.

He was quite popular in Ningzhou, and after mingling with the locals for so long, he had become a bit wild and unrestrained.

He could keep it in check most of the time, but after a few drinks, all inhibitions went out the window, and he insisted on dancing for them.

As he danced, he found it too hot and stripped off his shirt, revealing his flabby white flesh, which jiggled with every move. Xu Fei blushed, and the others burst into laughter.

Gou Liang, feeling mischievous, gave it a squeeze, finding the texture pleasing. He kept squeezing until someone shouted, “Chu Mo!”

The familiar voice sent a shiver down Gou Liang’s spine. Like the others kneeling on the floor, he sobered up instantly, quickly withdrawing his hand, a sheepish look on his face.

[Xiaosi!!! How dare you trick me!]

[…Sorry, Master, my eyes have been burned blind. I didn’t see anything, QAQ.]

Tang Qingfeng, who had “blinded” the system, was still shaking his hips, oblivious to the danger, singing a boisterous tribal song.

Gou Liang glanced at the emperor, who was wiping his hands with a dark expression, then at Tang Qingfeng’s jiggling flesh, and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

The Golden Age of Chenwu was filled with songs and dances.

*

Thirty-second Year of Chenwu.

Gou Liang finally completed the “Shanhua Chronicles” he had been compiling.

The veteran scholars of the Hanlin Academy wept with joy, and Gou Liang even burned a copy for the original master’s mentor, who had passed away a decade earlier.

That same year, the emperor chose the ten-year-old son of Prince Yang as his heir and began grooming him. Fifteen years later, the emperor abdicated in his favor, taking the title of Supreme Emperor, and traveled the country with Gou Liang to see the mountains and rivers he had documented.

They traveled for twenty-five years.

By then, Gou Liang, over seventy years old, was frail and near death, lying in Tianzong’s arms, his time almost up.

[Ding, mission progress updated. Current mission progress: 100%!]

Tianzong held him tightly, tears streaming down his face, whispering, “Don’t be afraid, I’ll be with you, wherever you go.”

Yet, before he could take the medicine to sleep forever, he and Gou Liang disappeared together—

The world’s cycle had ended.