The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  There was one other possibility, but Wang Chong knew what it was without Yang Zhao mentioning it.

  “If they’re driven out of the palace, give them some silver. In addition, if it’s possible, it’s best if they all leave the palace!” Wang Chong said.

  Chapter 1620 - Eunuch Yin’s Threat!

  Chapter 1620: Eunuch Yin’s Threat!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  In another world, Wang Chong had heard all sorts of rumors about what went on in the palace. As an outside official, it was not his place to interfere in the palace’s affairs, but he couldn’t just ignore what was going on right in front of him.

  “Heheh, that’s exactly your style. Relax; the Great Tang’s King of Foreign Lands has spoken, so they naturally won’t have bad lots in life. Just leave everything to me.”

  The two of them soon entered Shuhua Palace.

  The main hall was mostly empty, with many objects having already been moved out. Upon entering, the two immediately spotted the golden coffin in the center of the hall. The coffin was made from Phoebe Zhennan wood and was covered in carvings of vermillion birds that indicated the esteemed status of its occupant.

  Maids and eunuchs were kneeling in front of the coffin, dressed in white mourning clothes as they bitterly wept.

  Wang Chong could only sigh as he looked at the coffin.

  In every dynasty, the War of the Princes was always the cruelest of affairs, and in this struggle, Jade Consort Xiao had ended up as an innocent sacrifice.

  Wang Chong walked over, lit two sticks of incense, bowed, and then placed the incense sticks in the burner in front of the coffin.

  After doing all this, Wang Chong questioned some maids about the events of that day, but these maids basically knew nothing.

  Wang Chong then looked through Shuhua Palace, which had a simple elegance that set it apart from the other palaces. And there was a faint scent of incense in the air that came from burning incense for so long that the smell seeped into the surroundings. It was calming.

  On the bookshelves were Buddhist texts like the ‘Diamond Sutra’ and the ‘Ksitigarbhasutra’.

  Other than that, Wang Chong also found an incense burner and a shrine consecrated to the Buddha. The sight of these things made Wang Chong even more certain that Jade Consort Xiao was that person who had become detached from life, abstaining from meat and chanting sutras. Someone of her personality was even more unlikely to have an affair with the Fifth Prince.

  A maid recognized Yang Zhao and immediately began to tearfully plead Jade Consort Xiao’s case. “Her Highness never argued with anyone in the palace. She spent every day chanting sutras and abstaining from meat, regarding relationships between men and women with extreme indifference. How could she have a secret love affair with the Fifth Prince? There must be some misunderstanding!”

  The two couldn’t help but feel grief upon seeing this display.

  “Let’s go!”

  Wang Chong raised his head and mentally sighed, and then he left Shuhua Palace with Yang Zhao.

  “What do we do now?”

  In the carriage, Yang Zhao turned to Wang Chong.

  They couldn’t get into the Imperial Clan Court, and Jade Consort Xiao’s palace had turned up nothing. Their investigation was at a standstill and Yang Zhao didn’t know what to do.

  “There’s no need to worry. While heaven’s net has a wide mesh, nothing can escape it! There must be clues within the inner palace!”

  Wang Chong had an unprecedented resolve in his eyes. After visiting Shuhua Palace and seeing what sort of person Jade Consort Xiao was, he had become even more determined to investigate this matter, not just for the Fifth Prince, but for Jade Consort Xiao as well.

  The two fell silent as the carriage rolled forward, but suddenly, a voice came from up ahead.

  “Is this the King of Foreign Lands?”

  It was a hoarse and elderly voice, like two zither strings being rubbed together. Neeeigh! The two horses drawing the carriage cried out in fright and came to a sudden halt.

  “Hmph!”

  Wang Chong coldly laughed as if he had sensed something. He exited the carriage, followed by a confused Yang Zhao.

  But after a momentary daze, Yang Zhao realized who had stopped the carriage and instantly paled, his pupils constricting into pinpricks.

  Eunuch Yin!

  Yang Zhao was a prolific socializer and had gotten to know almost everyone in the palace. He had instantly recognized this eunuch who followed the First Prince like his shadow.

  Yang Zhao had met him several times and had always known him to be an extremely taciturn man. Like ice that had been frozen for ten thousand years, he was always hidden in the darkness.

  If there was one eunuch in the palace that Yang Zhao didn’t want to offend, it was unquestionably Eunuch Yin. To Yang Zhao, this man was a poisonous snake. While his mouth was closed, he made no sound, but when he opened it and bit down, one only had death to look forward to.

  More importantly, Eunuch Yin was the First Prince’s chief eunuch. For him to appear while the two were running around the palace and investigating the case made the First Prince’s intentions all too obvious.

  Gulp!

  Yang Zhao swallowed and subconsciously looked to Wang Chong.

  If there was one person who could deal with Eunuch Yin, it was Wang Chong.

  Wang Chong held his hands behind his back and kept his back straight as he coldly asked, “For what reason has Sir Eunuch stopped this king’s carriage?”

  This wasn’t his first time meeting Eunuch Yin, and his impression had not improved one bit.

  “Heheh, Your Highness, there has been an incident in the palace, and His Highness has already decreed that all outside officials are forbidden from entry. And this matter involves a consort of the harem. Is it not better for an outside official to remain uninvolved? If this matter gets back to the Imperial Court, it could harm Your Highness’s reputation, no?”

  Eunuch Yin spoke neither too quickly nor too slowly, and while his tone seemed polite, the words themselves carried a warning.

  “Heheh, a man with a straight back doesn’t care about a crooked shadow. This one is a king, not some ordinary outside official. If there is a problem in the imperial household, is it not this king’s duty to help find out the truth? Moreover, this king came on the invitation of Consort Taizhen. The First Prince rules the country in place of the Sage Emperor, but when was the First Prince allowed to control who Consort Taizhen is allowed to see?”

  Wang Chong met Eunuch Yin’s gaze and sneered, not backing down in the slightest.

  Buzz!

  Eunuch Yin’s expression dimmed, and his narrow eyes gleamed with cold and dangerous light.

  “Heheh, in other words, King of Foreign Lands is a guest of the Chamberlain of Palace Revenues.”

  Surprisingly, Eunuch Yin turned his gaze to Yang Zhao.

  “I heard that Consort Taizhen does not concern herself with secular affairs, and so the First Prince has always respected Consort Taizhen, but hasn’t Consort Taizhen’s scope gotten a little too broad?

  “This old slave worries that the First Prince might not be happy with a Consort Taizhen who begins to meddle with the harem!”

  Yang Zhao instantly paled. Again, Eunuch Yin had been polite, but his words were clearly a threat.

  Although the Sage Emperor’s eldest son and his favored consort both resided in the inner palace, their interactions were few and far between. But Eunuch Yin was now implying that their relationship was about to turn from intentional avoidance to outright conflict.

  “Are these words yours or the First Prince’s?” Wang Chong suddenly asked, his eyes cold.

  “Heh, this old slave has already said that the First Prince might not be happy. Is there any need for the King of Foreign Lands to press further?” Eunuch Yin casually replied.

  “Heh, then, Sir Eunuch, please inform His Highness the First Prince that if th
e Sage Emperor hears of this, the Sage Emperor also might not be happy,” Wang Chong coldly retorted, throwing Eunuch Yin’s threat right back at him. As expected, Eunuch Yin paled.

  “And the heavens over the Great Tang have yet to change, the Sage Emperor’s mind yet to settle!” Wang Chong coldly said.

  “King of Foreign Lands, what do you mean by this? Are you saying that the First Prince does not have the right to inherit the throne?”

  Eunuch Yin’s face darkened and his entire body began to exude a cold aura.

  The First Prince was first in line to the throne, something that could not be denied even if he weren’t the current regent. No one within the empire dared to doubt the First Prince like Wang Chong had, and with these words, Wang Chong had clearly placed himself as the First Prince’s enemy.

  “Hmph, was this king wrong? The Sage Emperor has yet to officially register a Crown Prince, no? Since there is no official announcement, all the Princes still have a chance. Is a mere eunuch like you doubting this king’s words?” Wang Chong replied without a trace of politeness.

  Others might have feared Eunuch Yin because of the First Prince, but not Wang Chong. He was the War God of the empire, the first King of this dynasty with a different surname, and the Son of Heaven’s disciple favored by the Sage Emperor. There was truly nothing he needed to fear.

  In the end, no matter how unfathomable Eunuch Yin’s cultivation was or how unique his status, he was still a eunuch. As a King of the Great Tang, Wang Chong far outranked him.

  Eunuch Yin said nothing, merely stared with his cold and emotionless eyes. These words had removed any room for negotiation between Wang Chong and the First Prince.

  “I hope that Your Highness will remember these words. This old slave will relay them word for word to the First Prince.”

  Eunuch Yin had clearly been enraged by Wang Chong’s words, but unexpectedly, after taking in a deep breath, Eunuch Yin calmed down. His rage vanished, and he appeared just as he normally did.

  Wang Chong slightly frowned. Even now, he was not able to determine the depth of Eunuch Yin’s strength. Putting aside his martial arts, his shrewdness and mental maturity alone made him a thorny foe.

  “Since this is the case, this old slave will take his leave. But I must warn that it is easy to get into trouble within the inner palace, and there is good reason for Your Highness to avoid it. This old slave worries that if the King of Foreign Lands gets too close to Consort Taizhen, some unseemly rumors might begin to circulate.”

  Eunuch Yin spoke in a flat tone and just loud enough to be heard. Wang Chong and Yang Zhao instantly grimaced.

  Chapter 1621 - Twitching Corpse!

  Chapter 1621: Twitching Corpse!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  With a wave of his sleeve, Eunuch Yin departed. Behind him, Wang Chong’s face had turned into a sheet of ice.

  “Many thanks, Sir Eunuch. This king understands. In addition, please tell the First Prince that if he walks too much at night, he is bound to run into ghosts, and if his hands and feet are dirty, they are bound to be exposed. The First Prince should think very carefully about how he plans to explain the matter of Jade Consort Xiao to the Sage Emperor,” Wang Chong coldly shot back.

  Eunuch Yin had been rapidly walking away when he came to a sudden stop, seemingly nailed to the ground.

  “This old slave understands. Many thanks, Your Highness.”

  With these parting words, Eunuch Yin once more prepared to leave, but after walking just a few steps—

  “Ah!”

  There was a terrified shriek and sounds of turmoil, both coming from behind Wang Chong. Wang Chong, Eunuch Yin, and Yang Zhao all turned to look.

  It’s Shuhua Palace!

  Turning his head to the source of the sound, Wang Chong immediately realized where it was coming from. The pair had just left Shuhua Palace, so he couldn’t be wrong.

  Swish!

  With no time to think, Wang Chong used his movement technique and rushed toward the location of the sound.

  Behind him, Eunuch Yin had become uncertain.

  A few moments after Wang Chong left, Eunuch Yin blinked out of existence like he had just been a wisp of smoke.

  “What’s going on here? This is Jade Consort Xiao’s mourning period! Who would dare make trouble at a time like this?”

  Yang Zhao was also alarmed. His martial arts were not as profound, but he still ran after the two toward Shuhua Palace.

  In a gentle breeze, Wang Chong appeared at Shuhua Palace. He sensed a sinister and cold energy right behind him, which he instantly knew to be Eunuch Yin following him.

  His eyes swiftly turned to the palace.

  The Shuhua Palace that had been so neat and orderly was now in disarray.

  “Ghost!”

  “Twi-twitching corpse!”

  “Run! Flee!”

  Within Shuhua Palace, the white-clothed maids and eunuchs were falling over themselves in their haste to flee.

  One maid was so frightened that she had collapsed to the floor, and her face was so white that it seemed like she had seen a ghost.

  Wang Chong followed her gaze and saw the coffin at the center of the hall.

  As Wang Chong was trying to figure out what was going on, he heard a loud thumping from within the coffin and a cry for help.

  “Save… save me! Let me out…”

  This weak voice instantly made Wang Chong pale, and he rushed to the coffin’s side.

  “King of Foreign Lands! What are you thinking?!” A cold bark came from behind him as Eunuch Yin entered the hall.

  “Bastard! Can’t you hear it?” Wang Chong angrily retorted.

  Those of different paths had no need to conspire, and while he might have feared the First Prince himself, he had no need to be courteous to this chief eunuch that he completely outranked.

  Moreover, this was Jade Consort Xiao’s palace. The First Prince had killed Jade Consort Xiao, and his men were now lording over her palace like they owned the place. Wang Chong had no reason to be polite.

  Eunuch Yin ignored Wang Chong. He reached out with a claw-like hand, and a panicked eunuch a few feet away was instantly pulled into his grip.

  “Tell me what’s going on!” Eunuch Yin coldly ordered.

  Eunuch Yin’s glare almost caused the soul of this eunuch to leave his body, his face turning ghastly pale.

  “I-I don’t know! I was just mourning Her Highness when a voice came from inside. It sounded… it sounded like Jade Consort Xiao!”

  The man’s eyes were brimming with fear.

  “Absurd! Jade Consort Xiao is dead, so how could you hear her voice!?”

  Eunuch Yin’s face turned dark. The people of the Eastern Palace were sure that Jade Consort Xiao was dead. These tricks from the coffin could only fool these ordinary folk.

  He turned to the coffin in the center of the hall.

  “This one would like to see what sort of person would dare to play tricks with Jade Consort Xiao’s coffin!”

  Before anyone could react, Eunuch Yin shook his wrist, sending out a frigid stream of Stellar Energy that knocked aside the lid of the coffin.

  The lid soon thudded to the side.

  “Ah!”

  Even more cries of alarm and screams of panic resounded.

  The maids and eunuchs staggered backward, and even the eunuch in Eunuch Yin’s grip struggled to flee.

  “Ghost! Ghost! Ghost…”

  A maid covered her mouth as she stared in terror, and as that figure rose from the coffin, she fell unconscious.

  “Jade Consort Xiao! It’s Mistress Xiao!” another maid leaning against a wall shouted.

  Farther off, Yang Zhao, who was just crossing over the threshold, also spotted that weak figure swaying as it rose from the coffin. He felt like he had been struck by a lightning bolt, and his right foot froze in midair.

  “!!!”

  Yang Zhao’s eyes flew open in disbelief.


  At this moment, only one thought was left in his mind.

  Jade Consort Xiao!

  Yang Zhao had met with Jade Consort Xiao several times, and he could tell at once that this person was the ‘deceased’ Jade Consort Xiao.

  “How could this be!?”

  Yang Zhao was speechless and dumb.

  Rumble!

  A few moments later, this news swept through the entire Imperial Palace like a storm, shocking everyone.

  The Jade Consort Xiao who had committed suicide last night and was in the middle of being mourned had come back to life in her coffin!

  And Jade Consort Xiao was claiming that someone had tried to kill her, that she hadn’t tried to commit suicide at all.

  The inner palace was shaken, and the consorts and concubines all began to rush over to Shuhua Palace.

  ……

  “What?! How could this be!? Bastard! Bastards! You’re all bastards!”

  The First Prince’s eyes bulged incredulously upon hearing the news.

  Boom! With a sweep of his arm, the First Prince flung a table at the wall, but this was far from enough to vent his anger.

  “Jade Consort Xiao is alive!”

  “Jade Consort Xiao is alive?”

  The First Prince had never imagined this kind of development in his meticulous scheme.

  “What is Shuhua Palace saying?”

  The First Prince’s forehead throbbed and he felt like his heart was about to burn to ash from the anger.

  This was no ordinary matter, no mere dispute with Wang Chong. This was the war for the throne. His only threat was Li Heng, and as long as he removed his fifth brother, the empire and the world would be his to rule.

  Everything had been going according to plan, and he was sure that Wang Chong’s investigation would turn up nothing.

  But to his complete surprise, a woman who should have been dead had come back to life, completely upsetting his plans.

  “Your Highness, Jade Consort Xiao has already announced that she did not hang herself, that someone tried to kill her! She fell unconscious at the time, and since she was promptly taken down, she still had some breath in her. It was only now that she finally came back to her senses.”