Free Web NovelChapter 1231: Chapter 1211: Meeting
Zhao Zheng instructed government officials and soldiers to organize the people to line up and receive relief porridge.
Currently, Luoyang still lacks people, and there are vast lands outside the city with many vacant fields waiting to be cultivated. As the County Magistrate of Luoyang County, Zhao Zheng warmly welcomes their arrival.
Wang Dao and Zhou Qi saw the people happily running to register before receiving relief porridge, and they were full of admiration in their hearts. With Zhao Hanzhang’s reputation, what chance do they have?
The two of them together looked towards King Langya.
King Langya had been comforted by his son all the way, so his face remained calm and collected, and he simply acted as if he hadn’t noticed their gaze as he entered the city with Zhao Xin.
The independent scholars and family heads following behind them also had to register before they could enter the city.
Since the Zhao Family Army crossed the river, Zhao Hanzhang has been assassinated twice in the city, both happening in the streets. Although she was unharmed, entry and exit management in Luoyang was still significantly tightened.
Besides these public assassination attempts, there were another three attempts, two of which were thwarted during the planning stage.
Recently, tensions have run high throughout the court, and from information gathered from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Justice Division, the masterminds behind the assassinations were not the same person.
One of the masterminds was undoubtedly Wang Dun, but who were the others behind the other assassination attempts?
The Little Emperor was very afraid, as were Sun Fan and others, leaving many officials feeling anxious.
However, Zhao Hanzhang chose not to publicize the assassination events and even actively suppressed the news to prevent it from reaching the court bulletin. She only dispatched Song Xin to investigate the case with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Justice Division, to uncover the masterminds.
King Langya, accompanied by his wife and Wang Dao and Zhou Qi, entered the palace. As he entered, he couldn’t help but glance up at the once out-of-reach Imperial Palace.
Although a member of the Imperial Family, Sima Rui was of a distant branch and not highly regarded. During his studies in Luoyang, he was often looked down upon, and other princes, also of the royal bloodline, frequently humiliated him. Many scholars felt he was too indecisive and didn’t like him, with only Wang Dao remaining his friend throughout.
The walls of the Imperial City and the Palace in Luoyang looked dilapidated. This year, a few ministers in the court mentioned repairing the Imperial City and the Palace multiple times, but Zhao Hanzhang rejected it, citing an empty state treasury.
Thus, what King Langya saw were the scorched walls of the Imperial City and Palace, bearing marks from arrows and swords. Some walls even had hard-to-remove bloodstains.
King Langya withdrew his gaze, lowered his eyes, and followed Zhao Xin inside.
Only when they reached the main hall did he realize that his wife had been with him all along. He couldn’t help but turn back to hold her hand, anxiously looking at Zhao Xin.
Zhao Xin glanced over and, stepping aside, invited them in, "The Great General also wishes to meet the Langya Princess."
Princess Yu Mengmu couldn’t help but glance nervously at her husband. Seeing him equally tense, she suppressed her pounding heart and instead comforted him, walking forward with him as they entered the hall.
As they entered, she let go of Sima Rui’s hand, walking shoulder to shoulder with him, her eyes slightly raised as she quickly scanned the hall.
The main hall was spacious, and the atmosphere was solemn. She saw rows of sitting arrangements on both sides, with a few people kneeling behind them. She didn’t dare to count them carefully, just briefly glancing before slightly looking up.
She saw a young boy about the same age as her two sons sitting directly above the main hall, wearing a dragon robe. Below the dragon chair, on a high platform, another high table and chair were placed. A beautiful lady was seated there. When Yu Mengmu looked over, she met the lady’s gaze, and was momentarily stunned, unable to look away as the lady gave her a slight smile.
Yu Mengmu immediately regained her composure, lowered her eyes, and stood there with her head bowed.
Sima Rui led the kneeling to salute the Emperor. Facing Zhao Hanzhang, he hesitated a moment, but finally straightened up before bowing respectfully.
King Langya felt he should have some dignity.
His wife, sons, Wang Dao, Zhou Qi, and others followed suit, paying their respects together.
The Little Emperor, with a dignified expression, raised his hand and said, "Be at ease!"
Sima Rui was a generation above the Little Emperor and should be called an Imperial Uncle, but rank and duty came first. The Little Emperor wasn’t very clever, but he wasn’t stupid either. He understood why Sima Rui was holding Jiangnan apart.
He was merely waiting for him to die, so he could rightfully inherit the Great Jin.
Although Sima Rui hadn’t directly harmed him, the Little Emperor felt no fondness for someone eagerly awaiting his death, hence his cold demeanor towards Sima Rui and Wang Dao, showing little interest.
Because Sima Rui was a member of the Imperial Family, Prince Yuzhang, Sima Duan, also sitting in the grand hall rarely attending court gatherings, showed little enthusiasm. He didn’t really know this so-called uncle; besides, they were three generations apart and had never met. What sort of kinship was there?
So he just glanced at Sima Rui, then looked at the two young boys following him.
Are these the sons of King Langya?
They were about the same age as him. He wondered if they could come to the palace to study with him and the Emperor.
Thinking about his studies with the Emperor, Sima Duan drooped his shoulders, feeling very discouraged.
He wanted to feign illness and go home to rest. Studying with the Emperor was extremely exhausting.
Sima Duan shrank into his seat, lost in his own thoughts, while the adults in the hall began their discussions.
Zhao Hanzhang arranged for three sets of seating on both sides and invited the six to sit.
The palace attendants came forward to guide them. King Langya and his Princess sat at the first table on the left. Their two sons sat below them, while Wang Dao and Zhou Qi took the seats behind them. Below them was Ji Yuan and others.
Wang Dao and others had noticed the three empty tables at the front when they entered the hall. They thought some important guests were still to arrive, not realizing the seats were reserved for them.
All six sat down nervously.
Zhao Hanzhang was quite gentle, smiling as she asked, "Was the journey smooth?"
Zhao Xin, already seated in his place, stood up and said after King Langya replied "very smooth," "Great General, Ping Cangjiang has a report. Wang Dun sent assassins along the way to kill King Langya, intending to frame the Great General."
Zhao Hanzhang then looked at King Langya and said, "So, you’ve also encountered assassins. Don’t be afraid. The Zhao Family Army is experienced in handling these things. This month alone, I’ve been targeted multiple times and have escaped each one."
Beads of sweat began forming on King Langya’s forehead, and the Little Emperor sitting above also grew tense. Without waiting for King Langya and others to speak, he hurriedly said, "Wang Dun, such a treacherous scoundrel, deserves to be executed by everyone."
He added, "Here I am, and he wreaks havoc in Jiangnan, showing he has never taken the court seriously."
Upon hearing this, Wang Dao quickly looked towards Zhao Hanzhang, immediately stepped forward to the center of the hall, knelt down, and pleaded guilty.
Zhao Hanzhang appeared touched, standing up and walking over to help Wang Dao up, sighing, "What does this have to do with Mr. Wang? Wang Dun is an adult, and your cousin. Even if you persuaded him, it would be in vain if he doesn’t listen."
She continued, "I know that among your Wang family, those willing to follow Wang Dun’s nonsense are a minority. When he murdered Wang Cheng before, I knew he wasn’t a kind or virtuous person, which has been proven today. Rest assured, I will only hold the principal culprits accountable, not implicate the entire clan."
This meant that the Wang family could rest easy, as she wouldn’t punish the entire clan for the mistakes of one Wang Dun.
Receiving a clear promise, Wang Dao breathed a huge sigh of relief, and with slightly red eyes, he thanked Zhao Hanzhang.
