Chapter 78
In ancient times, people often sought blessings from gods and Buddhas. Both Buddhism and Taoism had been passed down for many years, so temples and Taoist shrines were almost everywhere. Outside the imperial city of Shengjing, there were more than a dozen temples and shrines, both large and small.
Among the many temples and shrines outside Shengjing, the most popular was a nunnery called Lotus Nunnery. This was because a princess of the dynasty had once practiced asceticism there, which attracted many noblewomen to come and offer incense.
Since Lotus Nunnery had royal connections, noblewomen who had made mistakes and needed to reflect on their actions were often sent there. For example, Jiang Rou from the Qinghe County Wangfu and the young lady from the Zhao family were both sent there.
Also, Emperor Changde had been searching for Consort Su and the fourth prince but had never found them. Who would have thought that the fourth prince, a man, would be hiding in a nunnery? Emperor Changde’s men had searched everywhere, including temples and Taoist shrines, but they had never thought to check a nunnery.
Thus, the fourth prince and Consort Su had been living peacefully outside Shengjing for over half a year, undisturbed.
During this time, the fourth prince had also won Jiang Rou’s heart, making the Qinghe County Wang's daughter completely devoted to him, even willing to follow him in rebellion without fear.
Jiang Rou had even bound her fate to the fourth prince through the "Mingjun Assistance System," the same system that Jiang Jinyue had once used. After searching for a long time, the system had found its second host in this world: Jiang Rou, who was not accepting oil or salt in her hatred and desire for revenge.
[油盐不进 (yóu yán bù jìn): lit. Not accepting oil or salt; fig. Stubborn and unyielding.]
Jiang Rou harbored hatred and a strong desire to change her current situation, especially to humiliate the cannon fodder characters Jiang Lin and Wei Yunzhao. This made her the perfect candidate for the system.
Not long after being bound to the system, the fourth prince and Consort Su appeared at Lotus Nunnery. Jiang Rou, who had been living a harsh life in the nunnery, had not reflected on her mistakes at all. Instead, she wished she could skin Jiang Lin and Wei Yunzhao alive. Coincidentally, the fourth prince was charming and knew how to please people, so it didn’t take long for Jiang Rou to fall for him.
She quickly decided to help the fourth prince rebel, ascend the throne, and stand by his side to be revered by all and remembered for generations.
The system’s methods of persuasion were the same as before, but those chosen by the system always fell for it. With just a few repetitions, the idea of becoming a superior person and leaving a legacy would be ingrained in the host’s bones, unforgettable even in madness.
The system’s first task for Jiang Rou was to kill Jiang Lin. After binding with Jiang Rou, the system had marked two people: Jiang Lin and Wei Yunzhao. It explained to Jiang Rou how these two individuals’ survival would affect the fourth prince’s rebellion and ascension to the throne.
For Jiang Lin, the system demanded his immediate elimination because he was an unstable factor. Even the system couldn’t predict what he might do or what he knew, so he absolutely could not be left alive.
As for Wei Yunzhao, the system suggested first winning him over and using him, then eliminating him afterward. It emphasized that Wei Yunzhao must be killed after being used, or else he would affect the fate of the entire Dayue dynasty, leading to its downfall.
Jiang Rou naturally wished for both of them to die. Her previous affection for Wei Yunzhao had long turned into hatred. She didn’t want to hear about using Wei Yunzhao, she just wanted the fourth prince to eliminate them both immediately.
Before the second prince’s rebellion, he had secretly sent Consort Su and the fourth prince out of the palace, leaving behind a group of people to protect them. Thus, the fourth prince had some manpower at his disposal. He had initially planned to follow Jiang Rou’s suggestion and send people to kill Jiang Lin and Wei Yunzhao. However, after learning that the assassins sent to kill them had been returned in cartloads of bodies, the fourth prince abandoned the idea.
He only had so many people. If they were lost to these two, what would he use to rebel?
Even though Jiang Rou was unwilling, she had to admit that Jiang Lin and Wei Yunzhao were not easy to deal with. So, she made a deal with the system and received a new task: to use the impending locust plague and drought to eliminate at least one prince who would hinder the fourth prince’s ascension and to gain enough public support to lay the foundation for the future.
The system provided three targets: the eldest prince, the Crown Prince, and the sixth prince. The fourth prince only needed to eliminate one of them to complete the task, and the system would provide the next steps.
"When will the refugees enter the city, and how many are there?"
The locusts had left nothing in their wake. Knowing in advance about the locust plague, the fourth prince had arranged for people to wait near the villages the system had indicated. As soon as the locusts arrived, the affected villagers were to be moved to Shengjing. The fourth prince’s men told the villagers that as subjects of Dayue, they would surely be taken care of by the Emperor in the capital.
The subordinate replied, "They are already entering the city. In two days, everyone should be inside. From three villages, about five to six hundred people have come. As per your orders, we didn’t let anyone die. Even the seriously ill villagers were carried to the city gates."
"Good," the fourth prince nodded in satisfaction. "You’ve done well. Keep a close eye on them. These people will help me achieve greatness."
No comments:
Post a Comment