"Heh... Xiao Zhengde?"
But before Emperor Wu of Liang could agree,
someone stepped out from among the officials, letting out a series of cold laughs.
Zhu Yuanzhang, standing behind Monk Huineng, glanced at the label above his head.
[Commander-in-Chief Fu Qi]
Thinking of his mission objective—[leave Taicheng before the first day of the eleventh month]—Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help taking another couple of looks at the man.
Historically, during the Taiqing Rebellion, Fu Qi was one of the few important Southern Liang officials who successfully led troops in a breakout and lived out his remaining years in peace.
If Zhu Yuanzhang had been an official, he would probably have raised both hands in support of Fu Qi's decision,
then submitted a tearful memorial to Emperor Wu of Liang.
After all...
"Xiao Zhengde is completely unreliable!"
"He's already made an arrangement with Hou Jing! He's going to open Vermilion Bird Gate and let Hou Jing's troops into the capital!"
But...
Zhu Yuanzhang sighed inwardly.
With a thought,
he opened his character panel.
[Name: Zhu Yuanzhang (Minghe)] [Occupation: Investigator, Monks of Tongtai Temple (Impostor)] [Status: Plagued by misfortune, certain to die] [Skills: Great Wisdom Zen Technique (First Stage, Complete), Mountain-Shrinking Fist (First Stage), True Technique of Fixed Light Enchantment (First Stage)] [Equipment: None] [Remark: Green Silk White Horse Comes to Shouyang!]
This time, the "(Impostor)" after the techniques in his skill list had disappeared.
That meant one thing: his abilities were effective in the Secret History.
But Zhu Yuanzhang wasn't particularly pleased.
That was because the status flashing in his status bar was even more outrageous than the [Dying Man] status at Imperial Awakening Temple.
[Certain to die]
"Nice."
The corner of Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth twitched.
Was this instance really so twisted?
So I was doomed to die, no matter what?
"Has Your Majesty forgotten how this man, Xiao Zhengde, betrayed his country and defected to the northern barbarians in the sixth year of Putong?"
Fu Qi gave a cold laugh and glanced at Monk Fahui standing before Zhu Yuanzhang.
Fahui seemed to have no interest in dealing with Fu Qi at all. He rolled his prayer beads between his fingers, his gaze calmly fixed on Emperor Wu of Liang on the throne, clearly confident of victory.
"This..."
A look of indecision appeared on Xiao Yan's face.
Xiao Zhengde was the sixth son of Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, and the third son of Prince Jinghui of Linchuan, Xiao Hong. He was Xiao Yan's nephew.
At first, since Xiao Yan had no sons, he adopted Xiao Zhengde as his own and made him crown prince.
Later, Xiao Yan and Noble Consort Ding had a son, Xiao Tong, and Xiao Zhengde returned to his original place in the family.
Not only did he lose his position as crown prince, Xiao Yan also sent him back to the household of Xiao Hong.
In a fit of anger, Xiao Zhengde defected north to Northern Wei. But when he failed to receive favorable treatment, he fled back to Southern Liang the following year.
To demonstrate his profound understanding of Buddhism and his boundless compassion,
Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, not only forgave Xiao Zhengde's betrayal but also promoted and ennobled him. He made him General Xinwu and Prefect of Wu Commandery. The following year, he summoned him to court, appointed him Attendant Gentleman and General Who Soothes the Army, assigned him administrative aides, enfeoffed him as Prince of Linhe with a fief of two thousand households, and made him General of the Left Guard.
On the throne, Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, rose and drew back the bamboo curtain. He looked at Fu Qi, fell silent for a moment, then asked,
"If I don't send Xiao Zhengde, who does the Commander-in-Chief think can lead the troops against Hou Jing?"
"Minister of Works Yang Kan would do."
"..."
Silence again.
A long silence.
Zhu Yuanzhang cautiously observed the situation in the palace.
The civil and military officials in Jiankang Palace were clearly divided into three factions.
One, led by Fu Qi, strongly opposed Emperor Wu of Liang's proposal to appoint Xiao Zhengde as a general.
Another consisted of monk-officials led by Monk Fahui, who had clearly already been bribed by Xiao Zhengde.
The last faction had remained silent all along. They neither supported nor opposed appointing Xiao Zhengde as a general. Only after Fu Qi proposed that Yang Kan lead the expedition did they speak up.
"We support appointing Xiao Zhengde as a general! Send him out to wipe out Hou Jing's rebel army!"
[Right Guard Commander of the Crown Prince Zhu Yi]
Looking at the label above the speaker's head,
"Crown Prince's faction,"
Zhu Yuanzhang thought.
Those words seemed to make Emperor Wu of Liang resolve himself.
His aged, sonorous voice, steeped in Buddhist precepts, came from behind the bamboo curtain.
"What can that brat Hou Jing do?"
"I'll beat him with a broken stick!"
Emperor Wu of Liang stepped fully out from behind the beaded curtain.
In an instant,
the officials across the hall dropped to their knees, foreheads pressed against the cold jade steps.
Not daring to gaze upon the imperial countenance.
Zhu Yuanzhang knelt with the others.
Even Monk Fahui looked solemn now. The two sleeves encrusted with pearls covered his face tightly, as though he were avoiding something.
Using Monk Fahui's bulky frame for cover, Zhu Yuanzhang carefully raised his head.
"I've got cheats. What am I afraid of?"
"At worst, I'll start over!"
He narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the face of this tragic emperor.
This was the first time Zhu Yuanzhang had come into such close contact with the true heart of power in this world.
Let me see who exactly is sitting on this world's throne—
Zhu Yuanzhang saw the face of a middle-aged man, sharply carved as if by blade and axe, radiating both Buddhist serenity and imperial authority.
His eyes burned with pain. The world turned blood-red.
[You died]
Crimson letters appeared before his eyes.
The options [Start Over] and [Exit Secret History] appeared before him.
"Forbidden to look directly..."
As he waited for the scene to load, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression turned thoughtful.
No wonder Monk Fahui, despite being so favored,
hadn't dared to meet Emperor Wu of Liang's gaze.
He remembered the Zhao Song emperor in the opening cutscene at Imperial Awakening Temple.
No matter which direction he looked from, the Zhao Song emperor always faced him.
No matter how he tried to see him, the Zhao Song emperor's face was always blurred.
He'd always thought the system had deliberately created suspense.
Now, it seemed there might be another reason behind it.
But that raised another question.
Why hadn't he been able to see the Zhao Song emperor's face in the cutscene,
yet he could see Emperor Wu of Liang's?
The Mandate of Heaven? Heaven's will? A nation's fate?
That didn't make sense. During Emperor Lizong of Song's reign, the Mongols first destroyed Western Xia, then took the Jin Kingdom. The following year, Ogedei used Song's breach of their alliance as an excuse to launch a full-scale invasion of the Song Kingdom.
The Song army lost battle after battle, nearly losing Henan. Kaifeng and Luoyang, which they'd only just recovered from the Jin, both fell into Mongol hands.
The situation could hardly have been better than that of the Southern Liang court.
"Then what's the reason...? Forget it. I'll start over!"
In the darkness, a point of silver light appeared.
[Jiankang Palace]
Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his head deeply.
He'd just have to endure it for now.
"What can that brat Hou Jing do?"
"I'll beat him with a broken stick!"
"Appoint Prince of Linhe Xiao Zhengde as General Who Pacifies the North and Commander of Capital Military Affairs. He will lead thirty thousand elite troops and a hundred warships to garrison Danyang and defend against Hou Jing."
As Emperor Wu of Liang finished speaking, cries of "Long live the emperor!" rang out across the court.
"Hou Jing has only eight thousand surrendered Xianbei soldiers under his command. With Prince of Linhe leading the troops, Hou Jing won't get away this time."
Monk Fahui's voice came from beside him.
When Zhu Yuanzhang looked up again, Emperor Wu of Liang's figure had vanished behind the bamboo curtain.
"Court dismissed!"
The eunuch's voice drifted through the hall as the officials of Southern Liang filed out.
As they parted, Zhu Yuanzhang saw Zhu Yi give Monk Fahui a long, meaningful look.
When Fu Qi passed Monk Fahui, he didn't even bother to look at the demon monk.
He was clearly very displeased with Fahui's proposal to appoint Xiao Zhengde as a general.
With a cold snort, he swept out in a huff.
"Minghe."
On the way back to Tongtai Temple, Fahui suddenly called Zhu Yuanzhang by name.
"This disciple is here."
"Seeing him today, I know Xiao Yan's fate is exhausted."
"Huh?"
Zhu Yuanzhang stared blankly at the Tongtai Temple demon monk, who was looking at him with grave seriousness.
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