allonlinenovel Chapter 275 Past events
Chapter 275 Past events
This is a narrow passage with candlesticks made on the stone walls on both sides, with faint candles lit on them for lighting.
Dada-da-da-da
The entire space was very silent, with only the footsteps of Chen Ji and Huo Qingyun echoing in this eerie and dark space.
Finally reaching the end of the passage, Chen Ji picked up a burning candle from the candlestick and pushed open the stone door in front of him.
Behind the stone door was a large room. Chen Ji walked towards the table and lit the candle on the table to illuminate this secret dungeon.
Opposite the stone gate there was an iron cage made of black iron. A skinny figure was curled up with his back to the iron gate, motionless, as if dead.
Chen Ji picked up the teapot on the table, slowly moved to the top of the iron cage, and poured the tea on the figure's head.
"what--"
The man was sleeping soundly, but was suddenly awakened by the herbal tea. He turned around and seemed a little uncertain about the person in front of him.
"His Royal Highness King Yan?"
Chen Ji didn't look at him, but turned his face slightly to give a signal to the person behind him.
Huo Qingyun walked out from the shadows, stood side by side with Chen Ji, and looked at the person in the iron cage together.
"Huo Chong, I'm here."
Hearing this familiar yet unfamiliar voice, Huo Chong suddenly pounced towards the iron cage in front of him, as if he wanted to see clearly whether the person coming was the one he wanted to see.
Huo Chong had been locked up in the dark dungeon for a long time, eating, drinking, defecating, urinating and sleeping all in the dark. He hadn't seen the light for a long time.
Adjusting to the long-lost light, Huo Chong's narrowed eyes gradually widened. The moment he confirmed who was coming, Huo Chong opened and closed his mouth several times. After a long while, he only uttered one sentence:
"Master Qingyun has grown taller."
Huo Qingyun lowered his eyes and sneered. Six years had passed. He was no longer the fourteen-year-old boy he was back then. He would not be shaken by the affectionate words of the person in front of him.
"How did Brother Xuanli die?"
This was the second sentence Huo Qingyun said to Huo Chong.
A dim light emitted a faint yellow glow, illuminating the three people inside and outside the iron cage, as if hiding many unspeakable secrets.
……
After walking out of the dungeon, Chen Ji and Huo Qingyun didn't say anything, and both seemed to be worried.
Especially Huo Qingyun, there was still a hint of trance on his face, as if he had turned back into the desperate boy who heard six years ago when he heard that his sister was going to be sent to the palace overnight.
Looking up at the sky, it was already dawn and the weather was cold.
……
When the late Crown Prince Chen Xuanli passed away, Chen Ji was sixteen years old. He had been in the northern border for four years and had gained experience in fighting in the army. Huo Qingyun was fourteen years old and was studying hard in his study every day, preparing for his imperial examination with all his strength.
Huo Chong was four years older than the eighteen-year-old former crown prince. He was a household slave carefully selected by the Huo family to take care of the former crown prince. He later became the famous eunuch Chong in the Eastern Palace.
Therefore, the 22-year-old Huo Chong saw more and understood more deeply about the death of the former crown prince than Chen Ji and Huo Qingyun.
This was not only a struggle for the throne, but also the result of the intensification of the power between the emperor and his ministers.
……
When Huo Chong was six years old, he was castrated and entered the Eastern Palace to accompany Chen Xuanli, who was only two years old. He swore to be loyal to and protect Chen Xuanli for his whole life.
At that time, Chen Xuanli was not yet the crown prince, and his father, the future Emperor Huizong, was not yet the crown prince either.
Huo Chong remembered very clearly that the year he entered the Eastern Palace, Concubine Yun, who was deeply favored by Emperor Taizong, gave birth to a prince. The entire palace was filled with joy, except for the Kunning Palace where Emperor Taizong's Empress Lin Yueyi lived.
Empress Taizong had only one son, Huizong, so she had high hopes for him. Although the frail Huizong finally gave birth to her long-awaited grandson at the age of 30, Empress Taizong was still worried.
Seeing Taizong's concern and favor for Concubine Yun, Empress Taizong touched the cold phoenix hairpin on her head, with an unknown sneer often hanging on the corners of her mouth.
Now everyone knows that the Lin family is a nest of wolves and dragons. Except for the empress of Taizu, who was a commoner married to him as a teenager, the empresses of the next three dynasties were all daughters of the Lin family.
Therefore, the Lin family is not only the first aristocratic family, but also the first foreign relative in Daliang, with tremendous power.
But for the Empress Taizong at that time, she was only the first empress of the Lin family, and an empress who was not loved by the emperor.
Among the five great families in Kyoto, the Lin family, the Huo family, and the Tang family are descendants of the heroes who followed Taizu to conquer the world, while the Yun family and the Jiang family are great families from the previous dynasty.
Because Taizu had the best relationship with the first-generation head of the Lin family, they arranged for their children to be in-laws, which led to the marriage of Taizong and Lin Yueyi.
Lin Yueyi knew clearly how she came to the throne, and therefore her heart could not calm down for a long time. She was often torn between the lack of imperial love and the fragile desire for power.
In the end, she chose to succumb to her inner desire for power and planned for Concubine Yun to fall off a cliff in the Royal Garden.
Later, when he saw that Concubine Yun had survived the disaster, he used the excuse of "resurrection through a corpse" to force Concubine Yun to death.
Since Taizong ascended the throne, the northern barbarians have been eyeing him covetously. The heads of the five powerful aristocratic families are all old people of Taizu's generation. The old people can be suppressed by Taizu, but they may not necessarily listen to Taizong.
Therefore, if Taizong wanted to use the power of the aristocratic families to continue fighting against the northern barbarians, he had to compromise on some things.
The death of Concubine Yun was a compromise made by Emperor Taizong with his court officials, but not the last one.
The Northern Barbarians often harassed Daliang. Every time Emperor Taizong compromised with the aristocratic court officials in order to fight against the Northern Barbarians, the aristocratic court officials would go a step further, and the balance between the imperial power and the power of the ministers slowly tilted towards the power of the ministers.
Huizong was the legitimate son of the Empress, had good character and talent, and except for his weak body, he had no other obvious shortcomings. It was natural for him to be made the Crown Prince.
After Taizong's death, Huizong succeeded to the throne, his mother Lin Yueyi became the empress dowager, and his wife Lin Feiyan became the queen.
The relationship between the Lin family and the royal family became closer, and Huizong also had the worries that his father Taizong often had when he was alive. The Lin family is so powerful!
Fortunately, Lin Feiyan had no children, so Huizong made the eldest son born to the daughter of the Huo family the crown prince, that is, the former crown prince Chen Xuanli.
As an emperor, the frail Huizong lacked the energy to handle the numerous state affairs. Fortunately, he had the crown prince to assist him in governing the country and share some of the state affairs.
If it is said that Taizong expanded the power of court officials because of the disturbances caused by the northern barbarians on the border, then Huizong's frailty and the fact that both his mother and wife were members of the Lin family further exacerbated the situation of a weak emperor and strong ministers.
Huizong was weak in physique but had a strong personality. Although he was powerless in many areas, he was determined to support the country, fight against the northern barbarians externally, and restrain the aristocratic families internally.
At that time, Chen Ji had already become somewhat famous in the northern border. He repeatedly repelled the northern barbarians who attempted to break through the northern border defense line, temporarily alleviating a major worry of Huizong.
So Huizong propped up his tired body, looked towards the court through the window of the Qianqing Palace.