Him?
Yuan Bao looked at him, thinking that when it comes to being trusted, only he was the person the emperor trusted the most. As for this court official...
Ning Yunzhao had already reached out to tidy up from the shelves.
"This needs to be taken away."
"This cannot be left behind."
"This is the emperor's favorite."
He deftly and swiftly picked out items, faster than all the eunuchs combined.
No matter how you look at it, the fact that the emperor didn't hide even such matters from him and had brought him along meant he was indeed someone the emperor trusted.
Since the emperor trusts him, he should trust him too.
"Then I'll trouble you, Lord Ning," Yuan Bao said, turning to leave when he thought of something and pulled Ning Yunzhao aside, whispering, "Hurry up, just bring the essential ones."
"Rest assured, eunuch." Ning Yunzhao whispered.
Yuan Bao then hastily walked out.
Ning Yunzhao continued pointing at items on the shelves.
"Put these away first," he said.
The eunuchs were confused, but seeing Yuan Bao handing the task over to him, they naturally obeyed and swiftly came over.
Ning Yunzhao then checked the packed boxes, sometimes calling the eunuchs to add some items here, other times over there, making the four eunuchs busy and increasingly anxious.
"Come quickly, this must..."
Ning Yunzhao's voice rang again. Without waiting for him to finish, the eunuchs dashed over.
"Careful." Ning Yunzhao shouted.
But it was too late; in their panic, two eunuchs bumped into a box, causing both to tumble and the box to be kicked over.
"Be careful, be careful." The other eunuchs stomped anxiously.
They hurriedly picked up the fallen items.
"Let me, let me." Ning Yunzhao said, bending down and waving, "Quickly finish packing that side, then we're done."
Finally, packing was completed, and the eunuchs felt inexplicably relieved; without any politeness, they quickly obeyed.
Ning Yunzhao squatted to put the scattered items back into the box. Suddenly, a box seemed unstable and opened, dropping something.
It was the Jade Seal.
Ning Yunzhao picked it up but didn't put it back in the box. Instead, he hid it within his wide sleeves, closed the box with a snap, tossed it inside, then casually packed the remaining items and closed the box.
"Done." He stood up and said.
The eunuchs had also finished packing and looked over, about to speak when they suddenly caught sight of a shadow out of the corner of their eye that startled them.
"Who's there!" One eunuch called out involuntarily.
Ning Yunzhao froze but naturally followed to look and saw someone standing by the circular pillar at the palace's entrance.
He was dressed in vermillion robes, similar to the pillar's color, or perhaps like the pillar, devoid of life, unnoticed as he entered, unknown for how long he had been there.
This person was like a ghost.
"Lord, Lord Lu." The eunuchs stammered.
Lu Yunqi's gaze was fixed on Ning Yunzhao.
Ning Yunzhao looked at him, hands clasped in front.
This stare seemed to be a fleeting moment, yet long enough to suffocate.
"Ready." Lu Yunqi said, "Then let's go."
Turning around, he walked out.
"Hurry up, hurry up."
"Lift it up."
The eunuchs said as they moved, restoring the palace's clamor and breaking the suffocation.
"I'll carry this small one." Ning Yunzhao followed, helping briefly, seemingly inadvertently glancing again at the palace door.
Lu Yunqi's figure had already vanished.
The emperor's chamber door was tightly closed, and several eunuchs stood quietly outside, hands down, seeing Lu Yunqi approach, they all paid respects.
"Eunuch Yuan is inside," one eunuch whispered.
Currently, Eunuch Yuan was favored by the emperor, and his subordinate eunuchs moved outside, causing much displeasure with the Northern Administrative Court. These two never appeared in front of the emperor simultaneously.
Sure enough, Lu Yunqi didn't enter upon hearing this, standing quietly facing outward alongside them.
Inside the chamber were not only Eunuch Yuan but also two of the Empress Dowager's eunuchs.
The emperor sat on the bed wrapped in a thick cloak, eating a bowl of soup.
"I know, tell the Empress Dowager that I took the medicine, not to worry," he said in a nasal voice, placing the bowl down, looking a bit joyful, "The Eight Treasures Soup sent by the Empress is the best."
The two eunuchs laughed.
"Your Majesty, this was personally simmered by the Empress," one eunuch said, "She watched over it diligently for two hours, even controlling the fire herself."
"The Empress said, Your Majesty loved her Eight Treasures Soup most when young." Another eunuch said, full of emotion.
The emperor sighed a bit.
"Yes, it's been years since I've had it," he said, a bit uneasy, "How could I let the Empress exhaust herself like this... it's because I'm useless."
The two eunuchs hurried to bow.
"Don't say that," one eunuch said, "The Empress said, Your Majesty shouldn't rush, recover well, there are so many stationed soldiers outside and so many civilians within. If the Jurchen people come, there's nothing to fear; fight if needed, negotiate if possible, deceive if necessary; there are countless ways, don't frighten yourself first..."
As he spoke, the emperor suddenly raised his hand, covering his mouth with a heavy cough, interrupting the eunuch.
Yuan Bao quickly held a tea bowl.
"Your Majesty." He carefully patted and soothed while offering tea.
The emperor took a sip of tea to ease his cough.
"What other instructions does the Empress Dowager have?" he asked respectfully, his voice hoarse.
The two eunuchs exchanged glances.
"Nothing more, nothing more. The Empress Dowager just hopes Your Majesty won't be anxious, takes care of his health, and not be afraid," they said.
"Yes," the emperor said, with some embarrassment, "It troubles the Empress Dowager. I will take medicine and cover up tonight; I will be better tomorrow and see the Empress Dowager personally."
The two eunuchs promptly agreed, bowed again. Yuan Bao personally escorted them to the door, watched them leave, closed the door, and quickly ran back.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, how risky, how risky," he whispered.
The emperor took off his cloak and threw it aside, revealing the neatly dressed robe underneath.
This robe wasn't a dragon robe, but what wealthy commoners typically wore outside.
The emperor spat into the bowl of soup in front of him.
"The old fool still cooks soup for me, pretending to be considerate. When I was young, I loved eating this, but I could only watch others eat," he said bitterly, "That dead one ate it and died. It's useless now; now I have use, and she wants to feed me again. I'm not an idiot."
Yuan Bao approached cautiously, holding an old, dusty hooded cloak.
"Even now, she comes to reprimand me, despises me for being useless, a waste," the emperor said bitterly, grabbing the cloak and wearing it, revealing a fierce smile, "If she's so capable, then let her wait for the Jurchen people."
After speaking, he looked at Yuan Bao.
Yuan Bao was scared by his expression, suddenly forgetting what to say.
"Is everything ready?" the emperor asked, frowning, then raised his voice towards the door, "Where is Lu Yunqi? Has Lu Yunqi arrived?"
Lu Yunqi entered from outside and bowed.
"Everything is ready," he said.
"Has the news leaked out?" the emperor asked.
Lu Yunqi answered affirmatively.
"Very well," the emperor sighed with relief, "The Jurchen people coming to the capital is essentially coming for me, just like before, to capture me from the imperial palace."
He spoke with a hint of cold laughter.
"I am not like Emperor Renxiao, foolishly forgetting identity, personally driving to be captured by the Jurchen people, nor am I like that foolish Prince Su, defending the Imperial City and losing my life. I will not let the Jurchen people have their way."
He pulled the hood up to cover his face.
"I will leave the capital, letting them chase an empty target, a futile pleasure. With the reinforcements arriving later, what can they do?"
Yuan Bao lowered his head slightly, unable to stop trembling.
However, this capital, this Imperial City, isn't empty.
Not to mention the nearly million population related to the capital, just inside the capital alone, there are over a hundred thousand.
If the Jurchen people come over, the scene will...
"What are you doing? Still dazed? Want to stay here and wait to die?" the emperor said in a low voice.
The word "die" made Yuan Bao shiver.
No, no, he certainly didn't want to die, didn't want to die from the city's fall and massacre.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please hurry," he said, trembling as he supported the emperor.
......
.......
At dusk, the bustling capital did not fall into silence, but instead began another kind of excitement, especially more crowds poured into the city tonight.
Tonight, for celebrating the extermination of over three hundred woodcutters along Jingdong Road, to dispel the fear since the start of the festival, and to make up for missing the Lantern Festival due to warfare, over a dozen merchants jointly organized a lantern festival.
Many court officials had opposed it, deeming it inappropriate during war, but the emperor overruled, saying it was because of wartime that soothing the public was essential.
At this time, night hadn't fully descended, but many lights brightened the city, creating a dazzling spectacle. Countless people surged into the streets, waiting for the moment fireworks filled the sky and the streets were splendid.
Suddenly, on the bustling street, a commotion arose as someone, crazed, dashed into the crowd, staggered and stumbled, causing exclamations and curses.
But the person ignored them, pale and seemingly mad.
"The Jurchen people! The Jurchen people are at the outskirts!" he shouted.
The surroundings fell silent.
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Are you mad?"
"Recently, quite a few have been scared mad."
Soon, laughter echoed, with people pointing and commenting on him.
But shortly after, a larger disturbance spread from the direction of the city gates.
"The Jurchen people have come!"
"Close the city gates!"
"The Jurchen people have come!"
"The Jurchen people have entered!"
Non-stop cries spread through the streets, and those laughing paused, their expressions shifting from surprise to panic.
These cries multiplied, spreading from the four gates like a fire on winter grass.
Footsteps chaotic, cries echoing, the entire capital ignited instantly.
......
........
(2017, hello everyone!)