"The notice said that Your Majesty had executed three great thieves in the court, and spread the news everywhere to thank the world. It also explained the crimes of the three treacherous ministers... Cai Yuan caused chaos in the front, Wang Xiangfu plotted in the back, and Li Shimei made enemies in the south... It said that Your Majesty executed the three thieves as soon as he came to power, and now the people are praising Your Majesty's reputation and cheering for Your Majesty."
"Praise?"
Xi Heng was a little confused.
Who on earth had posted a notice in the capital city publicizing her reputation without informing her?
Even if the notices posted there accused her of being a tyrant, she would not be surprised, because she knew that it must have been done by those civil officials who were on bad terms with her. But what was strange was that the notices were full of praise and admiration.
Could it be that praising her would be more effective than defaming her for her enemies?
"Just two days after the notice was posted, many people in the martial arts world called your majesty the 'King of Heroes', because each of the three treacherous ministers was a notorious evildoer. All the heroes in the martial arts world wanted to kill them, but it was difficult to do so, so they could only let them go free."
"Now, Your Majesty has beheaded three traitors in a row in the court. In just a few days, he has become famous in the world." The driver in front sounded a little excited.
"The Hero Emperor..." Xi Heng was not relieved, she just felt strange all the time.
After thinking for a while, she asked the young driver among the imperial guards, "What's your name?"
"My name is Hua Chen. I used to be a leisurely swordsman in the martial arts world. I was arranged to work in the palace by my uncle several months ago..." The young coachman became even more excited.
"Please pay more attention to these rumors for me. I will ask more later." Xi Heng interrupted the other party and gave a direct order.
"Yes!" The driver, who looked underage, immediately obeyed the order.
On the way, Xi Heng kept wondering why someone would praise her name.
It can't be that it's just out of admiration, right?
While I was thinking, I reached the end.
After Xi Heng returned to his Fuqing Palace, he shook his head and put aside such thoughts. He silently continued to read the various Taoist books in the study, absorbing all kinds of knowledge.
In the blink of an eye, another few days passed.
One day after the court meeting, Xi Heng summoned the coachman who had told her about the rumors in the martial arts world into the palace and asked him about the latest rumors and whether they were still the same as before.
However, today, the young guard was no longer as excited and happy as he was that day. After being recruited into the palace, he changed into a panicked look with obvious panic in his eyes.
Xi Heng was puzzled and asked why.
After hesitating for a long time, the young guard named Hua Chen said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, there are some rumors about Your Majesty in the martial arts world recently..."
Having said this, he shut up again and dared not say more.
"What is it?" Xi Heng had a bad feeling.
After hesitating for a long time, Hua Chen finally spoke out under pressure: "It is rumored in the folk market that your majesty has another identity. She is the blood-stained female swordsman who has been active in the vicinity of Qinxie Changxiang in the past few months... She is an outlaw who has committed more than ten major murders in succession."
Seeing Xi Heng's gaze gradually turned cold, the young guard became frightened and quickly knelt down to explain:
"Your Majesty, this is just gossip, not something a villain has exaggerated to ruin your Majesty's reputation. Please understand!"
"Go on." Xi Heng just said.
"Yes!" The little guard was panicked and didn't know what to do. He just obeyed:
"This rumor is often spread by idle people in teahouses, wine shops, gambling houses, brothels, etc. in various places in the capital, comparing the blood-stained woman who has become famous in recent months with Your Majesty, and explaining the similarities between the two."
"For example, the outside world often says that your majesty sent someone to the palace from the tower in Qinxie Changxiang on behalf of the late emperor, and before that, the blood-stained woman caused a major crime in the surrounding area. Some people also claim that your majesty has a heroic character and is similar to the heroic spirit of the blood-stained woman who kills at will..."
"The three treacherous ministers killed by your majesty that day were exactly the people that all the martial arts heroes wanted to kill. As a chivalrous swordsman, the Blood-Clothed Lady must have wanted to kill them as well. It is said that your majesty often carries a sword around his waist, and the Blood-Clothed Lady is even better at swordsmanship. In addition, female swordsmen are rare in the capital, and since your majesty was brought into the capital by the late emperor, the Blood-Clothed Lady has stopped her activities..."
Those wandering people outside, in their gossip and idle chat, gave Xi Heng various clues of proof on this matter.
It seemed that everyone in the martial arts world outside had already confirmed this matter, and the more and more detailed the arguments were, the more excited they became.
It was like a chivalrous knight suddenly becoming an emperor. For the martial arts practitioners outside, it was a very gratifying topic of conversation during tea time.
"You really just want to watch the fun and make trouble..." Xi Heng held his forehead with his hand.
Perhaps someone in the palace deliberately spread this rumor, and then it gradually fermented among the people and became more and more exaggerated.
Although this is not a bad thing, and there may even be more people admiring her because of it, but for Xi Heng himself, it is not a good thing to be associated with an outlaw like the Blood-Clothed Woman who is still being investigated and hunted by the police.
It is not impossible that some court officials would make a big fuss about this and use it as a reason to force her to step down.
"in addition……"
The young guard who was narrating the incident below had cold sweat on his forehead when he reached this point. He didn't dare to say anything more but had to say it. He opened his mouth but it was stuck there as if the computer had frozen.
"Anything else?" Xi Heng didn't want to listen anymore.
But when he saw the other party nodded cautiously, he waved his hand again: "Go on, I won't punish you for these rumors."
The young guard reluctantly relaxed a little, took a deep breath, and said carefully:
"Many chivalrous men in the martial arts world call your majesty the best chivalrous man in the world. They claim that although your majesty's martial arts level is not the best, his deeds surpass all the chivalrous heroes of the time. He can be called the supreme master of the martial arts world and unparalleled in the world."
"Rumor has it that even the leader of the bandits in the Yellow Eyebrow Mountain in the east wrote eight characters for Your Majesty: Serving the country and the people is the greatest hero."
The more Xi Heng listened, the more distressed he became. "What the hell is going on here?"
"Finally..." Hua Chen opened his mouth and said two more words, but when he came to this point he suddenly dared not say any more.
Why does this guy speak so haltingly?
Xi Heng pressed his temple and said, "Hurry up and tell me."
"Yes!" The other party trembled all over, and then mustered up the courage to say: "It is rumored that your majesty not only killed the three treacherous ministers, but also..."
"What else?" Xi Heng narrowed his eyes.
"It is also said that the disappearance of the late emperor is also related to your majesty!"
........................
Chapter 46: Life and Death
"There are rumors outside that the disappearance of the late emperor may also be related to your majesty!"
After he tried hard to speak it out, the young guard below immediately knelt down and kowtowed, trembling all over for fear that the emperor would vent his anger on him.
Xi Heng on the throne frowned slightly. She didn't know whether someone in the palace had really found out something, or whether this sentence was just a fabricated rumor.
If the treacherous ministers found evidence to prove that she killed Zhao Qianyuan, she would probably lose her throne.
"Heh." After a moment, Xi Heng's expression returned to calm.
If you can't sit still, then just sit still.
"Of course it has something to do with me," she said.
"When the late emperor ascended to heaven, I was watching over him."
The people below didn't dare to say another word and just bowed their heads.
Seeing that this person was extremely panicked, Xi Heng waved his hand and asked him to leave.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The guards, sweating profusely, immediately stepped back.
Sitting on the dragon throne, Xi Heng picked up some slices of Guifei mango from the fruit plate brought by the palace maid next to him and put them to his lips.
She vaguely understood that she had been caught in a huge web of conspiracy, and even if she continued to struggle, she would only be bound tighter and tighter.
"These rumors, especially the later one about Zhao Qianyuan, are directly aimed at my throne..." Xi Heng thought silently.
The people who deliberately spread the news might be the treacherous ministers who were against her, or they might be Chu Xiao who wanted to compete with her for the throne.
But even if he knew who was behind the incident, there was no need to do anything. Xi Heng didn't want to pay attention to it now.
She had already memorized the four books on Hua Jin martial arts, and later found a large number of immortal legends and Taoist secrets from the study in Fuqing Palace. Now she didn't want to pay attention to these court affairs, and only wanted to continue to absorb knowledge from these books about cultivating immortals and practicing Qi.
"As for the rest, let it take its course."
……
Another three days later, after finishing reading a book on Taoism, Xi Heng sat cross-legged on the bed peacefully to practice internal energy.
The room was filled with the slightly sweet scent of agarwood. She quickly put aside the thoughts in her mind while reading and focused on practicing her internal energy and blood.
Xi Heng has opened up the entire belt meridian around his waist, and the body's bright energy circulates in the belt meridian, just like thin grass being twisted into a rope and gradually curled and compacted. From the tightest place, a thin dark energy is refined.
After cultivating this trace of dark energy, it means that she has truly become a dark energy powerhouse in the world.
As a dark energy warrior, he will be a top figure wherever he goes in the future. If he goes to any big family in the capital, he will be treated with heavy money and given a high position.
However, Xi Heng didn't care about it. Her current status was respected by everyone, and there was no one in the Great Zhao Kingdom who held a higher position than her.
"But... don't come to the capital unless it's necessary in the next life..." Xi Heng thought silently: "Nothing good will happen in the palace."
The girl used the hidden energy that she had just cultivated in her body to flow through her meridians to her fingertips, and then she pinched her fingers and flicked them.
The next moment, a porcelain cup on the table separated by a layer of red and yellow bed gauze suddenly trembled, followed by a crackling sound. The surface was covered with cracks, and it instantly turned into countless tiny pieces and scattered together.
Xi Heng snapped his fingers and was still five or six inches away from the teacup. The transparent red gauze in the middle was not pierced by the hidden force and just moved slightly.
"The hidden power can extend several inches out of the body and directly cause damage to the inside of an object..." Xi Heng said to himself.
If I could add hidden power to my kicks when I killed Zhao Qianyuan that day when I was chased by the eunuch, I might be able to penetrate the protective qi on the opponent's body and directly drive the power into the enemy's lungs, causing serious damage...
"Not necessarily. That person has mastered the dark energy, so he should have countermeasures." She shook her hands and sat cross-legged again to concentrate on her dark energy.
Just as I was about to continue doing some experiments, the palace maid suddenly knocked on the door.
"What's the matter?" Xi Heng stopped what he was doing and turned his eyes in that direction.
"Excuse me, Your Majesty..." The maid in front of the door said softly to the paper door, "It is the eunuch Gao who is in charge of the seal of the inner eunuchs. He is waiting downstairs."
"That old eunuch? I was expecting Cao Cao to come. What is he doing here so late at night..." Xi Heng narrowed his eyes and said, "Send someone up."
"Yes."
The maid came downstairs and called out, and a moment later, footsteps were heard coming up the stairs.
"Your Majesty, I come to see you." This time it was the familiar shrill voice of an old eunuch, which sounded like an opera tune.
Xi Heng silently muttered the word "unpleasant" and let the other party in.
The old eunuch was dressed in a blue and black eunuch's uniform, appropriately dressed and neatly groomed. He knelt down to greet the guests as soon as he entered the room.
"What else do you want to say?" Xi Heng asked.
"Your Majesty, I came here to talk about the matter of leaving my position." He bowed and spoke respectfully.
"Did I tell you not to talk about it anymore?"
"Your Majesty, to be honest..." The old eunuch kept his head down and took a deep breath, saying, "I heard a rumor recently that Zhu Xun, who knows about the Privy Council, has promised a huge reward and hired a Huajin warrior to assassinate Your Majesty. He is on his way now."
"Don't we have the power of transformation in our court?" Xi Heng asked.
"There are five Huajin generals in the Great Zhao Dynasty. Three of them are currently training their armies in preparation for the enemy, so they cannot rush to protect the emperor. The other two were originally in the Imperial Guards, but the Imperial Guards are not on your side now. They are more inclined to Princess Chu Xiao... and Her Highness Princess Chu Xiao seems unwilling to help your majesty."
"The factional disputes in your court are really troublesome." Xi Heng sneered.
She was originally a powerless parachuted emperor, and because she killed three prime ministers after she ascended the throne, the civil officials in the court did not even dare to try to train her to be a puppet emperor.
Now he is surrounded by enemies on all sides and isolated and helpless, which is a reasonable outcome.
"It is difficult for me to help Your Majesty fend off the martial artist with Hua Jin, so please leave the capital tonight. I will find a substitute to die in your place." said the old eunuch.
"Isn't that necessary?" Xi Heng said, "Isn't this the result you hoped for when you pushed me to the throne?"
The girl counted on her fingers and told the other party's plan:
"You want me to use force to eliminate the most powerful treacherous ministers in the court, and then wait for them to kill me, and then I will make Princess Chu Xiao the emperor. By then, the court will be cleaned up, and politics will be clear, so that Princess Chu Xiao can realize her ambition to save the country."
"I will bear all the sins in this dynasty in exchange for the peace and stability after Princess Chuxiao ascends the throne. Moreover, you can also use my good reputation among the people to do something after I die."
As early as when Xi Heng ascended the throne, he had already vaguely understood the plans of the old eunuch and the old imperial teacher.
The old eunuch did not refute, but just sighed and said:
"I am guilty of plotting against Your Majesty. I should be beheaded on the spot... If Your Majesty has any grudge against me, I can sever my own meridians and die immediately."
"No need." Xi Heng said directly: "When you took action, you knew that this was also a dead end for you. You will be held accountable in the future and will not survive."
After a moment's silence, the old eunuch spoke:
"Your Majesty, what you said is true. I have already prepared for my death and have prepared a coffin in the Imperial Household Department... But Your Majesty, there is no need to do this."
He said: "In the past ten days, I have known that Your Majesty is indeed an extraordinary person and has the heart to save the country. If you don't die today, you will definitely do great things in the future, and perhaps you can give the Great Zhao a little more hope. That's why I hesitated for a long time these days and decided to save Your Majesty at all costs."
"I say, no need." Xi Heng shook his head: "I have killed those treacherous ministers. I was not forced but obeyed my heart. So the consequences of this matter must be borne by me. You don't need to find a substitute to die in my place."
