PFC Chapter 235 A Prophecy Come True!
Chapter 235 A Prophecy Come True!
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
Led by those elderly, white-haired ministers, the assembled officials hurriedly knelt down, bowed solemnly, and tears welled in their eyes.
At this moment, they seemed to have returned to decades ago, to the glorious years when the Great Yu army was invincible under that man's rule.
"Your subject... pays respects to Your Majesty!"
Li Jing completely abandoned his imperial airs and hurriedly stepped forward, bowing respectfully.
His posture was even more humble and respectful than when facing the Liang Dynasty delegation, but a hint of panic flickered in his lowered eyes.
"The late emperor..."
Even Shen Huaimin, a veteran of two dynasties and possessing the privilege of not having to bow to the emperor, trembled slightly and his expression changed.
Gazing at that familiar yet unfamiliar aged face, the image of the majestic and powerful ruler in my memory, whose aura was as fierce as a tiger, seemed to overlap with the person before me.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, lifted his battle robe, solemnly knelt on one knee, and said in a deep voice, "This old minister, Shen Huaimin, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty!"
Even the Liang Dynasty delegation, which had always been arrogant and disdainful of others, had now toned down its arrogance.
Lu Cong took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and bowed deeply towards Li Wenshan with a hint of reverence.
The members of the delegation behind him hurriedly followed suit, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.
They could swagger around in front of the mediocre Li Jing.
But they would never dare to show the slightest disrespect to this legendary and powerful ruler who had once made the late Emperor of Liang wary and whose fame resounded throughout several surrounding dynasties!
At this moment, among all the people in the arena, only one person and one tortoise remained calm and composed.
Li Wudao observed the sudden turn of events with great interest, his eyes clear and unwavering.
"Tsk tsk, a Martial King at the Perfection stage... His foundation is quite solid. He's a somewhat respectable figure."
The green-haired turtle smacked its lips, its beady green eyes sweeping over Li Wenshan's withered body, and said with a sneer:
"It's a pity that the old man's vital energy is too depleted, like a candle flame about to burn out. He has a high cultivation level, but his actual strength is probably not even at the peak of the Martial King realm. What a pity..."
Li Wudao's eyes flickered slightly, and he had already made a rough judgment in his mind.
The reinforcements that Li Zheng brought were indeed well-established, but limited by their decaying physical bodies, their overall strength was only slightly better than Shen Huaimin's, posing no threat to him.
"Gentlemen, there's no need for such a grand gesture. Please rise."
Li Wenshan spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and weary.
He seemed to be used to the sight of everyone kneeling before him, and said indifferently, "I am no longer the Emperor Wen, but just an old man who has survived by chance and is barely clinging to life... I hope you will forgive my appearance."
"Your Majesty, please do not underestimate yourself! Without your pioneering spirit and diligent governance, how could our Great Yu have achieved its century-long prosperity?!"
An elderly minister with white hair and beard raised his head excitedly, tears streaming down his face, and knelt on the ground, refusing to get up.
"Minister Wang..."
Li Wenshan's dim eyes fell on the thin old minister, a trace of reminiscence and complexity flashing across them, and he said, "I didn't expect you to be so old... Time really waits for no one."
He vaguely remembered that the Imperial Censor Wang was slightly plump back then, and his hair wasn't so white.
"Yes, Your Majesty—"
Imperial Censor Wang's voice choked with emotion as he said, "Back then, when you personally led the expedition, at the northern border beyond Yanlin Pass, you settled the score with three arrows. How heroic and spirited you were, your aura was truly awe-inspiring..."
"Now, this old minister is also old and frail, and can only stand here in the court and watch as the Great Yu declines day by day..."
He spoke with a sorrowful tone until the very end, and ultimately dared not continue.
Immediately after a moment's hesitation, he asked the question that had been troubling everyone:
"Your Majesty, please forgive my impertinence... Back then, didn't you pass away because... because your lifespan had run out? The whole country mourned, and your mausoleum was sealed long ago... How could you..."
Li Wenshan gently waved his hand, interrupting him, his tone carrying a hint of something enigmatic: "I will answer that question later. Until then..."
He paused, and his previously calm and dull gaze suddenly turned to Li Jing, who was kneeling in front of him, his face instantly darkening.
Like dark clouds pressing down on the city, an indescribable imperial pressure spread out, causing everyone's expressions to tremble.
"Li Jing! Look what you've done to this Great Yu land!"
Li Wenshan's voice suddenly turned icy cold, filled with deep disappointment and heartache, as he said:
"The imperial court is rife with corruption and intrigue! Beyond the borders, powerful enemies lurk everywhere! Within the country, the people are filled with resentment and discontent!"
"Now they are even more groveling, ceding territory and paying reparations, even surrendering the dignity of the royal family and the very foundation of the nation!"
"I...Is this the foundation that my family and I built through generations of hardship and bloodshed, meant for you to squander like this?!"
"How can you face your ancestors in the afterlife with such actions?! I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have been so soft-hearted back then and entrusted this heavy burden to you!"
Every word is like a knife, every sentence pierces the heart!
Li Jing was immediately terrified, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, and he hurriedly tried to explain:
"Father! That's not how it is! Your son... Your son also has his reasons..."
"shut up!"
Li Wenshan suddenly shouted, his voice not loud, but it resounded like thunder in everyone's hearts.
His cloudy eyes suddenly flashed with a terrifying light, like a sleeping lion opening its eyes:
"No matter how great your predicament, it is no excuse for you to persecute loyal and virtuous officials, destroy your own defenses, endlessly retreat, and humiliate the nation!"
"Do you really think that I know nothing about all the stupid things and dirty deeds you've done over the years?!"
Li Jing trembled with fear at the sudden, fierce aura emanating from him.
The words he was about to say got stuck in his throat, his face turned pale, and he couldn't utter another word.
Seeing him like this, Li Wenshan felt a pang of pain and helplessness in his eyes, and sighed deeply, as if he had aged several years in an instant.
He stopped looking at his good-for-nothing son and slowly turned around, turning his gaze to the ever-calm white-clad youth.
When those dim eyes fell on Li Wudao, they flickered slightly, as if they had seen some incredible being.
He looked him up and down, then nodded. "It seems that the young man who has recently turned the capital upside down is you, my friend."
"I have heard about your deeds, young friend. Indeed, heroes emerge from among the young... In terms of courage and strength, I am far inferior to you at your age."
As he finished speaking, the old man managed a smile, his tone carrying a complex and indescribable meaning.
Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Li Wudao's eyes.
The old emperor's attitude was completely different from what he had expected—a questioning and reprimand.
As the saying goes, one shouldn't hit a smiling face. Although he harbored ambitions to destroy the royal family, he couldn't afford to act rashly at this moment, and replied calmly, "Senior, you flatter me."
"Father!"
"Grandfather!"
Instead of immediately suppressing this "traitor," Li Wenshan surprisingly praised him.
Li Jing and Li Zheng immediately became anxious and couldn't help but speak at the same time, their faces filled with anxiety and confusion, trying to remind each other.
"Shut up, all of you!"
Without turning his head, Li Wenshan's voice carried an undeniable authority: "This is none of your business to interrupt!"
The two of them were immediately like ducks with their necks being choked, the words that were about to come out were blocked back, and they could only lower their heads unwillingly and clench their fists tightly.
Li Wenshan looked at Li Wudao again, his attitude becoming increasingly conciliatory.
But the boy felt a little uneasy under that complex and ever-changing gaze.
Fortunately, Li Wenshan finally spoke again, asking a question that Li Wudao hadn't expected: "Your grandfather... is Li Yuanzhen?"
Li Wudao was slightly taken aback, but still nodded: "Yes."
He wondered why the old emperor was suddenly asking about his long-deceased grandfather.
"It looks...it really does look like..."
Li Wenshan murmured to himself, his eyes filled with a growing sense of reminiscence and complexity.
He scrutinized Li Wudao's face, as if trying to find the shadow of an old friend in it.
Suddenly, he let out a long sigh, his voice filled with a sense of fatalism: "That immortal... his prediction was truly accurate, it really came true..."
"Senior, what exactly do you want to say?"
Li Wudao frowned. The old emperor's words were cryptic and confusing, leaving him completely bewildered.
"On the way here, I heard from that unworthy descendant about the feud between you."
Li Wenshan suppressed some of his emotions and his expression became more solemn: "The fault lies with the royal family in this matter, without a doubt. I will not, and have no face to, deliberately protect them."
He abruptly changed the subject, making a suggestion that surprised everyone:
"Young friend, how about this... you and I will have a duel right here. Let's stop short of a decisive battle and settle the score."
"If I am fortunate enough to win, I only ask that you show leniency and spare Jing'er and Zheng'er's lives, allowing them to live out their remaining years as wealthy men. If I lose..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the pale-faced Li Jing and Li Zheng, finally settling on Li Wudao's face, and said frankly:
"...That is their destiny. When the time comes, whether the members of the royal family are killed or tortured, imprisoned or released, will all be decided by your word, young friend! I will have no objection!"