bookcurios Chapter 1915 Royal Treasure House
Chapter 1915 Royal Treasure House
Liu Xiang's body was shaking violently as he knelt on the ground, and he was obviously struggling with his conscience.
On one side is the humble begging driven by the instinct of survival, and on the other side is the heavy and illusory royal dignity that the mother defended at the risk of her own death.
In the end, the filial piety and fear derived from blood and long-term oppression temporarily overwhelmed the desire to survive.
He stopped kowtowing, supported himself on the ground with his trembling hands, and very slowly, bit by bit, struggled to stand up from the cold stone ground.
His legs were still weak, his body was slightly hunched, and he didn't dare to look up at Chu Ning, but his kneeling posture had changed after all.
But this standing up did not come from courage, but from a deeper fear for his mother and his impending fate.
From beginning to end, Chu Ning sat upright on horseback, watching coldly this brief confrontation between mother and son over dignity, life and death, and fear.
There was no expression on his face. He showed neither pride nor contempt at Liu Xiang's kneeling begging for mercy, nor did he show any anger or excitement at Dugu Jia's hoarse scolding.
His eyes were deep and calm, like the surface of a frozen lake, reflecting everything in front of him without the slightest ripple.
In his eyes, Dugu Jia's anger and accusations were nothing more than the howling of a defeated dog, the powerless struggle of the old era before its death.
In his view, the accusations of "invading the Han Dynasty" and "killing the former emperor" were nothing but the inevitable footnotes of the winner takes all.
History is written by the victors. The so-called justice and evil appear so pale and ridiculous under the iron hoof of power.
He was not in a hurry to defend himself, and even less willing to get angry.
As for Liu Xiang, the poor puppet who was pushed onto the throne and then quickly abandoned, his humble desire for survival and cowardly standing up did not arouse the slightest sympathy from him.
In troubled times, kindness is a luxury, especially towards the royal family of the previous dynasty. Any leniency may sow the seeds of disaster for the future.
What he needed at this moment was not to engage in a meaningless verbal battle or enjoy the pleasure of the winner crushing the loser.
What he needed was stability, to completely eliminate the influence of the previous dynasty, and to allow this land and its people to completely belong to the new order.
It was not until Dugu Jia's cursing stopped a little and he began to breathe slightly with excitement, and Liu Xiang stood there like a puppet, that Chu Ning moved slightly.
He raised a hand, his movements casual and steady, as if he was simply brushing away nonexistent dust from his armor.
His voice was not loud, but it had a cold and hard metallic texture.
The voice clearly reached the ears of everyone present, instantly drowning out all the noise and silent crying:
"Take him away and keep him under strict guard."
The words were concise and to the point, without any unnecessary embellishment, and there was no response to Dugu Jia's accusations.
"Wait until Chang'an City is completely pacified,"
He paused, his gaze passing past the mother and son, and casting towards the core of the imperial city in the distance that was still resisting stubbornly.
"We'll deal with it later."
When the order was given, it was as effective as metal falling to the ground.
Immediately, several soldiers as fierce as wolves and tigers stepped forward and rudely lifted up Dugu Jia, who was still staring at Chu Ning with hatred, and Liu Xiang, who was limp all over and could hardly walk on his own.
Dugu Jia did not make any more futile struggles. She just uttered a short and sharp sneer at the moment when the cold iron clamp clamped her arm. The laugh was full of endless ridicule and despair.
Liu Xiang, on the other hand, seemed to have his soul completely taken away. He allowed himself to be dragged away by the soldiers and disappeared into the deepening shadows inside the city gate.
Chu Ning withdrew his gaze, turned his horse's head, and no longer looked in the direction where the mother and son disappeared.
The last rays of the setting sun fell on his black armor, emitting a cold light.
Chang'an City has not yet completely surrendered. There is still sporadic resistance that needs to be eliminated, and there is also a huge empire that needs him to take over and integrate.
To him, Dugu Jia and Liu Xiang were just two symbols that needed to be dealt with urgently, the last traces left by the old era that needed to be erased.
His journey is far from over.
And his cruelty is the most effective pass in this chaotic world.
At the same time, in the Han Imperial Palace.
The deafening shouts of killing gradually subsided, replaced by the coordinated footsteps of the Chu soldiers, the clashing of armor, and the rough voices scolding the surrendered soldiers.
The heart of Chang'an City - the Han Dynasty Palace that once symbolized supreme authority and glory, has now changed hands.
The Han flag flying on the palace wall was roughly torn down and thrown into the mud. It was replaced by a black battle flag embroidered with a huge "Chu" character, which fluttered in the smoke and evening breeze.
The main gate of the imperial palace, Chengtian Gate, was blasted open by a huge battering ram, and the broken vermilion door panels were covered with sword marks and splattered blood.
Ran Ming, who was as tall and strong as an iron tower, was standing in the middle of the doorway with his horse and sword in hand.
His heavy black armor was covered in dried blood and scratches from battle. His bald head reflected a glossy and fierce luster under the afterglow of the setting sun and the burning torches around him.
He looked around at the magnificent palace that had just experienced the baptism of blood and fire and was now completely within his grasp. There was no appreciation of the luxurious building in his tiger eyes, only the scrutiny of a pure conqueror and absolute vigilance.
He stretched out his large, fan-like hands and rubbed his bald head vigorously. This was his habitual action when he was thinking intensely or issuing important orders.
Then, his voice, as rough and deep as thunder, exploded in front of the empty palace gate, drowning out all the noise:
"Listen to me carefully!"
The roaring sound invigorated the soldiers beside him. "Each team, follow your designated areas and comb this palace thoroughly!"
"Everywhere, in every palace, anyone who breathes a breath, whether they are eunuchs, palace maids, or even some princes or grandchildren of the previous dynasty, leave no one behind, all of them must be controlled by me and put under centralized supervision!"
His eyes were like lightning, sweeping across the officers and soldiers standing solemnly before him, his tone carrying an unquestionable harshness:
"Remember my words. From now on, I'll surround this palace like an iron barrel! Not even a mosquito can escape!"
"If anyone gets lost in the area he's guarding, or lets something in that shouldn't be allowed in, don't blame me, Ran Ming, for turning my back on them. I will punish them according to military law and show no mercy!"
Then he suddenly turned his head and pointed to the most magnificent and most heavily guarded building complex deep in the palace.
That was where the Han Dynasty had accumulated wealth for hundreds of years - the royal treasury.
"And there!"
His fingers seemed to carry a thousand pounds of force: "Call me your most trusted brothers, and have them guard the treasure house with three layers of defense!"
"Without the personal order of His Majesty, even the gods are not allowed to approach, let alone let me in!"