Chapter 447: Extra Story - Chu Rui 5
The palace gates had already been locked for the night.
As Prince Zhuang, and being particularly favored by the Empress Dowager, Chu Rui was allowed entry without announcement when he returned to the palace.
He went directly to Kunning Palace.
By this time, Empress Dowager Feng had already retired for the night. The main hall was dark, with only scattered lanterns illuminating the courtyard.
"Your Highness, why have you come so late?" The elderly matron hurried forward. "Your Highness, what's happened? It seems you've been drinking. With your delicate health, how could you consume alcohol? Someone, quickly prepare sobering soup and summon the imperial physician..."
Chu Rui pushed the old matron aside. "I must see the Empress Dowager."
"Her Majesty has already retired..."
"Step aside!"
Chu Rui barged into the main hall, pushing the doors open.
Empress Dowager Feng, being elderly, was a light sleeper and had already awakened at the commotion outside. She was now rising from her bed, draping an outer garment over her shoulders.
When she saw Chu Rui's disheveled state and injuries, the elderly lady rushed forward. "Rui'er, what has happened? Who dared harm you?"
"The Xie family! It was Xie Zun!" Chu Rui's voice trembled. "Xie Zun bullied Elder Sister, using such a long whip... I wouldn't allow him to bully Elder Sister, and he tried to kill me!"
"How dare he!" The Empress Dowager's face darkened dramatically. "How dare he challenge me! This is absolutely unacceptable! I will not let him get away with this!"
"He... he's dead." Chu Rui lifted his gaze. "I killed him with my own hands."
"What did you say?" The Empress Dowager's face showed utter disbelief. "You mean to say you killed Xie Zun?"
Chu Rui nodded. "Yes, it was me."
"Impossible." The Empress Dowager shook her head. "You're still so young, and you've been ill for years. You don't even have the strength to hold a blade properly. How could you possibly kill someone..."
"It was indeed me." Chu Rui pressed his lips together. "Tomorrow morning, please issue an edict allowing Elder Sister to divorce."
Having spoken these words, he turned and left. He was utterly exhausted and could no longer hold on.
But back in his own palace chambers, he couldn't sleep. Restlessness consumed him, his heart pounding violently as if something terrible was about to happen.
Soon, dawn broke.
He heard that dozens of members from the Xie family had gathered at the palace gates, beating drums to appeal for justice.
He also learned that officials from the Censorate were continuously submitting memorials, demanding the court punish him, the murderer.
When he went to Kunning Palace, he saw the Empress Dowager looking overwhelmed. He knew this matter was extremely serious - even for the Empress Dowager, it would be difficult to handle.
Because the Empress Dowager and the Emperor had always been at odds, the Emperor would undoubtedly use this incident to try to strip him of his title as Prince Zhuang.
A princely title meant nothing to him.
He spoke up: "Empress Dowager, let it be as the Emperor says. Demote me to commoner status. As long as Elder Sister can successfully obtain her divorce, I'll accept any outcome."
"You!" Empress Dowager Feng was furious. "Once you lose your title and are reduced to commoner status, you'll be nothing! How will you ever restore your father's legacy then!"
"Father is already dead, but Elder Sister is still alive." Chu Rui spoke each word deliberately. "I beg you to issue the edict allowing Elder Sister to divorce. She cannot remain in the Xie family!"
However.
The moment his words fell.
The old matron from outside rushed in, panic-stricken: "Empress Dowager, something terrible has happened!"
Containing her anger, Empress Dowager Feng demanded: "What is it!"
"Princess Fukang... the Princess..." The old matron broke into sobs. "The Princess hanged herself at the main entrance of the Xie residence!"
"WHAT!!!"
Chu Rui staggered, vomiting a mouthful of fresh blood.He charged out recklessly, but the overwhelming emotional turmoil prevented him from running far before he collapsed to the ground.
"Quick, help me up! To the Xie residence!"
The palace attendants instinctively looked toward the Empress Dowager.
Chu Rui cried out hoarsely, "If you won't let me see my elder sister one last time, I'll die right here!"
The Empress Dowager Feng, equally grief-stricken and indignant, declared, "Let's go. I shall accompany you."
The carriage departed from the palace and raced toward the Xie residence, arriving at its gates in just fifteen minutes.
Countless commoners had gathered to watch the spectacle. A woman hung from the main entrance of the Xie residence, while below, a group of palace attendants knelt and wailed, preventing anyone from approaching.
Chu Rui gazed at the scene, clutching his chest as he continuously coughed up blood.
His most beloved elder sister, subjected to the stares of countless onlookers, had died without dignity.
He knew this was his sister's final effort to pave the way for him... but he didn't need it. All he wanted was for his elder sister to live.
Why? Why!
Chu Rui crawled and tumbled out of the carriage, wanting to personally take his sister down.
But he lacked the strength.
He had coughed up too much blood and could no longer hold on, fainting at the foot of the Xie residence's steps.
At that moment, a man in white robes approached and lifted Chu Zhixia down from the beam.
It was none other than the eldest young master of the Lu family, Lu Hao, who had just recently married.
"Zhixia, why were you so foolish..." Lu Hao's eyes reddened, "There were clearly other ways. Why did you have to sacrifice your life..."
The Empress Dowager Feng said coldly, "Young Master Lu has just married. It would be best not to cause misunderstandings here. Attendants, come forward!"
A line of palace attendants stepped up, took Chu Zhixia's body, and placed it in a coffin. Without sealing it, they carried the coffin toward the Court of Judicial Review. Along the way, countless commoners whispered and speculated...
By the time Chu Rui awoke, seven days had already passed.
The palace attendants informed him that because Lady Fukang had hanged herself at the main entrance the day after marrying into the Xie family, it had sparked endless speculation among the commoners. Under the pressure of thousands of gossiping mouths, the Emperor had no choice but to order the Court of Judicial Review to thoroughly investigate the case.
The investigation soon revealed that the three previous matriarchs of the Xie family had all been beaten to death.
Xie Zun deserved his fate...
To appease the Empress Dowager, the Emperor bestowed countless gold, silver, and jewels, and also promoted several members of the Feng family...
Chu Rui, still weak from illness, went to see the Empress Dowager: "Where is my elder sister buried? I want to pay my respects to her."
The Empress Dowager Feng closed her eyes, concealing her grief: "She married into the Xie family. In life, she was a member of the Xie family; in death, her soul belongs to them. Naturally, she is buried in the Xie family ancestral tomb."
"Elder sister died because of the Xie family. She cannot be buried there." Chu Rui took a deep breath. "I want to move her grave."
"Have you caused enough trouble?!" The Empress Dowager Feng snapped her eyes open. "If you hadn't caused a scene on their wedding night, Fukang wouldn't have died, and things wouldn't have come to this! You're old enough to understand. You can't always rely on me to clean up your mess!"
"I wasn't causing trouble," Chu Rui said calmly. "I only want my elder sister to rest in peace after death."
The Empress Dowager Feng said coldly, "Attendants, escort him back."
An elderly matron approached and said, "Your Highness, you are unwell. You should rest properly..."
Once outside the hall, the matron softly advised, "Her Majesty has been deeply distressed over the Lady's affairs these past few days. Please try to understand her..."
Chu Rui said nothing.
Late that night, he summoned all his shadow guards.
These were the death warriors left to him by his father, who had pledged their loyalty to him after his father's passing.However, he disliked scheming in the shadows, so these death warriors had always been under the command of the Empress Dowager.
That night, he ordered the death warriors to infiltrate the Xie family's ancestral tomb.
He owned a serene estate surrounded by picturesque mountains and rivers, left to him by his mother. He intended to transform this estate into his elder sister's final resting place, allowing her to lie in eternal peace.
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