Chapter 111: Thunderbolts in Clear Skies
At this moment, a piece of yellow paper floated down from the skies and landed on the ground. The eunuch immediately went to pick it up, saying “Your Majesty, look!”
From the podium, Yin Tian Zhao loudly said, “Even though this person looks beautiful and intelligent, but the heavens know better. If this person continues to live, I’m afraid your throne will not be safe!”
At this moment, the clouds in the sky started to darken and started to swirled together, gathering speed. In addition, coils of lightning started to emerge, bathing the entire sky with light. Lightning forked out in multiple directions. After a good while, the clouds seemed to hover at the edge sky looming oppressively. All of a sudden, a loud clap of thunder ensued and the resultant jagged bolt of lightning seemed to split the sky in half.
Miraculously, the lightning actually landed on top of Yin Tian Zhao’s head. Initially he was still speaking and smiling in exaltation. Yet with the blow on his head, he gave a startled blood-curdling scream and rolled down from the four-meters high podium.
“Pa!” was the resounding sound of his body being slammed onto the ground. His bones had shattered and he laid there like a dead pig. Soon after a thick puddle of blood pooled around him. This sight caused one of the palace maids who was standing on the podium to emit a sharp and piercing scream. That scream penetrated the air and brought everyone out of their stunned reverie. Even the emperor could not believe his eyes. His favorite priest had literally been struck down by lightning. So shocking was such a sight that he had forgotten about looking closely at the person drawn on the piece of yellow paper.
Everyone who was in the vicinity was stupefied beyond belief after witnessing the incident. It was just moments before that Yin Tian Zhao was still calling the wind and summoning the rain (figuratively, stirring up troubles). And yet now he was broken like a limp rag doll after being the unexpected target of the bolt of lightning. All the palace eunuchs and maids were dumbstruck and no one had been able to gather their wits.
The Emperor loudly cried out, “Hurry! Someone come and see what happened to Yin Tian Zhao!” Immediately a eunuch ran to the podium disregarding the fact that it was pouring cats and dogs. However, when he came back, his entire face was drawn and down. He said, “Your Majesty, the priest has been struck down and his body has become charred beyond recognition.” The Emperor was startled beyond belief and for a few moments, he was rendered speechless. He tightly clenched the piece of paper in his hands.
This episode, as seen from the eyes of Tuoba Zhen and Able Consort Wu made them incomparably shocked. Tuoba Zhen could not believe his own eyes. In order to let the Jiang family see Li Wei Yang’s execution with their own eyes, he and Able Consort Wu had personally orchestrated this entire play.
In order to to ensure this ploy would truly work and materialize, Yin Tian Zhao has taken great pains to calculate the meteorological conditions. Using all the knowledge he knew about weather cycles, he had calculated that this night was the day that a huge gale would blow and torrential rain would pour. This sort of scenario was the most suitable as the Emperor was a firm believer of such rituals and would consult meteorological signs for both huge and trivial matters. If Yin Tian Zhao dictated that this particular day was the most auspicious day, the Emperor would willingly follow his orders. But Tuoba Zhen did not believe that the platform which had a lightning rod hidden purposely to prevent such bolts of lightning would actually be struck down by lightning! This was just too unfortunate for Yin Tian Zhao who was someone he had tracked down with utmost care to be presented to the court. For Yin Tian Zhao to be so easily destroyed when he needed him the most was a slap to his face!
At this moment, amongst the crowd, a man pushed himself forward. Smilingly, he said, “Congratulations Your Majesty! The emperor gave a glanced. It was naturally Zhou Tian Shou. The Emperor gave a startled look and started throwing a fit. “Your master just met with such an unfortunate turn, what is there to congratulate!”
It was common belief that those people who were struck down by lightning were people who had committed wrongs before. Hence the Emperor was wondering about what Yin Tian Zhao did that actually caused the heavens to pursue such heavy-handed punishments?
Zhou Tian Shou was full of joy and said: "Your Majesty, in our sect, there are countless practitioners aiming to cultivate to become a deity. Most of them will die on the way to cultivation. Only a few can ascend to become a deity. My master’s practice had already reached this step, his destined day had yet to arrive. It just so happened that today must have been the day he was destined to ascend. My master is a remarkable person and the situation just now must have been part of his trails. After breaking through this, he will directly achieve the position of a golden deity!
"But … if he became a golden deity, how come he became a blackened and charred lump of flesh? The Empress couldn’t help to ask.
Zhou Tian Shou sighed and said: "Your Highness does not comprehend, if his body is black, it indicates that my master could not become a golden deity. Instead it means that he can only become an immortal without rank when he ascends in heaven. Upon listening, the emperor was shocked and could not help but ask, “Taoist Yin was already so accomplished as a priest but he couldn't even become a ranked deity? Why?”
The joy on Zhou Tian Shou’s face dimmed slightly, but he recovered revealing a mysterious look: “Your Majesty, the Heavens have their own laws and their own reasonings. How would us mere mortals comprehend. Actually, my master was able to ascend safely with his cultivation. However, because of this event, he divulged one of Heaven’s secrets!"
To divulge the will of the heavens? The crowd shifted. Did this mean that Taoist Yin could not ascend smoothly because he had revealed Heaven’s will and thus was punished for it? The atmosphere was heavy with suspicion.
Li Wei Yang smiled slightly. The Ninth Princess tugged her skirt and pointed out and said: "The corpse has been carried away!" Li Wei Yang said faintly: "Princess, that is not a corpse, that is the immortal shell of Taoist Yin."
Her eyes scanned the crowds and found Li Min De, who had hidden himself amongst the crowd. Between them, a faint glimmer of understanding passed through them as Li Min De smirked. After witnessing the entire grand act, Li Wei Yang finally understood what Li Min De said when he said that he added a little something extra. He must have been the mastermind and had secretly moved the position of the lightning protection rod. But how did he actually manage such a task was what Li Wei Yang desperately wanted to know ...
As she reflected on the Taoist’s death, she marveled at the way it was handled. Lightning, thunder, thick smoke … the scene was just too shocking! Li Wei Yang idly wandered, did Yin Tian Zhao know that today was his last day on earth?
Zhou Tian Shou once again gently urged, "Your Majesty, my master even sacrificed his life in a bid to reveal the truth! Please take a look at the paper he left behind detailing the evil person and be sure to get rid of such evil!" The emperor looked over the paper seriously. Yet, slowly, his face began to turn purple with rage. The Queen looked at him with surprise and went to see the piece of paper in his hand. After reading it, his face was extremely strange.
On the paper was a woman, a very beautiful woman. In addition, this beautiful woman was someone the emperor was very familiar with. In fact, this woman has spent more than 20 years sleeping in his bed!
The Emperor was so angry. He gave a slap to Able Consort Wu’s face, who was standing proudly waiting for Li Wei Yang’s downfall. Able Consort Wu was unprepared, and the force was so great that she almost and stumbled.
Onlookers could see that the piece of drawing had a strong resemblance to Able Consort Wu's face. And a single line was written: Lady of Wu will bring chaos to the world.” The emperor pinched the paper so tightly until it trembled. He pointed to Able Consort Wu with anger: "You whore! It's you! It's you!” Yin Tian Zhao’s message had indicated that woman had cursed the emperor making him fall sick. Moreover, just the fact that the woman stayed beside the emperor would be calamitous because Able Consort Wu blocked the divine luck of the emperor.
Ninth Princess caught Li Wei Yang's arm in fear: "So terrible, but how could Able Consort Wu be the devil in disguise!
At this moment, Li Wei Yang saw from the corner of her eyes that Tuoba Zhen flew out to support Able Consort Wu and shouted: "Father, what is wrong with you?” One would assume that he was extremely concerned for Able Consort Wu’s safety. In reality, he was only concerned to save Able Consort Wu because of her apparent value to his quest to become the emperor. However, Tuoba Zhen had underestimated the extent of the Emperor’s anger. In fact, his response had provoked it even more. The emperor became furious: "Your mother is a demoness! I have loved and even coddled her for so many years and yet she repays me by bringing plague to my empire! At this time, he recalled the flood in the south, the rebellion of the soldiers in the west, the drought in the north ...... Come to think of it, such things happened every year. Able Consort Wu was actually a bringer of calamitous disaster! Heavens had already sent him signs but he failed to notice them!
The downpour continued to pour, raindrops smashed onto the bodies of Able Consort Wu and Tuoba Zhen. Tuoba Zhen’s appearance was still relatively alright but Able Consort Wu bore the brunt of the slap. As a result, Able Consort Wu’s appearance was frightening. The once perfectly made face was ruined beyond belief. The white powder has been washed off, leaving a ghastly ashen and plain face. She cried pitifully: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I didn’t do it! I have been framed! I am innocent!"
How can this be! How could this happen! The person on the paper should have been Li Wei Yang, how could the person become herself!
Li Chang Le involuntarily pinched her handkerchief and fumed internally. Was this the plan that Jiang Tian said? What a blockhead! The situation was beyond salvageable! Given that Tuoba Zhen’s mother had just been thrown out of favor, was Tuoba Zhen really a good man to marry herself to?
Tuoba Zhen was enraged beyond reason. He had come to the recognition belatedly that in trying to frame Li Wei Yang, he had inadvertently shot himself in the foot. Even though he knew the situation with Able Consort Wu was beyond help, he still had to save her no matter what! This was because she was nominally appointed as his adoptive mother, if he threw her to the wolves, he would be labelled as an ingrate to the commoners and his supporters and the rest of the court councillors would turn their backs on him! So even though he knew that his words would instigate anger, he still had to plead for her.
"Father, Mother is innocent! She has waited on you for so many years, without any demand for credit and yet she has toiled so much! You should know the full extent of her devotion!” Tuoba Zhen cried out plaintively.
Consort Lian who was standing beside the emperor also said with a voice full of sympathy: "Your Majesty, he is right… How does Able Consort Wu even look like a demoness … please consider!
Able Consort Wu bit her lower lip, desperately crying out: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! You must believe me!”
At this moment, all of Able Consort Wu’s supporters and staff immediately prostrated themselves crying out, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Able Consort Wu has been wronged!"
Able Consort Wu had always maintained good relations with the Empress. At this moment, as the Empress looked down at Tuoba Zhen, she remembered how the Crown Prince still needed the support of Tuoba Zhen in order to ascend the throne and her eyes shone a calculating light. Placatingly, she told the emperor, "Your Majesty, if you think about all the years of service Able Consort Wu has done for you, please have mercy on Able Consort Wu …”
The people under the empress looked up beseechingly at the Emperor.
The emperor swept a glance at the number of people kneeling: Crown Prince, Tuoba Zhen, Able Consort Wu ...... And even the Empress. Momentarily even he hesitated.
Consort Lian gently gave a sigh and softly said: "Your Majesty, we should just reduce the trouble to the minimum … it’s just a pity the way Yin Tian Zhao died … and sacrificed himself …
At the thought of Yin Tian Zhao’s death, the Emperor's eyes suddenly lit up in anger again. Li Wei Yang could not help but bowed her head down to mask the delight in her eyes.
Ah, Consort Lian, ah, it was truly thanks to her wonderful performance that the Emperor was reminded. Sometimes, some words had to be said by the right person for the strategy to be effective. For Li Min De to be able to find such a gem, he must have worked very hard ...
The Emperor's eyes grew colder and colder. When he looked at Able Consort Wu, his eyes had no trace of warmth and love that he used to shower her with. In his eyes now, Able Consort Wu had turned into the woman who seek to kill him! He could not let such a woman escape! Not a second chance would be given to those who plotted his death! He waved his hand, ordering: "Drag Able Consort Wu away and immediately put her to death!"
The audience were shocked by the turn of events. It had seemed as if the Emperor had become a completely different person, bristling with ruthlessness and coldness. Even the Empress who had known him for a long time was silenced by fear, let alone the multiple concubines who had initially wanted to plead on behalf of Able Consort Wu were too afraid to open their mouths. Those who were originally sneering at the consort’s misfortune were also struck by fear of how unmerciful the Emperor was.
Only Li Wei Yang let out a sigh of relief. Due to the fact the Emperor was superstitious and practiced Taoism, he believed in the concept of immortality pills. He often took such pills not knowing that the side effect resulted in him becoming more irritable, unpredictable, more irrational and highly suspicious. The moment he heard any whispers of assassination he would ruthlessly weed out anyone in his way. Moreover, Able Consort Wu had thought that having the support of so many people would help her case. However, in the Emperor’s eyes, this only served to deepen his suspicion that she had garnered the support of many to overthrow him. This was his deepest fear and so when faced with such a threat, he would ruthlessly exterminate anyone!
Able Consort Wu was frightened beyond belief. All traces of her haughty and noble demeanor had been wiped away and she desperately prostrated: "Your Majesty, please believe me! I am innocent! You do not believe the words of your closest advisors that I am innocent and would rather belief a lowly Taoist priest!”
The Emperor coldly ordered, ”Execute her!”
Able Consort Wu desperately shouted: "I am innocent! I am innocent! Your Majesty, I have something to say!" She desperately wanted to say Yin Tian Zhou’s words were false, she desperately wanted to reveal Yin Tian Zhou’s real identity, she desperately wanted to confess she had colluded with Yin Tian Zhou to bring Li Wei Yang down … She would still have a chance of life, for the gravity of being accused of killing the Emperor could not be compared to merely framing Li Wei Yang! Able Consort Wu struggled to stand up to her feet, sensing a sliver of hope.