Chapter 485 - 249: End of Lifespan
In the 22nd year of Chen Yuanping, former Crown Prince Xiao Ye, due to a public petition accusing the Five Traitors of ten crimes, aroused the Emperor’s anger, was demoted to Yangzhou, re-titled as King Liang, and forbade to return to the capital forever.
In May of the 25th year of Yuanping, Xu Qing, Governor of Yangzhou, submitted a memorial to the Emperor, accusing Li Mubai, Deputy Governor of Jinyang Prefecture, of hoarding troops for self-benefit, imprisoning and harming the new Prefect and officials of Jinyang, violating the rites and laws, worshipping the Evil God, among other eight major charges, requesting a royal order to quell him.
In June, the imperial decree reached the State Mansion, commanding King Liang, Xiao Ye, to lead Yangzhou’s military forces, eliminate the rebels, and atone his crimes with merit.
King Liang accepted the order, mobilized 30,000 State Soldiers down the Weishui River, directly attacking Qinghe, and issued a "Proclamation Against the Rebels" to inform the people of Jinyang.
In the same month, Li Mubai, Deputy Governor of Jinyang, wrote an accusation against Xu Qing, Governor of Yangzhou, Cui Shao, Prefect of Jinyang, and King Liang, Xiao Ye, for overstepping power and breaking the law, killing civilians and injuring lives, falsely transmitting imperial decrees, among other ten major crimes, also issuing a "Proclamation Against the Rebels" to the State Mansion.
In September, King Liang’s army split into two routes, attacked Jinyang and Qinghe lands, and engaged in a decisive battle. The State Army was completely defeated, blood stained Qinghe, only King Liang, Xiao Ye, leapt over the Weishui River on horseback, narrowly escaping death.
In October, Li Mubai, Deputy Governor of Jinyang, submitted another accusation, again against Xu Qing, Governor of Yangzhou, Xiao Ye, and others for ten crimes against the people, and executed the former Prefect of Jinyang, Cui Shao, Mountain Master of Four Symbols Academy, Lu Qingkong, and the heads of the Zhou, Wu, Zheng, Wang families, totaling 375 people, at the execution ground in clear indictment.
In November, Li Mubai self-proclaimed as Prefect of Jinyang, accusing Xu Qing, Governor of Yangzhou, and King Liang Xiao Ye of disrupting orders and breaking laws, refusing any of their appointments and dismissals, establishing the government office and asserting authority, changing Jinyang’s incense offerings, cutting off the Chen Imperial Family from worshiping the gods, only serving the Jinyang Prefecture City God—Punishment and Reward Department’s People Ascending Fortune Prestige Spirit Lord!
In December, news reached the capital, the Emperor was furious, excessively bleeding, bedridden, and unable to rise.
In January of the 26th year of Yuanping, Emperor Ping passed away in the palace, the world mourned in white!
In the same month, the Five Imperial Eunuchs supported the 19th son of Emperor Ping, King Yan Xiao Xun, to succeed the throne, changing the era name to Yuankang, thus becoming Emperor Kang of Chen.
In January of the first year of Yuankang, the Five Imperial Eunuchs transmitted the imperial edict, charging Xu Qing, Governor of Yangzhou, with ten crimes, executing him by dismemberment in the market, demoting King Liang Xiao Ye to a commoner, seizing his fief, arresting him back to the capital, eternally confining him.
The edict reached Yangzhou, Xiao Ye refused to comply, ordered the Government Soldiers to brutally kill the imperial envoy, and issued a proclamation accusing the Five Traitors of rebellion, seizing power, harming the late Emperor and other ten crimes, under the name "Eliminating the Five Traitors, Cleansing the Emperor’s Side," enforcing Celestial Destiny’s Difficulties.
In August of the first year of Yuankang, Xiao Ye amassed two State Mansions, tightly locked the Jinyang land, also leading troops along the tributaries of the Weishui River to attack various places, intending to ally with the South to cleanse the Emperor’s side.
In October of the second year of Yuankang, Emperor Kang of Chen was poisoned by the Five Imperial Eunuchs, passed away in the palace, Grand General Huo Ming led troops into the palace, exterminated the Five Traitors, and supported the Royal Family’s Xiao Chu as Emperor, changed the era name to Yuanning, becoming Emperor Ning of Chen.
In November, Emperor Ning appointed Huo Ming as Prime Minister, also as Grand General and Grand Commandant, attending court with sword and shoes, not hurrying into the court, advising without naming, controlling military and political powers.
In the same month, Huo Ming issued an order, stating that the Five Traitors are eradicated, commanding King Liang to cease his military actions and return to the capital to receive his title.
The order reached Yangzhou, Xiao Ye, citing "disorderly orders not accepted," again executed the imperial envoy, and changed the proclamation against the rebels to accuse Huo Ming of rebellion and seizing power, claiming to be a Chen minister, but actually a Chen traitor, continuing to enforce Celestial Destiny’s Difficulties.
In the same month, Li Mubai, Prefect of Jinyang, issued another proclamation against the rebels, accusing King Liang Xiao Ye of ten crimes against the people, self-asserting as Governor of Yangzhou...
The grand situation continuously changed, the wind rose, and clouds surged, the world was in chaos, dragons and snakes competed.
In such a manner, several decades of time passed.
The heroes of the world competed, and turmoil spread everywhere.
Jinyang land, though crucial, was blocked and held by Jinling and Jinhua two State Mansions, difficult to advance, yet with no strength to progress, it had excess to defend, guarding one land over the years, to have secure peace, except for "Jinyang North Gate" and "Huangshan Qinghe Port" two important sites, there were no military movements otherwise.
The people lived in peace and contentment, self-sufficient, not as a utopia, but surpassing a utopia.
Qinghe County, Little Huang Village.
Song Family ancestral residence, people gathered.
"Uncle!"
"Great-grandfather!"
"Old Ancestor!"
Song Jian, with silver-grey hair, led a group of direct blood relatives, gathered around the bedside.
On the bed, lay a person, with crane-white hair, youthful appearance, and immortal demeanor.
He lay on the bed, with a serene expression, facing the sorrowful gaze of the people, also lightly laughed and spoke: "Birth, aging, illness, and death, are determined by natural law. I have enjoyed life to this point, the Divine Beings have shown mercy. Now that my life is concluded, I should go as destined, it is rightful, you need not be sad."
The group heard this, all remained silent.
Song Wen also didn’t mind, looking at Song Jian and others, lightly laughed and said: "This burden is passed to you, lead the clan well, do not deviate again, do not repeat past mistakes, your father and I, along with the ancestors of the Song Family, will watch over you all the way."
"Yes!"
"We will definitely not disappoint the expectations of the ancestors!"
The group heard this, and immediately responded in a solemn voice, expressing their stance.
"That’s good, that’s good!"
Song Wen nodded, and turned to look around, finally relinquishing his last trace of longing, leaned contently against the back of the bed: "Go along, go along!"
"Yes!"
The group heard this, although reluctant, still got up and left the bedroom.
Leaving Song Wen alone, sitting on the bed, his eyes fluctuating with thoughts.
Several more decades passed, as for the nine sons of the Song Family, now only he remains in the world.
This is quite incredible, knowing that back during the Jinyang battle, he, as the old patriarch of the Song Family, was already 120 years old, a centenarian elder of the Qinghe Longevity Group, hosted the grand ceremony of Divine Judgment Temple transitioning to City God’s Mansion.
Now several decades have passed, he has reached the age of 180, looking at ancient and modern times, except for the legendary Pre-Qin era of Divine Beings dwelling together, there had never been such a blessed and long-lived person. Hence, the entire Jinyang Prefecture revered him as the Immortal of Blessing and Longevity, and the Song Family descendants even compared him to the ancient Ancestor Peng.