C93. The Emperor's Gifts and Rewards.

C93. The Emperor's Reward.

The yellow earth buried the coffins, and the three Misses of the Chu family, too heartbroken, were helped back inside.

Yang Zhongfa's eyes reddened as he wordlessly approached Chu Hechao, bowing respectfully, "General... take care."

Chu Hechao's chin sported a hint of stubble, his expressionless face nodding in acknowledgment.

Compared to the three Misses, Chu Hechao appeared truly indifferent. He did not show any emotions of grief, not shedding a single tear. The deceased seemed more like strangers to him than his own parents.

This demeanor led one to describe him as having a heart of stone. Yet Yang Zhongfa knew that the General was not devoid of sorrow or pain; he simply kept it hidden within himself.

Yang Zhongfa hesitated with words, eventually leaving with the others, giving the place to the General.

Once they had walked away, Yang Zhongfa couldn't resist looking back.

Yuan Li stood beside Chu Hechao, gently patting his back. The sight of them together seemed to create a harmony that others could not intrude upon.

Yang Zhongfa felt a moment of daze, quickly turning his head without daring to linger.

"Fortunately, Lord Yuan was still here..." he sighed inwardly, hoping that Lord Yuan would be able to console the General.

With no one left, Chu Hechao lifted his robe and knelt in front of the grave marker, his back straight like a lone, towering statue.

Yuan Li kneeled beside him, lighting the paper money in front of the tomb.

The flames leaped high, and Yuan Li gazed at the gravestone, his expression complex.

He had only spent less than two months with the Chu couple, yet they had been very helpful to him. The Chu couple had treated him kindly, caring for him as if he were their own son-in-law.

Just a few days ago, he had been contemplating how to explain things to the Chu couple if they returned, how to persuade them. He had even tidied up their rooms and made their beds. He had planned out how they would spend their days together, but now they were no more.

The vicissitudes of life.

After burning the paper, the sky darkened. The dim yellow light enveloped them as the sun began to set.

"Let's go back," Yuan Li turned to the man, speaking softly.

Chu Hechao remained silent, unmoving in his posture. The ashes of the burned paper flew onto his head and eyebrows, even the smoke seemed reluctant to leave him, while his parents in the grave had departed so heartlessly.

Chu Hechao stayed silent, the only sound being the crackling of the burning fire.

Yuan Li spoke again, "Ciyue."

Chu Hechao responded hoarsely from his throat, "Alright."

Standing up, his knees covered in damp soil, Chu Hechao glanced at the grave once more, his eyes slightly moist, then turned to leave with Yuan Li.

Upon returning to the estate, the last hint of daylight had vanished.

Yuan Li had Lin Tian bring his bedding into Chu Hechao's room, saying, "The General is not feeling well these days, so I'll sleep in the same room with him for now to keep an eye on him."

This statement did not raise any suspicions. Lin Tian responded, "My Lord, I'll bring in another bed for you."

Yuan Li nodded.

The servants quickly made all the arrangements and left. Light illuminated Chu Hechao's room, with Yuan Li's bed opposite his across the table.

As Yuan Li closed the door behind him and sat beside Chu Hechao, he spoke, "I'll be sleeping in your room tonight."

Chu Hechao glanced at his bed, managing to tug a slight smile and nodded.

After a while, he grasped Yuan Li's hand, his voice hoarse, "Stay with me a bit longer, Lejun."

Yuan Li watched the weary expression on his face, sensing the vulnerability that the man had kept hidden. With a slight grunt, he felt a pang in his heart, "I'll stay by your side."

Chu Hechao gripped Yuan Li's hand tightly, then quickly released it. This back-and-forth motion repeated several times, reflecting the inner turmoil.

Eventually, he pulled out a letter from his sleeve, handed to him by Yang Gonggong after he woke up from fainting. The letter was written by Prince Chu, which Chu Hechao hadn't read.

Uncertain of its contents and fearful of the pain it might bring, having Yuan Li by his side gave him the strength to open it.

The letter was thick, spanning five pages, the longest Prince Chu had ever written to Chu Hechao.

In the letter, Prince Chu discussed the current situation in Luoyang, the character of Emperor Zhouyan, and the personalities of various officials. He urged Chu Hechao to stay in Youzhou and avoid attracting attention, to accumulate resources for the country's development.

These topics alone covered three pages, which Chu Hechao calmly read through. Following these discussions were paternal instructions.

Chu Hengping had always been critical of his second son, especially after he defied his orders and joined the military at a young age, intensifying his discontentment.

Due to his dissatisfaction, he did not offer any assistance to his son. In his eyes, the second son was not as clever as the eldest, whose career had been smooth sailing.

He believed that as long as the family stayed obediently in Luoyang, the Emperor would favor Chu Mingfeng. In this scenario, how could the Emperor allow the emergence of another powerful general from their family?

Prince Chu had lived under the Emperor's watchful eye in order to secure their loyalty. When the second son left, Chu Mingfeng found it more challenging to navigate the court. Prince Chu thought Chu Hechao was acting recklessly.

As he had anticipated, the Emperor grew wary of the Chu clan, and eunuchs began targeting the eldest son. However, Prince Chu hadn't imagined that his second son would make a name for himself and become a renowned and celebrated general.

A grand general under thirty, compared to high-ranking officials, bestowed with vast influence – he was on a bright path just like the eldest son.

Especially after Chu Hechao defeated the Wuhuan tribe, allowing them to bow before him, earning him the title "War God," Prince Chu fully grasped that his second son was a natural-born military leader.

Destined to lead troops into battle, a renowned general on the battlefield.

Naturally, Prince Chu was proud, but when he saw Chu Hechao's stubbornness that refused to yield, he felt frustrated. Before his death, he realized he had never said anything positive to Chu Hechao.

Ashamed, deeply ashamed.

Embedded in his shame were also guilt and regret.

The letter rambled on, but in the end, he expressed his deep remorse.

After finishing the letter, Chu Hechao's hand trembled while tears welled up in his eyes. Yuan Li wiped his eyes and said, "If you want to cry, go ahead."

Wiping his eyes, he turned around and embraced Yuan Li, his choked sobs breaking out, "Lejun, you're all I have left now. Please don't leave me like this."

Yuan Li hugged him, wanting to say comforting words, that he still had his sister, his subordinates, and many others who looked up to him. But at that moment, all words felt powerless and futile.

He simply nodded and hoarsely replied, "Alright."

That night, both of them fell asleep early. Yuan Li woke up early, finding Chu Hechao still asleep. It was a rare occurrence, and Yuan Li observed the dark circles under Chu Hechao's eyes and his visibly weary appearance, gently caressing his face.

Even though he had done so, the usually vigilant man still hadn't awakened, indicating the amount of exhaustion he had accumulated in his heart in these past few days.

Yuan Li quietly left the room and had someone bring in items. He dampened a towel with water and gently wiped Chu Hechao's face, then proceeded to shave him.

The green stubble gradually disappeared as Yuan tidied his hair before fetching the water away.

Guo Lin waited outside, "My lord, I have identified the servants in the mansion who have previously disobeyed the General's orders."

Yuan Li's expression hardened slightly as he coldly remarked, "So there are indeed servants who dare to criticize the General."

Lowering his eyes, Yuan Li wiped his hands with a handkerchief and calmly stated, "Handle it according to the rules."

Guo Lin acknowledged, then retreated surreptitiously.

Startled awake by a nightmare, Chu Hechao gasped for breath, sitting up abruptly in bed. After rubbing his face and not seeing Yuan Li, he felt a pang of worry, hastily heading downstairs with disheveled hair in search of someone.

As soon as Yuan Li entered the room, he was embraced by the man. Chu Hechao asked, "Where did you go?"

"I went to freshen up," Yuan Li obediently replied, "Do you want to wash up as well?"

Chu Hechao nodded, hugging him again and leaning close to Yuan Li, he whispered, "I want to kill those eunuchs."

His tone was casual, but Yuan Li could sense the intensity of his murderous intent, sending chills down his spine.

Yuan Li responded, "They deserve to die."

Chu Hechao added, "Including Li Li."

"Alright," Yuan Li agreed.

Chu Hechao held him quietly, absorbing Yuan Li's scent, allowing his tumultuous emotions to gradually ease.

The coffins had been buried, and it had been nearly four months since Prince Chu and his consort had passed away. However, the scars in the hearts of the living would take much longer to heal.

In the afternoon, everyone gathered in the study to discuss the deaths of Prince Chu and his consort.

Since Prince Chu and his consort had died in Luoyang, justice needed to be served. The group of eunuchs in the Inner Court of the Palace who had been responsible for their deaths had either been killed by Li Li or had fled.

If Li Li couldn't provide a valid explanation, they wouldn't hesitate to resort to force.

After deliberation, they decided to make the deaths of Prince Chu and his consort known to the public. They planned to openly and angrily send a memorial to Luoyang, denouncing Li Li for his unjust and treacherous actions.

Once these details were exposed, Li Li would undoubtedly become a target of public condemnation. All the "righteous individuals" in the realm would rise up in support of Chu Hechao.

Regardless of their personal thoughts, once an opportunity arose to overthrow Li Li, they wouldn't let it slip by.

After all, Li Li not only had caused the deaths of Prince Chu and his consort but was also a notorious traitor.

Eliminating Li Li would undoubtedly earn them great prestige, a reputation that would help anyone advance further in life.

Chu Hechao sat stoically at the head of the table, his expression unchanged. When asked if the plan was feasible after the discussion concluded, he simply nodded in approval.

In these past days, he had maintained this composure, showing minimal emotion and displaying an even colder demeanor than before. He seemed disinterested in most matters, leaving individuals like Yang Zhongfa and Guan Zhihuai at a loss on how to comfort him or invite him for a drink.

They could only sigh inwardly, hoping that the general could soon overcome the grief of losing his parents. However, everyone knew that the pain of losing parents, especially to treachery, was not something that could easily be resolved in a few days, especially for a filial son like the General.

After settling matters, the group had intended to disperse, but a servant rushed in to report the arrival of an imperial decree.

The imperial decree had arrived.

The group exchanged glances, their expressions turning serious. Stepping outside the estate, they saw that the Emperor's rewards stretched for ten miles. Instead of joy, this lavish display only deepened their concerns.

Upon closer inspection, they noticed that the person presenting the gifts was not a eunuch but a literati with a distinctive mustache. This man had a shrewd appearance and a warm smile as he hurriedly approached.

It seemed he knew everyone present and respectfully greeted Chu Hechao and Yuan Li, "Cheng Mou pays his respects to the Grand General and the Provincial Governor."

Chu Hechao, with a cold gaze, asked, "Who are you?"

Cheng Bu immediately replied, "I am Cheng Bu, a minor cavalryman in the Emperor's service. The Emperor has sent me to deliver rewards to the Grand General, the Provincial Governor, and all the other generals for the successful execution of the Hun leader Huyan Wuzhu."

Chu Hechao's eyes grew colder, "You are clearly a follower of Li Li. How can you claim to represent the Emperor?"

Cheng Bu wiped the sweat from his forehead, realizing the situation. He wasn't delivering the Emperor's orders but rather using the Emperor's name on behalf of Li Li.

But he couldn't admit to this and chuckled, "Lord Li is a loyal servant of the Emperor. Since I serve Lord Li, I naturally serve the Emperor as well."

Several officers behind Cheng Bu sneered in response.

Pretending not to hear, Cheng Bu continued, "In addition to gold, silver, treasures, and rare fabrics, Lord Li also specially prepared a few items that I believe the Grand General will greatly appreciate." With that, he clapped his hands.

Soon after, soldiers brought forward five panicked individuals.

These five individuals, upon seeing Chu Hechao, were filled with fear and struggled desperately.

Observing the faces of Chu Hechao and the others, Cheng Bu sighed deeply, displaying a mix of anger and self-blame, "These five are eunuchs from the Inner Court of the Palace who audaciously forced Prince Chu and Consort Chu to drink poisoned wine! When Lord Li heard about this, he was outraged and deeply aggrieved by the shameless act of these eunuchs, as well as the tragic deaths of Prince Chu and his wife at their hands. Without hesitation, he ordered their capture and had me send them from afar to the General."

He bowed to Chu Hechao once more, sincerely stating, "Lord Li has left the punishment of these eunuchs to the General as a way to express his remorse and make amends for his actions."