A life of two souls traveling through time

Chapter 139: Civil Officials Die in Advice

In the court of Lang State, Ning Xi sat listlessly on the dragon throne. Seeing that the hall had become quiet, he yawned and said, "If you, my dear ministers, have nothing important to report, then let's leave the court."

"Your Majesty, I, an old minister, want to make a remonstration!" At this time, an old minister with white hair and beard stepped out from among the civil officials. Although he was hunched over, his eyes were sharp and he was full of righteousness.

"Mr. Xu, you are already old, and you don't know how to calm down?" Ning Xi frowned when he saw that it was Xu Guang, the imperial censor, and rubbed his temples irritably.

This counselor Xu Guang had been constantly looking for trouble with him since he ascended the throne, and had even made him lose face in public many times. If his father had not told him to respect this veteran of three dynasties before his death, he would not have tolerated it again and again.

"Your Majesty, there has been a warning since ancient times that people are born in sorrow and die in comfort. A king in a high position must be even more cautious and prevent troubles before they happen. If a monarch wants to protect the country forever, he must work hard to govern the country and be diligent in government affairs, rather than indulging in extravagance and lust and pursuing pleasure." The counselor Xu Guang ignored the displeasure in Ning Xi's words and spoke in a stern voice.

The quiet hall was reverberating with the sonorous and powerful voice of Xu Guang, the counselor. Most of the civil and military officials were moved by the deafening advice, but some flatterers, led by Taiwei Lu Shi, looked down at the high positions with disdain. Ning Xi, who was sitting on the dragon throne, had a gloomy face, his thin lips tightly pursed, and a murderous look flashed in his eyes. His hands were tightly grasping the dragon head armrests on both sides of the dragon throne, his joints were pale, and he was forbearing for the last time.

"Your Majesty has been obsessed with beauty since he ascended the throne. He drinks and revels in the harem day and night, neglecting his political career. He does not listen to the advice of loyal ministers, but keeps villains around him. He does not distinguish right from wrong, and does not know rewards and punishments. Now he blindly favors the evil concubine without restraint. If this continues, how can Your Majesty have the energy to manage state affairs and care about the people of Langguo..."

"shut up!"

The Counselor Xu Guang became more and more excited as he spoke, and all the resentment that had accumulated in his heart for a long time was released. He completely disregarded the emperor's face and spoke harshly as knives, stabbing into Ning Xi's heart one by one, making him so angry that he slammed the dragon throne and shouted angrily.

"I know these words are unpleasant to hear, and Your Majesty will not like to hear them. As the saying goes, good medicine tastes bitter, and honest advice is unpleasant to the ears. But since ancient times, scholars died for remonstrating, and soldiers died for fighting. As a counselor of the Censorate, I must let it all out even if I die today! Your Majesty, take a good look at yourself in the mirror and see how licentious you are. Where is the dignity that a king of Lang should have? You have let down your ancestors and the country, and you have let down the people..." However, counselor Xu Guang was not frightened by the emperor's anger. He had already prepared for his death. Instead of retreating, he slowly walked to the steps, pointed at Ning Xi on the high platform and cursed her, saying that she was not as good as him.

"Someone come! Someone come! Take him away! Take him away!" Before Xu Guang could finish his scolding, Ning Xi's face was distorted with anger. She stood up and shouted at the guards outside the palace.

Several guards outside the palace rushed forward upon receiving the order. Just as they were about to escort Xu Guang, who was still cursing, the young crown prince Ying Yan and Prime Minister Lu Xiang hurried forward to plead for mercy:

"Father, Old Xu is a veteran of three dynasties. When Grandfather Emperor was alive..."

"Shut up, you rebellious son. You have repeatedly disobeyed your father for outsiders. If you say it again, I will depose you, the disloyal and unfilial prince, today!"

As soon as Ning Xi said this, the hall fell silent. Several old ministers including Lu Xiang and Xu Guang were all furious. Crown Prince Ying Yan was young after all, and he was so frightened that his face turned pale and he dared not say a word.

"Hahaha, disloyal and unfilial? Ning Xi, ah Ning Xi, who is really disloyal and unfilial? God has eyes, the civil and military officials in the court have eyes, and the people of the world have eyes!" Xu Guang broke the silence with a desperate laugh. Looking at the shameless, arrogant and conceited tyrant on the high platform, he felt that he had no face to face the late emperor's instructions.

"Xu Guang committed treason and rebellion, but considering his old age and the fact that he has been a veteran of three dynasties, even if he has no merits, he has worked hard. I will strip him of his official position and exile him to Beiling!" Ning Xi was not angry anymore, but just looked down on Xu Guang who had a desperate look on his face and spoke coldly.

Everyone gasped when they heard this. The North Ridge has always been a bitterly cold place. Being exiled to the North Ridge at such an old age would be more torturous than killing him directly.

Crown Prince Yingyan was both angry and anxious. He was about to step forward to advise the emperor but was stopped by Prime Minister Lu Xiang. The emperor was already hopeless and the crown prince must not lose his position at this time.

"Hahaha, thank you Your Majesty for not killing me. However, I, Xu Guang, have been a counselor for three dynasties. I have stayed in Xuan'an City for most of my life. I'm used to it. I can't leave even if I don't want to." Xu Guang laughed again and took off his hat as he spoke. After looking around the top of the temple beams, he sighed with tears in his eyes: "Late Emperor, I miss you!" After that, he suddenly turned around and bumped into a pillar beside him.

"Mr. Xu..."

"Master Xu..."

Everyone in the hall cried out in surprise again. The Crown Prince and Prime Minister Lu rushed to the side of Xu Guang, whose head was covered in blood and who had died, and were heartbroken. The civil and military officials who surrounded him could not help but wipe away their tears.

"Mr. Xu, ah, Mr. Xu, you were killed by your violent temper after all!" Ning Xi on the high platform shook her head with pretended regret and sighed, but in her heart she was very happy about Xu Guang's suicide and did not feel any guilt at all.

"Father, do you really think that Mr. Xu was killed by his own temper?" Seeing his father acting so absurdly, Ying Yan was disheartened. He raised his head angrily, looked at the person on the podium with a childish, tearful face, and questioned.

"Hmph!" Ning Xi was happy in her heart, so she naturally did not pursue her son's insolence any further. He snorted nonchalantly, left the civil and military officials behind, and walked away with a flick of his sleeves.

When Lu Shi and other treacherous ministers saw the emperor leaving, they glanced at the prince with a sneer and turned to walk out of the hall.

On that day, the news that the emperor forced three dynasties' elders to death and that loyal ministers died for their advice in the court spread like wildfire in Xuan'an City. The people in the city were furious and complained.

But Ning Xi, who was immersed in the gentle pleasures of the harem, turned a deaf ear to the people's anger and complaints outside, and continued to drink and have fun with Concubine Xue.

At night, in the Prince's Mansion, Ying Yan leaned decadently on the couch. He picked up the glass of wine in front of him and brought it to his mouth after hesitating for a moment. However, before he could drink it, it was snatched away by Luo Ying beside him.

"You are so young, don't learn from adults' greed for alcohol." Luoying advised like an elder.

"Aunt, please let me get drunk tonight?" Ying Yan gave a helpless smile and begged.

"No, no matter how big the problem is, I can't hurt my body." Luoying poured the wine in the glass to the ground and took the wine jug on the table to her side.

Ying Yan sighed softly and just collapsed on the couch and closed his eyes.

Luoying looked at her nephew in pain and thought about the ridiculous things her eldest brother had done today. She was naturally sad, but she never interfered in political affairs. She didn't know how to comfort Yingyan. Jiuyi was not in Xuan'an City recently, so all she could do was stay by his side quietly.