After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 870 - 856: Without the Skin, Where Can the Hair Attach?

Chapter 870: Chapter 856: Without the Skin, Where Can the Hair Attach?

Zhao Zhongyu lived very close to the Jin Emperor, so when the poisoned wine was sent over, he was in the emperor’s room, giving him a lesson.

An Assistant General led a squad of soldiers, and the soldiers held a tray, on which there was only a cup and a wine pot.

Upon hearing footsteps, both Zhao Zhongyu and the Jin Emperor felt a tightness in their hearts. With Liu Cong having just killed Liu He and being triumphant, would he torture the emperor again at a grand feast?

Zhao Zhongyu’s face darkened slightly. He stood up to shield the emperor, who felt ashamed, his body trembling slightly.

As the footsteps got closer, the Assistant General and his men turned down the corridor towards them, and Zhao Zhongyu immediately spotted the tray they were carrying.

Zhao Zhongyu was startled, his heart sinking continuously.

He stepped aside to look at the emperor.

It was only at this moment that the emperor saw the tray behind the Assistant General, his face changed and turned pale, he looked at Zhao Zhongyu helplessly.

Zhao Zhongyu lowered his eyes and said nothing.

He had been protecting the Jin Emperor to prevent him from being humiliated by the Xiongnu. He was their emperor; the act of serving wine to the Xiongnu, sweeping floors, wiping tables, and dressing as a servant was an insult not only to the emperor but also to all the Jin Ministers and the entire Jin State.

If the Jin Emperor was a servant of the Xiongnu, what did that make the Jin State? And what were the Jin Ministers?

At this moment, it seemed that all the suffering could end, though in the way he least wanted.

Zhao Zhongyu waited for them to approach.

The Assistant General didn’t expect Zhao Zhongyu to be there and laughed, "I didn’t expect Minister Zhao to be here too, it saves me another trip."

He looked around briskly, took a large tea bowl from the low table in front of them, placed it next to the small wine cup on the tray, and then looked at Zhao Zhongyu with a half-smile.

He had long been displeased with this old man.

Every time he came to summon the Jin Emperor, Zhao Zhongyu would obstruct with a hundred excuses, often bringing along the Jin Ministers to cry loudly, even conspiring with Han officials on their side to point fingers at them and curse.

Humph, if it weren’t for some truly talented individuals among them, they should all be cut down just for being born Han.

As the saying goes, "Those who are not of our kin are sure to have different hearts"; the hearts of the Han people are not with them.

The Assistant General picked up the wine pot and poured a little into the cup, just enough to reach the rim, then poured half a bowl into the tea bowl, wanting to pour more if there was more poisoned wine to go around.

He placed the wine pot aside indifferently, cocked his chin at the two of them and said, "Jin Emperor, Minister Zhao, this is the wine our Great General rewards you with, please drink it."

Seeing that Zhao Zhongyu was also offered the wine, the emperor’s knees went weak, and he collapsed onto the mat.

The Assistant General swept a condescending glance at him and waved to let the soldiers come forward to pour it down his throat.

Zhao Zhongyu stepped forward to block them, shouting sternly, "The dignity of the Son of Heaven, how dare you offend it?"

The soldiers were stopped by the shout and turned to look at the Assistant General.

Furious, the Assistant General stepped forward, "Zhao Zhongyu, you can hardly safeguard your own life, yet meddle in the lives and deaths of others?"

Zhao Zhongyu merely glanced at him, refusing to speak, then stepped forward and picked up the wine cup, walking towards the emperor.

The emperor sat dazedly on the mat, looking up at him.

Zhao Zhongyu knelt before him and presented the wine cup, "Your Majesty, things have come to this, let me accompany you on this journey."

Upon hearing this, the emperor’s tears flowed, and he grasped the hand holding the wine cup in pain and regret, "I regret not heeding the Chief of Staff sooner, if I had died early, I wouldn’t have suffered so much humiliation."

Zhao Zhongyu kneeled forward two steps, firmly grasping his arm, "It’s not too late now."

The emperor held back his tears with difficulty, looking at him with tear-filled eyes, "Really, it’s not too late?"

Zhao Zhongyu nodded fiercely.

The emperor eyed the poisoned wine in his hand, gulping, then tremblingly reached for the cup.

With the cup trembling in his hands, the Assistant General and the soldiers behind him snickered contemptuously.

Zhao Zhongyu didn’t let go, holding the cup steadily and bringing it to his lips, the emperor tilted the cup and gulped it down.

He looked tearfully at Zhao Zhongyu, swallowed with a loud ’gulp’.

Seeing him drink, Zhao Zhongyu smashed the cup, then immediately rose, took up the tea bowl on the tray, and drank it all in front of the crowd.

He smashed the bowl, laughed heartily, and said freely, "From now on, our Great Jin soldiers have no weak spots, no concerns!"

He drank more poisoned wine and it took effect quickly; he hadn’t finished his words before he vomited large mouthfuls of black blood, collapsing with a thud before the emperor.

The emperor cradled him tremblingly, thinking of the years they had relied on each other, and was overwhelmed with sorrow, tears streaming down uncontrollably.

Feeling the wrenching pain in his abdomen, his sorrow transformed into hatred, as he looked up at the Assistant General and said, "You all just wait, Zhao Hanzhang will not spare you, definitely will not spare you!"

The Assistant General, seeing Zhao Zhongyu vomiting blood incessantly, felt some dread but still vowed bitterly, "Then it will be you who die first before she arrives!"

"This is Xiongnu, our Great General is wise and invincible, even Zhao Hanzhang would have to retreat upon meeting our general!"

Anger surged in the emperor’s chest, wracking him with pain throughout his body, he vomited blood with a ’whoop.’

Zhao Zhongyu could no longer speak, grasping his hand tightly, "Your Majesty need not argue with them, the Jin State has a new Crown Prince established, with Hanzhang present, Jin will not perish, and these Xiongnu are forever traitorous rebels."

The emperor nodded in agreement, and death was not as terrifying as he imagined; with just this word, he suddenly got used to the pain and accepted his own death.

To die is not to be the ruler of a ruined country.

Cradling Zhao Zhongyu, the emperor slowly closed his eyes, and at the moment his hand fell, Zhao Zhongyu smiled slightly and closed his eyes as well.

The Jin Ministers hurried over at the commotion, seeing the two had died, they immediately burst into tears, "Your Majesty——"

An Garden was filled with weeping all at once.

The Assistant General had tolerated them for long enough, and driven past endurance by the wailing, drew his blade and slaughtered the endlessly lamenting individuals.

When Liu Cong learned, Jin Ministers in An Garden were half killed. He stopped the Assistant General, but didn’t punish him harshly, merely ordered him to reflect behind closed doors.

These loudly grieving Jin Ministers obviously yearned for the Jin State, with the emperor dead, even if they surrendered to the Xiongnu, they wouldn’t be sincere; dead are dead.

Liu Cong didn’t care much about this matter but didn’t realize it was noted by the surviving Jin Ministers, who passed notes back to the Central Plains.

The Central Plains aristocracy received this information, deeply grieved, they passionately joined the Zhao Family Army. At that time, all dignity of the aristocracy was disregarded.

"If the skin is gone, what can the will attach to?" With survival not guaranteed, who could spare the spirit to mind Zhao Hanzhang’s slight of aristocratic pride?

Therefore, let her reduce preferential treatment for the aristocracy, for now, driving out foreign enemies is paramount.