Chapter 4: The Nation's Heavy Equipment (3)

  Zaiyuan heard the Guangxu Emperor call him and hastily calmed down, responding with a single word.

  The Guangxu Emperor's throat was sweet, and the previous words had exhausted the remaining true energy in his body. He trembled and said to Zaifeng: "This tripod, the laws and regulations engraved on it, must be followed carefully, do not act rashly, keep this tripod safe, my great Qing dynasty will still have a day of flying geese and soaring to success." When the Guangxu Emperor finished speaking, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, let out a miserable cry, his body leaned back, and it seemed that he had stopped breathing. The tripod also slipped from the Guangxu Emperor's grasp and rolled down from his arms.

  Everyone who heard the Guangxu Emperor's words understood that this tripod was the supreme object that preserved the residual vitality of the Great Qing, and seeing it fall to the ground, no one did not exclaim in surprise. Zaiyuan's legs moved quickly, and he rushed over to try to catch it, but unfortunately, he missed by a finger, only touching the edge of the tripod as he watched it roll out of the Guangxu Emperor's arms onto the ground.

  He rushed to Puyi's side and Puyi, being quick-witted, immediately hugged him and pulled him into his arms.

  The Guangxu Emperor had already fallen to the ground, and Longyu couldn't bear it, rushing to his side in grief. The Guangxu Emperor's spirit was already gone. He passed away within the Forbidden City, who else could have guessed besides those present?

  Li Lianying rushed over, felt the pulse of Guangxu Emperor and let out a mournful cry: "The emperor has passed away!" Instantly everyone was in an uproar.

  Puyi still didn't know the significance of life and death, nor did he have any feelings for Emperor Guangxu. With a childlike innocence, he stared at the tripod, looked at it for a moment, then turned his head to look at Zaifeng, saying in a soft voice: "Daddy, only one dragon is shining."

  Zaizhen had long seen that the Guangxu Emperor's life was hanging by a thread, but he was not surprised or saddened. He turned his head to look at the Wu Xing Zhi Zun Sheng Wang Ding being held by Puyi, and heard Puyi say something to him. Zaizhen also knew that things were going badly, so he hastily bent down and took the ding from Puyi's arms. Indeed, the original bright red light and green light had disappeared without a trace, leaving only a faint yellow light remaining, which flickered unsteadily like a candle in the wind, shining brightly one moment and dimly the next.

  Zai Yuang was at a loss for what to do, and only heard Cixi scolding in a shrill voice: "If you're going to die, then just die! What's the point of wailing? To be able to die in front of the sacred tripod is a great blessing for Emperor Guangxu!"

  Cixi directly called the death of Guangxu Emperor as "death", which greatly violated the usual reason of the Qing palace. The people who were kneeling around Guangxu Emperor and wailing stopped crying, staring at Cixi in shock. Cixi's face was twisted, as if she had gone mad, and she shouted in a shrill voice: "Still not protecting the sacred tripod! My great Qing dynasty is ruined by your hands, you ignorant children!"

  The crowd then abandoned Guangxu Emperor and gathered around Cixi again.

  Zaiyi held the Sacred King Tripod, not knowing whether to continue holding it himself or return it to Cixi or Puyi. For a moment, he didn't know what to do. Cixi scolded: "Zaiyi, just hold on tight!" Zaiyi repeatedly acknowledged and firmly held the tripod in his arms, and the light gradually stabilized and stopped flickering.

  "Cixi's voice was shrill as she said, 'This Five Elements Supreme Sacred Cauldron is the lifeblood of our Great Qing Dynasty. It must be protected with one's life! If you lose this cauldron while it's in your hands, from that day on, you will be the greatest sinners of the Great Qing Dynasty for all eternity, suffering in the underworld for countless generations to come! Remember that!' After finishing speaking, she began coughing violently and couldn't stop."

  Everyone prostrated themselves on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.

  As the crowd looked up, they saw that the two people who were originally standing on the high platform beside them, wearing red and green robes, had quietly walked to Cixi's side. The person in the red robe slightly bowed to Cixi and said: "Your Majesty, since the fire has been extinguished, the Yan family must leave."

  Cixi said: "Go ahead, you want to go, then go!"

  The man in red robes slightly bowed and said, "Thank you, Empress Dowager! If the fire spirit lantern shines again, the Yan family will return to guard this cauldron." The man in red robes finished speaking and walked towards Zai Yu. Zai Yu was startled, hugged the cauldron tightly, and scolded, "Who are you? What kind of reasoning is this, coming and going as one pleases?"

  The man in red didn't answer, stretched out his hands, and without touching Zai Yu's body, he quickly grasped something in the air and then spread open his hand. On one of his hands was a bead. Zai Yu was shocked, looked down, and saw that the two beads from the dragon's mouth had disappeared. He didn't see how the man in red had taken the two beads from the dragon's mouth.

  The man in the red robe laughed and said, "Someone will naturally tell you later." After he finished speaking, he turned around, flicked the pearl in his left hand towards the man in the green robe. The man in the green robe stretched out his hand to receive it, grasped it tightly, slightly nodded his head towards Cixi, and then departed directly.

  The man in red said to Cixi: "The Lin family is eccentric, Your Majesty please forgive them." After that, he turned around and walked away.

  Cixi neither stopped nor blocked him, but hung her head and remained silent.

  Zai Yu was a member of the royal family, and he had never been treated with such disrespect. Even if these people didn't know their place, they still shouldn't have humiliated him like this. Zai Yu couldn't bear it anymore, so he suddenly stood up, pointed at the backs of the two men and cursed: "You dare to be so insolent! The imperial power is above all, how can you be so presumptuous?! Guards! Take these two down!"

  The four sword-wielding guards kneeling on the ground had already risen to their feet, drawn their waist knives, and charged forward in a few swift strides. These guards were all top-notch Manchu experts, with exceptional skills and unwavering loyalty, having been through numerous battles. Now they revealed their true abilities, with fierce killing intent flashing in their eyes as they raised their knives, pointing directly at the two figures clad in red and blue robes.

  Cixi let out a shrill cry: "How dare you! Get back!" The four guards, hearing Cixi's words, immediately softened and retreated to one side with their heads bowed, as meek as sheep.

  "Your Majesty! They..."

  Cixi said: "Do you know what they are? They are masters of the Five Elements Sect. Can these ordinary guards stop them?"

  Zai Yu did not speak, and angrily retreated to one side.

  The man in the red robe smiled and said, "Thanks to Empress Dowager for sparing my life!" He continued walking without stopping, and the man in the blue robe followed him out of the hall. The masked men wearing red and blue clothes also left the hall completely.