Chapter 13: Forced to usurp the throne

"Who are you? What's wrong with me?"

The dead soul of Lu Tong, glowing with a cold gray light, was staring blankly in front of Ling Jun and Zhengze, asking questions in a daze.

"I am Zhengze, Sir Lu Xingjun, the subordinate of Emperor Wenchang. Lu Tong, you have died from the punishment of being struck by thunder from the sky . " Zhengze said solemnly.

Lu Tong was shocked.

"I am Yunzhongjun, who controls the wind and clouds in the heaven." Ling Jun raised his hand excitedly beside Zhengze .

Zhengze glanced at Lingjun and continued to talk to Lu Tong: "Lu Tong, you are greedy for power and wealth, and bring harm to the people. Your crime cannot be punished. Heavenly Court specially sent me to arrest you."

"Is there really...a heavenly...god?" Lu Tong's eyes widened in shock.

"Lu Tong, do you still remember that you released a little golden carp on the East China Sea ten years ago?" Zhengze asked leisurely.

"Ten years ago..." Lu Tong fell into memories, and for a moment, he suddenly realized, "Yes, ten years ago when I passed through the East China Sea, I indeed rescued a little golden carp from a fisherman. The golden carp was really beautiful and full-bodied. Jin Lin is like real gold, so I am deeply impressed. But what does this have to do with what I am doing today?”

"That little golden carp is the grandson of the Dragon Emperor of the East China Sea. Ten years ago, the little dragon grandson sneaked out of the Dragon Palace to play and was caught by a fisherman at sea. You accidentally saved his life. The Dragon Clan of the East China Sea is grateful for your kindness, so it secretly helped you pass the imperial examination. , The official fortune will be prosperous," Zhengze said.

Lin'er, this little guy, is worthy of being the crown prince of the East China Sea. Even the way he was rescued is exactly the same.

"So... you mean that the reason why I have risen to prominence over the years is because I have received favor from the Dragon Clan?" Lu Tong's originally ashen face turned as white as paper.

Zheng Ze nodded slightly: "Otherwise, with your talent and original destiny, you wouldn't have achieved what you have today."

"Ha, haha, I have been able to reach this point without any obstacles for so many years. I thought it was me... it was me... but it turned out to be... hahahaha—— "

Lu Tong laughed so hard that he was almost crazy. It is indeed ironic that people who least believe in destiny, gods and ghosts, end up getting rich and dying because of divine destiny.

"Lu Tong, you should know that the law of heaven is clear. There will always be blue eyes in the sky watching over everything you do." Lingjun felt that at this moment, he needed to emphasize the correct outlook on life and promote the purpose of heaven.

Zhengze glanced at Lingjun and continued to Lu Tong: "Now that you have been punished by the thunder, it is time to follow the messenger from the underworld to the underworld to wait for your fate."

"You will be thrown into the animal realm, and you will never be able to escape forever. Alas, why bother being greedy and provoking heaven . " Ling Jun shook his head and sighed.

Lu Tong remained unmoved, as if still immersed in shock.

"Quickly, you teams will follow me out of the palace, and quickly arrest the traitor members and hold them accountable!" There was a sharp shout from below, and soon the sound of waves of soldiers stamping on the ground faded away.

"Qinghe!" Lu Tong woke up suddenly, grabbed Zhengze's sleeve and asked repeatedly, "Great Immortal, what will happen to my daughter, my wife and my daughter?"

Zheng Ze took out his sleeves, as if he was too lazy to answer, grabbed Lu Tong, and Teng Yun flew towards the dock. Lingjun hurriedly flew up to follow him.

As expected, Lu Tong was cunning and had raised his troops to rebel. He was afraid of changes along the way, so he secretly transported his wife and daughter to a small inn near the dock a few days in advance and hid them secretly , and sent his confidants to guard them carefully. If he succeeds in seizing the throne, he will welcome his wife and daughter into the palace; if he fails in seizing the throne, his confidants will quickly take his wife and daughter to the sea to escape for their lives.

The imperial army chasing the traitors in the palace were chasing them not far away.

As soon as Lu Tong's wife and daughter stepped onto the ship's deck, the accompanying guards were about to cut off the rope and sail out to sea. The imperial army in hot pursuit suddenly pulled the rope, boarded the ship and captured Lu Tong's wife, daughter and them in a few moments. Surrounded by subordinates.

" You bitch , you dare to run away to the sea, which makes it easy for me to chase you!" A strong officer in the lead slapped Mrs. Lu Tong, who was protecting her daughter, and knocked her down.

"My lord, I beg you to let my daughter go. She is still young and doesn't understand anything. Please arrest only one member of the slave family and bring him back for questioning. Please..." Mrs. Lu Tong knelt on the ground and rushed in front of her. People kowtowed.

"It's too late! Forcing the palace to rebel is a treasonous act. You, the Lu family, have not done anything to implicate the nine clans. How can you let the daughter of the Lu thief go! Get her!"

"Mother, mother--" The young Qing He didn't know what the adults were doing, so he just ran desperately towards his mother, who was the closest to him. However, he was pushed to the ground by a soldier, and then he was thrown on his shoulders and carried off the boat. .

"Qinghe, Qinghe, let go of my daughter——" Mrs. Lu Tong was pushed to the ground by several other soldiers. Her hair was in disarray and she cried hoarsely.

"Ha, this Lu Thief's daughter looks pretty good, tender and tasty. We will have new fun in the Yuehua Building from now on."

"This old lady still has her charm. I really want to take care of her business in the future."

"Hahaha--"

Yuehualou is the Hualou brothel next to Qingyangguan, the brothel where Liansheng once sold himself . Yuehua Tower and Qingyang Pavilion are both run by officials, and most of the prostitutes and hustlers they take in are the relatives of criminal officials and thieves . The business has been prosperous for hundreds of years, and it can be said that the "Sun and Moon" of Hangzhou City.

Lu Tong looked down and his eyes were about to burst :

"Great Immortal, please save my wife and daughter! It's all my fault. I have nothing to do with my wife and daughter. Please save them! I beg you! My daughter Qinghe is still so young, she can't …”

Lu Tong knelt straight and walked all the way to Zhengze, hugged Zhengze's legs, cried and begged.

Zheng Ze was unmoved and said in a deep voice: "You have done too many evil things and despised heaven. Your wife and daughter will be implicated by you forever and ever. It is their fate that your wife will become a bustard and your daughter will become a prostitute ."

Lu Tong's face turned pale and he collapsed to the ground.

"Ghost Lu Tong, don't stay here, follow us back to the underworld to face the crime!" The ghost from the underworld, who didn't know when he would arrive, said impatiently on the side and wanted to mess with Lu Tong.

Unexpectedly, Lu Tong broke away from the hook and still cried and begged:

"Great Immortal, I beg you not to take retribution on my wife and daughter. I beg you, please put all the retribution on me. These are all sins committed by me alone and have nothing to do with them... …”

Seeing that Zhengze was silent, Lu Tong knelt down and kowtowed in front of Lingjun, saying in pain:

"This little fairy, I beg you, I beg you to be merciful and spare my wife and daughter. I will repay your kindness by giving birth to a little one as a cow or a horse..."

Uh, why is it that Zhengzhe is the "Great Immortal" there, but when he comes here, he becomes the "Little Immortal"?

"There is no future life..." Zhengze suddenly said:

"If you want your wife and daughter to be safe and sound in the future, you can only pay for their sins by suffering the death penalty of being wiped out in ashes."

Lingjun looked at Zhengze in surprise—to be wiped out in ashes would mean that there would no longer be the existence of Lu Tong as a person or soul in this world or in the next lifetimes.

There is no torture more cruel than the direct obliteration of one's own existence.

Unexpectedly, Lu Tong agreed immediately and kowtowed to Zheng Ze and Ling Jun while crying and laughing:

"Thank you so much, the great immortal, and thank you so much, the little immortal. As long as I can protect the health of my wife and daughter for the rest of my life, I won't hesitate to dispose of my little one in ashes!"

"Xingjun, if you do this, it will be difficult for me to deal with the emperor when I go back." Gouhun looked at Zhengze in embarrassment.

"It doesn't matter. I will go to the underworld in person to explain the situation to Emperor Fengdu some other day . I won't cause any trouble to you," Zhengze said.

"That's good, that's good..." He couldn't help but nodded.

"Lu Tong, although you and your wife are lovers in this life, and you and your daughter are father and daughter, in the next life you will go separate ways and never know each other. Is it worth it for you?" Ling Jun couldn't help but ask.

Lu Tong raised his head, his arrogant and cold face was now soaked with tears and turned into a withered color:

"I don't care about the next life. In this life, as long as they are my wife and daughter, I will take good care of them. This is my promise and my persistence."

"It's gone to ashes, don't you feel sorry for yourself, don't you feel pity for yourself?" Lingjun refused to give up.

"I'm very happy."

Lu Tong smiled with tears in his eyes.

This smile hit Lingjun's heart hard——

Are you really so unapologetic? Even if it only lasts a lifetime, even if we never see each other again...

Lingjun turned his eyes and looked at the long and tall Zhengze beside him. The evening wind blew his long black hair, his clothes were flying, and he almost wanted to ride the wind back under the cold moonlight.

Lingjun held Zhengze's hand tightly.

Whether you ignore him or get angry with him, no matter what , he will never let go of this person.

In this life, forever and ever, I will grow old with you.

Zhengze looked at Lingjun strangely and wanted to pull his hand away, but Lingjun tightened his grip and raised his eyebrows provocatively. Zhengze frowned and let Lingjun hold on to his hand.

Lingjun lowered his head and looked at the hand intertwined with Zhengze's fingers, and smiled like a feline cat.

My wife’s hands are so smooth and long , and the thin calluses feel really unique...

Zheng Ze raised his hand, and the officers and soldiers who had just restrained Lu Tong's wife and daughter suddenly had their eyes glazed over. They put down Lu Tong's wife and daughter as if they had completed the order, and then trot away in formation.

With another wave of his hand, Lu Tong's wife, daughter, and several close subordinates had fallen asleep on the deck. The rope was disconnected, and the ship carrying all Lu Tong's concerns rode the waves away under the moonlight.

"They will never remember you from now on. Go to a new place and live again." Zheng Ze looked at Lu Tong with cold eyes and said calmly.

Lu Tong smiled. In that smile, there was gratitude, regret, sadness, and deep attachment and reluctance.

"Immortal, thank you for your help."

Lu Tong's soul dissipated little by little under the moonlight, and finally completely disappeared into the bright night sky, no longer existing.

A small red heart-shaped stone passed through the cool night wind and slowly landed in Zhengze's palm.

Seeing that the matter was over, the seductress from the underworld left and returned to the underworld.

Zheng Ze lowered his head and seemed to be thinking.

Lingjun looked at the selfless heart left by Lu Tong and said:

"Only now do I understand that being a parent requires such dedication and carelessness."

Zhengze glanced at Lingjun and said, "Be kinder to Lin'er from now on."

"What do you mean I should be nice to Lin'er ?" Lingjun put his arm around Zhengze's waist, "Daughter-in-law, don't you need to be nice to Lin'er ?"

"Ouch——" Lingjun screamed miserably when his waist hurt .

"Don't call me that. I have nothing to do with you." Zhengze left Lingjun's arms and looked at him coldly.

Lingjun's heart stagnated , and then he smiled again:

"Okay , okay , I won't call you wife, I'll call you Xiao Zhengze, Xiao Zhengze, okay?"

"The evil spirit in the palace is very weird." Zheng Ze looked towards the direction of the palace and said seriously.

Lingjun also had a solemn look on his face: "Xiao Zhengze, do you think it could be the female slayer ..."

Zhengze and Lingjun looked at each other, their expressions darkening. Just as he was about to fly back to the palace to find out what was going on , Zigui's voice came anxiously through the dense air transmission :

"Master, the little emperor's grandson is sick and has a severe fever."