Traveling through an ancient military camp: Bao'er's survival song

Peng Zizheng felt deep remorse while he suddenly rushed to protect the emperor.

An emperor, upon seeing anyone suddenly approach, should first react by fleeing. But the emperor just now remained relaxed and showed no fear throughout.

This is an emperor's trust in his ministers.

It was also an emperor's trust in a military general who held significant military power in the southwest.

Steam rises from the hot spring pool.

The young emperor remained completely unguarded and open, showing no concern whatsoever that his long-lost childhood friend could easily snap his neck.

Peng Zizheng felt extremely guilty.

"Your Majesty, I...I have lived in constant fear and trembling for the past nine years..."

“Brother Luo, you don’t need to explain to me. I don’t blame you.” The young emperor stopped Peng Zizheng from speaking. “I have been the crown prince since childhood, learning the art of emperorship, but walking the path of loneliness. Everyone in the world says that my ascension to the throne was legitimate and natural, but they don’t know that I have no brothers, no friends, and no relatives on this path. I am not a saint; I also have emotions and desires. Brother Luo, you are the only person on this path to whom I can wholeheartedly devote my emotions. I am not angry that you do not trust me, but it will hurt me…”

"His Majesty……"

"Brother Luo, why do you harbor such malice towards the Grand Tutor and Eighth Brother?" The young emperor finally asked this question.

Without further hesitation, amidst the rising steam, Peng Zizheng recounted to the young emperor the scene of the massacre of the entire Luo family, including the private encounter between the beautiful Consort Chen and the young Grand Tutor under that big tree at noon that day.

"You mean, the massacre of the entire Luo family was caused by you knowing palace secrets and being silenced?"

"This is the only possibility, Your Majesty."

"Are you sure that the person you called 'teacher' was Wu Peng'en?"

"His voice was too soft at the time, and I did not hear it."

The emperor pondered for a long time in the hot spring before rising from his bath. Peng Zizheng quickly grabbed a cotton towel from the side and wrapped it around the emperor's body.

The emperor summoned palace maids to dress the two men properly, and led Peng Zizheng to a spot in the palace. He lightly touched a spot on the wall, and a hidden compartment opened, revealing a treasure cabinet that covered an entire wall. He pulled out a scroll and handed it to Peng Zizheng, saying, "Take a look."

When Peng Zizheng opened it, he was immediately struck by the densely packed records of Grand Tutor Wu's daily life. He glanced at the emperor in surprise, then excused himself and chose a table to read it carefully under the lamp.

The emperor ignored him and went to his inner chamber to sleep.

Peng Zizheng spent two full hours studying this scroll. He even reread certain sections repeatedly until his eyes were blurry and he was utterly exhausted. Finally, he put down the scroll, his eyes sore, and muttered to himself, "Impossible...impossible...if it wasn't him, who else could it be?"

Peng Zizheng clutched the scroll, attempting to find the emperor, but was told by the eunuch that His Majesty had already gone to sleep. He held the scroll, neither leaving the palace nor following the eunuch to his bedside. He sat there all night, his eyes stinging with tears.

……

As dawn broke, Liu Xu, with the help of eunuchs and palace maids, got up and dressed, preparing to attend the morning court.

Ruifu reported softly, "Your Majesty, General Peng is still outside; he hasn't slept all night."

Liu Xu seemed unsurprised. After everything was settled, he left the inner room, took the scroll from Peng Zizheng who was sitting there listlessly, and stopped Peng Zizheng from speaking: "I will not tell you anything until you have slept for two hours."