Ascending, Do Not Disturb!

Chapter 86: Immortal

In the spring of the tenth year of Jinghong, an unknown plague spread. Emperor Jinghong sent multiple cohorts of imperial doctors from the imperial hospital and also sent officials to respectfully invite famed doctors from among the people, yet the plague could not be stopped and even showed signs of spreading.

In front of the plague, each person was in danger and no one walked on the streets. Even the most prosperous city of Jing was more desolate than usual. Whenever someone coughed or sneezed, the passersby would anxiously flee, afraid that if they were slow, they would become infected.

Even though Emperor JInghong sent famed doctors and medicines to the disaster area, as the plague grew out of control, some rumors started to spread. For example, Emperor Jinghong did not obtain his throne rightfully, so the heavens sent a punishment for the people to suffer.

Others said that when Immortal Kong Hou was in Emperor Jinghong’s palace, the emperor and empress abused her and starved her. She had to embroider to midnight and was frequently cursed at and beaten. The common people did not know how the important people in the palace lived. They could only think of Kong Hou as a young girl who was being abused by a stepfather or stepmother and pitied her.

The people in areas without the plague hid in their houses, cursed the present emperor for being ungenerous—oneself drank meat porridge and put three spoonfuls of oil in his noodles, but was not willing to let Immortal Kong Hou eat any leftovers. They had just managed to have a few good years, and now they were in misfortune again.

The rumors reached the ears of the officials. These officials did not dare to report this, and only mentioned that “the people were angry” in their reports. Emperor Jinghong knew the rumors were flowing among the people, but this was not the time to haggle about that. He also had no way of haggling about it.

In these days, he invited famed doctor, gathered medicines, and even wrote a statement of his own crimes to burn in sacrifice to the heavens. But the plague still did not ease. Emperor Jinghong appeared fragile after being unable to eat or sleep for a few days. But on the second day of the fourth month of Jinghong Year Ten, he had to start washing and burning incense at three in the morning. He wore black dragon robes and walked, pausing every three steps, and bowing every nine, without riding his carriage or having the support of his attendants, to come in front of the altar the Astronomy Bureau had set up.

The altar had been built overnight by the Astronomy Bureau, the Department of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Works together. While it lacked some magnificence, it had all the parts it needed.
“Father Emperor.” The crown prince saw Emperor Jinghong’s fragile complexion and went up to help him. Emperor Jinghong pushed him away. “No need.”

When one asked the gods, they had to be sincere. He and Ji Kong Hou already had old grudges between them. If he was not polite at the altar, he feared that Kong Hou would be even less willing to appear. When he ascended the immortal altar, Emperor Jinghong picked up his robes and knelt down.

“Father Emperor!”

The imperial sons saw Emperor Jinghong kneel down and reacted strongly. Their omnipotent father unexpectedly knelt down like this?

“Do not make noise in front of the altar!” The crown prince’s expression was not good. But thinking of the people who were in hopelessness, he gritted his teeth and knelt down as well. The deposed emperor had shoved the people into fire. He and Father Emperor overthrowing the Ji Family was not wrong.

But why were the heavens so unfair? Ever since Father Emperor took the throne, he worked hard, uprooting corrupting, executing fraudulent officials. He had the people live good and happy lives, and did not violate the path of a ruler. Why did the heavens not tolerate this?