"Consort Xian, you are audacious!" Prime Minister Yang roared, his ivory tablet almost crushing in his grip.
What was called audacious and ambitious, this was it...
The Emperor was not yet dead, and she was already climbing onto the dragon throne.
Commander Jiang stepped forward, his expressionless face stating, "Prime Minister Yang, Minister Xue, and all ministers who defy the imperial decree, please proceed!"
"Commander Jiang!" Prime Minister Yang gnashed his teeth, glaring fiercely at Commander Jiang, "I thought you were a man of integrity, an official with clean hands and upright character, but I never expected you to become Consort Xian's lackey..."
Commander Jiang's face flushed, anger surging within him, "Prime Minister Yang, do not force me to resort to violence. If you know what's good for you, leave quickly. Her Highness has important matters to attend to!"
After speaking, Commander Jiang shouted towards the hall, "Guards, escort them out!"
Moments later, a large group of guards rushed in. They wore soft armor and carried sabers, clearly prepared for battle...
"You, what are you doing?" Xue Luhai retreated two steps, pointing at Commander Jiang with a trembling finger, "Are you trying to harm court officials?"
"Minister Xue, your words are more unpleasant than flatulence," Consort Xian chuckled lightly. "You defied the imperial decree first, and I am rectifying the court afterwards. How has this turned into harming court officials? Commander Jiang, what are you waiting for? Hurry and drag them out, kill all these scums, and let capable individuals replace them..."
She thought this matter could have been postponed, but these old fools were truly ungrateful.
"As you command!"
Commander Jiang responded and was about to step forward to apprehend them when he heard a light cough from behind the screen...
Everyone was startled and turned to look.
Moments later, Emperor Cheng, clad in dragon robes, walked around the screen and slowly emerged.
Although his complexion was not good, his eyes were sharp. His weathered old face was filled with anger and killing intent, showing no sign of imminent death...
Consort Xian was stunned for a long time before reacting, her mouth agape, "Em-Emperor?"
How did you suddenly wake up?
Did you come back from the dead?
Emperor Cheng looked coldly at Consort Xian, a smile curling his lips, "Consort Xian, I am not dead, you must be very disappointed, aren't you?"
This poisonous woman, Emperor Cheng had heard every word she had just said.
Consort Xian: "..."
You know, and yet you ask.
"Em-Emperor, your concubine did not mean that. You have misunderstood your concubine..." Consort Xian stammered an explanation.
Emperor Cheng glanced at the imperial decree in her hand and asked with a smile, "Consort Xian, I don't recall writing this edict. You impersonated an imperial decree and ordered the execution of important ministers. What crime is that?"
Upon hearing this, Consort Xian's forehead was covered in sweat, and her heart was in a panic...
But then she thought that the entire palace was under her control, and she had nothing to fear. Why should she be afraid of him?
"Consort Xian, everything you said to me, I have taken to heart. Killing Heng'er, enthroning Jinfeng, and then you ruling from behind the curtain. Humph, you treat matters of state and the nation as child's play, slaughtering the innocent and harming the loyal. Don't you intend to explain yourself to me?"
Emperor Cheng became more and more enraged as he spoke, his eyes glaring, radiating killing intent...
Consort Xian blinked and suddenly smiled, "Your Majesty, am I not speaking the truth? The Great Liang you govern is riddled with holes, and the people are suffering. It would be better to have someone else manage it sooner. Besides, how do you know that Jinfeng is not suitable to be emperor?"
"So, you admit to usurping power?" Emperor Cheng asked.
Consort Xian chuckled, "You can't say it like that. Your concubine is thinking of the welfare of the common people..."
Seeing that Emperor Cheng was alive and well, Prime Minister Yang's heart, which had been in his throat, finally settled.
He broke free from the guards and rebuked, "Get lost, all of you! At this point, do you still want to serve this poisonous woman?"
The guards thought that even if they surrendered obediently, the Emperor would not spare them. It was better to follow Consort Xian to the end. If they succeeded, they could also change their humble fate...
Emperor Cheng quietly retreated a few steps, his hand reaching for a vase next to the bookshelf, and then gave Prime Minister Yang and Xue Luhai a meaningful look.
"Go, attend to the Emperor and 'take good care' of him!" Consort Xian ordered.
Just as Commander Jiang and the guards were about to escort Emperor Cheng away, he suddenly twisted the vase. The bookshelf rotated rapidly, revealing a small room inside...
Emperor Cheng shouted, "Quick, get in!"
Prime Minister Yang and Xue Luhai reacted, calling out to the other ministers, "Hurry in, hurry in!"
The others did not dare to delay and scrambled into the small room. Emperor Cheng was the last to enter. On the wall near the door was a small mechanism. Emperor Cheng pressed it slightly, and the bookshelf closed again, leaving only a shoe-box sized observation hole to watch the situation outside...
Everything happened too suddenly. By the time Consort Xian and Commander Jiang reacted, only a dozen or so traitors remained in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
"Wh-What's going on?" Consort Xian's mouth twitched, and she looked at Commander Jiang in confusion, "When did the Hall of Mental Cultivation have a secret room dug out?"
Moreover, the secret room was surrounded by walls of bronze and iron, making it impossible for anyone to enter...
Commander Jiang was also bewildered, "This subordinate does not know either!"
If Emperor Cheng was still alive, wouldn't their efforts be in vain?
"Open the secret room for me!" Consort Xian's face darkened.
Commander Jiang hesitated for a moment before walking to the vase on the bookshelf and gently twisting it...
But the secret room was as if nailed to the wall. No matter how Commander Jiang twisted it, it did not move at all.
That's right, this secret room was given to Emperor Cheng by Xiao Xi Tian.
Knowing that Consort Xian was planning a rebellion, she had made a large iron box in her space, a very thick one that swords and blades could not cut through...
Then she handed it over to Kong Xing Zhuo and had him secretly send it into the palace to protect Emperor Cheng's safety.
Emperor Cheng was also deeply touched. If they had asked craftsmen to build a secret room with extensive construction, it would surely have alerted Consort Xian.
A large iron box like this only needed to be carried in, and then connected to the bookshelf with a mechanism to escape disaster...
"Consort Xian, stop wasting your effort. Until everything is clear, I will not come out!" Emperor Cheng said, infuriating her.
Consort Xian was furious, her entire being in disarray, and she screamed, "You dog emperor, if you want to be a turtle hiding in its shell, then I won't stop you. But you have to consider Empress Xiao..."
If I can't deal with you, can't I deal with Empress Xiao?
Today, I will make that bitch die before your eyes.
"Commander Jiang, go, arrest Empress Xiao!"
"Yes!"