"Prime Minister Wen, do you intend to persist in your stubbornness?" Blood dripped from the太子's long sword, staining the ground littered with corpses. The ministers who refused to bow to the太子 and their families had all been ruthlessly slain by him.
"I would rather be shattered jade than intact tile!" Prime Minister Wen replied coldly. "Rebellious officials and traitors shall meet a dire end!"
"Very well, whether I meet a dire end or not, I do not know, but Prime Minister Wen, you are likely to be wiped out!" The太子’s face contorted with ferocity. He ordered Wen Mohan to be captured and dragged to the front. He walked over with his sword, placing the tip against Wen Mohan's neck. The sharp blade instantly drew a bloody line, "Prime Minister Wen, do you, like your father, prefer to be shattered jade rather than intact tile?" Su Dan Novel Network
Wen Mohan's expression remained unchanged, showing no fear. "Everyone dies eventually; it's merely a matter of sooner or later.太子, you defy the heavens, and you will ultimately face divine retribution!"
"Even if I face divine retribution, you will not have the chance to witness it!" With that, the太子 raised his sword to strike. Prime Minister Wen closed his eyes in terror. A clang echoed, and a woman shielded Wen Mohan, blocking the太子's fierce sword with a bronze candlestick!
"Yingxue!" Wen Mohan recognized Yingxue, as she was Xiao Man's personal maid.
Yingxue deflected the太子's sword and retreated, protecting Wen Mohan. "My lords, must you truly sit idly by and await your fate? The太子 is devoid of virtue and plots to usurp the throne. If he truly seizes the imperial seat, will he spare you who are privy to his actions? My lords, if we fight to the death, we may have a chance at survival. Kneeling and begging for mercy leads only to death!"
Prime Minister Wen was the first to step forward. "Better to die standing than live on one's knees!"
As Prime Minister Wen stepped forward, many immediately echoed his sentiment. He Qingyi pulled a golden hairpin from her head as a weapon. "The General's estate has received great favor from His Majesty. How could we yield to such rebels? Even as a weak woman, I shall fight to the death!"
"You dare defy heaven! Do you truly believe I dare not kill you?" The太子 was furious. "Guards, kill them!"
The Imperial Guards filed in, unsheathing their gleaming weapons. The cold glint of the blades sent shivers down spines, causing those who had just mustered the courage to fight to the death to tremble.
"Kill them!"
The guards advanced, forcing the civil and military officials and their ladies to retreat. However, the space was limited, and they could retreat no further. Unexpectedly, the guards suddenly changed direction and attacked the guards within the palace.
This sudden turn of events stunned the Empress and the太子. The Empress shrieked, "What are you doing? Are you mad? I ordered you to kill them!"
More and more guards poured into the great hall, all wearing the attire of the Imperial Guards, engaging in a chaotic melee. No one could distinguish whose men were fighting whom.
"What is going on?" The Empress and the太子 were bewildered, unable to comprehend why their men were fighting each other. "Stop! Have you lost your minds?"
"Mother Empress, it's not that they've lost their minds, but rather, they are not our men." The太子 felt a flicker of panic, but years as crown prince had instilled a degree of composure. "How can my father's men be here? Weren't they all incapacitated?"
"Weren't the Imperial Guards under control? Why are they here?"
"Where is Xu Mou? Where is Xu Mou?"
The battle in the hall intensified. The太子's men eventually gained the upper hand. The太子 breathed a sigh of relief. "We must ascend the throne as soon as possible! Anyone who disagrees, I shall kill!"
"Such arrogance!" With a stern shout, another contingent of guards stormed into the Qianqing Palace, led by Xiao Zhen!
Seeing Xiao Zhen, the Empress's unease grew, but she suppressed it and angrily rebuked, "Xiao Zhen, what do you intend to do? You dare bring troops into the palace! Are you rebelling?"
"The one rebelling is not him, but you!" A voice full of vigor echoed, causing the Empress and the太子 to freeze, turning their heads involuntarily. They saw the Emperor, accompanied by Hu Wan, emerge from the rear hall, showing no sign of illness.
"You... how... how could you..."
"How could I not be poisoned?" The Emperor's eyes were filled with coldness. "Because I knew long ago that you intended to harm me. The poison you gave me was quietly replaced by my men!"
"Impossible! How could you possibly know..." The Empress watched as Uncle Xue walked to the Emperor's side, her disbelief transforming into boundless rage. "You betrayed me! You actually betrayed me!"
Uncle Xue's expression remained calm. "Empress, Crown Prince, if you repent now, His Majesty will surely deal with you leniently. If you persist, there will be only death!"
The Empress could not believe that her own brother had betrayed her. She knew that if the太子 ascended the throne, her own niece, Uncle Xue's daughter, would become Empress, and their children would become Crown Prince. Yet, Uncle Xue had betrayed them!
"Why?" the Empress asked angrily. "Why have you done this to me?"
Uncle Xue's expression was serene. "Empress, the Xue family is loyal only to the Emperor. If anyone plots rebellion, the Xue family will show no leniency, no matter who they are!"
"Your daughter is the Crown Princess. Do you think she will fare well if the太子 falls? She will die too!"
Uncle Xue's eyes reddened, and he choked out, "She chose poorly; that is her fate. No one can be blamed!"
"The Crown Princess showed great righteousness and severed ties, so she will not be implicated by the太子," the Emperor declared. "Guards, apprehend the太子 and the Empress."
The guards of the Divine Capital Camp swiftly cut down the resisting guards and apprehended the太子 and the Empress. The Empress struggled with all her might, her hairpin falling, her coiffure disheveled. She rained curses upon Uncle Xue, and then upon the Emperor. In this moment, the Empress bore no resemblance to her former graceful and dignified self, appearing instead like a shrew from the marketplace.
The Emperor coughed. "How is the situation outside?"
"Duke Chen is outside directing the cleanup. This subordinate was concerned for His Majesty's safety and rushed to the Qianqing Palace."
The Emperor sat on his high throne, his gaze sweeping over the officials below. Faced with the sharp swords of the Empress and the太子, some of his ministers were fearless, some remained silent, and some defected to the enemy. The Emperor had long since made his plans but outwardly showed no emotion. After all, so much had happened today; if he were to make further moves, it would inevitably cause unrest. Some deserved to die, but they could not be executed publicly, lest he appear to lack magnanimity as an Emperor.
"Today's events have startled all of you, my ministers. After the rebels in the palace are cleared, you may all return home with your families."
"We thank His Majesty for his benevolence."
Beneath him, some ministers felt a gnawing unease, especially those who had switched allegiance when the situation turned unfavorable. They yearned to leave the palace and return home, fearing the Emperor's reckoning, unaware that the path home was also a path of no return.