Chapter 127: The Emperor is Placed Under House Arrest!

At Chu Jichen's command, the guards behind him did not hesitate at all. They stepped forward and kicked open the carved vermilion gate of Jingren Palace with a loud "bang"!

The moment the doors were flung open, the utterly disgusting and absurd scene inside the hall was exposed to everyone's eyes without any cover!

Dragon robes and phoenix crowns were scattered all over the ground. On the gold brick floor, two white bodies were shamelessly entwined together. The woman's soft voice and the man's rough roar intertwined, and the decadent sounds echoed throughout the hall, making people blush!

"Ah!" Some timid noblewomen screamed in terror on the spot, quickly covering their eyes with handkerchiefs, but couldn't help but peek through their fingers.

Everyone was stunned by what they saw. Who would have thought that the emperor, the most powerful man in the land, would do such a scandalous thing with his favorite concubine in broad daylight!

Chu Jichen's face was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water. He didn't even look at the shameless couple, but coldly gave the palace maid beside him a wink.

The two palace maids understood each other, and suppressing their nausea and fear, they picked up the brocade quilts beside them and quickly went inside, trying to cover up for the emperor and Consort Shu.

But as soon as they got close, Emperor Yongming, whose eyes were bloodshot and who had already lost his mind, suddenly pushed away Consort Shu beneath him and pounced on the two young palace maids like a hungry wolf!

"Beauties! Two more beauties have arrived!" He drooled, his smile utterly lewd. "Tell me quickly, which household do you belong to? Look how beautiful you are, I must treat you well!"

The two palace maids panicked and hurriedly threw down the brocade quilts they were holding, then rushed out of the main hall.

Emperor Yongming chased after them and casually embraced the daughter of a court official standing nearby.

"ah!"

Chu Jichen said coldly, "Pull His Majesty away!"

The guards rushed forward and pulled Emperor Yongming away, but Emperor Yongming was dissatisfied and struggled wildly.

Shen Qingci buried her face even deeper in Chu Jichen's arms, but Chu Jichen raised his hand and gently patted her back. Then, turning to Emperor Yongming, his voice suddenly rose, as cold as a poisoned blade: "Your Majesty! Do you think you can just touch other people's beauties like that?!"

Emperor Yongming was no longer listening to any advice. The aphrodisiac he was under was a top-grade potent drug that Shen Qingci had specially asked Zhuque to find. Its effects were extremely strong, and the already exhausted Consort Shu was not enough to relieve his suffering!

He was used to being absurd and had long regarded all women in the world as his playthings. Upon hearing Chu Jichen's question, he burst into laughter, his voice extremely arrogant:

"I am the emperor! This entire world belongs to me! And all the beauties in the world naturally belong to me too!"

He laughed as he pointed a finger at the naked and delirious Consort Shu on the ground, his face full of smugness and pride.

"Take her for example! So what if she's the newlywed queen of Regent Chu Jichen? She's still lying beneath me, begging for my pleasure, letting me take what I want. Hahaha!"

These words caused an uproar in the audience!

Everyone was shocked to discover that the delirious emperor had mistaken Consort Shu for Regent Princess Shen Qingci!

Shen Qingci wasn't lying! His Majesty actually wanted to... humiliate her!

Shen Qingci nestled in Chu Jichen's arms, but a hint of doubt flashed quickly in her eyes.

The aphrodisiac she used was potent, but it only aroused people's desires and made them confused and infatuated, but it wouldn't make them so dizzy that they would mistake one person for another.

She looked up and met Chu Jichen's unfathomable eyes.

A thought struck her, and she stretched out her slender finger, silently writing two words on his strong chest: "It's you?"

Chu Jichen seemed to have anticipated that she would guess, and simply reached out and gently grasped her small hand that was playing around on his chest, lightly scratching her palm with his fingertips, which was taken as acquiescence.

Shen Qingci understood.

It turns out that Chu Jichen had also secretly added something to Emperor Yongming's medicine.

The crowd was already in an uproar!

The faces of all the court officials and their families turned ashen, their eyes blazing with fury!

If Emperor Yongming had only targeted Regent Princess Shen Qingci before, they could still treat it as a royal secret and watch it as a show.

But now, Emperor Yongming's words, "All the beauties in the world belong to me," were like a resounding slap in the face to everyone present!

In their families, which one doesn't have a wife, daughter, or daughter-in-law?

Emperor Yongming's words clearly implied that he regarded all their female relatives as playthings that he could enjoy at any time!

Today it can be the Regent's wife, but tomorrow, will it be their family members?

The thought that their wives and daughters might suffer the same humiliation ignited unprecedented anger and fear in everyone's hearts!

"Absurd! Utterly absurd!"

"How could Your Majesty utter such utterly foolish and immoral words!"

"What do you consider us, your subjects' wives and daughters, to be?!"

Amidst the various thoughts and discussions among the crowd, Chu Jichen finally made his move.

His face was devoid of any warmth, only a chilling coldness and murderous intent remained.

"Guards!" he ordered coldly, "Escort His Majesty back to the Taiji Palace, and summon all the imperial physicians to await his arrival!"

He paused, his voice growing even colder: "From this moment forward, His Majesty is to be placed under house arrest in the Taiji Palace! No one is permitted to visit him without my order! Anyone who disobeys will be punished for treason!"

Seeing that the Imperial Guards were about to step forward to carry out the order, Prime Minister Liu could no longer contain himself. He suddenly stepped forward and shouted sternly:

"Your Highness, Regent! Please forgive my bluntness, but what right do you... have to place His Majesty under house arrest?!"

He spoke sternly, appearing loyal to his master, but his eyes gleamed with shrewd calculation and cold light.

Chu Jichen slowly turned his head. His unfathomable phoenix eyes were devoid of any emotion, only a chilling coldness remained: "Qualifications?"

He gently stroked Shen Qingci's back in his arms, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the ears of everyone present: "Because I am the Regent, personally appointed by the late Emperor, wielding a golden whip that can be used to whip the current Emperor, and possessing the power to oversee the country and rule the country!"

"As the ruler of a country, Chu Xiao dared to commit such an outrageous and shameful act with Consort Shu in broad daylight!"

"Moreover, he dared to drug my princess, his imperial aunt, with malicious intent! Every single one of these acts is enough for me, on behalf of the late emperor, to take responsibility for disciplining him!"

"Your Highness, be careful what you say!" Prime Minister Liu retorted urgently, his face ashen. "His Majesty's health is of utmost importance. Anyone with discerning eyes could see that he had been tricked by a villain and drugged!"

"Instead of thoroughly investigating who dared to lay such a hand on His Majesty, Your Highness is immediately placing His Majesty under house arrest to silence public opinion. Could it be that Your Highness has something to hide and is feeling guilty?"

His words were clearly implying that it was Chu Jichen who drugged the emperor!

Upon hearing this, Chu Jichen didn't get angry but instead laughed, a laugh filled with icy shards: "Guilty? Why would I need to be guilty?"

"Your Excellency is right!" he said, but his eyes grew even colder. "The person who poisoned us must be investigated! And thoroughly investigated!"

"We must not only find out what kind of drug His Majesty was given, but also who administered it."

Chu Jichen's gaze was like a sharp blade, shooting straight at Prime Minister Liu. "Furthermore, we must find out who has tricked my queen! Who drugged her in Jingren Palace!"

He held Shen Qingci in his arms, slowly turned his wheelchair, glanced around at the crowd of people with varying expressions, and his voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable authority:

"Issue my decree!"

"From this moment forward, completely seal off Jingren Palace! Arrest every single palace maid, eunuch, and matron within the palace, and imprison them in the Censorate for severe interrogation!"

"I want to see just how audacious someone is, to the point of reaching the heavens!"