Chapter 36 Palace Coup

Another year has passed in the blink of an eye, and this winter was particularly cold.

New Year's Eve had just passed, and the palace lanterns had not yet been taken down, but a sense of oppression had already enveloped the entire imperial city.

Since the incident of vomiting blood, Emperor Yuanjing's health has fluctuated. Although he has been treated by imperial physicians for more than a year, he still shows signs of exhaustion.

After the New Year, he began to be bedridden, sometimes delirious and sometimes conscious.

The Empress attended to the ailing Emperor, but Ling Wei heard that the Imperial Hospital was helpless, saying only that His Majesty had been worrying too much and that his health was extremely poor.

Although the Empress reprimanded the Imperial Medical Academy and blocked the news, Ling Wei believed that the most crucial moment was approaching.

She also received a secret letter from the princess. These days, she had been on duty at the palace administration office under the pretext of being busy with official business. She also arranged for Xiaoyao and Li Mama to stay at a house in the suburbs of the Gu family, under the pretext that she was not there and that they could go on vacation.

If they fail... the Lin family should make arrangements for them.

The closer it got to this point, the calmer Ling Wei became.

The talkative system also accompanied Ling Wei, waiting quietly.

On the night of the tenth day of the first lunar month, a sudden and severe snowstorm struck.

Just past midnight, a dull metallic clanging sound and faint shouts shattered the silence of the night.

Ling Wei suddenly stood up and listened intently—the sound was coming from the direction of the Qianqing Palace!

"Bang!" The gate of the Palace Administration Office was violently kicked open, and a blood-covered eunuch stumbled in, his face full of panic: "Lord Ling...Lord Ling! It's terrible! The Second Prince...the Second Prince has led troops into the palace! He says that the Empress is plotting against His Majesty and he wants to purge the court of corrupt officials! He's already...he's already stormed outside the Qianqing Palace!"

It's here, it's finally here.

Ling Wei's heart was pounding, but the more critical the situation, the more she forced herself to calm down.

She swiftly ordered: "Close the gates of the Palace Administration Office! No female officials or eunuchs are allowed to enter or leave at will! Bring me my token!"

She had just finished dressing when a series of hurried footsteps, accompanied by a strong stench of blood, approached.

Xie Zhuo, his black armor stained with blood, practically crashed in.

His hair was slightly disheveled, his breathing was rapid, and his eyes were bloodshot, clearly indicating that he had just escaped from a fierce battle.

"Weiwei!" He saw that she was unharmed, and a hint of relief flashed in his eyes, which then turned into deeper anxiety.

He stepped forward and hugged her tightly without saying a word. The cold iron armor hurt her, but the strength of his embrace was so hot, filled with lingering worry.

He whispered quickly in her ear, his breath hot: "Listen, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards has betrayed us! We were caught off guard! The Qianqing Palace is about to fall! Listen, if... if things get hopeless, try to get to the abandoned Lotus Garden in the Western Six Palaces. In the northwest corner of the third rockery, there's a loose stone slab with a secret passage leading outside the palace. Remember! Protect yourself at all costs, don't be reckless!"

He spoke very quickly, and after finishing, he gave her a deep look, then turned around abruptly and waved his hand: "Imperial Guards! Follow me to protect the Emperor!"

His figure once again plunged into the hellish scene outside the door, a chaotic mix of flashing swords and screams.

The Palace Attendant is located in the northwest corner of the inner palace. It's not actually on the way from the Imperial Guard to the Palace of Cleanliness. He... came for her.

Ling Wei watched his disappearing figure, her fingertips digging into her palm.

Her mission has only just begun and cannot be shaken.

In front of the Qianqing Palace, torches flickered, illuminating the flying snow as if it were stained with blood.

Empress Xie was guarded in front of the palace gate by the remaining Imperial Guards and loyal eunuchs. Her hair was slightly disheveled, her phoenix robe was stained with blood, her face was as pale as paper, but her eyes were unusually sharp as she stared intently at the Second Prince Xiao Yu, who was riding a tall horse below the steps.

Xiao Yu, clad in full armor and wielding a blood-dripping longsword, exuded confidence and charisma. Consort Ning stood beside him, with a dark mass of rebel soldiers behind them.

He laughed loudly, his voice echoing across the empty palace grounds: "Empress Xie! You colluded with the Xie family to murder the Emperor, control the palace, and plot to install a young emperor and seize power. Your intentions are despicable! Today, I will purge the court of your corrupt advisors!"

"Nonsense!" The Empress trembled with rage, but her voice remained calm as she tried her best to remain composed. "Xiao Yu! You led troops to break into the Forbidden City and held ministers at knifepoint; this is true treason! His Majesty has just passed away; how dare you do such a thing?!"

It must be said that this juncture was extremely delicate; Emperor Yuanjing had just breathed his last, and he was able to lead his troops in.

There had been no movement from Xiao Yu these past few days, and there were even rumors that he and the eldest daughter of the Minister of Revenue, Du, were having a falling out, so she lowered her guard.

She had kept the news a closely guarded secret all these days, waiting for Emperor Yuanjing to pass away and for the Empress Dowager to summon the ministers. With the Imperial Seal and the late Emperor's edict in hand, Jin'er's ascension to the throne would be a matter of course.

Now, not only has he come, but he has also "invited" some of the old ministers and relatives of the imperial family to come as well.

Those people stood trembling between the two sides, their faces pale and covered in cold sweat. Under the gleaming swords of the rebels, no one dared to utter a sound.

"A rescue?" the Empress sneered. "Is this a rescue or a coup?!"

"If it weren't for Your Majesty's efforts to block the news and prevent anyone from seeing Father, why would I have had to resort to such a desperate measure?" Xiao Yu smiled smugly and waved his hand.

A traitor grinned and threw a bloodstained child's undergarment and a shattered jade pendant with a coiled dragon on the steps.

"While searching for the rebels just now, I discovered that my fourth brother had been kidnapped by traitors and escaped, but unfortunately, he was struck by a stray arrow... Alas, I am heartbroken!" Xiao Yu shook his head, feigning sorrow. "It seems that if anything happens to Father Emperor, I will have to bear the burden of this empire. What do you all think?"

The blood-stained clothes stung everyone's eyes.

The Empress staggered and screamed, "Jin'er?!" Her eyes were bloodshot, and she almost fell down, but Xie Wei grabbed her from the side.

General Xie Wei, the Duke of Dingguo and grandfather of Xie Zhuo, was furious. His hair and beard bristled as he roared, "Second Prince! Such a clumsy trick will not fool anyone! The Fourth Prince is a lucky man; how could you possibly harm him so easily?!"

The Empress calmed down a bit. Yes, her Jin'er had been hidden away long ago; it was a trick by the other side!

"Oh?" Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow, leisurely. "Then why don't you go find him, Duke? I'll give you time. However..."

His voice suddenly turned cold, "If the Imperial Guards continue to resist, it will confirm that the Xie family conspired with the Empress and both harbored the intention to assassinate the Emperor and usurp the throne! They shall be killed without exception!"

After Xie Zhuo led his troops to the scene, the Empress's faction, which was originally at a disadvantage, was now on par with the Second Prince's forces.

However, the Second Prince did not seem anxious. Instead, he calmly told them to go and search, as if he was certain that they would not find the Fourth Prince.

To ascend the throne, one must have the right people.

The old ministers caught in the middle exchanged glances. The scales seemed to have tipped completely in favor of Xiao Yu, and the rebels' momentum grew even stronger, while the Empress's faction fell into utter despair.

The Empress forced herself to stay upright, knowing that if she collapsed, the Xie family would be finished, and everything would be over.

Her fingernails dug deep into her palms, drawing blood. Her voice was shrill and desperate as she tearfully accused him, each word dripping with blood: "Xiao Yu! You forced the emperor to abdicate, causing my father's death! Heaven and earth cannot tolerate this! When I was attending to him during his illness, His Majesty said... if anything were to happen, Jin'er is still young, so Princess Rui'an should temporarily assume the reins of government to protect the nation and uphold the country! His Majesty had foreseen this long ago!"

These words shocked everyone present.

The eldest princess is acting as regent?

Xiao Yu laughed wildly, as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world: "Hahaha! The Eldest Princess? Xiao Yue? A mere woman? Empress, have you lost your mind? A hen crowing at dawn brings ruin to the family! This is an ancient proverb! Do you want my Great Zhao Kingdom to become a laughingstock of the world?!"

"It's better than being a laughingstock who murdered his father and brother and forced his way to the throne!"

A clear and calm voice suddenly rang out, overpowering the wind, snow, and noise.