Chapter 116 Entering the Capital

Danying walked forward, put a handkerchief on her hand, picked up the monkey's head that had fallen into a pool of blood, and gently smoothed the hair on its face to the sides.

Now, everyone present saw the monkey's appearance clearly: a broad and flat forehead, deep eye sockets, and dull eyes filled with fear. Add to that the short and thick nose, and if you ignore the rough hair on its cheeks, it looks exactly like the current emperor Zhao Chun!

The officials gasped in shock. The emperor...how could the emperor become such a horrible state?

Danying saw the surprise and suspicion in their eyes and said coldly, "The emperor contracted this strange disease shortly after ascending the throne. If Your Majesty hadn't handled government affairs on his behalf during the previous dynasty, how could the court have survived to this day? I'm afraid that once this news gets out, those traitors will rise up in rebellion!"

Everyone was in a daze. Although they thought this was too bizarre, the emperor's head was right in front of them, so they had to accept the fact.

Danying wrapped the handkerchief around the monkey's head and glanced at the ministers. "Our country has its own laws. You have murdered the emperor and disrespected the empress dowager. You deserve the death penalty. Guards, take him down now!"

As soon as these words fell, the ministers immediately became agitated, and the Minister of Personnel was so frightened that he fell to the ground.

He knew very well that Empress Dowager Chi had a cruel temper and would kill male ministers at will. Now that he had committed such a heinous crime, he was afraid that he would never be able to atone for it even if he died a thousand times.

Therefore, when the guards came forward to hold him down, even though he was trembling with fear, he still struggled desperately and argued loudly for himself:

"I am innocent! How could the emperor turn into a monkey out of nowhere? It must be you, the women, who cast a spell on him. It wasn't me who murdered the emperor, it was you, Empress Dowager Chi!"

Witchcraft is a very serious accusation.

It is said that a long time ago, there was a group of women who abused their power and were dictatorial. They were ambitious, cruel and ruthless. They used witchcraft to confuse the people and harmed the emperor and ministers. They climbed to the pinnacle of power several times. People called it the disaster of witchcraft.

Later, in order to prevent the same mistakes from happening again, rulers of successive dynasties severely punished all witches. Gradually, these so-called "witches" and "witchcraft" disappeared in the long river of history along with their names.

When the officials present heard the words of the Minister of Personnel, their expressions changed and they cast questioning glances at Empress Dowager Chi and the secretary beside her.

It was also at this time that they noticed that there was one person missing from Empress Dowager Chi's side.

Lingqiong.

Where did the commander of the Yiluansi who had always been by Empress Dowager Chi go when she was not guarding the city at Nan'an Gate?

The soldiers and civilians under the city were dumbfounded after witnessing such a secret of the royal family.

"Oh my god, our emperor is actually a monkey. Why are we still defending the city? We might as well just open the city gates and welcome Princess Fuguang in!"

"How can that be? Didn't you hear that gentleman say that this was a sorcery performed by Empress Dowager Chi?"

"That's right. Princess Fuguang and those female soldiers might also be witches. Prince Yue was killed by their witchcraft. If we let them into the city, wouldn't that be inviting a wolf into the house?"

"It would be better for us to have a monkey as emperor than to accept the rule of a woman!"

“…”

People hold different opinions and argue endlessly.

On the other side, Zhao Mingyue, who was far outside the city, had no idea what was happening on the city wall. She could only vaguely see Chi Lu's figure and guess the other party's response strategy in her heart.

In her impression, Chi Lan was always calm and composed, as if everything was within her expectations.

Zhao Mingyue couldn't imagine Chi Lun's panic. She was even a little scared, afraid that Chi Lun had already laid a trick up her sleeve and was waiting for her.

Perhaps, when A Niang asked her to join the rebel alliance, she had already anticipated this day.

If this is true, can she really capture the capital?

————

Chi Qi looked at the officials who appeared to be timid but were actually strong, and raised the corners of her mouth slightly.

The witchcraft disaster... After so many years, men still only know this trick.

It's a pity that she is indeed a bad person who has done all kinds of bad things.

She likes to be in control of the overall situation and enjoys the feeling of a cold blade piercing her flesh. In this world, only blood can warm her cold heart.

She doesn't care about emotions, righteousness, morality... They are just tools for her to achieve her goals.

If the relationship doesn't work for her, then throw it away.

If benevolence and righteousness cannot be used by her, then she will trample on them.

If morality doesn't work for her, rewrite it.

Chi Li, who knew her own limitations, was certain that she could not be the ruler of a country.

Because she doesn't have the patience or the interest to govern this terrible country.

She prefers to destroy rather than save.

Just like these male ministers who were complaining here, she had already thought of how they would die.

Lingqiong, it should be here soon.

Chi Qi turned her head to look towards the city, and saw Ling Qiong walking towards her with a group of people.

The Minister of Personnel and those officials who had been making convincing arguments immediately changed their expressions when they saw this group of people.

"Queen Mother Chi, do you think you can force us to obey you by kidnapping our wives and daughters? Don't even think about it!"

The people Ling Qiong brought with her were their wives and daughters. The male officials found it ridiculous. If Empress Dowager Chi had captured their sons, they would still have some reservations. But as for their wives and daughters, they could still be remarried even if they died. How could they possibly threaten them?

Just as he was thinking about it, Ling Qiong and others had already passed the crowd and climbed onto the city wall.

The Minister of Personnel had been detained, but he still showed off his power and shouted at the women, "What are you women doing here? Are you going to attack us without even seeing the enemy?"

Uncharacteristically, the woman raised her head, looked directly at him, and shouted, "I'm here to denounce you! I'm suing the Minister of Personnel. He's brutal, beating and killing servants over a disagreement, mistreating his wife and daughter, and taking bribes, perverting the law, and exploiting the people!"

She clenched her fists, her chest heaving, and sternly exposed the sins her man had committed one by one.

The other officials were stunned, and the soldiers and civilians under the city were also shocked. Is this woman crazy?

Chi Yu walked up to the Minister of Personnel and looked at him coldly, "Is what she said true?"

The Minister of Personnel showed an offended look on his face. He swallowed nervously and was about to scold her for "talking nonsense", but the tone of his voice changed when he uttered it.

"Yes, what she said is true. I also bought and sold official positions and embezzled 200 million silver coins during my tenure!"

After he finished speaking, he covered his mouth in panic. How could he have said the truth?

The people in the city were suddenly in an uproar. When they heard that he had embezzled 200 million silver coins, they became even more emotional and started cursing at him. If the soldiers had not stopped them, they would have rushed up to beat him.

Empress Dowager Chi looked at the panicked expression of the Minister of Personnel, a hint of a sneer curled up at the corner of her mouth, and she bowed her head slightly. In a voice that only he could hear, she said, "You must be very confused now. Why did you speak the truth uncontrollably? Because I used witchcraft on you!"

The Minister of Personnel was horrified. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart. He looked up in surprise and saw Chi Li slowly pulling out the dagger stuck in front of him, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Next."

The outraged crowd immediately applauded.

Seeing this, the remaining officials turned around and tried to escape, but they were surrounded by Yiluansi guards and had nowhere to escape.

The women trapped in the backyard finally had a day to express the anger and unwillingness buried deep in their hearts. They were not frightened by the blood, but when they saw the frightened and timid eyes of the men, they rekindled their hope for life.

"I want to report the Minister of Revenue for forcing a woman..."

"I want to report the Imperial Censor for bullying the weak..."

“…”

The ministers wanted to argue, but their tongues seemed to have lost control, and every word they said was an admission of their guilt.

This made them extremely frightened, and they wanted to sew their mouths shut with needle and thread.

Chi Li's voice was icy. "With a bunch of parasites like you in the imperial court, how can it possibly not perish? Today, I will grant your wish and allow you to serve this glorious country with your final act of loyalty."

He turned to look at Ling Qiong, opened his thin lips slightly, and uttered a few words lightly, then sentenced the ministers to death, "Hang them on the city wall, let them open their eyes and see how the Darong Dynasty is destroyed."

The ministers' faces were pale, as if they had lost all their strength, their legs trembled uncontrollably, and they were almost paralyzed.

"No! No! I was wrong, I am guilty, I will never dare to do it again, Your Majesty... Your Majesty... please forgive me..."

Ling Qiong waved her hand, and the guards came forward, grabbed them, put the ropes that had been prepared long ago around their necks, tied the other end to the city wall, and pushed them down.

Crackling, clacking sounds of broken collarbones rang out one after another, and some people did not die immediately. They struggled desperately by grabbing the ropes with their hands, making indistinct cries that were unbearable to listen to.

But after listening to their statements about the crimes they had just committed, no one present could sympathize with their deaths.

After doing all this, Chi Yan restrained her gaze and said in a serious tone, "Very good, next, open the city gate!"

Outside the city, Princess Fuguang's army was anxiously waiting for the order to attack the city.

Suddenly, they observed dozens of people jumping down from the opposite city wall. They thought that the imperial court was going to launch a counterattack, but those people just hung in the air and refused to come down, and some were even kicking their legs.

They were stunned.

The war hadn't even started yet, so why did the court minister hang himself?

Just as they were shocked, a huge roar was heard. They looked and saw the heavy city gate slowly rising under the action of the noose, opening the way into the city for them.

The imperial court surrendered without a fight.

The soldiers were overjoyed, and at this time, the order to attack the city was finally given.

"The princess has issued an order: the imperial court has surrendered, the capital will fall without a fight, the army will enter the city in three directions, and they are not allowed to harass or rob the civilians!"

"Yes, as ordered!" the soldiers answered in a loud voice.

Zhao Mingyue led the army into the capital from Nan'an Gate. Lingqiong led the Yiluansi to greet them at the city gate. "Your humble servants respectfully welcome the princess."

Zhao Mingyue was very happy to see her because it meant that opening the city gate was definitely Chi Luo's order.

She personally helped Lingqiong up and asked anxiously, "Where's my mother?"

Ling Qiong took a half step back and said respectfully, "Her Majesty has already left the capital. She had anticipated this day and had prepared a retreat for herself. She hopes the princess won't go looking for her and disturb her. But she has a message for me to deliver to the princess."

Zhao Mingyue's heart sank to the bottom in an instant. As expected, her mother didn't even want to see her anymore.

But she remained calm. "Tell me, what did you say?"

Ling Qiong looked up at her, her eyes sparkling. "Princess, do you still remember that at the Nanyang hunting ground, His Majesty said he would give you a deer as a gift?"

Zhao Mingyue was stunned for a long while before she recalled the hunting game in the Nanyang hunting ground that year.

She murmured, "Yes, I remember, at that time, I was frightened by a deer and fell down..."

"Now, the deer is in the princess's hands." Ling Qiong raised her hands high, holding a green jade seal in her palms.

In an instant, Zhao Mingyue's head buzzed, like fireworks exploding.

It turned out that from the very beginning, A Niang was ready to hand the world over to her.

And that deer is the one that is competing for the world's throne!

Zhao Mingyue gritted her teeth and tried to suppress her emotions, but her eyes eventually became moist.

She took the jade seal, gently stroked the dragon head with her fingers, stared at it for a long time, and murmured softly: "Mother..."

What are you doing now? Have you really left the capital and never come back?

If I ascend the throne, will you be happy for me?

If the answer is yes, then why don’t you even want to see me one last time?