Chapter 111: Getting there first

He looked at Hong Yun and said angrily, "What are you still kneeling for? Quickly take people to search the East Palace!"

"Yes, I will go right away."

Hong Yun scrambled to his feet, a little worried: "Your Majesty, what if the Crown Prince stops us?"

The emperor sneered, pulled off a token from his waist and threw it to him.

"Bring my personal guards with you. If he dares to stop me, it will prove he is guilty. Bring him directly before me, and I will punish him severely!"

After getting the approval, Hong Yun immediately called a team of the emperor's personal guards and marched to the East Palace in a swagger.

At this time, Hong Yun was already beaming with joy.

He didn't send people to scout the East Palace for nothing.

As long as those voodoo dolls are dug out, even if the gods come down to earth, they will not be able to save the prince!

As a result, before the group had taken two steps, they heard hurried footsteps coming from outside.

When Hong Yun saw Zhou Jingtao rushing over with more than a hundred guards, his heart skipped a beat and he had an inexplicable bad feeling.

Seeing that Zhou Jingtao wanted to see the emperor, Hong Yun subconsciously reached out to stop him.

"Commander Zhou, the emperor is resting. If you have anything to say, let's talk after he wakes up."

Zhou Jingtao pushed the person who blocked his way away and strode into the Yangxin Palace.

Seeing that Zhou Jingtao broke in without permission, the emperor was furious.

But before he could open his mouth to reprimand, Zhou Jingtao had already knelt down.

"Your Majesty, while I was patrolling Guanju Palace, I discovered Concubine Yang practicing witchcraft to harm you and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

As he spoke, he presented two voodoo dolls pierced with needles to the emperor.

The emperor looked at the little figure among them that looked extremely similar to himself and had his name and birth date written on it. He swayed and almost fell down.

When Hong Yun, who was outside the palace gate, heard this, he felt dizzy and almost collapsed.

Their plan was discovered and someone got there first?

Zhou Jingtao then continued, "I dug these two witchcraft dolls out from under the wall of Guanju Palace."

The emperor stared at him intently, showing his double standards to the fullest.

"Who ordered you to do this? Trying to convict Yang Guifei with a voodoo doll? How ridiculous!"

The emperor had completely forgotten that just now, he had tried to use a voodoo doll to convict the prince.

Zhou Jingtao said calmly, "No one is instructing me. As the commander of the Imperial Guard, it is my duty to ensure the safety of the palace. Yang Guifei is practicing witchcraft right under my nose, harming the Emperor and the Crown Prince. I will stop it even at the cost of my life."

Seeing that he still insisted that the voodoo doll was made by Yang Guifei, the emperor was so angry that he kicked Zhou Jingtao in the chest.

As it turned out, Zhou Jingtao was a tall and strong man, and he practiced martial arts.

Not only did the emperor's kick fail to hurt him, but the reaction force made him bounce back two steps before he could stabilize his body.

He looked grim, snorted, and walked away.

The emperor strode towards Guanju Palace. He didn't believe that Yang Guifei would harm him.

Yang Guifei obviously loved him so much, how could she possibly harm him!

This must be a trap set by someone to kill Yang Guifei!

He would never let this happen!

Hong Yun saw that the emperor not only did not punish Yang Guifei, but also absolved her of the blame.

He was overjoyed and became more convinced that his decision to stand on Yang Guifei's side was indeed the right one.

"Your Majesty, what about the Crown Prince?"

The emperor's face was extremely grim.

That’s right, it must be the prince. It must be the prince who wants to harm Yang Guifei!

He said angrily, "Keep taking people to investigate. We must turn the Eastern Palace upside down. If anyone dares to stop us, they will be killed without mercy!"

"yes!"

Hong Yun led his men and almost ran towards the East Palace.

Zhou Jingtao looked at the emperor's receding back with a slightly complicated expression.

The prince was right.

Even if the evidence was conclusive, even if the voodoo doll was presented to the emperor, the emperor would not punish Yang Guifei.

He waved his hand and asked the guards he brought with him to follow and hurriedly catch up with Hong Yun.

Without saying a word, the Imperial Guards apprehended Hong Yun and his personal guards.

Hong Yun, who was tied up, couldn't believe it.

"Commander Zhou, are you planning a rebellion?!"

Zhou Jingtao snorted coldly, "You know exactly who is behind this rebellion. Following the Empress Dowager's order, I will apprehend all of you who are plotting to murder His Highness."

As he spoke, he waved his hand and said coldly, "Take them all away."

Hong Yun's face turned pale.

With the Empress Dowager's decree, Zhou Jingtao not only dared to kidnap him, but also dared to drag him somewhere and kill him secretly!

He opened his mouth to shout, but a guard quickly covered his mouth.

Then they quickly took the person away.

Zhou Jingtao sent people to the Cining Palace and the Eastern Palace to report the matter, and he himself hurried to the city gate with the remaining guards.

Cining Palace.

Upon learning that the emperor had hurried to Guanju Palace, the empress dowager took a sip of tea calmly.

She looked indifferently at Yang Guifei, who was tied up and kneeling in the hall.

At this time, Yang Guifei's hair and brocade skirt were both messy, and her makeup was so blurry that it was unbearable to look at.

This is far from the usual image of a beautiful and charming imperial concubine.

There was a piece of rag stuffed in her mouth, and she was making a crazy "woooo" sound.

The Queen Mother looked at the woman whom she should have killed long ago and sighed in her heart.

The reason why she had restrained herself from touching Yang Guifei was mainly because she was worried that the emperor would become her enemy.

Even though the emperor had not made any progress in decades, even though he repeatedly committed absurd things for this woman, he was indeed born from her belly.

For the sake of this mother-son relationship, the Queen Mother has been patient long enough.

This time, the little remaining mother-son love was no longer enough for her to spare Yang Guifei's life.

She waved her hand, her voice cold and icy.

"Give me a drink."

"yes."

Nanny Zhong brought Xiuping, who was holding the poisoned wine, to Yang Guifei.

Yang Guifei struggled hard, a hint of fear in her eyes.

No...no...she doesn't want to die!

Her son had not yet ascended the throne, and she had not yet become the empress dowager, how could she die!

However, no matter how she struggled, the guards behind her could easily restrain her.