Chapter 470 Can't be pushed, some people really can't be pushed!

Bai Qingling was filled with disbelief after hearing Jiang Wuyai's words.

Did Your Highness just give up so easily?

Does she hold absolutely no weight in the prince's heart?

"Your Highness, you must find a way to save me! I'll wait for you!" Bai Qingling shouted as she left, but her eyes were filled with hatred.

Zhou Ruyuan didn't even dare to look back, nor listen to a single word, and hurriedly returned to his residence.

~

"Your Highness, the Princess Consort has been taken away!" Someone immediately reported to Shen Yuantang after Bai Qingling was taken away.

Shen Yuantang looked happily at the sleeping child on the bed. It's good that he's been taken away. Since he's been taken away, he shouldn't come back.

"Go tell the prince that the young master misses him."

"Your Highness, the Prince must be in a bad mood right now. Would it be inappropriate to disturb him at this time?"

Shen Yuantang's face immediately darkened.

"How dare a lowly woman compare to the young master! Go and report this immediately, or you'll regret it!"

"Yes, this servant will go right away!"

...

Shen Lanxi began to drastically prudently eliminate the Qi family's connections in the capital. For three consecutive days, the officials were filled with anxiety, and they dared not even cough once during court sessions.

The Qi family's relatives by marriage, subordinates, and friends were all implicated, their homes were confiscated, some were exiled, and some were demoted.

Every day, at the city gate, yamen runners escorted long processions of exiles on their journeys.

The small cabinet is now defunct in name only; all state affairs are now resolved in the main hall.

Shen Lanxi even moved a stool and placed it next to the dragon throne, forcefully taking control of the government.

"Shen Lanxi, how dare you sit on equal footing with the Emperor."

"You are plotting rebellion, Shen Lanxi! You are a traitorous minister who is bringing chaos to my Great Zhou Dynasty!"

Wang Bao glanced at the official who was jumping up and down cursing, went to the back, took a memorial from the shelf, and came back.

"Liu Zhong, the Censor-in-Chief, was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the second year of the Renxiao reign. During his three-year term as an official in the provinces, he oppressed the people, allowed his relatives to seize their land, accepted bribes, deceived his superiors, and bought and sold official positions. After returning to the capital to report on his duties, he did not restrain himself, formed cliques, continued to accept bribes, and abused his power for personal gain. During his tenure, he accepted bribes totaling over one million taels of silver and committed ten murder cases..."

Liu Zhong collapsed to the ground, his face deathly pale.

Shen Lanxi said coldly and impartially, "Liu Zhong is hereby sentenced to immediate execution. His family members will be handed over to the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice for joint judgment based on their crimes, and will be dealt with severely!"

"Drag him away!"

The Imperial Guards dragged Liu Zhong away like a dead dog.

Shen Lanxi: "Does anyone else have a book to play?"

No one answered!

Wang Bao: "Dismiss the court!"

Emperor Renxiao was like an old man in his seventies or eighties, unable to speak, and could only lie paralyzed on the dragon bed, at the mercy of others.

"Uncle, two traitors sent word today that they have the antidote for the Green Silkworm!" Shen Lanxi said expressionlessly.

Emperor Renxiao's eyes widened, and his pupils contracted sharply.

We must obtain the antidote at all costs!

"Uncle, two traitors want to be made kings."

"Imperial decree, hereby confer the title of King!"

Wang Bao, hurry!

Shen Lanxi changed the subject: "Those two traitors are utterly despicable. They actually used the antidote as bait to trick us. Everyone knows that the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect has long been wiped out."

Emperor Renxiao cried out in his heart, "No, they definitely weren't wiped out. They must have hidden the members of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect."

Shen Lanxi: "Uncle, please rest assured, Lanxi will not let go of even the slightest opportunity."

"Lanxi has already sent people to search for the descendants of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect in various places. We must not fall for the tricks of these two traitors!"

Emperor Renxiao's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Shen Lanxi, you idiot, why don't you hurry up and send someone to contact those two traitors?

I need the antidote! Bring me the antidote!

Even if it means exchanging the Imperial Seal, I would not hesitate!

Unfortunately, Shen Lanxi could not hear Emperor Renxiao's shouts. After leaving the Hall of Mental Cultivation, she went to the inner palace.

"Lady Liu, has the inner palace been quiet lately?"

Liu Shao Gongjin replied, "They are all very quiet. If any of them are bored, I will have them carried to the Imperial Garden to bask in the sun. It's just that recently a few of them have been disobedient and kept causing trouble, which has caused them to lose their unborn children."

Shen Lanxi smiled and said, "I am very relieved to leave such a large harem to my sixth senior sister!"

Liu Shao smiled and said, "Don't worry, with me here, not even a fly can get over this high wall!"

Soon, good news came from Nanning.

"The Second Prince, Zhou Ru'an, refused to confess and resisted stubbornly. He has now been executed. Marquis Yong'an, Zhao Zheng, has ordered his family to be escorted back to the capital!"

Shen Lanxi: "There's no need to return to the capital. They are also of royal blood. His Majesty is kind-hearted and does not want to see the Second Prince's bloodline die out. Exile them!"

The officials were stunned, as if struck by a thunderbolt, and could hardly believe what they were hearing.

Wasn't the Marquis of Yong'an supposed to be sent to offer amnesty? How come the Second Prince was executed instead?

They hadn't even realized it, and the war was already over.

The news of Emperor Renxiao's critical illness spread quietly and quickly became a hot topic.

In an instant, carrier pigeons and hawks seemed to be startled, flying off from the capital in all directions.

The most talked-about topic among the people of Beijing right now is who will be the next emperor.

Unfortunately, all the civil and military officials remained as steady as oxen, and not one of them submitted a memorial to establish an heir.

Shen Lanxi holds immense power and can control everything with a single hand!

"Your Highness, this cannot go on. We must get His Majesty to make you the Crown Prince before the other princes arrive!" Jiang Wuyai urged.

Zhou Ruyuan's eyes were dark and deep. He was tempted, but hesitated and said, "It's not the right time yet."

Jiang Wuyai was so anxious he wanted to stomp his feet.

"Now is the best time, time waits for no one, Your Highness!"

Zhou Ruyuan said with apprehension, "If I were to raise an army now, it would be treason. I would be branded as a usurper and despised by future generations!"

Jiang Wuyai said with exasperation, "Even at this point, Your Highness is still worried about these things. History has always been written by the victors. Once Your Highness ascends to a high position, you can make the historians write history however you want."

Zhou Ruyuan shook his head again; he still had a sense of unease in his heart.

"I only have less than 10,000 city guards at my disposal, while the Imperial Guards and the Capital Guards together number at least 50,000. If we rashly start an uprising, we have no chance of winning!"

Jiang Wuyai was extremely anxious.

“My lord, if you raise your voice now, you will surely have countless followers. What is Shen Lanxi, a mere woman? The Imperial Guards and the Imperial Army will defect to your side.”

Zhou Ruyuan frowned and said, "Wait a little longer!"

Jiang Wuyai took a deep breath. He couldn't push them. Some people really couldn't be pushed!

Five days later, the imperial court received an urgent report.

"Your Highness, eight princes have entered the capital without imperial decree, and they all bring troops with them. Five of them are claiming to be purging corrupt officials and eliminating treacherous ministers."

Shen Lanxi scoffed: "Who are the treacherous officials? Whom do they want to eliminate?"