Chapter 104 Your Highness: I've come to keep my promise and pick you up.

With the emperor's birthday banquet approaching, those willing to continue waiting could only wait until the emperor announced the existence of the Princess of Rui to all officials.

This is merely an imperial edict proclaiming the news to the world; what will happen in the future is uncertain. This is an opportunity not to be missed, for it will not come again.

It is actually very difficult to rebel on a whim. For princes who grew up in the palace, the mere thought of rebellion was treason.

What used to make Prince Xin tremble with fear and toss and turn at night has now become his anchor, and he has carried it out as if divinely aided.

Making the decision to rebel was the most decisive thing Prince Xin had ever done, but things went much more smoothly than he had imagined, which boosted his confidence even more.

Speed ​​is of the essence in war; delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances. Within just three days, Prince Xin had gathered his men and his loyal subjects.

Everything went very smoothly, with almost everyone responding to my call.

This made him feel even more that he was following the will of Heaven, and that Heaven was going to help him!

Prince Xin, fully prepared, rode on his horse and surveyed the crowd of men who were determined to pledge their allegiance to him.

After a long silence, he waved his hand and said, "Today's matter is a do-or-die battle. We are within reach of being crowned kings and appointed prime ministers. Let's go!"

On a dark and stormy night, under the cover of darkness, courage seems to double, leading to actions never before dared to be taken.

Tonight, Yongcheng will never be peaceful. After nightfall, torches dot the mountain outside the city, forming a burning fire dragon, poised to descend the mountain.

The fire dragon burst through the city gates in the silent night, and the thunderous sound of hooves awakened the people of Yongdu from their dreams. Then, the sound of a proclamation being read aloud rang out in the night sky. Those who were well-informed immediately pulled their heads back inside.

What's being read outside?

"It looks like... a proclamation of war?"

The imperial army's rapid advance into Dongshan naturally alarmed Changning Lane. Everyone, fearing to get into trouble, kept their doors tightly shut and dared not go out.

"Yongdu is about to undergo a major upheaval." — This was the thought in everyone's mind at that moment.

The proclamation stated that Princess Rui's background was unknown; she was merely a commoner who used her influence to control the emperor, plotting to seize the throne and murder him. She even kept her death a secret. The proclamation claimed that her son had come to purge the court of corrupt officials and restore order to the country.

The idea that a princess who has only been found for a few days can control the emperor is a huge joke.

The real reason for tonight's uprising clearly does not lie with the princess of Rui, but with the "secretly keeping her death a secret".

Everyone knows that "purging the emperor's inner circle" is a rebellion that even the emperor himself is targeted for elimination. Regardless of tonight's outcome, Yongdu will be undergoing a major reshuffle.

Those who took sides secretly hoped that their chosen one would win, so that they could rise to the top and enjoy a meteoric rise in their careers. Others, however, were restless and couldn't sleep all night.

Night had barely begun, and some were already too worried to sleep.

The imperial army, with swords pointed at the palace, marched in a mighty force and successfully broke through the palace gates.

At this moment, the palace, which should have been filled with fear and panic, was unusually quiet.

Clad in armor and wielding a long sword, Prince Xin heard his subordinate report: "Nobody here? How can there be nobody here? Could it be that this doctor, who only deals with herbs, is trying to pull off the Empty City Stratagem?"

The subordinate remained kneeling on one knee: "Our uprising was so sudden that the palace should not have known about it."

Even though there was only one door left to break through the previous dynasty and enter the inner palace, everyone hesitated at the door, each with their own doubts.

"Your Highness, you must be extremely careful!"

"The imperial guards are all rich young men; they might be so terrified at the mere mention of their name that they'd abandon the battle and flee!"

"But we came in very smoothly. Except for the fact that there was a guard on duty at the east gate of Yongdu, it took a quarter of an hour to open the city gate."

The leader of the Dongshan Imperial City Army remained silent, weapons at his side, and asked amidst the blazing firelight, "Your Highness, where are we going now?"

Prince Xin gritted his teeth: "We should go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, but there's no one along the way. Could it be a trap?"

As soon as he asked the question, everyone chimed in, urging Prince Xin to act quickly.

If it had been a step too late, it wouldn't have been just a purge of corrupt officials, but a rebellion that would have resulted in the confiscation of property and the extermination of the entire clan. What exactly was Prince Xin hesitating about?

I had long heard that Prince Xin was gentle and cautious, and now that I see him, he is indeed cautious, almost to the point of being overly cautious and indecisive!

No wonder the emperor was hesitant to make a decision to appoint Prince Xin as the crown prince.

One of the generals pulled on the reins and urged his horse forward: "How could there be a trap? The palace is just made up of maids and eunuchs. The guards on duty can't gather so quickly. They must be on their way."

"It's also possible that His Majesty heard rumors and summoned everyone to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. We should be careful."

"Yes, yes, we should be careful." Prince Xin looked up at the seemingly endless palace road, gritted his teeth, spurred his horse, and, surrounded by the crowd, broke through the second gate.

This loud noise finally alerted the depths of the palace, and shouts and commotion followed.

It was this popularity that stirred up Prince Xin's fighting spirit, and he took the lead, rushing towards the Yangxin Hall, which was within sight and reach.

Contrary to outsiders' expectations, the Hall of Mental Cultivation was as quiet as ever.

A guard, his hand on the sword at his waist, knelt on one knee in the hall: "Your Highness, Prince Xin has led the Dongshan Imperial City into the palace, numbering about a thousand."

Xi Congshuang: "What reason did he use to enter the palace?"

The person who was beaten to the point of being home remained calm and collected, either waiting to die or confident of victory. Clearly, the person at the table was the latter.

The palace servants standing beside him unconsciously lowered their breathing, trying to minimize their presence.

The guard bowed even lower: "Purge the court of corrupt officials."

Xi Congshuang didn't seem to react much, only nodding and saying, "Good, get everyone moving to fight the traitor Zhong Sheng."

The guard who reported this responded and abruptly stood up and strode out.

The palace servants, however, were terrified by this single correct statement. They lowered their heads and only dared to breathe a sigh of relief when they saw the hem of the robe move away, and then slowly raised their heads.

All that could be seen was the tall, slender back of the person who had just arrived, with long, white hands hanging down. Those hands must have been used for writing or drawing. Who would have thought that these hands could stir up trouble as easily as writing?

On her first day in the palace, everyone regarded her as the next Minzhen Daoist, another sycophant, and took her existence for granted.

Who would have thought that in just a few days, she would become Princess Rui, a title personally bestowed by the emperor.

The imperial edict stated that she was a treasure left behind by the emperor during his tour of the countryside. By chance, she returned to the palace and even cured an illness that the Imperial Medical Academy was unable to treat.

He gained the emperor's trust in one fell swoop and stayed in the palace, becoming the emperor's most trusted person recently.

In front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation was a wide square. Prince Xin took the lead, filled with joy, victory in sight.

"Whoosh—" An arrow flying from the shadows shattered the joy of Prince Xin. The general following behind him was struck by the arrow and fell to the ground with a thud.

The startled horses neighed, and finally someone noticed something was wrong, shouting, "Ambush! Your Highness, be careful!"

Unfortunately, it was too late. Just moments before, countless people appeared on the walls surrounding the vast square, explaining the sparse guards along the way.

The real guards were already hidden on the walls, their bows and arrows gleaming in the firelight, all aimed at the square.

Heavy, orderly footsteps came from the shadows, and fully armed imperial guards surrounded them. Some tried to escape, but the heavy door behind them slammed shut, trapping them like turtles in a jar.

The firelight was so bright that it illuminated almost half the sky and also the pale face of Prince Xin. Only one thought could fill his mind—it's over, everything is over.

The commander of the guards raised a hand: "Traitor Zhong Sheng, we are acting on His Majesty's orders to punish the rebels. Do you plead guilty?"

Prince Xin: "No, no, I want to see my father! I am my father's last son. I don't believe it was my father who gave the order. I want to see my father!"

Suddenly he remembered something and said angrily, "Was it Xi Yan who did this? Call her out, I want to confront her face to face!"

The commander of the guards said coldly, "Prince Xin refuses to confess his crimes, and his crime deserves to be punished."

No! You can't—

Inside the room, Xi Congshuang heard the shouts outside but ignored them, not even glancing at them.

This was the first time Red Apple had witnessed a power struggle in person, and it was incredibly exciting—much faster than anything she'd seen in TV dramas.

Many people heard Prince Xin's shout, and Red Apple was no exception. It looked at Xi Congshuang, who was facing the depths of the palace, and asked with some curiosity, "Do you want to go out and take a look?"

The former strategist has turned his life around, escaping the fate of being summoned and dismissed at will, and stepping into the open. Now he even wants to use Prince Xin as a stepping stone to trample on him.

Red Apple is a mongrel dog, and it really likes to show off; it feels really good about it.

It gives you the feeling of a lowly employee turning the tables on the CEO in front of their old boss.

Xi Congshuang said, "I won't go; it feels like a waste of time."

Red Apple: "..."

Anyone who opposes you is truly unlucky.

They couldn't win the fight, so they were definitely furious.

It's not that villains are smart, it's that they're taciturn. Before delivering a fatal blow, they always pour out all their untold grievances, causing them to miss their chance and be outmaneuvered.

Red Apple: "You've changed. You've stopped liking melodramatic soap operas. This should be the climax of the melodrama, and you've gone from being an observer to a participant..."

Before he could finish speaking, a noise came from inside; the emperor had woken up.

Shouts of battle rose from all sides, startling the emperor awake from his sleep. He pressed his hand to his rapidly beating heart, feeling inexplicably uneasy tonight.

Unable to sleep, Emperor Jianxing felt dizzy and heavy-hearted, and the relief he felt after taking the pills was gone.

He's been sleeping quite soundly lately. The Imperial Hospital says it's a good thing he's sleeping so soundly, as he's been sick several times and has exhausted a lot of his energy. If he doesn't sleep well again, he might not recover.

Thinking this, Emperor Jianxing called over his attendant: "Deng Qin."

Deng Qin was the chief eunuch. He had been by the emperor's side since the emperor was still the crown prince, and had long been used to being served by him.

The person on the bed had just sat up when a eunuch rushed over: "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

"Why is it you? Where is Deng Qin?"

"Your Majesty, Chief Eunuch Deng is unable to come. This servant will serve you tonight."

Emperor Jianxing got out of bed and put on his shoes. Upon hearing this, he kicked the eunuch beside him and said sternly, "How dare you! Who gave you permission to act on your own? I'm asking you, where is Deng Qin?"

The young eunuch rolled on the ground. The old man, who had just woken up, was not very strong. He was kicked but it didn't hurt him. He still had the strength to reply: "It's not just me who acted on my own initiative. Your Majesty, didn't you hear? There's a rebellion outside, and it's aimed at you. There are nearly a thousand people in a large group. They don't intend to let you live at all."

Emperor Jianxing realized something was wrong just now. Deng Qin never left his side easily, and he would never let a little eunuch pass on a message casually. These words completely confirmed his guess.

He asked, "What are you trying to say? Who's rebelling?"

"Prince Xin has rebelled."

"You scoundrel!" He had already suspected something when the little eunuch said that someone had rebelled, but when he actually heard who it was, he was still furious.

"Zhong Sheng has rebelled? How dare he? Who gave him permission to rebel?"

The emperor's angry shouts startled the palace servants, and a maid tiptoed in and lit the candles in the inner room.

The enraged emperor was oblivious to this amiss, or if he was, he had no interest in addressing it.

The noise outside gradually subsided and did not spread into the Hall of Mental Cultivation, which meant that the defenses were intact.

Emperor Jianxing naturally assumed that he had held out, and he also knew that his spineless son lacked the courage and would probably still be clamoring to see him without his orders.

"You, you let him in! I want to personally beat this bastard to death!" The enraged emperor turned around, but finally slumped back into his chair, looking decades older in an instant.

Emperor Jianxing repeated it again: "Tell this rebellious son to get in here!"

The surroundings were quiet and silent, the candlelight was bright, and the servants stood in rows with their heads down. No one answered Emperor Jianxing's question.

"Didn't you hear what I said? Tell this unfilial son to get inside!"

The emperor's furious roar echoed throughout the hall. If one listened closely, one could hear the fear hidden within his anger; it was not faint and was quite clear to those behind the door.

"I heard you, but there's no need for a meeting," a voice replied.

The voice sounded familiar, and Emperor Jianxing suddenly looked up: "What do you mean? Who are you?"

The palace servants flung open the inner chamber door, letting in the blood-stained night wind, which made the emperor, who had long been confined to the warm inner chamber, shiver.

It had been so many years since he had smelled such a strong stench of blood. No, Emperor Jianxing, who had ascended the throne smoothly and had never been to Fuzhou, could not have smelled such a strong stench of blood.

The docile prey in the hunting grounds always died quickly. Not many years later, Emperor Jianxing became obsessed with seeking immortality and never set foot in the hunting grounds again. His hands had long since become unable to bend a bow.

A slender figure, carrying the stench of the wind, entered the inner room. She was as clean as a scholar, exuding an air of refinement, yet she was the one who stirred up the storm tonight.

The figure outside the door became clearer and clearer. In the hazy light, the familiar figure drew closer and closer. Emperor Jianxing almost blurted out, "Liang..."

The next word abruptly ended, because Emperor Jianxing knew that the clever and mischievous Consort Liang would never look at him with such eyes.

It's impossible to describe the emotion, but it was definitely not the look one would give a noble emperor.

"Zhong Yan?" Emperor Jianxing called out the name of the person who came. "What are you doing? I want to see Prince Xin."

Xi Congshuang raised her hand, and the guards following behind her stopped in their tracks and stood guard.

She spoke calmly and slowly: “Those who plot rebellion should be executed. Prince Xin committed a capital crime and deserved to be executed. He has already been brought to justice, so there is no need to bring his body before Your Majesty and offend Your Majesty’s eyes.”

Emperor Jianxing roared in fury: "You killed Prince Xin? I didn't give the order, yet you dared to kill Sheng'er?"

As soon as he stood up, all the palace servants looked at him. There was no doubt that they were all on guard against him, on her behalf, to guard against him, the true master of the palace.

“You’re wrong. How can you say that I killed Prince Xin?” Xi Congshuang calmly added, “He was the one who rebelled. Under the pretext of purging the court of corrupt officials, he wrote a proclamation that clearly stated that Princess Rui had poisoned His Majesty and kept his death a secret.”

"..."

The successive blows caused Emperor Jianxing to lose his footing, fall heavily backward, clutch his chest, and cough up a mouthful of blood.

This mouthful of blood seemed to have drained him of all his strength, leaving his face even more emaciated, and everything was beyond saving.

"That bastard! I dote on him so much, and he actually wants me dead?"

Xi Congshuang calmly watched his impotent rage, knowing that she was not far from success.

Until his death, Prince Xin couldn't understand why the leader of the Dongshan Imperial Army, who had wholeheartedly supported him, would turn against him and even take his head to Xi Congshuang at the door to claim credit after his death.

Those who had followed him in his rebellion, who had been so proud and arrogant, either died or surrendered; the entire palace now only followed Xi Congshuang.

The situation was hopeless. His only remaining son was the one who entered the palace to kill him. Emperor Jianxing knew all too well what would happen if Prince Xin, who was clearing out corrupt officials, encountered Emperor Jianxing, whose death was kept secret.

The emperor, who should have died at the hands of Princess Rui, should not have continued to live. At least Zhong Yan was better than Prince Xin and wouldn't kill him.

What else could he do?

If Zhong Yan wanted to have a legitimate claim, she couldn't kill him at all.

"Why did you do this? What else do you want to do?" Emperor Jianxing asked.

"I didn't think about anything. I just wanted to get people out of trouble. Before, I was a nobody, so it was inconvenient for me to get things done." Xi Congshuang thought for a moment, "Now it's much more convenient."

The rulers of the land dared not disobey; not only could they rescue a person, but they could even make him a king.

Emperor Jianxing: "?" For a moment, he thought he had misheard and that there was something wrong with his ears.

All that effort for this reason?

Xi Congshuang raised her hand to summon the palace maids. One maid held a wooden box with both hands, inside which was a scroll, while another maid held a tray with writing brush and ink prepared.

Clearly, they had been prepared in advance, and all these things were presented to Emperor Jianxing: "Your Majesty, I have put up all my wealth, and such a large investment should be rewarded."

Do you really think she's blindly filial and loyal, sacrificing everything and even her own life for others without any regrets?

In front of everyone, she said, "I have already written the edict of succession. You just need to raise your dragon claw and sign it, and also put on the official seal... no, the imperial seal. I and the world are willing to honor you as the Retired Emperor."

The meaning of this statement is quite clear: he can still be the retired emperor, which is much better than "keeping his death a secret".

Of course, Emperor Jianxing also knew that Zhong Yan kept him around to avoid being infamous.

"..."

Emperor Jianxing stared at her for a long time, his gaze complex, but in the end, he had no choice but to accept the pen with a trembling and defeated expression and sign the edict of succession.

Before that, Xi Congshuang would have to be patient and sit in the position of crown prince for a few more weeks.

We must leave some time to prepare for the coronation ceremony; it may be fast, but it cannot be rushed or simplistic.

Ignoring Emperor Jianxing's heart-wrenching cries, Xi Congshuang turned and left.

The new crown princess stood on the steps, with attendants carrying lanterns to light her way. She looked down at the square that the palace servants had cleaned together.

"Your Highness, please be careful on the steps. They're still being cleaned down there, so be careful as the path may be slippery," the palace servant carrying the lantern reminded him.

Xi Congshuang did not descend the steps. Instead, she stood on the platform and looked down at the blood-soaked ground. The chilling scene that had just occurred did not move her in the slightest.

The soft light fell on her young face, but the joy of victory in the struggle did not bring her much happiness; it was as if today was just an ordinary day.

*

Before dawn, a fast horse galloped down the street, passing through the empty streets, and stopped in front of the Dali Temple.

Early in the morning, the officials left on duty at the Dali Temple were still asleep. They had heard the sounds of a palace coup the night before and had hidden themselves, but they had fallen asleep while hiding.

When someone knocked on the door, they all woke up, groggily touching themselves.

He has all his limbs and is still alive.

No, everyone's still alive. So who's knocking on the door?

Some of the bolder people opened the door and peeked out, not knowing who was knocking.

"I am acting on Her Highness the Crown Princess's orders to convey her oral decree that Marquis Pingding and General Zhenwei are pardoned!"

As soon as the door opened, a token was thrust in front of him, capturing all of the official's attention and almost causing him to cross his eyes.

Then he realized, "Crown Princess? When did we have a Crown Princess?"

"It's here today. The decree is being proclaimed at the grand court assembly, and it won't be long before it's announced to the world."

Official: "Huh??"

The dashing guard added, "Her Highness the Crown Princess will be visiting the Dali Temple in person. You should all prepare yourselves."

The official's eyes widened: "Huh???"

The Crown Princess herself is here?!

Really?

Almost immediately, the messenger had barely left when the sky began to lighten and the sound of more horses' hooves echoed through the streets.

The Crown Princess's departure from the palace was quite different from usual, and her entourage was even more magnificent than when the Princess of Rui Kingdom left.

A guard led the way, followed by a carriage drawn by five horses, with jade ornaments hanging from the four corners, swaying as the carriage sped along.

The official from the Court of Judicial Review went out and looked outside. He shouted, "My mother!" and ran back inside, shouting, "Quick! Quickly send someone to invite the Minister and Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review! No, the two ministers have gone to attend the Grand Court Assembly. They should be here soon."

"And the Marquis of Pingding, wake him up quickly, someone from the palace has arrived!"

"Someone from the palace? What do they want?" Xun Suihuang asked curiously.

It's also because the Dali Temple was built too deep, with most of it underground, so many noises couldn't be heard.

Recently, she has been very free and has nothing to do. She spends her time thinking about how to repair the mansion. If it can't be repaired, she will go to the underworld to complain to her mother. In short, she is very busy and sleeps soundly, so she naturally missed the commotion last night.

Before she could explain further, she was pulled out of the cell by the anxious female jailer. It was bright outside, and Xun Suihuang's eyes lit up.

Just then, the eldest sister, who had been waiting for a chance to speak, finally had a chance to reply: "Her Highness the Crown Princess has personally come to the Dali Temple and declared that she will pardon the Marquis of Pingding. You can't stay there any longer!"

Xun Suihuang was forcibly woken up, her face full of confusion: "What did you say?"

Just then, she was dragged out of the prison and taken to the front courtyard.

A tall carriage stopped in front of the Dali Temple. Guards with swords filed in and stood guard on both sides of the route the Crown Princess would take. A figure in black robes stepped down from the carriage, and a group of Dali Temple officials who had rushed over stepped forward to pay their respects.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Princess."

Xun Suihuang's gaze swept past the group of officials who were bowing in greeting, and met the eyes of the newcomer, causing her to pause in surprise.

Xi Congshuang also noticed the newcomer, and her calm face immediately showed more emotion, with a smile appearing on her lips.

In stark contrast to her gentle smile, her clothes were dark in color, and her demeanor was dignified and imposing, yet the two were not contradictory.

She had promised to go out and explore the world, and her sweetheart came to pick her up dressed in the robes of a crown princess.

However, due to time constraints, this robe was hastily made and altered from a prince's robe, yet it still retains its noble bearing.

Xi Congshuang smiled at her, as if nothing had changed except for the clothes she was wearing, and her tone was as gentle as ever: "I came to keep my promise and come to pick you up. Am I coming soon?"

Xun Suihuang: "..."

That's fast! That's incredibly fast.

It was so fast that she couldn't react at all.

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I've been getting migraines a lot these past few days. I stayed up all night writing a really long chapter, and now I'm praying I can finish it tonight [please][please], otherwise I'll have to take a day off! [crying][crying]