Chapter 757: Zero's Peony is destined to be trampled on

Qi Mingjing stood aside, the fluorescent lights above his head shining on him, outlining his innate kingly demeanor.

At the end of the Mao hour, hurried but orderly footsteps were heard on the bluestone road of the Taifu Mansion.

Shen Huai was dressed in a crimson purple court robe, holding a rosewood box tightly in his arms, and every wrinkle on his old face was engraved with determination.

"Master Taifu, the carriage is ready." An eunuch reported with his head down, but when he raised his eyes he revealed Shan Qi's sharp gaze.

Ran Qingxuan, wearing a palace maid's uniform with wide sleeves, held onto the door frame of the carriage and took a breath.

Although the sleeves could hide her pregnant belly, her movements were a little clumsy because she had not had enough rest.

Gu Yanchen held her arm, frowning: "Qingxuan, are you sure you want to..."

Ran Qingxuan interrupted him softly, with an unquestionable tone.

"I must go. If Brother Chang and Marquis Zhenbei are blocked from entering the palace, the weapons in the space are our last guarantee."

Qi Mingjing stood in front of the steps, the early morning light in summer gilded his handsome features.

He suddenly bowed deeply to everyone, bending very low: "I will never forget your kindness."

Chen Huai quickly reached out and helped him up: "Your Highness, don't do that! Since you are about to resume your status, your actions are simply embarrassing us, your subjects!"

Qi Mingjing had a complicated look on his face, but he quickly calmed himself down after standing up.

"In that case, let us welcome the new future of Northern Qi together!"

With the determination to face death head on, all the people drove quietly towards the imperial city. The sound of the wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs was drowned out by the rising morning light.

Under the imperial city, the ignorant people were still sleeping soundly, unaware that a reform was quietly taking place at this moment.

At the same time, in the inner courtyard of the imperial palace.

Qi Ren was sleeping soundly with his new concubine Liu in his arms, drooling from the corners of his mouth after a night of intense sex.

Suddenly a sharp scream pierced his eardrums. He opened his eyes suddenly and saw a long sword with a cold glow against his throat!

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty!" Concubine Liu huddled in the corner of the bed, shivering, looking at everything in front of her with a pale face.

Qi Ren woke up instantly, his whole body stiffened and cold sweat instantly soaked his pajamas.

He slowly turned his eyes and met a pair of eyes as cold as a venomous snake. Xiang Cheng, the commander of the Black Feather Guard who was supposed to protect the imperial city, was looking down at him, with the tip of his knife motionless.

"Xiang... Xiang Aiqing? What are you doing..."

Xiang Cheng sneered, his voice as cold as the chilly wind from the underworld.

"Your Majesty, please change your clothes and come to court."

Qi Ren's Adam's apple rolled, and after realizing something, he even tried to put on the dignity of an emperor: "How dare you, Xiang Cheng! I order you to immediately..."

The tip of the knife suddenly moved forward half an inch, and a trickle of blood flowed down Qi Ren's neck, staining his open pajamas red.

No matter how stupid Concubine Liu was, she knew what had happened. She screamed, rolled her eyes, and fainted.

Xiang Cheng glanced at Concubine Liu calmly and said slowly: "Prince Jing has been waiting in the Golden Palace for a long time. If Your Majesty delays any further..."

He turned his wrist slightly, and the sword tip once again drew a line of blood on Qi Ren's neck.

Qi Ren suddenly began to tremble like a sieve, and without caring about his image, he rolled off the dragon bed, and his bright yellow pajamas were covered with dust and blood.

The same scene was played out everywhere in the harem. When the door of Concubine Zhong's bedroom was violently kicked open, this once graceful and elegant woman was dreaming of becoming the empress dowager.

"Rebellion! Are you all a bunch of thieves going to rebel?"

Amidst screams, Concubine Zhong was dragged out of the thin blanket with disheveled hair. In the chaos, her sharp nails scratched the face of a Black Feather Guard.

"Whatever you want to do, believe it or not, I will kill all your clans!"

The Black Feather Guard turned a deaf ear and even had a sneer in his eyes.

The man was dragged towards the Golden Palace like a dead dog. When passing through the Imperial Garden, Concubine Zhong saw that the peonies she had carefully cultivated were trampled into mud by the iron boots.

At this moment, she is like those withered peonies, destined to be trampled on...

It was not yet the hour of Mao, but the lights in the Golden Palace were already on.

Qi Jing, wearing a black python robe, stood on the jade steps with his back to the palace door. His slender fingers gently stroked the armrests of the dragon throne, his movements so gentle as if he was stroking some treasure.

It was not until the chaotic footsteps and crying sounds came from outside the hall that Qi Jing slightly curled his lips and slowly turned around...

Qi Ren had already been dragged into the hall by two black-feathered guards. The man pressed on the dragon throne had his dragon robe hanging askew on his body, revealing the blood-stained white undershirt underneath.

"Let me go! You lowly bastards!"

Sharp shouts broke the solemnity of the Golden Throne Hall. The tied-up Concubine Zhong was dragged into the hall by two black-feathered guards. Her robe embroidered with golden phoenix left long marks on the ground.

The beautiful woman who once enjoyed all the glory and wealth, now had her hair in disarray and her phoenix hairpin falling sideways, and she was struggling like a mad woman.

"I am the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother, the most honorable woman in Northern Qi. How dare you treat me like this?"

She struggled to break free from the grip and staggered to her feet, pointing her nails stained with red at everyone in the hall.

"When the Emperor calls in the Imperial Guards, you will all be cut into pieces, do you understand?!"

The whole court was in complete silence. Some looked down at the tips of their boots, while others glanced up at the steps...

There, Qi Ren was being pressed on the dragon throne and shivering, and the hem of his dragon robe was suspiciously wet.

Concubine Zhong followed the gaze of the crowd and her face, which was covered with mottled makeup, instantly lost all color: "Ren'er...what are you doing..."

Seeing this, she suddenly jumped up and pounced on Qi Jing like a mother animal protecting her cub: "It's you! It's you who harmed my son and wanted to..."

Because she rushed quickly and urgently, her sharp nails instantly left three bloody marks on Qi Jing's face.

Qi Jing did not dodge or evade. He touched his numb face and spoke in a gentle voice as if he was coaxing a child.

"My Lady Dowager, you have lost your composure."

This title made Concubine Zhong tremble all over. When Emperor Mingde was alive, she hated being called "Concubine" the most, and she dreamed of hearing people call her "Empress".

Now Qi Jing deliberately called her "Dowager Concubine", a general term for the concubines of the previous emperor, which was more painful than slapping her in the face.

"I am the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother!!"

She screamed hysterically, her voice piercing one's eardrums and hurting them: "It is clearly written in the late emperor's will! Ren'er is the legitimate successor to the throne. As the emperor's biological mother, I should be honored as the Empress Dowager!"

The sword light was like snow, and Xiang Cheng's long sword drew a graceful arc.

Concubine Zhong's right arm was broken at the shoulder and fell on the gold brick with a snap. Her five fingers were still in a scratching posture, and an emerald ring on her finger was glowing strangely in the morning light.

"Ah...ah...my hand..." Screams echoed throughout the hall, and blood gushed out from the broken arm, splashing on the faces of the ministers who were closest to him.

Lord Hu, the Minister of Justice, raised his hand to wipe his face, looked at his bloody hands, his eyes widened and his Adam's apple rolled a few times.

Qi Ren collapsed on the dragon chair, his crotch completely soaked. He stared blankly at his mother writhing on the ground and wailing, blood spreading across the bright yellow carpet in large dark red patches.