Chapter 215 Come and see if I'm dead or not

Time seemed to stand still at that moment. Everyone present stared in astonishment, their mouths agape. Among them, the most stunned was Guarjia Emin.

Completely different from what he had imagined, he had envisioned a rebellious crown prince and an elderly emperor under control and imprisonment, a scene of tension, life and death, father and son killing each other. But the scene before him made him feel like he was blind.

Inside the gate, the Emperor wore only a bright yellow robe. His face was deathly pale, with a hint of blue, almost devoid of any color. His sickly appearance was alarming. For the past two days, he had been lying unconscious in bed, barely able to swallow medicine, let alone eat or drink. Now, his cheeks were sunken, and his dragon robe hung loosely on his body.

After lying down for two days, he naturally couldn't muster any strength at all. He was only able to stand here because Hongzhao was supporting him with all his might.

The father and son stood very close together, and it was only when they stood together that one could notice that the crown prince had grown to be half a head taller than the emperor. Standing beside the emperor, his piercing gaze was fixed on the group of rebellious "traitors," and his imposing aura made people dare not look him in the eye. For a moment, it was really hard to tell who was backing whom.

"I am standing right here now. Tell me, who wants to seize power? Who harbors rebellious intentions?"

Yinzhen's voice was terribly hoarse, rough like sandpaper scraping the ground. It wasn't loud, but it had the force of thunder. Listening to it sent shivers down your spine and made you feel a chill run down your spine. It was only because these people didn't have hair on their heads that they would have been so shocked.

No one could know the turmoil in Guarjia Emin's heart at that moment; it could only be gleaned from his trembling legs, which fluttered like butterfly wings, and his lips, which trembled for a long time without uttering a single word.

He was pulled hard by the person who had spoken earlier, causing his knees to buckle and he fell to his knees without realizing it. The excruciating pain of his hands and knees hitting the ground forced his brain to activate for a moment. In that instant, he opened his mouth to beg for mercy, but before he could even let out a howl, his voice was abruptly interrupted.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. Long live the Emperor!"

He is the younger brother, but not the thirteenth brother.

Guarjia Emin mechanically turned around and saw the Fourteenth Prince, Xun Junwang, dressed in armor, stride forward, bypassing their group of unrefined people and going directly to the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

He stood side by side with the thirteenth prince, and with a booming voice, knelt down and bowed to the emperor with great authority.

The Imperial Guards following behind him trotted closer, heads held high, shouting, "Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor! Protect the Crown Prince!"

With great fanfare and high spirits, he quickly subdued the lowly soldiers and generals, and then surrounded these rebellious and arrogant officials in layers, leaving only one opening for the emperor to see.

At that moment, only one thought kept swirling in his mind—"Oh no, he's become that traitorous rebel."

It was only after seeing the Fourteenth Prince that Yunxiang finally felt a sense of relief. Ever since hearing Hongzhao's desperate plan yesterday, his heart had been in his throat. Even now, as he sat there confronting these people, his mind remained unchanged. Although he appeared calm on the surface, he had already planned out his desperate measures.

"At worst, I'll just take all the blame upon myself." This was the best solution he could think of after tossing and turning all night. After all, he should have given up his life a few years ago, and he wouldn't be where he is today if it weren't for Hongzhao.

Only when he saw his elder brother emerge from the inner palace and the fourteenth prince arrive with the Imperial Guards as arranged did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Yinzhen leaned half his strength on Hongzhao. He stretched his hands, which had been hanging down, upwards with difficulty and gently patted his two younger brothers on the shoulders. Then he looked at the group of people who had collapsed to the ground.

He took two steps forward, clearly struggling to walk and lacking strength. Hongzhao held him tightly, not daring to let go even slightly, and followed along, also tightening his father's cloak even more.

"Didn't you say I was already dead?" Yinzhen swayed slightly, but his voice became more and more firm. "I never knew that Lord Emin was so loyal and unyielding. I am truly gratified."

"I am standing right here now. Didn't you want to check on my safety? Didn't you want to force your way into the Hall of Mental Cultivation? Why don't you dare to come forward and check? I'm waiting for you to come and see if I'm really dead!"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became, and before he could finish, he coughed. He had been kept alive by the elixir of life-preserving illusion. Now was the time when his body was at its weakest. Hongzhao quickly supported him, helping him catch his breath. "Father, Father, don't be angry. You must take care of your health..."

With eyes blazing with fury, Emin crawled two steps on his knees, trying to get closer, but several imperial guards blocked his way and pressed his shoulders down so he couldn't lift himself. He could only awkwardly say with his back hunched and neck craned, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please understand! I was truly worried about Your Majesty's health, and that's why I made the wrong decision in my haste. I beg Your Majesty to understand!"

"We beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

"We beg Your Majesty's mercy!"

As soon as Emin spoke, the crowd behind him followed suit. Putting aside others, they genuinely felt wronged. Before coming, their worst-case scenario was being reprimanded by the Emperor or the Crown Prince, at worst being demoted and having their salaries reduced. But if this matter were to succeed and truly save the Emperor from being blackmailed by the Crown Prince, that would be a great thing, bringing them official promotions and titles.

Weighing the pros and cons, it was worth taking the gamble. But who would have thought that this bastard Guargia Emin would raise an army? Don't underestimate those few ugly and incompetent men. Having them makes a huge difference. The biggest difference is... they seem to have committed a capital crime.

"Yes, Your Majesty, your old minister and Lord Emin were truly confused by their concern, but the Crown Prince really shouldn't have concealed Your Majesty's recent situation. We had no choice but to resort to this drastic measure to protect Your Majesty's safety. This was a foolish thing we did in a muddle-headed manner, and we beg Your Majesty's forgiveness." The Duke of Pei added to Emin's words from the side.

"Worried about me?" Yinzhen chuckled lightly, as if he were furious. "You're worried about me not dying, aren't you?"

"Duke of Pei, you have a fine daughter! My 'illness' is entirely thanks to her. Emin's intelligence network is so efficient; she must have received information from within the palace. I haven't even investigated your intentions, yet you dare to openly slander the Crown Prince!"

"Well done! Absolutely well done!"