Chapter 367: Palace Changes (I)

After a bloodbath, the prince sat on the throne, feeling completely refreshed and everything went as smoothly as if it were a dream.

He looked into the hall.

Now, there is only this last threat left.

After a simple cleanup, the trembling ministers were taken to Xianyang Hall to mourn, leaving only the crown prince and Sima Jun in the hall.

The blood on the ground was simply wiped away, but large stains remained, and the faint smell of blood still lingered at the tip of the nose.

"I met Sun before," the prince said. "She is an extraordinary woman. Even though she was imprisoned, she was fearless. I think it would be a pity for such a woman to die. Why not marry her to Lu Qiuyan? That would be a wonderful thing."

Sima Jun's eyes suddenly flashed with coldness.

"The late emperor granted a special pardon to the Sun family before his death. This was the late emperor's will. Doesn't it count in the eyes of the crown prince?"

The prince laughed and said, "The late emperor's will has been written down on paper. Did it mention you and Sun? Why don't I remember it?"

Sima Jun looked at him and felt that he was so unfamiliar.

"Your Highness, why don't you just tell me what you want?"

"Ziheng, are you admitting defeat already?" the Crown Prince said, suppressing his smile. He spoke loudly, "Prince Yuzhang Sima Jun is renowned for his military and literary skills, a rare talent. Effective immediately, he will be stripped of his post as Governor of Jiangzhou and Commander-in-Chief of all military forces in Jiangzhou, and will be granted the title of Prince of Guangling. He will enter the Imperial Academy and serve as its Chief Academician."

Sima Jun didn't respond, only saying, "Jiangzhou was a fiefdom bestowed upon the late king by our ancestors. The entire Yuzhang Palace has been loyal and dedicated in defending the land, without fail. I wonder why Your Highness has withdrawn the fiefdom?"

"Under all heaven, the land belongs to the king, and Jiangzhou is no exception. I am the Son of Heaven, how can I divide it? Do I need your promise?"

"Your Highness is absolutely right, but Jiangzhou is indeed in my hands now. I am afraid that it will not be possible to hand it over to someone else with just a decree from the court. Even if Your Highness kills me today, Jiangzhou will not obey."

At this point, both of them have made it clear.

The prince laughed.

"The Queen Mother said you were brave and resourceful, but today it seems you are truly foolish," he said. "You don't care about your own life, do you not care about Sun's?"

Sima Jun had already received the news that Sun Wei had been taken away before entering the palace, so he went to the palace to ask for the emperor's pardon. However, he did not expect that the prince would now ignore the emperor's words.

The prince was very proud and was about to speak when he saw a eunuch hurried into the hall and whispered something to him.

Sima Jun could not hear what the two were saying, but he only saw the prince suddenly become angry, and then kick the eunuch hard.

The eunuch crawled out of the Taiji Hall.

The prince walked quickly to the palace gate and looked towards the East Palace, where he could vaguely see a fire.

He looked unhappy.

I have been planning every step carefully, but it is only this last step away and it is going to be destroyed by that woman?

The most important thing was that Sun Wei had escaped. Without this person, he had no bargaining chips in his hand and could not force Sima Jun to bow his head.

He took a deep breath unwillingly, then turned around and looked at Sima Jun.

"There's one thing I won't hide from you. Sun is seriously ill and her life is hanging by a thread."

Sima Jun's heart sank.

The Crown Prince continued, "Whether to save her or not depends entirely on Ziheng. As I said just now, as long as Ziheng agrees, the imperial physician will immediately provide treatment. If Ziheng refuses, then you will have no choice but to watch your granddaughter perish."

Sima Jun felt his mind suddenly become confused.

He was about to speak when he suddenly remembered that before leaving, he told Sun Wei that the emperor was critically ill, and Sun Wei's calm eyes.

——I think we should send someone else to confirm it.

She is always like this, even when the time comes, she remains clear-headed.

The clenched fist suddenly loosened.

"Please ask Prince Xu Chen to meet her."

"I said, as long as you agree, you can see her immediately."

Sima Jun's expression was calm as he spoke coldly, "The Crown Prince doesn't even care about the late emperor's wishes. How can I trust him? If I can't see my granddaughter today, there's absolutely no point in discussing this. If my granddaughter suffers the slightest harm, I will have no choice but to have everyone in the Eastern Palace buried with her."

The prince heard this clearly.

Even though he was not respected, most officials criticized him behind the scenes or spoke with sarcasm. This was the first time he had made such a direct threat.

This person turned out to be his cousin whom he had regarded as his right-hand man for many years.

The Crown Prince's glare blazed as he pointed at him and shouted, "How dare you, you traitor, say such outrageous things? Now let's see if you can leave this Taiji Palace!"

——

Ever since the news of the emperor's death came, the empress dowager has been shrouded in fear.

It's not because of the emperor's death.

The Queen Mother stared at Sun Wei who was kneeling in front of her. After hearing what she said, she felt a chill on her back.

Then, between the three major events of the emperor being poisoned, the Shangshu Mansion being raided, and Sima Jun being detained, the empress dowager chose the thing she cared about most.

"You said the Crown Prince's men are raiding the Shangshu Mansion?"

"Exactly."

The Queen Mother's face turned pale and she stood up suddenly.

"Nonsense!" said the Queen Mother. "How dare you, you enchantress, come to the palace and spread such lies to confuse the people!"

"The Empress Dowager is wise." Sun Wei said calmly, "How could I dare to return to the palace if I wasn't absolutely sure? Since the Empress Dowager is suspicious, why not go to Taiji Hall and ask her?"

The Queen Mother did not answer.

She found it absurd. This enchantress was certainly untrustworthy. Who knew what her intentions were in trying so hard to lure her to the Taiji Hall?

After a moment, the Queen Mother said to the eunuch beside her: "Go to Taiji Hall and ask, and give me an answer immediately."

"Please come in person, Queen Mother." Sun Wei said, "If I say even one lie, Queen Mother, I will sentence you to death. I won't complain at all!"

The Queen Mother snorted coldly: "You are already a dying man, yet you still dare to bargain in front of me."

"My death is not a pity, but the lives of everyone in the Shangshu Mansion and the eldest princess depend on the Queen Mother's discretion." Sun Wei continued, "Queen Mother, the Shangshu Mansion has been raided, and His Royal Highness the Prince of Yuzhang has been killed. Who will protect the Wang family in the future?"

"presumptuous!"

"Whether you want to kill me or chop me up, I will do whatever you wish!" Sun Wei stood up from the ground and shouted, "If the Queen Mother delays any longer, it will be too late!"

"Lock up this witch!" the Queen Mother shouted.

The eunuch beside her pulled Sun Wei away without waiting for her to argue.

The hall finally became quiet.

The Queen Mother remained pale and motionless.

"Now, the Queen Mother should believe what I say."

A person walked out from behind the screen.

The Queen Mother closed her eyes and took a while to make up her mind.

"Are you ready?"

"Everything is ready, just waiting for the Queen Mother to speak."

——

As night falls, there is a chill in the wind.

The Taiji Hall is brightly lit.

The Queen Mother sat on the sedan chair and felt that the night was particularly cold.

The palace was dead silent. Except for the Xianyang Palace which was draped in mourning clothes, there was no movement anywhere else. It was eerie and silent.

Sun Wei's words kept echoing in the Queen Mother's mind.

The prince's plan today was quick and secretive, and no one expected the queen mother to arrive suddenly.

When General Fang Mi of the Imperial Guards received the news, he hurried forward from the front of Taiji Palace and blocked the empress dowager's way.

"minister……"

The Queen Mother had already gotten off the sedan chair and slapped him in the face.

"Let me ask you, did the prince really raid the Shangshu Mansion?"

The slap was so powerful that Fang Mi took it all in, and his ears were buzzing.

"Yes." he replied.

The Queen Mother glared at him, "Your aunt is in the Shangshu Mansion!"

Fang Mi knelt down, kowtowed to the Queen Mother, and said, "I am a minister first, and then I am Fang's nephew."

"You bastard!" The Queen Mother kicked him and said coldly to her attendants, "Anyone who stands in my way again will be killed without mercy!"

Everyone got the order.

The Queen Mother said nothing and went straight to the main hall.

No one in front of the palace dared to stop him, only looking at Fang Mi. Fang Mi was truly stunned, but he was helpless. The prince had never told him what to do if the queen mother came.

However, he soon spotted the man following the Queen Mother. He was wearing a hood, so his face couldn't be seen clearly, but Fang Mi felt that the figure was very familiar.

Fang Mi thought about it and felt a chill in his heart.