Chapter 151 "Your Majesty, Chen Ting, is late in coming to your rescue!"

The dragon horn powder was so powerful that the poor little poisonous insect was forced to retreat before it could take any effect.

Lin Jinglan's expression could no longer remain calm. She was about to hold Tianci, whom she had carefully raised for two years, and cry bitterly, but she heard Zhang Dai hesitate and say, "Wait a minute, it seems that he is not dead."

He looked down and saw that the little insect that had been motionless in the palm of his hand had woken up at some point, twisting its fat body and becoming lively again, looking safe and sound, and even more energetic than before.

"!!!"

After the little poisonous insect got up, it slowly crawled back into the emperor's body and this time it did not fall out again.

Lin Jinglan and Zhang Dai both heard about the "Dragon Horn Powder" mentioned by Shen Wangshu for the first time, and they couldn't help but be very curious: "What on earth is this thing, and why is it so potent?"

Whoever ate it would be given the tonic, and even the dying emperor was brought back to life.

Of course, Shen Wangshu couldn’t reveal Chen Ting’s secret, so he said mysteriously: “I got an opportunity from a hermit master a few years ago. I just wanted to try it, but I didn’t expect it to be so useful.”

Zhang Dai gave her a look that said "I don't believe it" without saying anything.

Lin Jinglan naturally did not doubt it and was still immersed in joy: "Great, now I can use Tianci to control the emperor..."

This fat white little poisonous insect is called the Heart-Eating Poison. In fact, it has another name, called the "Puppet Poison". It needs to be trained with other special methods for a period of time to achieve the desired effect of the person who casts the poison.

"Then I will be in charge of training Tianci next, and you can leave the palace early to prepare." Lin Jinglan said.

Not showing up all the time might indeed arouse suspicion. After all, Shen Wangshu could not split himself. Since the original goal had been achieved, he could indeed leave the palace and prepare to attend the palace banquet in a week.

That night, under the protection of all parties, Shen Wangshu quietly left the palace and returned to the general's mansion.

Taohong, who was guarding the door, did not receive the news in advance. She was a little stunned when she saw her master appearing at the door of the house. Shen Wangshu's face was still the inconspicuous face before he left. When he walked to Taohong, the little girl suddenly came back to her senses, ran over excitedly, lowered her voice and said in surprise: "Madam! You are back!"

When they left that day, no one expected that they would never come back. That night, those who failed to wait for Shen Wangshu almost rushed into the palace in a hurry. Fortunately, the Ning Wang Mansion sent a message in time, saying that their master was left in the palace and was not in any danger for the time being, and asked them to disguise themselves.

Although there was no danger, as time went by, there was still no news from the palace, which was still worrying.

Taohong actually didn't know what her master was going to do, but she was very nervous because none of them could follow him.

Now, my lady is finally back safe and sound.

Shen Wangshu raised his index finger and said “hush”, and whispered: “I want to take a bath, let’s talk inside.”

She did not dare to let her guard down at all in the palace. She had not even washed her face, let alone taking a bath, for fear of revealing any flaws. The first thing she did when she got home was to take off the fake face, take a good bath and have a good sleep.

Tao Hong nodded, and immediately turned around to ask someone to prepare, while she helped her master change clothes: "Madam, the general's letter arrived not long after you left. Do you want to read it now?"

Chen Ting’s reply?

Shen Wangshu perked up: “Look.”

Although she knew that this was most likely a reply to the letter they had written before leaving Mo Yun, she was still quite happy.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ting's reply was also three pages long. Shen Wangshu thought that his usual silence would extend to his letters, but he didn't expect him to talk so much.

Once you read the content clearly, you will understand why there are so many words - this guy actually wrote down every battle he had with Helan Xiu, like writing a report, and the only part that really contains personal feelings is the last half.

He said shyly, "Madam, everything is fine out there. I'm not injured nor defeated. I just can't hear your voice and I miss you very much."

I already know that you are going to the capital. When you receive this letter, I should have finished packing Helan Xiu and be on my way back to the capital. You should wait for me at the general's mansion.

After reading it, Shen Wangshu carefully put the letter away, and then he felt a little strange: "How come the letter from such a long time ago was only delivered now?"

Tao Hong replied, "Lord Chen Long said that it was because there was a heavy snowfall in the northern border a few days ago. Not only were the roads slippery, but there were also avalanches in several places, which affected the delivery time."

"Any new letters besides this one?" she asked.

"No more." Taohong shook her head.

When the hot water was ready, Shen Wangshu leaned on the bathtub while taking a bath and thought, apart from the Turks, what else could hinder Chen Ting's return to Beijing, the weather? Or is it some other unforeseen reason? Can he really come back safely on the day of the palace banquet?

She was lost in thought, and when she opened her eyes again, Mei Xue had already removed her makeup. She looked at her reddened skin with distress, "You have suffered so much, Madam... I have used my own secret recipe to make your face fair and tender every day, but you have ruined it in the past few days..."

Shen Wangshu just felt refreshed, and said with a big heart: "It's necessary for work, and it can still be recovered."

"I will definitely restore your beauty before the palace banquet!" Mei Xue vowed. She was busy taking care of Shen Wangshu at night, which allowed him to sleep peacefully.

*

After returning home, Shen Wangshu was not idle. While dealing with self-defense medicine powder and weapons, he also inquired about what the queen and the prince had been doing during this period of time - how important must the matter be to make them so busy that they even ignored the emperor?

Then she soon found out that although the Fifth Prince was ousted, the princess he married was no pushover. Those forces that followed him refused to give up and kept maneuvering around. The Crown Prince and the Queen were anxious to deal with these troubles, so naturally they had no time to care about the Emperor's life or death.

Of course, the Fifth Prince alone should not have such great power. Shen Wangshu felt that it was more likely that Prince Ning was stirring up trouble here to divert their attention and make it easier for the people in the palace to act.

The last days passed one by one, and after another week, the palace banquet on the last day of the year arrived.

There is still no news of Chen Ting returning to Beijing, and even these days I haven't received a reply from him.

Although Chen Wangshu felt a little uneasy, she did not show any fear on her face. She just secretly put a musket loaded with gunpowder in her arms. If things got really chaotic, she would shoot anyone who dared to approach her.

The palace banquet was at night, and Shen Wangshu spent the day calmly. As soon as night fell, the carriage from the Duke's Mansion arrived.

This time, not only the female family members will enter the palace, but also important court officials above the third rank. The number of people is much larger than that of the last winter banquet. Before entering the palace, one can see the strict guards with swords on their waists patrolling everywhere.

No matter what happens today, the emperor will show up, and I don't know how the brothers are preparing...

Shen Wangshu lowered the car curtain, looked at the carefree Chen Zhi, and couldn’t help but remind her: “Stay with your uncle and aunt tonight and don’t run around.”

The latter nodded in agreement: "I know, you are afraid that there are too many people today and I might have violated some taboo, right? The palace is very scary... I will definitely follow my parents and go back home after the palace banquet. It shouldn't be long before I can return to the Northland, right?"

Chen Wangshu thought to himself that once they entered the capital this time, they might not be able to leave easily. It was hard to say whether they could leave the palace safely tonight.

But he confirmed her words: "Well, your aunt should have told you a lot about the secrets of the palace. The concubines from all the palaces will show up tonight."

Although Chen Zhi knew nothing, Duke Rong and his wife should have been aware of the undercurrents in the capital these days. They must have anticipated what the prince wanted to do tonight and made preparations before coming.

At least Chen Zhi was safe with them.

There was only Shen Wangshu in the General's Mansion, so she was seated together with the guests from the Duke of Rong's Mansion. After paying her respects to the elders, she sat quietly in her seat. She seemed to be eating fruit, but she was actually extremely nervous.

Palace coup, palace coup, although Prince Ning and Shen Xihe had told her the plan a long time ago, she was going to witness this scene with her own eyes today... Shen Wangshu's heart was thumping, as if it was going to jump out of her throat.

The banquet process was still as long and complicated as before. As time was wasted, boredom soon became more intense than tension.

As expected, the emperor did not attend the banquet tonight. When the place became lively, the queen said: "My Great Zhou is full of talented people and prosperous. It would be great if the emperor could see this grand scene..."

The prince said, "I believe that you all came from afar to see how my father is doing now. But my father is really seriously ill and I have sought out all the famous doctors in the world to treat him, but the situation is still..."

A minister spoke up to comfort him: "Your Majesty is old, and it is God's will that is in your way. Fortunately, the Crown Prince is the regent and the Empress is in charge of the government. Even if Your Majesty is not here, it will not affect the affairs of the Great Zhou."

As soon as these words came out, a bunch of people followed suit and flattered the prince: "Your Highness the Prince is kind and generous, and has great virtue. He is a great blessing to our Great Zhou!"

Shen Wangshu heard an uncontrollable sneer and turned around to see her uncle eating a grape as if to cover up.

"......"

After several rounds of Tai Chi back and forth, when the prince was being held high by all the court officials and was waiting for the news of the emperor's death so that he could ascend the throne, there was no news or movement in the palace.

A hint of doubt emerged in the prince's eyes, but at this moment he had not noticed anything wrong - according to the plan, the emperor was supposed to die during this period, and the most important thing was to deal with the subsequent troubles of the fifth prince and to win over these vassal kings and show them clearly who the next monarch would be.

As for the emperor, can he be brought back to life?

The prince thought so with great confidence and believed that his plan was absolutely foolproof.

But what he never expected was that the emperor actually came back to life and woke up.

Following the shout of "The Emperor has arrived——" from an unknown eunuch, Shen Wangshu clearly saw the prince's pupils shrink, and the disbelief on his face was almost hidden.

It was only when the Queen beside him patted his shoulder to remind him that the Prince came back to his senses. He stepped forward with doubt and said, "Greetings, Father!"

Emperor Xian of Zhou was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and was supported by Zhang Dai and a female doctor as he walked tremblingly in front of the crowd.

When it was light, they could see clearly what the old emperor looked like now - he was so skinny that he almost looked like a walking corpse, with almost no flesh on his body and face. The dragon robe draped over his body was loose and empty, and if no one was holding him up, he would be blown away by the wind in the next second.

"It's windy outside. Who told you to bring father out without my permission?!" The prince looked at the two people who were not aware of the danger with fierce eyes, feeling confused and uncertain.

The young doctor lowered his eyebrows and said calmly, "It was the emperor who wanted to come out. I confirmed his physical condition and then brought him out."

The Emperor also glanced at the Crown Prince slowly, and said with difficulty in a broken voice like a bellows: "Yes...I want to come out myself. The palace banquet is such an important day. The princes have come all the way to the capital, so of course I want to see them in person."

The Queen came over and advised gently, "Your Majesty, you are not feeling well. You should go back and rest well."

The old emperor said sternly: "My health is not good, who is responsible for it?! Because I am not in good health, I have allowed you two to call the shots in the court, and your relatives interfere in government affairs and form cliques for personal gain!!"

The Crown Prince and the Queen were startled. They never expected that the Emperor would not only stand up and get out of bed, but also speak such words clearly. It was almost as if he was going to roast them both over the fire immediately!

How many of the court officials here are not shrewd?

Since the emperor fell ill, almost all the news was reported by the empress and her son. Now it seems that it is not a serious illness...

This sudden change only frightened the prince for a moment. He looked at the emperor who looked like a mummy, and the person who carried him out - a thin doctor who was so weak that he could not even tie a chicken.

Although I don't know what his purpose is, everything is within my plan and control. This old guy must die tonight, whether he wants to or not!

Since he shouted it out in public, he must seize the position that is only one step away from him tonight!

The prince came close to the emperor and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "Father, can't you just sleep well? Why do you have to ruin my good night?"

He worked diligently as the crown prince for more than forty years... forty years! !

This thing should have been in his pocket long ago, why did something unexpected happen?

The emperor pointed at the prince's nose, his pupils trembling with fear. This time he was not controlled by the insect, but his own reaction: "You...you!!! You are the one who hurt me!"

He didn't hide his voice at all, but the prince was not afraid at all. He even laughed. The anger that had been suppressed in his heart for many years finally came out: "It's me! Father, who made you blind and fall in love with that useless playboy of your fifth brother?"

"Prince! You, you disregarded human ethics and actually killed the king and your father!!" Someone shouted loudly from below.

"So it was you who harmed His Majesty!"

The Queen looked at her son disapprovingly, thinking that he was a little impatient tonight. It was clear that as long as he could deal with the situation now, he could kill the Emperor immediately even tomorrow, but it had to be tonight, it had to be now.

But even so, what can we do?

All the chips are in their hands. They have carefully planned so many steps. This is the last step, so let's be a little unstable.

So the queen winked at the crowd, and a person who was sitting quietly watching the fun immediately retreated quietly.

The Shangguan family now has absolute power in the court, so what if these people have objections?

The prince recognized the person who spoke and smiled sinisterly: "Xu Shaoqing, you are a noble and upright person, and you don't like what I do, but let's be fair, can my father rule the country better than me? What's the use of this old man who indulges in wine, meat, singing and dancing all day and dreams of immortality? Why does he hold on to this position tightly and watch us sons fight for it like dogs?"

"He should have died long ago. As his son, I just sent him on his way."

The prince's cold words immediately aroused the dissatisfaction of the ministers: "Even if, even if... you shouldn't kill the king! Killing the king is a serious crime!"

"I killed the king, so what?" The prince replied sternly, "Except for this one thing, is there anything I did wrong? I did my best, all for the good of the Great Zhou!"

No one spoke, and there was complete silence all around.

To be fair, the emperor is indeed more suitable to be a monarch than a prince, but...

"Snap"

"Snap"

"Snap"

In the silence, applause broke out from somewhere.

People looked at the source of the voice, and saw the usually low-key and even somewhat careless Prince Ning smiling and standing up while clapping: "Big brother, you said it well."

"Compared to my father, you are indeed more like a 'wise ruler'," he suppressed his smile, his expression suddenly became cold, "But other than regicide, have you really never done anything that was against the will of heaven and earth?"

"Let's talk about the recent case of Yongning Marquis' Mansion. Who is behind this? Who is the one who minted the coins privately?"

"In 257, there was a flood in the south. Your father ordered you to go south to resettle the refugees. Where did the money and food go? Why are there still cases of children being exchanged and corpses being eaten everywhere? Who is responsible for the rebellious refugees that have been unable to be suppressed in recent years?"

"Not to mention that you have been robbing merchants and travelers in the south over the years... By now, the things in my brother's private treasury are probably a hundred times richer than the national treasury, right?"

"There are more. Do you want me to tell you one by one, brother?"

At this point, the prince's face, which had been confident of victory, finally twisted slightly.

He looked at his younger brother whom he had never looked at straight in the eye: "I only missed you, second brother."

Prince Ning smiled slightly and looked back: "My Royal Brother, thank you for your praise."

The ministers who had been quiet started to stir again: "Prince! You still say you are innocent!!"

"Each of these crimes is punishable by death!"

"Prince...you are confused!" There were also old ministers who watched the prince grow up and felt heartbroken and disappointed.

In this situation, the Crown Prince and the Queen looked at each other and decided to go all out - after all, they had made sufficient preparations, so even if an accident really happened tonight, they would be able to succeed!

At the prince's command, the guards who had surrounded the palace narrowed their area even further and aimed their arrows directly at the ministers at the banquet.

"Those who obey me will prosper, and those who defy me will perish." The prince slowly glanced at the crowd and said, "For those who refuse to surrender tonight, even if you walk out of this palace gate, there are still three thousand guards waiting for you."

"Support me to the throne, or die."

"Everyone here is smart. You know what to choose, right?"

As for the Emperor, Prince Ning, and that ignorant doctor...

The prince took the arrow from the hand of his personal soldier, slowly pulled it open, and then pointed it directly at the emperor who was limp with fear: "Father, I will see you off!"

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he was actually going to shoot his own father himself!

Everyone was like lambs to be slaughtered, watching this scene with bated breath and fear. Only Prince Ning remained calm.

Shen Wangshu also quietly clenched his pistol, thinking what was going on, this wasn’t really going to be the case tonight...did the hero and heroine fall out? ?

This thought lasted until the moment the prince's arrow was shot. A feathered arrow flashing with cold light shot out from the night even faster and pierced through the arrow shot by the prince!

The sound of galloping and disorderly horses' hooves appeared, and everyone suddenly came back to their senses. They seemed to have no idea when the chaos outside started!

A deep and pleasant male voice broke the silence of the night and clearly struck everyone's ears -

"Your Majesty, Chen Ting, is late in coming to your rescue!"