The old emperor seemed to suddenly remember that before he made love to Consort Ye, he had Zhang Zhongwei watch who would beat the Dengwen Drum.
Women can cause trouble!
The old emperor glared fiercely at Consort Ye, who was slumped on the couch.
Consort Ye's eyes still held the lingering afterglow of their lovemaking when the old emperor glared at her angrily. Suddenly, her face turned pale with fright, and her jade arms shot straight out from under the bed curtains: "Ah, heavens! Your Highness, how could you point a knife at the Emperor? Your Majesty, the First Prince has a knife! Blood, so much blood!"
Only then did the old emperor notice that the knife in Zhu Zhi's hand was still dripping blood. His face darkened, and he shouted, "Zhu Zhi, what do you want to do?"
Zhu Zhi was bewildered: "Father, I'm here to protect you. These students outside are about to rush in. Please come with me."
"Let's see who dares!" Though he said this, the sounds of fighting outside grew closer and closer, and the old emperor's face changed color.
When the late emperor was conquering the country, he was still young and had not been on the battlefield much, so he had almost no experience with such things.
Just two months ago, they survived an assassination attempt by the Chen state, and today they've even stormed the palace!
Zhu Zhi pulled the old emperor away, saying, "Father, I'll take you away first, or it will be too late."
After the lovemaking, the old emperor's legs were a little weak, and with the sounds of fighting getting closer and closer, his strength was completely exhausted.
Being supported by Zhu Zhi, she looked to outsiders as if she were being held hostage.
As soon as they reached the door, Zhu Heng and his men rushed over.
"Zhu Zhi, how dare you hold the emperor hostage! Zhu Zhi, how dare you! Are you trying to force the emperor to abdicate?!"
"My soldiers of the Imperial Guards of Great Zhou!" Zhu Heng shouted, "Zhu Zhi has seized the Emperor and is plotting a coup. We, as Imperial Guards, must swear to protect the Emperor and Great Zhou with our lives!"
"We swear to protect the Emperor and the Great Zhou with our lives!" The Imperial Guards surrounding Zhu Heng shouted in unison, their momentum like a surging tide.
Zhu Zhi's face turned pale: "No, I came to save my father."
"Save Father? What are you holding in your hand then?"
Zhu Zhi was so frightened that he threw the knife on the ground: "It wasn't me, this knife isn't mine, it's, it's Xiao Song's, he gave it to me."
"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! Commander Xiao has been attacked and injured!" someone shouted behind Zhu Heng.
The old emperor, his legs weak, was supported by Zhu Zhi. When he looked up, he saw that his Imperial Guard Commander Xiao Song was gushing blood from his mouth, his right hand tightly clutching his abdomen, where the blood had already stained his armor red.
Upon seeing Xiao Song, Zhu Zhi grasped at a lifeline and hurriedly said, "Commander Xiao, quickly tell Father and Second Brother that you told me someone had broken into the palace and asked me to protect them, didn't you? I didn't force the emperor to abdicate, I didn't intend to force the emperor to abdicate. Tell me quickly!"
Xiao Song was being helped up, his face drained of color. When he saw Zhu Zhi, he was still terrified, pointing a blood-stained finger at Zhu Zhi.
"Your Highness, Second Prince! Quick, save the Emperor! It's the First Prince! He took advantage of my inattention, snatched my knife, and stabbed me. Now he's kidnapping the Emperor! The First Prince is plotting regicide and rebellion!"
Zhu Zhi stared at Xiao Song in disbelief: "What did you say? Me, how did I become a regicide and treasoner? Didn't you put this knife in my hand and tell me to come and save my father? How come I'm the one who stole your knife? Xiao Song, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Xiao Song seemed to be losing his strength and fell to the ground, his face pale: "Your Highness, even now, do you still want to slander this humble general like this? Is it necessary for this humble general to risk his life to frame you?"
As he spoke, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, and the eunuch beside him could no longer support him, so Xiao Song collapsed to the ground.
Zhu Zhi's mind was buzzing. He had no idea what had happened or why he had suddenly become a traitorous official who had forced the emperor to abdicate.
"Your Highness, do not be afraid. Although we are no match for the Imperial Guards, what is there to fear in death for Your Highness's grand ambition!"
The fighting groups in the distance kept approaching, and someone in the group shouted that.
"That's right, Your Highness, we disguised ourselves as students and stormed the palace to lend you a hand. What is there to fear if we die!"
Someone else shouted.
Upon hearing this, the old emperor was initially somewhat skeptical, but after looking at his Imperial Guard Commander Xiao Song, who was severely wounded and bleeding profusely on the ground, and then glancing at the large group of so-called students surging towards them, his face turned ashen: "Zhu Zhi, it really is you!"
Zhu Zhi was trembling all over: "Father, it wasn't me, it wasn't me. I don't know them, I really don't know them, I'm innocent."
The two groups of fighters were moving very fast, and in the blink of an eye, the dark mass of people was already in front of them.
Weapons clashed and swords clashed; the "students" seemed extremely brave, forcing the imperial guards wielding long halberds to retreat continuously.
"Your Highness, we will all obey your orders. Don't be afraid. Even if we die, we will not be a burden to you."
"Your Highness, please remember, we cannot let the Emperor be captured by them. Commander Fu has already been killed by them, and we don't have many men left."
Those "students" all pledged their loyalty to Zhu Zhi.
"Brother, how dare you! Even the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards obeys your orders! How long have you been planning this?!" Zhu Heng stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
The old emperor's mind was buzzing. He stared intently at Zhu Zhi. Fu Yuanliang was actually Zhu Zhi's man. When did his imperial guards become subjects of this prince?
He thought Zhu Zhi was stupid enough to be easily controlled, but he never expected that Zhu Zhi would infiltrate even his Imperial Guards without him realizing it.
Even if Zhu Zhi was stupid, he would know that he was being used today. In fact, he should have realized the moment he was picked up from the First Prince's residence that if Fu Yuanliang wanted to take him to the palace, he would definitely have his father's imperial edict.
Instead of having someone he didn't know at all take him into the palace, it's a pity he didn't realize it; he was too stupid.
Zhu Zhi's eyes were bloodshot, his bloodshot gaze fixed on Zhu Heng: "Second brother, you tricked me! It was you, you wanted to seize the throne, using me as a pawn. Second brother, you are too despicable!"
"Father, my elder brother has gone mad for the throne!" Zhu Heng ignored Zhu Zhi and shouted at the old emperor, "Do you dare say that Fu Yuanliang is not obeying you and Bu Xiang? Do you dare say that half an hour ago, Fu Yuanliang did not take advantage of Xiao Song's absence from the palace gates to let you, the prince who should have been imprisoned, into the palace?"
Zhu Zhi couldn't refute it with a single word.
Yes, half an hour ago, when he followed that person to the palace gate, Fu Yuanliang saw him and, without saying a word, told him to enter the palace immediately, saying that the emperor needed him.
But now that I think about it carefully, why did Fu Yuanliang say those words?
Was Fu Yuanliang also bribed by them, or was he also used by Zhu Heng?
"Zhu Zhi, how dare you!" the old emperor roared in anger.
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