Chapter 100 Born to be an Emperor
Xiao Yan's arrival was like a bolt from the blue for Li Shen.
Li Shen's breathing seemed to have stopped.
How did Xiao Yan find this place?
How could he come here?
The old emperor is not dead yet, and Xiao Yan is only the crown prince.
Just because Xiao Yan cares about Meng Mingshu doesn’t mean the old emperor also cares about Meng Mingshu and is willing to exchange the throne for her.
Li Shen felt a chill in his heart.
His plans were disrupted.
The throne, which was clearly within reach, now seemed out of reach.
"Didn't you say you wouldn't find it?"
Zhao Zhiyuan's voice was sharp.
Li Shen's fingertips turned white from exerting so much force, and he glanced at the collapsed Zhao Zhiyuan.
He had figured it out. It must be because he brought Zhao Zhiyuan here today that he revealed the whereabouts of Meng Mingshu and her daughter.
But blaming Zhao Zhiyuan was of no use.
"Catch him, let's go!"
Xiao Yan had many people, but he also had loyal people around him.
Besides, he and Zhao Zhiyuan are closer to Meng Mingshu and her daughter.
He was also more familiar with this secret passage.
In his territory, he has the upper hand.
Li Shen and his men moved very quickly. Just as Meng Mingshu was about to escape, the tip of the knife was pressed against her neck, and so was Tuan'er.
"Don't come over here. If you take another step over here, your wife and children will die."
Jiang Yu, who was beside Xiao Yan, stepped forward and said, "Prince, do you want to know who we have?"
Li Shen's heart skipped a beat when he saw that his father and mother had been captured.
Not only that, several of his favored concubines and four children were also there.
I didn't expect Xiao Yan and his men to act so quickly. I'm afraid that by the time we find them on the road, another group of people will have already gone to the palace to ransack it.
His parents, concubines, and children were all arrested.
But then Li Shen sneered:
"No need, Your Highness can just kill them."
"After all, this prince doesn't care about these things. Even if they die, this prince will only shed a few tears."
On ordinary days, Li Shen is naturally a filial son. Being a filial son is beneficial to his reputation, and his parents can also give him the benefits he wants.
But at this point, no matter where my parents are, they are not as important as me.
Besides, Li Shen didn't have any deep feelings for them since childhood.
As for concubines and children, Li Shen didn't care at all.
If he really had to say who the only person he cared about was, it would be Zhao Zhiyuan, who was by his side right now.
"But I think it's different for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Li Shen brought the knife closer: "After all, I hold your life in my hands, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Everyone, step back! If you take another step forward, I will kill Meng Mingshu."
Li Shen looked at Zhao Zhiyuan: "Follow me!"
Li Shen held Meng Mingshu hostage and retreated all the way.
Xiao Yan's men followed immediately.
Li Shen walked into the secret passage, opened the door and went up to a three-story tower.
They took Meng Mingshu up and did not allow Xiao Yan and the others to come up even a step.
"You are not allowed to come up here. If you do, I will throw Meng Mingshu off the top of the tower! She and her unborn child will be thrown to death!"
The emperor and the empress dowager also hurried over at this time.
After receiving the news today, they left the palace immediately.
The emperor didn't want to bring the empress dowager with him, but the empress dowager said that she was worried about Meng Mingshu and her daughter.
Looking at his mother with bruises under her eyes, the emperor finally brought the person out.
Seeing the current confrontation scene, Meng Mingshu was pressed on the railing of the high tower, half hanging in the air.
The emperor was terrified.
He was very clear that Meng Mingshu's life was related to Xiao Yan's life.
"Li Shen, what do you want?"
"If you let them go, I can spare your life and that of your family."
"I can also forgive what you did. If you don't believe me, I can write an imperial edict of pardon in advance, seal it with the imperial seal, and announce it to the world."
"Everyone in the world knows that you are not joking. Everyone in the world is watching. I will never go back on my word."
"As long as you put them down."
Li Shen was shaken.
When he was found by Xiao Yan, he realized that he had lost and was now just struggling to survive.
On the high tower, Zhao Zhiyuan lowered his voice: "We haven't lost yet, you can't agree! You can't give up!"
"Since the emperor can write an imperial edict to pardon you, why can't he write an imperial edict to abdicate?"
"As long as Meng Mingshu is in our hands, we are not afraid. You can use Meng Mingshu to make Xiao Yan commit suicide."
"Doesn't Xiao Yan like Meng Mingshu? Isn't he willing to die for her? Then let him choose between his own life and Meng Mingshu's."
"If he chooses Meng Mingshu to die, then I will die with you."
"If Xiao Yan chooses to die, the emperor will probably not be able to hold on if anything happens to Xiao Yan."
The emperor is probably just holding on with one breath right now. If Xiao Yan dies, the emperor will also be dead.
"Once they die, and you have the imperial edict of abdication in your hands, then the group will be leaderless. You might be able to fight against the others."
When the waters are muddied, anything can happen.
Li Shen was originally ready to compromise, but after hearing what Zhao Zhiyuan said, he felt that he was confused.
It was nothing more than a gamble with his life. The day he plotted against the throne, he was ready to lose his life.
You can't wait until this moment and be afraid of death.
"Okay, you're right."
Li Shen placed the tip of his knife against Meng Mingshu's neck and shouted to the people at the bottom of the tower:
"Your Majesty, you and the Crown Prince now have two choices. One is to write me a letter of abdication, and the other is to order Meng Mingshu, her unborn child, and this little brat to die."
"You choose."
The Empress Dowager's expression changed: "Emperor, you absolutely cannot agree to this. The imperial decree of abdication is no joke."
If the imperial seal was affixed, some pedantic old men in the court might actually support Li Shen.
After all, Li Shen's father and the emperor were cousins, and the throne originally belonged to their lineage.
The emperor looked at the queen mother and said, "Mother, my son won't live long."
The Queen Mother was confused.
"Before I die, I want to make up for my past mistakes."
When a man is about to die, his words are good, and that is what the emperor is saying now.
He was wrong about what happened before.
It was wrong to kill Xiao Yan's mother and maternal grandparents, and it was also wrong to make things difficult for Meng Mingshu and try every means to hinder the couple.
He doesn't want to make the same mistake again.
The key right now is to stabilize Li Shen and save the lives of Meng Mingshu and the children.
Even if he died in the future, or the situation became turbulent, if Li Shen really used this imperial edict to stir up trouble, that would be a matter for the future.
No one can predict what will happen in the future.
He can't control it either.
"Okay, I promise you."
"When I deliver the imperial edict, you must put Meng Mingshu and the child down."
Li Shen smiled and nodded: "Of course."
"The imperial edict was placed in a bamboo basket."
A rope was lowered from the tower.
"I'll give this little brat back to you."
Li Shen directly placed Tuan'er in the bamboo basket.
He still wanted Xiao Yan's life, so he couldn't let Meng Mingshu go.
But if he doesn't let go of anyone, the people below will definitely not trade with him anymore.
The emperor's face was filled with anger.
But in fact, they had already anticipated it.
Both the emperor and Xiao Yan knew that Li Shen would not give up so easily.
Being able to save Tuan'er means that part of the goal has been achieved.
"Daddy! Wuuuuu! Save Mommy!"
Xiao Yan hugged his daughter tightly, as if he wanted to integrate her into his bones and blood.
"Tuan'er..."
"Daddy promises you, don't cry."
His daughter's crying made Xiao Yan feel like his heart was being pierced by needles, causing him excruciating pain.
He hugged his daughter tightly, unwilling to let go, but there were more important things at the moment.
Meng Mingshu has not been rescued yet.
Xiao Yan leaned over and kissed the top of Tuan'er's head lovingly.
"Tuan'er, do you believe in Daddy?"
Tuan'er clenched his fist and said, "Believe it."
"Then be good, go with uncle to see the doctor and wait for daddy to bring mom back, okay?"
Tuan'er wiped his eyes with his little hands, "Mother..."
But she held back her tears and nodded obediently: "Okay."
"Tuan'er is obedient."
Xiao Yan reluctantly handed his daughter over to the people behind.
Looking at this scene, the emperor felt mixed emotions.
He was wrong.
He is old and really confused.
…………
"Li Shen, enough is enough."
The emperor looked at Li Shen and said, "Your parents are still here."
Li Shen scoffed at the emperor's warning.
"Your Majesty, just do it."
"Never mind, I'll do it myself."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shen's men shot and killed the hostages in their hands.
Arrows hit Li Shen's relatives, and they fell down one after another.
The emperor looked at Li Shen in disbelief, his face full of surprise.
The emperor realized that he had underestimated this man in the past.
This level of cruelty is even worse than what he was doing back then.
Born to be an emperor.
If the emperor had the intention of reconciling with Li Shen and sparing his life just now, at this moment, the emperor only wanted to get rid of Li Shen.
He must not let such a person live, otherwise he would endanger Xiao Yan's kingdom in the future.
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