Chapter 278
They originally had the opportunity to bring Rongniang back.
However, Yang and Duan Zhize were deeply in love and took this opportunity to remove Rongniang, the thorn that had always been in their hearts.
Since they won't save her, then go down and join her.
Yang suffered from a heart condition. One night, something unclean appeared in her body. Perhaps feeling guilty, she was so frightened that she died.
Duan Zhize, unwilling to live alone for Yang's sake, also committed suicide out of love.
From that day on, he was the only one left in the fourth branch of the Duan family.
Emperor Mingyou was shocked to hear all this. Duan Gan had actually been plotting for so many years for a mere courtesan.
She was just a lowly courtesan. Didn't he feel ashamed to have such a despicable mother? And yet he still harbored thoughts of avenging her!
It's really hard to understand.
"Help! Help...help someone!"
Emperor Mingyou thought he was shouting loudly, but in reality, his voice was barely audible, like a mosquito's buzz. His ugly and disgusting face was repulsive.
He was furious, pointing at Duan Gan and cursing him incessantly, breathing heavily with more air in than out.
"How...how could you treat me like this! I trusted you so much, giving you power second only to the emperor, how could you do this to me!"
"Just for... for your birth mother, the courtesan who never raised you..."
Duan Gan looked down at him, grabbed a teapot from the side and poured it directly onto his face. He was already having difficulty breathing, and now with his mouth and nose filled with water, he felt like he was about to drown.
His birth mother was weak and timid, but she also had a loving heart for her son.
She would secretly watch him from the shadows, and would personally cook soup for him. Even when the madam discovered them meeting and beat her until she was covered in bruises, she would still smile and shake her head at him, indicating that she was alright.
Just then, Wuxuzi rushed over from outside and saw the person on the bed on the verge of death.
"Don't kill him so quickly, the abdication edict hasn't been written yet."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Mingyou stared intently at him, becoming even more agitated, his eyes blazing with fury, and he cried out in despair.
He wondered why even the Imperial Advisor was colluding with him. He had treated him well, giving him a supreme position and endless riches and honors. Why would he betray him with Duan Gan?
Wu Xuzi glanced at him, saw through what he wanted to say, but had neither the patience nor the obligation to explain.
Talking so much nonsense to a dying person is a waste of time.
In the dead of night, the soldiers at the palace gates patrolled as usual. One of them, taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, secretly yawned and rubbed his eyes, which were about to close.
When the patrolling troops passed by, they immediately stood up straight, chests puffed out, and spirits high.
At that moment, a group of Imperial Guards dressed in flying fish robes approached, their faces expressionless, their menacing presence evident as they carried swords at their waists.
The city gate soldiers quickly reached out to stop them, and said with a smile, "Sirs, what brings you to the palace so late at night?"
The leader shouted angrily, "Insolence! I have been ordered by His Majesty to guard His Majesty's presence, and you dare to block the path of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?!"
The Embroidered Uniform Guard is subordinate to the Crown Prince. Now that the Crown Prince has been demoted and the palace is guarded by the Imperial Guards, why is it necessary for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to enter the palace?
That explanation is rather far-fetched.
Even if the gatekeeper sensed something was amiss, he wouldn't say it directly. Instead, he asked tactfully, "Sir, one needs a token or an imperial edict to enter or leave the palace. Do you have one?"
He glanced at him impatiently. "I've already said it's a secret order from His Majesty. Don't you understand?"
"If your ears are just for decoration, don't blame me for taking care of them for you!"
A secret order? What kind of secret order is this? They've never heard of any secret orders before.
A stalemate ensued. The four gatekeepers looked at each other, then lowered their heads, refusing to move aside and showing no intention of letting them in.
"Get out of the way!" the leader shouted again.
The commotion attracted the attention of the patrolling troops. The clattering sound reached the ears of the Imperial Guards, and suddenly one of them drew his sword and slashed at the gatekeeper.
Before the goalkeeper could even scream, he collapsed to the ground, unable to get up.
The others reacted quickly, almost simultaneously, and everything was done quietly.
When the patrolling troops arrived, everything was normal and nothing had happened.
The leading soldier looked them up and down suspiciously, and said irritably, "What were you all shouting about? If you had disturbed His Majesty, you wouldn't all have had your heads chopped off!"
He continued his incessant lecturing from the front, completely oblivious to the red hem of a robe fluttering in the darkness behind him.
They skillfully and discreetly reached out and covered the soldier's mouth, then raised their hand to smear his vulnerable neck.
When he was about to leave, he suddenly felt that it was too quiet behind him, and he could not even hear breathing.
He turned his head in confusion, and the Imperial Guard disguised as a gatekeeper seized the opportunity to slit his throat.
The next second, figures emerged from the darkness on both sides. All the Imperial Guards were there, while some of the Crown Prince's private soldiers were at the Prince Yong's residence.
At the same time, the army that had rushed from Suizhou entered the gates of the capital and ran into Tao Tao's troops who were desperately rushing back.
Hearing the metallic clang of weapons and armor rubbing against each other, accompanied by the clatter of horses' hooves, Tao Tao abruptly lifted the carriage curtain and peered out.
The army surrounded them, and some men rode back from the front on horseback.
Zhang Cheng looked at Tao Tao in front of him and exclaimed in surprise, "Miss?"
Tao Tao frowned. "The charter?"
She looked at the prison cart surrounded by black cloth in the center and asked, "Who's inside?"
Zhang Cheng gave a half-hearted laugh, "Nobody, just an ordinary criminal."
"Does an ordinary criminal really require you to bring so many people and go to such lengths?" Tao Tao looked at her with suspicion, still inspecting the prison van that was being deliberately concealed.
He didn't answer, but looked at Leng Chuan, who was dressed in all black, and said, "Why did you bring Miss back at this time?"
"If Fourth Master knew, he would probably be angry."
Seeing that he ignored her words, Tao Tao jumped out of the car and tried to walk to the prison van, but was suddenly blocked by someone.
Leng Xu expressionlessly reached out to stop him, lowering his head and looking down.
She frowned, puzzled, and asked, "And who are you?"
"Get out of the way."
Zhang Cheng hurriedly walked over and said, "He is the Fourth Master's personal bodyguard. This time, he was ordered to go to Suizhou with his subordinates to arrest someone."
"Get out of the way, didn't you hear me?"
The people inside the prison van heard the noise outside and began to whine for help.
Tao Tao was initially worried that the person inside might be Qi Heng, but after hearing the voice, she immediately dismissed the idea.
But she couldn't suppress her curiosity and wanted to see who was inside.
What's there to hide? It's just a glance. She won't do anything to harm them, so why are they being so wary of her?
"Please forgive me, Miss."
Leng Xu spoke in a low voice, but did not leave.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com