Chapter 370 Mother
"What kind of time is this? Who are you trying to fool with this fake show? Do you think I'm like you two cowards, afraid to kill her?"
After saying that, his expression changed instantly, and he said sternly, "Qi Jun!"
"Make the Xiahou family's soldiers retreat! All of them retreat! Otherwise, I'll slit the Empress Dowager's throat right now!"
Qi Jun's expression shifted slightly, trying to calm the other party down first: "Fourth brother, release the Empress Dowager first! It's not too late to put down your sword now!"
However, Qi Huan was not listening to any of this at the moment. He was now focused on forcing Qi Jun to acknowledge his position as crown prince and to admit that he, Qi Huan, was the rightful new emperor of Qi!
He pressed down on the Empress Dowager, took two steps back, and said mockingly, "You think I would believe you?"
"I told you, have all your men back off!"
Seeing the Empress Dowager's face filled with pain, Qi Jun reached out his hand and said several times, "Fourth brother, don't be impulsive!"
Sure enough, the next moment, Xiahou Zhong's troops slowly retreated out of Fu Ning Palace, leaving only the Qilin Guards and corpses scattered throughout the palace.
Qi Huan watched their actions with a cold smile, thinking to himself that, as expected, the sanctimonious crown prince was used to these tricks to win people's hearts, so using the empress dowager to hold him hostage was a good idea.
Qi Jun was worried about being gossiped about and called unfilial, but he wasn't worried at all!
The historian's pen has always been in the hands of the one who ultimately ascends the throne. If one person is dissatisfied, then kill ten, a hundred, or a thousand! There will always be pragmatic people who acknowledge his achievements, so what does he have to fear?
Qi Huan glanced sideways and loudly addressed the Taoist priest behind him who was holding the imperial edict: "Guards! Read aloud the Emperor's dying edict to this former crown prince!"
The gaunt old Taoist priest was dressed in a gold-flecked robe. All traces of his former otherworldly demeanor had vanished, replaced by a face full of greed and lust, making him look exactly like a petty, smug man who had achieved his goal.
Holding the imperial edict with its black background and gold trim, he walked step by step to Qi Huan's side, cleared his throat solemnly, and then slowly unfurled the edict, beginning to read it aloud with great expression:
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Since assuming the throne, I have been diligent and conscientious day and night, fearing only that I may fail in my duty. Now, I am gravely ill and unable to recover, and the position of heir apparent remains vacant. Therefore, for the sake of the nation, I hereby appoint my fourth son, Huan, as Crown Prince. Huan is intelligent and wise, naturally benevolent and filial. Although young, he possesses profound wisdom and is worthy of the heavy responsibility of the ancestral temple. The Ministry of Rites is hereby ordered to prepare the golden edict and imperial seal immediately, to proclaim this to the world, so that all officials and people may know. After my passing, the funeral rites shall be simple. The new emperor shall swiftly assume the throne, comfort the people, and stabilize the borders..."
So be it!
After the old Taoist priest finished reciting, he smiled obsequiously at Qi Huan beside him and said, "Your Highness, would you like me to recite it again?"
Qi Huan raised an eyebrow at him: "No need, I believe my good brother has already heard clearly, so there's no need for you to waste your breath."
He then looked at Qi Jun with a confident expression: "Brother, the imperial edict is right here, what do you say?"
Before Qi Jun could answer, Qi Huan impatiently shouted to Xiahou Zhong, "General Xiahou! You must have heard it too! The Emperor himself drafted this decree on his deathbed. Do you, as his subjects, intend to disobey it and be charged with treason?!"
Xiahou Zhong was stunned by the fourth prince's shamelessness. He almost laughed in anger and said, "Your Highness, the right and wrong will be judged by future generations. It is still unknown who will be convicted of treason today. Your Highness is so 'brave and resourceful' that you dare to take the Empress Dowager hostage in public. I am ashamed of my inferiority!"
His words implied that he still didn't want to abandon darkness for light!
Qi Huan was furious, but his real purpose was not to win over Xiahou Zhong, but simply to make Qi Jun realize that he was the true chosen one.
He grabbed the Empress Dowager and gestured defiantly with his lip: "Royal brother, as long as you obediently accept this imperial decree today and acknowledge me as the new emperor, I will release the Empress Dowager immediately. Not only that, I will also grant you a title and fiefdom, and allow you, Princess Chang Le... oh right, and the Eldest Princess, the three of you to live out your days in peace and tranquility in your fiefdoms. How about that?"
"As for the State of Qi, you need not worry about it."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a figure flashed through the side gate of Funing Palace. A petite girl dressed as a palace maid appeared before everyone, holding a woman dressed in gorgeous clothes in her hand.
If Qi Yuxuan were still in Funing Palace, she would definitely recognize that this palace maid was Wei Qingqing from Kuncheng on the border.
Although Wei Qingqing kept telling herself that she had to do this, otherwise the male and female leads would not recognize her as one of them, and these supporting characters were just two-dimensional characters, NPCs who didn't care if they died and had no real life, it was her first time doing something like this. When she actually picked up the knife, her hands were trembling.
Fortunately, the concubine she was holding was trembling even more violently than she was, so no one could detect her panic.
She lowered her voice, preparing to shout out the words she had been rehearsing for a long time: "Qi Huan! Your mother is in my hands. If you know what's good for you, hurry up... Hey? You unfilial descendant, you actually dare to hold the Empress Dowager hostage?!"
The Imperial Concubine was already weeping uncontrollably, her face pale and trembling. Seeing that her son was also grabbing the Empress Dowager as if threatening Qi Jun and the others, she cried out stammeringly, "Huan'er! Save your mother!"
She was anxiously waiting for good news in the inner palace when this unfamiliar palace maid came to report that things had gone well. She happily dressed up and went to Funing Palace, but before she had taken more than a few steps, the maid grabbed her arm, held a knife to her neck, and forced her to walk over.
Moreover, several of the palace servants around her were actually soldiers in disguise. As soon as she succeeded, they protected her and wouldn't allow anyone to get close. The palace servants and guards were so frightened by this situation that they didn't know how to save the Consort. They could only follow her to Funing Palace.
When they arrived, they realized that things were not as simple as they had imagined. Qi Jun suddenly appeared, and the Fourth Prince, who was brave but reckless, actually came up with the idea of using the Empress Dowager to threaten Qi Jun!
The Imperial Concubine wept uncontrollably. Seeing that her son had merely glanced at her indifferently before turning away impatiently, showing no intention of saving her, she was filled with anxiety and anger.
"Huan'er! My son! Are you not going to save your mother?! Release your imperial grandmother at once!"
It's obvious that the palace maid had only one purpose in taking her hostage: to force Qi Huan to compromise. Now that she saw that the person in his hands was the Empress Dowager, the Consort understood everything.
It must be because Duke Huan of Qi took a risky move and captured the Empress Dowager first!
Qi Huan seemed not to hear, his eyes fixed on Qi Jun, as if he wouldn't give up until Qi Jun agreed.
Seeing that he didn't react, Wei Qingqing was even more anxious than the Imperial Concubine: "Qi Huan! Do you have no heart? Your mother is in my hands, aren't you afraid that I will really kill her?"
Qi Huan didn't even glance at her, only coldly saying, "Kill me if you want. I, Qi Huan, have never been the kind of indecisive coward. If my mother has truly sacrificed herself for me, I will definitely offer sacrifices and prayers to her every year from now on, and the incense will never cease!"
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