Chapter 373 The Grand Finale
Shen Xu turned around and realized that the outside was unusually quiet.
His original plan was that the people he arranged to meet him should have surrounded the entire underground palace by now.
Shen Xu frowned and looked at Qin Wei.
Qin Wei pointed to someone and said, "Go and see what's going on outside."
His subordinate returned shortly after leaving, looking flustered.
"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! We're surrounded! Our...our people have all been captured!"
"It was the Imperial Guards; they've all turned them against them."
"What?"
Shen Xu's expression changed drastically, and he glared fiercely at Shen Cong.
What did you do?
Shen Cong sneered, "So you're allowed to be the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, but others aren't allowed to openly repair the plank road while secretly advancing their own?"
Shen Xu gripped the sword tightly, his expression shifting uncertainly.
Qin Wei lowered his voice and said, "Your Highness, the area outside is full of our people."
We absolutely cannot go out; we have no choice but to fight them.
Shen Xu nodded, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes.
"Brothers, shoot Shen Cong immediately! I will reward you handsomely afterward."
The archers immediately prepared, and with a whooshing sound, several arrows were fired at once, all aimed at Shen Cong and Li Nanke.
Shen Cong held Li Nanke's hand tightly, dodging arrows while trying to break through the blockade and run towards the entrance of the underground palace.
Arrows shot into different corners, and in no time, arrows were stuck in the offering table, the stone wall, and even the coffin.
Shen Cong stared, his eyes wide with fury.
"Chen Xu, that's your imperial grandmother's coffin! How dare you!"
He rolled on the spot and lunged at the coffin.
Li Nanke immediately brandished his long whip to deflect the arrows that were being shot at her along the way.
Shen Cong rushed to the coffin and pulled out the arrows from it.
Just then, the entire underground palace suddenly began to shake violently.
Bang! Crash!
The offering table and all the burial objects placed in the underground palace were shaking incessantly, and even the eternal lamp on the wall was swaying violently.
Having experienced the cave collapse before, Shen Xu turned pale with fright.
"Oh no! The underground palace is about to collapse! Quick, run!"
He turned and ran outside.
Qin Wei and his men, no longer bothering to pursue Shen Cong and Li Nanke, rushed outside.
The underground palace shook even more violently, and stone slabs began to fall from above.
Li Nanke pulled Shen Cong back.
"Ninth Brother, the underground palace is about to sink. Let's leave quickly."
As Shen Cong gazed at the Empress Dowager's coffin, he was overcome with immense grief.
"Mother!"
Li Nanke gripped his hand tightly and said loudly, "Ninth Brother, don't you understand yet?"
This is the Empress Dowager's last line of protection for you, in case someone makes a move with weapons in the imperial tomb.
The entire underground palace would collapse; even in the end, the Empress Dowager hoped you would survive.
Shen Cong stared at her blankly.
"is that so?"
"Of course!"
"But I cannot leave my mother's coffin unattended..."
Before Shen Cong could finish speaking, he suddenly collapsed.
Erfeng reached out and hugged Chen Cong.
Xie Xuanxiao stood behind him and moved his numb hands.
He said expressionlessly, "If we keep rambling on, we'll all die here."
What are you standing there for? Get out of here! We didn't rush in to watch you get crushed to death.
Li Nanke realized what was happening and quickly followed him out.
As soon as the private man ran out of the narrow tunnel and crawled out of the tomb door, a rumbling sound came from behind him.
Li Nanke turned around and saw the entire underground palace slowly collapsing behind him.
She slumped to the ground, looking at Shen Cong, who was leaning against Er Feng's chest with a pale face, and tears slowly slid down her cheeks.
very nice!
She and Ninth Brother are still alive!
Ninth Brother will no longer suffer from the blood curse, and she has changed the fate of the whole family!
Li Nanke sniffed, stood up, and kowtowed deeply towards the direction of the underground palace.
Your Majesty, please rest assured, Ninth Brother will not let you down; he will definitely live a good life.
Seven days later.
Court officials, holding the late emperor's edict in the Daqing Hall, earnestly requested Shen Cong to ascend the throne.
Shen Cong received the imperial edict and announced the first order: to have the imperial mausoleum rebuilt and the Empress Dowager's coffin reburied.
On the day the Empress Dowager's underground palace collapsed, Empress Xue invited many families of important officials to the palace under the guise of a banquet.
Duke Xue then forced the high-ranking officials in the court to accuse him of being emperor, threatening to kill all their families if they refused.
Just when the situation reached a stalemate, Shen Cong and Xie Xuanxiao fortunately led their troops back to the capital in time, stormed into the palace, and rescued the important officials and their families.
Duke Xue led his troops in rebellion, but was shot through the heart by Xie Xuanxiao's arrow.
Empress Xue and Princess Zhaoning were about to escape when they were caught red-handed by Princess Zhaokang, who had been waiting at the palace gate.
"You... how dare you! I am your legal mother! Do you dare kill me?"
Empress Xue launched into a tirade against Princess Zhaokang.
Contrary to her usual timid and cowardly demeanor, Princess Zhaokang stared coldly at Empress Xue, her eyes filled with undisguised hatred.
"If you hadn't poisoned my mother back then, she wouldn't have died along with her unborn child."
Today is the day to avenge my mother!
Princess Zhaokang expressionlessly ordered someone to hold down Empress Xue and stuff a pill into her mouth.
"This is the poison my mother suffered from back then. You should also experience her pain."
"No...no!"
Empress Xue struggled desperately, her body convulsing, blood flowing from her seven orifices, and she gradually breathed her last in agony.
Princess Zhaoning witnessed all of this and was so frightened that she was completely dumbfounded.
Zhao Kang did not kill her, but had her taken back to the princess's residence and placed under his personal guard.
On the day of the Xue family's rebellion, Marquis Changping, Prime Minister Han, and Zhao Hong's family were all involved.
After Shen Cong quelled the rebellion, the male members of the Feng and Han families, as well as Zhao Hong, were sentenced to beheading according to the law.
As for the female relatives, they were all exiled to Qianzhou.
When the imperial edict was delivered to Song Hui, she was completely stunned.
I just can't understand why, even after being reborn, I still ended up being exiled to Qianzhou!
Song Hui rolled her eyes and fainted.
When he woke up again, he had gone completely insane.
"No, this is impossible, God must have made a mistake."
"I am a reborn woman. I was reborn to enjoy great wealth and luxury."
"I don't want to be exiled!"
Song Hui kept repeating that she was a reborn woman, which terrified Zhao Wanqing so much that all she could do was cry.
The mother and daughter, one crying and the other shouting incoherently, were led to the road of exile.
Li Nanke and his family witnessed this scene while standing on the street.
Song Yi sighed, her expression wistful.
"I never imagined she would end up like this."
Li Yichen held Li Nanke's hand and shook his head.
"I know, I know, this is what they mean by 'those who do many evil deeds will surely perish'! Sister, don't you think I'm right?"
Li Nanke rubbed his head.
“Ah Chen is right.”
Li Mu pulled Song Yi, "Come on, stop looking, we still need to go to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion."
Li Nanke looked puzzled.
What are you going to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion for?
Song Yi put the earlier sighs behind her and said with a smile, "Your Aunt Xie said she wants to discuss marriage with the Wang family."
She's taken a liking to Wang's fourth daughter, Tongyun, and that's why she's asking me to arrange a marriage for her.
They said that if the Wang family agreed, they would ask His Majesty to bestow a marriage upon them, making it the first marriage arranged by His Majesty after his ascension to the throne, to bring good fortune.
Li Mu said, "It's getting late, Madam, let's go quickly."
As soon as he finished speaking, the butler came running over, panting.
"My lord, hurry, hurry back to the manor! His Majesty... His Majesty..."
Li Mu frowned.
"What's wrong with Your Majesty?"
The butler slapped his thigh.
"His Majesty has come to our family to propose marriage!"
"What?"
Li Mu's roar nearly overturned the stall next to him.
Li Yichen clapped his hands and shouted with a grin, "Great marriage proposal! Great marriage proposal! I'm going to have a brother-in-law, hee hee~"
Li Nanke's gaze swept past the crowd and landed on Shen Cong, who was walking towards them.
Just like when they first met, a young man in a crimson brocade robe strode over.
However, his face was no longer as pale as before. On the contrary, he had a rosy complexion, sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and a dignified bearing.
His dark, obsidian-like eyes were fixed on her, and he bent down slightly, his smile as bright as the stars.
"Little girl, I've come to marry you!"
(The End!)
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