Chapter 218 Success
Everything happened so fast.
The guards and eunuchs around, and even the closest ones like Jiang Baichuan and Qin Xiu, were all slow to react because of this sudden attack.
“Puff!”
The dull sound of a sharp weapon entering flesh seemed particularly harsh amid the soft music.
The smile on Lu Bin's face froze instantly, turning into fear and pain. He lowered his head in disbelief, looking at the dagger that was almost completely embedded in his chest, his mouth open but no sound came out.
"Protect the emperor!"
Screams were heard.
The assassin succeeded in his first strike and wanted to pull out his dagger and stab again.
"Protect the emperor!" Queen Qin, who was sitting next to Lu Bin, reacted very quickly. Her eyes widened, and she suddenly pulled out the golden hairpin on her bun. She used almost all her strength to stab it into the assassin's neck.
"Uh." The assassin froze and looked at the seemingly weak woman beside him in disbelief.
Queen Qin showed no mercy and pulled out the golden hairpin violently, and warm blood instantly splattered all over her face and body.
The assassin staggered back, holding his neck, and was immediately hacked to the ground by the guards who reacted quickly.
Lu Bin's face was as pale as paper, blood was gushing out of his chest, and his body fell backwards limply, just in time to be caught in the arms of the frightened Queen Qin.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please wake up, don't sleep." Queen Qin hugged Lu Bin, whose breath was getting weaker, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes.
"Ah! Murder!"
“Help!”
"Protect the emperor! Protect the emperor!"
The officials' families in the hall finally came to their senses from their shock and burst into screams of terror.
People were pushing and shoving each other to escape the palace, and the situation was completely out of control.
Immediately following.
"No one moves!"
"Violators will be killed on the spot!"
A large number of soldiers wearing messy armor and holding sharp blades rushed in like a tide.
The two leaders were none other than Wei Zhai, the posthumous son of the former deposed crown prince, and his teacher, Fu Boqian, the former Grand Tutor.
Wei Zhai wore a mad and triumphant smile. He pointed his sword at the panicked crowd in the hall and said in a shrill voice, "The tyrant Lu Bing is dead. This great land should be returned to its rightful owner. Everyone, listen to me! Those who kneel down and surrender will be spared, but those who resist will be killed without mercy!"
"Jiang Qingning, Qin Xiu, you two have made me wait for so long! I will take your heads right now to pay tribute to the reputation I have lost over the past few months!"
Fu Boqian also twirled his beard, looking sanctimonious, and echoed loudly: "The destiny has been given to our master, why don't you hurry up..."
He hadn't finished his words.
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Three sounds of breaking through the air came from somewhere outside the hall with incredible precision.
The smile on Wei Zhai's face froze instantly. He had no time to react at all before three black feather arrows with incredible power pierced his chest.
The huge impact force sent him flying backwards and he fell heavily to the ground. Wei Zhai widened his eyes and stared at the direction where the arrow outside the hall came from. Blood gushed out of his mouth, his body twitched a few times, and then he was silent.
Fu Boqian was so frightened that he was about to shout something, but was trampled to the ground by the swarming rebels and fell silent in an instant.
The sudden change shocked everyone.
At the entrance of the hall, Jiang Qinghuai was holding a huge longbow, his posture was as straight as a pine tree, his face was as cold as ice, and he slowly lowered his arm.
Behind him were the elite soldiers of the Jiang family, who were like divine soldiers descending from the sky, with a strict formation and murderous aura.
Jiang Qinghuai's eyes were like lightning as he swept through the hall. His voice was as cold as ice: "You traitors, you are plotting rebellion and your crimes are unforgivable. Capture them all. Those who resist will be killed without mercy!"
"kill!"
"Take down the rebels!"
"Protect His Majesty!"
The Jiang family army roared in unison and rushed towards the rebels who were leaderless and already frightened.
In less than half an hour, all the rebels who rushed into the hall were either beheaded or knelt down in surrender.
The chaos in the hall gradually subsided, leaving only the pervasive smell of blood and the sobbing of survivors.
Everyone's eyes involuntarily turned to Lu Bin, who was being held tightly by Queen Qin and was unconscious, his life or death unknown.
"Quickly call the imperial physician, call the imperial physician!"
Everyone finally woke up from their dream and hurriedly carried Lu Bing to the nearest Yangxin Palace.
All the imperial physicians on duty at the Imperial Medical Bureau were quickly summoned and rushed into the Yangxin Palace trembling with fear to diagnose and treat the patient.
All the officials and their families in the Qionghua Palace also gathered outside the Yangxin Palace in fear, waiting for news in silence. The air was filled with great anxiety and fear.
Time passed by little by little, and every minute and every second was extremely painful.
Finally, the door of the Hall of Mental Cultivation was pushed open.
The chief judge of the Imperial Hospital and Empress Qin came out with a sad face and blood on her clothes.
The judge fell to his knees with a thud, banging his head on the ground. His voice trembled with tears, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the traitor's dagger pierced your heart. The injury is extremely serious. Although... although he was temporarily kept alive with golden needles, his heart meridian is damaged and there is no way to save him... I'm afraid... I'm afraid that his time is running out..."
These words came like a bolt from the blue.
All the civil and military officials outside the Yangxin Palace turned pale in an instant, fell to their knees on the ground, and let out earth-shaking wails.
For a moment, cries of grief were heard everywhere, as if the sky was about to fall.
At this moment, He Ning stepped out from the crowd, his voice clear and poignant, "Your Majesty is seriously injured. The country cannot remain without a ruler for even a day. With no crown prince appointed, the foundation of the nation hangs in the balance. In this critical moment, only the Fourth Prince, Prince Yong, the legitimate son of the Empress and renowned for his virtue, can temporarily manage state affairs, stabilize the people's hearts, and preside over the overall situation until Your Majesty recovers or the foundation of the nation is established!"
These words were like cold water poured into boiling oil, instantly stopping everyone's crying.
All the officials subconsciously looked up, their eyes sweeping over Qin Xiu, who was standing next to He Ning, with a sad face but unable to hide his majesty, Jiang Baichuan and Jiang Qinghuai, who held military power, and finally fell on the fourth prince Lu Yong, who was called out and had a look of shock and fear on his face.
All the officials instantly understood clearly.
His Majesty is on the verge of collapse. Queen Qin, Duke Qin's Mansion, the Jiang family, the He family... these top dignitaries have come together to support Prince Yong.
Who dares to say no at this moment?
After a brief moment of dead silence, all the civil and military officials, led by several important ministers, bowed their heads again in perfect unison and shouted in unison, their voices resounding throughout the Yangxin Palace:
"Master He is absolutely right. A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day!"
"Your Highness, Prince Yong, please prioritize the country and temporarily manage the government and take charge of the overall situation!"
"Please ask His Royal Highness Prince Yong to be the regent!"
Lu Yong stood before everyone, his face showing just the right amount of sadness and fear. He waved his hands repeatedly to decline, "No, no, my father is still recovering. I'm young and lacking in virtue, how dare I..."
"Your Highness Prince Yong!" Qin Xiu stepped forward, his voice heavy but resolute. "This is a national crisis. Only Your Highness can help stabilize the people's hearts and prolong the country's prosperity. Please do not refuse!"
"Your Highness, please put the country and the people first!" Jiang Baichuan and Jiang Qinghuai bowed at the same time.
Under the "earnest pleas" of the crowd, Lu Yong finally "reluctantly" stepped forward, with tears of "sorrow" in his eyes, and nodded heavily:
"Since this is the case, and with all my lords' kindness and the country being my top priority, I will temporarily assume the position of regent. I will do my utmost to stabilize the court until my father recovers!"
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