Having confirmed that Ouyang Fu's arm had been severed, Han Luoxue flicked her wrist, and a rope fell from her sleeve: "Zhou Jun, help me tie him up!"
Zhou Jun gritted his teeth and stepped forward to help, but Han Luoxue's hand remained firmly pressed against Ouyang Fu's neck.
Xiang Yang wanted to find an opportunity to rescue his master, but unfortunately Han Luoxue was watching him closely. This woman was not someone to be trifled with.
That's true. How could someone be so easily chosen by Ouyang Zhen?
Ouyang Fu was also trying to figure out a solution, but Han Luoxue's dagger was too close to his neck, and he was too afraid of dying, so he really couldn't do anything for the time being.
...
Knowing that Ouyang Fu had appeared in Yancheng, Ouyang Zhen could not stay still for a moment. No matter how important the matter was in the palace, he had to go to Yancheng to rescue people.
The ministers knelt on the ground, but Ouyang Zhen wouldn't listen at all. Fortunately, someone reacted quickly and went to Cixi Palace to invite the Empress Dowager over.
The Empress Dowager hurried over, leaning on her dragon-headed cane; she really did run.
She has already spoken, urging Ouyang Zhen to ascend the throne to stabilize the situation in the court.
They had agreed to everything, and the kid had even agreed, but who would have thought that before it even got dark, he would change his mind?
"Zhen'er, you should understand that a country cannot be without a ruler for a day. I don't care what important matters you have; we'll discuss them after the court is stable."
"If you are worried, you can send your most capable subordinates to do it, but you absolutely cannot leave the capital now."
As the Empress Dowager spoke, she tapped her dragon-headed cane. This was a gift from the late Emperor, which she could use to strike down a tyrannical ruler in a critical moment.
When the ministers saw the Empress Dowager trembling as she tapped her dragon-headed cane, they were relieved. With the Empress Dowager present, the Crown Prince probably wouldn't leave now, would he?
That's true. What would it look like to leave now? At the very least, we should wait until after we ascend the throne.
Besides, what the Empress Dowager said makes a lot of sense. If there is anything that must be done, His Highness the Crown Prince can send his most trusted people, or even more people, instead of him having to be there in person.
However, amidst the expectant gazes of everyone, the Crown Prince's expression remained icy: "I'm sorry, Grandmother, I must go there!"
"You..." The Empress Dowager tapped her dragon-headed cane again. Her hands were itching, and she wanted to hit him. This unfilial son! She had made herself so clear, so why was Ouyang Zhen so stubborn?
"If anything happens to my wife and children, I will absolutely not let anything happen to them!"
"Grandmother, haven't you always wanted a great-grandson?"
Upon hearing that the Crown Prince had a child, the Empress Dowager was shocked. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Ouyang Zhen: "You, you, what did you say?"
She, who was usually so composed, began to stutter, a rare occurrence for her.
Even the middle-ranking ministers kneeling on the ground were extremely shocked.
Now that the Crown Prince has ascended the throne, it's only a matter of time, a necessity imposed by circumstances. However, there are no women in the Crown Prince's household. Back when the Crown Prince died in battle, there were rumors that he had married a woman, but she was just a country bumpkin.
Such a woman is certainly not presentable. If she were truly presentable, why hasn't His Highness brought her back with him after so long since returning to the capital? At the time, many people were saying that His Highness might have already dealt with her.
After all, she was just a woman His Highness had no choice but to marry when he was still a nobody.
But what did they hear now?
They were even planning to let His Highness choose his consorts after he ascended the throne. Many people were even secretly vying for the position of Empress.
There are many positions for concubines in the imperial harem, but there can only be one empress. If one's own child becomes empress, it would be a meteoric rise to power.
But just now they actually heard His Highness the Crown Prince say something about his wife and children!
Does Your Highness now even have a wife and children? And he even admitted it. Is he planning to rescue them?
Some of the quick-thinking ones already had an idea in mind.
"Your Highness, a country cannot be without a ruler for even a day. You cannot leave now!"
"That's right, Your Highness. The capital is in chaos right now, and we need you to take charge! The Empress Dowager is right, you can choose someone you trust to go there!"
"Your Highness, this old minister is willing to go in your place!"
One or two people spoke up, and the rest quickly echoed them. Knowing that His Highness the Crown Prince was going to rescue people, they were even more determined not to let him leave.
After the initial shock, the Empress Dowager's feelings were indeed inexplicably complex.
Ouyang Zhen, the child she had almost forgotten, now actually has children? How is that possible? She hadn't heard any news about him?
I remember when he first returned to the capital, the Empress Dowager also had someone investigate him.
I knew he was hiding in a remote mountain valley, working as a peasant. His wife was also a woman from the village, and I heard she was quite beautiful.
There were plenty of beautiful women in the capital, and the Empress Dowager hadn't given that woman a second thought. But now…
That woman actually had a child!
“A little over a month ago, Xue’er gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Grandmother, Xue’er is in need now, so I definitely have to go there!”
Ouyang Zhen's expression was resolute, his eyes icy: "If you continue to prevent me from going to save people, then from now on, whoever wants to sit in this position can sit there!"
"You...you..."
“Grandmother, do you know how badly I was injured? My face was disfigured, and the scars spread all over my face. The children in the village were so frightened by me that they had nightmares at night. And my leg was crippled. Do you think a disfigured cripple is qualified to come back and continue to be the Zhen King?”
"It's because my wife doesn't despise me. She works tirelessly to treat my illness. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been able to return to Beijing!"
"Also, what's the situation on your maternal grandfather's side? I'm sure you know. There are 150,000 troops there, and they can't even get enough to eat. How can you expect them to defend the border or fight a war?"
As Ouyang Zhen spoke, he looked at the ministers kneeling on the ground and sneered, "I know that just because General Wu is my maternal grandfather, that is his original sin. You can arbitrarily deduct his military pay and ignore the lives of the soldiers. But at this time, it was my wife who accompanied me to find food and solved the problem of food for the troops."
"A woman who loves me so deeply is now in danger, why can't I save her?"
"Besides, do you know who's putting her in danger? It's Ouyang Fu! That former crown prince who betrayed the country."
"I, Ouyang Zhen, swear that I will not rest until I capture the former Crown Prince Ouyang Fu!"
"Of course, you can continue to stop me. In that case, you can handle Xishu yourselves from now on!"
When Ouyang Zhen finally uttered the words "Xishu," everyone understood immediately, as they weren't fools.
Especially the Empress Dowager: "Crown Prince, do you mean to say..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
