Chapter 96: Notice Something is Wrong
The Dali Temple has posted a notice regarding my father's case, and my father and his family should be preparing to return to Beijing.
The only one who had an accident was Xiao Jin.
"Fuyue!"
Fu Yue was playing marbles with Chun Sheng. When they heard the shouting, they quickly left Chun Sheng and ran into the house.
"Girl, what's wrong?"
"Close the door."
Song Zijin expressed his thoughts.
Fu Yue frowned, "Miss, are you overthinking it? Also, the prince has instructed us to stay in the mansion. What if we run into danger outside the mansion..."
"No, I'm uneasy. I have to go out and take a look. And you forgot, we were supposed to see Sandan's father today. That child is so pitiful. He already lost his mother, what will happen if he loses his father too?"
Fu Yue could see that his girl had made up her mind.
She had no choice but to pretend to be bored and wander around the house, and finally saw a dog hole in the corner of the garden.
When Song Zijin saw the dog hole with his own eyes, he couldn't help but wonder: How could such a big hole be without any guards guarding it?
Never mind, let’s go out first.
She wrapped her sable cloak tightly around her and slithered out of the dog hole like a loach.
The old princess stood on the second floor of the Zhaixing Tower in the next yard, watching the master and servant escape with indifference.
Nanny Jiang was very worried. "If we distract the secret guards, Miss Song will be left unprotected. Will something happen to her?"
The old princess was happy.
"What could possibly happen? Xiao Jin is doing this because he's hoping Ling Zhi will be drowned in her gentle embrace all day, letting the people's gossip flood the palace. If possible, he might even want to send someone to the palace to protect Song Zijin's safety."
Nanny Jiang lowered her head and sighed deeply.
The old princess was like she was on the first night Xiao Jin brought Song Zijin into the mansion, almost like she was going crazy.
But then again, who could have thought that Xiao Jin would be so cruel?
"But Your Majesty..."
"Am I still afraid of him making a fuss? Now he is almost ignoring me, his mother, for this woman."
"Your Highness is truly moved. For the sake of the future, I think it's better not to be so ruthless..."
The old princess's carefully maintained nails scratched several long marks on the fence. She didn't want to do that, but she had no choice.
"No need to persuade her anymore. Take the fifty thousand taels of silver and the banknote seal she returned, and an extra hundred taels of silver. Prepare a carriage and wait for her at the clinic. She will leave on her own."
“…”
——
On the other side, Xiao Linyuan led a group of people and walked into the Weiyang Palace of Emperor Guangxi openly.
The last wisp of ambergris wafted from the gilded coiled dragon censer.
Emperor Guangxi's withered hands rested outside the brocade quilt, his wrist bones protruding as if they were about to pierce through his old skin.
When Xiao Linyuan kicked open the door to the inner hall, Zeng Sheng was stuffing ginseng slices under his tongue.
Probably because his daughter was mute, Zeng Sheng had a bad attitude and was very strong in his hands. When he saw Emperor Guangxi glaring at him, he pretended to apologize.
"Your Majesty is in good spirits today."
Xiao Linyuan threw the scroll of imperial edict in his hand beside the dragon couch, causing the jade medicine bowl to vibrate.
Eunuch Wan stepped forward, trembling. "King Jinyue, are you trying to commit an act of insubordination?"
The sword flashed, and the eunuch's hat on Eunuch Wan's head flew up to the caisson.
"If you don't want to die, take the palace servants and get out. I have something to discuss with His Majesty."
Saving his life was the most important thing, so Eunuch Wan quickly grabbed his godsons and ran away.
Emperor Guangxi's eyes widened, and he shouted with all his might, "King Jinyue, you were truly cured by that bitch!"
Xiao Linyuan pulled a stool and sat down with his big horse and golden sword. He placed his black boots mercilessly on Emperor Guangxi's chest and pressed down hard.
Emperor Guangxi's face instantly turned the color of liver, and he coughed out the ginseng slice he had just put in his mouth.
"Her name is Song Zijin, and she is my princess. If you dare to shout that again, I will kill you right now!"
Emperor Guangxi closed his eyes in a cowardly manner. Xiao Linyuan then withdrew his foot and wiped the sole of his shoe with a white handkerchief in disgust.
"It seems like you really sent someone to cover Xiao Jin's escape."
"It's me. What are you going to do? If you kill me, you'll be guilty of regicide. Don't you dare!" He was hysterical. "How can you have the nerve to kill Xiao Jin? It's true that he colluded with General Qiwu, but isn't Qiwu's current military buildup your doing?"
At this moment, he understood everything.
Huang Qiuyue, the fifty thousand imperial guards, the Song Ze case, and the concubine Ling who fed him elixirs all day long... This was clearly a whole trap!
Xiao Linyuan's eyes flashed with murderous intent. He plunged his sword into the dragon bed and said fiercely, "I won't kill you because you are still useful. Hand over the jade seal, and I will consider finding a place for you to live out your days."
Emperor Guangxi suddenly convulsed and coughed up black blood, and the winding bloodstains on the brocade quilt looked like a dying snake.
He closed his eyes again and played dead.
Only he knew the whereabouts of the imperial seal. Without it, even a traitor or the crown prince could not ascend the throne legitimately.
"If you don't hand it over, I will kill you first, then the crown prince, and finally your two newborn sons. How about that? The bloodline of your Xuanyuan family will be destroyed in your hands. Is that what you ask for?"
Emperor Guangxi suddenly opened his eyes and clearly saw the bloodthirsty threat in Xiao Linyuan's eyes.
"So, you want the seal not to seize the throne?" he asked tentatively.
"Don't you know what your favorite minister has done? Didn't you let him go just to allow him to openly slander my reputation? Now, I want you to issue an edict to annul Xiao Jin and Song Zijin's marriage and make amends for your mistakes. If you do so, I will show my kindness and ensure that your prince can ascend the throne safely. How do you do that?"
Emperor Guangxi's pupils were red, "How dare you, traitor, threaten me!"
"While I am willing to discuss this with you, you'd better be sensible. Otherwise, I will be able to eliminate you, the Xuanyuan clan, first, and then kill those who gossip about my princess."
Emperor Guangxi suddenly burst into laughter, "Xiao Jin, ah Xiao Jin, you idiot! I was defeated by you, but you were defeated by a woman, hahahahahahaha!"
"Stop being crazy and give me the imperial seal!"
At this moment, the young prince ran in and unfolded the imperial edict beside the bed. "Father, King Jinyue has sent a full 50,000 soldiers into the capital. I've already visited the outskirts of the capital and I'm not lying. Our 50,000 imperial guards are no match for them... You don't want no one to worship you a hundred years from now, do you? When I ascend the throne, I will treat you well and let you enjoy a thousand years of peace! I will send all of your concubines to serve you. That way, Father, I think you will be content."
Emperor Guangxi wiped away the tears from his eyes and pointed with a trembling hand towards the third pillar in the hall, "Right, right there..."
Xiao Linyuan tiptoed on the ground, spun around, walked to the pillar, and took the jade seal.
Wang Ling brought in a bowl of mute medicine and forcefully fed it to Emperor Guangxi.
It was because Xiao Linyuan didn't want to hold a national mourning and wanted to keep the money to improve people's livelihood. It would be better to hang him up and throw him into a Taoist temple to be an emperor and keep him as a toy.
Having achieved his goal, Xiao Linyuan walked out without looking back, and Wang Ling followed him at a trot.
"Why are you following me?"
"The mission has been completed. I should have followed the prince back to the palace~" Wang Ling said shyly.
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