◇ Chapter 96 (96) The dust has settled
The Queen Mother was seriously injured and unconscious, her condition was critical and she was dying.
The rebel army broke through the gate of the Cining Palace and set it on fire. The guards sent by the Cining Palace were the largest number of guards in the inner court, but they were still powerless in the face of the nearly one hundred rebels.
The fire was fierce, and the smoke filled the air. The palace maids and eunuchs fled in all directions, many of them being crushed to death by the burnt beams and wooden pillars. When the imperial guards arrived, the main hall of the Cining Palace had been burned to the point of being a bare shell. The empress dowager had already fainted from inhaling the thick smoke.
In the end, only Nanny Xuemei was left in front of her, fighting to protect her.
The coup came to an end late at night on the third day.
Only at the very end did they realize something was amiss. According to the prime minister who had been detained in the palace after conferring with Emperor Jianguang that day, many palace servants had already become accomplices of the Longxi King, collaborating with the rebels, allowing the Longxi King's men to break into the palace so easily.
Emperor Jianguang passed away, the Empress Dowager was in a coma, and Concubine Lian was nowhere to be found.
The Imperial Guards and the rebel army of King Longxi were evenly matched. In the end, it was the Chief of the Imperial Clan Court who led several palace soldiers and guards and requested to enter the palace, which brought the battle to a halt.
When Lianzhi awoke, he found himself lying in a side hall of the Purple Palace. His chest ached unbearably, and his body was stained with the sticky blood of the person he hated most. A nearby palace maid, seeing him awake, beamed with joy: "Prince Zhulan, you're awake! Go and fetch the Minister!"
Lianzhi still hadn't figured out what was going on. His head was aching and he was dizzy. All he remembered was that Chen Fengke was dead, and he'd been pissed off to death. An Shiyi tried to take advantage of the chaos and escape with Chen Fengke's body, but was intercepted and imprisoned by the Imperial Guards. However, the rebels were numerous, and the palace servants were secretly helping them. Bai Kang tried to get him into hiding, but the rebels quickly stormed the Golden Throne Hall. He was hit on the head and passed out. Bai Kang...
The last memory was of Bai Kang holding him tightly with blood on his head.
He looked at the beams above his head. Soon, footsteps were heard outside the hall. Bo Kang, bandaged, sat beside him and gently brushed back Lian Zhi's bangs. "Baby, you're awake. How's your head? Does it hurt?"
Lianzhi looked at him blankly without saying a word.
"No way, he really hit his head!" Seeing that he didn't say anything, Bai Kang shouted, "Quickly call the doctor!"
"...I'm fine. Brother Kang, why are we still in the palace?" Lianzhi grabbed Bo Kang's fingers and squeezed them tightly. "Brother Kang. Brother, why is there still blood on you?"
Bai Kang looked at his aggrieved eyes, and his expression gradually changed. He stood up and asked the maid to leave first, then he sat back down and smiled bitterly: "Baby, we can't leave the palace for the time being."
Lianzhi blinked. Bai Kang's Adam's apple moved. "The Prince of Longxi has brought his men into the palace and is discussing with the Chief of the Imperial Clan... the selection of the new emperor. We, the Imperial Guards, the Minister of War, and the Prime Minister... I'm afraid we won't be able to leave the palace until this matter is resolved."
Especially him and the Prime Minister, if the new emperor wants to ascend the throne, the Ministry of Rites must start preparations as soon as possible. It's just that Lianzhi has been wronged and has to be involved in this matter again.
Lianzhi had experienced a palace coup and must have been terrified. She was still dazed. Bai Kang kissed Lianzhi's cheek with concern, "Don't worry, baby. This is the Purple Palace, it's very safe. Master Zongzheng knows your identity and allows you to rest in peace. Are you...are you hungry or sleepy?"
"Brother Kang." Lianzhi shook his finger, her voice soft and tired, "You smell so bloody. How are your injuries?"
Bo Kang was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."
After saying this, he looked at the palace maid again and said, "Can you ask the imperial kitchen to send some cakes for the prince?"
The maid looked embarrassed. "This... My lord, the imperial kitchen has been sealed off by order of the King of Longxi. Before the prince woke up, we went there once, but we couldn't get in."
The meaning of this statement is very clear. Before the selection of the new emperor is settled, they may not have any food to eat.
Bai Kang could tolerate it, and so could other officials, but he was afraid that Lianzhi could not tolerate it, or rather, Lianzhi should not suffer such grievances here.
Lianzhi coughed, and the maid, tactful enough, immediately brought him tea. He moistened his throat and asked softly, "Why did Zongzheng come to the palace?"
At a time like this, the Imperial Clan House should be cautious and protect itself. Moreover, the Imperial Clan Leader is already old, so why would he risk entering the palace? Bo Kang lowered his voice, "The Imperial Clan Leader said that the Prince of Longxi has reached this point. If he doesn't want to repeat the mistakes of Emperor Jianguang... the previous emperor, he must have a legitimate reason."
Emperor Jianguang's accession to the throne was not legitimate, and he was criticized from the beginning. Rumors continued to circulate for three years, and these four words followed him closely until his death.
The King of Longxi was not a fool, so he naturally understood the meaning of these four words.
"Although the Crown Prince is the younger brother of Emperor Jianguang, he's still young and, like Emperor Jianguang, not a direct descendant of the royal family. He can't convince the public." Bai Kang recounted what the Zongzheng had just said in the Golden Throne Hall. Lianzhi was still a little confused, but her mind raced as she pondered Bai Kang's words. "If nothing unexpected happens, the Prince of Longxi is a foregone conclusion. With a single word guaranteeing him a prosperous life, why wouldn't the Zongzheng support him and offer a favor? Brother Kang, what are your thoughts?"
"There's no need for me to speak. I'm just listening." Bo Kang said, gently taking the teacup from Lianzhi's hand. "Let me do it. Don't look up, or you might hurt yourself."
How could he be so delicate, especially with the palace maids around? Thinking of this, Lianzhi looked outside the palace. The palace maids didn't seem to suspect their relationship. She wondered if it was because Bo Kang had warned them in advance, or if there was some other reason.
After drinking the tea, Lianzhi was still listless. Although the pain in his body was not as severe, he was still in great pain. Bai Kang put his arm around his waist and held him in his arms. He wanted to stay with him for a while, but the young eunuch came to him and said, "Sir, the Minister of the Imperial Clan asks you to come over immediately."
Bai Kang hummed, gently placed the lotus branch flat, and touched his cheek. The lotus branch pressed against Bai Kang's palm, and he asked in a coquettish tone, "Brother Kang, when will you be back?"
"Very soon." Bai Kang said this quickly and followed the young eunuch.
The familiar Purple Palace was gloomy. As the daylight dawned, Lianzhi pulled aside the bright yellow curtains, which were a bit dazzling. He called a palace maid and asked, "How is the Empress Dowager doing?"
Although the maiden didn't understand why this prince from the North Sea wanted to inquire about the Queen Mother's affairs and why he was so close to the Minister of State, she still replied, "The Queen Mother is being treated by the imperial physician, and the King of Longxi has also sent a female official to look after her."
Hearing the word "female official", Lianzhi nodded.
If the Queen Mother were still conscious, it would be fine, but she's unconscious now, and there's no way to save her. From now on, it all depends on what Yan Xi Niang will do.
Three full days passed before the palace gates were opened again.
The people of the city were in a state of panic, as if a dark cloud was hanging over their hearts. Everyone knew what had happened in the palace, and they feared that the sky would not clear up for a while.
For the past few days, Lianzhi had been staying in the Purple Palace. This palace, which once belonged to him, left him with no sense of belonging. Besides meeting times, Bai Kang would also come to the Purple Palace, just like before. Some ministers seemed to have tacitly accepted their relationship, or perhaps, the moment they saw Helian Zhulan, they thought of Bai Kang's wife from Liangzhou.
Bo Kang's injuries healed faster. He was in better shape than Lian Zhi, and although his injuries were more severe, he remained energetic and able to continue to serve Lian Zhi. Lian Zhi seemed genuinely frightened and remained limp. He couldn't bear to watch.
On the third day, the Minister of Clan Affairs and the Ministry of Rites jointly announced that the King of Longxi was chosen by Heaven and was the only candidate for the next king. They only needed to choose an auspicious day for the coronation ceremony.
As for Emperor Jianguang, he was now the late emperor, and the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Clan Affairs jointly chose the posthumous title of Huan for him.
On the day she left the palace, Lianzhi heard someone mention the former Emperor Ling. They mentioned that he was Renzong's youngest son, that he had died at the age of eighteen, and that compared to Emperor Huan, he seemed less miserable than she remembered. He had been dead for three years, yet some people now remarked that his reign had been peaceful.
That's ridiculous.
Lianzhi had no attachment to that position. He had never wanted to be emperor. He just wanted revenge and to leave the palace. As he walked out of the palace, Bai Kang hugged him tightly and said, "Baby, you will never come back here again. You can rest assured."
Lianzhi smiled. In front of their carriage was a golden carriage embellished with pink tulle. It was the carriage of Princess Jinyang. Hearing the rutting of wheels behind them, the window of the carriage in front opened, and Princess Jinyang leaned out and glanced back.
She saw the young man who looked so much like her brother, and Bo Kang also saw her face. At the time of the coup, Princess Jinyang hadn't left the capital yet, and she had been invited into the palace by the Imperial Clan. Bo Kang had seen her frequently over the past few days.
The princess only glanced at him before quickly returning to the carriage. Bo Kang took Lianzhi back to the villa; at least it was safer there than the Shangshu Mansion. He sent a doctor to re-examine Lianzhi's injuries. Bo Kang then instructed the kitchen to quickly prepare a light and delicious meal, and also requested Lianzhi's favorite milk tea, hot.
Seeing them return safely, everyone in the villa heaved a sigh of relief. A few days ago, they had been hiding in the posthouse, and no rebel army dared to attack. Upon hearing that Bai Kang and the others were safe, Yu Yao immediately sent them back. She was also there, along with Eunuch Wen, watching the servant light the fire.
Bai Kang wasn't surprised she was there. With everything settled, Yuyao should, and must, return to the North Sea. He should give her a few days to say goodbye to Lianzhi. But upon entering the house, he saw someone he hadn't expected.
"Yuzhu?" Bai Kang frowned, puzzled, "What's wrong with you?"
"I brought him here." Yu Yao appeared behind him.
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