Chapter 201 Sacrificing Family for the Righteous
Li Ye, dressed in heavy imperial robes, ran for most of the lap in the palace and was almost out of breath.
His legs gave way and he collapsed onto the footrest of the dragon throne.
Although Cui Shiliang was also a civil official, he was in slightly better physical condition than Li Ye, who was chronically ill.
He staggered after him, his eyes flashing with madness, and raised his longsword to swing at Li Ye, who was slumped on the ground.
"Your Majesty, be careful!" Without thinking, Eunuch Xu rushed forward and shielded Li Ye with his own body.
"Pfft—"
The long sword pierced straight into Eunuch Xu's back and through his chest.
Blood gushed out instantly, splattering all over Li Ye's face and body.
Xu Gonggong's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just blinked weakly and his body went limp.
Li Ye stood frozen in place, staring at Eunuch Xu, who was slowly closing his eyes in front of him.
That loyal old servant who had been with him since childhood was now a cold corpse.
He turned to look at Li Yuanzhao, who was still locked in combat with Feng Deshun. Li Yuanzhao was so engrossed in Feng Deshun that he had no time to pay attention to this side.
Is he going to die here today?
Fear overwhelmed him instantly, and he trembled uncontrollably.
A warm liquid flowed down his trouser leg, soaking the hem of his dragon robe.
He was so frightened that he peed himself.
Cui Shiliang drew his blood-stained sword, looked at Li Ye lying on the ground powerless to resist, and a maniacal smile appeared on his face.
"Go to hell!"
Without hesitation, he raised his sword again and thrust it towards Li Ye's chest.
This one sword strike will end it all!
Just at this critical moment, a sharp "whoosh" pierced the air inside the hall.
An arrow flew through the air and pierced Cui Shiliang's brain with precision.
The arrow pierced through the back of his head and exited through his forehead, embedding itself in the armrest of the dragon throne.
Cui Shiliang froze instantly, his eyes wide open, but his body fell straight backward, completely lifeless.
"elder brother!"
Cui Yunyi hid in the corner and watched Cui Shiliang fall to the ground. She could no longer control herself and screamed.
She struggled to rush over, but was held back tightly by Li Yuanshu beside her.
Cui Yunyi could only watch helplessly as her brother's body lay on the ground, blood and brain matter gushing from his head, staining a large area of the ground red.
Everyone in the hall was startled by the sudden arrow and turned to look in the direction from which it had come.
At the palace gate, Shen Churong stood in silver armor, holding a longbow, followed by a large number of imperial guards.
"General Shen... General Shen!" The moment Li Ye saw Shen Churong, he cried out as if grasping at a lifeline, his voice trembling, "Quickly... quickly capture the traitor!"
Shen Churong waved his hand and said, "Imperial Guards, listen to my command! Slaughter all the rebellious Dragon Martial Army soldiers, leave no one alive!"
"Yes!" the Imperial Guards responded in unison, rushing into the hall and thrusting their spears at the remaining Dragon Martial Army soldiers.
The already heavily wounded Longwu Army was thrown into disarray when they saw the Imperial Guards pressing in.
Some threw down their weapons and knelt down to beg for mercy, while others tried to put up a last stand, but all of them were killed by the Imperial Guards who pierced their chests with a single spear thrust.
In the blink of an eye, all the Dragon Warriors in the main hall were wiped out.
Seeing that the situation was settled, Li Yuanzhao stopped trying to negotiate with Feng Deshun.
Feng Deshun was no match for Li Yuanzhao and was already injured.
Moreover, he always felt that the other party never seemed to be using their full strength, playing him like a cat toying with a mouse.
Seeing the Dragon Guard completely wiped out, his eyes were filled with despair, and his swordplay became chaotic.
Seizing the opening, Li Yuanzhao swiftly thrust his longsword in a backhand motion, precisely piercing Feng Deshun's back.
The sharp blade pierced through the armor and into the flesh, and Feng Deshun collapsed to the ground.
After Shen Churong led the Imperial Guards to wipe out the remaining Dragon Guards, he quickly walked up to Li Yuanzhao and knelt on one knee.
"Your Highness, I am late in coming to your rescue! Please forgive me!"
Li Yuanzhao nodded slightly, casually tossed the blood-stained longsword in his hand to him, and turned to walk towards Li Ye, who was slumped on the throne beside him.
She glanced at his filth, frowned almost imperceptibly, then reached out and helped him up, sitting back on the dragon throne.
"Father, the rebellion has been quelled. You must have been frightened."
Li Ye glanced at Shen Churong, then at Li Yuanzhao, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Shen Churong also walked to Li Ye's side and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the traitors Cui Shiliang and Feng Deshun are dead, and the remaining Longwu Army has been completely wiped out."
Li Ye finally came to his senses, his tone filled with relief at surviving a close call, "Okay, okay..."
His gaze swept across the entire hall, where the bodies of Dragon Guards and officials lay scattered haphazardly.
On the gold brick floor, dark red bloodstains meandered along the cracks between the bricks, congealing into hideous patterns.
Broken tables, scattered dishes, and crushed bowls and plates were everywhere.
Even the dragon pillars were splattered with mottled bloodstains; the former solemnity and grandeur had long been replaced by bloodshed and devastation.
Those elderly and frail ministers, unable to escape, all perished under the blade.
Zheng Wenkai and Zheng Xiang were also slashed in the thigh and lost consciousness.
Even Minister Liu, a relative by marriage to the Cui family, was found dead on the spot.
Seeing that the rebellion had been quelled, the officials who had been hiding in corners and under desks finally dared to cautiously emerge.
Li Ye's gaze fell on Cui Yunyi and Li Yuanshu, who were huddled in the corner with pale faces. "Arrest these two for me."
When Li Yuanshu and her mother were forced to kneel in the center of the main hall by the Imperial Guards, she knew that her uncle was finished, her mother was finished, and the Cui family was finished.
The evidence against them for treason is irrefutable; no one can protect them, mother and daughter!
Is she going to perish here along with her mother?
No, she was not willing to accept it.
Before Li Ye could speak, Li Yuanshu suddenly raised her head and said, "Father, your daughter has something to say."
Li Ye glanced at her with a gloomy face and said, "Speak."
Li Yuanshu hurriedly defended herself, "Father! I knew nothing about this! It was all a secret plot by my mother and uncle, and I only found out today! Moreover..."
She knelt on the ground, her voice choked with just the right amount of sobs.
"Moreover, the Cui family and my mother have committed numerous evils over the years, too many to count! The Cui family has formed cliques and engaged in corruption and bribery in the court, and has allowed their clansmen to run rampant and commit all sorts of crimes in the local areas."
As she spoke, she glanced at Cui Yunyi, "My mother has repeatedly plotted to harm the imperial heirs in the harem! The child in Consort Xiao's womb was secretly poisoned by my mother through her schemes!"
Li Yuanzhao narrowed his eyes as he watched her "sincere" performance.
As Li Yuanshu spoke, she kowtowed deeply, "Although I knew about these secrets, I hesitated to report them because of familial ties and fear of the Cui family's power. But now they have gone so far as to plot against Father Emperor! I can no longer cover for them, nor can I allow them to endanger the Great Qi's empire! I beg Father Emperor to severely punish Mother Consort and the remnants of the Cui family to uphold the law and appease public anger!"
At this moment, she knew that simply distancing herself from the relationship was useless.
Only by actively exposing the crimes of the Cui family and her mother, and by demonstrating "righteousness in sacrificing family ties and meritorious reporting," might she be able to persuade her father and Li Yuanzhao to show leniency and spare her life.
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