Chapter 667: The Deposed Princess Strikes Back at the Female General 114
The patrol battalion outside was the first to react. They gathered in large numbers and were surrounded, so that only a few people escaped.
The Imperial Guards closely guarded the emperor's side, using their shields and bodies to protect the dragon chariot from any leaks and to guard against possible bows and crossbows.
Bows and crossbows were contraband and private ownership was strictly prohibited. The guards of each noble family were equipped with bows and arrows at most, and no one dared to equip themselves with bows and crossbows. Even King Rui did not have a bow or crossbow.
After protecting the emperor, the commander of the imperial guards fired several arrows and captured the escaping assassin. He deliberately avoided the vital parts, but before the assassin could reach him, he bit the poison in his mouth and committed suicide.
Not a single person was left alive.
The assassin didn't have any tokens on him, his weapons were just ordinary swords, and he didn't even have a bow and arrow. It was impossible for the assassination to succeed with just these dozens of people.
The emperor was furious!
"Where is the leader of the patrol camp? How did you manage to get so many assassins hiding on the roadside?"
Liao Qi knelt on the ground in armor and pleaded guilty. "I have already investigated clearly. These assassins have been hiding in the dark room of the shop. I was ordered to clear the place for three days, and they hid for three days."
"The shop owner has died suddenly. I will do my best to arrest his family and friends and try to find the mastermind behind the incident..."
The emperor had long wanted to replace the leader of the patrol camp. This man was promoted by the empress dowager and had never made any mistakes, so it was not convenient for him to make a big move.
"Forget it! I dare not employ you again. Considering that you have been in charge of the patrol camp for many years, even if you have no merit, you have worked hard. I will not punish the Liao family. Come, dismiss Liao Qi from his post, and take him to the prison of the Ministry of Justice for a thorough interrogation."
Liao Qi was stunned. He was very familiar with the streets and alleys of the capital and was very confident that he could follow the clues to find the person behind the scenes. However, the emperor wanted to put him in jail and did not even give him the chance to make meritorious contributions.
It was not until the Imperial Guards stripped him of his armor and escorted him out that Liao Qi came to his senses and loudly begged for mercy.
"I am innocent! I am loyal to Your Majesty. These assassins have nothing to do with me. I am guilty of negligence, but I can make amends and find the murderer. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy!"
The Queen had already guessed that it was Prince Rui who was behind this. Prince Rui could still provide dozens of assassins, but he did not have the ability to assassinate the Emperor.
Prince Rui made such a fuss but did not frame anyone, just to make the emperor suspicious.
The emperor was the first to suspect Liao Qi, and angrily said: "If the assassin has nothing to do with you, you are not afraid of investigation! If you dare to disobey my order, your crime will be even more serious, and I will kill you immediately!"
Liao Qi didn't dare to argue anymore and was soon taken away.
The Queen knew that Liao Qi was innocent, but she did not plead for Liao Qi, as this would only make the Emperor more suspicious, which would be counterproductive.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. If it was really General Liao who did it, the Ministry of Justice would definitely find evidence and would never let him escape. Fortunately, Your Majesty is fine, and I am relieved."
The queen was still sitting upright, but her hands were tightly clutching her sleeves, her gorgeous dress was wrinkled, and her autumn-water eyes were full of worry.
The emperor's suspicion of the queen was somewhat reduced. The queen had no children, and assassinating him would not benefit her. However, he still wanted to test him again.
"The Queen is frightened. All the assassins are dead. I'm afraid it will be difficult to find the real culprit. The Queen has always been smart. Who do you think was responsible for today's incident?"
The queen sneered in her heart. Even though she knew it was a test, she still continued to act.
"I don't know. Now that the country is stable, the seas are clear and the rivers are calm, and all places are peaceful, I really can't imagine who would come to assassinate Your Majesty."
The emperor took the queen's hand and said with a smile: "Yaoguang, please speak freely. You must have someone you suspect in your heart. You don't have to be so cautious in front of me."
Song Yaoguang cursed in his heart, "You dog emperor, you keep testing me!"
Of course, she couldn't say that she suspected Prince Rui, as this would only make the emperor suspect that she was framing Prince Rui, so she made up a story:
"I think that just a few dozen people can't accomplish anything big. It doesn't look like it was done by any big power. I guess they are the remnants of the previous dynasty. They are still thinking about restoring the monarchy, but they are just clowns."
The emperor seemed to be thinking about something, and actually began to suspect the remnants of the previous dynasty.
The emperor also suspected that the surrounding small countries, led by the Zijing Kingdom in the west, had been suppressed in recent years and seemed obedient. They might send people to assassinate him and cause unrest in the Chen Kingdom.
As for the northern countries, are they really willing to surrender? Or are they going to take this opportunity to assassinate him, then move south and annex the territory of Chen State!
And there is Yuwen Yi!
He has always been wary of this son. No one likes a son who is taciturn, disrespectful to the king and father, and holds military power!
Some people in the court accused Yuwen Yi of being too arrogant, but Yuwen Yi had just made a great contribution, so he could only reward him and not punish him, otherwise it would seem that he, the emperor, was too heartless.
If Yuwen Yi wanted to kill him, then today's celebration might just be a Hongmen Banquet!
The more the emperor thought about it, the more frightened he became. He could not attend the celebration. If Yuwen Yi really intended to kill his father and seize the throne, then he would be in danger.
Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, the emperor didn't want to take the risk.
Yuwen Yi cannot be allowed to stay in the capital, he has to find a reason to send Yuwen Yi away, and then find his fault in the future and either kill him or demote him. Concubine Xiao is right, Yuwen Yi is a vicious wolf and must not be kept around!
The emperor coughed a few times and frowned, "I'm really feeling unwell. Empress, please accompany me back to the palace."
The queen saw through the emperor's thoughts at a glance. The emperor was so timid that he was frightened before the assassin even got close to him.
Maybe he has already suspected Yuwen Yi. Under the instigation of Concubine Xiao, the emperor has never stopped being suspicious of Yuwen Yi.
Back when the Empress Dowager was in power, the State of Chen was in turmoil, the surrounding small countries were eyeing it covetously, the capital was also in turmoil, and even when assassins were approaching, the Empress Dowager remained calm.
The queen despised him in her heart, but now she was not without desires. If she wanted to support Yuwen Yi in seizing the throne, she could no longer speak directly to the emperor as she did before. She still had to coax the emperor.
"Is your Majesty alright? Someone, call the imperial physician!"
The Queen held the Emperor's hand, her face full of worry, "Your Majesty's health is the most important thing. Today's celebration ceremony is complicated. I am worried about your health, and I have brought the imperial physician with me."
"She was fine before leaving the palace. It must be because the assassins were frightened. These assassins really deserve to die! When we find out who is behind this, we will cut them into pieces!"
The accompanying imperial physician rushed over in a hurry, and after taking the emperor's pulse, he found that there was nothing wrong with the emperor.
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and could only mumble, "Your Majesty's blood circulation is not smooth. You must rest well and not overwork yourself."
The emperor did not expect that there would be an imperial physician accompanying him, but he could not blame the queen for being too well prepared. Instead, he should praise the queen for doing a good job.
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