The Emperor's birthday is approaching, and the entire palace is filled with a festive yet tense atmosphere.
This extraordinary anniversary banquet was entrusted to Consort Jing for full organization.
Since the Emperor bestowed the power to manage the six palaces upon Consort Jing, the once peaceful and tranquil Jingxian Palace has never been able to return to its former tranquility.
As if sensing a certain trend, the concubines in the palace would often visit Jingxian Palace to present carefully prepared gifts in an attempt to win Consort Jing's favor and attention.
After all, in the inner palace, establishing a good relationship with those who wield great power is undoubtedly of paramount importance.
However, what is somewhat surprising is that the emperor has not set foot in the inner palace for a long time.
Apart from occasionally visiting Consort Jing's palace for a short stay to play with the Ninth Prince, he spent most of his time buried in the mountains of memorials piled up in the Imperial Study.
Consort Jing was meticulous and perceptive. Through observing the Emperor's recent physical condition and behavior, she gradually realized that the Emperor's health was not as robust as before.
Whenever the Emperor visited Jingxian Palace, Consort Jing would always silently accompany him, never uttering a word, lest she disturb His Majesty's presence.
At the same time, despite the many affairs, she was still able to handle all matters in the palace in an orderly and efficient manner.
Perhaps it is because of the painful lesson of Consort Mei being neglected or even demoted for vying for the emperor's favor that the concubines in the harem have become more cautious. No one dares to easily go to the emperor to flirt or ask for favors.
Everyone knows that during this sensitive period, a slight misstep could lead to the tragic end of Consort Mei.
Thus, the entire harem temporarily presented a subtle situation that appeared calm but was actually rife with undercurrents.
Consort Zheng now cowers in her palace like a frightened quail.
Back then, she was incredibly powerful; even the Empress had to show her deference.
In this vast harem, she should have been the most qualified to wield power over the six palaces.
Surprisingly, however, she had no interest in it whatsoever, neither vying for that supreme power nor feeling any envy.
Now, her only wish every day is that the emperor will completely forget her and never remember her existence again.
But as the saying goes, "What you fear most is what will happen."
On the day of the emperor's birthday, the entire palace was decorated with lanterns and filled with joy, and civil and military officials came together to congratulate the emperor on his birthday.
This long-silent palace has finally returned to its long-lost bustling and lively state.
Moreover, today, even ladies of the court, both inside and outside the palace, were invited to attend and witness this joyous occasion.
The once illustrious Duke Zheng's mansion is now extremely low-key, as if afraid of attracting anyone's attention.
Emperor Rongsheng sat on the dragon throne, his face slightly pale, his eyes revealing a hint of fatigue, and he looked listless and in poor spirits.
Consort Jing served him from the side, and she keenly sensed that the Emperor seemed to have little interest in the birthday banquet.
As the opera troupe's performance drew to a close, Consort Jing sighed inwardly and prepared to announce the end of the banquet.
However, at that moment, a dramatic scene unfolded.
Just as the actors on stage were performing the most exciting part of the scene, a cold glint suddenly flashed in everyone's eyes.
Upon closer inspection, a remarkably sharp dagger flashed like lightning, hurtling straight toward the emperor.
In the blink of an eye, just as the dagger was inches away from the emperor, Jiang He, who was standing not far from the emperor, reacted swiftly and flicked his sleeve, knocking the dagger to the ground with tremendous force.
The assassin missed his first attack but showed no sign of backing down.
With a flash, he launched another attack on Emperor Rongsheng, this time swinging his fist directly at him.
Judging from his movements and demeanor, this assassin was clearly a highly skilled martial artist.
Upon seeing this, Wang Defu's expression changed drastically, and he shouted without hesitation, "Protect the Emperor!"
Immediately afterwards, he fearlessly lunged towards the emperor, seemingly intending to take the fatal punch with his own body.
"Get out of the way!" At the critical moment, Lin Muheng shouted angrily.
Before he finished speaking, he had already arrived like a ghost, simultaneously unleashing a fierce palm strike that collided violently with the assassin.
A deafening "bang" resounded, like a thunderclap from a clear sky. The immense impact sent both of them staggering backward, retreating dozens of meters before they could barely regain their footing.
Seeing this, Jiang He was not about to let such a good opportunity slip by. He rushed forward and threw a powerful punch at the assassin.
The assassin had just exchanged a blow with Lin Muheng, and his internal energy was already mostly depleted.
He was powerless to defend himself against Jiang He's sudden punch.
"Capture them alive!" Emperor Rongsheng, who had been silent all along, finally spoke and gave the order in a deep voice.
As soon as the emperor gave the order, the guards present seemed to wake from a dream and rushed forward to surround the assassin.
The once lively birthday banquet has now descended into chaos.
The ministers and the women were all terrified, their faces pale and their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
None of them expected that attending a birthday banquet would lead to such a thrilling and life-threatening situation.
This magnificent and imposing palace should have been impregnable, but now it feels so unsafe!
Recalling that thrilling scene from last time still sends shivers down my spine—Lin Mupo had the audacity to raise an army in rebellion, almost plunging the entire palace into utter ruin.
So what exactly happened this time?
Seeing that the situation was dire and that there was no way to escape, the assassin attempted to bite through the poison hidden in his mouth and commit suicide.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Muheng, with his sharp eyes and quick hands, instantly dislocated the assassin's jaw, preventing him from succeeding.
In an instant, the once lively opera troupe members were all terrified, their faces turning ashen and their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
These poor people couldn't understand why, when they had only accepted an ordinary performance in the palace, a vicious assassin had managed to infiltrate their ranks.
And look at the skill and power this assassin displayed; it's comparable to those powerful princes!
I wonder what kind of huge conspiracy is hidden behind this...
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