Chapter 407 Zhou Yunshang's Coup!
Wei Dongzhu raised his voice: "His Majesty has already issued an imperial edict that we should rest and recuperate during this period. What are your intentions in ignoring His Majesty's edict and repeatedly coming to the palace gates to make a scene?"
The officials naturally had their own selfish motives. The change of imperial power was a normal occurrence. The more effort they put in now, the higher they would be climbed when it came time to calculate their contributions to the rise of the new emperor.
But the dust hasn't settled yet, so those words definitely can't be said.
"His Majesty has suspended court for fifteen consecutive days, and nothing has been arranged during these fifteen days. All the memorials in the Imperial Study are piled up there, unattended. The floods in Jiangdong are rampant, and the people are suffering terribly. Continue to approve the countermeasures Your Majesty has issued."
"The bandits along the Liao River are causing immense suffering to the people, and we need to mobilize troops as soon as possible to suppress them."
"Linhe, Shaanxi, Gansu and other places have all suffered from disasters. These are all important matters concerning the foundation of our Great Zhou Kingdom. Do you think we people are just here because we have nothing better to do?"
"We can wait, but the people can't!"
Zhou Yunshang sneered: "Shen Lanxi only cares about the power in her hands, she doesn't care about the lives of ordinary people. We're both women, but you're utterly despicable!"
"Yes, Shen Lanxi is utterly unworthy of being a citizen of our Great Zhou. She actually cares nothing for the lives of our people for the sake of power."
"Shen Lanxi is vicious and doesn't deserve to be called a human being!"
Wei Dongzhu couldn't listen anymore; he didn't want to hear these people insulting her.
"Don't try to cover up the fact that you're forcing me to abdicate with high-sounding excuses."
"Lord Shen was ordered by the Emperor to guard the palace, but you used her family as a hostage. You are forcing the Emperor to abdicate and rebel."
"Stop talking nonsense. If Shen Lanxi hadn't refused to open the palace gates and prevent us from seeing His Majesty, we wouldn't have resorted to such a desperate measure."
"Yes, don't try to defend Shen Lanxi. Everyone in the capital knows about the sordid affair between the two of you."
"Who doesn't know that you, Wei Dongzhu, are already Shen Lanxi's lover and devoted follower?"
"Bah! You're an insult to the Wei family name! You're a disgrace to the Wei family army!"
Wei Dongzhu's face turned red with anger, and when he turned his head, he saw that Shen Lanxi was watching with great interest.
Isn't she worried about her family at all?
"I ordered my men to rush out and rescue the Shen family members into the palace."
Shen Lanxi calmly replied, "No rush, it's not the right time yet."
The argument has escalated to this point, isn't it time?
Zhou Yunshang felt a sense of satisfaction as she watched the civil and military officials denounce her, but she also began to grow impatient.
"Open the city gates immediately, or don't blame me for being ruthless."
The women of the Shen family cried out in fear for help.
“Lanxi…”
Shen Lanxi: "If you dare touch a single hair on their head, I'll chop off one of your fingers!"
Zhou Yunshang's face was as black as iron: "Even at this point, you still dare to be stubborn?"
Shen Lanxi: "I mean what I say."
Zhou Yunshang's eyes were filled with unyielding malice. She said coldly, "Shen Lanxi, you forced me to do this."
"For the sake of the Great Zhou, I will eliminate you, this scourge."
The Shen family members realized that Shen Lanxi had no intention of compromising. They were so frightened that they screamed at the top of their lungs for Shen Lanxi.
"Lanxi, please save us..."
"Big sister, help me..."
Hearing the shouts of the Shen family, Zhou Yunshang felt extremely smug.
Empress Dowager, Father Emperor, you should really see how Shen Lanxi will kneel down and beg me in a moment.
Thinking of this, Zhou Yunshang felt a surge of joy.
She was lucky she hadn't killed Shen Lanxi before. Now that she finally had her chance, she was determined to skin Shen Lanxi alive to vent her hatred.
Shen Lanxi: "I am here by order of His Majesty to guard the imperial city. You are all traitors who covet the imperial power. With me, Shen Lanxi, here, you will not be able to find any loopholes."
Zhou Yunshang thought to herself that it was best if Shen Lanxi didn't listen to her, so that she could take the opportunity to deal with the Shen family.
Unexpectedly, Shen Lanxi really doesn't care about the Shen family at all. It's just as she wished!
"We absolutely cannot give Shen Lanxi the chance to call for reinforcements!" Zhou Yunshang shouted.
"If Shen Lanxi doesn't open the city gates within fifteen minutes, I'll kill a member of the Shen family!"
The soldiers casually dragged a man from the Shen family home and held a large knife to the man's head.
The Shen family members cried out in grief.
"To follow righteousness..."
Old Madam Shen stumbled and struggled toward the palace gate.
"Lanxi, please open the city gates, I beg you, Grandmother..."
Shen Lanxi looked up into the distance and said in a deep voice, "Zhou Yunshang, I'm giving you one last chance. Go back to your princess residence now, and I'll pretend nothing happened."
Zhou Yunshang said disdainfully, "Shen Lanxi, you're the kind of person who still puts on a show even when you're about to die. That's exactly what I mean by you."
Shen Lanxi raised her voice: "Princess Zhou Yunshang colluded with the Fifth Prince to assassinate him, and the Fifth Prince also left his fiefdom without permission under the pretext of attending to his illness."
Zhou Yunshang's expression changed drastically.
"What assassination attempt on the First Prince, collusion with the Fifth Prince? I have no idea what you're talking about!"
Shen Lanxi: "It doesn't matter if you don't know, all of this will be reported to His Majesty truthfully."
Zhou Yunshang's patience had run out, and she was also starting to panic after what Shen Lanxi said, so she impatiently gave the order.
"Kill the Shen family, and see if you still dare to be so stubborn!"
"kill!"
Zhou Yunshang gave a ruthless order, and the Shen family had nowhere to turn for help, so they could only weep bitterly.
"Let me see who dares to kill!" Emperor Renxiao's voice suddenly rang out, and then he appeared on the city wall.
Zhou Yunshang stared wide-eyed in disbelief. Impossible! Wasn't she told that her life was in imminent danger?
How could he be standing perfectly fine on the city wall?
"Long live the Emperor!"
The civil and military officials' expressions changed drastically, and they all kowtowed.
Emperor Renxiao looked coldly at the eldest princess: "I want to see who dares to force the emperor to abdicate."
Zhou Yunshang collapsed to the ground, her face deathly pale. It was her father, it really was her father.
The message was fake; someone deliberately lured her into a trap.
Shen Lanxi: "Your Majesty, my family members are still outside."
Emperor Renxiao immediately ordered: "Open the city gates and bring the Shen family to the palace."
Zhou Yunshang's eyes changed, and a do-or-die determination suddenly appeared on her face.
"Men, seize the Shen family!"
"The people on the city gate are imposters hired by Shen Lanxi. I have received definite news that Father Emperor is terminally ill. Shen Lanxi is trying to take the place of the emperor, seize control of the court, and use the emperor to command the princes!" Zhou Yunshang struggled to get up from the ground. The matter had been exposed. Today, it was either you die or I live.
Emperor Renxiao frowned, looking at his eldest daughter with hatred.
"Yunshang, what are you going to do?"
Countless soldiers emerged from behind Zhou Yunshang and surrounded the Shen family.
"You scoundrel, how dare you impersonate my father, the Emperor! Once I have cleansed the court of corrupt officials, I will tear you to pieces."
Emperor Renxiao was furious when he saw the troops that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"How dare you! You actually keep a private army!"
Zhou Yunshang laughed arrogantly: "My father has been murdered by Shen Lanxi. The Fifth Prince will soon lead thousands of troops back to the capital to eliminate the traitor. You can still surrender now."
"Whoever opens the palace gates and restores the order of the court will become a first-rank general."
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