The Queen Mother confirmed that Prince Cheng was fine, and then glared fiercely at the Emperor who had just issued the order, her tone full of resentment.
"Emperor, what are you doing? He's your own brother, why did you tie him up?"
Not to mention the Empress Dowager, even Lu Anyuan and Xu Yixing, who knew a little bit about the inside story, found these words irritating. As expected, the Emperor was not her biological son, and the Empress Dowager still liked her own son more.
"Why should I tie him up? I also want to ask when a secret passage leading to Yian Hall appeared in this palace!" The emperor was very angry. He rarely showed his emotions like this, but he did not show it to the empress dowager, but to Prince Cheng.
Of course, mother favors her son, but as my younger brother, all the preferential treatment and trust I showed you over the years have ultimately been in vain.
Prince Cheng bowed his head slightly, but even that was difficult under the heavy armor and ropes. "Your Majesty, this is my fault, but Queen Mother is unaware of it. Please, Your Majesty, consider Queen Mother's dedication to your throne and ensure she has a carefree old age!"
Prince Cheng never mentioned what he had done, but just kept confessing his guilt. It was obvious that he wanted to accept any charges the emperor gave him, just to save his biological mother's life.
"You!" The emperor was so angry that he covered his chest with his hands with a painful expression.
The Queen Mother, however, saw what her son meant and hurriedly said, "Yin'er! What are you talking about? What crime are you committing? You clearly built this secret passage based on my advice. If the Emperor wants to investigate, I will be the only one to blame!"
Xu Yixing sneered inwardly. What secret passage? The emperor had clearly discovered it long ago. Isn't it you who's being lured out today? Moreover, the charge now wasn't as simple as just building a secret passage. Just based on the few questions Lu Anyuan had just asked, it was clear that this mother and son were doomed.
Prince Cheng stared at the emperor as if he didn't hear his mother's words. He led his troops into the secret passage today because he heard that something had happened in the palace and came to rescue his mother. However, he didn't know that the "change" was actually himself.
He believed the emperor was a wise man, and his brother was intelligent and shrewd. He simply wanted to know the truth about his rebellion, so why not tell him? As for his mother... she was already over sixty years old, and she still had to work hard for her useless son. She really deserved to die!
"Your Majesty, three years ago, it was you who allowed Chi Yan to escape and stuffed him into the Hexin Palace's carriage. It was you who told him the location of the secret passage and allowed him to enter the palace to assassinate you. It was you who specially prepared the gunpowder for him and blew him up in the secret passage to silence him. A year ago, Your Majesty was poisoned, and it was you who bribed the high priest to poison the emperor during the ceremony. It was all yours alone, all yours!"
The Queen Mother was stunned when she heard this. "Silly child, you, he hasn't asked yet, why don't you struggle?"
"Why?" The emperor's eyes were red, and he looked angry as if he wanted to eat King Cheng alive.
"Because I am unwilling to accept this! Why, why can you be the emperor, while I can only be a useless prince! Just because I am born with deficiencies, I cannot be the emperor!" Prince Cheng almost roared as he said these words, completely out of his mind.
Xu Yixing and Lu Anyuan both lowered their heads, reducing their presence. If nothing unexpected happened, the emperor hadn't intended for them to hear this. The atmosphere was truly a Shura field.
After hearing this explanation, the emperor seemed to accept it. He leaned back slightly and was no longer as out of control as before.
Only Nanny Han, after hearing these words, took a few steps towards Prince Cheng as if she was in a trance, causing Taiou to almost fall down because no one was there to support him.
"No... No... Why would the prince rebel because of this? This is all, this is not your original intention, this is not your original intention..."
"Wet nurse, there's no need for you to make excuses. Every word I said is true." Prince Cheng gritted his teeth, stood upright, and still looked in the direction of the emperor.
The Queen Mother's eyes revealed a hint of madness. "Good, good! This is my son. Today he finally acts like a man!"
"Emperor! Isn't it time to deal with the traitor Lu Anyuan today? He broke into the palace and kidnapped the empress dowager with the intention of treason. Don't you, the emperor, mean to do nothing about it?" The empress dowager suddenly became tough. This is clearly a problem between you and your son. Why are you putting so much pressure on me and my son?
So many people saw the rebellious son Lu Anyuan holding him hostage. Even if the emperor killed all those people, there was still Nanny Han and himself. At worst, there were still the guards in the hall. They all saw it with their own eyes!
"Heh." The emperor held his forehead with one hand and waved his other hand slightly, and the person who was holding Lu Anyuan immediately let go.
Lu Anyuan took out a tiger talisman from his arms and handed it over respectfully without any hesitation or delay.
The emperor took it with great satisfaction and handed it to the guard beside him. "Well done, you and the princess have worked hard these days. You can both leave the palace now."
"What..." The Queen Mother's eyes were filled with disbelief. What was going on? What tiger talisman? What was well done? What was all this?
Lu Anyuan knew that his father was so anxious because he didn't want them to continue listening to these scandals. He answered yes and pulled Xu Yixing into the tunnel again. He followed the two masked men to the exit, then quickly changed his clothes and got a carriage and hurried back home.
Before leaving, Xu Yixing seemed to hear a howling sound coming from the end, but he couldn't make out what it was. He thought the Queen Mother would be so angry that she would die...
Without having time to greet Lu Anyuan, Xu Yixing returned to the palace he had not seen for a long time, and saw Ying Wu coming to greet him. He could only quickly signal him to stop what he was about to say.
If Lu Anyuan knew that her original plan was to abandon him and go on the run if the situation got bad, how could he accept it?
"What's going on with my dad?"
"Palace Commander Bai Yu led his men to surround the Xu residence just one incense stick ago. I escaped before them and returned to the palace."
"Uncle?" She felt a chill run down her spine. Sure enough, the emperor never truly trusted anyone. Was letting her uncle surround her father a test of his loyalty?
"Madam, don't worry too much about home. Once the affairs in the palace are resolved, I will definitely go to the emperor to plead with him and save the old general's life!"
Xu Yixing looked at Lu Anyuan with complicated eyes. Since he could cooperate with the emperor, he must have known his father's plan. How could he have the face to ask him to plead for his father?
"Well, actually, I accidentally let it slip in the palace that the emperor already knows that my family has the Emperor's Sword."
Lu Anyuan held her hand, conveying to her infinite reassurance and peace of mind. "I guessed it. When I heard you escaped from the capital, I knew something must have happened."
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