Chapter 90: Their Reunion – It Was When He Proposed to Her…
Some forces are resorting to desperate measures, simply because they have a guilty conscience and are worried that a high-stakes gamble will wipe them out and leave them with nothing.
Among the most desperate were the commanders of the Twelve Guards, who had placed their bets on the Crown Prince. They were the Emperor's strongest armor, yet they rushed to show their strength when the Emperor and the Crown Prince disagreed, becoming accomplices in the palace coup.
How can one describe the Emperor's hatred for the commanders of the Twelve Guards?
Wei Qin stroked the jade pendant with the swimming scales at his waist, as if he were experiencing the same feeling he would have when the old censor, the old minister, and the old imperial chef betrayed him at a crucial moment and turned against him to the crown prince.
On the other side, Wei Xichen was awakened by increasingly heavy footsteps.
The little tabby cat, who was lying on the brocade quilt, jumped to the side, frightened, and burrowed into the quilt.
The armed guards were poised to break down the door, ignoring the attempts of Fu Zhongcai and other attendants of the Eastern Palace to stop them.
"What are your intentions in breaking into the Eastern Palace at night?"
Fu Zhongcai's sharp question came from outside the door.
Three commanders of the Twelve Upper Guards, clad in armor, entered the inner chamber with an imposing air.
"If you dare to obstruct us again, don't blame us for not showing any mercy!"
"Who gave you the audacity?"
"Your Majesty the Empress!"
A commander revealed Empress Dong's imperial edict, forcing Fu Zhongcai to retreat step by step.
"You're forcing the Empress?"
"The head steward misunderstands. Her Majesty the Empress means that whatever Empress Yide dares to do, she dares to do too!"
The three pushed Fu Zhongcai aside, stepped across the threshold, and went straight to Wei Xichen, who was sitting quietly.
"Your Highness, please forgive our intrusion. We have urgent matters to discuss! His Majesty is likely not able to hold on any longer. Please come with us to His Majesty's bedchamber immediately!"
Wei Xichen lowered his eyes, instinctively feeling that they were about to force him to abdicate.
"What is this for?"
A commander knelt at Wei Xichen's feet, saying, "Your Majesty, in your desperation, has sought medical help indiscriminately and mistakenly trusted a sorcerer, causing your health to deteriorate to the point of exhaustion. At this moment, your blood and qi are flowing in reverse, and you are about to burn out. Your Highness is the Crown Prince and should be at his bedside to fulfill your filial duty in order to obtain the imperial decree to pass on the throne."
The last four words were practically squeezed out through gritted teeth.
Wei Xichen coldly shouted, "You are forcing me to murder the emperor and usurp the throne!"
The situation was urgent, and the three of them didn't have time to hide their true feelings.
"Your Highness must understand that the victor is king, and so is a coup. Are you suggesting we wait until His Majesty drafts the imperial edict and abdicates in favor of the eldest prince before we take action?!"
"You've rebelled!" Wei Xichen had the idea of usurping the throne, but only if he took it voluntarily, not if he was coerced.
"Your Highness initially intended to proceed gradually with house arrest to preserve your good reputation, and we had no objection because the threat of the First Prince was no longer present. However, things are not as they used to be, and our advantages are diminishing. Your Highness, do not hesitate and miss this opportunity! We have already sent our trusted confidants to assassinate the First Prince. Whether we succeed or not, it's all down to this one gamble!"
"How dare you!" Wei Xichen, who rarely lost his temper, turned pale, and his clenched fists cracked.
"Hesitation will hinder great achievements! It will only harm yourself and others. If Your Highness dares not, we will pledge our loyalty to the Eldest Princess and seize the throne!"
Wei Xichen looked at the imperial edict in one of the people's hands. How could the Empress Dowager listen to their instigation? Was it because of Empress Yide?
She had considered that Wei Qin's habit of always being alone might be a trap.
The cunning prey is the hunter!
Fu Zhong, who had been pushed to the ground, was helped up by the palace servants. He groaned, "My back hurts! Ouch! Don't touch me! Help me back to my room and summon the imperial physician!"
The attendants helped the old eunuch out of the East Palace, which was surrounded by a dense crowd.
The guards of the Twelve Imperial Guards did not stop him; no one took an elderly eunuch seriously.
Fu Zhongcai took a few unsteady steps, then shook off the servant's hand and walked briskly.
"Where did the head steward go?"
The old eunuch did not answer, but hurriedly jogged through the seemingly calm palace.
Before the Crown Prince and the three commanders arrived, the other commanders of the Twelve Guards had already surrounded the Emperor's sleeping quarters with their men.
Emperor Shunren showed no signs of weakness at this moment. He roared and cursed as a commander held his arm and pressed him down in front of the imperial desk.
"Does Your Majesty wish to personally pass the throne to the Crown Prince, or shall this humble general write it on your behalf?"
"presumptuous!"
"If Your Majesty abdicates the throne to the Crown Prince, you can live out your days in peace and comfort. Why not do it?"
Emperor Shunren struggled, his strength completely exhausted. He leaned on the imperial desk, panting heavily, refusing to show any weakness.
"I am the emperor, not a prisoner! You are rebelling! You are committing a heinous crime!"
"Your Majesty is powerless to reverse the situation. It is time to assess the circumstances and pass the throne to the crown prince you have chosen."
At this moment, Emperor Shunren felt hatred. Even the commander was mocking him for being willful and breaking the rule of primogeniture, believing he had chosen a wise successor. But how could such a young child be judged as wise or not?
Ultimately, it's nothing more than prejudice against the eldest son.
He regretted it. If he had raised his own eldest son and given him respect, Wei Yihe would have become his pride.
Before he knew his eldest son's true identity, he genuinely admired Wei Qin, a poor scholar. If, if...
There are no hypotheticals.
Emperor Shunren struggled to his feet, then suddenly his face contorted in a grimace as he coughed up blood, which splattered onto the blank imperial edict.
The brute commander sneered, "Your Majesty should be sensible and stop making futile struggles."
**
The two young men, temporarily safe, hid in a secluded corner, savoring a moment of tranquility amidst the fighting.
Suddenly, clusters of fireworks shot out from the direction of the palace, their reflections shimmering and dazzling on Wei Qin's face.
Wei Qin turned his head and asked, "Can you still hold on?"
Yan Yi curled his lips into a wicked smile, looking even more sinister than the treacherous minister. "Flesh and blood wounds."
"Go back and save your horse."
"Of course, that's my old buddy!"
Wei Qin spurred the horse hard, urging it to gallop wildly through the night.
They fought their way back into the encirclement.
Wei Qin turned sideways, pulled out a steel knife that was stuck diagonally in the corpse, and threw it at the oncoming assassin.
A knife pierced through the chest.
**
The fireworks were dazzling and colorful, illuminating the pools of blood flowing down the long street, which was particularly chilling.
Wei Qin stood in the pool of blood, watching as Yan Yi and the wounded horses were pulled away by a donkey cart.
An old man holding a feather fan but not waving it walked to his side and asked in a hoarse voice, "The incident happened suddenly. Are you prepared?"
Wei Qin accepted a goose-feather knife handed to him by Cui Shengzhi and hung it on his jade belt. He had waited for seventeen years, preparing and planning every moment.
The strategist entered the game himself, and he used himself as bait.
Wei Qin glanced at the assembled people, who came from the Cui, Xie, and Jiang families, as well as a group of elders.
"All generals, heed my command! Follow me into the palace to protect His Majesty!"
The other party gave them a perfectly legitimate reason, which they couldn't have asked for.
"Understood!"
The procession, in a grand and imposing manner, stepped over the assassins' corpses and headed towards the palace.
Jiang Yinyue, who had appeared in the crowd at some point, watched Wei Qin's retreating figure without calling out to him or giving him any instructions. At this moment, he couldn't afford to be distracted.
Jiang Song walked past his daughter, took three steps, and stopped. "Wei Qin gave his young lady a gift."
"What is it?" Jiang Yinyue approached her father and reached out her hand.
Overwhelmed with mixed feelings, Jiang Song leaned down and whispered in his ear, "He wants you to have a peaceful life for the rest of your days."
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Yinyue's vision went black, and she collapsed into her father's arms.
It was then handed over to Hong Mei by Jiang Song.
The elderly father was reluctant to leave, but resolutely turned away.
Wei Qin, who was walking at the front, seemed to sense something and looked back at the two people and one horse running in the opposite direction.
Zhu Dian carried Hong Mei and Jiang Yinyue away from the city, their saddlebags filled with silver notes and travel permits to disguise their identities.
They were followed by thirty highly trained fighters.
He wasn't entirely confident about the brothers' conflict, but he was absolutely certain that he wouldn't let the young lady be implicated.
How fortunate we are to have met in this lifetime!
Wei Qin turned around and mounted the Chasing Wind in the moonlight.
When they met again, it was the moment he proposed to her.
The two groups of people marched in opposite directions, their momentum overwhelming and their speed like lightning.
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Author's Note: Second update!
50 small red envelopes~
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