Chapter 99 Breaking the Stalemate with Death
Shangguan Yao died in Emperor Xiao Jing's arms.
She calculated very accurately.
It would take two hours for the people sent by Emperor Xiao Jing to return, and another two hours to get back. Then, it would take at least another two hours for Emperor Xiao Jing to secretly return.
Sure enough, after Emperor Xiao Jing's men returned, Emperor Xiao Jing returned that very night with his secret guards.
At that time, Shangguan Yao had already drunk the poison and was in excruciating pain on his bed.
After the imperial physicians of Emperor Xiao Jing examined Shangguan Yao's pulse, they informed Emperor Xiao Jing.
"The Empress was poisoned with a kind of intestinal poison that would not kill her immediately, but would cause pain starting from her internal organs and eventually cause her to die from the pain."
Emperor Xiao Jing was shocked.
Who would dare to use such potent poison, especially on Consort Xian?
He was about to send someone to investigate, but Shangguan Yao grabbed his sleeve and stopped him.
"Your Majesty, would you please stay with me for a while? I want to talk to you," Shangguan Yao pleaded with Emperor Xiao Jing, enduring the pain.
And so, Emperor Xiao Jing held Shangguan Yao in his arms.
"Your Majesty, Commander Zhu of the Imperial Guards has been frequently associating with the Zheng family lately. Please take note," Shangguan Yao suddenly said.
Emperor Xiao Jing's face darkened.
"Consort Xian..."
"Your Majesty! I know that the women of the inner palace should not interfere in politics."
But the situation is urgent, and I have no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.
"That... the poison, I drank it myself!" Shangguan Yao said through gritted teeth.
Emperor Xiao Jing looked at Shangguan Yao, who was drenched in sweat from the pain, in astonishment, somewhat incredulous.
What is Consort Xian doing...?
That's a deadly poison, there's no antidote!
Shangguan Yao grasped Emperor Xiao Jing's hand and began to briefly recount what had happened in the inner palace.
"Your Majesty, I discovered by accident that I had been poisoned."
Further investigation revealed that the commander of the Imperial Guards was already working for the Duke of Anguo.
Your Majesty, what do you think will happen in the capital if you are in the outskirts of the capital and the Imperial Guards are no longer under your control?
Furthermore, I secretly sent someone to investigate, and it turns out that the Duke of Anguo sent someone to the south, who left overnight.
The south is currently peaceful and there is no war. What is the meaning behind Duke Anguo's move?
"If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, just send someone to investigate and you'll find out," Shangguan Yao said, grasping Emperor Xiao Jing's hand and enunciating each word clearly.
Emperor Xiao Jing remained silent for a moment before summoning two bodyguards. After giving them a few instructions, the bodyguards disappeared from the palace.
Seeing Shangguan Yao's face growing paler and paler, Emperor Xiao Jing felt heartbroken.
"Even so, you can simply send someone to deliver a message to me, why bother..."
Shangguan Yao gave a bitter laugh.
"Your Majesty, if the letter could be sent out, would I have resorted to such a desperate measure?"
When I first discovered that someone had poisoned the body, I sent someone to inform Your Majesty.
They were stopped by the Imperial Guards before they even left the inner city.
It was only then that I became aware of the situation.
My people can't get out, so the news definitely won't get out.
The only people who can get the message out are the people His Majesty sends back every day.
But that eunuch wanted to see not only me, but everyone else too.
I don't have time to say that much.
Only... only when I am truly beyond saving will Your Majesty return to visit me.
"His Majesty has secret guards and is not afraid of those imperial guards." Shangguan Yao said, clutching her chest.
The pain is so intense it's in my chest; it seems I can't hold on much longer.
"Your Majesty, I am afraid!"
You're afraid of what those people might do to you, afraid that you'll fall into their hands again.
"They will hurt you, I don't want to see that!" Shangguan Yao said, clutching her chest.
Emperor Xiao Jing became even more distressed and hugged Shangguan Yao even tighter.
Shangguan Yao didn't talk about the things inside and outside the palace anymore, nor did she mention her maternal family or the Duke of Dingguo's mansion. She just talked to Emperor Xiao Jing about her childhood.
"Your Majesty, when will you take me horseback riding again?"
I've secretly practiced, and I won't fall off the horse anymore.
I know you've been busy. How about you take Xiaoqi horseback riding sometime?
Xiao Qi said that his father, the Emperor, was a great hero. Shangguan Yao's voice trailed off.
Looking at Shangguan Yao, whose eyes were already somewhat unfocused, Emperor Xiao Jing felt as if his heart had been gripped by a large hand, causing him intense pain!
"Your Majesty, look, Yao'er is talking nonsense again."
Your Majesty, please promise Yao'er.
How about we let our little Qi be a wealthy prince?
After Yao'er leaves, please keep a close eye on Xiao Qi, make sure he's not cold or hungry...
"Your Majesty! We've found out!"
Soon, the two guards who had been sent out returned.
"Speak! What's going on!" Emperor Xiao Jing's eyes suddenly sharpened.
"I secretly seized one of the personal maids of Madam Zhu, the commander of the Imperial Guards, and interrogated her."
During these five days, Madam Zhu entered and exited the Empress Dowager's palace five times, almost every day. As for what they talked about, they were sent far away and knew nothing.
In addition, the Dowager Lady of Anguo has been frequently visiting the palace lately, sometimes even going in and out of the Empress Dowager's palace two or three times a day.
"I've also found out that the Duke of Anguo has been conspiring with his advisors every day recently."
The general guarding the city gate also said that the second son of the Duke of Anguo had also ridden a fast horse out of the city five days ago.
He hasn't returned yet.
Listening to the words of the two guards, Emperor Xiao Jing, who already had doubts in his heart, quickly made a judgment.
The group led by Duke Anguo wanted to rebel.
Thinking back, the Zheng family had used the same method to force the emperor to issue an edict to pass the throne to him.
Emperor Xiao Jing was almost certain.
The Zheng family wanted to use the same method to push the King of Qin to the throne.
Thinking of these things, Emperor Xiao Jing immediately took action.
Wu Youde summoned Zhu Buhui, the commander of the Imperial Guards, to the palace.
Furthermore, you two take my imperial edict to the Imperial Guard camp and instruct the commander of the Imperial Guard to lead troops to ambush on the official road leading to the capital.
Any army of more than fifty men passing by will be killed without mercy.
The other guards were divided into twenty-four squads, stationed in various palaces.
There were also guards stationed outside the palace and the residences of various dukes and marquises.
Any unusual movement will result in certain death!
With batches of people being dispatched, Shangguan Yao breathed a sigh of relief.
With her mind at ease, Shangguan Yao felt that her body wasn't in so much pain anymore.
She reached out and grasped Emperor Xiao Jing's hand.
"Your Majesty, I'm no longer in pain! Do you think I'm getting better...?"
Before Shangguan Yao could finish speaking, the hand that was holding Emperor Xiao Jing fell to its side.
Emperor Xiao Jing froze, his hand trembling as he probed Shangguan Yao's nose...
And so, Emperor Xiao Jing sat there, holding Shangguan Yao, for the entire night...
That very night, Zhu Buhui, the commander of the Imperial Guards, was beheaded.
Two days later, news came from the Imperial Guard camp that a large force of troops from the south of unknown origin had been killed at Centipede Mountain, two hundred miles from the capital.
Preliminary estimates suggest that the number of people killed was no less than five thousand.
The leading general was none other than the second son of the Duke of Anguo.
“Send his head to the Duke of Anguo’s family.”
"Just throw it over the wall," Emperor Xiao Jing said coldly.
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