Chapter 517 [ID Card Mine Sweep]
This bombshell news about Yao Chengping caused a huge uproar.
Almost everyone stopped what they were doing and the sound of discussion was endless.
"Ah? It was actually ordered by the Emperor?"
With He Lin's navy base, rumors that the emperor was secretly instructing Yao Chengping to persecute Prince Zhao's Mansion were flying all over the place.
The reason why Emperor Qingning did not hear the rumors in the capital was that the eunuch Zhou Jushan beside him was covering up the truth.
"It seems the rumors from the day Prince Zhao returned to the capital weren't groundless. This Yao Chengping was the emperor's scapegoat!"
"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival Palace Banquet. Prince Zhao and Xue Wei are both in the palace right now. I wonder if they can leave the palace safely tonight?"
"Everyone, just go to Prince Zhao's Mansion and the Grand Tutor's Mansion and wait for them. If these two families don't return safely tonight, I'm afraid they're in great danger."
"The current emperor is too narrow-minded. If he controls the country, something bad will happen sooner or later!"
The common people originally did not have the courage to talk to Emperor Qingning, but seeing that someone around them was taking the lead, and that many people were following the crowd and had a lucky mentality, they could not help but discuss it.
"Boerben is already eyeing us covetously. If we eliminate the Xin family and the pillars of the northwest, what will Dasheng have to resist the barbarians on the grassland?"
"If the emperor hadn't persecuted the Xin family three years ago, and the Xin family had enough support to fight wars in the south and the north, there wouldn't be any incidents on the Boer Grassland now."
The news that Yao Chengping personally admitted that it was the emperor who ordered him to attack the Xin family spread like wildfire to every corner of the capital on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
*
Changchun Garden of the Imperial Palace.
At this time, the outside of Changchun Garden was filled with guards in three layers inside and outside.
Zhou Jushan simply took a short stroll outside before returning to the Changchun Garden Banquet Hall. He reported to Emperor Qingning, "Your Majesty, Yao Chengping is indeed being held in a prisoner cart and paraded along Suzaku Street by the Yuelai Escort Agency."
"He vomited a lot of things, and now the people in the capital are talking about it, waiting to see if Prince Zhao and his family and Grand Tutor Xue Wei can return home safely tonight."
Emperor Qingning was looking at Xue Wei at this time. When he met the latter's playful eyes, he didn't even have the strength to spit out blood.
So he invited people over to humiliate him with good food and drinks?
Whatever, even if the people of the capital scolded him, so what? The world was still his.
Xin Che, you killed the son of the leader of the martial arts world. Do you think your Xin family will really have a good ending?
Emperor Qingning pushed the bowls and chopsticks in front of the table and said, "I am not in the mood for today's palace banquet. The dishes are cold. You can all go."
The martial arts masters have set up many ambushes outside the palace. If anyone dies outside the palace, it will be none of his business.
The last time a martial arts master assassinated the Zhao Wang family, Prince Zhao was poisoned, and Xin Che was poisoned with cartilage powder that would make him lose his martial arts skills. Once he left the palace and met the martial arts leader again, he had various means to promote the poison.
Emperor Qingning only regretted that he did not get back at the palace banquet today. So, let these people die. Out of sight, out of mind.
When the other guests heard the emperor announce the adjournment of the banquet, they felt as if they had been pardoned and quickly said goodbye to the emperor and the empress dowager and left the banquet hall.
However, King Zhao's family and Xue Wei remained unmoved and had no intention of leaving.
Emperor Qingning saw that no one was taking his chances, and he became anxious. "I told them to disperse, why haven't you left yet?"
Of course, the purpose was to create an illusion among the people outside the palace that Prince Zhao's Mansion and Xue Wei were being oppressed and threatened by the emperor, so that it would be natural for them to kick the emperor off the throne.
Jiang Lili chuckled: "Most people have left now, it's time to close the door and beat the dog."
Xin Che twirled the chopsticks in his hand. "We're here to take your imperial seal today. How can we be so unreasonable if we haven't even got the thing yet?"
Emperor Qingning and the empress dowager, who was being helped away by Hou Xiaoxiao, looked as if they had heard some joke.
Emperor Qingning laughed in anger: "Are you planning a rebellion?"
"What can you use to fight me?"
"So what if there are 100,000 grassland cavalry? Dasheng is not powerless to resist. With the General of the Cavalry and his two capable sons, our northwest defense may not be impregnable, but we can still resist!"
Moreover, he recently learned a secret weapon from a master, and he didn't believe that the grassland cavalry could withstand the firepower of his secret weapon!
"Stop talking nonsense. Hand over the imperial seal, write a letter of abdication, and then commit suicide or hang yourself. It's your choice."
"Otherwise, I will kill the Queen Mother right now."
When Emperor Qingning heard the voice, he turned around abruptly. Hou Xiaoxiao, the biggest financial backer of their court, was already holding a black hidden weapon of unknown origin against the empress dowager's head.
Emperor Qingning was struck by lightning, his eyes widened in disbelief: "Hou Xiaoxiao, you!"
He stammered for a long time, the shock still surging in his heart: "When did you collude with Prince Zhao's Mansion?"
Hou Xiaoxiao smiled slightly: "It's very early."
"Let me tell you, it was with my help that the Zhao family was able to safely cross the dangerous Qinglin Mountains."
"Speaking of which, I have to thank you and the Queen Mother for giving me a legitimate reason to go and help Li Li and the others. Thank you very much. The money I've sponsored you over the years has not been wasted~"
Hou Xiaoxiao blinked, no longer showing the fake smile she had towards the Queen Mother and the Emperor. Instead, she smiled genuinely, "After all, the national treasury will be ours now."
Emperor Qingning still couldn't understand why two families with a long-standing feud would collude with each other: "Why! Are you doing this to your grandfather, the General of the Cavalry?"
Emperor Qingning paused after saying this. Oh no... Could it be...
He felt his heartbeat slow down, and quickly took out the medicine for self-defense that Doctor Qi had left for him, the Heart-Rescuing Pill, from his arms.
Hou Xiaoxiao's smile grew even brighter. "My grandpa is currently playing chess with Old Doctor Qi in the northwest. Indeed, sending him to the northwest can be considered a party favor."
"We now have the final say on the northwest defense line. If the grassland cavalry comes to support us, they can come and go freely."
Emperor Qingning was already going crazy after hearing Hou Xiaoxiao's words. He still didn't know what the problem was and how these people were connected. He could only yell, "You are traitors and colluding with the enemy! You are colluding with the grasslands!"
Wait... Hou Xiaoxiao's grandfather and old doctor Qi are playing chess...
"Is Dr. Qi one of your people?!"
The Queen Mother, whose head was pointed at by a gun, cried out in surprise, "Impossible! Doctor Qi is my confidant!"
Hou Xiaoxiao sneered: "Do you think that Doctor Qi is closer to you or to his son Qi Yun?"
"Qi Yun!"
The blows Emperor Qingning suffered each time became greater and greater. He clutched the bottle of Jiuxin Dan in his hand, which felt hot. "Qi Yun, is he one of yours too?!"
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