Chapter 50: Ning Wujie, you're about to rebel.
At the critical moment, Wang Fuwei's two personal guards drew their swords.
There was a sound of "clang!", and the sound of metal clashing was heard, and Yang Qi's spear was firmly blocked by the two blades.
Wang Fuwei was still in shock and screamed, "Protect the emperor!"
However, in the empty hall, no one responded except her trusted guards.
Yang Qi shook his wrist violently, and the tip of his spear knocked away two long swords in the blink of an eye. Then he swung it horizontally, and it instantly passed through the throats of the two guards.
“Puff!”
Hot blood spurted out, splashing Wang Fuwei's luxurious phoenix crown red and staining her carefully decorated face, which was pale and twisted with fear.
Wang Fuwei let out a shrill scream and stumbled back several steps, her voice distorted by fear: "Quick, stop him! Otherwise, if something happens to me, we'll all die together!"
However, Yang Qi's gun tip had already attacked again.
Wang Fuwei was so frightened that she hurriedly pulled the maid closest to her to stand in front of her.
The maid's pupils dilated, her face contorted with terror. With a clang, the spear tip was within reach, about to pierce the maid's head.
"Wait." Wen Xing's cold voice rang out from the throne.
The tip of the gun was only an inch away from Wang Fuwei's chest. Ning Wujie rushed over like lightning and grasped the tip of the gun accurately with one hand. The powerful force made it impossible for the gun to move forward any further.
Yang Qi was furious: "Why stop me? Let me kill her!"
Ning Wujie held the tip of his spear firmly in his hand, saying coldly, "Let's hear what she has to say."
The maid escaped death, but her whole body was limp and she fell to the ground.
Wang Fuwei calmed down a little, wiped the blood off her face with her trembling sleeves, and straightened the crooked phoenix crown.
She lowered her eyes and saw two guards lying in a pool of blood, with warm blood flowing along the cracks in the gold bricks.
She tugged at her clothes in disgust and took two steps back to avoid the glaring scarlet.
Wang Fuwei took a few deep breaths, suppressing the surging fear and suspicion. He tried to straighten his back and maintain his dignity. "Emperor, do you think I would barge into the palace without leaving any backup? The entire capital is now under the control of my people. If I fail to convey the decree to depose the emperor today, the three major camps will march their swords on the imperial city and support a new emperor!"
After she finished speaking, she fixed her eyes on Wen Xing, who sat high on the dragon throne, and uttered a sneer filled with madness: "The iron hooves of the three camps must have already trampled through the outer city and surrounded the imperial city!"
She thought she would see surprise and doubt on Wen Xing and Ning Wujie's faces, or even a hint of hesitation.
However, she only saw the playful smile on Wen Xing's lips, which deepened instead, and his eyes were full of mockery.
Ning Wujie still had no expression on his face.
Wang Fuwei's heart suddenly sank, and she felt an ominous premonition. She forced herself to remain calm and said, "Emperor, don't think you can escape unscathed with the Imperial Guards backing you up. The Imperial Guards in the entire palace only number over ten thousand, while the three main camps have a total of one hundred thousand men!"
"Once the three major camps attack the city, you will undoubtedly be defeated!"
She spoke sternly, trying to use her confidence to intimidate the wavering officials in the hall.
Sure enough, those members of the royal party who had just avoided her like the plague now looked surprised and doubtful, with flickering eyes, as if they were re-evaluating their options.
So who has the upper hand now?
Do they still want to distance themselves from the Queen Mother?
Seeing the officials' expressions, Wang Fuwei regained his confidence and snorted, "Emperor, if you kill Yang Qi first and then write the abdication edict, I will spare your life."
Wen Xing said slowly, "Really? It seems that the Queen Mother has made up her mind."
The teasing and sarcasm in that tone pierced Wang Fuwei's ears like a needle.
But she still stretched out her arms and shouted fiercely, "You can give it a try and see who will be the one to die without a burial place!"
As if to confirm her story, she suddenly heard a deafening roar of killing from the distant palace walls. The sound surged like a surging tide, drawing nearer and becoming clearer.
Wang Fuwei's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and a look of ecstasy blossomed on her face. She turned to the astonished officials in the hall and shouted, "Did you hear that?! My people are coming to kill us!"
The royalists who had been hesitant just now now looked happy as if they had grabbed a life-saving straw.
An official immediately shouted flatteringly: "Your Majesty is so wise! You have calculated everything! We are in awe!"
Wang Fuwei raised her chin proudly and turned to Wen Xing, "Emperor, for the sake of our relationship as mother and son, if you would abdicate peacefully now and become a commoner, I can still ensure that you will live a life of wealth and prosperity without worries."
The sounds of fighting were getting closer and closer, and soon there was a heavy roar of something hitting the palace gate.
Wang Fuwei could no longer suppress the smile on her lips, but she heard Xing calmly say, "Since your mother is so confident, why don't you go out and take a look yourself? That way you can welcome your 'loyal army'."
The smile on Wang Fuwei's face froze instantly.
Why was there no fear on the emperor's face, and even his eyes were full of confidence?
Could it be...
Just when she was filled with fear and confusion, she heard the sound of fighting as surging as the tide breaking through the Meridian Gate.
An unknown official shouted, "The Queen's men are charging in!"
A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Wang Fuwei's eyes. She didn't know if she was frightened by Wen Xing's indifferent expression. She tried to confirm it with her own eyes with a guilty conscience, so she turned around abruptly and strode out of the hall without caring about her manners.
A group of officials followed suit.
Wen Xing exchanged a glance with Ning Wujie, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs. Ning Wujie nodded slightly, his eyes calm and resolute. Wen Xing finally felt relieved, slowly stood up, and walked down the jade steps step by step.
Everyone in the hall rushed to the square in front of Huangji Hall.
Wang Fuwei's eyes were fixed on the tightly closed Huangji Gate. She could already hear the surging footsteps and the sound of armor colliding, rolling across the square from far to near, even the ground was shaking slightly.
After a loud rumbling sound, the Huangji Gate opened wide and a large number of soldiers wearing armor from the three camps poured in.
Seeing the uniforms, Wang Fuwei's uneasiness was completely dispelled, and he laughed triumphantly, "Look! The three battalions really broke through the imperial city effortlessly!"
However, as soon as she finished speaking, the smile froze at the corner of her lips.
The leading general approached, wielding a long spear. Behind him, several armored officers were being escorted in chains. Further away, outside the Huangji Gate, a sea of captured soldiers knelt.
Seeing that man's face, Wang Fuwei's pupils trembled with shock, and he blurted out: "Ning Zheng!"
And Ning Buhuo was standing beside Ning Zheng.
The officials were all shocked. "Father and son of the Ning family?! Aren't they border generals? How could they lead three battalions into the imperial city?"
"What the hell is going on!"
Ning Zheng walked up to Wen Xing and slammed his halberd into the ground, making a dull thud. He then knelt on one knee and said in a resounding voice, "Your Majesty, I, Ning Zheng, have been ordered to suppress the rebellion! The rebels from the three camps have been apprehended. I beg your Majesty to make your judgment!"
Wang Fuwei's eyes swept over the generals who were forced to kneel on the ground, and her heart sank. These were all the trusted pawns she had painstakingly cultivated for years, placed in the core positions of the three camps. She couldn't help but stare wide-eyed in shock and exclaimed, "This is impossible!"
Yang Qi's betrayal was understandable, given the blood feud. But when had these hidden schemes been exposed? She hadn't even noticed!
Wen Xing raised the corner of his lips slightly, raised his hand to support Ning Zheng, "My dear, please stand up. You have worked hard."
His cold gaze swept over the pale-faced generals again, "These traitors are in cahoots with Wang Fuwei and will be punished for treason."
As soon as these words were spoken, one of the kneeling generals swayed and fell down.
Others tried to fight for their lives: "Your Majesty, we were all deceived by the Queen Mother and have no intention of rebellion!"
"Your Majesty! The military order we received is that the Ning family is plotting treason and regicide. We are ordered to enter the palace to quell the rebellion, Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, please enlighten me!"
"Your Majesty, have mercy!"
Ning Wujie said coldly, "You are colluding with the Queen Mother to depose the Emperor. The evidence is irrefutable. Don't try to quibble."
Wang Fuwei's pupils trembled violently, and he looked at Ning Wujie in disbelief, "So, it's you..."
Ning Wujie said coldly, "Your Majesty, are you wondering how your chess piece was exposed?"
Wang Fuwei's cold gaze swept over, and the look in his eyes that almost wanted to tear Ning Wujie into pieces, "You are so cunning, who knows what despicable means you have used!"
Ning Wujie met her resentful gaze with an unusually calm tone, "Your Majesty, do you know that, with the exception of the Ningyuan Army and other border troops stationed in the bitter cold, all military officers of the fifth rank and above in the capital are monopolized by aristocratic families."
"No matter how talented or accomplished a soldier from an ordinary family is, he cannot surpass the children of these noble families."
"The only way for them to rise to prominence, to be crowned a noble or a general, is to join the frontier army. This means fighting in the bitter cold, where the children of the wealthy and powerful families disdain to go. They have to brave mountains of swords and seas of fire, and risk their lives, just to have a chance at a bright future."
Wang Fuwei looked cold and disdainful: "What does this have to do with me?"
Ning Wujie's gaze remained calm as he looked at Wang Fuwei with disdain. "If Your Majesty wants to plant a hidden pawn in the army, she naturally wouldn't choose someone from an aristocratic family with inextricable ties to the Wang family. They'd be too easily exposed."
"What you want is these hopeless young men from poor families. Give them a glimmer of hope, so they will be willing to fight for you and serve you like dogs."
As he spoke, his eyes swept towards Han Jin who was in the corner. After hearing this, the other party stared at Wang Fuwei fiercely and clenched his fists secretly.
"So," he said, pausing before asking, "was it difficult to find your chess piece?"
Wang Fuwei's pupils shrank.
Therefore, Ning Wujie only needs to screen the backgrounds of the generals and pick out those who have no family but hold high positions, and he will be able to catch almost all of her hidden chess pieces in one fell swoop!
So simple, yet so deadly!
Why didn't she think of this flaw? !
Wen Xing glanced at Wang Fuwei's horrified expression and said coldly, "Your Majesty, born into a wealthy family, lives high and mighty. How could she truly understand how abrupt and conspicuous it would be for these humble children to rise to power in the capital?"
"How can those who live in the clouds empathize with those in the mud? It's just a blind spot."
Those officials of the royal party who had been clinging to the Queen Mother finally realized that the situation was hopeless. They fell to their knees, weeping and begging for mercy: "Your Majesty! We have been deceived by the Queen Mother!"
"Your Majesty! We, your servants, have absolutely no intention of rebellion! Please understand!"
"The Empress Dowager deceived us, saying that His Majesty had passed away. That's why we..."
"Shut up!" Wang Fuwei pointed at the officials kneeling on the ground begging for mercy, his voice sharp and resentful. "You fence-sitters! When my Wang family was in power, you all fawned and begged for mercy! Now that I've fallen from power, you dare... Ugh—!"
Wang Fuwei suddenly felt a chill in her abdomen. She looked down in disbelief and saw that a long knife had pierced through her gorgeous phoenix robe, dripping with scarlet blood.
A fishy and sweet taste surged in the throat.
"Yang..." She subconsciously thought it was Yang Qi, but when she looked up, she was shocked, "Han Jin..."
Han Jin's eyes were bloodshot as he stared at her fiercely, his voice filled with anger and resentment: "If it weren't for you powerful people who control the court, why would I betray my brothers? That position of general should have been mine! You blocked my way, and now you're trying to force me to have a good future!"
Han Jin added more strength to the long sword in his hand and said, "You all deserve to die!"
Wang Fuwei opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but only blood foam came out.
Immediately afterwards, another heart-wrenching pain came from the chest.
The tip of Yang Qi's gun had pierced her chest, and the sharp pain caused the blood in her body to quickly begin to cool.
"Evil woman! You killed my sister, tricked me into poisoning the late emperor, and toyed with my life! I wish I could chop you into pieces and scatter your bones to ashes!"
Everyone was shocked when they saw this and turned to look at the emperor, but they saw Wen Xing was unmoved and watched the scene coldly, as if he condoned the two men's lynching.
An official suddenly had an idea and figured out how to evade punishment. He suddenly removed his official hat and hairpin, rushed forward like a madman, and stabbed the sharp end of the hairpin into Wang Fuwei's chest.
Wang Fuwei's pupils suddenly dilated, reflecting the official's face distorted with fear.
"You sinful woman Wang... You deceived me and the others into waiting for His Majesty's death, and forced us to abdicate and commit crimes! You made me commit the heinous crime of killing my entire clan without knowing it! You deserve to be put to death!" The official cursed at the top of his lungs, as if he was the biggest victim.
This action was like lighting a fuse. When other officials saw this, the desire to survive instantly ignited in their eyes.
Whether it works or not, this is the only way to survive!
So everyone followed suit and rushed forward.
"Kill her! Eliminate this evil for His Majesty!"
"Revenge for my colleagues who died in vain!"
"Purge the emperor's court! Kill the demon queen!"
Curses, the dull sound of sharp weapons piercing flesh, and the sound of bones breaking intertwined together, echoing over the empty Huangji Palace.
Wang Fuwei lay in a pool of blood, her phoenix crown tumbling away, her elegant robes ripped to shreds. Yet, the crowd that had rushed over didn't stop, as if they had some deep grudge and were determined not to stop until Wang Fuwei was torn to pieces.
Han Jin and Yang Qi, who had initially murdered Wang Fuwei, had already left the crowd and were watching this bloody farce coldly.
Blood stained everyone's official robes, as if a group of hyenas had smelled the smell of blood and were madly tearing at the dead body.
Wen Xing looked at this ugly scene, his narrow and long phoenix eyes drooped slightly, revealing an unconcealable disgust in his eyes.
He looked up and saw the setting sun, as red as blood, dyeing the towering vermilion palace walls once again with a layer of thick, indelible scarlet.
Witnessing Wang Fuwei's miserable condition, the initial pleasure had long since disappeared, replaced by bottomless world-weariness and fatigue.
They are truly a group of vultures entrenched at the pinnacle of power, feeding on power and flesh and blood.
I really want to retire.
He thought.
Wen Xing turned and left indifferently.
"Your Majesty." Ning Wujie followed immediately.
Wen Xing did not stop and walked straight towards the sedan chair.
Ning Wujie said, "How should these officials be dealt with? Your Majesty, please give us your instructions."
They did ask the Queen Mother to return to the court in the name of "His Majesty's Passing of the Dragon." If they had to quibble, there was no concrete evidence to prove that they were involved in the coup.
Because of the dispute, Ning Wujie still wanted to hear Wen Xing's opinion.
The sedan chair was lifted.
Wen Xing glanced coldly at the group of officials in the distance.
At this time, everyone finally stopped, sweating profusely, and sat slumped on the ground, wiping the sweat from their foreheads with their blood-stained sleeves, but with smiles on their lips.
Blood flowed from under their feet, winding into the cracks in the stone bricks of the square in front of the temple, and gradually intertwined along the cracks to form a scarlet blood net, trapping everyone's figures in this blood net without their knowledge.
He averted his gaze, his voice calm, "All of them will be beaten to death."
Ning Wujie's pupils shrank, and then he lowered his eyes and said in a deep voice: "As you wish."
The emperor's sedan chair gradually moved away in the afterglow of the setting sun.
Wen Xing leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.
How long until retirement?
He really doesn't want to be the emperor anymore.
Ning Wujie, you are about to rebel.
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The author has something to say: To celebrate the Queen Mother's death, 100 red envelopes will be sent to the comment section of this chapter
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