Ning Rong was overjoyed, but she didn't show it on her face.
Lu Zangfeng spoke a few more words with her, and then took his leave, citing the late hour.
Although Ning Rong was reluctant to part with him, she thought that his behavior was truly virtuous and proper, so she was even happier and did not try to stop him. She personally saw him off.
But as Lu Zangfeng walked out of the Prime Minister's residence and turned around, a mocking smile appeared on his lips.
...
In the residence of the Minister of Rites, Pan Yuanzhou was preparing to retire for the night when suddenly assassins broke into his bedroom.
Pan Yuanzhou was so frightened that his face turned pale, thinking he was going to die. But then the assassin knelt down in front of him with a "plop".
With a sob in his voice, he said, "My lord, the Emperor learned of the whereabouts of the deposed Crown Prince and personally went out of the city to find him, hoping to use the bond between father and son to persuade the deposed Crown Prince to admit his mistakes, return to the palace with him, and accept punishment, so that the relationship between father and son would not be in vain!"
"Unexpectedly, not long after leaving the city, His Majesty suddenly fell seriously ill, vomiting blood incessantly and his life hanging by a thread. The imperial physician said that His Majesty was not fit to move, otherwise his condition would worsen. Therefore, His Majesty ordered me to come and invite Lord Pan to leave the city immediately to see him! Perhaps His Majesty is about to make his final arrangements!"
After saying this, the person burst into tears.
Pan Yuanzhou didn't dare to delay for a moment. He quickly got up, dressed, and prepared to leave with the assassin.
But suddenly, he remembered that the Pan family had almost been wiped out not long ago, and worried that the assassin's words were a trap.
So he sent someone to secretly inquire about the situation in the capital, but unexpectedly learned that the emperor had indeed secretly left the city. Pan Yuanzhou dared not delay any longer and rushed there.
What happened in Pan Yuanzhou's inner chambers was also happening in the homes of many loyal ministers and generals.
So when Pan Yuanzhou's carriage left the city and stopped in the wilderness under the cover of night, he lifted the curtain and looked out, and saw many of his colleagues.
...
"Your Majesty, the loyal ministers and generals of the Great Zhou Dynasty have basically all left the city," Wanxin reported.
Empress Shen remained at Liu Qinghe's home, which was still protected by thousands of soldiers, and not even a fly could get in.
Wanxin added, "As you instructed, we have ordered people to completely surround Taoxi Village. Now that the people are gradually falling asleep, slaughtering them will be as easy as cutting a melon."
Empress Shen sipped the tea that the head maid had just brewed: "We must not let our guard down until the very last moment. That deposed crown prince has managed to hide for so long despite being relentlessly pursued; he is no ordinary person, and he must have someone helping him!"
Wanxin agreed verbally, but in her heart she didn't think that this plan could go wrong.
Shen Jiefeng will capture the deposed Crown Prince Yun Zhuo at Zhuhaijian. Regardless of whether Yun Zhuo is alive or dead, he will be thrown into Taoxi Village.
If they succeed, all those hiding near Taoxi Village will be slaughtered by the entire village.
They had already prepared a charge against the deposed crown prince—that his whereabouts had been discovered, he knew he was doomed, so they wanted to turn the villagers of Taoxi Village against him, to make them his soldiers, protect him, support him, and return to fight.
But the people were unwilling; they only wanted to work at sunrise and rest at sunset, living an ordinary life, and did not want to risk their lives.
In a fit of rage, the deposed crown prince ordered the massacre of the entire village, determined to drag the people of the Great Zhou down with him even in death!
As for loyal ministers and generals like Pan Yuanzhou, they are all currently near Taoxi Village. Upon seeing the incident in Taoxi Village, in accordance with their life motto of "loyalty to the emperor and love for the people," they will certainly enter Taoxi Village to investigate.
At this crucial moment, Lu Zangfeng will lead his men to capture them and label them as members of the deposed prince's faction.
Prime Minister Ning Hongxi will also arrive with his troops to help Lu Zangfeng, while those loyal ministers and generals will be unable to defend themselves and will be regarded as the deposed crown prince's faction and eliminated!
In this way, the truly loyal and capable generals of the Great Zhou Dynasty would be virtually gone, and the emperor's power would be completely undermined.
And the Prime Minister's stubborn faction will soon be used by Empress Shen.
This is a win-win situation!
Thinking of this, Wanxin couldn't suppress the smile on her lips. She said softly, "Your Majesty doesn't need to worry too much. Lord Shen is very capable and will definitely be able to capture the deposed crown prince."
"Besides, he has assassins to help him, so there's no way anything could happen. The deposed crown prince is already at his wit's end."
Empress Shen hummed in agreement and put down her teacup. "Prepare the carriage. I will go out and oversee things myself!"
The carriage was already prepared, but it was an ordinary carriage, not luxurious, and not at all eye-catching.
However, when Empress Shen traveled, there were layers upon layers of guards secretly protecting her in the darkness in the distance.
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