novelden Chapter 179 Palace Coup (2)
Chapter 179 Palace Coup (2)
"Oh? How did Uncle Rui know that the Empress was poisoned before? Could it be that you, Uncle Rui..." Feng Zhao smiled first, then widened her eyes, revealing a perfectly timed expression of disbelief!
Lin Shu was right after all. As long as that idiot Ling Wanzhen was involved, her Uncle Rui would definitely get so excited that he would blurt out whatever he wanted. It wouldn't be a waste of the beautiful palace maid she had carefully arranged...
"You're bluffing..." Feng Rui was about to say that Feng Zhao was bluffing them when the Taijun next to him grabbed his wrist.
The old lady first shook her head at Feng Rui, then looked at Feng Zhao with her cloudy eyes:
"Rui'er can't stand your slandering Zhen'er. He just said something reckless and shouldn't be taken seriously!"
Besides, even if Han'er was poisoned, the poison looked like it had been accumulating over many years. Rui'er rarely enters the palace; how could he have administered poison?
Upon hearing this, Feng Zhao looked at the Grand Dowager with a half-smile, her eyes seeming to see through everything.
The old lady's heart trembled at her gaze, and she nearly crumpled the handkerchief in her hand. She said in a deep voice, "Does the Crown Princess doubt me? I am His Majesty's biological father!"
Feng Zhao looked directly at the other person, clapped her hands, and said, "Then let's present the evidence!"
As they spoke, the Imperial Guards presented the Heavenly Mandate Black Bird Golden Body and Luan Bird Porcelain Sculpture that Feng Rui had given to the Empress and the Grand Empress Dowager more than a month ago.
"Imperial Physician Wu, take a look at these two items and see if there's anything unusual about them?" Feng Zhao asked the imperial physician, who had been huddled in a corner ever since taking her pulse.
Physician Wu picked up the two objects and examined them for a long time, even smelling them at the end...
Feng Rui's heart tightened, and the Grand Tutor was no exception. However, he was confident, since the late emperor had not noticed anything for more than ten years.
Sure enough, Physician Wu put down the items and said, "Your Highness, these two items have been soaked in medicinal water. Not only are they not poisonous, but they are actually beneficial to one's health!"
Feng Rui and Tai Jun finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But Feng Zhao asked another question that made their hearts leap into their throats again: "What if we use both items together?"
Upon hearing this, Physician Wu's eyes widened, and he said urgently:
"Absolutely not! The black jade on the golden body of the Black Bird can help with sleep and strengthen the body, and the datura on the porcelain sculpture of the Luan Bird can relieve asthma and boost energy. Both are extremely beneficial when used alone! But the two are incompatible!"
While *Urtica dahurica* can aid sleep and improve health, if one uses it for a long time and then suddenly smells datura powder, the effects will be the opposite, creating the illusion of chronic illness, and the cause of the illness cannot be found…
As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell silent. At this moment, everyone probably knew who the real person who wanted to assassinate the emperor and usurp the throne was!
The hearts that had been hanging in suspense for Taijun and Fengrui were finally at peace!
Feng Zhao looked directly at the Grand Empress Dowager: "No wonder Grandfather has often had Mother Empress come to talk to you over the past month and a half... So that's how it is! Grandfather, is there anything else you want to say?"
The matriarch clearly hadn't expected this situation, and frowned in silence for a moment, while Feng Rui kept glancing outside the hall...
Finally, the faint sounds of fighting came from outside. Feng Rui's face lit up with joy. They had finally arrived! He straightened his back instantly and whispered something in the Taijun's ear!
The old lady also revealed a strange smile: "Your Highness, you are still too young!"
No sooner had the words been spoken than a group of soldiers rushed into the palace and surrounded the few imperial guards and people inside. The leader of them was Chen Ping, the eldest princess's mother-in-law.
However, after entering, Chen Ping only nodded slightly to the eldest princess, then knelt on one knee before Feng Rui and the Grand Empress Dowager, and respectfully said, "Your subordinate has not failed in his mission; all five thousand Imperial Guards are now under control!"
Seeing this, a ruthless glint flashed in the eyes of the eldest princess, Feng Xin. As expected, in such a short time, Chen Ping had been turned to defect and pledge allegiance to her good uncle and grandfather!
The Grand Tutor nodded in satisfaction, gestured for Chen Ping to stand up, and looked at Commander Jing, Grand Tutor Ji, and the others, her brows furrowed with a hint of arrogance as she said:
"As the saying goes, a wise man submits to circumstances. If you are willing to submit to me, I will guarantee you a smooth career and that you will be promoted to high office..."
"Madam, do you know what you're doing? Cough cough..." Grand Tutor Ji's face flushed with anger. Looking at the Grand Tutor's smug expression, he couldn't help but curse:
"Even if I, Ji Xuan, were to kill myself, I would never associate with a wolf in sheep's clothing like you..."
"And you?" The old lady narrowed her eyes and looked at Commander Jing, who was protecting Feng Zhao. Commander Jing immediately drew his knife from his waist and held it against Feng Zhao's throat as his answer.
Feng Zhao looked at Commander Jing with a face full of astonishment, incredulous: "You..."
Commander Jing looked reluctant and said, "I'm sorry, Your Highness, I don't mind dying, but I can't watch these sisters under my command die innocently!"
"Good! Good! Good! Commander Jing, take them all down!" The Grand Marshal was very satisfied with Commander Jing's choice.
Feng Zhao and the others were captured by Commander Jing. Seemingly unwilling, they looked at the Grand Marshal and said:
"Grandfather, I have never understood why you would want to kill my mother, who is clearly her biological father and whom she greatly respects?"
"Why else? Naturally, it's because my father is my biological father!" Feng Rui spoke first, his expression arrogant.
"What!" The Grand Tutor was shocked! Wasn't Prince Rui the son of Consort Yan, the late emperor's most beloved concubine?
Back then, Consort Yan was extremely favored and was unparalleled in her favor. As a result, her son, Prince Rui, was also more favored than other princesses and princes. Even after Consort Yan passed away, the late emperor's affection for her son did not diminish in the slightest...
The matriarch glanced around at everyone present, seemingly realizing that Feng Zhao and the others were doomed, and made no attempt to hide anything:
"That's right! I am Rui'er's biological father! If I hadn't been worried about my position back then, I would never have switched the two of us, which caused my son and I to be unable to get close;
Fortunately, Yan Jingxi died young, which allowed me to take Rui'er into my care and raise her, thus securing my position as Empress!
These words naturally drew criticism from Grand Tutor Ji and his companions. The Grand Tutor sneered and ignored them, knowing that she would soon be dead and would not bother with them.
Feng Xin also lowered her head, concealing the surprise in her eyes. No wonder this old man had never been close to the Empress's children since childhood...
No one noticed that Empress Feng Han on the bed was clenching her fists and biting her lip, clearly trying her best to suppress her emotions.
Feng Zhao had never experienced the warmth of the Empress Dowager before, so she didn't react much to what she heard. Instead, she asked one last question: "Was the death of the Empress Dowager related to you?"
Now they don't even call him "Grandfather" anymore!
The Japanese officer laughed loudly a few times, and said somewhat manicly:
"Hahaha! Yes! It's me! I am the Empress, but she disregards my dignity and dotes on that lowly woman who just entered the palace. She even bestows upon her the title of Imperial Noble Consort, making her a de facto Vice Empress and in charge of the harem!"
So, from the moment she started doting on Yan Jingxi, I started drugging her! But she didn't have to die. After Yan Jingxi died, I stopped the drugging. But then she had to discover your and Rui'er's identities and even wanted to execute me and Rui'er...
Ha! You've spoiled Rui'er for so many years, why can't you just keep indulging him...?
Since she is so heartless, then she can't blame me. I will overthrow her empire, kill her own daughter, and make sure she and he cannot rest in peace even in the afterlife!
"You're insane!" Feng Zhao couldn't help but curse when she saw the other party's crazed appearance.
Everyone in the hall was terrified. They never expected that the death of the late emperor would be brought up. It was likely that none of the people present today would survive!
"Commander Jing, take the Crown Princess and these stubborn people away and deal with them properly! Don't let them taint my Zhen'er's future bedchamber!" the Grand Empress Dowager shouted.
After everyone had left, the cries and pleas for mercy from the palace servants soon followed.
Feng Xin hadn't forgotten what the old lady had just said about this being Ling Wanzhen's bedroom; the other party was indeed planning to renege on their promise!
However, I never expected that they would try to push Ling Wanzhen to the top! I thought they would just try to control and sideline me... but do they really think she, Feng Xin, is a paper tiger?
Thinking of this, Feng Xin's eyes were unreadable, and she said in a low voice:
"Grandfather, what did you mean by what you just said?"
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