novelden Chapter 178 Palace Coup (1)
Chapter 178 Palace Coup (1)
Upon hearing the old lady's words, Feng Zhao's face fell into a mocking expression, and she thought to herself: This grandfather really can't hold his temper!
Everyone in the hall was stunned, and their gazes all turned to Feng Zhao, who was kneeling in front of the bed.
"Your Majesty, this matter is likely a misunderstanding. How could Her Highness the Crown Princess harm His Majesty?" The Imperial Attendant stepped forward, bowed to the Imperial Majesty, and then spoke.
"Misunderstanding? Does Your Majesty think I'm getting senile?" The Empress Dowager exuded an imposing aura, giving the other party a cold glance.
The imperial maidservant, neither humble nor arrogant, replied: "This servant had no such intention, but this matter does indeed have the air of slander! To punish the Crown Princess for this is probably inappropriate!"
The Empress Dowager gave a sharp look to her aunt before her, and stated in a seemingly indignant manner:
"Apart from the wine, everything else at today's banquet, inside and out, was handled by the Crown Princess. And Han'er didn't drink a drop of that wine. Tell me, besides Feng Zhao, who would harm Han'er?"
The imperial aunt repeatedly obstructed, saying, "That doesn't prove it was the Crown Princess who did it. We must wait until His Majesty wakes up before making a decision!"
The Japanese general sneered upon hearing this, knowing that waking Feng Han was absolutely impossible.
"I'm letting this go because you've been with Han'er for decades. I hope you won't dig your own grave!"
"Guards! Seize the Crown Princess for me!"
"Let's see who dares!" The Imperial Aunt straightened her back and scanned everyone present with her eyes. She had served the Empress for decades and her words carried considerable weight. For a moment, no one dared to step forward.
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager gave a subtle wink to the screen. The two imperial guards exchanged a glance, nodded slightly, and immediately stepped forward to seize Feng Zhao: "Your Highness, please forgive us!"
After realizing what was happening, the imperial aunt quickly stepped in front of Feng Zhao and angrily rebuked the two guards:
"Guard Zhu, Guard Ma, how dare you! His Majesty is currently unconscious; do you two intend to commit treason?"
The two guards exchanged a glance, then looked at the Empress lying on the bed, barely breathing. They considered the benefits promised by the Grand Tutor, and after comparing the two, they seemed to have made up their minds:
"We are only acting under orders, please don't make things difficult for us, Aunt!"
"You... you..."
The imperial aunt was furious and couldn't utter a word while pointing at the two of them, but she kept protecting Feng Zhao and Empress Xiao.
At this moment, Feng Zhao, who had remained silent, raised her eyes and swept them over the Grand Tutor and her entourage. She then looked coldly at the two imperial guards, let out a sneer, and spoke with a tone full of mockery:
"Ha! Grandfather, you've got some tricks up your sleeve! You've quietly bribed the people around Mother Empress and then pinned such a huge accusation on me!"
The Grand Marshal glanced indifferently at Feng Zhao, and when he saw the mockery on her lips, he frowned in disgust!
At the same time, several civil officials, led by Grand Tutor Ji, also arrived.
Upon seeing the people inside the hall, I couldn't help but feel a little strange; they seemed to be divided into three camps.
Feng Zhao, who was supporting Xiao Junhou at the bedside, was in the same camp as the Imperial Aunt and others; Feng Rui was in the same camp as the Grand Empress Dowager; while Feng Xin, who seemed to be standing behind the Grand Empress Dowager and others, seemed to be in a separate faction, with an attitude of indifference and detachment!
Moreover, the two camps were clearly divided and opposed to each other, creating a tense atmosphere. The civil officials looked at each other, somewhat bewildered.
Grand Tutor Ji glanced at the Empress Dowager and the others in the distance, then at Feng Han and Xiao Junhou, who were unconscious by the bedside. He had some guesses in his mind, so he asked Feng Zhao with concern, "Your Highness, how is His Majesty?"
"Haha! What else could it be? Of course, she was killed by Feng Zhao, and Grand Tutor Ji actually asked her about it?"
Ling Wanzhen, who had been hiding behind Feng Rui and the others, took two steps away with a gloating expression, looking arrogant and as if she couldn't wait for Feng Zhao to suffer.
Feng Zhao and Grand Tutor Ji and the others frowned. Ling Wanzhen's words were too harsh, as if she wished Feng Han dead. Moreover, the Grand Tutor and the others did not stop her!
"Zhen'er!" Seeing that Grand Tutor Ji and the others were displeased, the Dowager Lady spoke up to stop them, and then told the Grand Tutor about the so-called 'Crown Princess murdering her mother and usurping the throne'.
The civil officials, led by the Grand Tutor, were all veterans of at least two reigns. Unless absolutely necessary, the Empress Dowager was reluctant to break ties with them.
Grand Tutor Ji frowned and pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to the Empress Dowager and said, "Your Majesty, this old minister also believes that this matter indeed needs to be decided by His Majesty himself after he wakes up!"
"Old minister seconded the proposal!"
"This old minister seconds the motion..."
"..."
The group that came with Grand Tutor Ji naturally followed her lead!
The old man narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Grand Tutor Ji and his group, and said in a somewhat sinister tone:
"Is Grand Tutor Ji's protection of Feng Zhao a conspiracy?"
"If that's the case! Guards, seize them all! If they resist, execute them on the spot!"
The two guards, Zhu and Ma, along with the palace attendants behind the Empress Dowager, immediately stepped forward.
Grand Tutor Ji and his companions were all civil officials who were powerless and quite old, so they were easily detained. At this moment, their faces turned red, and they wanted to curse but dared not!
As Guard Zhu pushed aside the Imperial Aunt who was blocking her way and was about to grab Feng Zhao, a flash of light appeared, and four fingers of Guard Zhu's outstretched hand were cut off. If she hadn't reacted quickly and rolled backward, she would probably have been dead!
The person who made the move was revealed to everyone; it was none other than the Imperial Guard Commander, Commander Jing!
The Japanese lady's pupils contracted upon seeing this. The fact that this person had suddenly made a move at this moment proved that she had been there all along. Thinking of a certain possibility, the Japanese lady became more and more uneasy!
Just as he had guessed, the sound of orderly footsteps came from outside, and two rows of imperial guards entered the hall in an orderly manner, surrounding everyone.
Despite having their trump cards, Feng Rui and Ling Wanzhen were still quite frightened by the scene and hid behind the matriarch. The matriarch also glared angrily at Feng Zhao:
"Your Highness! Not only did you poison and murder your mother, but now you've ordered the Imperial Guards to surround us. Are you truly plotting a rebellion?"
Feng Zhao did not rush to answer. Instead, she settled Empress Xiao in her arms before slowly standing up and looking down at the Grand Tutor and the others.
"Grandfather, you surely know better than I why the Empress Dowager is like this!"
"Your Highness! Don't make baseless accusations!" The Grand Empress Dowager warned Feng Zhao.
"Isn't that right, Cousin Wanzhen? I heard that you went to the Imperial Kitchen before the banquet today and stayed there for quite a while..." Feng Zhao's tone rose as he looked at the somewhat flustered Ling Wanzhen.
Judging from Ling Wanzhen's expression, everyone knew she wasn't innocent!
"It wasn't me! I was lured away to the imperial kitchen by a palace servant today..."
"You're talking nonsense! Feng Han clearly contracted the virus a month and a half ago..."
Ling Wanzhen's sophistry and Feng Rui's sharp voice rang out at the same time, and then stopped abruptly.
Everyone present was astonished, because the two men's words revealed too much information: Ling Wanzhen dared to have an affair with someone at the Empress's birthday banquet, and even her father, Prince Rui, seemed to be involved in His Majesty's poisoning!
The eldest princess, Feng Xin, silently moved a few steps away, cursing inwardly: "Two idiots!"
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