Jingrong is dead?

Emperor Qi Zhen’s face turned deathly pale.

Seeing that Jingxian still hadn’t made his move, Duke Yuguo said, “Jingxian, why are you still talking so much? As long as your knife strikes down, all of this will be over. For this day, you and I have waited so many years! You hesitate like this—how will you become the emperor of Great Lin in the future?”

Provoking him!

Hearing this, Jingxian’s palm tightened, his face full of murderous intent.

Those court officials cried out one after another, “Prince Xian, don’t! If you do this, it will be high treason and moral transgression.”

Stop him!

His mind was made up, and he prepared to act.

Zhang Quan knelt on the ground. “Your Highness, you cannot do this! Regarding the incident back then, the Emperor had no choice but to act. The cause of the matter was Duke Yuguo! It was…”

“Zhang Quan!” Emperor Qi Zhen roared with all his strength. “Don’t speak!”

“Your Majesty, we can no longer keep this hidden.” Ignoring him, Zhang Quan said to Jingxian, “Back then, it was Duke Yuguo who rallied Consort Ming and Minister Chen to plot rebellion. When the Emperor learned of it, he had no choice but to issue the execution order!”

“You’re lying!” Jingxian didn’t believe him.

“This old servant speaks not a single word of falsehood.”

Jingxian shook his head, saying, “Impossible. My mother consort and uncle could not have rebelled!” Seeing this, Duke Yuguo stepped forward and loudly rebuked him, “Jingxian, why aren’t you making your move! Listening to an old eunuch’s nonsense—back then you saw with your own eyes how your mother consort died, and heard with your own ears that it was your father emperor who issued the decree. What are you still hesitating for? As long as you kill him, you will be the future emperor of Great Lin. If you’re soft-hearted, the one who dies will be you.”

Jingxian was provoked, his whole body trembling with agitation.

He gripped the dagger, his brow furrowing tightly, about to slash toward Emperor Qi Zhen’s throat.

Just at this critical moment, a pebble flew from the distance, hitting precisely the pressure point on Jingxian’s elbow, causing his five fingers to lose strength. His hand loosened, and the dagger fell to the ground.

Before he could react, a figure leaped out from the crowd, striking a palm toward Jingxian’s shoulder.

The force was tremendous!

Jingxian cried out in pain, tumbling head over heels, landing clumsily face-down on the ground. He raised his head to look at the newcomer.

Shock!

“Jing… Jingrong?”

Wasn’t he dead?

At this moment, Jingrong wore a soldier’s armor, his bearing outstanding, his expression stern, his entire body emanating a cold aura.

At the same time that Jingrong jumped out, many “moles” appeared among the Chen family soldiers who had been surrounding them. Those “moles” quickly struck down the Chen family soldiers beside them with their swords!

Countless fell to the ground.

The moles were all Jingrong’s men.

The situation suddenly reversed.

Jingrong protected Emperor Qi Zhen behind him, raising his sword to stab toward Jingxian lying on the ground, saying harshly, “Zijin’s life—it’s time for you to repay it.”

“Huh?” Jingxian looked at the sword point so close before him, showing no fear, and laughed coldly. “If you have the ability, then kill me.”

“Do you think I can’t bear to?”

“At this time and day, what can you not bear?”

He laughed.

Jingrong struggled to restrain the fury in his heart. His sword needed only to advance one more centimeter to kill him.

But—

He ultimately held back, ordering his guards to seize him from the ground and hold him firmly so he couldn’t move.

At this moment, Duke Yuguo looked around—he was already surrounded.

Jingrong said, “Imperial Uncle, you didn’t expect this, did you?”

He laughed heartily. “It’s good that you’re not dead. Today, I’ll have you all die here.”

“If you stop now, there’s still time!”

“Stop? Jingrong, oh Jingrong, do you know that right now below Mount Ji there are one hundred thousand troops? As long as I give the order, they will charge up Mount Ji.” Duke Yuguo pointed at Emperor Qi Zhen, saying, “Take a good look at that person behind you—he is also your mother’s killer.”

Sowing discord.

“What did you say!”

“Still don’t understand?” Duke Yuguo’s face twisted hideously. “Do you know how your mother consort died? Ask that person behind you, ask him how exactly your mother consort died!”

Consort Zhao had been confined to the Cold Palace under the charge of harming an imperial prince. Soon after, she went mad, and the next day hanged herself.

Jingrong frowned, turning to look at his father emperor. “What does he mean?”

Inquiry.

Emperor Qi Zhen wanted to speak but stopped himself.

“My mother consort… didn’t she die in the Cold Palace?”

Emperor Qi Zhen sighed, his face full of wrinkles twisting together. Knowing he could no longer hide it, he held out for a long while before finally saying, “Your mother consort… did not harm any imperial prince. It was I who fabricated a charge against her and had her thrown into the Cold Palace.”

What!

Jingrong was extremely shocked, his arm seeming to lose several degrees of strength, nearly unable to grip his long sword.

Emperor Qi Zhen sighed and explained to him, “In any case, the events of that year were not what you think. I… I also had no choice.”

“Killing my mother consort was also having no choice? What wrong did she commit that made you so ruthless?”

“…”

Duke Yuguo secretly sneered, continuing to provoke, “Jingrong, the man you call father emperor, the emperor you swear loyalty to unto death—he is the shared killer of both your and Jingxian’s mothers. You should kill him!”

Zhang Quan said, “Prince Rong, you must not listen to Duke Yuguo’s words.”

“Then what is the truth?”

It was a scandal!

A scandal that Emperor Qi Zhen had exhausted every effort to cover up.

Faced with Jingrong’s pressing questions, should he speak or not?

Duke Yuguo spoke out, “Jingrong, kill him!”

Kill him!

Jingrong gripped his sword with trembling hands, veins bulging on his forehead and the backs of his hands. He stared fiercely at his father emperor’s helpless face, hatred surging in his heart.

Finally, he raised the sword in his hand.

Little by little, he stabbed it toward Emperor Qi Zhen.

Behind him, Duke Yuguo was like a ravenous wolf, his eyes revealing a terrifying, sinister murderous intent, waiting to watch Jingrong kill that dog of an emperor.

However—

Jingrong suddenly changed direction, turning around to point his sword at him.

What!

“Duke Yuguo, today is your death day.” His eyes were cold and somber.

“You…”

“I already gave you a chance.”

Duke Yuguo’s rage surged. “You clearly could have avenged your mother, yet you choose to be an unfilial son. Your mother cannot rest peacefully even in the netherworld.”

“Enough!”

“The Emperor’s hands are stained with blood—he’s killed so many people. He should have died long ago, yet you still help him. Jingrong, don’t be foolish. If you protect him today, he will kill you tomorrow.”

Just as he finished speaking—

A voice came from the crowd: “Duke Yuguo, even now you still attempt to distort the truth.”

A woman’s voice!

Hearing it, they looked over—

Ji Yunshu walked out, accompanied by Shi Ziran, Lin Shu, and Shang Zhuo.

Jingrong was surprised. “Why did you come?”

“To expose someone’s true face.”

She was of course pointing at Duke Yuguo.

She looked toward Emperor Qi Zhen and said, “Your Majesty, if you cannot bring yourself to speak of the events of that year, then let this subject do so on your behalf.”

Emperor Qi Zhen was startled. “Minister Ji…”

“Things have reached this point, Your Majesty—there’s no need to conceal it anymore. The truth will be made public sooner or later. No matter how Your Majesty tries to hide it, it cannot be hidden, cannot be concealed.”

Emperor Qi Zhen looked around—at Duke Yuguo, at his ministers…

He sighed.

Finally, he nodded.