“How is this possible!” Shi Hongwei shook his head in disbelief. “There was no unusual movement in Li Capital—how could you have deployed reinforcements in advance!”
“Indeed, there was no unusual movement in Li Capital,” someone entered from outside, rainwater streaming down their armor, splashing water everywhere, their iron armor clanking like bells: “But once the Prince’s rescue order was issued, the Imperial Guard and City Guard had no choice but to respond!”
Shi Hongwei frowned, and upon seeing this person’s face clearly, his expression darkened: “Commander Lian.”
Lian Heng removed his helmet, first saluting Yin Gezhi, then frowned and said: “Lian Heng bears the responsibility of protecting Li Capital, and more importantly, ensuring the safety of the imperial clan. Prime Minister Shi, you privately deployed troops to surround Dragon Platform Mountain—what exactly do you intend?”
Shi Hongwei fell silent, his eyes moving anxiously as if searching for a strategy.
The Empress grew anxious and spoke in her delicate voice: “His Majesty has passed—if we’re speaking of rank and status here, I should be the highest authority. Since when do princes and officials have the right to shout orders?”
“Father Emperor had a decree while alive—the inner palace cannot interfere in politics,” Feng Ming cupped his hands and said: “Forgive my directness, but Your Majesty should listen and not speak rashly.”
“You!” Empress Shi glared at Feng Ming and scolded: “Since when do you have the right to interfere in imperial family matters?!”
“Your Majesty,” Feng Ming raised an eyebrow and said: “This subject is Princess Nan Ping’s consort.”
He was also a member of the imperial family—why couldn’t he interfere?
Her face turning green, Empress Shi gritted her teeth, about to speak again when a shout came from outside: “The Imperial Physician has arrived—”
Everyone’s hearts jumped. Shi Hongwei came to his senses and without another word moved to block the Imperial Physician and the coroner behind him, shouting angrily: “How dare you! His Majesty has passed—how can his sacred body be examined at will!”
“Prime Minister Shi,” Yin Gezhi spoke calmly, “Are you afraid they’ll discover Father Emperor died from slow-acting poison?”
His body stiffening, Shi Hongwei sneered: “Why should I be afraid? What if it was slow-acting poison?”
“If it was slow-acting poison, then it has nothing to do with myself or Guan Qingyue,” Yin Gezhi raised his eyes, staring at Yin Chenyu beside him: “Slow-acting poison works gradually and requires large doses—only someone constantly by Father Emperor’s side would have the opportunity to administer it.”
Those constantly by the Emperor’s side would be people in the palace. Coincidentally, during this period when the Emperor was unwell, the Empress had been personally attending to his medicine.
Empress Shi’s face turned pale, while Yin Chenyu became even more panicked, cold sweat covering his forehead.
“Come to think of it, I also found something strange,” Feng Ming shrugged and spoke loudly: “When His Majesty suddenly collapsed earlier, while still breathing, the Prince called for an Imperial Physician, but I searched everywhere and couldn’t find one. According to protocol, an Imperial Physician should always accompany His Majesty when he travels. May I ask Prime Minister Shi, why was there no Imperial Physician among the entourage you arranged? Was it because you knew something would happen to His Majesty and deliberately prevented medical treatment?”
The royal relatives erupted in commotion, and those standing near the Empress and Crown Prince instantly stepped away.
Shi Hongwei remained silent.
He had thought today’s plan was flawless—the Emperor had taken his final dose of medicine in the morning. According to his calculations, after the Emperor’s passing, he could pin the crime on Yin Chenbi and help the Crown Prince ascend the throne.
Everything should have proceeded smoothly—how had it turned into this situation?
Should he blame Yin Chenbi and Feng Ming’s silver tongues? Or should he blame Lian Heng for arriving too quickly? Or perhaps he should blame himself for not having enough troops under his command to fight Yin Chenbi to the death?
He blamed it all! Everything was to blame! None of these things had been within the scope of what he could anticipate! If Yin Chenbi and Feng Ming hadn’t spoken up, he would have already convinced the officials to confirm Yin Chenbi’s guilt! If Lian Heng hadn’t come, these five hundred soldiers would have been enough to execute Yin Chenbi on the spot! If he could still mobilize troops, he might still have a chance to turn things around…
However, it was too late for any of that—he had lost this battle.
Somewhat disheveled he grabbed the Imperial Physician’s robes to prevent him from passing, but the old physician was quite strong, and with Feng Ming pulling him away, the old Imperial Physician soon broke free from his restraint and went forward to examine the Emperor’s remains.
All the royal relatives turned away. Yin Chenyu tremblingly grabbed his mother’s sleeve, calling softly: “Mother…”
Empress Shi’s expression was panicked as she gripped him, gesturing for silence, her mind completely blank.
After an unknown period, the coroner and Imperial Physician replaced the silver robe embroidered with three-clawed dragons over Emperor Wei’s face, then cupped their hands and bowed to everyone: “His Majesty died from poisoning. This poison had deeply penetrated his organs, administered in large doses over a long period, causing progressive failure of the imperial organs… When this humble servant previously examined His Majesty, I only noticed his weakness, but when asking about his diet, nothing seemed amiss, and I didn’t dare suspect poison. Now looking back… I failed in my duty!”
Hearing this, Nan Ping finally came to her senses and looked at the Shi family with bloodshot eyes: “Empress!”
Startled by this rebuke, Empress Shi repeatedly stepped backward, shaking her head: “It has nothing to do with me!”
What use was denial now? It was useless! Nan Ping somewhat lost control and screamed, suddenly lunging at the Empress, disregarding all propriety, crying as she struck her: “Give me back my father’s life!”
Yin Chenyu tried to step forward, but as soon as he moved, a hand appeared at his throat.
“To kill one’s sovereign is the height of disloyalty,” Yin Gezhi’s voice rang out like a ghost behind him: “To kill one’s father is the height of impiety.”
His legs weakening in fear, Yin Chenyu repeatedly shook his head, immediately pointing at Shi Hongwei: “It was all the Prime Minister’s idea! My mother and I had nothing to do with it! He said once Father Emperor died, I could ascend the throne sooner. I… I was forced into it!”
His face turning iron-grey, Shi Hongwei cursed: “Useless fool!”
They could have denied everything to the death, but who knew this incompetent Crown Prince would sell him out first?
Angered until his vision blurred, Shi Hongwei looked left and right—since he was already doomed, what did he have left to fear?
Suddenly reaching out to grab Princess Nan Ping, who had been fighting with the Empress, Shi Hongwei pressed two fingers against her throat and shouted with bloodshot eyes: “Nobody moves!”
Feng Ming had been restraining the Empress and Yin Gezhi was holding the Crown Prince—before either could react, Nan Ping had already been seized by Shi Hongwei and pulled aside.
“Prime Minister Shi!” Lian Heng shouted low: “Are you trying to rebel?”
“Rebel?” Laughing loudly, Shi Hongwei spoke through gritted teeth: “At this point, what difference does rebellion make? There won’t be a good ending either way.”
“Brother…” Empress Shi’s face turned deathly pale, her whole body trembling.
Breathing out as if relieved of a burden, Shi Hongwei looked at Yin Gezhi: “You’ve won, Prince. Won beautifully. You have more men, you can have us all executed here. With the Crown Prince gone, you can smoothly ascend the throne. Good, very good indeed!”
Yin Gezhi watched him expressionlessly, saying nothing as if waiting for him to finish speaking.
Outside, the rain grew heavier, the atmosphere extremely oppressive. The women had begun crying softly, while the royal relatives all hid behind Lian Heng, fearfully watching the confrontation.
Turning to look at Emperor Wei’s body laid out on the table beside him, Shi Hongwei sneered: “Self-proclaimed enlightened ruler for all ages, dying such a miserable death—truly unprecedented.”
“Prime Minister Shi,” Nan Ping, whom he was holding hostage, spoke through gritted teeth: “Father Emperor treated you well—how can you speak such treasonous words while his spirit has yet to rest?”
“Spirit?” Hearing this word made Shi Hongwei laugh: “How wonderful to be a princess raised in the palace, knowing nothing. Do you truly believe your father was an enlightened ruler? If he were enlightened, he wouldn’t have massacred civilian scholars, wouldn’t have employed treacherous ministers, wouldn’t have driven loyal officials and capable generals to desperation, causing them to abandon their posts!”
Nan Ping was stunned, her eyes wide open, looking somewhat bewildered toward her royal brother opposite her.
Yin Gezhi frowned: “Prime Minister Shi, mind your words.”
“I minded my words enough while Emperor Wei was alive,” Scoffing, Shi Hongwei gritted his teeth: “When I first entered official service, wasn’t this old official’s heart set on serving the country? But him? He wouldn’t promote me even as he promoted Zhao Xu! What use was a weakling like Zhao Xu? Our Emperor cared for nothing else but calligraphy—if your writing was good, you got an official position! Does the Prince know how this old official obtained the position of Prime Minister? Ha ha, after two years of practicing calligraphy, writing a memorial praising His Majesty, along with the Noble Consort’s kind words at the time. That’s how I got it!”
“Tell me, didn’t such an emperor deserve to die? There are hardly any upright officials left in court—wasn’t that all his doing? What wrong did I do in poisoning him!”
Yin Gezhi remained silent. Nan Ping drew in several sharp breaths, staring blankly as she listened, momentarily unable even to cry.
“For us of the Shi family to reach this point, how easy do you think it was?” Laughing until tears flowed, Shi Hongwei shook his head: “In all these years as an official, I never dared make a single misstep. The Shi family members at court barely associated with me, fearing the Emperor would think I was forming factions, threatening his imperial authority. But today, years of planning have been destroyed, destroyed by your hands! Your hands!”
Looking furiously at Yin Gezhi, Shi Hongwei somewhat madly said: “If you won’t let me live, then your most beloved royal sister can die with me!”
The last few words were screamed until his voice broke. Shi Hongwei’s expression was savage, veins bulging on his hands. Nan Ping’s face instantly turned pale from his grip as she struggled painfully!
Yin Gezhi’s pupils contracted slightly as he furiously gripped Yin Chenyu and demanded: “You don’t even care about the Crown Prince’s life anymore?!”
“When I can’t even save myself, why should I care about others?” Laughing softly, Shi Hongwei was about to send Nan Ping to the afterlife with one forceful move!
However, at that moment, a long blade suddenly came from behind with cold air, striking heavily at the back of his neck! The blade cut through skin and flesh, severed meridians, and rang against bone with a clear sound.
The air around them seemed to suddenly freeze in that instant. Shi Hongwei’s grip loosened, and he looked somewhat dumbfounded. He wanted to turn his head to look behind him but feared his head would come off if he did.
He hadn’t reacted, blankly rolling his eyes, wondering how this could be. Who could react so quickly to kill him at this moment? Yin Gezhi and Feng Ming were both standing opposite…
The blade at his neck was withdrawn, blood spraying everywhere as he slowly fell backward, his eyes wide open, utterly confused.
His vision turned, and he saw the temple’s painted dome ceiling, then as he fell further back, he saw a face covered in a full beard.
He had seen this face before—when they were arresting Guan Qingyue, he had been on the street with Lian Heng checking civilians, checking very carefully, a city guard.
Eh… why had this city guard torn off his beard? And why was he raising his blade again, slashing fiercely down at his body?