PDLP Chapter 210 Rebellion
Chapter 210 Rebellion
The Prince of Yan had been harboring resentment since he was exiled to Qingzhou.
Back when they were both princes, his military achievements were no less than the emperor's. It was only because the emperor had a good mother and a good younger brother that he was able to win the struggle for the throne.
Obtaining the throne wasn't enough for him; the emperor killed or imprisoned several of his brothers. If he hadn't been clever enough to escape, the emperor wouldn't have been able to harm him, who was far away in Qingzhou. He would probably have died young like his brothers.
Qingzhou is bitterly cold, and the sea wind is even more biting and piercing.
He stayed in such a place for twenty-five years.
For twenty-five years, he had never stopped thinking about revenge. He endured hardship and used all his savings to cultivate his own power. Now, he had finally waited for the opportunity he had been waiting for for decades.
If Xie Jinghan hadn't always stayed by the emperor's side, he wouldn't have had to wait for decades.
Xie Jinghan was held up by the Northern Di, and the Chu family was not by the emperor's side. The emperor only had these 30,000 Imperial Guards and a few hundred Shadow Guards by his side.
What role can these people play?
If he wants to seize the throne, he may have to fight a fierce battle.
But what he wanted most was the emperor's life.
His purpose in coming here was solely to take the emperor's head; the throne was secondary.
He knew that many of the other princes in the capital also had their own agendas.
His actions this time may very well have benefited them instead.
But so what? As long as he could kill the emperor and get revenge, he was willing to pay any price, even his own life.
Before the King of Yan could even speak, his expression had already changed several times.
Catching a glimpse of his gaze, the subordinates exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to respond.
"We will capture Xuanwu Gate tonight," the Prince of Yan said in a deep voice. "We must take the Emperor's head!"
"What about the things I asked you to prepare?" he asked again.
Upon hearing this, several subordinates looked distressed.
One of them asked cautiously, "Your Highness, this action is against the will of Heaven. Do we really intend to burn down the capital?"
The Prince of Yan gave him a cold look: "Otherwise what? What do you think I asked you to bring tung oil for?"
"With our few tens of thousands of men, we simply cannot reach the emperor," he said, enunciating each word clearly. "I intend to use this tung oil to force the emperor out!"
"Whether he hides behind the people of the city like a coward, or steps forward to fight me..." the Prince of Yan sneered, "is entirely up to him!"
"If the emperor doesn't come out..."
“Then set it on fire,” the Prince of Yan replied bluntly. “This city never had any reason to exist.”
As soon as the Prince of Yan spoke, his subordinates knew that he had made his decision.
After a moment, several subordinates nodded and agreed to the matter.
They were deeply saddened; there were hundreds of thousands of people in the capital, and if this fire were to spread… it would truly cause immense suffering and loss of life.
However, they were all subordinates, and although they had some complaints in their hearts, they still immediately dealt with the matter under the watchful eye of the Prince of Yan.
The Prince of Yan's gaze was fierce as he looked toward the capital.
Behind him, the team had already assembled.
He raised his hand, and a large group of people followed him as they approached the capital.
Meanwhile, the guards on the city wall had already seen the billowing dust ahead, and tens of thousands of troops would arrive at the city gates an hour later.
All the city gates were closed, and the people were filled with anxiety, so they all went back to their homes. People from nearby villages who came to the capital to buy things or just stroll around also went into hiding.
For a time, the streets of the entire capital were deserted.
……
Inside the Tai Chi Hall.
The news that the Prince of Yan's army was at the city gates had already reached the emperor's ears. At this time, he was having a meal with the empress and Consort Zhang.
The emperor's favoritism towards Consort Zhang was not unprecedented, and everyone was used to it.
Consort Zhang, who was favored by everyone, felt a little uneasy when she was summoned.
According to the plan, she should be meeting the Second Prince at this moment.
However, an imperial edict arrived, and in order not to alert the enemy, she could only pretend to be very honored and come to the Taiji Hall.
Upon arriving at the Taiji Hall, the emperor's attitude was no longer as warm as before. After giving her a cold look, he made her sit below.
The Empress and the Emperor sat side by side above, looking like a loving couple, while Consort Zhang, sitting below, felt completely out of place with them.
She clenched her fists tightly, pondering how to gather information, when she heard the emperor's chilling voice: "My beloved consort, do you know why I summoned you here?"
Suddenly called upon by the emperor, Consort Zhang unconsciously clenched her fists. Fortunately, her years of cultivating composure allowed her to remain calm and composed in the face of the emperor's gaze, and she said indifferently, "This concubine does not know."
Perhaps realizing her voice was too shrill, she softened it: "Your Majesty, can't you just speak frankly to me?"
Her coquettish tone complemented her delicate face perfectly.
In the past, the emperor might have felt pity for him.
But when he thought that Consort Zhang might have used the same tone to seduce his son and have an affair with him, he felt a lump in his throat and finally let out a cold snort.
As someone who knew the emperor's temperament intimately, Consort Zhang felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing that cold snort.
Her intuition told her that something was wrong.
However, the emperor's eyes were sharp, and he stared intently at her: "I summoned you here for one thing."
In an instant, Consort Zhang's mind raced, and her unease intensified.
What's the matter?
Could it be that……
A guess popped into her mind, but she refused to think in that direction no matter what.
The emperor smiled and said, "As clever as you are, how could you not have guessed?"
"Naturally, it's because of what happened between you and the second brother."
The emperor's last words definitively sealed Consort Zhang's fate.
Consort Zhang's face turned ashen at this moment. She raised her head and looked at the emperor with tearful eyes.
However, at this moment, no matter how charming she appeared, the emperor would not soften his heart.
The emperor gave a cold laugh: "Do you really think I would favor you so much that I would... forgive your affair with my son?"
"Consort Zhang, you overestimate your place in my heart," the Emperor said through gritted teeth. "I am the Son of Heaven! How dare you... how dare you have an affair with my son?"
"You have disregarded your own life and the lives of your entire Zhang family!" The emperor stood up, staring coldly at Consort Zhang. His chest heaved, clearly furious.
Consort Zhang's lips trembled a few times, but she found herself unable to utter a single word in her extreme terror.
Then she heard the emperor say, "Haven't I been good enough to you all these years?"