novelraw Chapter 424
Chapter 424
Chu Ruoyan stood up in excitement. "Where did you say the incident happened? Are you sure it's the Internal Affairs Department?"
The place where that batch of firearms was stored after being smuggled in was exactly the Internal Affairs Department!
If something happened there, it meant Yun Zihao had taken the bait!
Meng Yang nodded, looking baffled. Before he could speak, a sudden tremor shook the ground.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions suddenly rang out, earth-shattering and deafening.
Yan Zheng hurriedly raised his hand to protect his little lady's waist, only to see her eyes wide open, gazing outside the hall. "It's coming from the west, the direction of the Internal Affairs Department!"
There was no fear of being startled in her voice; instead, she sounded relieved.
Meng Yang couldn't help but feel a sense of awe, while Yan Zheng helplessly furrowed his brows.
How could he not know that Ayan was simply tired of acting? After all, she was the one who had worked the hardest at "crying" these past few days...
He then smoothed his robes and stood up. "What exactly is going on?"
As his voice fell, the Minister of Rites, Xu Yan, along with the Commander of the Five Wards Patrol, Xie Zhizhou, hurried inside. They knelt before the steps and said with trembling voices, "Your Majesty! This subject has failed in his duties, allowing someone to tamper with the firecrackers meant for the Qiqiao Festival and smuggle in a batch of firearms! I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"
Xie Zhizhou said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, that batch of firearms was ignited, blowing up more than half of the Internal Affairs Department and affecting several surrounding palaces. Right now, the imperial guards are doing their best to put out the fire! For the sake of Your Majesty's safety, please move to the Hall of Mental Cultivation immediately!" He paused for a moment and added, "The situation is critical, please also take the Em... the deposed Empress with you!"
Chu Ruoyan felt a warmth in her heart. This former cousin-in-law still cared about her even now.
Yan Zheng's eyes turned slightly cold, but he said, "Leave? Why should I leave! Since they dared to bomb the Internal Affairs Department, they are coming for me! Not only will I not leave, but I will wait for him right here in the cold palace!"
With that, he ordered, "Xie Zhizhou, you and Meng Yang will each lead a squad to the Internal Affairs Department to put out the fire. Lord Xu, this matter is your dereliction of duty, so go along and make amends!"
In just a few words, he sent everyone away.
Xie Zhizhou hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, you must not! At least one side of the Five Wards Patrol or the imperial guards must stay behind. If the thieves are trying to lure the tiger away from the mountain, it would be too dangerous for you to have no one by your side!"
Yan Zheng's temple twitched slightly. That was exactly his plan!
Yun Zihao bombed the Internal Affairs Department to create a diversion. If they didn't play along with his scheme, how could they lure him out to reveal himself?
Looking at the young official's worried face, the Emperor rubbed his forehead.
Sure enough, sometimes it wasn't a good thing for subordinates to be too smart...
Fortunately, Meng Yang carelessly patted his shoulder. "Commander Xie, you worry too much. Who is our Emperor? Ten people tied together wouldn't be his match. Let's just follow orders and go put out the fire first!"
"But..."
"No buts, let's go!" Meng Yang grabbed him and dragged him out, while giving Yan Zheng a knowing look that only a subordinate would understand.
The Emperor's eyelid twitched slightly. After watching them leave, he heard his little lady ask suspiciously, "Did you tell Commander Meng about our plan?"
Yan Zheng shook his head.
"Then how did he..."
"He's just being clever, thinking I want to play the hero saving the beauty to reconcile with you." The man uttered these words expressionlessly. Chu Ruoyan was stunned for a moment, then burst into uncontrollable laughter when she understood.
Before long, the commotion in the west quieted down.
The Emperor and Empress sat peacefully in the cold palace. Sure enough, it wasn't long before footsteps could be heard.
"Your Majesty, this is bad, this is bad! Lord Xie and Commander Meng were ambushed as soon as they entered the Internal Affairs Department. Right now, their fate is unknown!"
A shrill, duck-like voice cried out repeatedly. Chu Ruoyan and Yan Zheng exchanged a glance, and the latter stood up. "Oh? Is that so?"
He stepped down the stairs, making as if to walk outside the hall. A dark gleam flashed in Yin Li's eyes, and in the moment they brushed past each other, he suddenly sprang up.
"This servant sends Your Majesty to heaven!!!"
Smack!
With an incredibly crisp sound, Yan Zheng raised his hand and firmly grasped his wrist.
Yin Li's eyes widened as he tried with all his might to thrust the poisoned dagger down, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't advance it even half an inch!
"Tsk, Yun Zihao underestimates me too much, actually sending a eunuch to assassinate me..."
After speaking, he suddenly reversed the direction, sending the poisoned blade into his neck.
Spurt!
Blood spurted out in an instant. Yin Li was utterly terrified. "You..."
He only had time to say that one word before his whole body collapsed like soft mud.
In less than a moment, he was bleeding from his seven orifices. His eyes remained wide open until the moment he died, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened!
Yan Zheng disgustedly picked up a handkerchief to wipe his hands. Just then, a sinister voice came from outside the hall. "Hehe, worthy of the Yan family. Even after becoming Emperor, your skills are still so agile."
The Emperor and Empress's spirits lifted. They had finally lured the person out.
They saw Yun Zihao walk in wearing a dragon robe, leading a large group of people. Song Jia's sister, Zhuque, was also among them. Seeing the situation, she shouted fiercely, "Dog Emperor! Your time has come!"
Yan Zheng raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
Yun Zihao said smugly, "Is it not? Your trusted aides have all been transferred to the Internal Affairs Department, and the patrol battalion is far away in the suburbs of the capital, unable to save you from this immediate crisis. Do you still have any tricks up your sleeve to turn the tables?"
Saying that, he gave a soft, sinister smile to Chu Ruoyan behind him. "Cousin Miaomiao is truly capable. Even with a heavy belly, you can still keep the monarch from attending morning court. Don't worry, as your cousin, I keep my word. I will definitely make you a Grand Princess!"
Chu Ruoyan's lips curled up slightly, but she didn't say a word. Yan Zheng turned his head. "Do you want to be a Grand Princess?"
The little lady smiled. "Am I not worthy?"
"You are worthy. My Ayan is even worthy of being an Empress Regnant." The Emperor was full of tender affection, and the smile on the woman's lips grew wider.
Seeing that things were not right, Yun Zihao frowned. The next instant, Yan Zheng raised his hand, and the soldiers of the patrol battalion, who had long been lying in ambush on both sides, revealed themselves.
Yun Zihao, Zhuque, and the others stepped back, only to see that the opponent's numbers far exceeded their own. The leader, Mei Hexuan, was still wearing wedding attire. He held his head high and said to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, this subject was just trying on his wedding clothes when you dragged me in. Can I ask for some reward money?"
Yan Zheng waved his large hand. "I reward you with a month of leave after your wedding, how about that?"
Mei Hexuan was overjoyed. Before he could even give thanks, he heard the Emperor leisurely add, "But you have to capture the rebels first. Can you do it?"
Are you kidding? With a month of leave, he could openly take Xiao Yi'er to travel and enjoy the scenery.
Even if he couldn't do it, he had to make it happen!
He immediately readied his weapons and turned toward Yun Zihao. The latter's face changed drastically, and he pointed his weapon, shouting fiercely, "Yun Miao, you dare betray me?"
"There was never any loyalty, so how can there be betrayal? Cousin, have you forgotten that not long ago you wanted to capture my father and severely injure my aunt?"
Yun Zihao smiled contemptuously. "What kind of thing is Chu Huaishan? Does he even deserve to be called your father?"
Chu Ruoyan's eyes instantly darkened, and she said lightly, "Yes, in my cousin's eyes, the Chu family isn't worthy, only the Yun family is. But I am also very curious, Cousin, fighting so desperately for the throne like this, do you even have an heir to inherit it?"
As if the deepest scar in his heart had been torn open, Yun Zihao's face instantly twisted. "What did you say?!"