“A-and… A few aristocratic families in the Imperial City… seem to have… given in to the Third Prince…” continued the person while stammering.
It was as if lightning struck Emperor Jiawen, and his entire person was rooted to the ground. “What do you mean?”
The man braved himself and surveyed the surroundings before quickly looking down. “Um… Those few family heads… have… They seem to have discussed it with the Third Prince, so the traitors didn’t encounter much obstruction after they entered the Imperial City.”
Actually, Emperor Jiawen already understood what it meant when he heard the words for the first time. However, he felt that it was too ridiculous, so he subconsciously didn’t believe it.
There was dead silence in the palace.
Emperor Jiawen’s eyes turned black. “How can that be?! All those aristocratic families have supported me all the way! They definitely won’t—”
When he talked halfway, he suddenly thought of something and turned toward the crowd standing in the palace. “You! There’s also someone amongst you who betrayed me?!”
One had to know that the majority of the aristocratic families’ heads were standing here.
If Rong Jiu brought the troops over and had no obstructions along the way, it meant that someone was helping him earlier on.
Terrifying dead silence replied him.
“Is it you? Or you?! Or all of you?” Emperor Jiawen never expected that such an enormous change would happen. It’s no wonder why Rong Jiu is so arrogant. It turns out that he had long prepared in advance. I didn’t know about all of these people secretly betraying me.
“Who exactly is it?” Emperor Jiawen suddenly felt chills being sent down his spine.
“Your Majesty, calm down! With my life, I can assure you that the Si family did not betray you! boomed Si Ye when he stepped forward.
When Rong Jiu previously left the execution grounds, Si Ye couldn’t find him after a long time. Thus, he could only return to the palace and ask for forgiveness after he heard that Rong Jiu had successfully arrived outside the city gates.
It actually became like this in no time!
“Your Majesty, it is the same for the Chu family.” Chu Xiao hurriedly spoke up and expressed his loyalty.
Ever since he was harshly scolded in the Imperial Study, Chu Xiao had never come again. Now that he had the rare chance, he definitely had to please the Emperor.
Then, a few people gradually spoke up.
But the Gu family and the Lu family of the four aristocratic family clans did not make a sound.
Emperor Jiawen was so angry that his entire body shook. “The remaining ones who haven’t spoken… Have all of you given in to that traitor?!”
Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded outside the palace. “Father, can’t you clearly see what’s going on? Why must you get to the bottom of this? You’ll only humiliate yourself further.”
Emperor Jiawen suddenly looked up and saw a team of soldiers nearing the hall before they split into two sides.
A solemn figure walked out from the middle—it was Rong Jiu!
Not long ago, he was still wearing his convict clothes and looked despaired as he waited for the knife to land on him. But at this moment, he was wearing armor, and his general aura was ferocious.
Finally, he stood still outside the hall and looked at Emperor Jiawen calmly. “Father, how have you been?”
Emperor Jiawen finally felt fear in his heart.
“Someone! Protect the Emperor!” Chu Xiao immediately rushed forward with the rest.
Before they could stand still, they heard Rong Jiu lightly say, “I won’t implicate the innocent. If you give in now, I assure you that I won’t touch your family.”
Chu Xiao immediately hollered, “You guys are revolting! It’s a capital crime! His Majesty is the only worthy one! Rong Jiu, you’re just digging your own grave by doing this.”
“Oh… Is that so…?” Rong Jiu raised his longsword and gradually wiped off some bloodstains on it. “First Elder Chu, you probably don’t know that the entire Imperial City is already under my control, right?”
Chu Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. He felt uneasy for some reason as he looked at Rong Jiu. C-could it be that Rong Jiu will win this time?
At the side, Si Ye sneered, “Rong Jiu, you killed the Empress, and you’re planning a revolt now! You’re a traitor!”
As he spoke, he circulated his force and planned to attack.
Rong Jiu chuckled. “I do hate the Empress, but someone else killed her.”
“You’re lying!” Si Ye was dazed. His Majesty had said it himself, and I have also investigated it privately. That day, all those people in charge of the Empress’s palace pointed out Rong Jiu as the one who killed the Empress. How can it be someone else?!
“I’ve already brought soldiers and barged into this place. What else is there to lie about?” Rong Jiu glanced at Emperor Jiawen mockingly. “If you want to find out the truth, you should ask Father!”
Si Ye was dazed. Rong Jiu’s words make sense. Since he has already revolted, why wouldn’t he admit to killing the Empress? Unless—he really didn’t do it!
Si Ye’s neck tensed up as he turned around to look at Emperor Jiawen.
“Elder Ye! Where’s Elder Ye?” Emperor Jiawen asked harshly. Such a major thing has happened in the palace, yet Elder Ye still did not appear?
At this point, Emperor Jiawen didn’t know that Elder Ye—who was in charge of guarding Elder Zong Ye—had also met with some trouble.
Seeing that Elder Ye couldn’t save him, Emperor Jiawen thought of something else. “Xuan formation?!”
The Deep Xuan formation is the defensive formation of Country Yao Chen’s palace, but I now remember that the formation wasn’t activated when Rong Jiu and the rest barged in.
Rong Jiu said, “Oh, yes. Father, I forgot to tell you that the Deep Xuan formation is also under my control. If you want to look at it, I’ll personally bring you over. What do you think?”
Emperor Jiawen felt as though he had dropped into a hole filled with ice, and he was so angry that he vomited blood.
Chu Xiao—who was standing by the side—was stained with some blood. He was about to help him out when he remembered what Rong Jiu said earlier. Then, he suddenly felt scared and moved backward.
What did the others not understand at this point? Of course, they gradually avoided them!
Emperor Jiawen shook his hand and pointed at Rong Jiu. “Y-you…”
Rong Jiu raised his chin, and his expression was as cold as ice. “It seems like you’re not feeling too well, Father. You should rest properly.”
Then, he raised his hands. “Someone, send Father to rest in Qinghe Hall.”
Emperor Jiawen immediately said, “How dare you!”
Rong Jiu clearly wants to ground me! He clenched his teeth. “Rong Jiu, don’t think I can’t do anything to you! I—”
Before he could finish his sentence, he heard a gigantic commotion from outside.
A sinister aura rapidly spread out.
Emperor Jiawen suddenly raised his head. That direction… That direction is where Situ Xingchen is locked in! The most important thing is this aura… Someone touched the bronze cauldron!
Without thinking, he immediately rushed out.
But before he could take two steps, someone stopped him.
Emperor Jiawen’s face turned as red as a beetroot. “Let me go over! Rong Jiu, do you know what that is? Immediately let me go over. If not, you’ll regret it!”
The moment he finished his sentence—
Hong!
A greenish-red light pillar shot toward the sky.
