Chapter 469: Chapter 469

Before Cui Yun could leave the Imperial Palace, the news of Jin Zhong’s accident already reached Emperor He’s ears.

Outside the palace, it stirred up a huge commotion.

"The young man from the Zou Family is so spoiled he threw firecrackers into the crowd from the second floor while dining."

"Oh dear, did it injure anyone?"

"It did more than injure people. Horses passing by got spooked and out of control, and the coachmen couldn’t calm them down, knocking over several stalls."

"With people coming and going on the street, how could they avoid it? In the pushing and shoving, one person lost their balance, causing a group of people to fall down, thankfully General Jin arrived just in time. If not for him intervening, several lives might have been lost."

People listened with fear and trepidation.

"Is General Jin alright?"

"How can he be alright? Though he’s a martial artist, he’s still flesh and bone. His arm was dislocated, and he’s covered in bruises. He lost quite a bit of blood. I was there on the street at the time, amidst the noise from afar, yet I could still hear the bones ’crack’. He might not be crippled but will need a year and a half to recover."

"It’s all such a mess, that Zou’s young man is really hateful! By the way, has there been any reaction from the scholars in the palace?"

"Not yet, I think it’s doubtful. Still, there are people talking."

The person lowered their voice: "The Emperor is merciless, treating the common folk like sacrificial dogs."

General Jin’s Mansion.

Jin Zhong was leisurely crossing his legs.

His arm dislocation was real, but it wasn’t caused by a horse; he did it himself. As a man, there are moments when you must be ruthless to yourself.

Emperor He specially sent the Imperial Physician and also Eunuch Ying.

Jin Zhong no longer crossed his legs, lying weakly on the bed.

"Imperial Physician, can I be saved? Hope I’m not crippled for life unable to wield swords or blades?"

"Though saving lives, another aspect of a soldier is to protect the homeland and guard the people, Jin Zhong! No regrets!"

He even showed kindness.

"The young man from the Zou Family is young, still urge the officials to forgive him."

These words, after Eunuch Ying returned to the palace, reached Emperor He’s ears. The Emperor’s entire face darkened.

A mischievous child caused his able general to be injured! What would happen in case of an accident, how could he still send Jin Zhong to the border?

The sudden crises made him even more anxious.

Thus, he summoned in between the Minister of Revenue into the palace, ordering him to allocate funds for disaster relief, which must not be neglected, and another irrefutable imperial edict was sent to Duke Fu’s Mansion.

Urging Xie Xun to prioritize the bigger picture and to leave the city by tomorrow to be stationed at the border.

Xie Xun accepted the decree.

Afterward, the Duchess wept tearfully.

"What does the official family mean by this? A mother has her own selfishness, just an ordinary woman after all. I don’t care about any national righteousness, I bore you not for you to die! You’ve battled and bled for years, isn’t that enough? Others only see your glory, but who knows how many scars you bear or how many times you’ve escaped death?"

"Now that you hold an official position and are supposed to stay in Shengjing, I just started to feel relieved. The official family can’t bear to send their own sons to die, why should they send mine? An imperial edict is forcing this directly on the Xie Family."

Emperor He, unable to extricate himself, hence the Crown Prince received an imperial order to pacify the Xie Family on his behalf.

He was perceptive and seeing that Xie Xun wasn’t as unreachable as before, quickly understood.

Xie Xun surely also didn’t want to be sent to the border to die. If fighting really breaks out at the border, with the national treasury being empty and if supplies run low, defeating the enemy is impossible.

So, making an alliance, he specifically booked a private room in the First-tier Sky Restaurant to bid farewell to Xie Xun.

After three rounds of drinking, Ji Zhui’s head felt increasingly heavy, and he completely passed out. Xie Xun’s drunken eyes cleared when the former hit his head on the table.

He lit a Buhuo, then stepped out, nodding at the Shopkeeper of First-tier Sky Restaurant.

In the deep of the night, Emperor He tossed and turned, unable to sleep. With the evidence of corruption right before his eyes.

He summoned those involved, comparing the handwriting, recognizing the authenticity at a glance.

Those who could perpetrate such acts might be a magistrate, possibly an examiner, perhaps an official who graded the papers, or even more so, with the help of senior court officials. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs novel[f]ire.net

Thus, it passed through layers of approval. In these years, never having a discrepancy.

To split further, it’s multiple powers.

This is just within the past six years, pushing further back, there are definitely more victims.

How could he act rashly?

Just then, a dagger emitting a faint cold gleam suddenly thrust towards him. A direct stab in the chest, in his shock and horror, he cried out in a heart-wrenching voice.

"Protect the Emperor!"

The Imperial Palace was in chaos.

Imperial Physicians gathered.

Empress Zou appeared anxious, yet when she saw the Medical Staff carrying out basin after basin of bloody water, her heart was utterly indifferent.

She thought, if Emperor He couldn’t be saved, her son Ji Zhui would ascend the throne. She had already sent a message to Zou Residence, instructing Zou Wei to prepare in advance.

Princess Consort Jing arrived later, her eyes brimming with tears.

As soon as their gazes met, both showed disgust for each other.

The tears of the fragile Princess Consort Jing fell.

Empress Zou looked on coldly: "The official family is blessed by Heaven itself, to whom does Princess Consort Jing show this mourning?"

"This concubine feels pain for the official family."

Princess Consort Jing: "I’ve become a laughing stock to Your Highness."

With that, she listened intently to the noise inside.

A person like Emperor He, it would be good if he died.

Ji Zhui doesn’t deserve the position, even as the legitimate son, can he compete with Wang?

Princess Consort Jing: Go die!

The spouses of the Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and the Seventh Prince, along with the Crown Princess Consort and all the Princesses of the various palaces, rushed over.

Everyone had their own ulterior motives.

Ji Teng silently went to see Wei Yingying, unnoticed by anyone what he was thinking.

Wei Yingying held back from yawning. Neither faced an assassination early nor late; she encountered it right in the middle of her sleep!

Ji Ge pretended to be sorrowful. He wore mourning clothes, which also made him look handsome.

Le Jia lowered her eyelids. Just one stab, and yet she had to travel a long distance here. People in the Imperial Palace are too sentimental.

Ji Wang subtly exchanged a glance with Princess Consort Jing.

Princess Consort Jing weakly: "Your Highness, where is the Crown Prince?"

Ji Wang did not look at Empress Zou’s frowning face: "The brother has always been the most filial, perhaps he was delayed on the way?"

Unfortunately, Emperor He woke up.

The Imperial Physician bandaged the wound, his face pale as a ghost. Gone was his usual authority. He swept his eyes across fearfully, the pain in his chest frightening him.

He drove everyone out, finally only seeing the leader of the Imperial Guard.

"Has the person been caught yet?"

The Imperial Guard knelt: "... Yes."

"What use are you all useless fools to me!"

Emperor He, enraged, knocked over the medicine bowl.

An inch to the side, and it would have been his heart, he would have undoubtedly died, not even a Daluo Immortal could have saved him!

The person who attempted the assassination in his palace, there were people inside collaborating with him, Emperor He was completely unaware. This sense of losing control completely snapped the taut string in Emperor He.

The Imperial Guard presented something with both hands.

"This item was tightly grasped in the official family’s hand when he fainted."

Emperor He looked over.

It was something familiar.

Yes, when he resisted, he had pulled an item from the assassin’s body. He never expected it to be Ji Zhui’s personal Jade Pendant.

Right, among the people in the palace just now, Ji Zhui was not seen!

He took a deep breath in frustration, flames of anger rising, no longer willing to think further.

"Rebellious son and treacherous minister!"