Can you bear the consequences?
Sparks flew everywhere as the raging fire raged.
Thick smoke billowed out of Chengqing Hall, accompanied by earth-shattering screams.
Ji Yunshu's widened eyes gradually narrowed. An endless sense of fear welled up in her chest again. She shook her head slightly and stepped back weakly.
She turned around and prepared to go to Chengqing Hall.
But …
Old General Li pulled her back.
"That place is a sea of fire. Even if you go there now, it won't help."
Ji Yunshu's eyes were red as she reprimanded him with disappointment. "Old General Li, as an elder of three dynasties, you have fought for the country for many years in exchange for the people's peace. But now, you want to kill the Great Lin's Emperor in the name of preventing history from repeating itself. Do you know that once the Emperor and the princes are dead, Qujiang and Huyi will definitely rise up? At that time, not only will Chengqing Hall be engulfed in flames, but the entire Great Lin will be plunged into misery and suffering. Blood will flow like a river.
Can you bear the consequences? "Ji Yunshu shook off his hand and ran towards Chengqing Hall.
Behind her, Old General Li was stunned for a long time. He seemed to wake up and realized the consequences Ji Yunshu had just mentioned.
He slowly raised his vigorous palm and placed it on the wall of the gate tower, clenching it into a fist.
Ji Yunshu ran like a madman. Although it was only a few hundred meters, it took her a long time.
At that moment, Chengqing Hall was surrounded by raging flames. It was a complete mess, and no one could be seen clearly.
One by one, the lanterns kept falling. The forty to fifty thin iron wires that hung the lanterns were filled with gunpowder. At this moment, they were dancing wildly like a water pipe that couldn't be shut off. They emitted sparks uncontrollably and were flung wildly on the ground, the tables, and the bodies of the people …
The people who were burned by the fire kept scurrying around. Finally, their bodies slumped weakly on the ground, emitting the smell of burnt flesh.
As soon as the lantern fell, the royal guards outside rushed in to save the Emperor and blocked the entrance of Chengqing Hall. In addition, the banquet was held outside the hall, so the crowd could not retreat into the hall, nor could they retreat out. Thus, they were all blocked in a circle.
Several eunuchs by Qi Zhen's side tried to protect him, but they were caught by the iron wires and died in the sea of fire.
A wooden pillar at the side caught fire and was about to fall when Qi Zhen Emperor was forced to retreat to the side.
As for the Crown Prince, Jing Hua, who was closest to the Emperor, when he saw the wooden stake about to smash down on his Imperial Father, he ran away instead of trying to save him.
How comical!
Seeing this, Qizhen Emperor felt even more dejected.
Just a moment ago, he said that his precious son would give him whatever he wanted, but now, he actually fled!
Bastard!
What a beast!
Just as the wooden stakes were about to fall, Jing Rong and Jing Yi leaped up and rushed over, braving the flames in the middle.
Jing Rong kicked the wooden stake away.
Jing Yi moved Qi Zhen Emperor and his Imperial Concubine mother to one side.
Thick smoke billowed and Concubine Xiao's delicate body could no longer withstand it. She had already fainted from the thick smoke. Jing Yi immediately picked her up and rushed out of the hall.
Qi Zhen Emperor's health was not good either. He covered his nose with his sleeve and coughed violently. He thought that he had escaped death, but who knew that another wooden stake would come crashing down on his shoulder. He fell to the ground on the spot and fainted.
Because the wooden stake caught fire, Qi Zhen Emperor's back was also on fire.
"Imperial Father …"
Jing Yi shouted. His eyes were stinging from the thick smoke, and he could only faintly see Qi Zhen Emperor lying on the ground.
"Quick, quick, quick!"
At this moment, the imperial guards had already rushed in. They rushed to the high platform and kicked away the wooden stakes on Qi Zhen Emperor's body. They extinguished the flames on his back and escorted him out of Chengqing Hall.
Ji Yunshu rushed over and saw Jing Yi carrying Concubine Xiao out. The imperial guards escorted Qi Zhen Emperor out, and some of the court officials also left one after another.
However, Jing Rong and Jing Xian were nowhere to be seen.
Ji Yunshu grabbed an imperial guard and asked anxiously, "Where's Prince Rong?"
The imperial guard looked around. "He should still be inside." After saying that, the imperial guard became anxious and gathered his men. "Quick, Prince Rong hasn't left yet."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Yunshu rushed in and grabbed everyone she saw. "Have you seen Prince Rong?"
The people inside were scared out of their wits and ignored her.
The fire was even fiercer. She covered her nose and couldn't see the road clearly due to the thick smoke in front of her.
"Jing Rong, Jing Rong!" She shouted loudly.
She wanted to go in again, but the imperial guard pulled her back and dragged her out.
"Teacher Ji, there's such a big fire inside. You can't go in."
"Let me go."
"You can't go in …"
She kept struggling, tears streaming down her cheeks as she was dragged out.
Until …
Two vague figures appeared at the entrance of the hall. Ji Yunshu stared at them intently. As the figures became clearer, she finally relaxed.
Jing Rong supported a drooping Jing Xian as they walked out. The sickly Jing Xian seemed to be on his last breath, coughing non-stop and his face pale. The imperial guard immediately took him from Jing Rong's hands.
Ji Yunshu felt a lump in her throat. She wiped away her tears and wanted to rush towards Jing Rong, but suddenly …
"Guards, arrest Prince Rong." It was Jing Yi's voice.
The imperial guards didn't move.
They were all surprised.
Jing Rong didn't react either.
Jing Yi rebuked Jing Rong, "The fire was caused by the lanterns and iron wires. This Prince found out that you secretly swapped all the lanterns sent from Fangshui the night before yesterday for the purpose of today's incident."
Jing Rong was speechless.
The commander-in-chief of the imperial guards stepped forward and asked, "Prince Yi, this matter …"
Before he could finish, Jing Yi shouted, "Zhang Bo!"
Zhang Bo from the Dispatch Bureau walked out from the crowd. His clothes were burnt with several large holes. He knelt on the ground, trembling with fear.
The lanterns came from the Dispatch Bureau, so Zhang Bo couldn't escape responsibility.
Jing Yi questioned him, "This Prince has a question. Did Prince Rong go to the Dispatch Bureau to swap all the lanterns the night before yesterday?"
Zhang Bo raised his head and looked at Jing Rong. His eyes flickered as he stammered, "Yes, Prince Rong … he did come. He said that there was a problem with the lanterns in Fangshui, so he swapped them all and ordered us not to divulge a single word."
With Zhang Bo as a witness, Jing Yi was full of confidence. He asked Jing Rong, "What else do you have to say?"
Jing Rong coldly glanced at Zhang Bo. "I was the one who swapped the lanterns, but it wasn't the lanterns that caught fire today. It was the iron wires."
"Don't deny it. If anything happens to Imperial Father, even ten lives wouldn't be enough to bear the consequences." Jing Yi ordered the imperial guards, "Why haven't you arrested him yet?"
"Yes!"
The imperial guards immediately arrested Jing Rong.
Jing Yi continued, "Lock Prince Rong up in the imperial prison. We'll decide what to do when Imperial Father wakes up."
Ji Yunshu anxiously stepped forward, but Jing Rong shook his head at her.
He signaled her not to come closer.
Jing Rong was taken away, but Ji Yunshu was still unwilling. She chased after him, but she was stopped by a pair of hands.
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