The Arrival of the Imperial Edict
The city magistrate answered, "Prince Rong arrived at the foot of Mount Liang two hours ago, but because he did not have the Emperor's edict, he was stopped by War Secretary Ji and a group of soldiers. His Highness sent someone to inform this lowly official, asking this lowly official to immediately enter the palace and report to the Emperor. He said that Prince Rong has a posthumous edict of the late Emperor, so he asked the Emperor to grant him permission to enter the capital and present the edict."
"Posthumous edict? When did the late Emperor leave a posthumous edict? "Qi Zhen Emperor asked the city governor suspiciously," What was written in the edict? "
"Prince Rong did not say." The city governor continued, "Prince Rong only said that the matter cannot be delayed and requested the Emperor to issue an imperial edict to allow him to enter the capital. If the edict is false, he is willing to return to Yufu immediately."
Qi Zhen Emperor did not care about why Jing Rong would have a posthumous edict. He quickly nodded, "Bring Zhen's oral edict immediately and allow Prince Rong to enter the palace."
"Yes!"
The city governor did not dare to delay any further. He left the hall and hurried out of the palace.
However …
Qi Zhen Emperor could not understand. How did War Secretary Ji know in advance that Jing Rong would enter the capital? He even deployed a troop of soldiers outside the city.
Could it be that the secret edict sent to Yufu had been discovered?
Moreover, according to War Secretary Ji's temperament, he was definitely not the kind of person who liked to get himself into trouble. All these years, he had done his job with ease in the imperial court and had never openly participated in the factional struggles. Unless this time … he was being manipulated by someone.
And that person must be Jing Yi!
In other words, Jing Yi knew about the secret edict and ordered War Secretary Ji to stop him with his troops? In other words, War Secretary Ji, who had never openly participated in the factional struggles, was already on Jing Yi's side.
Thinking of this, Qi Zhen Emperor was extremely vexed. He had thought that allowing Jing Yi to marry the Ji family's daughter would put him at ease. Who would have thought that not only was Jing Yi impatient, but he was also an insatiably greedy person?
Sigh!
Qi Zhen Emperor's eyes darkened …
Meanwhile, on the other side of the palace.
The messenger Ji Li had sent to Prince Yi's residence had reported everything that had happened at the foot of Mount Liang to Jing Yi.
"The late Emperor's edict?" Jing Yi was puzzled, but quickly understood. "I didn't expect it to fall into Marquis Kang's hands."
Dou Quan didn't understand. "What does this have to do with Marquis Kang?"
"If this prince guessed correctly, the Late Emperor's posthumous edict should have always been in Marquis Kang's hands. But for some reason, Marquis Kang took it out to help Jing Rong return to the capital. This prince has truly underestimated that old fox."
"Could the posthumous edict be fake?"
"Impossible. Even if Marquis Kang dares to pass off the fake as the genuine one, Jing Rong would never do that."
Dou Quan said, "If it's really a posthumous edict, then War Secretary Ji can't stop him. When the time comes …"
He didn't continue.
Jing Yi pondered, "What was written on that posthumous edict? To make him swear that he could stay in the capital with that posthumous edict? "
After a moment of silence, he steeled his heart and ordered the military official who came to report, "Jing Rong must know that War Secretary Ji didn't send anyone to inform His Majesty, so he must have secretly sent someone to the palace to ask for an edict. Leave the city immediately. You must leave before His Majesty's edict arrives. Have War Secretary Ji … kill without mercy."
The soldier seemed to be startled for a moment, but he immediately calmed down. "Yes!"
With that, he left.
Jing Yi's eyes were filled with a terrifying bloodlust and an inflated desire for power.
Dou Quan was worried. "Your Highness, if you give the order to kill without mercy, what if something goes wrong?"
Jing Yi sneered, the corners of his lips curling upwards. "Even if something really happens, won't War Secretary Ji still be there to shoulder the blame?"
"Your Highness is wise!"
Extremely sinister!
Ji Li had been forced to become Jing Yi's pawn because of his troublesome sister. Now, he had even become Jing Yi's scapegoat. Who knew if Jing Yi would tear this treacherous and greedy person apart when he realized what was going on?
At the foot of Mount Liang.
It had been four hours since Jing Yi had sent his troops back to the capital. Both sides were still biding their time, waiting for the edict to arrive from the capital.
Both sides were secretly sizing each other up.
The military official who came from Prince Yi's estate was very fast. As expected, he arrived before the Emperor's edict.
He conveyed Jing Yi's order to Ji Li without missing a single word.
Ji Li was shocked.
But there was no turning back now.
He stepped forward with his sword and said to Jing Rong, "Your Highness, it has already been four to six hours. The Emperor's edict has yet to arrive. It is obvious that the Emperor will not allow you to enter the capital. Your Highness should return to Yufu immediately."
Jing Rong was not stupid.
He knew that Ji Li was determined to kill him. To be more precise, Jing Yi had given the order.
"War Secretary Ji is determined to deny the late Emperor's edict."
"Whether the edict is real or fake, this lowly official does not have the patience to waste any more time. If Your Highness insists on not leaving, then don't blame this lowly official."
As he finished speaking, he raised his hand. The hundreds of soldiers behind him drew their swords.
At the same time, Jing Rong's men also drew their swords.
They were just waiting for the order.
Jing Rong's cold eyes narrowed. "This prince will give you one last chance. War Secretary Ji, are you going to let me go? Or not? "
The two faced each other.
Who knew —
"Kill!" Ji Li gave the order.
Hundreds of soldiers stepped forward.
The two sides immediately clashed with each other.
At the foot of Mount Liang, the yellow soil was stained with blood. The stench of death permeated the air.
Tang Si and Mo Ruo also joined the battle.
One was bare-handed.
The other was holding a silver whip.
Although his martial arts were good, the other side had too many soldiers. Even if he fought one against ten, he would still be at a disadvantage.
After all, Tang Si was a woman. She was physically weak and was about to run out of energy under the continuous attacks of the soldiers. Mo Ruo wanted to go over to help her, but he was surrounded by the soldiers and couldn't get away.
At this moment, Wen Xian, who had been observing in the dark, jumped out and helped to kill a few soldiers.
Tang Si finally had a chance to catch her breath.
"Many thanks!"
Wen Xian coldly glanced at her and continued to kill.
At this time, Jing Rong snatched a sword from a soldier's hand and met Ji Li's sword.
The two of them fought back and forth, but they were evenly matched.
The swords in each of their hands were deadly.
After a while, neither of them could gain the upper hand.
All of a sudden, a sharp arrow shot towards the sword in Ji Li's hand and deflected it.
The sword fell to the ground.
Following that, a few more arrows appeared and killed Ji Li's men.
Following that, the sound of horse hooves could be heard. Some of the birds on Mount Liang were also shaken and flew away.
"Stop!"
A loud and clear voice resounded.
The two sides were forced to stop and looked in the direction of the sound of horse hooves and the direction of the arrows.
They saw Qin Shiyu leading his men over.
Qin Shiyu dismounted from his horse, but because he had injured his leg many years ago, his speed was slightly slower. When he reached the middle of the two sides, he took out an imperial edict and unfolded it in front of everyone. With a solemn expression, he read it out loud. "The Emperor has decreed that Prince Rong has the Late Emperor's posthumous edict. No one is allowed to obstruct him. Anyone who disobeys will be executed on the spot. Prince Rong is ordered to bring the Late Emperor's posthumous edict to the palace without delay."
Done!
The imperial edict was closed!
The arrival of the imperial edict was too coincidental.
Ji Li looked at the corpses on the ground and the imperial edict in Qin Shiyu's hand. He was skeptical, but the person who spoke was Qin Shiyu. He was an influential person in the imperial court. Naturally, he would not hold a fake imperial edict.
Then …
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