Chen Pingping was silent for a moment. He then said, "The Emperor is a suspicious person. The method Fan Xian used cannot be said to be unintelligent, but the problem is that the Emperor is suspicious. So, for these easily seen points of suspicion, it will instead create deeper suspicions …"
Fei Jie glanced at him and said, "That is why we have to help Fan Xian kill people and solidify these suspicions."
"Yes …" Chen Pingping smiled slightly and said, "The Emperor is suspicious, so it is difficult for him to make a decision. After all these years, he is no longer the fierce general who dared to use 500 people to charge at the Northern Wei Iron Riders … killing people to calm the Emperor's heart, although it is crude, is good. Dead people can't speak, but the dead can tell the Emperor what the Emperor wants to know."
Fei Jie coughed and said, "Although it is a bit troublesome to explain, I understand basically."
Chen Pingping smiled. "The Emperor is suspicious and confident. Once he suspects something, he will only look to the evidence in front of him to find the part that can prove his suspicions … so, in the end, it is just the Emperor deceiving his own eyes. Of course, from a certain point of view, this cannot be considered deceiving because this is something that actually happened. "
As they spoke, faint voices came from outside Chen Garden. Chen Pingping and Fei Jie met each other's eyes. Chen Pingping said, "Looks like the Palace's edict has arrived. Prepare to leave the capital."
Fei Jie nodded and then asked, "Where is Hong Zhu?"
"Don't move for now." Chen Pingping furrowed his brows and thought for a moment. He then pushed the wheelchair toward the garden and said, "I keep on feeling that this little eunuch is not simple."
…
…
Far away in Jiangnan, Fan Xian, who thought he was watching everything in Jingdou with the cold eye of a bystander, did not know that the nail he had buried the deepest in the Royal Palace had, at the same time, become the target that the two most powerful figures in Qing Kingdom wanted to kill. This only proved that he was not a god. Accurately speaking, this plan that had consumed the most of his energy and was the most deeply hidden still had many dangers that were completely outside of his calculations. If it was not for Hong Zhu's good enough luck, by the time Fan Xian returned to the capital next time, he would probably not be able to find any news of that pimple-covered little eunuch in this world.
He didn't know if there were gods in the Temple, but there was certainly no one in this world who was a god. Even the Northern Qi Imperial Advisor Ku He, whose realm was closest to that of a god, and the Qing Emperor, whose power and state of mind were enough to make even a god jealous, were still mortals.
Thus, the Qing Emperor, who had always appeared unfathomable, was now sitting in the long corridor of Taiji Palace. As he looked at the vast expanse of palaces in front of him, his gaze appeared lonely and disappointed, just like a normal middle-aged man.
Beside the Emperor was the black wheelchair. Chen Pingping lowered his head and gently stroked the wool blanket on his knees. He was silent.
The ruler and minister were silent, calmly looking at the palace field in front of them. It was still the beginning of spring. There were no fallen leaves or flowers. The palace had been swept clean by the eunuchs, palace maids, and servants. There was not a speck of dust. The dirt in the gaps between the stone slabs was flat, forming lines of modesty.
At this time, it was already very late at night, but the lanterns in Taiji Palace still illuminated the palace field clearly.
"I was wrong." The Emperor did not refer to himself as "Emperor" today. He sighed and said, "I always thought that after three Northern expeditions, Western expeditions, and Southern expeditions, there was nothing in this world that I could not endure. Thus, I could calmly watch all of this happen. However, when it truly happened, I found that I had overestimated my endurance."
Chen Pingping glanced at him and quietly said, "This is a family matter. The ancients have said that it is difficult for even an upright official to resolve family matters. Your Majesty is no exception."
Chen Pingping already knew exactly what had happened in the Palace, but this old cripple did not purposely show any shock or fear. His attitude was very calm, as if this matter was not a big deal. This kind of attitude made the Emperor's mood a little better. Yes, it was just a family matter that could not see the light of day.
The Emperor changed his way of addressing himself back and smiled slightly. "In the past, you always said that you didn't want to participate in my family matters, but in the end, you still did. What do you think? Do you want to help me handle this matter?"
Chen Pingping lowered his head even more and said, "Your Majesty has long made a brilliant decision. I only need to act according to the plan."
The Emperor was silent for a long time. He then slowly said, "A few months ago, I told you here that I was prepared to play with them. However, she is, after all, my favorite sister. Those little brats are, after all, my sons. Thus, I have always found it hard to bear. Now, even if I can't bear it, I have to act."
Chen Pingping slowly raised his head. His expression did not change, but a strange emotion gradually filled the depths of his heart. In order to make the Emperor make up his mind, he had already done so many things and waited for so long. Finally, he had waited for the moment the Emperor opened his mouth.
"You are outside the Palace. I am inside."
The Qing Emperor slowly closed his eyes.
… …
That night, the 13 city gate guards in Jingdou received an order from the Palace and an intelligence report approved by the Overwatch Council. The opening of the Jingdou city gates was delayed by an hour. The morning light shone brightly. The villagers preparing to enter the city carried fruits, vegetables, and meat and formed a long line outside the city gates. Their faces were full of confusion and confusion.
There was rarely a precedent of delaying the opening of the city gates in Jingdou. According to the reports of the soldiers in front, last night, a Dongyi spy had tried to sneak into the Overwatch Council. Thus, there was a large scale search going on in Jingdou. In order to prevent the spy from escaping the city, the 13 city gate guards were heavily guarded.
The commoners immediately calmed down. No one had any more complaints. They only cursed the reckless Dongyi spies in a low voice.
In Jingdou, the Overwatch Council, personally overseen by Chen Pingping, had begun to move in the early hours of the morning. The Director had been in Chen Garden for a few years. The Overwatch Council was under Fan Xian's direct command. Once he took back the authority of the Overwatch Council, the speed and secrecy of the Overwatch Council's actions immediately returned to a terrifying level. In less than two hours, the Overwatch Council had already secretly taken control of four manors.
The Jingdou Garrison did not receive any news. The soldiers on night patrol stared dumbfoundedly at the black-robed Overwatch Council officials busily walking around. They hurriedly reported to their superiors, not knowing what had happened in Jingdou.
The thousands of imperial soldiers surrounding the Royal Palace also did not move. They only quietly guarded the Royal Palace's gates.
The Commander of the Jingdou Garrison, who had just been promoted by the Qing Emperor, was a general who had followed the Great Prince on the Western Expedition the year before. Hearing his subordinate's report, he randomly put on his clothes and rushed out of the Palace. However, he only saw an unusually calm Palace with nothing out of the ordinary.
The sleepy-eyed Eunuch Hou stood behind the imperial soldiers with a group of guards. Coldly, he refused the Commander's request to enter the Palace to report.
Before long, the Great Prince, who was still sleeping in Prince Heqing's manor, also rode in. Even his request to enter the Palace was calmly and firmly refused by Eunuch Hou.
The Great Prince and the Commander of the Garrison met each other's eyes. They both saw the unease and wariness in each other's hearts. At this time, the sky had not yet brightened. Dark clouds floated over high in the sky, enveloping Jingdou even darker. The secret agents and officials of the Overwatch Council had all begun to move. However, these two major figures responsible for the Jingdou Garrison had no idea what had happened.
The Commander of the Jingdou Garrison carefully glanced at the Great Prince and said, "Commander, should we go to the Overwatch Council and ask?"
In the Western Expedition Army, this Commander was the Great Prince's Deputy General, so he was still used to calling him Commander. The Great Prince paused for a moment and then slapped his forehead in annoyance. The Overwatch Council had come out in full force. It must have been an edict from the Palace. Furthermore, the person in charge was certainly Director Chen. Other people didn't dare to ask Director Chen face to face, but what was he afraid of?
A moment later, the two of them led their guards into the Overwatch Council through the Royal Palace gates. When they entered the courtyard, they were not stopped. In the garden, they saw the old cripple by the shallow pool.
"Director, what happened?" The Great Prince looked at Chen Pingping and asked straightforwardly.
Chen Pingping did not raise his head and said, "It's nothing. Last night, an ace from Dongyi snuck into the Council and stole a great deal of valuable intelligence. I entered the capital overnight and went into the Palace to ask for help. At this time, I am searching all over the city."
The Great Prince furrowed his brows. He knew that this was a lie. What kind of spy would enter the capital and disturb Chen Pingping? Would it even cause the Royal Palace's gates to close?
The Commander of the Jingdou Garrison respectfully asked, "Director, what do you need the Jingdou Garrison's cooperation?"
"Xie Su …" Chen Pingping glanced at the Commander of the Jingdou Garrison and sighed. "You haven't been in office for long. You have to quickly grasp the Jingdou Garrison in your hands. Presently, you only have this position, but you can't even move the soldiers under you. How can you cooperate?"
Commander Xie Su's mouth tasted bitter. He knew that Director Chen was speaking the truth. The Jingdou Garrison had first been controlled by the Ye family for 20 years. Later, it was managed by the second young master of the Qin family. The Ye and Qin families had stuffed countless trusted aides into the Jingdou Garrison. Given the status of these two families in the military, it was indeed too difficult for him, an outsider of the Western Expedition Army, to completely control it.
The Great Prince asked worriedly, "Uncle Chen, tell me the truth. Is the matter big? Why are the Palace gates closed? "
"It's a small matter," Chen Pingping calmly said. "I only need an hour. There won't be any problems."
"Oh, right." He sat in his wheelchair and said, "The Emperor has decreed that today's court meeting will be delayed by an hour. Go to the various manors to prevent Shu Wu and those old fellows waiting outside the Palace for too long and cursing."
Another hour passed. The Great Prince was deeply worried, but he knew that before the matter was over, Director Chen would not tell him the truth.
In the end, Chen Pingping said, "However, there are a few manors that you don't need to send the message. My people have already gone."
… …
The people of the Overwatch Council had already been sent out to the Lotus Pond Square where the commoners lived. With the cooperation of the Jingdou government, they captured a group of ruthless men who were still sleeping. Although the jianghu people did their best to resist, in the end, after paying the price of a dozen corpses, they had no choice but to lower their heads and be tied with black ropes.
Another group of people from the Overwatch Council came to the manors of a few Imperial Censors and very roughly pressed these Imperial Censors, who were renowned for their iron bones, to the ground. They had no fear of being swept to the ground and directly escorted them to the Supreme Court. There was a wave of terror and crying in the manors of the Imperial Censors.
Among the Overwatch Council group, a young man with a black hat covering his face furrowed his brows and said to the head of the First Bureau, Mu Tie, beside him, "Sir Mu, these are, after all, Imperial Censors. Even the Emperor is tolerant of them. Rumor has it that they are not guilty of discussing matters … for you to randomly arrest them like this, are you not afraid that it will damage the Emperor's clean reputation?"
"Sir He, you are now the Imperial Censor," Mu Tie said respectfully. "As for how to deal with the aftermath, it will all be up to you."
This person was He Zongwei, the Imperial Censor the Qing Emperor had inserted into the Overwatch Council during the last change of blood. No one knew what Chen Pingping was thinking to have him follow the Overwatch Council and participate in the operation against the Imperial Censor.
He Zongwei huffed coldly. He knew that if he appeared after daybreak and cooperated with the Overwatch Council to throw this group of Imperial Censors into prison, his reputation would be completely ruined. However, he was also a clever person. He knew that the early morning operation was the Palace's idea. He gradually realized that this was the only power the Emperor could rely on to wipe out the Eldest Princess.
Thus, he didn't dare have any objections.
He was only confused. Jingdou had been peaceful for a while. Why would the Emperor suddenly not tolerate the Eldest Princess?
…
…
The third Overwatch Council group was currently in the Yan manor.
With a cold expression, Yan Bingyun held the Council order in his hand and looked at Yan Hangshu kneeling in front of him. Slowly and firmly, he read out the crimes of the Minister of Appointments Yan Hangshu. Each and every one of them was a heinous crime that struck deeply into people's hearts.
Yan Hangshu, whose clothes were disheveled, knelt on the ground. When he heard these charges, his body became weak. He knew that if it was not a critical moment, the Emperor would not use these charges to punish him, a minister. Since these charges were thrown out, it meant that the Emperor really wanted to kill him!
Why?
There was only one reason. These years, he had been too close to the Eldest Princess. Yan Hangshu thought sorrowfully in his heart, but he still wailed in despair, "I want to see the Emperor's order! I want to see the order! The Overwatch Council does not have an order. You cannot interrogate third-level officials! "
Yan Bingyun glanced at him and shook his head. He took out the order and waved it in front of his eyes. Yan Hangshu, the dignified Minister of the Ministry of Appointments, felt his vision darken. He had actually fainted from the shock of this letter.
There were still a few more groups of Overwatch Council officials moving. Because the time they chose was early in the morning, when everything was quiet, most of the Jingdou officials and elders were asleep, so the operation proceeded smoothly. In less than an hour, most of the officials in Jingdou who were too deeply involved with the Eldest Princess had been invited back to the Overwatch Council's Celestial Prison or the Supreme Court's straw huts.
The last group of Overwatch Council officials waited patiently outside a quiet manor. They had already surrounded this manor for a long time and still hadn't moved. They were waiting for reports from various places.
This group of officials did not have a leader, nor did they carry an edict with them. There wasn't even a Council order personally signed by Chen Pingping. Their composition was the simplest. They were all people of the Sixth Bureau.
They didn't need to enter the manor to pass on the edict. The edict they received was that once they entered the manor, they were strictly forbidden from talking to anyone in the manor, and they were to kill everyone.
…
…
On a normal day, the sky should have already begun to brighten. Today, the dark clouds were too thick, and the sky was still dark.
With a head of messy hair, Fei Jie walked out from the corner of the street beside the manor. He nodded to the Sixth Bureau assassins surrounding the manor and left.
The Sixth Bureau assassins swarmed in, but they didn't meet any resistance. They knew that this manor hid the Eldest Princess' most powerful martial power, most secret intelligence, most trusted confidants, and most … yet, there was no resistance.
All of the Xinyang aces were still asleep when they were knocked unconscious by the poison Fei Jie had laid down. Occasionally, a few aces with profound internal strength would immediately return to the underworld under the Sixth Bureau swordsmen's knives and swords and fall into an eternal slumber.
The first courtyard of the manor was filled with dead people.
The chief strategist of Xinyang, Huang Yi, looked at the Sixth Bureau swordsmen charging through the door with a face full of despair. A few days ago, this strategist had been nearly killed by Fan Xian's poison. Now, he had been poisoned by Fan Xian's teacher again. He had long since lost any chance to retaliate.
He just couldn't accept it. His mind hadn't been of sufficient use. In the history of the Qing Kingdom, he hadn't left a single trace, yet he was going to die.
An ice-cold sword cut off his train of thought and pierced his throat, killing him.
Entering the rear courtyard, the Sixth Bureau swordsmen didn't give the young and beautiful men any chance to beg for mercy. Using great speed, they killed them and then began to take care of the bodies.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
