si-mexico Chapter 636 Like a dream
Chapter 636 Like a dream
The gradually brightening daylight made everything at the palace gate clearer and clearer.
The body on the ground had been carried away, but the remaining bloodstains had not yet been cleaned up. The blood half-solidified on the ground, turning into a glaring crimson color.
The officials who were passing by and attending court were all terrified when they saw this.
Although Emperor Xiao had not attended court for several days since he fell into a coma, there was no decree to suspend the morning court sessions, so court officials still came to wait every day.
Most of them didn't know what had happened. A small number of well-informed people already knew that there was unrest in the palace last night. But even so, they couldn't help but be frightened when they saw the bloodstains at the palace gate.
However, something as serious as forcing the emperor to abdicate and treason was naturally impossible to conceal.
At the morning court session, the crowd was indignant.
Many court officials petitioned for severe punishment of the traitors, and the most excited among them were those who had previously defected to Xiao Yi and Concubine Cheng.
They spoke harshly and denounced Xiao Yi's actions, wanting to use this method to prove their innocence and completely draw a line between themselves and Xiao Yi.
But even so, they were all terrified in their hearts, thinking about the ruthless means Emperor Xiao had used to deal with those officials who formed cliques for personal gain, and they were afraid that he would not forgive them at all.
However, what they did not expect was that Emperor Xiao was exceptionally calm during the morning court session. He was not angry, nor did he rebuke anyone. He did not even warn these officials who had been classified as members of the Fourth Prince's party.
He merely ordered the Fourth Prince to drink poisoned wine, and when Shen Yanxi and Pei Zhaozhi brought up the case of disaster relief and Xiao Ling's death, he no longer cared about covering up the royal family's reputation. He ordered Pei Zhaozhi to organize the case files and then announce the truth of that year.
After all, even if the truth affects the royal family's reputation, for Emperor Xiao, it is probably not as serious as the father-son fight last night. In comparison, there is naturally no need to cover up what happened before.
After dealing with these, Emperor Xiao tiredly dismissed the morning court, leaving only a group of court officials in the Golden Palace.
"Your Excellency Prime Minister, Minister Pei, what happened last night?" Some court officials boldly asked Shen Yanxi and Pei Zhaozhi, wanting to know more details.
The court officials around them also fell silent and looked at Shen Yanxi and Pei Zhaozhi.
Shen Yanxi said: "Just as the emperor said, the fourth prince escaped from the prison and colluded with Lou Zhen and Zhou Qingli, trying to take advantage of the emperor's coma to force the emperor to abdicate and plot rebellion, but failed in the end."
"Then what about the disaster relief case and the death of the third prince? Was it really planned by the fourth prince?"
Pei Zhaozhi said seriously: "Didn't the emperor just announce it himself? If you still have any doubts, you will know after I finish sorting out the case files. As for now, the morning court has been dispersed, and I am still busy handling the case. Can Prime Minister Shen and I leave first?"
The official who was questioning the matter did not know what to say. "Of course, of course. Sir Pei, please do as you wish."
Shen Yanxi and Pei Zhaozhi walked out of the Golden Palace together and left the palace along the palace road.
At the palace gate, the blood-stained ground had been cleaned up, leaving only water stains that had not yet completely dried, reminding people of what had happened before.
However, the sunlight is good today, and the water stains will probably be dried up soon, and then disappear like the blood before.
Pei Zhaozhi stopped and looked at the marks on the ground. "To be honest, I still feel a little dazed. Did the Fourth Prince really rebel last night?"
Obviously, it was an event that was big enough to shock the entire imperial city, or even the entire Beiyang Kingdom, but it seemed to be just a small commotion in the imperial palace.
It happened suddenly and then returned to calm just as quickly.
Nothing seemed to have changed much, even the bloodstains in front of the palace gate last night had disappeared. In a trance, it even made people feel that last night was just a show.
Seeing Pei Zhaozhi's thoughts, Shen Yanxi also looked at the water stains that were about to disappear and said, "Not all major events have to be grand and earth-shattering. Forcing the emperor to abdicate is different from the passionate actions on the battlefield. It can only be done quietly in the dark. When it comes to the real action, the sooner the better, and the less noise it causes, the better. Because no matter what high-sounding reasons are found, it is destined to be hidden from the public."
History books can be tampered with, but it is difficult to avoid the criticism from court officials and the people. Therefore, things like a prince forcing the emperor to abdicate and seizing his father's throne are never something that can be publicized.
"I understand the truth, but it's hard not to feel that it's a little unreal. After all, in my imagination, forcing someone to abdicate would lead to a complete upheaval in the imperial court."
"If Xiao Yi had succeeded last night, it would have been a huge event for the court, the imperial city, and even the entire country. But fortunately... Xiao Yi lost."
Fortunately, they brought out a brewing rebellion in advance and then eliminated it with almost the lowest cost.
Pei Zhaozhi took a deep breath and completely pulled himself out of the trance and unreality just now, "Yes, it's a good thing that the Fourth Prince lost!"
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Although this year's New Year's Eve is destined to be different from previous years and the court officials have not started their rest as usual, fortunately, the people have not been affected by all this and they can still greet the new year with peace of mind.
The safety and well-being of the people is the most important thing.
……
At the same time, in the palace, Jiang Suining received an order and followed Queen Shi to deliver a cup of poisoned wine to Concubine Cheng.
All the people in Concubine Cheng's palace have been detained and interrogated, and will be convicted according to the degree of their knowledge.
The magnificent palace remained as usual, but without the eunuchs and palace maids, and with only Concubine Cheng left, the huge palace seemed like a man-eating beast, opening its huge mouth to swallow people.
When Jiang Suining and the others entered, Concubine Cheng was sitting in front of a bronze mirror and dressing herself.
Seeing the person coming through the bronze mirror, Concubine Cheng did not stand up, but smiled and said: "I really did not guess, it is the Queen who came to see me off for the last time."
Empress Shi also looked at Concubine Cheng through the mirror, "After all, we have fought for so many years, I still want to see you for the last time."
"The Queen finally admitted that we have been fighting for so many years." Concubine Cheng inserted the last hairpin into her bun, slowly stood up, turned her head and looked at Queen Shi, "Over the years, you have always acted like you are not interested in competing with the world, and have earned so much good reputation, but I know in my heart that you have regarded me as an enemy from the beginning."
"I still remember clearly how you looked when you first entered the palace. You were extremely beautiful and charming. The emperor was attracted to you the first time he saw you. And I saw the ambition and fighting spirit in your eyes. At that time, I knew that you would be my biggest rival."