Chapter 356: The Fourth Prince’s Palace Coup

Chapter 356: The Fourth Prince's Palace Coup

The announcement that "the Duke of Dingguo has led his troops into the palace" brought silence to the imperial study. The soldiers outside ceased their fighting as if the world had come to a standstill.

It took a while for the Emperor to regain his composure, and he then asked the kneeling eunuch, "What did you say?"

The eunuch bowed his head, trembling, "The... the Duke of Dingguo has led his troops to attack. They are already at the palace gates."

The Emperor felt a surge of blood rush to his brain; a buzzing sound filled his ears, and the world was void of everyone else except for himself in a panic. He found himself leaning back uncontrollably as Jiao Kangsheng quickly supported him, calling out with concern, "Your Majesty."

The Emperor gestured dismissively, turning to Duan Yinghong, "What's going on?"

"This servant... this servant does not know."

Duan Yinghong was also startled, how could he know what was happening? Could it be that the Duke of Dingguo was rebelling because his daughter was dishonored? With this thought, he looked at the Emperor and said, "Could it be... could it be that the Duke of Dingguo is actually rebelling?"

The Emperor's fists were shaking uncontrollably; it was probably not as simple as a rebellion now. Xiao Huai could easily justify his troop's entry into the palace under the guise of a rescue mission.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the sound of fighting erupted from outside, followed by Xiao Huai's voice, "The Fourth Prince is forcing the palace; seize them all."

The Emperor's head buzzed again, and just then, Xiao Huai walked in, armored, dragging someone along. Beside him stood Li Jingyi, sword in hand.

Xiao Huai threw the person he was holding onto the ground and pointed at Duan Yinghong, "Seize him."

As his command fell, two generals rushed forward and restrained Duan Yinghong. Xiao Huai walked up to the Emperor, looked deeply at him for a moment, then knelt on one knee and said, "Your servant has arrived late to rescue you, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Li Jingyi also knelt down, right beside Xiao Huai. The Emperor looked at Xiao Huai and then at Li Jingyi, who seemed nothing like the cowardly figure he remembered. After a moment, he finally said, "My... my loyal subjects, please rise."

Xiao Huai and Li Jingyi stood, and the Emperor's gaze fell back on Li Jingyi. The youth, about fourteen or fifteen years old, was tall and handsome, with a clarity in his eyes like the bright moon, showing none of his former timidity. The Emperor's heart gave an involuntary tug.

But now was not the time to focus on Li Jingyi. He turned to Xiao Huai and asked, "Minister Xiao, what is happening?"

Xiao Huai glanced at the Fourth Prince collapsed on the ground, then with a fist clasped in hand, he reported, "Your Majesty, today is the Lantern Festival, and my daughter was abducted by a scoundrel in the marketplace. I pursued and found that it was the Fourth Prince who had taken my daughter. He wanted to use her to threaten me into assisting him to ascend the throne and told me he had already instigated Duan Yinghong to force the palace. If Duan Yinghong failed, I too would be implicated."

Xiao Huai's gaze turned sternly to the Fourth Prince, and he continued, "Concerned for Your Majesty's safety and trusting in Your Majesty's wisdom, I captured the Fourth Prince and then led my troops to rescue you."

"It's not... it's not true..." The Fourth Prince, sprawled on the ground, weakly denied the accusations.

The Emperor, of course, did not believe Xiao Huai's words. He looked towards Duan Yinghong, expecting him to confess he was instructed by Xiao Huai. Duan Yinghong, catching the Emperor's glance, began, "What the Duke of Dingguo has said..."

"Duan Yinghong," Xiao Huai interrupted, "I brought you up and have treated you well over the years, even your son I've tried my best to nurture. Never did I expect to raise such a wolf with wild ambitions."

Upon hearing his son mentioned, D

Duan Yinghong turned his head to look and saw his son standing at the entrance of the Imperial Study, flanked by two of Xiao Huai's most trusted lieutenants. It was all too clear—his son and family must be in Xiao Huai's clutches by now.

It was only at this moment that he realized Xiao Huai must have known long ago that he had been bought by the Emperor, otherwise his family, who had moved earlier, wouldn't have fallen into Xiao Huai’s hands.

"Duan Yinghong, you might as well confess truthfully."

Xiao Huai's voice carried over. Duan Yinghong turned back to face him, a pleading look in his eyes, but Xiao Huai watched him calmly, giving no hint. He understood that if he played along with Xiao Huai, there might still be a glimmer of hope for his son and family, otherwise...

"I confess, it was the Fourth Prince who made me instigate the palace coup today."

"You... you’re talking nonsense!" Struggling with pain in his lower body, the Fourth Prince stood up, pointed at Duan Yinghong, and said, "Father, Duan Yinghong is Xiao Huai’s man; they're putting on a play."

"Your Majesty, I have another matter to report," Xiao Huai stepped forward, glanced at the Fourth Prince, and said, "The Lady Yuan and the Grand Preceptor are having an affair."

"You slander with a foul mouth," the Fourth Prince shouted loudly, but Xiao Huai responded with a calm demeanor, "I have evidence."

He then gestured towards the door, "Bring in the person."

In a short while, the Grand Preceptor, his hair grizzled with age, was pushed in.

The Emperor's head was spinning, his eyes growing somewhat blurry, anger building in his chest without an outlet. His body swayed, and Jiao Kangsheng quickly supported him to sit down at the side of the chair. Xiao Huai, noticing this, allowed the faintest smirk to cross his lips.

"I... I am guilty," the Grand Preceptor knelt before the Emperor and said.

The Emperor closed his eyes momentarily to clear his head, then looked down at the Grand Preceptor kneeling on the ground and asked, "Do you and Lady Yuan truly have..."

He couldn’t bring himself to say the last two words, shocked at the thought of his own harem harboring two consorts with illicit relationships.

The Grand Preceptor’s forehead touched the ground, "Your Majesty, I... I knew Lady Yuan before she entered the palace, and after she did, we have not..."

"Hmph," Xiao Huai interrupted, "Grand Preceptor, who was the reason you wanted to divorce your lawful wife years ago? If it was merely an acquaintance, would you divorce your wife for her?"

Trembling on the ground, the Grand Preceptor was unable to retort, and Xiao Huai continued, "And why do you so vehemently support the Fourth Prince? What did you and Lady Yuan discuss after she returned home some days ago? What actions did you take?"

Shaking like a leaf, the Grand Preceptor listened as Xiao Huai added, "On the day Lady Yuan invited my wife to the Yuan residence, she said Lady Yuan stepped out for a while, returning in different clothes... heh heh..."

His trailing laughter was fraught with unspeakable insinuations. The Emperor's gaze on the Grand Preceptor was laden with murderous intent. At that moment, the Grand Preceptor looked up at the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, though I harbor affection for Lady Yuan, I have not had... physical contact with her. I swear this on my life."

As he spoke, he rose, snatched the long sword from Li Jingyi's hand, and thrust it towards his abdomen. A wet sound followed, and blood sprayed out, striking the Emperor’s robes. The Emperor, startled, tried to stand up, but seeing Xiao Huai, he suppressed his panic and remained seated.