Chapter 323 Walking Into the Trap

Chapter 323: Into the Trap

Just as Yang Zhen was about to strike at the new emperor, his wrist suddenly shot with pain, and the blade went wide.

The new emperor quickly retreated, putting distance between them.

Ignoring what had made his wrist ache, Yang Zhen raised his sword to chase after him, but searing pain hit him in the back.

What was happening?

Yang Zhen turned, wincing in pain, and saw a eunuch holding a crossbow, staring at him without a hint of emotion.

Recognizing the eunuch's face, Yang Zhen's eyes went wide with shock. "Xue Han!"

But the arrow in his back left him little time for shock. As he collapsed heavily to the ground, only one thought remained: the coup had truly failed...

Yes, deep down he had always felt it would be difficult to succeed, but he'd gone too far to turn back. He could only grit his teeth and keep going, telling himself over and over that success was inevitable.

He didn't want to and didn't dare admit he had backed the wrong horse and taken the wrong path.

But if he hadn't been Prince Fu’s man, how could he have become Deputy Palace Commander at such a young age?

What he'd wanted—things beyond his station and skill—was bound to cost him. Young and blinded by ambition, he hadn't understood this truth.

Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret in this world...

Yang Zhen closed his eyes.

Realizing something was wrong, Prince Fu made a lunge at the new emperor without a second thought. The new emperor didn't run; he stepped forward instead, twisted Prince Fu's arm behind his back, and pressed a dagger to his throat.

Prince Fu was even more shocked than Yang Zhen had been. "You—how are you this skilled?"

The new emperor had studied horseback archery, but he was just decent at it, mainly for exercise. As a crown prince, there was way too much to study; there was no point wasting time and suffering just to get good at martial arts.

"At a time like this, Uncle, that's what you're wondering about?"

As these words sounded, someone stepped out from the side of the hall.

Prince Fu looked like he'd been struck by lightning. "How is this possible!"

It was the new emperor himself.

Prince Fu blinked in disbelief and turned to look at the man holding the dagger to his own neck. The blade had already broken the skin, sending a jolt of pain.

"Hiss—" He hissed in pain, realizing that the "new emperor" pinning him was a double.

"Release the palace staff." The new emperor swept a cold gaze over the rebel soldiers who had the palace staff under their control.

Except for Xue Han, who was disguised as a eunuch, every other palace attendant in the hall was real.

Not one rebel soldier dared to meet the new emperor's authoritative stare; they bowed their heads, their hands shaking as they gripped their swords.

Both the captured Prince Fu and the fallen Yang Zhen drove home that it was all over.

As one soldier let go, the clatter of the sword hitting the ground was jarring. To the other rebels, their swords suddenly felt like hot coals, and they dropped them in a hurry.

Prince Fu refused to back down. "There are my men outside! If push comes to shove, we'll all die together!"

The new emperor smiled faintly. "Uncle, do you really think I'm some lump of dough you can just mold? At this point, you still think everyone out there is on your side?"

"Impossible!" Prince Fu looked frantic. "The Imperial Guards at the temporary residence are either dead or injured, and those who went to put out the fire at the imperial mausoleum won't make it back in time—"

The new emperor cut Prince Fu off coolly. "Uncle, you've got a bit more conscience than I gave you credit for—you set the fire outside the mausoleum grounds. But your son, my cousin here, has no guts. The moment he saw the Imperial Guards waiting for him, his legs turned to jelly..."

From the start of the fire to its spread took some time. That time was enough for the mausoleum area to report the situation back to the new emperor.

Prince Fu had arranged for his second son to set the fire. After igniting it, the son was immediately captured by the waiting Imperial Guard. The Guard’s duty then was to monitor the fire to ensure it didn't get out of control.

The Imperial Guard that feigned going to fight the fire were not numerous.

"Nonsense! The men outside—"

The sound of screams and weapons clattering came from outside the hall.

Prince Fu’s eyes were bloodshot, fixed on the entrance, muttering as if in a daze, "Impossible. Those outside are all my men. They've surrounded the bedchamber. All my men..."

A crisp female voice rang out. "Indeed, some of them are yours."

Hearing the familiar voice, Xue Han's expression shifted slightly, staring intently at the entrance.

Qiu Heng walked in and threw the person she was dragging in front of Prince Fu. "Here, your son."

Prince Fu looked closely and cried out hoarsely, "Xiao'er!"

"A Heng, how did you come?" Xue Han asked gently.

Qiu Heng bowed to the new emperor. "Your subject, Qiu Heng, greets Your Majesty."

"Rise. County Princess Suiyun, you—"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject heard the commotion outside and came out to investigate. I saw a squad of Imperial Guard breaking into the temporary palace and feared Prince Fu might be causing a disturbance. I followed them discreetly and accidentally discovered some men heading toward the consorts' quarters..."

The new emperor's expression darkened as he looked at Prince Fu. "You even refuse to spare the Fifth Prince, a child!"

He knew this uncle, blinded by the throne, was impatient, but didn't expect him to be so desperate as to act against both the new emperor and the Fifth Prince at nearly the same time.

"Spare? I'm giving the Fifth Prince a great destiny!" Prince Fu, seeing his eldest son half-dead, abandoned all pretense and laughed wildly.

The new emperor spared no more glance at the mad Prince Fu and nodded slightly to Qiu Heng. "Thanks to the County Princess for protecting the Fifth Prince."

As for the consorts of the late emperor, he had not secretly sent Imperial Guard to protect them—first, to ensure the forces here were fully committed, and second, under normal reasoning, his own assassination was Prince Fu’s primary and sole goal.

If any mishap befell the Fifth Prince, his conscience would trouble him, and it could easily become a topic for gossip after tonight.

"Your Majesty flatters me."

Qiu Heng thought of the Fifth Prince's frightened expression under the night sky.

The Heir of Prince Fu had intended to bring the Fifth Prince face-to-face with the new emperor, and once the cousins confronted each other with the intent to install the Fifth Prince on the throne, a rift would forever exist.

For the new emperor who held the realm, this rift was nothing. But for the Fifth Prince, whose life was still long, it could one day become a death warrant.

She did not want the Fifth Prince to become a child emperor as had originally happened. Yet she always held pity for the tragic emperor who had knelt before her in the great fire.

She had intercepted the Heir of Prince Fu and sent the Fifth Prince, who had not gone far, back to Consort Shu.

She hoped that the Fifth Prince, never having become a child emperor, would grow up lighthearted and live his remaining years in peace.

The new emperor took one last look at Prince Fu and strode out.

The ground outside the hall was littered with the bodies of imperial guards, the stench of blood pungent. They were Yang Zhen's trusted men.

More imperial guards stood solemnly on both sides, and as soon as the new emperor came out, they immediately bowed.

A barely audible sigh faded into the wind. The new emperor spoke, "Yan Rong."

"Your servant is here."

"Summon all civil and military officials for an immediate audience."

"As you command."

The civil officials and nobility who received the summons rushed to the palace as if their hair was on fire. When they saw the imperial guards' bodies strewn about, the dead Deputy Palace Commander Yang Zhen, the barely alive Heir of Prince Fu, and the expressionless Prince Fu, they were all stunned speechless.

In just one night, the imperial mausoleum had caught fire, Prince Fu had staged a coup—wasn't that a bit too many major events for one night?