After Rebirth, She Becomes the Revenge Queen-Chapter 434 - 316: A Matter of Life and Death (Request for Monthly Votes)

Chapter 434: Chapter 316: A Matter of Life and Death (Request for Monthly Votes)
Pei Zhan and Liang Chen exchanged a glance, and then Liang Chen opened his palm to show Pei Zhan.
Pei Zhan’s gaze flickered slightly, like the surface of a lake brushed by a spring breeze.
He nodded slightly to Liang Chen, who then whispered a few more words into the Emperor’s ear.
In such a sudden turn of events, the Empress was both shocked and angry. After all, who would have expected their own son, whom they had nurtured, to not only kill his own brother but also have such a sinister contingency plan!
Family ties in the world were no more than this, and when faced with betrayal, all affections turned into knives!
However, in their lifetime, what situation had they not seen? Even though they never expected the power struggle depicted in the annals to happen to themselves, they quickly regained their composure.
Looking at the entering Li Yao and Li Yu, the Emperor faced the Crown Prince: "Is this why you favored Consort Li from the beginning? You arranged all of this early on? You’ve murdered your own brother, and now you want to kill your father and mother?!"
"I am wronged!" The Crown Prince knelt at the threshold: "These are accusations falsely pinned on me by Pei Zhan, Liang Chen, and Prince Rong! Father and Mother have been deceived by treacherous officials and no longer listen to my advice. For the sake of Great Zhou’s realm, and to prevent the suffering people from enduring further chaos, I had no choice but to take this desperate step!
"I implore Father and Mother to decree the execution of Pei Zhan and Liang Chen, and I will immediately order the withdrawal of troops! Once the threat is removed, I will await Father and Mother’s decision!"
These words were spoken forcefully, as if all the world’s justice rested on his shoulders, leaving no trace of the panic seen earlier.
The Emperor looked around at the eight crossbowmen on the windows. Apart from the Emperor and Pei Zhan, Liang Chen, the rest were civil servants.
The guards had no weapons.
With the Emperor’s current state, it was difficult for him to protect himself, let alone possess the battle prowess of the past.
And given that they came under the guise of protecting the Emperor from treachery, anyone outside dared not act rashly.
Thus, the eight armed men holding those inside truly had a great chance of success.
The Emperor said slowly: "So, everything is under your control."
The Crown Prince stood up from the ground, dusting off his robe: "Thanks to Father’s good cultivation! As the Crown Prince of Great Zhou, I cannot let Father down. How do you think I have responded with this move?"
"Not bad. But I’m curious, how do you plan to leave?" The Emperor glanced out the door, "The Li family, at most, can lead a force of a hundred people. Just enough to besiege the Qianqing Palace.
"If you cannot subdue both me and your mother within an hour, the Palace Attendant delivering tea and meals will realize something is wrong and will inevitably take measures to inform those outside the palace!
"At that time, my Great Generals will certainly lead the capital city’s defenses to turn you into a sieve. What good is your hundred men then?"
"An hour is plenty!" Xu Yin bowed to the Crown Prince, "Dare I ask, Your Highness, if the Eastern Palace has other preparations? I am willing to go for deployment!"
The Crown Prince gazed at the Emperor for a moment and then replied: "Go find Jin Bao!" With that, he waved his hand, and Li family’s brothers arranged for two men to stand beside Xu Yin.
Xu Yin touched upon the Crown Prince’s sore spot; at this critical juncture, they were like locusts tied to a string. Even if Xu had a surname from Dayue, their current goal was the same — to get through this hurdle and preserve their lives! He was given instructions before coming out, no outsiders were to enter the Eastern Palace, and Xu Yin would not see Jin Bao without his arrangement. Besides, with two people following Xu Yin, they weren’t afraid of him playing tricks!
Xu Yin took a deep look inside the room, then left the hall under the protection of the crossbowmen.
Outside the hall, the bright sun was high, and it was already nearing noon.
The Emperor, true to his reputation, saw that the Li family brothers had already surrounded all the entrances and exits of the Qianqing Palace, the number indeed as he had estimated, around a hundred.
The Crown Prince, even with some authority, could not surpass imperial power, and this is what he could achieve.
He had nothing that could triumph over the Emperor, but he had the advantage of preparation. Currently, none of the Crown Prince’s transgressions had been made public, and outside the Qianqing Palace, no one knew the Emperor intended to depose the Crown Prince, much less kill him. In the minds of everyone, he was still the Crown Prince of Great Zhou, and his position was solid.
The Crown Prince had gained this time difference, managing to bring a hundred imperial guards into the palace. As the Emperor said, as long as he could control the situation within an hour, he would survive. If luck swung his way, he might even ascended the throne... Considering the Emperor’s recent health condition, if he were to suddenly pass away at this moment, who would be surprised?