12dz Chapter 268 The Empress Dowager is Under House Arrest
Chapter 268 The Empress Dowager is Under House Arrest
A shadow guard ripped the mask off his face.
"Zhu Jin." The Emperor had an expression that said, "I knew it."
He felt that this person looked familiar, his eyes were very familiar, it was Zhu Jin who served Consort Xian.
Zhu Jin was around forty years old, and it would be incongruous for him to disguise himself as a young eunuch.
Qin Wanying had previously told him to keep a close eye on this person. After Consort Xian was imprisoned, the person disappeared without a trace. Now he has sent people to search for him in the palace and has also increased the number of shadow guards around him for protection.
"Did Consort Xian send you?" the Emperor asked.
Consort Xian is currently imprisoned. If she sends him here, then it is the same arrangement that was made before.
“I came here of my own accord,” Zhu Jin said, staring at the emperor with venomous resentment.
He felt resentful and that it was unfair.
Why are some born to be supreme rulers, while others are born to be slaves?
Why is Consort Xian his concubine, while he... is just a eunuch by her side?
That's bad enough, but he treated her so badly... If it were him, he would never have treated her like that!
Now, he wants to do one last thing for Consort Xian.
He had intended to kill even the crown prince, but he didn't have the chance.
Killing the emperor would be acceptable. If the emperor were to die, the capital would surely descend into chaos, and the Prince of War could seize the opportunity to invade and fulfill Consort Xian's long-cherished wish.
He gritted his teeth and swallowed what was in his mouth.
Liangchen tried to stop it, but it was too late.
The poison was deadly once ingested. Black blood was already flowing from Zhu Jin's mouth, his face was deathly pale, his pupils were gradually unfocused, and his body was slowly going limp.
As the Emperor watched Zhu Jin's life slip away, his head slumped heavily.
Liang Chen checked his pulse and turned back to say, "Your Majesty, the man is dead."
The Emperor's expression turned grave: "Take him away."
He then sat on the dragon throne and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He said to Liangchen, "Liangchen, you did a great job."
Liang Chen respectfully replied, "I have only done my duty."
The Emperor rewarded Liang Chen handsomely.
The person Qin Wanying sent was really good; he was alert and skilled. If it weren't for him, I would have been dead just now.
He then issued an order: "Send men to guard Cining Palace, saying there are assassins and that we must protect the Empress Dowager's safety. From today onwards, no one is allowed to enter or leave."
Zhu Jin indirectly helped him in a way.
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The following day, at Cining Palace.
When the Empress Dowager opened her eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.
She felt heavy and sore all over, and didn't know what was wrong.
"Wasn't I just in the Qianqing Palace? How did I get back?" the Empress Dowager asked in a hoarse voice.
"You were so excited in the Qianqing Palace that you fainted, and the Emperor ordered someone to bring you back," Aunt Qiulian replied.
The Empress Dowager tried to recall, but she couldn't remember how she had fainted. The thought only gave her a headache.
"By the way, Consort Xian, how is Consort Xian?" As her mind gradually cleared, the Empress Dowager suddenly remembered.
Qiu Lian sighed: "Empress Dowager, Consort Xian... has been convicted of murdering Consort Rou, and has been imprisoned."
"It wasn't just the case of murdering Consort Rou; the investigation also uncovered other crimes she committed, such as murdering the imperial heir and killing palace servants."
The Empress Dowager's heart skipped a beat, and she began to cough violently.
How could this be? How could it have turned out like this...?
She knew about some of the things Consort Xian had done.
However, I didn't expect her to be so stupid; she even left evidence behind. Didn't she know to erase the evidence?
They actually found out...
As the Empress Dowager recalled the Emperor's calm demeanor, she increasingly felt that he had been prepared for this day for a long time.
Who would have thought that this emperor was so cunning! He and that Ninth Prince Xiao Yuqi are truly father and son; like father, like son!
Granny Qiulian ordered someone to bring over the medicine.
"Your Majesty, this medicine is still warm. It was prescribed by the imperial physician. Please drink it."
The Empress Dowager got up and, with Qiu Lian's help, drank a bowl of herbal medicine.
After drinking it, I felt a wave of dizziness.
"What's wrong? I've finished the medicine, why am I so dizzy?" The Empress Dowager handed the bowl back to Qiulian and said, rubbing her forehead.
"The imperial physician said that after taking this medicine, one will indeed experience dizziness and drowsiness, which are normal phenomena, so you don't need to worry," Qiu Lian replied.
"No, I must go to the Emperor. I absolutely cannot let him punish Consort Xian..." With that, the Empress Dowager was about to get up.
Her family now consists of only her and Consort Xian in the harem.
She was determined to protect Consort Xian no matter what.
But as soon as he stood up, he felt dizzy again and slumped back onto the couch.
Qiu Lian spoke up: "Empress Dowager, there were assassins in the palace last night. The palace is now under martial law, and Cining Palace is off-limits."
"Assassins? How could there be assassins?" the Empress Dowager asked hurriedly.
"It was Zhu Jin from Consort Xian's palace who went to assassinate the Emperor," Qiu Lian replied.
The Empress Dowager's pupils contracted.
Zhu Jin knew about it, yet she actually went to assassinate the emperor?
He is a loyal man, though.
"And what about him? How is he now?" the Empress Dowager hurriedly asked.
Qiu Lian: "The assassination attempt failed, and the person committed suicide by poisoning himself."
Although the Empress Dowager was somewhat prepared, she was still saddened upon hearing these words.
Wait a minute, Zhu Jin is going to assassinate the emperor, why would I put out martial law?
"Besides my palace, which other palace is under martial law?" the Empress Dowager asked.
"This...this servant doesn't know either," Qiu Lian replied.
The Empress Dowager felt a tightness in her chest.
She increasingly felt that the emperor had found a pretext to place her under house arrest, not wanting her to contact the War King.
"No, no, I must go out, I must go out..." the Empress Dowager muttered to herself.
The Empress Dowager has already fallen from power. If she is also placed under house arrest, what will happen to their grand cause?
The Empress Dowager put on her shoes, draped a robe over her shoulders, and staggered to the door.
Qiu Lian didn't help her up, and sighed.
Looking at the empty medicine bowl in his hand, he realized that the medicine prescribed by Physician Hu could affect a person's thinking and judgment.
The Empress Dowager doesn't even consider whether she can still leave now.
Fortunately, she has already switched sides to His Majesty, so she can be saved no matter what.
The Empress Dowager went outside without even combing her hair, and sure enough, she saw that the palace gate was heavily guarded, and the guards were all unfamiliar faces.
She ignored them and walked out on her own.
However, before they could go out, they were stopped by the guards.
"How dare you! I am the Empress Dowager, the Emperor's mother. How can you act so wildly!" the Empress Dowager shouted.
The head guard spoke up, "Empress Dowager, the palace is not safe now. His Majesty is only thinking of your safety. Please do not make things difficult for your subordinates."
His tone was icy.
The Empress Dowager was furious and tried to force her way in, but was easily stopped by the guards.
The Empress Dowager was so angry that her face turned red, and she immediately cursed, "This has gone too far! This brat has really grown up, daring to even put me under house arrest!"
No matter how much she shouted, the guards did not respond at all.
Qiu Lian, standing behind her, looked at the Empress Dowager and shook her head.
What kind of time is this? Do you still think you're some high and mighty empress dowager?
The situation in Kyoto has changed; the Emperor is already purging the War King's faction.
The Empress Dowager said she was tired, but it was no use, so she went back panting.
I stood outside for ages and got cold, and sneezed several times.
"Imperial physician, where is the imperial physician? I've caught a cold, quickly summon the imperial physician to take a look!" the Empress Dowager cried.