Chapter 14

Ying Rong hurriedly entered the palace and arrived at the Qin Zheng Hall, kneeling on the ground to plead guilty: “Your servant is incompetent.”

“So you returned so quickly?” The emperor looked up, his gaze falling on the blood seeping from the corner of Ying Rong’s mouth, his eyes darkening. “Did Yan Donghuang injure you?”

“It wasn’t the Grand Princess. It was her general.” Ying Rong’s face was gloomy as he quickly got to the point. “Your Majesty, the Grand Princess is rebelling!”

Emperor Zhaoming’s face changed drastically, and he stood up abruptly.

Ying Rong closed his eyes: “She sent people to confiscate the Chu family’s property and said… she said that even if she were poisoned, she would not succumb to anyone’s threats for the antidote.”

Emperor Zhaoming’s spirit was lifted, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes: “Are you saying she is indeed poisoned?”

Ying Rong nodded: “It seems so.”

Emperor Zhaoming was silent for a long time, the light in his eyes dimming.

The Seven-Day Heartbreak Powder would strip Yan Donghuang of her martial arts and destroy her body. The more intense her emotions and the more she fought, the faster her body would deteriorate. As long as he could hold out for seven days… no, perhaps only four or five days, Yan Donghuang would be completely crippled, eventually bleeding from her seven orifices and dying. He only needed to suppress Yan Donghuang’s actions for these four or five days.

Emperor Zhaoming suddenly thought of something, his eyes fixed on Ying Rong, clenching his hands tightly: “You just said she took people to confiscate Minister Chu’s residence?”

“Yes.” Ying Rong’s face was pale. “The Grand Princess seemed to have gone mad, only venting her anger without caring about the consequences. Your Majesty, before I returned, the Grand Princess had already taken her people to the Chu family.”

Emperor Zhaoming coldly asked: “What was her reason for confiscating the Chu family’s property?”

Ying Rong replied: “The Grand Princess said Minister Chu was corrupt and embezzled military funds—”

“Absurd!” Emperor Zhaoming was furious, throwing the memorial in his hand. “Minister Chu is the Empress Dowager’s brother, my uncle. How dare she act so recklessly without evidence? Who gave her the authority?”

Ying Rong knelt on the ground, not daring to speak.

The eunuchs and palace maids in the Qin Zheng Hall all knelt, trembling in fear.

Emperor Zhaoming took a deep breath: “What else did she say?”

“The Grand Princess didn’t say much, but General Yaoguang of the Qingluan Army said… said…”

Emperor Zhaoming coldly asked: “What did he say?”

“He said Your Majesty is narrow-minded, cannot tolerate meritorious officials, and is jealous of the Grand Princess, so you ordered Sheng Jing’an to harm the Grand Princess on her wedding night. He will let the whole world know—”

Bang!

The jade paperweight was thrown out, making a loud noise, which indicated the emperor’s extreme anger and a hint of fear deep in his heart.

The palace staff were so frightened they didn’t dare to breathe.

“It seems she really intends to rebel.” Emperor Zhaoming’s voice was icy cold. “I didn’t wrong her after all.”

Ying Rong lowered his eyes and remained silent.

“Where is Prince An?”

“Prince An was imprisoned by the Grand Princess when he tried to persuade her.”

“Good, very good.” Emperor Zhaoming laughed in anger, slamming the dragon desk. “Yan Donghuang is truly audacious!”

“Your Majesty, please calm down. The urgent matter is to come up with a countermeasure.” Ying Rong lowered his eyes. “From the Grand Princess’s expression and the words of several generals of the Qingluan Army, it seems they are desperate. I’m afraid confiscating the Chu family’s property is just the first step. The Grand Princess’s goal is to cause chaos in the capital, making the court officials panic. Your Majesty…”

Emperor Zhaoming coldly asked: “What countermeasure do you suggest?”

“Your servant dares to suggest, could the Empress Dowager intervene?” Ying Rong hesitantly proposed. “The Grand Princess’s first move was to confiscate the Chu family’s property, possibly to force the Empress Dowager to act. The Grand Princess has no other relatives; only the Empress Dowager has been kind to her. If her goal is to force the Empress Dowager to ask for the antidote from Your Majesty—”

Emperor Zhaoming’s eyes were shrouded in gloom, his hands trembling slightly from anger and a hidden fear. He didn’t expect Yan Donghuang to be unaffected by the Seven-Day Heartbreak Powder’s threat, nor did he expect her to be so resolute and fierce, directly mobilizing the Qingluan Army against him.

Yan Donghuang must die, but Ying Rong was right.

Yan Donghuang’s first move to surround the Chu family was clearly to force the Empress Dowager to act. As long as the Empress Dowager intervened, she might be moved. The current plan was to buy time to prevent her from acting out of desperation.

Just six more days.

With her emotions so intense, the Seven-Day Heartbreak Powder in her body would surely accelerate its effect within six days.

Once she died, who could threaten the throne?

“Someone!” Emperor Zhaoming walked out. “Prepare to go to the Cian Palace.”

The chief eunuch hurriedly followed, loudly commanding: “The emperor orders, prepare to go to the Cian Palace!”