C203 (1/2)
”The empress dowager's words are serious. This subject and the rest are all loyal and devoted to His Majesty and the late emperor. This subject absolutely dares to say the word 'rebellion'!” The officials were all excited. ”This subject is acting in accordance with the wishes of the late emperor, stabilizing His Majesty's power, and protecting our Great Zhou for generations to come.”
”Hmph.” Empress Dowager Gao sneered, but before she finished, Prince Xian Zhao Jin took another step forward.
This step brought him almost to the emperor.
Zhao Jin reached out his hand and easily scooped up the Emperor who had collapsed onto the ground, then said slowly: ”If Your Majesty can't sit still and find his seat, I might as well do it in your place.”
”You, you!” The crowd below started to clamor. It was true that they were the ones who instigated Zhao Jin to step forward and take charge of the matter, but they only wanted Zhao Jin to coerce the empress dowager to hand over the Imperial Jade Seal, to return the favor to the emperor.
Although there were many such rumors in and out of the imperial court, replacing them was an unfair act. Who would be so bold as to try to usurp the throne?
”How dare you!” Empress Dowager Gao trembled in anger behind the pearl curtain, she never thought that Zhao Jin would actually say such words, ”You are openly conspiring against the emperor, plotting to harm your own brothers and sisters, replacing them, such disloyal and crazy actions, will make you suffer for tens of thousands of years, and bear thousands of insults. Prince Xian, are you not afraid?”
”That's all behind me.” Zhao Jin's expression was normal, ”Since I'm no longer here, what does letting them say have to do with me?”
”This, this …” The officials looked at each other. The majority of them were unwilling to have their power in the hands of the empress dowager, but did not dare to openly support the Prince Xian as well. These types of deeds were all recorded in the annals of history.
Who would have thought that they, a group of old geezers who had stayed in the government for dozens of years, would actually be used by the Prince Xian as an excuse to retaliate and usurp power?
Zhao Jin smiled faintly. He was determined to win. With a wave of his hand, Qinghong led a group of people to guard the entrance, and the door slowly closed.
Due to the torrential downpour, the sky was not bright in the first place. Now that the doors were tightly shut, only the dim glow of the palace lights remained in the hall.
Zhao Jin stood slightly to his side. Under the light, he seemed even more mysterious and unfathomable, causing others to shiver in fear.
”Every single person in this hall, those who managed to survive, are all my accomplices!” Zhao Jin said unhurriedly: ”Regarding today's matter, how you guys listen to it, and how it goes out or dies in your stomach, I do not care, you guys handle it.”
Who would dare to say even half a word to an accomplice like that?
Since the Prince Xian was conspiring against them, then the empress dowager and the new emperor would not be able to live on. At that time, the empress dowager would say that the empress dowager was reluctant to part with her authority, and that her rage had caused the death of the new emperor. The Prince Xian had even killed a traitor, the Gao family.
It was only when Zhao Jin took out the sword and compared it to this year's thirteen year old New Emperor Zhao Yu's neck that Empress Dowager Gao panicked. Her hands that were tightly holding onto the curtain began to tremble, she believed from the bottom of her heart that this Zhao Jin could really do it, that her life was already in danger. However, before she could say anything, the New Emperor covered her head with both hands and sobbed, ”Fifth Brother, I'll give you the throne, don't kill me! ”I don't want to be an emperor, I've never wanted to be one. I'll give you anything you want, I beg you, please don't kill me!”
Zhao Jin squinted his eyes. He felt that letting such a person become the emperor was really an insult to his Great Zhou! He wasn't even willing to use his own sword to kill him!
Just as he was about to retract his sword, he heard a creaking sound as the door behind him was quickly pushed open. Zhao Jin frowned, he felt that Qinghong's methods were far from being as reliable as Red Xiao's.
Just as he was about to turn around, a short arrow flew in with the light.
The short arrow was not even the size of a palm, but its speed was even faster than lightning. In the blink of an eye, it had already arrived in front of Zhao Jin, who subconsciously dodged to the side. How could he have come so quickly?
He was so fast that the situation had not yet stabilized, the Imperial Jade Seal had not been taken, and he had yet to sit on the Dragon Throne. Even if it was the city gate that was filled with refugees, it would be more than enough for Zhao Yao to barge through for a while. Furthermore, the Imperial Palace's Imperial Guards had long been replaced by Zhao Jin as his men. He shouldn't have come so fast!
The arrow struck the sword in Zhao Jin's hand, causing the blades to clash, the small arrow flew the length of the hall, the power was astonishing, Zhao Jin's hand trembled, and almost dropped the sword.
His brows furrowed even more. Just as he was about to take action, the door to the hall opened completely. Two rows of soldiers with spears in their hands came in, followed by several long swords in their hands.