"What do you think you're doing? He Yong, are you trying to rebel?!"
He Yong, the right commander of the Imperial Guards, stared coldly at Princess Zhaohua. "Your subject has always been loyal only to His Majesty."
Princess Zhaohua laughed out of sheer anger. Her eyes were cold as she slowly shifted her gaze from the right commander of the Imperial Guards to Emperor Jiang Jing.
"Your Majesty is really cunning. I underestimated you."
Emperor Jiang Jing looked at her calmly. "Now that things have come to this, I still have one thing to ask you, Sister."
"Go ahead."
"Why did you go after my daughter?"
Princess Zhaohua thought for a moment and gave a soft laugh. "Do you mean what happened over twenty years ago or what happened recently?"
Emperor Jiang Jing clenched his fists tightly. "Nian Nian never posed a threat to you. Why did you go after her?!"
"Of course, it's for the sake of interests..." Princess Zhaohua stroked the bright red nail polish on her fingernails and said slowly. "Back then, you led the troops and defeated the Northern Rong tribe so badly. How could they not bear a grudge against you?"
"They promised me a city in exchange for your daughter's life. You tell me, how much do the Northern Rong people hate you?"
"Blame yourself for being too hasty. You insisted on driving the Northern Rong people to extinction. Otherwise, they wouldn't have resorted to such desperate measures and asked me for help."
"So, it was actually you who caused her misfortune, my dear brother."
Emperor Jiang Jing's eyes were bloodshot. The angrier he got, the calmer he appeared. Finally, he looked up, his eyes filled with disappointment. "Since you're so stubborn, I don't need to be polite to you anymore."
"He Yong, arrest the princess."
Princess Zhaohua sneered. "It's still too early to tell who will win and who will lose today!"
"Yes!"
He Yong led the right wing of the Imperial Guards and charged forward.
Although Princess Zhaohua had made full preparations for this palace coup, the defection of the right wing of the Imperial Guards caught her off guard.
The fight lasted for two hours. The palace roads were filled with blood, and it was impossible to recognize their original appearance.
"Your Highness, we can't hold on any longer. Your subordinate will escort you to leave first!"
As long as they left Shengjing, they would surely make a comeback!
Princess Zhaohua watched as more and more of her men fell. Her face grew increasingly ugly.
"Let's go!"
Just as Princess Zhaohua's men were about to escort her away, there suddenly came the sound of horseshoes from behind, and the ground trembled slightly.
An arrow whistled through the air, passing right in front of Princess Zhaohua and hitting the vice-general beside her. The vice-general was shot off his horse.
"Want to leave? It's too late!"
When Princess Zhaohua's men saw the person coming, they were shocked. "Second Prince!"
Wasn't the Second Prince still at the border?!
When Emperor Jiang Jing saw his son, the stone in his heart finally dropped.
Princess Zhaohua looked at Shen Liangzhi with a gloomy face. "I had people watching over the border troops. How did you come back?!"
The moonlight reflected off the silver armor shone on Shen Liangzhi's face, adding a touch of evil to his handsome features. "I took care of your people a long time ago."
With the appearance of Shen Liangzhi, the outcome of this palace coup was no longer in doubt.
Shen Liangzhi pointed the tip of his sword at Princess Zhaohua's throat. "Aunt, this is the last time I'll call you that."
There was no trace of panic on Princess Zhaohua's face. She calmly looked at Emperor Jiang Jing. "I admit defeat. Now that the winner takes all, I have nothing to say."
"But remember, I didn't lose to you. I lost to this world."
Emperor Jiang Jing shook his head. "It's meaningless to say anything now. You've harmed the princess and staged a rebellion. I've given you countless chances, but you've been stubborn."
"Come here, take the princess to the dungeon."
"Stop!"
A trembling voice came. Emperor Jiang Jing was stunned. When he turned around, he saw the Empress Dowager running over.
"Stop!"
In her hurry, the Empress Dowager didn't even take her phoenix sedan chair. She ran all the way from Ci'an Palace, accompanied only by a maid.
Emperor Jiang Jing was furious. "How are you serving the Empress Dowager? Are all the sedan bearers dead?!"
The maid quickly knelt down to plead for mercy. "Your servant deserves to die!"
She knew that His Majesty was angry, and she also knew that His Majesty was not angry because the Empress Dowager had run so far. But since His Majesty couldn't blame the Empress Dowager, it was their servants who had to bear the blame.
"Your grandson pays respects to you, Imperial Grandmother."
The Empress Dowager had been living in luxury for many years. Running such a long distance all of a sudden made her so tired that she could hardly stand. She didn't even tell Shen Liangzhi to get up.
"Your Majesty, I've never asked you for anything in my life. I'm begging you this time. Spare Zhaohua. She's my only daughter!"
"Nian Nian is also my only daughter!" Emperor Jiang Jing suppressed his anger. "Mother, she's staging a palace coup and rebelling! Even the Son of Heaven must abide by the law. How could she try to take my life!"
"Tell me, if I were the one who lost today, would she spare me?"
The Empress Dowager burst into tears. "I know that Zhaohua has committed an unforgivable crime. But I've raised you with great difficulty over the years and helped you ascend to the throne. Your Majesty, are you really going to ignore our family ties?"
"Mother, don't beg him!"
Princess Zhaohua looked at her once high and mighty mother. In her entire life, not even her father had ever made her bow her head. But now, she was actually begging an adopted son so humbly for her sake!
"Shut up!" the Empress Dowager scolded. "I only regret that I didn't stop you earlier!"
The Empress Dowager had always doted on Princess Zhaohua and loved County Princess Jianing very much. This was the first time she had been so stern.
"Mother, you're the Empress Dowager. How could you beg him so humbly?!"
Her mother had been proud all her life, but in her old age, she had broken her pride for her...
Princess Zhaohua felt a coolness on her face. She reached out and touched it, only to find that it was cold tears.
Was she crying?
How long had it been since she last shed tears?
Princess Zhaohua couldn't remember.
Since she could remember, she had been the legitimate princess. Her father doted on her, and no one dared to show her a cold face. Even when her husband kept a mistress outside, she had never shed a tear.
Over the years, as she began to seize power, she had long ignored her family. How could she let her mother humble herself for her like this?
"Your Majesty, please. As long as you spare Zhaohua's life, I and the Xue family will never interfere in court affairs again!"
The Xue family was the Empress Dowager's natal family and Princess Zhaohua's maternal family. When he ascended the throne, the Xue family had contributed a lot. Now, the Xue family was very powerful in the court. But the Empress Dowager was actually willing to sacrifice the Xue family for Zhaohua...
Although Emperor Jiang Jing was surprised in his heart, there was no sign of softening on his face.
"Your Majesty, do you really want me to kneel down and beg you?"
As she said this, the Empress Dowager bent her knees and was really about to kneel.
Everyone was shocked.
Filial piety was highly valued in the world. If the Empress Dowager really knelt down to His Majesty...
Without thinking, Shen Liangzhi stepped forward and grabbed the Empress Dowager's collar, pulling her up.
At first, Emperor Jiang Jing was also shocked. Then he became angry. "Mother, you're putting me in a difficult position!"
"Fine, since you insist, I'll spare her life!"
"From today on, the Empress Dowager and the princess will go to Fuguang Temple to pray for the country!"
"Jianing will go with them too!"
"Your Majesty..." The Empress Dowager widened her eyes. The Emperor was going to confine them all...