latelenovela Chapter 624: Clearing the Court
Chapter 624: Clearing the Court
"Sister, what's wrong?"
Gu Shuer turned over in a daze, subconsciously hugged Fei Wan's arm, and wanted to continue sleeping.
Fei Wan pinched her, causing her to scream awake, "...It hurts!"
"Be quiet and follow me!"
Fei Wan pulled Gu Shuer out of the bed, wrapped her in a cloak, and instead of going out through the main door of the tent, she quietly crawled out through a narrow hole under the tent that had been camouflaged on the side.
Gu Shu'er had some difficulty digging the hole, but when she came out and was blown by the cool night breeze, she was completely awake. She heard the shouting and fighting in the distance, and she shuddered.
"Sister, is there an assassin?"
"I don't know. Let's hide first."
Fei Wan had already taken a look at the surrounding terrain, and took Gu Shu'er to avoid the palace servants and guards on duty. They dodged left and right and soon ran to the place farthest from the dragon tent in the concubine camp.
The few tents here were occupied by concubines of low rank and less favored. The tents were simply furnished, there were few people on duty at night, and there were not even many torches.
Fei Wan imitated the chirping of night insects twice, and soon, the chirping of insects could be heard from one of the tents.
Fei Wan took Gu Shuer through the cave again, entered the tent, and handed Gu Shuer to the two young concubines inside.
Gu Shu'er opened her eyes wide and looked at the two concubines who looked unfamiliar with suspicion.
Judging from their clothes, their status was not high. They knelt and greeted, and indeed they claimed to be the "changers" and "cai women".
She was probably like many other women in the palace, favored by the emperor on a whim, and then thrown into some unknown corner to gather dust. It was difficult for her to be promoted again, and she was left to fend for herself.
Fei Wan gave Gu Shu'er a small bamboo whistle: "Don't worry, they are all reliable and will help you hide. There are also my people patrolling around. If anything happens, just blow this and more people will come to rescue you."
The two young concubines solemnly stated: "Lady Lingpin, please stay. We have all been saved by the Imperial Noble Consort, and we will do our best to help her protect you."
They were all obscure figures in the palace, born of humble origins and without connections. Before Fei Wan took over management of the harem, their lives were extremely difficult. One was nearly dying, with no imperial physician caring for her. Another had offended the head of the Imperial Household Department, leaving them without even a charcoal fire in the middle of winter and nearly freezing to death. Fei Wan relieved them of their difficulties, helped them find homes, and improved their treatment. Their loyalty to Fei Wan proved more effective than even being favored.
This time, the emperor brought many concubines with him on the hunting trip. They mixed in with the emperor and were just right for Fei Wan to use.
After giving the two of them a few words, Fei Wan walked out of the tent and went to Yan Hou's tent.
"He really did it!"
The first words she said when they met were hatred suppressed on Queen Yan's unusually calm face.
This "he" is the Duke of Zhenguo.
The Duke of Zhenguo was injured and did not participate in the hunting trip. He even submitted a memorial a few days ago, expressing his intention to resign from his military post. However, the memorial was kept by the emperor and has not yet been approved.
However, on the first night of the hunt, his men took action.
After Fei Wan sent Gu Shu'er away, she received news from the spy she had arranged outside that a general under the command of the Duke of Zhenguo was leading people to attack the camp.
Queen Yan also had people outside and was well-informed.
Fei Wan asked: "Sister, do you know what he wants to do?"
Empress Yan said bitterly, "The besiegers are claiming to be clearing the court of corrupt officials, saying they want to get rid of the treacherous officials around Your Majesty and rescue the kidnapped Emperor. Who are the treacherous officials around Your Majesty? Who would hold him hostage?"
Fei Wan said: "There are no powerful ministers in the court who can cover up the truth with one hand, and there are no treacherous eunuchs in the palace who can deceive the emperor. The royal family and nobles are all loyal and obedient. Now that there are no treacherous officials, it is not about clearing the emperor's side, I am afraid, but about 'clearing the emperor'."
Queen Yan's eyelids twitched and her heart beat violently in her chest.
“Who is he going to support?”
Fei Wan took out a secret letter from her sleeve and handed it to Queen Yan.
This was the news that her people who stayed in the capital and the palace had just arrived, having risked their lives to send it.
Just half an hour before the hunting camp was attacked, the capital city opened its gates in the middle of the night, and nearly ten thousand soldiers entered, guarding a young man. They broke through the south gate of the imperial palace, marched straight into the Golden Throne Hall.
Queen Yan was shocked.
The fingertips holding the secret letter turned white.
"Where did this posthumous child of the late emperor's eldest son come from? Where did he even find it?"
The late emperor had no legitimate son. He had nearly ten sons. Some of them died in infancy, and some died in the subsequent battle for the throne. Finally, the throne fell on the head of the current emperor.
The eldest son of the late emperor, born to a mother of low status and possessing a dull personality, was never favored by anyone from childhood. He grew up in a muddle-headed state until his teens and died of illness. Born an ordinary man, he died an ordinary man, leaving no trace of his life. His life could be described as mediocre. When the throne was first contested, no one considered him a rival.
However, if we talk about the qualifications for succession, if there is no legitimate heir, the eldest son will be appointed as the heir. If he had not died, he would have been more legitimate than the current emperor.
His son was considered the eldest son and grandson of the late emperor, so he was barely qualified.
Moreover, the Empress Dowager had made considerable contributions before and after the current Emperor ascended the throne. Now that both the Empress Dowager and the He family have been convicted of treason, the Emperor she supported is now questionable.
No one questioned it before, but now, they do.
Fei Wan said: "As long as the Duke of Zhenguo can prove the authenticity of the emperor's grandson's identity, he can be enthroned."
Empress Yan reacted and gritted her teeth, saying, "Even if I can't prove his identity as the emperor's grandson, as long as I kill Your Majesty, quickly control the capital and the surrounding areas, and establish a new court, then there will be troops from other places coming to support the king, and we can deal with them one by one. If we can't deal with them, and warlords split up, it's better than having him eliminated by Your Majesty. It will bring chaos to the world, and he will be safe!"
The brief lull before the hunt was the result of the Emperor's covert planning and investigation, a subtle tussle with the Duke of Zhenguo. The Duke, aware of the Emperor's suspicions, remained dormant. Both sides were preparing for action, and the apparent events were merely a facade to conceal the truth.
Ever since the emperor discussed with her privately and asked her to temporarily bear the crime of "killing her husband" and go to the Western Hills to recuperate for a while, in order to lure out the person who was plotting against the royal heir behind the scenes.
Queen Yan knew that this day would come sooner or later and the truth would be revealed.
Is it necessary for the emperor, the emperor himself, to go through so much trouble to go fishing? He just had the intention to kill!
The Duke of Zhenguo also secretly developed the intention to kill.
Queen Yan suddenly had a flash of thought and remembered the time when she was crowned queen last year.
How could she have imagined at that time that things would one day come to this point?
"Your Majesty must have a backup plan. We can't stay here. Sister, change your clothes and follow me to take shelter!"
Queen Yan took Fei Wan's hand and went behind the screen.
Several sets of palace robes for eunuchs had been prepared on the couch, and they were low-lying gray attire.
"Sister, please take shelter for now. I will stay here."
Fei Wan has other plans.
He let Queen Yan and Linglong wear eunuchs' clothes, but Fei Wan took Queen Yan's red robe with nine phoenixes and put it on herself.
"This is very dangerous!" Queen Yan grabbed Fei Wan's hand tightly.
With the Emperor and the Duke of Zhenguo clashing, Empress Yan knew she was in dire straits and her life was in danger. Neither side would let her go.
Fei Wan pushed her out of the tent: "Sister, go to the dragon tent. As long as you have done a good job in saving the emperor, you will be fine!"
After Yan, there was a slight shock.
This was a method she had never thought of.
But how can we guarantee that she can save the emperor?
Queen Yan was surprised when she met Fei Wan's eyes.
Is it...
Did my younger sister already have plans for the evening?!