Chapter 345: Sent to Death Row
After changing his clothes, the prince and Bai Lingxuan walked to the door one after the other, one preparing to enter the palace and the other preparing to return to the Bai Mansion.
As soon as the two walked out of the door, they saw Qianhuan coming towards them.
The prince thought that Qianhuan didn't look for him the first time after she learned that he had returned home, so she came to Prince An's mansion to find him.
He quickly explained, "Huan'er, I just got home a while ago. I was originally planning to look for you first, but now I have more important things to do and need to go to the palace to see the emperor. When I come back from the palace, I will go to Jingyuan to look for you."
However, Qianhuan said, "Zi Yu, don't go to the palace yet. Even if you go, you won't be able to see the emperor."
When the prince and Bai Lingxuan heard this, they were a little surprised. They asked in unison, "Why?"
"There are too many people at the door, let's go in first."
Several people entered Prince An's Mansion again, and Qianhuan told the Fifteenth Prince what he had discovered. When the Crown Prince learned what the Queen and the Crown Prince had done, he was also very angry.
"Now that foreign enemies are eyeing us covetously, a war between the two countries is imminent, but I didn't expect that the mother and son would only think about fighting for power."
"Zi Yu, what happened? Why did you say that a war between the two countries was imminent?"
So the prince told Qianhuan the news sent back by the seventh princess. Qianhuan was also very worried after knowing it. If a war broke out, she was afraid that the common people would have a hard time again.
Since the Crown Prince returned to Beijing, the Queen and the Crown Prince immediately sent people to monitor him, but these people were soon discovered by the Crown Prince's secret guards.
In order not to alert the enemy, the prince took Bai Lingxuan secretly to Qian Mansion at night. Qian Huan had also returned to Qian Mansion long ago.
Several people discussed it for a long time and finally came up with a good solution.
On this day, the Queen and others could no longer hold back and forced the Emperor to write an abdication edict.
The emperor said, "It's not that I don't want to write an edict, but I'm afraid it would be inappropriate to write an edict of abdication at this time."
The Queen had obviously lost her patience. She said impatiently, "Your Majesty said before that you should rest for a while and write an edict when the Crown Prince is familiar with the affairs of the court. Now that the Crown Prince is familiar with the affairs of the court, Your Majesty has said this again. Your Majesty is behaving like this. Do you think that anyone can save you?"
"You worry too much, Queen. I haven't shown up for such a long time, and you don't allow anyone to visit me. I'm afraid the court officials have long been suspicious of you. Even if I write a letter of abdication, the crown prince will probably be questioned when he succeeds. It would be better for me to announce the succession of the crown prince in front of all the civil and military officials in the court. This will be more convincing."
During this period, many old ministers began to question the Queen and the Crown Prince. It would certainly be best if His Majesty could announce in front of all the civil and military officials in the court that her son would succeed to the throne. However, the Queen was still worried that the Emperor would play tricks.
She looked incredulous. "Your Majesty, would you be so kind as to announce the establishment of the crown prince as the new emperor in front of all the civil and military officials? I'm afraid Your Majesty is trying to play some tricks, right?"
"What tricks can I play in my current state? This huge country needs someone to inherit and manage it. Now that the prince is familiar with all the affairs of the court, it is time for me to abdicate and let others take over. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be a carefree emperor?"
The queen was still a little hesitant at first, but when she thought that His Majesty was a man who valued his life and that the poison he was infected with still needed her antidote, she felt more confident.
"Okay, tomorrow I will have His Majesty carried to court. Your Majesty should have taken the antidote today, so I will keep it for you to take after His Majesty announces his abdication tomorrow."
After saying these words, the queen left contentedly. She didn't know that after she left, a sneer appeared on the emperor's lips.
The next day, the Queen indeed had His Majesty carried to the Golden Throne Hall.
Originally, many people questioned whether the Queen had restricted His Majesty's freedom, but now that they saw the Queen carrying people to court, those people had nothing to say.
The queen was afraid that the emperor would play tricks on her, so she pretended to help the emperor adjust his robes, but in fact she warned him quietly in his ear, "Your Majesty, please make the announcement quickly. If you dare to go back on your word, this day next year will be your death anniversary."
His Majesty glanced at the Queen, then looked at the people below and said, "My dear ministers, I am not feeling well now, and I plan to abdicate and let someone more capable take over. I wonder which of my princes do you think is the most suitable to take on this important task?"
The Queen felt relieved when she saw that although His Majesty did not immediately announce the Crown Prince as the new emperor, he did not say anything else to the court officials.
Thinking that many of the officials in the hall were favored ministers arranged by her and the prince, she immediately signaled those people to come forward and recommend the prince. In this way, His Majesty could take the opportunity to make the prince the new monarch.
The prince's party understood, and someone immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I think the prince is both virtuous and talented, and is the most qualified to take on this important task."
Then, people came forward one after another to express their opinions, "I also think the crown prince is the most suitable."
His Majesty sneered at these people and said, "Li Dequan, write down the names of these court officials for me."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The people below were confused by the emperor's actions, and the queen and the prince were also bewildered.
The Queen reminded him, "Your Majesty, since everyone thinks that the Crown Prince is the most suitable successor, Your Majesty should quickly draft the imperial edict. After the court is over, I still have to help Your Majesty take medicine."
His Majesty had already ignored the Queen's threats. He announced in public, "The Queen and the Crown Prince have joined forces with Prince Duan to imprison me and the Queen Mother, attempting to usurp the throne. I hereby depose the Queen and the Crown Prince and put them in death row. As for Prince Duan, his entire family will be executed, and Prime Minister Zhao's entire family will be executed. As for you, the Queen and the Crown Prince's followers, I will slowly settle accounts with you."
When the court officials who had not been bribed by the Queen heard His Majesty say these words in person, they were immediately in an uproar. Everyone began to talk and blame the Queen and the Crown Prince.
The Queen and the Crown Prince had not expected such a change. She was a little flustered at first, but when she thought of the guards around the hall and the people in the palace, she said fearlessly, "Your Majesty, you must have missed your medicine today and you are a little confused. When did the Crown Prince and I imprison you? Your Majesty should quickly write down the abdication edict and go back to take the medicine."
His Majesty said viciously, "You vicious woman, there is no need to pretend in front of the court officials. I am telling you the truth today so that all the civil and military officials in the court can see the true colors of you and your good son."
Seeing that the emperor was determined to fight to the death, the queen stopped pretending and said, "Your Majesty, aren't you afraid that you will bleed to death without the antidote? Besides, this palace is full of my people, so what can your Majesty do even if you tell them? I must get this imperial edict today. Anyone who dares to stop me will be killed by the sword."
After that, the queen began to shout, "Come here, surround the entire hall for me, and no one can leave."
However, no one moved. The queen called again, but still no one came in.
His Majesty laughed loudly and said, "Does the Queen think that I am such an impulsive person? Someone, come and take down this vicious woman and rebellious son for me."
After saying that, someone immediately came in and put a knife to the neck of the Queen and the Prince.
The queen said in disbelief, "No, how could this happen? How could this happen?"
At this time, the Crown Prince escorted Prince Duan into the hall, followed by General Qian, Qian Bolin and the fifteenth prince.
The prince reported, "Your Majesty, Prince Duan's men have all been captured by me and General Qian's men, and the Queen Mother is now safe."
His Majesty praised, "Well done, well done."
The Queen only then realized that her people had long been controlled by the Crown Prince. Her son was only one step away from becoming the Emperor, but who knew that he would fail at the last moment.
She couldn't accept this fact in her heart, and laughed at His Majesty, "So what if I fail? Your Majesty, you won't survive without the antidote. This palace and the prince will wait for Your Majesty to go to the underworld to accompany us mother and son."
At this time, the fifteenth prince stood up and said, "I have already taken the antidote that my mother gave my father to take and given it to Doctor Bai. Doctor Bai has already prepared a new antidote. If we didn't have the antidote, we would never dare to risk my father's life to expose my mother's true face."
The Queen looked at this unpopular and inconspicuous prince and said viciously, "I have made many plans, but I didn't expect that a young boy like you would take advantage of the loopholes and ruin my plans. You are really a good son of your father."
"Your Majesty, your words are too serious. When your father is in trouble, I should rescue him."
His Majesty said to the Fifteenth Prince, "Fifteen, I have abolished the title of the Queen. You don't need to call this vicious woman your mother anymore, and you don't need to waste your words on her. You should quickly throw them into the death row."
The prince was afraid of death, so he broke free from the guards who were holding him and ran forward, shouting, "Father, please spare my life. I have never thought of harming you. It was my mother who instigated me to do this. Father, please spare me. I don't want to be the emperor anymore. I only beg you to spare my life."
The queen didn't expect that her own son would actually put all the blame on her. She was immediately disheartened, but if it could really save the prince's life, she was willing to admit all the crimes.
The Queen said calmly, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is right. I forced him to do all these things. The Crown Prince is timid and does not have the courage to usurp the throne. Please, Your Majesty, spare the Crown Prince's family for the sake of our father-son relationship."
The emperor looked at his son, whom he had devoted all his efforts to nurturing, and ordered him to be executed. How could he, as a father, be happy?
But in the end, reason overcame emotion, and the emperor waved his hand and ordered the prince to be dragged to the prison.