King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 745: The Clumsy Old Six
The fighting was still going on, with the captains led by Chen Yuntai fighting with the White Lotus Sect members.

The captains were also wearing armor, and their advantage over the rebels who had no armor at all was unimaginable.

The emperor no longer cared about the chaotic fighting here. He just stared at Si'er with a complicated expression and changing moods.

Zhu Jingyuan was kneeling before the throne at this moment, with no fear on his face. This was the toughest moment of his life.

While everyone was still fighting, at this moment, a large number of guards crowded in from outside Guanghan Gate. These people included the Flag Bearer Guard, the Guards General, and eunuchs. The chaos outside spread inside.

"Chen Yuntai, come and protect the emperor quickly, come and protect the emperor quickly!" Zhu Jinghong shouted loudly.

These people who poured in were still in a state of killing each other. At this time, they didn't know which side to help, so the most important thing was to withdraw their people to protect the emperor.

Zhu Jinghong held a knife and stood beside the emperor, observing the surrounding situation with sharp eyes.

Although he had a lot of arrangements, it was hard to tell how things would end when things had developed to this point.

But one thing is certain, this riot will definitely be suppressed, because the general trend at the scene is that the rebels are already being suppressed.

The most important thing is that the emperor has more than twenty armored guards around him. As long as the emperor is safe, the world will not be in chaos.

At this time, Zhu Xianming was looking at the prince, with mixed feelings in his heart.

The fourth brother rebelled and the sixth brother just happened to disappear. There are so many tricks involved!

Even though he encountered such danger, after confirming that it was safe, Zhu Xianming wanted to calm the situation first, rather than find anyone to blame.

"Old Thirteen, tell me...what happened today?" Zhu Xianming said with a melancholy tone.

Although the old emperor looked disappointed, these words were full of tentative meaning. If Zhu Jinghong gave a bad answer, the emperor might become suspicious.

Zhu Jinghong knew his limits very well, and he only replied: "Dad, Fourth Brother is drunk!"

"Ok!"

Zhu Xianming nodded. He was very satisfied with Zhu Jinghong's statement.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Jingyuan shouted at this time: "Thirteenth brother, I am not drunk. Today's events were planned by me alone and have nothing to do with others!"

Zhu Xianming was already extremely angry, and seeing that this bastard was still talking without restraint, he finally couldn't help but stood up, drew his sword from the waist of a guard beside him, and prepared to chop at Zhu Jingyuan.

"I'll chop you up, you bastard!"

"Dad, no!" Zhu Jinghong stepped forward to stop him.

However, Zhu Jingyuan stretched his neck and said indignantly: "You gave my son's life, now you take it back, no one owes anyone anything!"

"Fourth brother, why are you doing this!"

"Old Thirteen, don't be hypocritical. I have no regrets for failing today. I just want to die quickly. I don't need your pity!"

Everyone in Guanghan Palace saw what the father and his two sons said. It was a farce and a joke.

"Take him down, take him down and shut his mouth!" Zhu Xianming shouted angrily.

Two guards stepped forward and escorted Zhu Jingyuan to the back of the throne. The emperor finally regained consciousness.

Time passed by every second. After noticing the changes in Guanghan Palace, the nearby guards also arrived one after another. The fastest among them were Zhu Yunsheng and his wife.

It is really not easy to persuade dozens of soldiers to come and protect the emperor.

Zhu Yunsheng wanted to prevent the tragedy from happening, but when she arrived outside Guanghan Palace, the situation changed and they couldn't even get in the door, so she went to find the guards.

Seeing that it was Zhu Yunsheng who brought people in, Zhu Jinghong was very glad at this moment. He was glad that it was not Lu Yuxin and Zhang Lin who came, otherwise there would be suspicion that he was controlling everything.

Of course, this is all thanks to Deng An's precise control. This guy is indeed smart and has a good sense of proportion this time.

As Zhu Yunsheng brought in his men, the situation became one-sided.

After a few breaths, almost all the rebels were killed, and Zhu Yunsheng had come close to the emperor.

After a quick look around, Zhu Yunsheng didn't see Lao Liu at the scene, so he guessed that this guy either escaped or was captured.

"Dad, are you okay?"

"Nothing, why did you bring troops here?" Zhu Xianming asked.

At this moment, he trusted no one, not even his own daughter. He doubted her motives for bringing troops here and whether she was in cahoots with the fourth brother.

Zhu Yunsheng is very smart. She knows that today's incident must be thoroughly investigated and all circumstances will be clearly presented.

So at this time, it is best not to tell lies, otherwise it will be difficult to make up for it later.

"Dad, I heard from someone that Sixth Brother was deceived and was planning to do something illegal, so..."

What Zhu Yunsheng said at this moment was a heavy blow to Zhu Xianming.

Zhu Jinghong, who was standing aside, was already smiling from ear to ear.

How to use this incident to kill Lao Liu had been a headache for him, and Zhu Yunsheng's words were like a pillow thrown to him when he was sleepy.

"Old Six? What happened to Old Six?"

Lao Liu just happened to disappear, which made Zhu Xianming suspect that he was not clean. At this moment, what Zhu Yunsheng said made him feel even more depressed.

How could he not be heartbroken when his two legitimate sons both intended to force the emperor to abdicate and kill their father?

Zhu Yunsheng originally thought that her father knew about it, but after hearing these words, she realized that she had said too much, which made her extremely regretful.

Fortunately, Zhu Jinghong came to the rescue and said, "Third sister, don't talk nonsense. Today's incident is the rebellion of the White Lotus Sect. It has nothing to do with other people!"

It was at this time that a large number of guards rushed into the Guanghan Palace. The leader was Cheng Ying, the governor of the East Factory, who could indeed mobilize more soldiers.

Those who came in with him included Zhang Lin, Lu Yuxin and his subordinates. Finally, all the people who should have come here had arrived.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty...Are you okay?"

Cheng Ying rolled and crawled all the way to the throne.

At this time, the courtyard of Guanghan Palace was under strict guard, and the royal family members who had taken into various palaces came out one after another.

"You came so quickly too!" Zhu Xianming asked coldly.

Even the old eunuch who had served him for decades found it difficult for him to trust him at this moment.

Cheng Ying heard the hidden meaning, so he immediately reported: "Your Majesty, I am on duty at the East Factory tonight, and a small flag officer from the Northern Pacification Office came to report that he found out that the White Lotus Sect was going to rebel..."

"I dare not neglect it, so I summoned the guards to come and rescue you. During this time, I have done many things that are beyond the rules. I hope Your Majesty will punish me severely!"

"A minor flag officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard? He found out that the White Lotus Sect was committing rebellion? Then why didn't he report it sooner?" Zhu Xianming had a clear mind and asked further questions based on the suspicious points.

In fact, there were many things that Cheng Ying did not want to say at all. After all, it involved the Rui Wang Mansion and was related to the fight for the throne. Cheng Ying did not want to get involved too much.

So even if the emperor pressed him at this moment, he did not intend to speak in public. It can be seen that this old eunuch is more thoughtful than Zhu Yunsheng.

He came to the emperor and reported everything Fan Rong had told him, without any subjective judgment on the part of Cheng Ying.

Both Zhu Yunsheng and Cheng Ying pointed the finger at Lao Liu, which confused Zhu Xianming.

It was obviously the fourth brother who rebelled...

The fourth brother is stupid and the sixth brother is insidious. Could it be that the fourth brother is being used by the sixth brother?

While the snipe and the clam quarrel, the fisherman benefits. The sixth brother led the fourth brother astray and used the crown prince to get rid of me and the thirteenth brother. Then he jumped out to attack the crown prince?
Having been an emperor for so many years, Zhu Xianming had experienced all kinds of conspiracies and intrigues. With just this brief information, he was able to guess the general situation. The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Zhu Xianming certainly would not have thought that there was an oriole behind this matter, standing next to him at this moment.

Sighing, Zhu Xianming just felt very tired. He didn't want to care about anything at the moment.

But the next moment, the person he least wanted to see, the sixth brother Zhu Jingyuan, also arrived with his men.

"Dad, are you okay?"

When everyone arrived at the scene, the first thing they did was to care about the emperor, but Zhu Xianming did not offer any comfort at this moment.

"No problem!"

"Just now, the rebels rebelled and I went to get reinforcements. I was unable to stay by your side to protect you. I have failed to fulfill my duty as a subject. I hope that you will punish me severely!"

Lao Liu was prepared in advance, so when the incident happened just now, this guy escaped through his own channels and then went to gather his own people.

He also bribed two or three hundred people in the palace. Although the number was not large, it could play a decisive role.

After a lot of hard work, by the time they escaped from Guanghan Palace and gathered all the people, the show was already over.

"You went to ask for help to protect the emperor, so don't say anything more about accusing me of a crime!"

Lao Liu is very dirty, but Zhu Xianming doesn’t want to delve into it now. After all, saying too much would be a slap in his face.

"Dad, why haven't you seen Fourth Brother?"

Zhu Jingyuan was already very disappointed that Zhu Jinghong was not killed, so deposing the crown prince became the top priority.

Only if the crown prince died, he would be the de facto eldest son and could legitimately gain the support of civil officials and literati, and could then continue to compete with Zhu Jinghong.

"He was frightened, have him taken away!" Zhu Xianming responded.

"Just now, my son was outside and heard a rebel shouting that he would swear allegiance to the Crown Prince until death..."

It has to be said that Zhu Jingyuan was somewhat blinded by greed, which is why he said such inappropriate words at this time. Of course, this is also because he did not have a good grasp of the situation.

Looking at Lao Liu's clumsy performance and his shallow mind, Zhu Xianming felt extremely disgusted.

So without waiting for Zhu Jingyuan to say more, he said, "That's it for tonight... I'm tired and want to go back and rest!"

The development of the matter was completely beyond Zhu Jingyuan's expectations. At this moment, he also realized that he was being foolish for being so noisy.

But he didn't know that he was seen through by his father the emperor and realized that he was not only stupid but also very bad, even worse than the prince who directly rebelled.

"You all go home. I'm tired... There's no need to see me off!"

The emperor's words were an imperial decree. After he said this, everyone could only bid farewell. The atmosphere at the scene only eased after he left.

The guards began to carry the corpse, and the musicians and others left the scene under the guidance of the eunuchs. The royal family members felt very embarrassed and wanted to leave but could not do so on their own.

When the concubines in the harem left with the emperor's procession, only members of the royal family were left in Guanghan Palace.

Baochai returned to Zhu Jinghong, and Chen Zhi also came behind Zhu Jingyuan.

As for Yuanchun, she looked miserable at the moment, sitting in the corridor as if she had lost her soul, completely lacking the dignity of a Crown Princess.

At this time, after listening to Chen Zhi's explanation, Zhu Jingyuan realized that he was in great danger.

Of course, before the final punishment comes, Zhu Jingyuan will not give up his efforts and will do something to reduce his guilt.

Lao Liu left in a hurry with his wife, and the most eye-catching people at the scene were Zhu Jinghong and his wife.

At this moment, at least the slightly smarter people looked at them with different eyes.

The crown prince is doomed, and the sixth prince will also be implicated. Zhu Jinghong is the only legitimate son of the emperor, and he will inherit the throne if nothing unexpected happens.

When the scene was silent, Baochai looked around and said, "Everyone, go away. Don't go out and talk about what happened tonight. Keep it all to yourself!"

At this time, Zhu Jinghong didn't know what to say, and it would undoubtedly be more appropriate for Baochai to speak.

Zhu Jinghong and Baochai left first, followed by Zhu Yunsheng and his wife.

After leaving Guanghan Palace, Zhu Yunsheng and the other person sped up and finally stopped Zhu Jinghong.

"Thirteenth brother, fourth brother, sixth brother and the others...you have to save them!"

Looking at his younger sister, Zhu Jinghong sighed first, and then said, "Third sister, what are you talking about? Fourth brother and sixth brother are both fine, just rest assured!"

"Brother Thirteen..."

Zhu Yunsheng wanted to persuade her again, but Baochai, in order not to embarrass her husband, said, "Third sister... today's events are complicated, and the emperor will definitely investigate thoroughly. At that time, everything will be handled by him!"

"Fourth and Sixth Brothers are our father's legitimate heirs. If they are deceived by others, our father will be generous and will not blame them!"

"So, just keep your heart to yourself!"

Stepping forward and holding Zhu Yunsheng's shoulders, Baochai continued, "It's late at night, let's all go back and have a good rest. When you wake up tomorrow morning, the capital will still be the capital!"

Baochai's words left Zhu Yunsheng speechless.

Watching Zhu Jinghong and his wife leave, Zhu Yunsheng looked at her husband and whispered, "What role did Thirteenth Brother and the others play in the chaos tonight?"

"I always feel that these two are not simple. Maybe..."

Before Zhu Yunsheng finished speaking, Liang Yi interrupted her: "Your Highness, it is better not to think about these things, otherwise more people will suffer!"

"If your Thirteenth Brother knew what you just said, how would you two get along in the future?"

"As Princess Xiang said, tonight's matter is over. You and I should stop thinking about it, lest we bring ourselves into trouble!"

The status of a legitimate princess is indeed noble, but if she takes the wrong side in the fight for the throne, she may die in the process.

When everyone here dispersed, Zhu Xianming had returned to the Qianqing Palace and was listening to Cheng Ying's detailed report.

After hearing the details, Zhu Xianming no longer had any hope against these two bastards who had fought with him.

Late at night, Zhu Xianming sat alone behind the desk in his study. In front of him was a hanging rack with a portrait of him and the Queen painted on it.

"Qingyin, I'm sorry!"

"Old Four and Old Six, these two beasts, they actually wanted to murder me, their own father!"

"They are your children. I really can't bear to accuse them of this. But what they have done is a crime of treason. How can I not punish them severely?"

"Fortunately, we still have Old Thirteen to protect you!"

Zhu Xianming's thoughts were in a mess. He said whatever he thought of. This situation continued until late at night. Finally, he fell asleep because he was too tired.

The prince has been "sent" back to the East Palace, and the Yiwei Division has been ordered to take control of the place, which essentially means the prince is under house arrest.

In the study behind the Eastern Palace, Yuanchun and the Crown Prince sat opposite each other, their expressions filled with pain.

"I don't regret it!" Zhu Jingyuan forced a smile.

"After being caged for so long, I am finally able to return to nature. Now... I am finally no longer burdened!"

These were Zhu Jingyuan's true words. Although his fate was unpredictable, he still felt relaxed.

"I have no regrets in following Your Highness!" Yuanchun said with a smile.

(End of this chapter)