Do you know that it starts with Meng Tong?

The imperial edict has been implemented. This is the crime of deceiving the emperor!

Logically speaking, after making such a big mistake, Zhao Zongquan should have immediately knelt down on the ground without saying a word, kowtowed to the bloody edict lying in the dirt and apologized, shouting that he was guilty of death.

But when Zhao Zongquan thought about it again, he felt that it would be better to just make a mistake and let the blood edict leave his hand.

His mind was completely blank before, and he took over the blood edict from Wei Chen in a daze. He did not consider that accepting the blood edict would be equivalent to taking over the responsibility of King Qin to rescue him, and he would be involved in the Chu Dynasty from then on. The struggle for position can easily lead to the destruction of families and clans, and there is no way out.

Only when he came back to his senses did Zhao Zongquan realize what a dangerous situation he had fallen into. The flimsy blood edict in his hand was simply a hot potato, and he couldn't get rid of it if it stuck to him.

Zhao Zongquan is cautious by nature and does not want to make such a hasty decision that affects his wealth and life.

So he coughed dryly, pretended not to see Wei Chen's eyes, ignored the blood edict that fell on the ground, and just turned his back silently, as if nothing happened just now.

Seeing this, Wei Chen couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth a few times. Zhao Tuanlian was really thick-skinned to do this.

Seeing that things seemed to be at a deadlock, Zhao Ceying stood up and said tentatively: "Father..., His Majesty the Crown Prince, it is a great good thing that you are canonized as the Crown Prince by His Majesty and inherit the throne. There is really no need to panic."

"What prince! What your highness! Don't mention these words! I..., I'm panicking!" Zhao Zongquan gritted his teeth, with a look of fear on his face, and stopped Zhao Ceying who wanted to continue to persuade.

"Your Highness, please stop delaying!"

Gu Tingye said in a deep voice

: "Your Majesty would rather break your fingers and spill blood, but also write a blood edict and pay it to His Highness. This shows how critical the situation in the palace is. Right now, traitors are rampant and Your Majesty is in danger. Do you want to betray His Majesty's trust?"

After all, Gu Tingye was Zhao Zongquan's brother-in-law and an official of the imperial court. Unlike his own son, who could reprimand him at will, Zhao Zongquan could only slow down his tone and said:

"Zhong Huai, you are also a man who has learned a lot about the past and present. You should understand my difficulties. I am just an unknown member of the clan. Even if I am appointed in a critical situation and reluctantly ascend to the throne, I will inevitably be in trouble in the future!"

"Why did father say this!"

Before Gu Tingye opened his mouth to argue, Zhao Ceying couldn't hold it back anymore: "Today, the prince has no heirs, and now that the edict has been issued, my father, in the name of the prince, orders the loyal and righteous people in the world to rescue King Qin, who will make great contributions to the country and succeed in the future. Datong is also justified, so why is there any trouble?"

No wonder Zhao Ceying is so impatient. After all, if Zhao Zongquan really becomes the emperor, then Zhao Ceying will be the prince.

A hundred years after Zhao Zongquan's death, the vast Zhou Dynasty, which covers thousands of miles, will all crawl under the feet of Zhao Ceying.

Just thinking about such a wonderful scene is enough to make Zhao Ceying tremble all over.

The God-given opportunity was right in front of him, and Zhao Ceying was naturally not willing to let this once-in-a-century opportunity go to waste.

"Innocent!"

Zhao Zongquan mercilessly shattered his son's dream and said in a cold voice: "Before today, some of the princes in the court recognized me, Zhao Zongquan. Even if I hold the edict, they can recognize me who appeared out of thin air. Prince? Besides, what good is the throne? Have you forgotten what happened to your grandfather? "

In desperation, Zhao Zongquan finally revealed a trace of his true inner thoughts.

His father, Zhao Gai, had been involved in a dispute over the reserve position and was frightened all day long, and eventually died young.

It is precisely because of this bloody lesson that Zhao Zongquan has been keeping a low profile in Yuzhou for so many years, and why he still hesitates and hesitates in the face of such a God-given opportunity today!

Being swept away by Zhao Zongquan's coercive gaze, Zhao Ceying suddenly became speechless, lowered his head and remained silent.

Seeing this, Gu Tingye was quite helpless and had no choice but to look at Wei Chen standing aside for help.

Wei Chen understands Zhao Zongquan's inner concerns better than others, but he is also a little impatient at this time. The situation is urgent now. If you delay a little longer, something may change. Wei Chen has no time to watch here. Zhao Zongquan, Zhao Ceying, Gu Tingye and the others were arguing.

Wei Chen looked solemn and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I am here to bear the great trust of your Majesty. I am responsible for the safety of the country and cannot tolerate any jokes. Now that I have delivered the decree, your Majesty is still timid and hesitant to move forward. , could it be that you want to resist the decree?"

Wei Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, looked directly at Zhao Zongquan, and his tone was extremely cold, almost like he was asking naked questions.

When Wei Chen said "resist the decree", several inner palace officials behind him all clenched their weapons, their eyes widened with anger, and if they disagreed, they would take action to take down the rebellious maniac.

The surrounding Zhao family generals also responded to the enemy, and the scene instantly became tense.

Seeing this, everyone present was startled. Zhao Zongquan quickly signaled to his generals to put down their weapons, then picked up the blood edict that fell on the ground and held it in his hands. He walked to Wei Chen and said with a smile: "How is Wei Scholar doing this?" By saying this, I don’t mean to resist the decree, it’s just, just..."

Zhao Zongquan couldn't find any good reason for a while, so he could only play the emotional card instead, pulling Wei Chen's sleeves and begging pitifully:

"Brother Xingyun, you and I felt like old friends when we met in Yuzhou that day, and we can be regarded as friends we have forgotten. I have never had any ambitions, and I just want to spend this life in peace. You also know it. The battle for the reserve position is so dangerous, so why are you bothering me? Do you want to drag me into this muddy water? I'll return this edict to you, and you'll be fine. You've never seen me before, right?"

Seeing Zhao Zongquan's heartfelt expression on him, Wei Chen also expressed his sincerity, holding Zhao Zongquan's arm and saying: "Brother, don't blame me, I don't mean to intimidate you. The current situation is like this, even if you If you don’t accept this blood edict today, you won’t be able to live an happy life in the future!”

Zhao Zongquan's eyelids twitched when he heard this, and he suddenly had a bad feeling in his heart. He quickly asked, "What does Xingyun mean by this?"

Chapter 306

"Ugh……"

Seeing Zhao Zongquan cast a searching look at him, Wei Chen deliberately let out a long sigh, whetting Zhao Zongquan's appetite, and then said quietly:

"To be honest, when Your Majesty wrote the blood edict, there were many palace ladies and chamberlains nearby. The rebels surrounded the back of Funing Palace. Some of them, shameless villains, informed King Yan of the blood edict in order to survive.

Because of this, on my way out, I encountered many rebels who were chasing me, and I suffered a near-death experience. Thanks to the inner palace guarding me to the death, I was lucky enough to survive and be able to see my brother here! "

When Wei Chen said this, he couldn't help but gnashed his teeth and looked distressed, as if he had really suffered because of the villain's snitch.

When Zhao Zongquan saw the wounds and blood scabs on Wei Chen's face, he immediately believed it. He hurriedly took Wei Chen's arm and asked, "Brother Xian, what you mean is... King Yan already knew about the existence of the blood edict, and he also knew about it. Your Majesty wants to pass the throne to me?"

Wei Chen sighed and shook his head, then nodded with a wry smile, acquiescing.

"Bitter too!"

Zhao Zongquan's eyes suddenly darkened.

At this moment, Zhao Zongquan felt frightened and paced back and forth like an ant on a hot pot. While patting his thighs, he kept sighing: "What should we do? What should we do?"

When Wei Chen saw that the heat was almost done, he winked at Gu Tingye.

Gu Tingye immediately understood and stepped forward and said: "Your Highness, King Yan is a headstrong and cruel person, and everyone in Bianjing knows it. Now that King Yan knows the content of the blood edict, how can he let His Highness go? Once King Yan succeeds in usurping the throne, His Highness Let alone return to Yuzhou, even if you escape to the ends of the earth, King Yan must get rid of His Highness and hurry up!"

"Zhong Huai is right!"

Zhao Ceying grabbed the land with his head and said earnestly: "Father, if you insist on refusing to obey the imperial edict, then our family of dozens of people will probably have to meet again in the underworld!

Please father, please save your son!Save my mother who is still in Yuzhou!And your granddaughter, she is not yet two years old this year!Father! "

"This this……"

When Zhao Zongquan heard Zhao Ceying's words, he closed his eyes in pain, his face full of struggle.

Seeing that Zhao Zongquan's attitude finally relaxed, Wei Chen pushed him again: "Brother, there are only a few thousand rebels in the city at the moment, and they have not long entered the palace. Their foothold is not yet stable, and the official family has not yet fallen into the hands of the rebels. , is the best time to put down the rebellion. If we delay it any longer and wait for King Yan to coerce the emperor to order the world, win over the hearts of the soldiers and the people, and even correct the edict and become independent, then it will be too late!"

Wei Chen's words were like the last straw that broke the camel's back, finally making the hesitant Zhao Zongquan make up his mind.

Zhao Zongquan stared blankly at Bianjing City in the distance under the moonlight, and murmured: "Being wise and philosophical, in order to protect his body..."

This sentence was a saying of wisdom that Zhao Zongquan had followed for the first half of his life. Now, forced by the situation, he had to put this sentence aside.

How difficult it is to protect yourself wisely!

After sighing, Zhao Zongquan let out a long sigh of relief. His eyes that were originally a little distracted gradually became focused, revealing unprecedented perseverance.

After making up his mind, Zhao Zongquan washed away his timid and cowardly attitude and showed a calm demeanor that was completely different from the past. In the calm, majesty emerged.

Zhao

Zong Quan looked at the crowd and ordered in a dull tone: "Pass this order to the palace, change your clothes, prepare all the horses, follow me to the camp in the western suburbs, take the blood edict and the tiger talisman, order all the troops and horses, and enter the city to put down the rebellion." !”

Wei Chen, Zhao Ceying, Gu Tingye and others looked at each other and were all overjoyed. They all fell down and shouted: "Your Highness is wise!"

After quickly changing their clothes, everyone got on their horses and hurried towards the camp in the western suburbs. Everyone's faces were beaming with joy.

Zhao Zongquan accepted the imperial edict and became the prince from then on, and would most likely become the emperor of the Zhou Dynasty in the future.

By then, these old people who are following Zhao Zongquan will all be former ministers of Qiandi, and there will inevitably be a fortune that will shake the sky.

Of course, there is a premise for all of this, that is, Zhao Zongquan can successfully quell the rebellion and kill King Yan, otherwise any beautiful vision will be just a mirror.

At this moment, the most important thing to them is time. If one step is too late, infinite variables may arise.

Therefore, everyone suppressed their excitement and remained silent along the way. They just waved their riding whips desperately and tried to reach their destination, the western suburbs camp, as quickly as possible regardless of power.

……

The western suburbs camp is the largest camp around Bianjing, with tens of thousands of soldiers stationed there.

The camp faces mountains on both sides and is connected to water sources. High walls and deep fortresses stretch for dozens of miles. Lookout towers, arrow towers, beacon towers... all kinds of defenses are intertwined. It is almost like another fortified city outside Bianjing City.

In such an important military place, the commander-in-chief must naturally be an important minister who has high prestige and is deeply trusted by the emperor of the day.

The person currently in charge of the camp in the western suburbs is the famous British Duke Zhang Lie, a veteran of the two dynasties.

Zhang Lie joined the army when he was young, and then spent his whole life in the army. He was named the Duke of the country due to his outstanding military achievements.

It is precisely because of such a highly respected and loyal old prince who is stationed in the western suburbs camp that Zhao Zhen in Bianjing City can sleep peacefully every day.

After the fire broke out in the city of Bianjing, the British immediately sent scouts to explore the city.

However, due to the existence of the camp in the western suburbs, the city gate to the west of Bianjing has always been the focus of the rebels. Wu Mou, deputy commander of the Five Cities Military and Horse Division, was personally stationed here.

The rebels were tightly guarded, and the scouts sent out by the British government were unable to find out anything about the situation for a while.

After hearing the scout's report, the British Duke became more and more anxious. After so many years of ups and downs, the British Duke was keenly aware that there must have been a big change in the city of Bianjing!

However, the Great Zhou Dynasty had extremely tight control over the army. Even the British Duke could not mobilize the troops in the western suburbs camp without tiger talismans and transfer orders.

The British Duke could only order the camp gates to be closed and the soldiers to be restrained to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the chaos to cause trouble. At the same time, he sent a large number of scouts to the gates in other directions of Bianjing City, hoping to find out the situation in the city.

Just when the British Duke was restless in the tent, the scout suddenly came to report: "My lord, there are dozens of people outside the camp asking to see you. The leader claims to be Wei Chen, a scholar of the Imperial Academy, and Zhao Zongquan, the training envoy of the Yuzhou regiment. They say they have His Majesty’s personal blood edict and Tiger Talisman transfer order in their hands.”

"Wei Chen? Zhao Zongquan?"

The British public frowned upon hearing this.

Wei Chen was a scholar who served as a lecturer and served directly in front of the emperor. It was reasonable for the officials to send him to deliver the imperial edict in a desperate situation.

But isn't Zhao Zongquan the training envoy of the Yuzhou regiment? Why did he come to Bianjing and still be with Wei Chen?

However, although the British Duke had all kinds of doubts in his heart, he still decided to meet Wei Chen and Zhao Zongquan.

Just because he heard the word "blood edict".

In such an emergency, the officials would not even have time to polish the ink and write the edict directly with blood!

If the bloody edicts in the hands of Wei Chen and Zhao Zongquan were true, it would not be difficult for the British public to guess the situation in Bianjing City at this moment.

The official family must be at the end of its rope!

Thinking of this, the British Duke almost did not hesitate at all, and immediately ordered his subordinates: "Bring these two people into the camp quickly and come to the Chinese army's tent to see me!"

Chapter 307: Raise the troops and make the king diligent

In less than a cup of tea, Zhao Zongquan was in front and Wei Chen was half a step behind. Under the guidance of the British soldiers, the two strode into the Chinese army's tent in the western suburbs camp.