vstars Chapter 101 is a bit exciting.
Chapter 101 is a bit exciting.
The emperor looked at his son, whom he had always favored, and sighed.
“You’re all so ignorant, knowing nothing about this or that.”
"Lord Zhongjing, you are truly audacious and reckless to embezzle iron ore. Tell me, are you planning to manufacture weapons privately and plot a rebellion?"
Marquis Zhongjing hurriedly responded, "Your Majesty, I'm innocent!"
"Your Majesty, this matter has nothing to do with me. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!"
The emperor paced back and forth a couple of times. “Today is the Empress Dowager’s birthday. This is a wonderful gift.”
Surprisingly, he wasn't angry; he even smiled.
"Guards," he ordered coldly, "Please have Marquis Zhongjing, Minister Wen, and Zilan go and rest. We will discuss today's matter at the morning court tomorrow."
"His Majesty!"
"His Majesty!"
"Father!"
The three of them spoke at the same time.
"Enough." The emperor said with annoyance, "I don't want to hear anything about Yu County in Qingzhou tonight."
He turned around and said, "Take them down."
Seeing that the emperor had made up his mind, Gu Yuan simply kowtowed heavily to the emperor and the empress dowager.
"It is your unfilial son who has caused Father Emperor worry."
"It is your unfilial son who has displeased Your Majesty. Today is Your Majesty's birthday, please do not let my matter spoil your joy. Your son only wishes Your Majesty long life."
"Your Majesty, I wish you good health."
Upon hearing this, the emperor's expression remained ambiguous.
His back was to Gu Yuan, but his expression had softened somewhat.
"Go down," he said. "We can talk about it tomorrow."
Gu Yuan responded and was about to get up when she suddenly felt a chill behind her.
"You bastard! You're going to die!"
Amidst the roar, Gu Yuan instinctively moved to the side, only to see a large knife slashing directly at his body.
Hearing the commotion, the emperor turned around and saw the scene before him. He immediately pulled the imperial guards aside.
"Escort!"
"Escort!"
"Protect the Empress Dowager!"
Before he finished speaking, several people jumped out from the surrounding dark corners and headed straight for the emperor.
These people were dressed in rough clothes and looked like craftsmen.
Gu Yuan quickly stood up and stood protectively in front of the emperor.
Amid the chaos, the eldest princess took Jiang Zhi's hand, gesturing for her to follow her.
Jiang Zhi paused, looking at the officials who had scattered in all directions.
Seeing that Gu Yuan was protecting the emperor, she suspected that he wanted to curry favor under the circumstances, so she turned her gaze to where Gu Liang was.
However, Gu Liang was not there.
Jiang Zhi was puzzled.
Just as she was about to search carefully for him, she suddenly felt a pain in her back, as if someone had pushed her hard from behind, and she involuntarily fell forward.
"careful!"
The eldest princess grabbed her hand, and the two of them were startled at the same time.
Before I could even stand up straight, I heard a scream.
Before anyone knew it, the Imperial Noble Consort was touched by the Eldest Princess and fell to the ground.
The eldest princess covered her mouth, paused for a moment, and then spoke, "Imperial Noble Consort!"
Jiang Zhi watched this scene in shock.
Indeed, the princess touched her intentionally just now.
"Hide behind me," the princess whispered.
Seeing the chaotic situation, Jiang Zhi didn't hesitate to hide behind the Princess.
The rioters were surrounded by the Imperial Guards and quickly captured.
Just now, Gu Yuan was protecting the emperor when he was hit by someone, leaving a bruise on his forehead.
"Father! I will protect you!"
His tone was firm, but it concealed a hint of grievance.
Looking at Gu Yuan at this moment, the emperor suddenly wondered if he had been too strict with him earlier.
He turned his head and saw that the Imperial Noble Consort had just been helped up. Her clothes were disheveled and her makeup was messy. He had never seen the Imperial Noble Consort in such a disheveled state.
A wave of disgust washed over him. He looked at the chaotic scene before him, his face turning ashen.
At this moment, the Imperial Guards arrived and reported, “Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, all the thieves have been captured, but we do not know if they have any accomplices. To facilitate the search, we request that Your Majesty, the Emperor, and all the guests leave first.”
The emperor glared at him, flicked his sleeves, and said, "Let's go!"
"Father, I advise you to stay here for now."
A familiar voice sounded from behind.
Gu Liang dragged someone along as she slowly walked down the road.
The man was dressed in black, his mouth was open, and his hands and legs were in strange shapes, making it impossible to tell whether he was dead or alive.
The emperor blinked and swallowed hard. "Ji You, what are you doing?"
Gu Liang walked closer and threw the person in his arms to the ground. "Your Majesty, I have discovered that this person has hidden explosives ahead and is attempting to detonate them. I have come to inform you."
The emperor's expression changed drastically.
The commander of the Imperial Guards was about to step forward to check the man's breathing.
"Don't worry," Gu Liang said.
"I only severed his tendons, broke his legs, and dislocated his jaw; he's not dead yet."
"Go and take a look ahead," the commander of the Imperial Guards ordered his men.
The subordinate who received the order went and returned quickly. "There are indeed explosives under the artificial hill hidden around the corner ahead. This is a tinderbox that fell to the ground."
The emperor looked at the people on the ground with a complicated expression.
That road was the only way he could leave the banquet.
If Gu Liang hadn't had someone lying in ambush there in time, he might have died there today.
But is Gu Liang really that good?
But Gu Yuan had cut her forehead while protecting him.
The emperor glanced at Gu Liang, then his nose twitched as he smelled a strange, foul odor.
His gaze fell on the area above Gu Liang's left breast.
There was a cut there, and blood was seeping out, but the blood wasn't bright red.
Gu Liang noticed the emperor's expression and also noticed Gu Yuan's gaze from behind.
He curled the corners of his lips into a smile.
The emperor's eyes showed concern, and he stepped forward, "Ji You, are you injured?"
"Does it matter?"
Gu Liang glanced at the wound on her chest without a care in the world. "Father, don't worry, it's nothing. His knife wasn't poisoned."
The emperor hurriedly said, "Quickly, someone, summon the imperial physician."
"No need," Gu Liang said.
The emperor said in a deep voice, "But in the end, you were injured because of me."
Gu Yuan stared at his wound, lost in thought.
Gu Liang ignored his gaze and looked directly at the slender figure in front of her. "Father, please don't misunderstand."
He abandoned the emperor and went to Jiang Zhi's side.
The eldest princess nodded slightly to him.
Gu Liang looked at Jiang Zhi, his gaze falling on the ground at her feet.
He stepped forward, bent down, and picked up the hand warmer she had dropped.
He warmed his hand warmer, which was still warm, and handed it to Jiang Zhi, saying, "Be careful, hold it steady."
Jiang Zhi immediately noticed Gu Liang's wound and asked with some confusion, "Your Highness's injury is..."
The bloodstains on Gu Liang's wounds were somewhat black, making her look different from ordinary people.
Gu Liang placed the hand warmer in her hand and said gently, "It's good that you're alright."
The Emperor turned to the Empress Dowager, taking her hand in his. "Mother, are you alright?"
The Empress Dowager shook her head, indicating that nothing was wrong.
The emperor's face was grim, and he ordered the imperial guards to search every corner of the place.
We must not let any fish slip through the net.
After everyone had left, Gu Yuan, who was left behind, went to the place where Gu Liang had previously captured the thief.
The few drops of blood left on the floor tiles there had dried, their color as dark as ink.
Gu Yuan squatted down, looking down at the blood on the ground, a hint of pleasure rising on his lips.