Chapter 158
In the General's Manor, one could find Jian Ninghua, who was about to die of anger. In the Eastern Palace, one could find the Tanhua Lang, who was as tired as a dog.
When the Tanhua Lang saw Qiu Chi return, he felt utterly exhausted. He tearfully questioned her, "Why do I have to do this? Why am I being taught other things after reviewing memorials? I'm just a Tanhua Lang..."
He had committed the treasonous act of reviewing memorials, and perhaps he could still be spared.
But why was he being taught the ways of a ruler? This was a death sentence! In the Imperial Palace, right under the Emperor's nose, he felt he was probably going to be doomed soon.
Qiu Chi glanced at him and scoffed coldly. "Just do what you're told. Don't overthink the rest."
With tears in his eyes, the Tanhua Lang said, "I also want to have a clear mind, but I'd much rather save my own skin."
Qiu Chi looked at him with disgust. "Don't worry, your life can be saved. But if you ask these useless questions again, it probably won't be."
The Tanhua Lang covered his mouth and went back to diligently reviewing the memorials without another complaint.
Qiu Chi, on the other hand, went to the Imperial Study.
The Emperor's illness came on suddenly and fiercely. He had no choice but to abdicate and pass the throne to the Crown Prince—or so it seemed to the court officials.
This was because the Emperor had issued an edict, stating that in five days, he would abdicate in favor of Crown Prince Pei Siyi.
To the court officials, this was not particularly surprising. After all, they knew this day would eventually come.
However, it was Madam Jian who had the strongest reaction to the news of the Emperor's abdication.
"He's about to die from illness, and he still wants to pass the throne to the Crown Prince? No! I want him to watch with his own eyes as the Pei Dynasty is destroyed under his rule. He must be the last monarch of a fallen dynasty!"
Jian Ninghua stood to the side, his eyes lowered. "But Mother, our plans are not yet perfect. If we act rashly, we may not succeed..."
But Madam Jian could no longer be bothered with that. "Then we'll act on the day of the abdication ceremony. We'll surely be able to catch them off guard that day!"
Jian Ninghua wanted to protest further, but Madam Jian's gaze shot toward him like a sharp arrow. "Have you forgotten what I told you? Both of your brothers died at the hands of that dog emperor. If I don't destroy the Pei Dynasty right before his eyes, what face will I have to meet your two brothers in the afterlife?"
After her harsh words came the soft ones. "Ninghua, Mother knows you must blame me in your heart, but I truly have no other choice. Don't worry, if our plan fails that day, I will immediately have someone escort you away. Once Mother is dead, you will be free..."
This method was extremely effective in manipulating Jian Ninghua. The moment Madam Jian mentioned death, he immediately shook his head. "No, that won't happen. Our plan will definitely succeed, and you won't die, Mother. Once we kill the dog emperor, if Father is willing to ascend the throne, you will be the Empress. If he is unwilling, you will be the Empress Dowager. Your glorious life will surely be recorded in the annals of history."
These words from Jian Ninghua were incredibly pleasing to Madam Jian's ears.
As for Qiu Chi, who was listening in, she just wanted to laugh.
"I was originally going to let General Jian handle you two, but now that I'm about to become a female emperor, that original plan can naturally be scrapped."
"A rebellion on the day of the abdication is fine by me. Others might not accept a female emperor, so I can use you to kill the chicken to scare the monkey and make those with dissenting thoughts give up early."
After leaving the General's Manor, Qiu Chi summoned her deathsworn soldiers and ordered them to halt their current activities.
Having arranged all this, Qiu Chi began to wait for the day of the abdication ceremony.
The next few days passed very quickly.
The weather on the day of the ceremony was excellent.
The Emperor, looking sickly, was helped onto the high platform.
Qiu Chi, meanwhile, walked out dressed in the robes of a female emperor, which had been hastily made overnight.
When Qiu Chi first came out, the civil and military officials didn't notice anything amiss and were still kneeling in obeisance. It was only when Qiu Chi ascended the high platform and bade them rise that they heard a voice different from the one they were used to.
And when they rose and saw Qiu Chi's attire, an uproar swept through the crowd.
The Emperor, being a puppet, naturally paid no mind to what the officials below were thinking and proceeded with the ceremony, abdicating in favor of Qiu Chi.
A remonstrating official, unable to tolerate it, stood up.
Before he could even begin his reprimand, men dressed in black burst in, charging straight for the Emperor.
The scene instantly descended into chaos, with people shouting, "Protect His Majesty! Protect His Majesty!"
In addition to the men in black, many other people appeared and began fighting the Imperial Guard.
Standing on the high platform, Qiu Chi unhurriedly took out her whip.
Any of the black-clad men who tried to approach her were killed, one by one, with a single lash of her whip.
Once all the men in black who had tried to rush the platform were dead, the area below was still in chaos. The Imperial Guard was still locked in combat with the intruders.
General Jian was naturally among those protecting the Emperor.
But with the appearance of Madam Jian and a male-attired Jian Ninghua, General Jian was utterly stunned. "Wife, Ninghua?! What are you doing here...?"
Madam Jian shot a hateful glare at the Emperor, then turned to General Jian, her voice choked with anguish as she accused him, "You may be a general of the nation, but you are also the head of a family! You may be a subject to the throne, but you are also a husband and a father!"
"You have done right by the country and the Emperor, but have you done right by your family, by me, by your children?"
"My Ningyuan and Ning'an, they were so young when they met their untimely deaths! How did they die? Could you, the great General Jian, possibly not know?"
"You know. You know everything, yet you still chose to feign ignorance. You still chose your loyalty to the Emperor and your patriotism. But in doing so, where did you place our family, our children?"
"Jian Wu, if you are still a human being today, if you are a man, then kill that dog emperor and avenge your dead sons!"
While Madam Jian was berating General Jian, Qiu Chi simply stood to the side, watching the show.
As for what General Jian would do, Qiu Chi didn't care. Besides, she didn't think he would actually kill the Emperor.
In the end, General Jian was simply loyal to a fault. How could a few words from Madam Jian possibly sway him?
And Qiu Chi's assessment was indeed correct.
Although General Jian's face was filled with grief and guilt, his words still sided with the Emperor. "Wife, I cannot do this. You should stop as well. I never knew you held such a great resentment toward me all these years. And Ninghua..."
He turned his gaze to Jian Ninghua. Dressed as a man, Jian Ninghua's face was expressionless, and he bore a slight resemblance to the general.
With tears in his eyes, General Jian sighed. "Wife, you are being foolish! Ninghua is a fine young man. How could you have him pose as a girl for twenty years...?"
Madam Jian also had tears in her eyes, but upon hearing the general's words, she scoffed. "I'm foolish? I was only trying to keep my child from dying an untimely death. How am I foolish? You are the foolish one! If I hadn't made Ninghua pose as a girl, would he have even lived to be twenty?"
"If you want to be loyal to the dog emperor, that's your choice, but don't drag us into it. Today, I will kill the dog emperor, overthrow the Pei Dynasty, and avenge my dead children!"
If she and Madam Jian weren't on opposing sides, Qiu Chi would have wanted to applaud her. Looking at the two men of the Jian family, neither had as much spirit as Madam Jian.
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