kingnovel Chapter 442 The Death of the Heir
Chapter 442 The Death of the Heir
She didn't even dare to cry loudly.
After holding him for a while, the younger sister put the emperor down, wiped away her tears, and called the imperial physicians over, asking them to do their best to keep the emperor's body healthy.
Then he sent Eunuch Wu to invite Feng Ziheng and Kuang Tiansong.
When the two arrived at the Zichen Palace, the younger sister had already put aside her grief and said quite calmly, "His Majesty has passed away. Before he left, he ordered that his death be kept secret. Please go and bring the child back as soon as possible."
Feng Ziheng nodded and asked, "Your Majesty, shall we appoint the Crown Prince first?"
"Yes, His Majesty said to first appoint him as Crown Prince. Then, he will issue an edict to send the Prince Xian away, and hold a funeral after the Prince Xian leaves."
"Yes."
Leaving the Zichen Palace, Feng Ziheng frowned and glanced at Kuang Tiansong: "Why are you so quiet today?"
Kuang Tiansong said, "I am just shocked that His Majesty passed away so soon."
Feng Ziheng didn't ask any further questions and said, "Let's go quickly."
The two left the palace without stopping. The Prince Chen's residence was located in the northwest of the imperial city. Before they even got there, they saw a sea of fire in the northwest.
Feng Ziheng's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he quickly urged the driver, "Faster, faster!"
Kuang Tiansong was equally astonished: "This fire... could it be that something happened at the Prince Chen's residence?"
Indeed, something terrible happened at the Prince Chen's mansion. A huge fire burned the entire mansion to ashes, and everyone in the mansion perished.
Feng Ziheng couldn't wait for the military patrolmen. He summoned the Imperial Guards to come and extinguish the fire while searching for people. When he saw the body of a middle-aged woman holding a toddler, both burned to a crisp, Feng Ziheng knew that His Majesty's last hope was completely gone.
He instructed the coachman, "Return to the palace!"
Kuang Tiansong asked, "What does the Crown Prince intend to do?"
Feng Ziheng looked at him: "It seems that Lord Kuang was prepared all along, wasn't he?"
Kuang Tiansong feigned innocence: "I don't know what the Crown Prince is talking about."
Feng Ziheng closed his eyes and ignored him. When they arrived at the palace, he went straight to the Zichen Hall.
The younger sister also received news of the fire at Prince Chen's mansion. She was anxious, hoping that the child was still alive and could be brought back safely.
But she knew perfectly well that a fire that happened at this time could not possibly be an accident. If it wasn't an accident, how could the child still be alive?
The younger sister summoned the imperial guards and said, "From now on, you will stay by my side at all times to protect my safety."
The guards had long received the Emperor's orders to protect the Empress's safety, and naturally obeyed.
The younger sister sat at the top of the main hall, with guards standing on either side of her. Once Feng Ziheng and Kuang Tiansong returned, she knew her guess was correct.
Failed.
The younger sister took a deep breath and said, "His Majesty was afraid that something might go wrong, so he deliberately concealed this matter. But why did this still happen?"
Kuang Tiansong frowned and said, "This matter is strange, Your Majesty. Why don't you ask Prince Ning to investigate it carefully?"
"What good will the results of the investigation do?" the younger sister sneered. "If it turns out that it was Prince Xian who did it, do you think I would make him pay with his life for Prince Chen's entire family?"
Kuang Tiansong lowered his head and remained silent.
The younger sister continued, "However, this matter is confidential. Only His Majesty and the three of us know who the heir is. I have been accompanying His Majesty in the Zichen Palace and have not had time to disclose this information. So, who leaked the news?"
Her cold gaze swept over the two people below.
Feng Ziheng stood there, seemingly pondering something. Kuang Tiansong looked at Feng Ziheng with surprise and suspicion.
My younger sister said.
"It's laughable that the wise prince, while remaining inactive in his palace, could know so much about the things His Majesty and we discussed in private."
"His Majesty has chosen six ministers to assist the young emperor, among whom Feng Ziheng and Kuang Tiansong are the two most trusted by His Majesty. But I never expected that you two would be so untrustworthy! Even now, won't you confess?"
Feng Ziheng cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, my loyalty to Your Majesty is as clear as the sun and moon."
Kuang Tiansong quickly said, "Your Majesty, I was personally promoted by His Majesty, and my gratitude towards His Majesty far exceeds that of others. I would never betray His Majesty, but I have some doubts that I would like to ask Prince Feng."
Feng Ziheng sneered: "Kuang Tiansong, you really came prepared."
"I don't understand what you're saying." Kuang Tiansong pressed on aggressively, "Feng Ziheng, you were the one who didn't support the adoption of an heir before, but when His Majesty insisted, you said you wanted the Empress to be buried alive with him. Do you dare say that you weren't colluding with Prince Xian?"
Feng Ziheng looked at him but did not explain.
Kuang Tiansong continued, "As for His Majesty's suggestion to expel Prince Xian, you disagreed. I was wondering why before, but now I understand. Your Majesty, I believe it's because the Crown Prince is colluding with Prince Xian. He clearly knows that His Majesty cannot harm Prince Xian, so he deliberately advised His Majesty to execute him. This shows how unpredictable his scheming is!"
Feng Ziheng was almost laughing in anger. He looked at Kuang Tiansong for a long time before saying, "I originally thought that since we are close ministers of the emperor, although we often disagree, we can find common ground while reserving differences. Now I realize that this is not the case."
Kuang Tiansong said, "Now that things have come to this, do you have anything else to say?"
Feng Ziheng looked at his younger sister and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, I still maintain that my heart for Your Majesty is as clear as the sun and moon."
Kuang Tiansong sneered repeatedly: "You are the heir of a duke, born into nobility. No matter who the emperor is, you will always be the heir of a duke. His Majesty has shown me great favor; without His Majesty, I could never have reached this position. Therefore, I will not betray His Majesty, but you..."
He looked at his younger sister: "Your Majesty, today's events must have been the work of Feng Ziheng. Please execute Feng Ziheng immediately!"
"is it?"
The younger sister glanced at the two of them, took a sword from the guard beside her, turned around, and plunged the sword into the man's heart.
This was her first time killing someone.
Before they came in, she had thought that she could have dissenting voices around her, but she could never have enemies.
If she doesn't take action, destruction awaits her and the Si family.
She used to protect herself with a hairpin, but a hairpin can only hurt people, not kill them, but today she is determined to kill.
The young woman gripped the sword with both hands and spun it forcefully. The man fell to the ground with his eyes wide open, clearly unwilling to accept defeat.
"Why...why...kill...me..." Kuang Tiansong gripped the sword, blood gushing out. He couldn't believe it, and he was filled with resentment.
He almost won; the victory was just a hair's breadth away from being his.
He was indeed unwilling to accept this; he wanted to be a minister second only to the emperor, not someone who was overshadowed by other regents.
All of this happened so suddenly that Feng Ziheng was also very surprised, and he was stunned: "Your Majesty?"
The younger sister drew her sword, and Kuang Tiansong, who still had strength, suddenly gushed out blood, staining a large area of the ground crimson.
The guards around him remained motionless, not even blinking.