bookrandom Chapter 430 Capturing Lu Hanting Alive
Chapter 430 Capturing Lu Hanting Alive
"Your Majesty, shall I feed you?"
Consort Ji scooped up some soup and gently blew on it.
"The Consort seems unusually warm towards me today..."
Just as the ginseng soup was about to enter his mouth, Emperor Mingcheng suddenly said something.
Upon hearing the emperor's words, Consort Ji's heart skipped a beat.
"Your Majesty, look at what you're saying."
Your Majesty, I only wish you good health and a long life, so that I may live well in the palace!
"Your Majesty, what do you say?"
"Hehe, indeed, my beloved concubine is very thoughtful!"
Looking at Consort Ji, who was lowering her eyes to cool the soup for her, Ming Chengxiu felt a surge of emotions.
Consort Ji raised her eyes.
"As long as Your Majesty understands my feelings, that's enough!"
As she spoke, Consort Ji once again brought the spoon to Emperor Mingcheng's lips.
"Your Majesty, the soup is getting cold; it's time to drink it!"
"Your Majesty, an urgent report has arrived from Tongzhou!"
Just as Emperor Mingcheng opened his mouth to drink the ginseng soup fed to him by his concubine, a young eunuch outside shouted something.
"Why are you so flustered?"
Emperor Cheng pushed away the spoon that was offered to him, stood up, and straightened his clothes as he did so.
"Your Majesty, Jiang Yannian has raised an army in Yuzhou in rebellion."
He is now leading five thousand elite troops towards Tongzhou, and the prefect of Tongzhou has urgently ordered reinforcements!
"absurd!"
"How dare a mere centurion rebel against me? Has he lost his mind?"
Upon hearing the name Jiang Yannian, Consort Ji's expression changed.
If she remembered correctly, Jiang Yannian had been bribed by Shen Bazhi as early as half a year ago.
Does this mean Shen Bazhi is planning to make his move ahead of schedule?
If that's the case, why would you ask someone to poison the emperor?
Doesn't her life matter?
Looking at the ginseng soup that had gone cold in her hand, Consort Ji felt a mix of emotions.
……
"My beloved consort, who do you think is the most suitable person for me to send to deal with this rebellion in Tongzhou?"
Seeing Consort Ji standing there in a daze, Emperor Mingcheng looked at her.
When the emperor called her name, Consort Ji's heart skipped a beat.
"Your Majesty, the women of the inner palace must not interfere in politics. Since this is a matter of state, it is best for me not to offer any opinions!"
Consort Ji's mind was in turmoil.
Shen Bazhi launched his attack ahead of time without consulting me. If she fails to poison him today, won't she be unable to leave the palace?
"It's alright, I'll allow you to express your opinion!"
Seeing that the emperor was waiting for her, Consort Ji tentatively suggested, "Your Majesty, why not send Commander Lu instead?"
"Oh, you think so highly of him?"
Is Consort Ji pretending to be confused? Otherwise, why would she mention Lu Hanting's name?
Seeing the emperor's sharp eyes sweep over her, Consort Ji told herself to remain calm.
The emperor couldn't possibly know his own identity.
"Your Majesty, you saw that the last time the rebellion in Nanzhao was quelled, it was Commander Lu who made the contribution. So, I think it should be fine to send him to deal with the Tongzhou rebellion this time!"
"Hehe, my beloved concubine, I might as well tell you something: Commander Lu, he has long harbored rebellious intentions towards me!"
"Oh no?"
Seeing the great shock on Consort Ji's face, Emperor Mingcheng stroked his beard.
"Minister Zhou just submitted a memorial to me."
He colluded with the bandits of Nanzhao, and he was involved in all of Nanzhao's recent turmoil.
Do you think I would still use a traitor like that?
"Plop" sound.
Consort Ji immediately knelt down.
"Your Majesty, I know nothing about this matter."
If I had known that Commander Lu was a traitorous villain, I would never have recommended him to you!
The emperor stared at the concubine on the ground for a long time, so long that the concubine thought the emperor was going to punish her, but then she saw him reach out his hand to her.
"Alright, I just wanted to test just how many hearts Lu Hanting has captured in the palace!"
"Judging from my beloved concubine's frightened appearance, she must not be the person he placed by my side!"
As he spoke, the emperor looked at the ginseng soup beside him.
"Heat up the ginseng soup. How can I waste my beloved consort's thoughtfulness!"
Upon hearing Emperor Mingcheng's words, Consort Ji felt a pang of anxiety.
Soon, the ginseng soup was heated up and served.
Consort Ji stared at the ginseng soup in front of her with a complicated expression.
He had drugged the soup himself, and the drug was naturally provided by Shen Bazhi.
Was the emperor testing him?
But if he had doubts about himself, why didn't he just expose himself directly?
Seeing that Consort Ji stood there unmoved, the emperor frowned.
"What, my beloved concubine is unwilling to serve me soup?"
"Your Majesty, I'm coming right now!"
Seeing Consort Ji carefully pick up the soup, the Emperor suddenly spoke up: "My beloved consort, why don't you test the temperature for me?"
"what!"
As soon as Consort Ji loosened her grip on the soup, the soup spilled all over the ground along her skirt.
"Consort Ji, how dare you! You don't want me to drink this soup!"
Consort Ji immediately knelt down, "Your Majesty, I didn't mean to! I was startled by your sudden voice and that's why I let go..."
Seeing her frightened expression, the emperor sighed.
"You go down!"
"Yes, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I will go down now!"
Watching Consort Ji leave in a panic, Eunuch Wei frowned and said, "Your Majesty, why didn't you just reveal her identity?"
Emperor Cheng waved his hand.
"Although Consort Ji was sent by Lu Hanting, she has served me for so long."
The situation is unclear, so I will spare her life for now!
Of course, the reason he spared her life was ultimately to restrain Lu Hanting.
After Consort Ji left, Emperor Mingcheng hastily wrote a letter.
"Ronghuai, give this letter to Deputy General Lin and have him deliver it to the Princess as quickly as possible."
Also, send Wang Zhi with 100,000 Imperial Guards to besiege the Marquis of Dingguo's residence. I want to capture Lu Hanting alive!
He would never tolerate rebellious traitors.
Hearing Emperor Mingcheng's words, Eunuch Huai suggested, "Your Majesty, a shrewd person like Commander Lu would surely have a backup plan for himself."
In my humble opinion, even setting aside whether Commander Wang can capture him after he goes there, you should prepare for both possibilities..."
"What do you want to say?"
Emperor Cheng looked at Eunuch Huai.
"Ahem... What this old servant means is that, Your Majesty, if you want to make a man as sentimental as Commander Lu submit, you must find his weakness!"
"Weakness?"
"Yes, that's Lu Dushi's weakness!"
"Eunuch Huai reminded me from the side."
Speaking of weaknesses, Emperor Mingcheng recalled the look in Wu Weiwei's eyes when he bestowed a marriage upon Lu Hanting at the palace banquet that day.
Yes, Lu Hanting's weakness is Wu Weiwei.
Emperor Cheng of Ming suddenly understood.
Then he picked up the calligraphy on the table and, in less than half a moment, drafted an imperial edict appointing a new emperor.
"Eunuch Huai, listen to my decree: Wu Weiwei is the direct descendant of the eldest princess and also my closest relative."
In accordance with ancestral rules, Wu Weiwei is hereby appointed Princess Yongning, bestowed with a golden book and a phoenix feather robe, to honor her virtuous character!
"She is hereby ordered to enter the palace immediately to express her gratitude. This is the imperial decree!"
As Eunuch Huai looked at the still-wet ink on the imperial edict, a smile crept onto his face.
"Your Majesty is wise! This old servant will go and deliver the decree immediately!"
Just as Eunuch Huai stepped out of the palace gate, Eunuch Wei summoned his trusted confidants.
"Little Stool, go to Huaixin Garden on the outskirts of Beijing right now!"