Chapter 536: Rebellion
Editor: Atlas Studios
“… We’ve already found traces, but there were people interfering when we were searching for them. I’ll definitely be able to find them with just a little more time.” The leader of the secret guards lowered his head and knelt in the hall.
The Emperor asked in an aged voice, “Did they escape on their own, or were they captured?”
“Your Majesty, I have yet to find out. If they escaped on their own, the timing is too uniform. Moreover, I discovered that there were several forces among them during the investigation. However, if they were kidnapped, the methods are not at all similar. It doesn’t seem like the same group of people did it.”
The Emperor bent over and looked up at him. It had only been a year, but he seemed to have aged ten years, as though all his energy had been sucked out. He was silent for a while before asking, “How many days do you need?”
“Three days.”
The Emperor nodded slightly and waved his hand. “Go and find them as soon as possible. We won’t be able to hide it for long.”
At the same time, Zhu Liang asked Fan Zijin softly, “Young Master Zijin, should we spread the news of the disappearance of the generals’ families?”
Fan Zijin shook his head. “We’ve already exposed too many traces. It’s better to be quiet than to make a move now.”
The capital was now filled with the Emperor’s spies. If they made a move, the chances of them being exposed would be very high.
“Retreat our people,” he said, looking up at the stars. “Whether they can escape or not will depend on their own abilities.”
Fan Zijin was the one who helped them escape.
As soon as Mu Yangling left the city gate, he immediately got someone to send some vague news to the families of the three generals. As expected, the generals sent their families away to ensure there was someone to carry on the family line.
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No general led troops outside without having any backup plans. Coupled with the fact that the Emperor had detained their families in the palace last year, they had all prepared a way out like the Qi family.
Hence, they each used their own methods to escape. Because of this, the traces of their methods were completely different, giving the secret guards a headache. However, when they went to investigate, there were a few forces obstructing them. This made them even less sure if those people escaped on their own or were abducted.
In Lin’an City, some forces were busy without stopping, but Fan Zijin withdrew all of them and stayed at home leisurely. He decided to find an opportunity to let his parents quarrel tonight and then take the opportunity to send his mother and wife away.
Although he was not the most important person in his mother’s heart, she was still the person who treated him the best in this family. Since her staying here would definitely restrict his hands and feet, it was better to send her away.
However, plans could never keep up with changes. Madam Xia had just sadly agreed to bring Little Madam Xia to the Zhu family to stay for a period of time the next day when shouts came from within Lin’an City that night.
Fan Zijin jumped up from the bed and asked nervously, “Yanmo, what’s going on outside?”
Yanmo rushed in with a pale face and said, “I don’t know, but there are shouts coming from the inner city and the imperial city.”
“So fast?” Fan Zijin muttered softly. He did not expect the other party to move so quickly.
He hurriedly got up to put on his clothes and ran to the main room. Little Madam Xia had just woken up and looked a little flustered. When she saw her husband coming over, she ran over as if she had found her pillar of support. “Husband.”
Fan Zijin waved his hand. “Pack up simply immediately. I’ll bring you to see Mother.”
Little Madam Xia didn’t dare to ask further and quickly got the servant girl to pick up the two bundles. The other servant girls and maidservants in the room all looked at Fan Zijin and his wife eagerly.
Fan Zijin waved his hand and said, “Call everyone in the courtyard to go to the main courtyard.” Since they could not leave, it was safer to gather together.
The servant girls and old servants heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly ran out to inform everyone.
The main courtyard became orderly after a while. Fan Siwen was sitting at the head of the table and looking at the people in the courtyard with a dark expression. Madam Xia stood at the door and kept ordering people to put away the important things. She also ordered the servants in the residence to take care of everything and prevent chaos.
It had to be said that although Madam Xia had a fiery temper, she was indeed much better at managing the household.
Fan Siwen nodded in relief. He did not know that Madam Xia did not know this from the beginning and had slowly learned it.
When Fan Zijin brought people over, Madam Xia quickly went up to him and held his hand with heartache. “You didn’t suffer a fright, right? Hurry up and go into the house. Your father is inside.”
Fan Zijin nodded slightly and turned to Little Madam Xia. “Stay by Mother’s side and share some of her burden.”
Little Madam Xia couldn’t ask for more and followed Madam Xia obediently.
Although Madam Xia was not very satisfied with this daughter-in-law, she would naturally teach her since she only had this one son. Thus, she kept Little Madam Xia.
“What’s going on outside?” Fan Siwen asked.
“If Father doesn’t know, how would a jinshi like me know?”
Fan Siwen snorted. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing outside. You control Xiuyuan’s power, so how can you not know anything? Now that the country and our family are in danger, you still plan to oppose me?”
Fan Zijin sneered in his heart, but he said, “Father, you’re right, but I really don’t know what happened. Eldest Cousin asked me to manage some of his men, but it was only to ensure the safety of his wife, son, sister-in-law and nephew. I don’t know much about these state affairs. If even an official like you hasn’t heard anything about it, it’s even more impossible for me to know.”
Fan Siwen sighed and somewhat believed him.
Fan Zijin continued, “However, although I don’t know what exactly happened, I can guess from the sounds of it. It’s most likely a rebellion, and that person’s status shouldn’t be low. Otherwise, how could he directly start fighting in the inner city and the Imperial City?”
Fan Siwen thought of the princes and sighed. “Restrain the servants. We’ll stay in the residence and wait for news.”
Other than this, there was nothing else they could do.
The battle cries outside shook the sky. At this moment, Emperor Jingyan was laughing loudly as he walked in circles in the hall. “Rebellion? Rebellion now? Idiot! What an idiot! Why did I give birth to such an idiot? If he wants to be the Emperor, he could just tell me in advance and I’ll give up the throne to him with both hands.”
He paced around the hall angrily, then stopped and asked, “Where are they?”
The secret guard knelt on the ground and said, “They’re already outside Chongzheng Hall.”
The prayer beads in the Empress’s hand fell to the ground, and the Emperor’s expression darkened. He waved his hand and said, “You can leave.”
The Empress looked at the Emperor. Seeing his strange expression, she hurriedly rushed forward to hold him back and said, “Your Majesty, don’t mess around. The Second Prince won’t want an Emperor Emeritus to exist. You should leave. Bring the little princes and leave quickly.”
The Emperor was furious. “What good is there in being an Emperor when the Great Zhou is about to fall? If he wants to be the Emperor, I’ll give up the position to him…”
“Your Majesty.” The Empress interrupted him and looked into his eyes seriously. “Do consider the Guo family’s bloodline. Otherwise, once the Second Prince rushes in, none of the other princes will be able to survive. You also said that the Great Zhou Dynasty probably won’t be able to hold on…”
The Empress cried bitterly. It wasn’t that she wasn’t afraid, nor did she have much feelings for those princes and princesses, but she was the Empress and she knew her responsibility. Even if the Great Zhou was going to perish, she had to leave a descendant for the Guo family.
The Empress raised her head and looked at this man, the disappointment in her heart turning into despair. This man had never had any sense of responsibility in his life, but this time, he had to ensure a bloodline of the Guo family remained no matter what. Otherwise, would she have the face to meet the Guo family’s ancestors after she died?
The Emperor pursed his lips. In the end, he still allowed the secret guards to take him away under the instruction of the Empress.