Chapter 217

In Baihu Hall, Xuanyuan Lie, dressed in a yellow dragon robe, slowly walked onto the jade stairs.

“Long live Your Majesty the Emperor.”

Sitting on the throne, Xuanyuan Lie took a majestic glance at the civil and military officials prostrating themselves. In the end, his gaze settled on Guo Zhengxiong.

Guo Zhengxiong felt Xuanyuan Lie’s gaze but he wasn’t afraid at all. A sneer came over his face.

Xuanyuan Lie’s gaze settled on Guo Zhengxiong’s face for a dozen seconds and then moved away slowly, “All of you, rise.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” The officials rose and stood on both sides.

“Report if you have anything to say and retreat if you don’t…” Eunuch Hu said loudly as usual.

Jiao Yongnian, Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and Liu Hongwen, Director of the Ministry of Justice exchanged glances. They stepped forward to bow to Xuanyuan Lie, “Your Majesty, I have something to report.”

Xuanyuan Lie looked at Jiao Yongnian and Liu Hongwen. He glimpsed Guo Zhengxiong only to see that the latter looked down with a straight face. He felt even more furious.

“Say it.” His majestic voice was mixed with anger.

“Your Majesty, I’ll impeach General Guo Zhengxiong for abusing his power for personal gains and plotting a rebellion,” Liu Hongwen, Director of the Ministry of Justice reported first.

All the officials were astounded and looked at Guo Zhengxiong only to see his composed expression. Guo Zhengxiong didn’t look uneasy, nervous and furious as if he weren’t the one impeached.

Instead, Xuanyuan She, the eldest prince, looked nervous with sweat on his forehead.

Xuanyuan Lie darted a glance at Guo Zhengxiong, but Guo Zhengxiong still kept a straight face.

While the atmosphere was tense in the hall, Jiao Yongnian also went forward and said with a bow, “I want to impeach Guo Zhengxiong for colluding with foreign enemies to betray our country.”

Guo Zhengxiong’s hung eyes flashed, but he still didn’t act, explain or argue back.

The others all looked at Guo Zhengxiong. This general was too bold! Conspiring to rebel was already a capital crime punishable by family extermination. The general colluded with enemies to betray the country. Not only would his family be exterminated but also his whole clan would be eradicated.

However, since Guo Zhengxiong looked fine, the others couldn’t help doubting whether it was true.

Xuanyuan She was more nervous to hear Jiao Yongnian’s impeachment and glanced at Guo Zhengxiong only to see that Guo Zhengxiong was not flustered at all. Suddenly, Xuanyuan She was a lot less frightened and uneasy. He took a deep breath to compose himself and stepped forward to look at Jiao Yongnian, saying angrily, “Lord Jiao, how dare you slander the first-rank official! You should be condemned.”

Xuanyuan Lie gazed at Xuanyuan She furiously, his eyes flashing.

Faced with Xuanyuan She’s accusation, Jiao Yongnian looked serene and stared at Xuanyuan Lie, saying with a bow, “Your Majesty, I have evidence.”

Then, Jiao Yongnian took out a letter from his arms and presented it with both hands.

Xuanyuan She looked at the letter in Jiao Yongnian’s hand. A shimmer of fluster crossed his triangle eyes. He subconsciously looked at Guo Zhengxiong again.

Currently, Guo Zhengxiong also looked at the letter in Jiao Yongnian’s hand. Upon seeing the familiar letter, Guo Zhengxiong was also shocked and determined to take a desperate act.

Xuanyuan Lie glanced at the letter in Jiao Yongnian’s hand and winked at Eunuch Hu. Eunuch Hu immediately took the hint, walked down the jade stairs, took the letter from Jiao Yongnian’s hand and presented it to Xuanyuan Lie.

The others all looked at Xuanyuan Lie nervously and held their breath. At the moment, it was rather quiet in Baihu Hall.

When Xuanyuan Lie stared at the letter, his dark eyes instantly became scarlet red. The knuckles of his fingers slightly whitened. What Guo Zhengxiong had done was so outrageous!

Xuanyuan Lie threw the letter onto Guo Zhengxiong’s face.

Xuanyuan Lie’s action carried potent mysterious power. Although the letter was light and thin, Guo Zhengxiong’s face was still swollen.

Guo Zhengxiong felt a sharp pain on his face, his triangle eyes filled with malice. He didn’t even take a look at the letter on the ground at all.

“Guo Zhengxiong, I appointed you as First-rank General-in-chief. And this is how you pay me back? You abuse your power for personal gains, conspire to rise in rebellion, collude with the Xuanwu Empire and work with foreign enemies to betray our country. How dare you!”

Xuanyuan Lie’s words were tantamount to directly convicting Guo Zhengxiong.

Now, the civil and military officials seemed to be in an uproar.

“How can General Guo do this? What an ungrateful soul!”

“He conspires to rise in rebellion and colludes with enemies to betray the country. General Guo is so bold.”

“How dare General Guo collude with the Xuanwu Empire! The Guo Family is messed up.”

…

Xuanyuan She was also stupefied to see the letter that demonstrated the conspiracy between Guo Zhengxiong and Zhuge Weiming. Although he and Guo Zhengxiong were conspiring to rise in rebellion, he had no idea Guo Zhengxiong also had colluded with Zhuge Weiming. For the moment, Xuanyuan She felt that he had been taken in.

However, thinking that he had been on the same boat with Guo Zhengxiong, Xuanyuan She had to hold back his temper. His triangle eyes glimmered with malice. When he took the throne, he wouldn’t spare Guo Zhengxiong’s life.

Xuanyuan Lie glimpsed Guo Zhengxiong’s sulky face and slightly narrowed his eyes, saying in a shrill voice, “Guards. Guo Zhengxiong conspires to rise in rebellion and colludes with foreign enemies to betray the country. Take him down.”

Xuanyuan She was astonished to hear that and hurriedly looked at Xuanyuan Lie. When he saw Xuanyuan Lie’s piercingly cold eyes, he turned his gaze away and hung his eyelids.

The others waited for a while but still didn’t see any guard step forward. They all looked at each other in confusion.

Now, Xuanyuan Lie felt something was wrong. He winked at Eunuch Hu secretly.

Eunuch Hu immediately took the hint and got out secretly.

While everyone was confused, Guo Zhengxiong who didn’t speak stepped forward and stared at Xuanyuan Lie, “Your Majesty, I have something to report.”

Gazing at Guo Zhengxiong’s arrogant appearance, the others all gasped. General Guo was so arrogant. He was bold enough to look the emperor in the eye. Worse still, he didn’t salute the emperor.

Faced with Guo Zhengxiong’s arrogant look, Xuanyuan Lie showed a shimmer of fierceness in his eyes.

Guo Zhengxiong didn’t fear Xuanyuan Lie’s disgruntled eyes. Before Xuanyuan Lie asked him to speak, he said, “Eldest Prince is smart and talented. He’s the pillar of the country. Please appoint him as the crown prince.”

Xuanyuan She was delighted to hear Guo Zhengxiong ask Xuanyuan Lie to designate him as the crown prince and yet deliberately held back his excitement.

Xuanyuan Lie looked at Xuanyuan She only to see the uncontrollable excitement on Xuanyuan She’s face. A shimmer of disappointment crossed Xuanyuan Lie’s face.

While the atmosphere in the Baihu Hall was tense, Eunuch Hu ran inside hurriedly and said anxiously, “Your Majesty, this is bad. Pang Qian, the commander of the imperial guards, has mutinied.”

Xuanyuan Lie heard Eunuch Hu’s report and frowned abruptly. He darted a sharp glance at Xuanyuan She, his eyes filled with disappointment and agony.

Who was Pang Qian? That was Xuanyuan She’s brother-in-law. Who else could order Pang Qian to mutiny at the moment? Xuanyuan Lie thought that his useless eldest son wouldn’t dare to do that. Xuanyuan Lie felt that he had underestimated Xuanyuan She. This was what Xuanyuan Lie’s son should be like.

Feeling Xuanyuan Lie’s sharp gaze, Xuanyuan She felt somewhat frightened. However, in order to achieve the cause, he braced himself to go forward, “Please designate me as the crown prince.”

Seeing the scene, the officials finally understood that General Guo and Eldest Prince were forcing Xuanyuan Lie to abdicate!

Xuanyuan She took out a yellow imperial edict from his arms and stared at Xuanyuan Lie, “I’ve written the imperial edict for you. All I need is your jade seal. Please grant my wish.”

Then, Xuanyuan She held the imperial edict and stepped on the jade stairs.

The crowd fell into a sensation again.

The old officials who supported Eldest Prince all looked disappointed, “How can Eldest Prince do that?”

In their eyes, Eldest Prince could never do such a thing. He must be instigated by General Guo. At the thought of that, the supporters of Eldest Prince all glared at Guo Zhengxiong with indignation.

Some neutral old officials all lamented Eldest Prince’s doing, “Eldest Prince is so wrong this time. He acts too rashly.” Eldest Prince was the legitimate eldest son. He was supposed to be the crown prince. He shouldn’t have rushed to do this.

Some old officials who didn’t root for Eldest Prince all looked angry, “Eldest Prince has gone too far. How dare he do such a treasonous thing! He shall be condemned!”

Eunuch Hu saw Xuanyuan She come up and immediately got in his way with a furious look. Unexpectedly, Eldest Prince was usually obedient and humble. How dared he rise in rebellion! He wouldn’t let Xuanyuan She hurt His Majesty.

Xuanyuan She glared at Eunuch Hu gloomily with triangle eyes. This old eunuch dared to get in his way. When he took the throne, he must kill the eunuch first.

“Go away.” Xuanyuan She directly pushed away Eunuch Hu.

Eunuch Hu staggered and fell. Regardless of the pain, he got up to block Xuanyuan She’s way again.

“Cheng’en,” Xuanyuan Lie said.

Eunuch Hu heard that and immediately retreated to stay next to Xuanyuan Lie respectfully.

“Please grant my wish.” Xuanyuan She walked to Xuanyuan Lie and passed the imperial edict over.

Xuanyuan Lie took the imperial edict and read it. Suddenly, he burst into laughter, “Brave, astute, calm, wise, determined… Is this you? You’re merely putting feathers on your cap.”

Then, Xuanyuan Lie threw the imperial edict onto Xuanyuan She’s face.

Xuanyuan She’s face turned blanched and livid with fury. He clenched his fists, his triangle eyes glistening with fierceness.

Xuanyuan She picked up the imperial edict from the ground slowly and stared at Xuanyuan Lie. There was no fear but sulkiness in his eyes, “You must have the imperial edict stamped today regardless. I’ll be the crown prince anyway.”

Staring at Xuanyuan She’s gloomy expression, Guo Zhengxiong cracked a sinister smile, “You’d better not waste any time, Your Majesty.”

Then, Guo Zhengxiong clapped his hands. Instantly, a group of imperial guards rushed inside, which were led by Pang Qian, the commander of the imperial guards.

Xuanyuan Lie looked at the imperial guards, his dark eyes filled with heavy killing intent.

Zhang Qixiu, Prime Minister, saw the imperial guards rushing inside and directly knelt in front of Xuanyuan Lie, “Your Majesty, Eldest Prince has risen in rebellion. Such a treasonous man isn’t qualified to be a crown prince. Your Majesty, please think twice!”

The other officials saw the scene and all prostrated themselves, “Your Majesty, please think twice.”

For the moment, the request of asking His Majesty to think twice resounded through the whole Baihu Hall.

Xuanyuan She stared furiously at the civil and military officials kneeling on the ground, his triangle eyes glittering with fierceness. He dashed down the stairs, pulled out Pang Qian’s sword and stabbed at Prime Minister’s head.

While the others couldn’t bear to see Prime Minister Zhang die a miserable death and closed their eyes, Xuanyuan She’s sword was knocked over by a rush of mysterious Qi.

Struck by the mysterious Qi, Xuanyuan She slumped to the ground.

“It’s so lively here. Why didn’t you invite me?”

His voice was still cold but it sounded like a spring breeze to the civil and military officials present.