Xiao Changqing walked all the way to the gate of the Qinzheng Hall, when suddenly something fell from his neck and hit the ground.
He looked down and saw that it was his first wife's spirit tablet. He bent over to pick it up and carefully brushed off the dust on it. He felt his heart suddenly empty, but he didn't understand why.
For a moment, he was a little dazed, and his mind was blank. Then a gust of night wind blew, and under the eaves, bells rang continuously.
His eyes flashed, and he strode over the threshold, dragging his blood-stained sword. Hundreds of people behind him, also full of murderous intent after a bloody battle, followed him.
The civil and military officials were surrounded by the empress dowager's guards holding knives, and their faces changed immediately when they saw Xiao Changqing.
The leading guard also had a small bell on his waist. He strode towards Xiao Changqing and saluted him: "Your Majesty, the Crown Princess is in the palace."
The Queen Mother wanted to prove that Shen Xihe and Prince Xin had joined forces to force the emperor to abdicate, not only Xiao Changqing, but also Xiao Changgeng and Xiao Changying. Only in this way could she kill these people openly afterwards, leaving only Xiao Changhong in the royal family.
Xiao Changhong was able to survive in order to appease the officials so that they would not suggest adopting a branch of the Xiao family as emperor.
When Xiao Changhong ascended the throne, she would take control of the government and stabilize the situation after becoming regent, causing Xiao Changhong's premature death, so that she could smoothly ascend to the throne.
The layout is ingenious.
"Liu Lang is here, girl. Do you think Liu Lang's sword is pointing at you or at me?" The sound of salutes came from outside, and the Queen Mother smiled.
Shen Xihe did not reply. This was her biggest dilemma. Xiao Changqing had been plotted against and became a pawn of the Queen Mother. His Majesty was pretending to be unconscious, holding on to his last breath, waiting for them to fight to the death before waking up to clean up the mess.
The Queen Mother thought she had a sure win, but she didn't know that she had no chance of winning at all.
Of course, she had a backup plan, but she couldn't reveal it at this moment, otherwise, she would not be able to strike back at His Majesty.
The sound of the armor moving was extremely heavy. The footsteps slowly approached, and the smell of blood became increasingly stronger.
There were no more than twenty people under Shen Xihe in the Qinzheng Hall. Xiao Changqing must have brought at least several hundred people with him if he was able to kill them. To fight ten people alone was just wishful thinking.
Shen Xihe did not order his men to rush out of the palace to rescue the civil and military officials. Instead, he was waiting to meet up with Xiao Changqing.
The Queen Mother did not let the people who held the civil and military officials hostage to attack. She was waiting for Xiao Changqing to come and kill Shen Xihe. Only by controlling the civil and military officials could she let them see the right situation at the right time.
Soon, Xiao Changqing, with blood on his hands, stepped into the hall, walked through the main room, bypassed the screen, and stood in front of them with a dozen people.
He still looked as white as jade, his eyes were deep and profound, but they were too dark to look like a living person. They were as dark as midnight, and he looked very much like a puppet.
"Liulang, come back to your grandmother quickly!" The Queen Mother asked for help as soon as she saw Xiao Changqing.
Xiao Changqing raised his sword and stabbed towards Shen Xihe without thinking. Mo Yu stopped him immediately, and Xiao Changqing's men quickly engaged with Shen Xihe's men.
The people brought by Xiao Changqing were far more powerful than the Queen Mother's men. In order not to hurt Shen Xihe, Tian Yuan quickly moved the battlefield outward, but found that almost all the people outside were Xiao Changqing's men.
The Queen Mother was still in Shen Xihe's hands, but the situation was not optimistic. Liu Sanzhi seemed to be frightened and huddled in a corner of His Majesty's bed, oblivious to what was happening.