Chapter 747: Long Chi’s Time Had Pa.s.sed
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Empress Dowager Xiaojing fainted on the spot after the Emperor uttered those furious words.
“Your Imperial Highness!” Matron Chen shouted.
Long Chi’s face was white as paper and his mind was blank. He thought he must have heard wrong but when he saw the pitiful looks given to him by everyone present, he knew he had not been mistaken. His Royal Uncle had given an edict to depose him of his Crown Prince t.i.tle.
Long Chi felt faint as his shoulders sagged.
His…time had pa.s.sed.
The other officials were also scared into silence. The Emperor’s deep, angry voice was still ringing in their ears and no one dared to step up and defend Long Chi.
Soon, a batch of imperial guards marched over to apprehend him.
Long Chi had come to his senses by now. His handsome face was pale while a hidden flame burned deep in his eyes with cold, calculating hatred.
His gaze swept toward the tightly shut horse-drawn carriage as he made a secret vow to one day make his Royal Uncle kneel before him. His Royal Uncle would regret the hasty decision made today and will suffer terrible retribution for this.
There was also Lu Liangwei…
Long Xiao, who was standing at the side, watched Long Chi being marched away by the imperial guards. His eyes flashed brightly for a moment.
He had never expected his Royal Brother to depose Long Chi from his Crown Prince t.i.tle in such a quick and efficient way.
Did Long Chi really plan to a.s.sa.s.sinate his Royal Brother? Or did his Royal Brother come up with this excuse because he had been planning to depose Long Chi all along?
The truth behind this was quite mysterious.
His Royal Brother’s thoughts had always been quite difficult to predict.
They had discussed some matters together a few days ago, but his Royal Brother had not revealed anything about this.
Yet today…
Long Xiao turned around and met the eyes of his advisor. Both felt a chill and all ideas they previously had were quickly suppressed.
Could Lu Liangwei have something to do with his Royal Brother urgently wanting to depose the Crown Prince?
It was possible that Lu Liangwei was now pregnant with his Royal Brother’s child, so he was anxious to quickly strip Long Chi of his t.i.tle.
Just as Long Xiao was trying to figure out this puzzle, he suddenly heard Zhao Qian calling out to him.
“Prince of Xiangyang?”
Long Xiao raised his gaze to see Zhao Qian, who had just been shouting and cursing at the a.s.sa.s.sin. The man was looking back at him with a smiling face.
Long Xiao gave a start and quickly asked, “Is something the matter, Eunuch Zhao?”
“There is nothing going on with me, but with His Majesty. His Majesty has just been angered by the Crown Prince and his health is now in a fragile state. The Empress Dowager is currently unconscious and has yet to awaken. He has sent me here to request for you to escort her to Jiuhua Temple.”
The Empress Dowager was going to Jiuhua Temple?
Long Xiao suppressed his curiosity and agreed. “I will have to trouble you to relay a message to Royal Brother. Tell him that I will make sure to escort the Empress Dowager safely to Jiuhua Temple.”
“I will make sure to pa.s.s your message to His Majesty, Prince of Xiangyang,” Zhao Qian said as he turned back toward the carriage of the Emperor.
However, Zhao Qian added in a quiet mumble, “The Empress Dowager is getting old and has always been pa.s.sionate about Buddhism. Jiuhua Temple is a serene and quiet place. She will be sure to like it there.”
Long Xiao instantly understood everything when he heard this.
It sounded like his Royal Brother had decided not to tolerate Empress Dowager Xiaojing any longer now that the Crown Prince had been taken down. It was clear that his Royal Brother was sending her to be a nun at Jiuhua Temple.
However, it did not matter what Long Xiao thought about this. Since his Royal Brother was requesting him to escort Empress Dowager Xiaojing to Jiuhua Temple, all he could do was follow the instructions.
The remainder of the a.s.sa.s.sins had been cut down while those who survived had been captured and were being escorted back to the capital. They would be handed over to the Ministry of Discipline and put on trial.
After the debacle of the Crown Prince being deposed, the officials and womenfolk returned home in a fearful atmosphere.
The Emperor’s rage had frightened everyone to the core, and no one dared to even talk about it.
They had never expected such serious situations to happen at this year’s Autumn Hunt.. First, the Virtuous Consort had enraged the Emperor for no reason and ended up being given the death sentence, and now, the Crown Prince had been deposed while the unconscious Empress Dowager Xiaojing was to be s.h.i.+pped off immediately to Jiuhua Temple.