RPAGF Chapter 472 Angry
Chapter 472 Angry
At the time, he was too shocked to ask any questions, but now, thinking back on it, cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
Shi Wanxia was completely unprepared in Chuzhou. If the assassins from the "Photo Studio" and the death squad of the Prince of Rongyang really came knocking on her door, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Pei Xuan turned around abruptly, his voice trembling, "Something terrible has happened! Miss Shi is in danger!"
"When we interrogated that deputy captain of the Imperial Guard just now, he confessed that the Prince of Rongyang knew it was Miss Shi who suggested the plan, and he has already sent assassins and death squads from the 'Shadow Studio' to Chuzhou to hunt her down!"
Pei Xuan spoke very quickly, "This matter cannot be delayed. We must immediately go to the palace to report to His Majesty and request that His Majesty send someone to Chuzhou to protect Miss Shi!"
Pei Xuan stopped thinking about it and ran towards the Imperial Study, carrying his official robe.
At this moment, outside the Imperial Study, Chief Eunuch Yu Heng was standing under the corridor. Seeing Pei Xuan rushing over, he quickly stepped forward to greet him: "Lord Pei, His Majesty is discussing the security arrangements for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet with His Highness the Crown Prince and several Grand Secretaries. Would you like to wait here for a while? This old servant will come forward to report later."
"No! This matter is extremely urgent and cannot wait even a moment longer!"
Pei Xuan was extremely anxious. He knew that the emperor disliked being disturbed when he was discussing matters, but Shi Wanxia's safety left him no room for hesitation.
He abruptly lifted his official robe and knelt down on the hard bluestone slab with a "thud." The sound of his knees hitting the stone was crisp and loud, particularly jarring in the quiet palace garden.
"Your Majesty! Your subject, Pei Xuan, Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, has an urgent matter to report! It concerns my life, and I humbly request Your Majesty to summon me!"
His voice was rough and powerful, carrying an undeniable urgency, as it pierced through the curtains of the imperial study.
A moment later, Shen Yuxi's displeased voice came from the imperial study. The emperor's majesty was like an invisible pressure, making it hard to breathe: "Insolence! How dare you shout like this in the forbidden palace! What kind of behavior is this! Guards, drag him away and give him fifty strokes of the cane!"
The curtain was lifted, and two guards quickly came out, about to lift Pei Xuan up.
Knowing that Pei Xuan was always very composed, Shen Yanzhou quickly stepped forward upon seeing this: "Father! Minister Pei did not mean to offend us; he must have something urgent to attend to..."
"how?"
Shen Yuxi's gaze fell on Shen Yanzhou as he looked out from the imperial study, his tone turning colder.
"Has the Crown Prince forgotten the palace rules? Outsiders are not allowed to enter during meetings. This is a rule I set, or is it something you can change?"
Shen Yanzhou's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately knelt down: "Your subject dares not, your subject knows his mistake."
The guards had already grabbed Pei Xuan's arm and were about to drag him away.
Pei Xuan was so anxious that the veins on his forehead bulged. He knew that if he didn't speak up soon, Shi Wanxia would really be in danger!
"Your Majesty! If I have uttered even the slightest lie, I am willing to be executed by slow slicing! Just now, during the interrogation in the imperial prison, the traitors confessed."
"King Rongyang already knows that it was Miss Shi Wanxia from Chuzhou who devised the plan, and has already sent assassins and death squads from the 'Shadow Studio' to Chuzhou to take Lord Shi's life! Lord Shi is in danger right now!"
Upon hearing this, the Imperial Study fell silent instantly. Shen Yuxi's expression changed drastically; his previous anger vanished without a trace, replaced by a deep and imposing aura.
He lifted the curtain beside the dragon throne, strode out, his gaze falling on Pei Xuan, his voice filled with suppressed urgency: "Are you telling the truth? Have the traitors really confessed?"
"I swear on my life that every word I have said is true!"
Pei Xuan struggled to get up, but because he had knelt too quickly, his knees went numb and he almost fell.
Shen Yuxi stepped forward, his imperial aura causing everyone present to hesitate to look up. Only his voice was clear and powerful: "What are you all standing there for? Let Pei Shaoqing rise and come into the hall to report!"
The guards quickly released their grip, and Pei Xuan, enduring the pain in his knees, followed Shen Yuxi into the imperial study.
Seeing the emperor's solemn expression, the Grand Secretaries all fell silent and stood quietly to the side.
Pei Xuan knelt on the ground and reported the details of the interrogation one by one: "The deputy commander of the Imperial Guard could not withstand the torture and confessed that when Prince Rongyang learned that it was Miss Shi who came up with the method of investigating the rebels, he believed that Miss Shi was a major threat, so he urgently issued a kill order."
"The assassins from the 'photo studio' left the capital yesterday, and Rongyang King's assassins also went to Chuzhou in two batches, and are expected to arrive within five days."
Shen Yuxi sat on the dragon throne, his fingers gripping the armrests tightly, his knuckles turning white.
He remembered the girl from Chuzhou—during the Chuzhou floods, she, a woman, proposed the strategy of "repairing dikes and planting mulberry trees," which saved tens of thousands of people;
Now he has offered a brilliant strategy to break the rebels' hold in the capital, but in the end, he will be hunted down for this achievement!
"What a courage!"
Shen Yuxi slammed his hand on the dragon throne, his voice filled with fury.
"The traitorous Prince Rongyang not only dared to plot rebellion and murder the emperor, but also dared to kill meritorious officials! Does he think his empire is a place where he can act recklessly?"
Shen Yanzhou stood to the side, his face ashen.
I recall Shi Wanxia's appearance in Chuzhou, the delicate handwriting on the letter she handed me, and her concern for the people.
If anything happens to her, he will never let those traitors get away with it!
"Father!"
Shen Yanzhou stepped forward, his tone firm.
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you send elite troops to Chuzhou to protect Miss Shi! The rebels in the capital have been located, and Minister Pei and Prince Xiang are capable of handling them. I am willing to go to Chuzhou personally to ensure Miss Shi's safety!"
Shen Yuxi glanced at him, weighing his options. Although Pei Xuan and the Prince of Xiang were in the capital, the presence of the Crown Prince could stabilize the people's hearts.
But if the people sent to Shi Wanxia are not capable enough, they might not be able to protect her.
"You can't go."
Shen Yuxi said in a deep voice, "The Mid-Autumn Festival banquet is approaching. Although the rebels have been located, there may still be some who have escaped. You need to stay in the capital and take charge of the overall situation."
He turned to Pei Xuan, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Pei Shaoqing, you will immediately go to the capital garrison and dispatch three hundred elite cavalrymen, to be led by you personally."
"Horse forth to Chuzhou at top speed! Protect Lord Shi's life before the rebel assassins and death squad arrive!"
"If anything happens to Miss Shi, you don't need to come back!"
Pei Xuan felt a sense of relief and quickly kowtowed, "Your subject obeys! Your subject will certainly not fail in his mission and will swear to protect Lord Shi with his life!"
"besides."
Shen Yuxi then said, "By imperial decree, the prefect of Wangcheng shall immediately dispatch his troops to cooperate with the cavalry of the capital garrison to provide strict protection for the Shi residence and prevent any suspicious persons from approaching."
"Furthermore, order the post stations along the way to prepare horses so that Pei Shaoqing and his party will not be delayed!"
"Yes!"
Yu Heng immediately bowed and accepted the order, then hurried off to deliver it.
Pei Xuan stood up and was about to leave when Shen Yanzhou suddenly called out to him, "Young Master Pei!"
Pei Xuan turned around and saw the Crown Prince handing over a token from the Eastern Palace. His tone was somewhat urgent: "This is the token from the Eastern Palace. If there are any obstacles along the way, you can use this token to mobilize local troops."
"You must...you must protect Miss Shi."
Pei Xuan accepted the token and nodded solemnly: "Your Highness, rest assured, I will risk my life to ensure that Lord Shi is not harmed."
After saying that, Pei Xuan turned around and strode out of the imperial study. The hem of his official robe swept across the threshold, stirring up a gust of wind.