Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 184 Someone Blocks the Way, Final Arrangements

"Poisoning the emperor and plotting to usurp the throne."

"I'm afraid Your Highness won't be able to return!"

A powerful, indifferent aura, accompanied by a hunched, aged figure and voice, suddenly descended and stood before the gates of the Qianqing Palace. Just by standing there, even the gentle breeze flowing within the palace walls seemed to cease its blowing.

Although he was disabled, his body had been worn down by the years and was old and frail.

In everyone's sight, his appearance seemed to be the only scenery that isolated the world from him. His full head of silver hair fluttered in the wind, and even though his figure was desolate and hunched, he gave people a feeling of extreme power and terror.

Zhu Wushi, who had just been resurrected, looked back with a pale face, his back instantly soaked with cold sweat.

The Three Treasures Eunuch, Zheng He!
"A mere terrestrial immortal realm, who gave you the courage to block my path?"

"To spout nonsense and utter wild words in front of me?"

Zhu Jinzhen looked at the old eunuch blocking the way in front of the Qianqing Palace without any surprise. Since he came to power, he had been aware of every little thing happening in the capital.

There were a few things in the Forbidden City that caught his eye, and naturally, they were also within his 'watchful eye'.

Zheng He's cultivation was not weak; he was at the peak of the Land Immortal Realm. Among the outsiders that Zhu Jinzhen had seen, his strength could be ranked in the top five, along with Tong Chi, Yin Zhong, Zhang Sanfeng, and then Phagpa and Zheng He.

Unfortunately, with this level of strength, he was not qualified to be presumptuous in front of Zhu Jinzhen.

"Your Majesty!"

An overwhelming pressure descended, and before Zheng He could prepare, the ground beneath his feet cracked, and his already frail and hunched body instantly collapsed to his knees before Zhu Jinzhen.

"Crack!"

The ground shattered inch by inch, and Zheng He's blood from his knees mixed with the stone fragments, flying in all directions.

That was his rebellion against being forced into submission.

"puff"

Unfortunately, Zheng He didn't understand what kind of being he was facing. The more he resisted, the greater the backlash, and he began coughing up large amounts of blood.
"How...how is this possible? You...you are..."

Zheng He raised his head in disbelief. He was a prodigy, having started learning martial arts at the age of four and mastering it by the age of ten. He followed Emperor Taizong through the Jingnan Campaign and reached the realm of a terrestrial immortal at the age of fifty. He made seven voyages to the Western Ocean and was invincible.

Even Zhang Zhenren of Wudang had fought against him.

Therefore, he doesn't take battles of the same level seriously.

But now, in front of Prince Su, who suddenly broke into the palace with the intention of seizing power and poisoning the emperor, he was as weak as an ant and could not be defeated. Zhu Jinzhen gave the order, and he had no choice but to kneel down and submit, unable to resist any longer.

Such a gap was something even Emperor Taizong at his peak could not achieve.

This left Zheng He with only one possibility to consider.

"Considering your zeal to protect your lord and your meritorious service in protecting our Great Ming Dynasty, you may step down!"

Zhu Jinzhen had no interest in explaining things to him. With a flick of his sleeve, he sent the disheveled Zheng He flying backward.

Not to mention that his cultivation level has now surpassed the terrestrial celestial realm, making him the true strongest among mortals, even before he synchronized his cultivation level with Tong Chi, Zhu Jinzhen did not take terrestrial immortals of the same realm seriously.

If Zheng He was a genius, then Zhu Jinzhen was a prodigy.

If Zhu Jinzhen, who was in the same position, wanted to kill Zheng He, it would be as easy as slaughtering pigs and dogs, let alone now?
Just before Zhu Jinzhen was about to leave the Qianqing Palace, he noticed Zhu Houzhao lying in a corner, his body still twitching, and there was even some indescribable substance mixed with poisonous blood on the ground. He turned around and glared at Yang Ning: "Next time, just add some croton to the poisoned wine, don't make it look like the croton water was laced with poison."

"Yes, I will remember that."

Yang Ning's eyelids twitched violently, and he quickly agreed, not daring to refute anything.

As for whether he harbored resentment in his heart, or whether this whole affair was arranged by Zhu Jinzhen, only Yang Ning himself knew the answer to those thoughts.

……

After Zhu Jinzhen patted his behind and left.

Zhu Houzhao, who had been lying dead, got up again, filled with confusion and pain.

The repeated resurrections of the dead gave Zhu Houzhao a temporary 'experience', and without a word, he rushed towards a certain place. It wasn't until more than half an hour later, urged by Yang Ning, that he returned to the Qianqing Palace. At this time, the person in charge of the Qianqing Palace had changed.

The Blood-Handed Phoenix Changsun Wangqing, whose face is covered by the Heavenly Net Mask.

She sat on the dragon throne, gazing indifferently at Zhu Wushi and the others kneeling on the ground, as well as Zhu Houzhao who had just returned after washing up: "The morning court session tomorrow will proceed as usual. His Highness has already given the instructions, so I will not repeat them here."

"The first thing, Xue Shan."

"The end will be here."

Xue Shan is a young general of Cangyun. He is a member of the Xue Zhi clan, the deputy commander of Cangyun. He was one of the first Cangyun soldiers to enter the martial arts cultivation furnace and his martial arts cultivation reached the realm of terrestrial immortals.

He was also one of the heads of the secret guards.

"This time, Zhu Wushi and his cronies have been trying to usurp the throne by deceiving the emperor. The Eastern and Western Depots' Embroidered Uniform Guards have done nothing. You will temporarily take over and work with Yang Ning to manage all affairs of the palace." After giving the instructions, Changsun Wangqing looked at Zhu Houzhao in front of her: "The emperor should have no objections, right?"

"No."

Zhu Houzhao calmly shook his head.

The fact that Changsun Wangqing could appear here, and directly sit on the dragon throne issuing orders, with Cangyun Tiance obeying him, means that even the most foolish Zhu Houzhao could guess what it meant.

She secretly wondered if this was another person like Empress Xiaoci Gao or Empress Chengxiao Zhao.

As for the Eastern Depot, Western Depot, and Embroidered Uniform Guard?

When Zhu Wushi led the cabinet to force Zhu Houzhao to abdicate and seize the throne, Zhu Houzhao received no news whatsoever, and did not even see a single person from the Eastern Depot, Western Depot, or Embroidered Uniform Guard protecting him. This foreshadowed their eventual abandonment.

Let alone taking over the Eastern and Western Depots and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, even if Changsun Wangqing wanted to lock them all up and imprison them, Zhu Houzhao would absolutely not dare to say a word against it.

"Your subordinate obeys." Xue Shan bowed and accepted the order.

"The second matter, Yang Ning, since His Highness has entrusted you with this important task, you will temporarily be in charge of the Imperial Guards and the Twelve Battalions, as well as the East and West Offices. Continue to block the nine gates of the capital and ensure that no information leaks out."

"Furthermore, control the capital city and ensure that no one escapes."

"Even carrier pigeons are not allowed to fly out."

"This subordinate obeys the order." Yang Ning bowed and accepted the order.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Houzhao subconsciously looked at Zhu Wushi, and then said, "Without the military tally, it would be difficult to mobilize the Imperial Guards, the Twelve Battalions, the East Office, and the West Office, wouldn't it?"

"Weapon Talisman?"

Yang Ning scoffed, "The military tally is used to mobilize generals, not troops. Besides... isn't the Divine Marquis right here? Getting the military tally is easy, isn't it?"

"Will the Divine Marquis put up a stubborn resistance, or will he obediently hand over the military tally?"

Yang Ning asked with a half-smile.

"I...I'll pay!"

When Zhu Wushi uttered those two words, it was as if he had used all his strength. Although he was ambitious, he was a smart man and knew that he couldn't fight city hall.

"Well, a man who knows the times is a wise man."

Yang Ning gave Zhu Houzhao a look that said, "Look, getting the military tally is easy enough."

Changsun Wangqing also looked at Zhu Houzhao: "Your Majesty, your task is to cooperate with Zhu Wushi and the others to finish this charade."

"Understood, I—no, I will definitely cooperate fully." Zhu Houzhao nodded hastily, subconsciously tightening his legs. All his little schemes had vanished after dying twice and once in a short period of time.

Even if Zhu Houzhao were to continue as emperor now, he wouldn't have the face to continue.

He could only pray in his heart that the history books would never record that the Zhengde Emperor, in broad daylight, clutched his stomach and vented his anger wildly in the palace, ultimately dying a violent death (from poison).

Otherwise, he would really have died three times.

(End of this chapter)