Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 162 Request the Empress to Abdicate

"Boom boom boom!"

Hearing the knocking at the door and the approaching footsteps of soldiers, Li Xian was terrified and dared not even leave the Eastern Palace. Then, Wang Tongjiao's voice came from outside:

"The late Emperor passed the throne to Your Highness, but Your Highness was unjustly imprisoned and deposed. The people of the world are filled with righteous indignation. Now, the two Zhang brothers are by the Emperor's side, eliminating dissidents and may seize the throne at any time. The people's hearts are now with the Li Tang dynasty. The generals of the Imperial Guard at the North Gate and the officials of the Southern Court are united in their determination to eliminate the two Zhang brothers and other treacherous villains and restore the Li dynasty. We urge Your Highness to come to Xuanwu Gate as soon as possible and take command of the army!"

Separated by a door, Li Xian replied tremblingly, "Treacherous and wicked people should be eliminated, but His Majesty is currently unwell. Your actions are inappropriate and will also lead me into injustice. It would be better to deal with them slowly in the future!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Tongjiao was so angry that he cursed inwardly. He said in a firm tone, "Your Highness, we risked our lives to protect our country. If Your Highness retreats like this, where do you place us? Are you going to subject us all to the cruel punishment of having our families wiped out? Why don't you come out and explain things to the soldiers yourself!"

Li Xian was trembling with fear. These soldiers were not to be dismissed with just a few words. Wang Tongjiao was clearly forcing him to launch a palace coup.

If they fail, not only will Wang Tongjiao and the Imperial Guards be in danger, but Li Xian's entire family will also be at risk.

Now that he is the crown prince, why would he do something so dangerous? Wouldn't it be better to wait for his mother to pass away before ascending the throne?
Just as Li Xian was at his wits' end and didn't know how to deal with it, Lady Wei tearfully advised him: "Your Highness, think about our Chongrun and Yongtai, who died because of the slanderous words of the Zhang brothers. We have been cowardly in Fangling all our lives. Do we have to continue to be cowardly? What will our repeated forbearance get us?"
Do you really want your concubine and daughter to die at the hands of those two Zhang brothers?

Li Guo'er also said, "Yes, Father, since the people's hearts are with us and all the generals of the Imperial Guards obey your orders, what are you afraid of? Father, don't forget what you promised us, mother and daughter."

What did he promise? "If I become rich and powerful, I will not forget you." His wife and children had suffered too much with him, and he could not let them down again!

Looking at Lady Wei and Li Guo'er, tears welled up in Li Xian's eyes. He steeled his resolve and ordered the gates of the Eastern Palace to be opened.

Wang Tongjiao, Li Duozuo, and hundreds of imperial guards breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the East Palace gates wide open and Li Xian emerge from the hall. Without a word, Wang Tongjiao immediately carried Li Xian onto his horse and rode straight towards the Xuanwu Gate.

At this very moment, the Empress was enjoying a moment of peace and pleasure brought to her by the two Zhang brothers in the Jixian Palace. Wisps of smoke drifted from the gilded beast-head incense burner on the table, making the Empress's expression slightly dazed, as if she saw the figure of the woman in her dream again in the drifting white smoke.

"Just as I thought, it just came a little earlier than in my dream!"

The Empress suddenly hesitated, a slight smile appearing on her lips. "However, since you're not here this time, we should be able to escape this calamity, right?"

"Your Majesty, what are you saying?" Zhang Changzong asked softly while massaging her back.

A tear slowly slid down the corner of the Empress's eye, and she sighed, "The time is almost up, and I feel guilty towards both of you."

"Why does Your Majesty say such a thing?" Zhang Yizhi was flattered and overwhelmed. It was the first time he had heard the Empress say that she felt guilty towards them!
Yes! They have served as the Sage's eyes and ears for many years, bearing countless infamy and offending almost all the civil and military officials and members of the royal family. They are loyal only to the Sage and can only depend on him. One can imagine what would happen to them if the Empress suddenly passed away.
"It would be our honor to go through fire and water for the sage, to serve him with utmost loyalty!"

The Empress nodded and said, "Then accompany me calmly to the end, without fear or cowardice!"

What does it mean to not be afraid or timid?
Although the two Zhang brothers did not understand what it meant, they had a premonition of something and felt a chill in their hearts. Just then, the sound of clashing swords and spears and heavy, chaotic footsteps came from outside the Jixian Palace, along with the cries for help from palace maids and eunuchs.

Zhang Changzong's expression changed drastically: "Someone has launched a palace coup! Someone has rebelled?"

"Your Majesty, someone has rebelled! What should we do?"

As he spoke, the two brothers were so frightened that they almost urinated. "I just said, there is no need to be afraid. Everyone must die. Facing death calmly is also a kind of integrity and character."

The two Zhang brothers slumped to the ground, realizing that it was no longer possible to rely on this old woman for protection, and frantically searched for a place to hide and escape.

But before they had gone far from the Jixian Palace, they saw a mob of soldiers who had fought their way to the corridor in front of the palace, and General Li Duozuo, who was leading them.

"General Li, my brother and I have never intended to be your enemies."

They dismissed many people from the Imperial Guard, but they didn't touch Li Duozuo, who had guarded the North Gate for more than 30 years, because they thought there was still a chance to win him over.

"Flatterers and sycophants, if I were to associate with such shameless people as you, wouldn't that tarnish my lifelong reputation as a general?"

Having said that, he slashed with his sword and severed the heads of Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong. Then, carrying their heads, he followed Crown Prince Li Xian, Prime Minister Zhang Jianzhi, Cui Xuanwei, Huan Yanfan, and others to the Empress's palace in Jixian Hall.

At this moment, the Empress had already dressed herself properly and was sitting on the couch, seemingly waiting for their arrival.

Even though her hair was already gray, her face was covered with wrinkles, and she was frail with illness, the majesty of the empress still prevented the group of ministers who had barged in from taking another step forward.

"Coming here in the dead of night, are you trying to rebel?"

Zhang Jianzhi said, "Your Majesty, it was the Zhang brothers who plotted a rebellion. We were ordered by the Crown Prince to purge the court of corrupt officials, but we did not report to Your Majesty for fear of leaking information. Please forgive us!"

Having said that, he ordered Li Duozuo to throw the two heads in front of the Empress.

The Empress merely glanced at him indifferently, then looked at Li Xian and asked, "Xian'er, was this your doing?"

Li Xian trembled with fear and dared not answer. Then he heard her say, "Since that's the case, the Zhang brothers are dead. You may go back!"

Upon hearing this, Li Xian almost turned and ran away, rushing back to his Eastern Palace. However, Lady Wei stopped him, saying, "Mother, how can the Crown Prince return to the Eastern Palace? The late Emperor entrusted the Crown Prince to you, and now he is already quite old, yet he remains the heir apparent in the Eastern Palace. Since it is the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people that yearn for the Li family, I beg you, Mother, to follow the will of Heaven and pass the throne to the Crown Prince!"

Having said that, she straightened her appearance and said, "Please, Mother Empress, abdicate!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the ministers and imperial guards of the Manji Immortal Palace shouted, "Please, Your Majesty, obey the will of Heaven and pass the throne to the Crown Prince!"

As the Empress looked at Lady Wei, the image of that woman appeared in her mind once again. It was a familiar scene, but the person was different. So, in her previous life, who was the one who killed her?
This person could not possibly be her son, Li Xian.

"So it was you!" She looked at Madam Wei and suddenly smiled ambiguously.

Without the veil of secrecy and without others to fight for you, people's ambitions are laid bare.

"Very well!" The Empress's gaze swept over Lady Wei like an icy blade, then turned to Li Xian and said, "Xian'er, I will pass the throne to you, but you must promise me one thing: to kill your wife, Lady Wei. Do you agree?"