Chapter 312

"System, the emperor is acting way too slowly. It is one thing that he has not reeled in the net on the Sima family, but how can he let the Zhang family jump around until now? Zhang Tingji is just a Deputy Censor-in-Chief. Could he not find any excuse to strip him of his position?"

[Host, it will be soon. The Zhang family has in-laws everywhere. To avoid leaving any future troubles, and to neither kill an innocent nor let a guilty one go, the emperor must distinguish everything clearly before making a move.]

It was estimated that a batch of capital officials would soon be dismissed or demoted out of the capital, perfectly making room for the new imperial scholars next year.

"Little Zhu, why is this Zhang Tingji so agitated? Does the Fourth Prince have some connection with him?"

At this time, Emperor Mingxi, supported by the Crown Prince, had already walked to the center of the hall. He said to the civil and military officials standing on both sides, "The court session is suspended."

He then turned to Yue Fuguang and said, "Fuguang, come with me to see Old Four and Old Nine."

He had not finished enjoying this gossip yet. He also wanted to know what connection Zhang Tingji had with Old Four, or rather, the Southern Yue behind him.

"Your Majesty, the situation is unclear. It would be safer for us to accompany and protect you," Lord Feng Tang and a few other officials with martial arts skills stepped forward and requested.

Huo Ying bowed. "Indeed, Your Majesty. The rebels are rampant, and we are willing to attend by Your Majesty's side."

Yue Fuguang: If you guys reined in those expressions of wanting to continue gossiping, I might actually believe your loyalty to the monarch!

Emperor Mingxi pondered briefly and nodded in agreement. "Let us go see Old Four first!"

The Ninth Prince was already dead; seeing him a little earlier or later made no difference.

But Fourth Master Xie was injured after all, his life or death uncertain. Furthermore, he was his biological son. Even though he hated Concubine Xin and the Southern Yue behind her.

He did not have much affection for this son, whom the two ancestors called a menace, but he was his own flesh and blood after all. At this moment, even if just to put on a show for Southern Yue, he had to go see Old Four first.

[Host, the eighteen hundred points for the Ninth Prince have been credited to our account. The Fourth Prince is definitely not dead yet; his point contribution is still zero.]

The person and the system did not even need to consume system energy now; just looking at the point income told them who was dead and who was still alive.

"System, never mind the points for now. Please continue your performance."

[Master, the Zhang family favored the Fourth Prince early on and planned to send a daughter to be his secondary consort. After some discussion, the Zhang family chose Zhang Tingji's youngest daughter.

This is the normal reaction of a future father-in-law learning that his future son-in-law has been assassinated.

A ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‍son-in-law is half a son. Although the marriage has not been finalized, this Zhang Tingji has already adopted the role of a father-in-law, so of course he is as agitated as a biological father!]

"If this Fourth Master Xie dies early, would not this young lady of the Zhang family dodge a bullet?"

[Master, actually in the original timeline, Fourth Master Xie was also assassinated. That time, he was not only severely injured but also poisoned.

This Zhang Tingji gave Emperor Mingxi the idea of arranging a marriage to ward off bad luck, and volunteered, recommending his own daughter with a face full of loyalty to the sovereign.

It was just that because it was a marriage to ward off bad luck and the Fourth Prince's survival was uncertain, he temporarily changed the candidate from his youngest legitimate daughter to his third concubine-born daughter of a similar age.

However, according to the timeline, this should have happened three years later, and the ones who made the move were still the Ninth Prince's people.]

"Are you saying that this Zhang Tingji is very likely to propose a marriage to ward off bad luck again this time?"

[Yes, for the sake of power, he is very likely to sacrifice that third concubine-born daughter again. Master, will you save this Fourth Prince later?]

"Little Zhu, everyone knows he is a menace. The only reason I have not personally eliminated this threat is that I do not want to dirty my own hands. To ask me to actively save him, that is impossible!"

[What if the emperor, unaware of the truth, asks you for medicine?]

Emperor Mingxi's heart stirred; he also really wanted to know if the Junior Preceptor would give it.

"Then I will definitely give it!"

[Why?]

Emperor Mingxi and his officials had the same question in their hearts.

The Junior Preceptor was not someone easy to talk to. If she really did not want to, even their Majesty could not force her the slightest bit.

She had just said she would not save him, but now she said she would give the medicine if His Majesty asked. What was her plan?

Emperor Mingxi also wanted to know what Yue Fuguang was thinking. For some reason, he always felt that what followed would not be anything good!

It could only be said that Emperor Mingxi understood Yue Fuguang's temper too well. Just as he thought this, he heard by his ear, "Why else? If the emperor asks for medicine, it only means that Fourth Master Xie is not fated to die. If Heaven wants to destroy his Great Yan Dynasty, I will naturally help make it happen!"

Emperor Mingxi's face darkened. Since when did you give the Heavenly Dao so much face? It wants to destroy Great Yan and you just go along with it?

Why did he find that so hard to believe!

[Master, Fourth Master Xie's destructive power is indeed great, but it is not enough to truly destroy Great Yan; that was the result of efforts from multiple parties!]

The result of efforts from multiple parties? Xie Zhiyan, who was supporting the emperor, twitched the corner of his mouth. The divine artifact, having studied for so long, still used such dramatic wording!

Emperor Mingxi: Then do you two dare to list the names of all those parties who made the effort? He guaranteed he would beat them all to death, leaving not a single one alive!

"But since Fourth Master Xie did not die after being severely injured by an assassination in the original timeline, maybe he will not die this time even without us saving him."

[Master, the swords used to assassinate Fourth Master Xie were all coated with deadly poison, so he is not only injured but also poisoned.]

"Poisoned? Isn't that the area of expertise of his biological mother Concubine Xin and his grandmaster Yue Ying? How could a grand-disciple of Du Zhongxian die from poisoning?"

Emperor Mingxi and his officials also felt that in this imperial palace, other than the Crown Prince and his wife who had been bestowed medicine by the Junior Preceptor, Fourth Master Xie was the only one who didn't fear being poisoned.

For someone who manufactured poisons long-term, who wouldn't have some antidotes on them?

[Master, this time is different. The poison Fourth Master Xie was afflicted with is Spider Lily, a rare new poison recently developed by Li Sanming. Just hearing the name, you know that those who are poisoned by it will most likely have to take a trip to the banks of the River of Forgetfulness.]

"Li Sanming's latest work? Who is so capable as to use the Poison King's medicine on Fourth Master Xie right after it was produced?"

[It was done by the Tianxing Pavilion. The mastermind behind it is naturally Northern Li.]

"Why did Northern Li suddenly target Fourth Master Xie? Firstly, he is not favored, and secondly, he has no real power. Moreover, he is still being assassinated by the noble families. The people of Northern Li could completely sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, reaping the spoils without lifting a finger."

[It is precisely because of these recent assassinations that the people staying by the Ninth Prince's side saw clearly the Fourth Prince's strength. They also figured out the fact that he, just like the Ninth Prince, is a pawn of Southern Yue, except that compared to the Ninth Prince, he is the Emperor's biological son.

The Tianxing Pavilion's poisoning of the Fourth Prince this time was also carried out by blending into the attacks of the noble family alliance.

Even if the Emperor investigates, he won't trace it back to them.]

"Is Northern Li in such a hurry to get rid of Fourth Master Xie because his role clashes with the Ninth Prince's?

Why is it that the people of Northern Li have figured out Fourth Master Xie's background, yet the Emperor still seems completely oblivious?"

[Because he's stupid?]

Emperor Mingxi was almost pushed over the edge by the word stupid. He didn't even need to pretend to be sad anymore; his steps genuinely staggered as he walked.

"Imperial Father, Fourth Brother will be fine. Please don't worry too much!"

The Crown Prince supported Emperor Mingxi, offering a timely reminder that sounded like a comforting remark.