Chapter 1923

At this moment, Princess Xue Lingjun entered Tianhe Dian under the protection of a retinue; Li Chen Zhou secretly gloated, for whether Xue Lingjun was willing or not, today she had no choice but to stand beside him. He gave Shi Kuang, the leader of the Goldscale Guard standing behind Xue Lingjun, a look that could be understood but not spoken. Without Shi Kuang as an insider in the Goldscale Guard, how could he have so easily controlled the palace? Today's situation must be resolved; he must not continue to indulge Xue Daoming any longer. If he misses this opportunity, he fears he will no longer be able to restrain this scoundrel's rising momentum.

Xue Lingjun came to the court, unable to help but let out a sigh: "His Majesty just went to north****, why has it become like this?"

Li Chen Zhou clasped his hands feigning respect and said: "Report to Princess Xue Lingjun, Xiang Linren joined forces with Dong Bingkun and others to rebel; fortunately it was discovered in time."

Xue Lingjun nodded and said: "What audacity! Where are those rebels now?"

Li Chen Zhou said: "Xiang Linren, putting up a desperate resistance, was killed on the spot; Dong Bingkun fled in panic and is now wanted; surely he cannot escape Yongdu."

Upon hearing this, all officials were shocked; even Dong Bingkun and Xiang Linren had already lost power, let alone them. His Majesty really should not have left at this time; no one expected that as soon as His Majesty departed, Li Chen Zhou would launch swift and decisive measures behind the scenes. In fact, this phenomenon is not the first occurrence; Li Chen Zhou had previously staged a grand power‑seizing drama in Cien Garden. In that palace upheaval, the deceased were Empress Jiang and Xue Daohong, the one who escaped was Prince Yan Xue Shengjing, and the victors were Li Chen Zhou and Princess Xue Lingjun.

The current situation forced Li Chen Zhou and Xue Lingjun to stir up another storm; they must eliminate dissidents and prevent Xue Daoming's power from continuing to swell.

For Li Chen Zhou, this too is an unavoidable action; Dakang has already confiscated his father's property and imprisoned him. Before the situation worsens further, he must firmly hold Da Yong's situation in his own hands; only then can he avoid peril and possibly rescue his father.

Although all civil and military officials are aware of the relationship between Xue Lingjun and Li Chen Zhou, Xue Lingjun's royal lineage ultimately carries more persuasive weight; Li Chen Zhou's summoning of Xue Lingjun at this moment is merely to have a just cause.

Xue Lingjun glanced at Sun Weiyuan's face with her eyes; Sun Weiyuan shouted: "Princess Xue Lingjun, I am innocent!"

Xue Lingjun calmly said: "If you are wronged, you should tell His Majesty, but His Majesty is not here."

Li Chen Zhou snorted coldly: "If His Majesty had not gone to Bei Jiang, these scoundrels would not dare to take advantage and rebel!"

Everyone secretly cursed Li Chen Zhou; the traitor is himself—truly a thief crying "catch the thief!"

Xue Lingjun said: "Although His Majesty is absent, we cannot let these rebels run amok; drag them out and behead them!"

Sun Weiyuan, also a veteran official of three reigns, never expected Xue Lingjun to so casually order his execution; everyone felt a chill, Sun Weiyuan could not accept it, having forgotten fear, he shouted: "Li Chen Zhou, you traitor, you cover the sky with one hand, dominate the court; Xue Lingjun, you ****, you aid the tyrant, do you deserve His Majesty? Do you deserve the ancestors of the Xue clan?"

Hearing this, Li Chen Zhou flew into a rage, drew his waist sword, and thrust it through Sun Weiyuan's chest; Sun Weiyuan cried out in anguish, collapsed limp on the ground, and blood instantly pooled everywhere.

Seeing this scene, everyone felt horrified; no one dared to speak, their hearts filled only with sorrow and helplessness.

Li Chen Zhou coldly said: "Shouting in court, insulting the Princess, speaking nonsense, confusing right and wrong—death is more than deserved!"

Yet a trace of reluctance flickered in Xue Lingjun's beautiful eyes; she bit her lip, turned her face away, unable to bear watching Sun Weiyuan still twitching in the pool of blood.

Li Chen Zhou said: "Before His Majesty left the capital, he specially left a secret edict: if any disturbance occurs in the palace, Princess Xue Lingjun shall temporarily oversee state affairs." He raised the imperial decree in his hand.

The officials understood that Li Chen Zhou was repeating his old trick; this edict was likely forged by him, and no one dared to expose him, for His Majesty is now in Bei Jiang, and looking at the court, no one can restrain him. Joining forces with Princess Xue Lingjun, this time they aim to put Xue Lingjun on the forefront, emulating Dakang by promoting a woman to hold power. Though the officials were unwilling, faced with Li Chen Zhou's aggressive demeanor and ruthless methods, none dared to speak up.

The ministers all understood in their hearts that Li Chenzhou was employing his old trick again; this edict was most likely forged by himself, and since no one dared to expose him, with the Emperor now in Bei Jiang, a glance at the court showed there was no one who could restrain him. Joining forces with Grand Princess Xue Lingjun, this time they intend to put Xue Lingjun on the forefront, emulating Dakang, and push forward a woman of low status to control power. Though the ministers were unwilling in their hearts, faced with Li Chenzhou's aggressive and overbearing demeanor and his ruthless, merciless methods, nobody dared to speak up voluntarily.

At that moment, a loud announcement came from outside: "His Majesty has arrived!"

Everyone's heart jolted; Li Chen Zhou was utterly astonished. His Majesty back? Impossible—Xue Daoming clearly went to Bei Jiang; how could he return so quickly? The journey hardly allows it; I have repeatedly confirmed his itinerary, it should not be wrong.

All eyes in the court turned toward the outside as one; they saw Xue Daoming striding into Tianhe Dian accompanied by Minister of Personnel Dong Bingtai.

Li Chen Zhou's heart sank; he almost immediately concluded that Xue Daoming was the Emperor himself—this scoundrel had indeed not left. He quickly realized the key: Xue Daoming and Dong Bingtai, among others, must have deliberately released a smokescreen, making him believe Xue Daoming had gone to Bei Jiang****, whereas in fact the one who went to Bei Jiang was likely a stand‑in; after Li Chen Zhou acted, the evidence would be solid, and only then would they reveal themselves.

Seeing the Emperor appear, civil and military officials rejoiced; today's events truly were a case of first suppressing then elevating—originally the Emperor had always been in Yongdu, and he intended to devise a way to eliminate Li Chen Zhou, this traitor.

Xue Daoming angrily said: "Li Chen Zhou, do you know your crime?"

Li Chen Zhou laughed loudly: "Your Majesty, what words are these? I, as a servant of the court, have removed treacherous ministers and quelled rebellion—what crime have I committed? Your Majesty must not be deceived by those harboring malicious intent, nor listen to slander that obscures sight and hearing!" As he spoke, his eyes fixed on Dong Bingtai.

Dong Bingtai said: "Li Chen Zhou, you have framed the loyal, slaughtered colleagues, and now still wish to deceive the Emperor; let me ask you—what exactly is the Dakang Grand Tutor Wen Chenghuan to you? What is your relationship with him?"

Li Chen Zhou's heart tightened; the worst scenario had indeed come to pass—it seemed his father's true identity had been exposed; he merely gave a cold smile and said nothing.

Dong Bingtai continued: "If you refuse to answer, I will answer for you: the Dakang Grand Tutor Wen Chenghuan is actually Li Mingzhao, who feigned death and defected to Dakang years ago; he is your biological father. Alas, the loyal and righteous Marquis Jingguo spent his life in fidelity, yet he left you this father‑son pair, disloyal and unfilial, selling out Da Yong's interests for personal gain, colluding with Dakang to plot the overthrow of our dynasty!"

Upon hearing him insult his father as a traitor of Da Yong, Li Chen Zhou thought of his poor father who had abandoned family, endured humiliation, concealed his name for many years, only to meet such an end; unable to contain himself, he roared: "Shut your mouth!"

Dong Bingtai chuckled: "Why do you tell me to be silent again? Are you afraid I will speak the truth?" He turned to the officials: "If you doubt it, simply ask Princess Xue Lingjun—when she was sent on a mission to Dakang, what gift did she present to Grand Tutor Wen?"

Ding Bingtai chuckled and said, "Why do you keep silencing me again? Are you worried I'll speak the truth?" He turned to the officials and said, "If you don't believe me, just go ask the Grand Princess—when she was on her mission to Dakang, what exactly did she give to Grand Tutor Wen as a gift?"

Xue Lingjun sighed, her charming eyes gazing at Li Chen Zhou; she slowly shook her head and said apologetically: "I never expected you to collude with Wen Chenghuan and betray Da Yong's interests."

Li Chen Zhou's eyes filled with bewilderment and shock; he could never have imagined that Xue Lingjun would betray him—the woman who had once been his, the first woman of true significance in his life, would actually turn against him.

Xue Lingjun bit her cherry lip and said: "As a member of the imperial clan, how could I betray my ancestors' lineage, let alone hand over the realm to a wolf‑hearted ambition like you?"

Her words lashed at Li Chen Zhou's heart like a long whip; he felt his innermost being bleed, he slowly nodded and gave Shi Kuang a glance, but Shi Kuang remained unmoved.

Li Chen Zhou suddenly understood; he turned to Xue Daoming and said coldly: "I underestimated you, but what can you possibly do to me?"

Dong Bingtai said: "His Majesty has never liked taking risks."

From behind them stepped several people; Li Chen Zhou looked ahead and saw they removed their human‑skin masks, revealing the leader to be none other than Qiu Xian Guang, master of the Sword Palace, who stared at Li Chen Zhou with wooden, emotionless eyes.

Li Chen Zhou nodded resentfully: "Qiu Xian Guang, you dare to oppose me as well?"

Qiu Xian Guang said: "The Sword Palace's mission has always been solely to guard the court, not to serve a rebel."

Li Chen Zhou laughed loudly, feeling heavy footsteps behind him—surely it was Shi Kuang; the Goldscale Guard and Sword Palace disciples had already surrounded the Emperor and Princess Xue Lingjun, placing Li Chen Zhou amidst a ring of top‑level experts. His gaze swept through the crowd and locked onto Xue Daoming's eyes: "Xue Daoming, do not forget that you personally killed your imperial elder brother, the true Emperor of Da Yong."

Xue Daoming's heart instantly turned panicked, then furious; he roared: "Kill him, for my sake, kill him!"

Li Chen Zhou had already drawn his sword and charged forward; he intended to break through Qiu Xian Guang, confident he could slay him, burst out of that gap, then confront Xue Daoming and Dong Bingtai head‑on; even if forced to retreat, he would still kill those two. Compared to that, Shi Kuang's martial prowess behind him exceeds Qiu Xian Guang's somewhat, while the Sword Palace disciples at Qiu Xian Guang's side are hardly worth fearing.

Li Chen Zhou has always been a meticulous, carefully scheming person; although he just miscalculated once, he still retains confidence, believing he will not err again. (To be continued~^~)

Li Chen Zhou has always been a person with meticulous thinking and well-planned schemes; although he just made a miscalculation once, he still retains confidence, believing he will not make a mistake again. (To be continued~^~)