Chapter 449: Bronze Vat (First Update)

“And... and several of the great clans within the Imperial Capital seem... seem to have already submitted to the Third Prince.”

The man continued to speak stammery.

Emperor Jiawen felt as if he had been struck by lightning; his entire body froze in place.

“What do you mean by that!”

The man emboldened himself to lift his eyes and scan the room, but quickly lowered them again.

“It’s just... those clan heads... they seem to have already reached an agreement with the Third Prince. After the rebel army entered the capital, they encountered almost no resistance whatsoever!”

In truth, the moment Emperor Jiawen heard these words, he understood their meaning.

But he felt it was too absurd! So much so that he subconsciously dared not believe it.

A deathly silence fell over the great hall.

Emperor Jiawen’s vision went dark.

“How is that possible!? These clans were all supported by my own hands! Never—”

Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly thought of something and jerked his gaze toward the crowd standing in the hall!

“You! Among you, there are also those who betrayed me long ago!?”

One had to realize that most of the heads of the great clans in the Imperial Capital were standing right here!

If Rong Jiu had led his troops in without any hindrance along the way, it proved that someone had already given the signal!

What responded to him was an even more terrifying silence.

“Is it you? Or you?! Or is it all of you!?”

Emperor Jiawen never imagined that things would take such a massive turn!

No wonder Rong Jiu was acting so insolently; it turned out he had been fully prepared all along!

So many people had betrayed him in secret, yet he hadn't known a thing!

“Who is it, exactly!?”

Emperor Jiawen suddenly felt waves of chill running through his body.

“Your Majesty, please calm yourself first! This official guarantees with his life that the Si family has absolutely not betrayed you!”

Si Yezhi stepped forward and spoke in a heavy voice.

After Rong Jiu had escaped the execution grounds earlier, he had searched for a long time without success. Later, upon hearing that Rong Jiu had successfully reached the city gates, he had returned to the palace to plead for forgiveness.

He hadn't expected that in such a short time, things would turn out like this!

“Your Majesty, the Chu family is the same!”

Chu Xiao hurriedly spoke up to declare his loyalty.

Ever since he was severely reprimanded in the Imperial Study last time, Chu Xiao had not visited.

Now that he finally had an opportunity, he naturally wanted to curry favor as much as possible.

Subsequently, a few scattered individuals spoke up one after another.

However, the Gu and Lu families among the four great families remained silent for a long time.

Emperor Jiawen trembled with rage

“The remaining ones who haven't spoken... have they all submitted to that bastard!?”

Suddenly, a familiar voice drifted in from outside the great hall.

“Imperial Father, haven't you already seen clearly how things stand? Why bother asking to the very end? It will only make your own face look even worse.”

Emperor Jiawen snapped his head up to look. A squad of soldiers was rapidly approaching the hall! They then split up to stand on both sides!

A murderous figure stepped out from among them!

It was none other than Rong Jiu!

Not long ago, he had been dressed in prisoner's rags, looking wretched and miserable, waiting for the guillotine to fall.

Yet now, he was clad in armor, leading his soldiers, arriving with an imposing and aggressive aura!

Finally, he came to a halt outside the hall! He stared fixedly at Emperor Jiawen!

“Imperial Father, have you been well?”

A sliver of fear finally surged in Emperor Jiawen's heart.

“Guards! Protect His Majesty!”

Chu Xiao immediately led the others to rush forward.

However, before they could even steady themselves, they heard Rong Jiu say indifferently

“This Prince did not intend to implicate the innocent. As long as you submit now, this Prince guarantees that I will never touch the members of your families.”

Chu Xiao immediately shouted at the top of his lungs

“You are committing treason! It is a capital crime! His Majesty is the only Son of Heaven! Rong Jiu, by doing this, you will only bring about your own destruction!”

“Oh? Is that so?”

Rong Jiu raised the polearm in his hand and slowly wiped away a streak of blood from it.

“Great Elder Chu, you probably don't know yet, but the entire Imperial Capital is now under this Prince's control, right?”

Chu Xiao's heart skipped a beat. Looking at Rong Jiu's expression, an inexplicable sense of unease arose.

Could it be... could it be that this time, Rong Jiu really wins!?

Beside him, Si Yezhi said coldly

“Rong Jiu! You murdered the Empress, and now you intend to rebel. You deserve death!”

As he spoke, the Origin Power surged within him, and he prepared to strike!

Rong Jiu sneered.

“This Prince hates the Empress, but the one who killed her was someone else.”

Si Yezhi froze.

“You're lying!”

His Majesty had said so personally, and he had even investigated privately afterward. The people responsible for guarding outside the Empress's palace that day all pointed to Rong Jiu as the killer!

How could it have been someone else?!

“This Prince has already brought troops all the way here; what is there to lie about?” Rong Jiu looked at Emperor Jiawen with pure mockery. “As for the truth of the matter, you should ask Imperial Father properly!”

Si Yezhi was stunned for a moment.

What Rong Jiu said did make sense. If he had already raised an army to rebel, why would he deny killing the Empress?

Unless—it really wasn't him!

Si Yezhi turned his stiff neck to look at Emperor Jiawen.

Emperor Jiawen shouted sternly

“Elder Ye! Where is Elder Ye!?”

Such a massive event had occurred in the palace, yet Elder Ye had still not appeared!?

At this moment, Emperor Jiawen did not know that Elder Ye, who had been responsible for guarding Elder Zongye, was also encountering some trouble.

Seeing no hope in seeking help from Elder Ye, Emperor Jiawen thought of something else.

“The Xuanming Array!?”

The Xuanming Array was the defensive formation of the Yaochen Kingdom's Imperial Palace, but only now did he remember that when Rong Jiu and the others broke in, the Xuanming Array hadn't been activated at all!

Rong Jiu said

“Oh, right, Imperial Father. I forgot to tell you. That Xuanming Array is also under this Prince's control now. If you wish to go take a look, this Prince can personally escort you. How does that sound?”

Emperor Jiawen felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar! Then, he actually coughed up a mouthful of blood in sheer rage!

Chu Xiao, standing nearby, was splattered with a few drops of blood. He wanted to reach out to support him, but remembering what Rong Jiu had just said, he suddenly felt a surge of cowardice and took a step back.

As for the others, what was there left to not understand? Naturally, they all scrambled to avoid him!

Emperor Jiawen pointed a trembling finger at Rong Jiu

“You... you—”

Rong Jiu tilted his chin up slightly, his expression cold.

“It seems Imperial Father's health is not very good; you should rest properly.”

As he spoke, he raised his hand.

“Guards, send Imperial Father to Qinghe Hall to recuperate in peace.”

Emperor Jiawen immediately screamed

“You dare!”

Rong Jiu was clearly intending to imprison him!

He grit his teeth

“Rong Jiu, don't think that because you have the upper hand, I am helpless! I—”

Before he could finish, a massive fluctuation suddenly erupted from outside!

A chilling, frigid aura rapidly spread out!

Emperor Jiawen snapped his head up!

That direction...

That direction—was where Situ Xingchen was being held!

Most crucially, this aura...

Someone had moved that bronze vat!

Without a second thought, he immediately rushed toward the outside!

But before he could take two steps, he was blocked.

Emperor Jiawen's face turned crimson

“Let me through! Rong Jiu! Do you know what that is!? Let me through immediately! Otherwise, you will surely regret it!”

The words had barely left his mouth.

*Boom!*

A pillar of cyan-red light soared into the sky!

(End of Chapter)