novelaction Chapter 514 Relying on Favor (59)
Chapter 514 Relying on Favor (59)
"Come on, let's go in."
The two entered the palace accompanied by numerous generals and guards.
After passing through the long palace road, we arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The area outside Fengtian Hall was completely surrounded by the Tingzhou army. The hall doors were tightly closed, but one could faintly hear hushed conversations coming from inside.
This is the palace where Emperor Liang held court; presumably, Tan Xuanmo and his civil and military officials were imprisoned here.
"Open the door."
At Zhao Yuan's command, the gates of Fengtian Hall slowly opened.
Light pierced into the hall along with the chill outside, startling the ministers who were sitting or standing. They quickly rose and looked at the newcomer warily.
Tan Xuanmo, who was sitting on the dragon throne, also subconsciously straightened his body.
Thirteen days have passed since the palace was besieged, and Tan Xuanmo and his ministers have been imprisoned here for the same thirteen days.
Each day, only two soldiers bring in cold, hard steamed buns and a bucket of thin porridge, which have sustained them until now.
Seeing the person walking in against the light, Tan Xuanmo squinted, vaguely feeling that the person walking in front seemed to be a woman.
Not only was she a woman, but she also looked somewhat familiar.
It wasn't until Zhao Yuan rushed forward, dragged Tan Xuanmo off the dragon throne, cleared the throne, and helped Yan Zhen sit down that Tan Xuanmo, who had fallen to the ground, and the ministers below could see her face clearly.
"***?"
"How could it be her?"
"Jun Zhuo?" Tan Xuanmo got up from the ground. "How did you get here? You're not..."
Tan Xuanmo paused mid-sentence, glancing at Yan Zhen and then at Zhao Yuan, who stood to her left, gripping the sword at his waist.
Even if he was usually slow-witted, he understood now.
This younger sister joined forces with the rebel Zhao Yuan to seize his throne!
Realizing this, Tan Xuanmo was furious: "Tan Junzhuo! How dare you be so rebellious! How can you face the Emperor and the ancestors of the Tan clan!"
Yan Zhen said calmly, "So what if I'm worthy of them, or worthy of them? They're all dead. Do you think they can rise from the ground, strangle me, and help you reclaim the throne?"
Tan Xuanmo choked.
The civil and military officials then realized what was happening and began to vehemently criticize Yan Zhen.
"***, how can you, as a member of the Liang royal family, collude with traitors!"
"How dare you, a woman, sit on the dragon throne! Get down from the dragon throne immediately!"
"Your Highness, what are you doing! How can you help outsiders seize your own family's throne?"
Yan Zhen looked at the group of excited ministers and found a few faces that matched the original owner's memories.
That was the "upright person" who, in his previous life, blocked Tan Jun Zhuo's return to the capital at the city gate, forced her to climb the city wall, and commit suicide "to save face for the royal family."
“Tired of being a ***? It wouldn’t be bad to become an empress.” Yan Zhen said, seemingly casually naming a few ministers, and said to Zhao Yuan, “These few who are jumping around the most, drag them out and behead them.”
Zhao Yuan waved his hand, and soldiers immediately came in and dragged out the five ministers whose names had been called.
Among the five officials were several high-ranking officials who had served three emperors and whose hair and beards were all white. They were being dragged out by soldiers, each holding one arm on either side. One of them exclaimed incredulously, "How dare you! I am the Grand Tutor appointed by the late Emperor! You, an ignorant woman, how dare you…"
Before he could finish speaking, he was dragged out of Fengtian Hall and had his throat slashed by a soldier. He fell to the ground, unable to utter another sound.
Upon seeing this, the remaining four ministers realized that Yan Zhen was not bluffing them, but rather using them as a warning to others.
The timid ones immediately begged for mercy.
"Princess, spare my life!"
"Your Highness! Your Highness, I dare not..."
Some stubborn old ministers realized that they were doomed and immediately started cursing.
No matter what they said, Yan Zhen didn't even give them a second glance.
The four voices disappeared one after another outside the Fengtian Hall, and the hall became completely quiet.
"Does anyone have any objections to my decision to [do something]?"
The ministers looked at each other in dismay, while Tan Xuanmo, standing in the center of the hall, was so frightened that his legs trembled and he broke out in a cold sweat despite the freezing weather.
The rows of Tingzhou soldiers holding weapons stood there in the hall, exuding an imposing aura. Who would dare to object?
After a long while, a weak voice came from the crowd: "Your subject pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress."
As the voice rang out, a young civil official knelt down tremblingly.
Once someone took the lead, others followed suit, and gradually a third of the ministers knelt down, their voices barely audible: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
The other two-thirds of the ministers were either still hesitant and observing, glancing from time to time at Tan Xuanmo, who was at a loss in the hall, or their faces were full of dissatisfaction.
At this moment, a civil official in his sixties stepped forward, raised his head, and said, "Throughout history, there has never been any reason for a woman to commit adultery. For a woman to commit adultery is irresponsible to the common people and an insult to us civil and military officials! If you insist on committing adultery, today this old minister can only prove his innocence with his death!"
Upon hearing this, Yan Zhen made a "please" gesture: "Would you rather smash your head against a pillar or commit suicide?"
The old minister was taken aback, then said angrily, "You young brat, you've already murdered an old minister before even ascending the throne! Aren't you afraid that future generations of historians will judge you as heartless?"
"I've already dared to rebel, so why should I be afraid of the judgment of future historians?" Yan Zhen smiled slightly. "Besides, how the historians write this history is up to me, the ultimate winner."
"you……"
Yan Zhen didn't give him a chance to continue rambling and said to Chen He, "General Chen, send the old man on his way."
"Yes!"
Chen He waved his hand, and the old man was dragged out.
In less than a quarter of an hour, six ministers died, and the ministers present became increasingly apprehensive.
"Is there anyone else who wants to die for their country?" Yan Zhen leaned forward, scanning the crowd in the hall. "I will spare your lives, considering your unwavering loyalty to the late emperor and the Tan royal family."
"..."
One after another, the officials knelt down after being swept by her threatening gaze.
The remaining third of the ministers were still deadlocked and pinned their hopes on Tan Xuanmo.
Yan Zhen followed their stubborn gazes to Tan Xuanmo. Seeing that he was wearing a dragon robe but looked timid and lacked the demeanor of an emperor, she clicked her tongue and shook her head.
Yan Zhen got up and walked down the steps, stopping in front of Tan Xuanmo.
Tan Xuanmo broke out in a cold sweat even faster, and he didn't even dare to meet her gaze: "Jun Zhuo..."
"For the sake of our past as siblings, after your death, I will take good care of the country and restore the glory of the land when our ancestors were in power," Yan Zhen said. "Brother, rest in peace."
As Yan Zhen finished speaking, a guard brought over a tray with poisoned wine and a sharp dagger on it.
Tan Xuanmo stared at these things, his eyes wide with terror, and he retreated repeatedly, crying out, "No! No! Jun Zhuo, I am your brother, you can't kill me..."
A soldier stepped forward and twisted Tan Xuanmo's arm to prevent him from retreating.
Tan Xuanmo struggled like a fish thrown ashore, tears streaming down his face: "I'll pass the throne to you, okay? Just spare me, leave my life..."