allonlinenovel Chapter 177 Taizhou Rebellion
Chapter 177 Taizhou Rebellion
Has Taizhou rebelled?
It seems that not all of the bloodline left by the old prince is bad, but in He Lingyi’s opinion, there are probably other reasons for this rebellion.
"Yes, I understand. Go back and tell His Majesty that state affairs are of utmost importance, and everything is fine here."
"Yes, ma'am."
After the eunuch left, He Lingyi lost her appetite and stopped eating.
This matter was on her mind, but unfortunately, in her previous life, she had been imprisoned in the Imperial Uncle's Mansion for too long and was completely unaware of what was happening outside, so she had no idea what the outcome of this rebellion would be.
But she thought that with the Qiao family around and other loyal soldiers, they shouldn't let the rebellion reach them. Originally, she didn't really believe in fate, but now she really wanted to pray for peace for the emperor.
The throne of an emperor is truly a thorn in one's side.
Inside the imperial study, the emperor summoned several powerful military generals, all of whom said indignantly, "That young master of Taizhou is far too arrogant, daring to incite the surrounding prefectures and counties to rebel. Your Majesty, let this humble general lead the troops and kill them all!"
"The last general invites you to fight!"
"The last general also invites you to fight!"
A new dynasty brings a new atmosphere. These are all trusted confidants whom the emperor has personally cultivated, so their abilities and loyalty are the best. When the emperor sees them volunteering, it's not that he doesn't trust them, but he always feels that someone is instigating this matter behind the scenes.
Based on his understanding of Taizhou, the so-called heir of Taizhou was not that capable!
Therefore, after much thought, the key point was still focused on King Li. He had been imprisoned in the capital for so long, and the Xuanjia Army had been sent to guard him in shifts for several months, but they had not found any signs of him acting recklessly.
The more he acted this way, the more distrustful the emperor became.
Therefore, he did not want to act rashly before figuring out King Le's true intentions, so he waved his hand and said to the generals who had volunteered.
"By my decree, the capital city shall be placed under martial law in all directions. No unauthorized persons may enter or leave the city. As for the generals, each shall lead a region to guard against the incursions."
"This……"
One of the generals wanted to retort, but was stopped by the other generals present. It wasn't until they left the imperial study that the general asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Why are you pulling me? There's trouble in Taizhou, and we're still supposed to guard the city gates?"
"Foolish! His Majesty's decrees have never been wrong. Since he ordered us to guard the city gates, there must be a reason for it. Why are you talking so much nonsense? Just choose one of the four directions!"
The general received the answer, but he didn't quite agree with it.
"I'll take the west gate."
"Okay, then I'll go to the East Gate."
"I'm from the south!"
"I'm from the North."
The four of them quickly made arrangements, and the other generals just needed to cooperate; they didn't have much to worry about on that point.
After everyone left, Haiyu became a little worried and asked a question.
"Your Majesty, are we really not going to worry about Taizhou?"
"It's very likely a smokescreen, just like before. As long as the rebels don't reach the Pa River, there's no need to worry. Besides, I think the King Le in the post station isn't him, or perhaps the King Le we think he is isn't the real King Le."
Haiyu was a little dizzy from these few words and showed a puzzled expression.
But he wasn't stupid; after sorting things out, he roughly understood, hence his grim expression, and he spoke frankly.
"Your Majesty means that King Le has disguised himself and is hiding among us."
"Very likely, isn't that how Anita Mui was?"
The thought of this possibility sent chills down Haiyu's spine. The incident involving the Third Princess served as a wake-up call for them: those around us cannot be trusted!
If they hadn't discovered some flaws, they would probably still be kept in the dark.
"Your Majesty, shall we conduct a thorough investigation?"
"There's no need to alert them. Just guard this place and Han Dan Palace. No matter how capable King Le is, he's still just one person. If he wants to cause trouble in the palace, he can only do so through some schemes and tricks."
"Yes, Your Majesty is right!"
Haiyu always obeyed the emperor's orders when he served. Since he had said so, his plan was to arrange for people to protect the place where His Majesty and the Empress were located as well as an impregnable fortress.
The Taizhou Rebellion was doomed from the start.
As expected, the news had been circulating for ten days without any sign of the rebels. Instead, the generals guarding the four city gates of the capital, with their keen eyesight, arrested many idlers.
Some were spreading rumors, while others were trying to instigate trouble.
In short, they wanted to create chaos in the capital, but they were suppressed by force. The people were confused and thought that the officials were looking for thieves, so everyone cooperated well and any rumors were quickly dispelled.
The sky gradually darkened.
Inside the inn, King Li was still drinking by the window, looking completely detached from worldly affairs. The Xuanjia soldiers guarding him had been changed three times, but they hadn't found any flaws. This man was much more difficult to deal with than Mei Gu, who was impersonating the Third Princess.
"Why don't we pretend to be thieves and sneak in? Maybe we can force him to turn hostile and expose his weakness. If we keep waiting like this, it'll be almost New Year's!"
"No! We cannot act rashly before His Majesty gives the order!"
"You can't do this, you can't do that, when will King Li be arrested?"
"Shut up! Just stay quiet and watch your own business."
After being criticized, the man didn't say anything more and continued to stare at King Li without blinking, trying to calm his agitated heart.
Nothing happened at the post station, but things gradually became busier in the palace.
The Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth of August is the first important festival for the new emperor and empress after they have taken the throne, so it is natural to celebrate it in a grand manner. Therefore, He Lingyi has been making preparations for this event for the past few days.
The news of the rebellion in Taizhou did not cause any disturbance inside or outside the palace, so no one was alarmed. Instead, everyone worked together to make the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet lively and festive.
On the fourteenth, He Lingyi led the crowd in a day-long prayer for the late emperor and empress. Therefore, on the fifteenth, taking advantage of the excellent nighttime conditions, many people were invited to the palace.
Apart from He Lingyi, the emperor had no concubines in his harem, so in addition to the eight families of the Four Dukes, the Qiao family and the Hai family were also invited.
Smart people know that these two families are now the Empress's support, so they are very respectful when exchanging toasts. Even though they are slightly lower in status than other families, no one in the palace dares to look down on them.
Chi Guiwan is still in her postpartum confinement period, so naturally she can't go out.
Therefore, those present today were nothing more than Old Madam Qiao, First Madam Qiao, Second Qiao, and the four children of the Qiao family. Upon seeing this, Duke Li even made a joke.
"The Qiao family is thriving."
Madam Qiao chuckled and added, "Nowhere else can you find the prosperous descendants of the Duke's mansion, each one of them is outstanding!"