HLnovel Chapter 922 Bringing things to order
Chapter 922 Bringing things to order
When it comes to rescuing the emperor and quelling a rebellion, a swift and decisive action is necessary. Zhang Ping'an didn't wait until the next morning; that very evening, he secretly went to the Cui residence to discuss and finalize the follow-up plan with Cui Ling.
Zheng Ping did not disappoint him. On the third day, at midnight, he rescued Zhou Pu from the secret chamber of the Xiangguo Temple and placed him in a separate courtyard of the Eastern Depot, where he was secretly protected.
This was also the time they had agreed upon for all three parties to work together.
After arranging things at the city gate, Zhang Ping'an rushed over and knelt down to Zhou Pu, saying, "Your Majesty, I am late in coming to your aid. I hope you will forgive me!"
"No need for formalities, Lord Zhang, please rise. If it weren't for your efforts, Lord Cui's, Lord Li's, and Eunuch Zheng's rescue, I'm afraid I would still be imprisoned in the Xiangguo Temple!"
Zhou Pu hadn't eaten much for days, and after being given medicine and whipped, his voice was somewhat weak.
But his eyes were brighter than before, filled with regret. "No wonder Father always said that my second brother was a wolf in sheep's clothing. It's also my fault for trusting the wrong person and being careless, which led to this disaster!"
Zhang Pingan and Zheng Ping exchanged a glance and offered a few words of comfort.
Then we got down to business.
Zhou Pu had no objection to their arrangements, and after this incident, he lost all hope in his own brother.
After the meeting, Zhou Pu was a little tired, so he waved for the two men to leave, leaving the doctor inside to help apply the medicine.
Once outside, Zhang Ping'an finally had time to ask, "Where's Yuantong?"
This person is very important to him.
"I heard that this person knows some evil magic. To avoid any unforeseen circumstances, I haven't disturbed him yet. He's still at the Daxiangguo Temple, but I've already sent people to surround him. He can't escape. We'll just wait for things to be resolved in the palace before we take him down," Zheng Ping replied.
"As for the other officials of the third rank and above in the court, I have secretly sent people to their residences to monitor and guard them and their families. They will not be able to leave the palace until things have calmed down."
There was little moonlight today, and he was dressed in all black with a long sword at his waist, giving off a very menacing aura. He didn't look like a eunuch, but rather like a cold-blooded killer.
After finishing speaking, Zheng Ping asked Zhang Ping'an about the progress on his side.
“Li Chong has already led his men through the south gate. The Five Cities Garrison and the Imperial Guards are all our men, no problem. However, there’s no news from Cui Ling yet, so let’s wait a bit,” Zhang Ping’an said in a deep voice.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Ping frowned slightly. "Could something have happened to Cui Ling?"
"Probably not, I'm 90% sure. This man isn't as indifferent to fame and fortune as he claims. If he saves the emperor twice and helps the court quell the rebellion, this merit will surely propel him to great heights. No one among the military generals can easily shake his position, and he won't let this opportunity slip by."
Moreover, since he has already become involved in our affair, even if he wanted to become a spy and side with the Second Prince, given the Second Prince's violent nature, he wouldn't tolerate him in the future. Compared to the Second Prince, the more gentle First Prince is naturally more reliable. He can't be unaware of this, so he knows what the best choice is.
"That would be for the best, otherwise we would both suffer a terrible fate!" Zheng Ping said calmly.
His gaze turned toward the direction of the palace.
After an unknown amount of time, while the sky remained dark, a raging fire suddenly broke out at the palace.
The Prince of Qin's Mansion is not far away.
Zhang Ping'an's expression tightened. After exchanging a glance with Zheng Ping, he stood up and said, "It's about time. Let His Majesty get up. Let's go take a look. What's meant to come won't escape us!"
"Yes!" Zheng Ping responded and then ordered someone to bring Zhou Pu out.
Although Zhou Pu was still somewhat weak, his life was not in danger. Tonight was a crucial moment for restoring order, and as the new emperor, he certainly couldn't remain silent.
After Zheng Ping explained, Zhou Pu nodded in understanding and forced himself to mount the horse.
"Let's go, I'm not going to die yet. With all of you ministers assisting me today, this matter will surely succeed!"
Although Zheng Ping was a eunuch, he was very good at horsemanship and nimbly mounted his horse and followed with his men.
He let out a barely perceptible sigh.
He knew that countless innocent souls would be lost tonight.
When the two arrived at the palace with Zhou Pu and a group of guards, they were allowed to pass after showing their tokens. Tonight, everyone in the palace was Cui Ling's own confidant.
So no matter what happened in the palace, no matter how many cries of agony were heard, the imperial guards at the gate remained completely unmoved.
However, after the two entered the palace, they discovered that the fighting was not as fierce as they had imagined. The fire was in the main hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and there were only some bloodstains near the hall.
Although the palace servants were trembling with fear and somewhat flustered, they did not run around. They all huddled together on their knees, not daring to raise their heads.
When Cui Ling saw everyone coming, he wiped the sweat from his face and stepped forward to bow to Zhou Pu.
"What happened?" Zhou Pu asked in a deep voice.
But to everyone's surprise, the palace servants all seemed to have seen a ghost when they saw him, and remained silent as if trembling with fear.
Cui Ling explained, "Your Majesty, during the suppression of the rebellion, a palace servant accidentally knocked over a candle. The winter air was dry, and with the north wind blowing, the fire quickly spread. We are currently arranging for people to put out the fire, and we believe it will be extinguished soon. As for the traitor Zhou Shu, he has already been executed!"
At this point, Cui Ling's expression became somewhat strange.
Although Zhou Pu was mild-mannered and not particularly talented, he was not entirely stupid. After a moment of silence, he asked, "How...how did he die? Where is his body?"