Chapter 649: The Emperor Blew His Top....
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation i Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The Emperor was downright furious but no one knew what had happened.
“Your Majesty, what happened?”
As he was too enraged, Emperor Zhao Heng’s chest heaved up and down violently. He looked like he was about to run out of breath.
“After I fell ill, arrest all those who stepped into my sleeping chamber. Leave no one untouched!” After he finished speaking, Emperor Zhao Heng’s bloodshot eyes became increasingly ferocious. “Including all of you. Arrest everyone who has entered my sleeping chambers before!”
The people present were terrified when they heard this. They did not know what they had done wrong that caused them to be arrested.
However, the Emperor’s orders could not be disobeyed. With a single order from Emperor Zhao Heng, the guards rushed into the inner hall and restrained everyone.
The Empress had just returned to her palace and finished washing up. Just as she was about to go to bed, a group of guards rushed into her hall aggressively.
“How dare you! Do you know what place this is? How dare you barge in like
this?”
The guards were not afraid at all. “The Emperor has ordered that anyone who has entered his sleeping chamber during his illness must be arrested. We are only carrying out His Majesty’s orders.
“What did you say?”
When the Empress heard the commotion, she hurriedly tidied up and came out.
When she saw all those guards standing in the courtyard, she was finally sure that she had not heard wrongly.
“Your Imperial Highness, please forgive us.
The Empress did not know what had happened at all. In addition, when the
The Empress did not know what had happened at all. In addition, when the Emperor was sick, she did not let the concubines in the Imperial harem and the other princes visit him in order to maintain absolute control.
If she was arrested in such a woeful manner, how would she be able to keep her head high in the palace in the future?
“I will walk on my own. His Majesty must have something to tell me.
Otherwise, he will not be looking for me so urgently. I will go see and see His
Majesty now!”
The guards took the Empress away.
This matter quickly spread through the Imperial harem. It was no surprise that the news spread so quickly. The number of guards Emperor Zhao Heng sent out was too massive. Those who did not know would think that the Empress had committed a capital crime.
Emperor Zhao Heng had just given the order when a guard came to report that the First Prince had arrived.
Emperor Zhao Heng was so shocked that his body froze. He thought his ears were playing tricks on him.
“What did you say? Who’s here?”
“Your Majesty, it’s the First Prince. He has already arrived at the palace gates and wishes to see Your Majesty.”
Emperor Zhao Heng seemed to have thought of something, and his entire expression changed. His voice was practically squeezed out of his throat.
“Let him in. Tell him to get his ass in here at once!”
Xie Rui, who had been waiting outside the palace gate, finally received Emperor Zhao Heng’s permission and entered the palace eagerly.
However, he could never have imagined what awaited him after he entered the palace.
If he had known, he would never have taken half a step in the direction of the palace gate even if he was captured and brought back to the northern wilderness!
The ruler’s illness was something that could not be announced to the outside world. In addition, with the Empress’s intervention, not many people could enter Emperor Zhao Heng’s sleeping chamber during his illness.
Soon, everyone who had been to his sleeping chamber during that period was brought over.
The Empress had just been brought to the entrance of the sleeping chamber when she saw Xie Rui walking toward her quickly.
At first, the Empress thought she was mistaken.
She blinked her eyes furiously. After confirming that she had not mistaken him for someone else, she spoke in disbelief.
“Rui’er?”
Xie Rui also heard the Empress. If it wasn’t for the fact that so many people were present, he really wanted to throw himself into his mother’s arms and cry loudly while complaining to her about what kind of inhuman abuse he had suffered outside during this period!
“Empress Mother, Empress Mother!”
The mother and son had an emotional reunion.
However, the guards did not intend to give them too much time to catch up
with each other.
“Your Imperial Highness, the Emperor is still waiting for you.”
Only then did the Empress come back to her senses. She realized that the current situation was not to their advantage.
Nonetheless, she still seized the opportunity and lowered her voice to ask about Xie Rui’s situation.
“I don’t know what’s going on either. When I woke up today, I was already outside the palace. I didn’t have time to think much and immediately came to the palace to avoid being captured by those people again.”
The Empress was very baffled after listening to him. Were those people so kind as to let Xie Rui go?
There was nothing they could do even if they couldn’t understand. Emperor
Zhao Heng would never give them too much time to think.
Both mother and son were brought into the sleeping chamber.
The moment all six eyes met, the Empress and Xie Rui felt a chill running up their spines from the soles of their feet, making them shudder all over.
Two hearts were instantly on tenterhooks.
They had never seen such a terrifying expression on Emperor Zhao Heng’s face. He looked as if he was going to skin them alive and then swallow them.
The mother and son knelt down apprehensively.
“Emperor Father.”
“Your Majesty.”
The Empress had weathered more storms at the end of the day. After taking a few moments to calm down, she decisively opened her mouth to inquire tentatively.
“Your Majesty, may I know what happened to make you so angry? Your Majesty is not feeling well so you must take care of yourself.”
Emperor Zhao Heng looked at her with a mocking gaze. “That’s true. I haven’t even issued the Imperial edict stating who to pass my throne to. I can’t die of anger now.”
The Empress’s face instantly turned as white as a sheet. “Your Majesty, your consort absolutely does not…”
Emperor Zhao Heng supported his weak body strenuously to walk up to the Empress. Then he kicked her in the chest.
“Speak! Where is my iron-smelting technique? Where did all of you hide my iron-smelting technique?”
The Empress lost her balance and fell to the ground, but she did not even dare to utter a sound. “Your Majesty, your consort has been wronged. I have been serving Your Majesty by your side all the while and have never seen any iron-smelting technique. Your Majesty, please investigate!”
“YOU haven’t seen it? If you didn’t steal the iron-smelting technique, then how was he able to come back?”
Xie Rui had no idea what had happened during this period. Earlier, he was even thinking about how to complain to Emperor Zhao Heng about the inhuman abuse he had suffered outside during this time.
“Emperor Father, is there a misunderstanding? Why would Empress Mother steal the iron-smelting technique? Please investigate.”
“Fine, fine. You said that she was wronged. Then let me ask you. What have you been doing during this period? You explain everything to me in detail right
now!”
Xie Rui felt that although he had not succeeded in accomplishing these things, it was not a shameful matter. He recounted honestly his secret trip to the northern wilderness. Of course, when he recounted the story, he made sure the words were favorable to himself.
As he listened, Emperor Zhao Heng’s expression changed many times but ultimately, he still had an ominous look on his face.
“After that, your son was saved with great difficulty. However, I did not expect to be abducted again…”
“Those people said that as long as you hand over the iron-smelting technique, they will let you go.” Emperor Zhao Heng suddenly interrupted him.
Xie Rui paused and then nodded as he continued, “Yes, but…
“You said that when you woke up, you were already outside the palace?
Xie Rui was interrupted again. Thus, he could only add, “Yes. I don’t know what’s going on either.”.
“You tell me. You have been abducted for so long, yet you didn’t suffer much and even gained some weight. Those people who abducted you were really good to you!”
Emperor Zhao Heng’s voice suddenly rose. He frightened Xie Rui so much that he became stupefied and his whole body froze in the same spot.
He subconsciously reached out to pinch his waist and suddenly caught hold of a large chunk of flesh…
He had the feeling that something was wrong when he knelt down just now.. It turned out that his belly was too big and was getting in the way…