The Poisonous Consort, the Regent's Beloved

Chapter 227 I'll Bear the Burden Alone

Upon hearing this, Lord He's heart skipped a beat, and his face instantly turned ashen.

Terrified, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing and begging for mercy: "Your Majesty, spare my life! I had no such intention!"

However, the emperor was already furious and gave Lord He no chance to explain or defend himself.

He immediately followed up with another question: "That's not what you mean? Then do you intend to usurp my throne?"

These two questions struck Lord He's heart like Mount Tai crushing an egg, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

At this moment, Lord He was so frightened that he was completely terrified and his face turned ashen.

He could only look pleadingly at Ren Zhong, hoping to get his help and intercession.

Ren Zhong lowered his head slightly, lost in brief contemplation.

Recently, he has keenly noticed some unusual changes among his subordinates.

These people seemed to have been transferred from their original positions, whether intentionally or unintentionally, which made him feel a sense of doubt and worry.

As for Lord He, he was a high-ranking official of the second rank, holding a prominent position and wielding real power, and thus still had value to him.

Just as he hesitated whether to plead for Lord He, the emperor suddenly waved his hand and shouted, "Lord He dares to defy his superior! Guards, drag him out of the palace immediately and behead him as a warning to others!"

In an instant, the entire room seemed to be shrouded in an invisible fear, and fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was so shocked they couldn't speak, except for Lord He, who was the first to come to his senses.

His face was ashen, his body trembling uncontrollably. He crawled desperately across the cold, hard ground, crawling toward the emperor.

At the same time, tears streamed down his face as he pleaded desperately, his face contorted with grief: "Your Majesty, have mercy! I only spoke carelessly and offended Your Majesty. Please spare my lowly life!"

However, the well-trained and ruthless Imperial Guards would not give him any more chance to defend himself. They quickly stepped forward, grabbed Lord He like a chick, and dragged him out of the main hall without any mercy.

As Lord He's shrill and desperate cries faded into the distance until they disappeared, a suffocating atmosphere of tension still lingered in the room.

At this moment, the emperor's mood suddenly brightened, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the moon.

With a smile on his face, hands on his hips, and head held high, he looked down at the group of silent ministers below the throne and casually asked, "Do any of you gentlemen have any different opinions on this matter?"

After a brief silence, Ren Zhong took a deep breath and broke the deadlock, responding respectfully, "Your Majesty, we would never dare to have any objections."

Immediately afterwards, the others also seemed to wake up from a dream and echoed, expressing their complete agreement with the emperor's decision.

The night was as thick as ink, shrouding the entire palace in deep darkness.

The ministers walked hurriedly along the winding palace path, their faces showing a sense of urgency.

However, among this group of people hurrying by, one person stood out from the rest—Ren Zhongda's pace was noticeably slower than the others, and he leisurely lagged behind at the very back of the crowd.

Just then, a minister looked around to make sure no one else was nearby, then cautiously approached Ren Zhong. The minister's brow was furrowed, and he asked in a low, serious voice, "Lord Ren, His Majesty's attitude has suddenly become so forceful today. What should we do next?"

Ren Zhong narrowed his eyes slightly, slowly raised his head, and his gaze flashed with a barely perceptible cold light in the darkness.

He snorted coldly and said, "Hmph! I underestimated him before. Back then, His Majesty and the Regent were like oil and water, sworn enemies. Who would have thought that they could be so patient and forgiving, keeping it from me all these years?"

As he spoke, Ren Zhong slowly tucked his hands into his sleeves, his cold gaze seemingly able to pierce through the endless darkness.

Upon hearing this, the minister beside him was filled with even greater worry and couldn't help but sigh, "Alas... if the Regent is not dead, and His Majesty joins forces with him, wouldn't our carefully planned scheme be forced to be suspended?"

Ren Zhong remained silent for a moment, then a cold smile appeared on his lips. He said softly, "These are nothing but desperate measures. Send someone to invite the Princess over immediately."

Before he finished speaking, Ren Zhong turned around and boarded his carriage. Then the coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage sped away like an arrow.

"Princess, it's so late, why haven't you rested yet?"

On a cold night at the border, the wind howled and snowflakes fell in abundance.

Si Nan stood at the front of the camp, shivering from the cold, but still steadfastly held his post.

Suddenly, he saw a figure walking slowly towards him through the swirling snow.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Su Fuying, who had just left! Now she had returned.

Su Fuying stepped firmly up the steps and stood before the compass.

She gently unfastened her heavy cloak, her movements elegant and composed.

Then, she reached out her delicate hand and casually brushed away the glistening snowflakes that had fallen on her hair.

In that instant, it was as if time stood still; she was as beautiful as a fairy in the snow.

"Let me in."

Su Fuying parted her lips slightly, her voice clear and melodious, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

However, Si Nan looked troubled, clutching the cloak tightly in his hands. It seemed to still retain Su Fuying's body heat, which made him feel a little hot.

He knew he bore the heavy responsibility of protecting the master inside the tent and dared not slacken in the slightest.

Moreover, he always obeyed his master's orders unconditionally and dared not disobey them in the slightest.

But now, facing this extraordinary princess, Si Nan was truly at a loss.

He was never as shrewd or adaptable as Shadow 2.

Normally, when carrying out missions, I only need to follow my master's instructions, and I have never encountered such a difficult situation before.

Especially when he realized that this princess had a special significance to his master, he was at a loss for what to do.

For a moment, Si Nan was so anxious that he could only scratch his head helplessly, looking quite embarrassed.

"You can go down now. I'll take responsibility for anything that happens."

Su Fuying's voice was hoarse, as if she had just woken up. Si Nan wanted to stop her, but suddenly saw a figure standing in the distance. His eyes lit up, and he respectfully bowed to Su Fuying, saying, "Yes."

Su Fuying lifted the curtain, and a wave of warmth washed over her, causing her to exhale a breath of cold air.

The tent was pitch black, with only the fire in the center flickering.

"Xiao Yuheng?"

Using the faint light of the fire, Su Fuying moved forward a few steps and tentatively called out.

The only response she received was the crackling sound of the burning charcoal.

Seeing the beauty respond, Su Fuying, relying on his memory of the last time he came, groped his way to the table and took out the tinderbox from his waist.

"What are you here for?"

A hoarse voice rang in her ear, and unlike usual, this voice contained a clear hint of fatigue.

Su Fuying had already lowered her guard around him and was focused on lighting the candles, so the sudden closeness of the voice really startled her.

The tinder in his hand fell vertically to the ground, but a pair of strong hands caught it in mid-air.

"Snapped."

The man closed the cork, and after a slight sound, the tent fell silent again.