Confirming that Ouyang Fu's arm had been removed, Han Luoxue flicked her wrist, and a rope fell from her sleeve. "Zhou Jun, help me tie him up!"
Zhou Jun gritted his teeth and stepped forward to help, but Han Luoxue's hand remained firmly pressed against Ouyang Fu's neck.
Xiang Yang wanted to find a chance to rescue his master, but Han Luoxue kept her eyes on him. This woman was certainly not easy to deal with.
Indeed, someone favored by Ouyang Zhen couldn't possibly be simple.
Ouyang Fu was also trying to find a way out, but Han Luoxue's dagger was too close to his neck. He was too afraid of death to think of a solution immediately.
……
Upon learning that Ouyang Fu had appeared in Yancheng, Ouyang Zhen couldn't stay put a moment longer. Even if there were important matters in the palace, he had to go to Yancheng to rescue him.
Ministers knelt on the ground, but Ouyang Zhen couldn't hear them. Fortunately, someone reacted quickly and went to Ci'an Palace to invite the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager, leaning on her Dragon Head Cane, hurried over—she actually ran.
She had spoken, ordering Ouyang Zhen to ascend the throne and stabilize the court's situation first.
It had seemed to be settled, and the boy had agreed, but who could have imagined that before nightfall, he would regret it?
"Zhèn'er, a country cannot be without a ruler for a single day; you should understand this reason. I won't bother with whatever urgent matter you have; we'll discuss it after the court is stabilized."
"If you're not at ease, you can dispatch your most capable subordinates, but you absolutely cannot leave the Capital City right now."
The Empress Dowager said this while tapping her Dragon Head Cane. This was a gift from the late Emperor; in critical moments, it could be used to strike down a tyrannical ruler.
Seeing the Empress Dowager trembling slightly as she tapped the cane, the ministers' hearts settled. With the Empress Dowager present, the Crown Prince shouldn't leave now, should he?
Also, what would it look like to leave now? At the very least, he should wait until after his ascension to the throne.
Furthermore, what the Empress Dowager said was very reasonable. If there was something that absolutely must be done, the Crown Prince could completely dispatch his most trusted people—even send many people—there was no need for him to go in person.
However, under the expectant gazes of everyone, the Crown Prince's expression remained cold: "I'm sorry, Imperial Grandmother, I must go there!"
"You…" The Empress Dowager tapped her Dragon Head Cane again. Her hand itched; she wanted to hit someone! This unfilial son! She had made it so clear, yet why was Ouyang Zhen so stubborn?
"My wife and children are in danger, and I absolutely will not let anything happen to them!"
"Imperial Grandmother, haven't you always wanted a great-grandson?"
Hearing that the Crown Prince had children, the Empress Dowager was shocked. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Ouyang Zhen: "You… you… what did you say?"
She, who always kept her emotions hidden, unusually stammered.
Even the ministers kneeling on the ground were astonished.
At present, the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne was inevitable, a matter of time. However, there were no women in the Crown Prince's Mansion. When the Crown Prince was still alive, there were rumors that he had once married a woman, but she was just a village woman.
Such a woman certainly wouldn't be presentable. If she were presentable, why hadn't the Crown Prince brought her back after being in the capital for so long? At the time, many people rumored that he might have gotten rid of her.
After all, she was merely a woman he had to marry in his humble beginnings.
But now, what did they hear?
They had been thinking about letting the Crown Prince choose consorts after he ascended the throne. Many people even started vying secretly, wanting to secure the Empress position.
There were many concubine positions in the Imperial Palace, but only one Empress. If their children became Empress, that would truly be a step to heaven.
But they had just heard the Crown Prince say, "his wife and children!"
Did the Crown Prince now have a wife and children? And he admitted it, preparing to rescue them?
Several quick-witted individuals already had a plan.
"Your Highness, a country cannot be without a ruler for a single day! You cannot leave now!"
"Exactly, Your Highness, the Capital City is in chaos now, and you are needed to manage the overall situation! The Empress Dowager is right; you can choose someone you trust to go!"
"Your Highness, this old minister is willing to go in your stead!"
One or two people spoke, and the rest quickly echoed. Knowing that the Crown Prince was going to rescue someone, they couldn't let him leave.
As for the Empress Dowager, after the shock, her mood was strangely complex.
Ouyang Zhen, the child she had almost forgotten, now had children? How was this possible? She hadn't heard any news?
She remembered when he had first returned to the capital, the Empress Dowager had also investigated him.
She knew he was hiding in a remote mountain gully, living as a peasant. His wife seemed to be a village woman, and reportedly quite beautiful.
But there were many beautiful women in the capital, so the Empress Dowager hadn't paid attention to that woman. But now…
That woman actually had children!
"A little over a month ago, Xuě'er gave birth to a pair of twins—a dragon and a phoenix. Imperial Grandmother, now Xuě'er is in danger, and I must go!"
Ouyang Zhen's expression was firm, his gaze cold: "If you continue to stop me from rescuing her, then from now on, whoever wants this position can take it!"
"You… you…"
"Imperial Grandmother, do you know how severe my injuries were back then? My face was disfigured, a scar spreading across my entire face. The village children were so scared of me that they had nightmares. And my leg was also crippled. Do you think a disfigured cripple is qualified to return and continue being Prince Zhen?"
"It was my wife who didn't abandon me. She tirelessly treated me. Without her, I wouldn't be able to return to the capital!"
"Also, what's the situation on my maternal grandfather's side? You know the situation. There are 150,000 troops over there, and they don't even have enough to eat. How can you expect them to guard the frontier and fight?"
Ouyang Zhen looked at the ministers kneeling on the ground and sneered: "I know, because General Wu is my maternal grandfather, that's his original sin, so you can arbitrarily withhold his military pay and ignore the lives of the troops. But at that time, it was my wife who accompanied me to find food, solving the troops' food problem."
"A woman who loves me so deeply is now in danger, why can't I go save her?"
"Furthermore, do you know who put her in danger? It's Ouyang Fu! The former Crown Prince who committed treason and rebellion."
"I, Ouyang Zhen, swear that I will not rest until I capture the former Crown Prince Ouyang Fu!"
"Of course, you can continue to stop me, but then you can handle Xi Shu yourselves!"
Ouyang Zhen's final mention of Xi Shu made everyone understand.
Especially the Empress Dowager: "Crown Prince, do you mean…"
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