Not Your Typical Villianess - Chapter 192

Amidst the bloodshed, at the Emperor’s palace

“Did you honestly think I loved you? Please I only humoured you to get what I wanted, I never even wanted to marry you but no one can reject the Emperor’s proposal. You turned me into what I am today so get off your stupid high horse. Once you die, my Cheng’er will become Emperor. It will be an end to your reign”

Imperial Consort Shi stood from the dragon throne and walked down the stairs leading. She drew a sword out of her private guard’s belt and walked to where the Emperor was held up. Lips curved up, she glanced at her most trusted commander and said, “Hold him down, I want to make the final blow.”

She flexed her hands on the sword before raising it over her head, Empress Lu gradually went in and out of consciousness as she gradually bleed out on the ground. She could barely move her body as she watched silently as Imperial Consort Shi slowly brought down her hand.

Eunuch Cuihong struggled out of the soldier’s stronghold but failed. The soldier held him tighter and in an uncomfortable position, he glanced from the pool of blood under the Empress to the Emperor. Things weren’t looking well for the couple, the Empress’s wound was quite deep and he feared that she would bleed out on the carpet if help doesn’t come.

His heart beat faster as he watched the sword come down. Emperor Zhong shut his eyes in anticipation but the sword never came down. A loud intake of breath from Imperial consort Shi and the sound of the door hitting the wall made him open his eyes.

He watched as Imperial Consort Shi fell backwards, with an arrow piercing her chest. A hand pulled him up and dragged him to the side as a team of we’ll armed soldiers surrounded him he looked to his side and met the cold gaze of a stone-faced soldier with a long line of blood splattered on his face.

The soldier bowed his head, “Your Majesty. Please excuse my intrusion, we were ordered by General Lu to protect you”.

Emperor Zhong nodded and searched silently for the Empress, apart from Imperial consort Shi who was held back by soldiers dressed in the blue tiger Garrison soldiers uniform. The Empress was nowhere in sight, he glanced at the soldier standing guard beside him and asked, “the Empress is heavily injured, I don’t see the Empress anywhere” he glanced around the room once more.

“Answering your Majesty, her highness was taken away for immediate treatment, she is with the General’s wife”.

He let out a heavy breath and placed his hand on his chest, “okay that is good”. His gaze moved to the ongoing fight taking place around him, Lu Yaozhu’s men made a quick work of the soldiers in a few minutes the last of Imperial consort Shi’s commanders were subdued and chained. He suddenly felt a strong sense of pride at the speed and efficiency exhibited by Lu Yaozhu in handling these men.

‘Such skill is needed in a monarch’ Emperor Zhong suddenly found himself thinking. He had only discovered Lu Yaozhu’s true identity days earlier but he was slowly gravitating towards this son of his. He suddenly wanted to be reunited with him but that didn’t seem possible.

The men standing guard in front of him gradually separated in two as Lu Yaozhu stepped forward. They fell on their knees as Lu Yaozhu fell on his knee. Lu Yaozhu ignored the pain as his stitches pulled, he dropped his sword in front of him and bowed to the ground.

“Sorry for coming late, your Majesty. I gave handled all the traitors including their ring leader, we are awaiting your orders. Your Empire is forever yours. Long live the Emperor, Long life the Emperor, Long live the Emperor!” He shouted eyes locked on the Emperor’s gold thread embroidered boots. His men chorused with him as he shouted long live the Emperor.

“Don’t stand on ceremony A’Zhu, you did a commendable job by getting rid of these traitors. Get up”

Lu Yaozhu nodded and stood, still bowing eyes focused on the carpet. He was a little taken aback when the Emperor called him A’zhu but didn’t let his shock show. Although it was odd, he dismissed it as a mistake caused by shock.

Emperor Zhong frowned as he glance from imperial Consort Shi to her men held down by the soldiers. “Take the rebels to the ice prison, I want them all questioned and their accomplices and families arrested. Leave no stone unturned!” He instructed glaring down at Imperial Consort Shi.

The soldiers immediately carried the men away until it was only Lu Yaozhu in the room with the Emperor and Cuihong. Even now, Lu Yaozhu maintained his bow. “Stand properly, Yaozhu. There is no need to be so proper, how are your injuries” Emperor Zhong asked walking to the dragon throne. He sat on the throne and glanced down at Lu Yaozhu.

Lu Yaozhu looked slimmer, his skin was a little pale. He looked battle ridden and weak, nothing like the robust General that volunteered to go north mouths ago. It wasn’t every day that they got to be alone together, so he took a good look at him. Suddenly, he noticed a few features similar to that of the Zhongshan family. He didn’t have a muscular body structure, typical to the men from the Lu family.

His facial features were softer than was typical for the Lu family, apart from his different coloured pupil. He had his high nose bridge and high cheekbones. These two features were prominent in the Zhongshan family. ‘Meirong was right, he is a spitting image of my deceased older brother. The eye colour and sharp shin was the only thing a little different. How did I miss this’ he thought.

Lu Yaozhu stiffened a hiss as he felt a jab at the wound at his side, he moved slightly, leaning towards his uninjured side. The Emperor didn’t look like he would be releasing him any time soon. Emperor Zhong asked about his journey and said a few words before dismissing him.

By the time he got back to the Duke’s house, it was almost daybreak, the sky had gotten brighter and the moon gradually descended. Su Liya stood outside their courtyard waiting for him. She has nearly bored a hole into the ground with her foot as she paced around the compound. She rushed up to him as he walked into the courtyard, she quickly gave him a look down with her eyes before supporting him to the living room.

Meanwhile, there was a widespread unease among the noble families in the capital most especially those that were in good relationship with the sixth Prince and Imperial consort Shi. Their previous supporters changed camps and tried to avoid drawing attention to themselves. A lot of arrests were made during the past few day’s while a few families were put under investigation.

Everyone knew that the plight of tbs sixth prince and the officials that openly supported him were bleak with their entire family losing their titles and getting slid into slavery. The sixth Prince and the Imperial consists were both put to death a few days later together with the officials and military commanders that took part in the attack.

Members of the nobilities residing in and out of the capital with even a small inch of relationships with the sixth prince or any of the families arrested or sanctioned scrambled around in search of help. Among those families was the Jiang family, the Jiang family had only been in the capital for a few months during which they had spent no time trying to attach themselves to notable families in an attempt to build connection.

It was no secret that madam Jiang the patriarch of the family had spent no effort in trying to arrange a match between her eldest son and the third granddaughter of the former secretary of state who was the sixth prince’s maternal grandfather. The marriage was still in talks but was well known, as soon as the Secretary of state was arrested, she shamelessly broke the engagement.

The Secretary of state was discovered to be innocent but resigned as soon as the investigation ended. Madam Jiang was in a problem control mood, she ran about trying to make use of any available connection she could find but was unsuccessful. Left with no other choice but to make use of her niece, she was forced to lift the house arrest she placed on Chen Yao.

However, she was surprised when the maid reported that the young mistress and her maid was nowhere to be found. Madam Jiang rushed to the outer courtyard with her hands as soon as she heard that. Fully prepared to give her ungrateful little niece an earful but was shocked to find the entire courtyard empty.. The entire house was tidy, there was nothing out of place, breathing heavily she ordered the naifs standing behind her, “Search this place thoroughly, I was yo fund out where that slut could be.