Crossing the Palace Fighting Fox Harem

Chapter 482 General's Audience

When she was about to reach the Dong Congfei Palace, Ji Anni found that the water on many sections of the road had flooded over her instep. The imperial palace was built by Taizu by moving mountains, and the terrain is very high. If even here is flooded like this, the miserable situation of the imperial city below the mountain can be imagined. Ji Anni looked up at the sky. Although the rain is a little lighter now, the dark clouds pressing on the top of the palace reveal a strong evil spirit. When she thought that the owner of this evil spirit is now living in Yun Zhen's body, and the reason why he was resurrected was all caused by her, her heart was heavy and uncomfortable. She only hoped that the general could let her see the ghost king as soon as possible, so that she could think of ways to save the people from the water and fire.

"Madam, we're here." Hua Rong reminded her softly. She put away her umbrella only after Ji Anni walked into the corridor with an eaves to shelter her from the rain.

It was all because of the strange weather that kept raining. There was no one in the courtyard of the East Concubine's Palace. Ji Anni walked slowly along the corridor towards her room. On the way, she passed by the windows of other concubines. All the concubines who caught a glimpse of her screamed, and then immediately closed the windows and doors, fearing that they would be cursed if they looked at her for one more time. The other concubines who heard the noise were also scared, hiding or running away. For a moment, the dead silent courtyard became lively.

Ji Anni sat in the room, quietly listening to the noise outside. She not only did not blame them, but she felt a little sympathetic towards them. If it were her, she would not want to be neighbors with a resurrected monster. However, they had no place to hide and no place to take them in. In the end, they had to suppress their fear and locked themselves in the room and trembled.

The news that the general released Zhao Ji spread quickly throughout the palace. Long Mohan heard the report from the eunuch just after dinner. Yizhen was beside Long Mohan at that time. Seeing that Long Mohan looked solemn and could not say a word for a long time, Yizhen sent the eunuch away for him. When Yizhen and Long Mohan were the only ones left in the room, Yizhen said, "Your Majesty, you have not been in good health recently. Don't let these things get to your heart and make your condition worse."

"I know, she is no longer the original Zhao Ji..." Long Mohan sat on the chair blankly, staring at the wall in front of him. Yun Zhen had already told him everything. Zhao Ji was just a shell, and inside it was a girl from another world. Not only that, Zhao Ji was the descendant of a fox demon, not a human at all. These two fatal points were the reason why Long Mohan had been trying to convince himself to forget Zhao Ji.

Seeing that Long Mohan was wavering, Yizhen hurriedly advised: "Your Majesty, don't forget that when you vomited blood and fainted in the Xianke Pavilion, Zhao Ji still fled with the Imperial Master without caring about your life or death. She doesn't have you in her heart, so don't be fooled by her."

"I know...I know..." Long Mohan frowned, his deep voice revealing the pain in his heart. "I haven't forgotten that when I first learned that Yun Zhen had teamed up with her to deceive me, I swore...I would make sure that Yun Zhen and I could not be together in life, in death, and never see each other again in this life..."

"Your Majesty, why don't you issue an imperial decree to expel her from the palace. If she stays in the palace, she will always be a scourge." Having done something wrong, Yizhen always felt uneasy. She was worried that Ji Anni would find out that it was her who revealed Prince Ming's true form, and she advised Long Mohan to expel Prince Ming from the palace.

Long Mohan did not respond, and remained motionless as if his soul had left his body. Yizhen gently pushed him, but he still did not respond, so she put her face in front of him, stared straight into his eyes and said again: "Your Majesty, please issue an order to banish her from the palace!"

Long Mohan suddenly felt a severe headache when he met Yizhen's eyes. He cried out in pain, hugged his head tightly, and almost squatted on the ground. This was all because Yizhen believed Yuan Rong's spell and drank the black water. The black water had the effect of confusing people's minds, making Long Mohan unconsciously controlled by her. Yizhen didn't expect this spell to be so severe. She worriedly helped Long Mohan up and asked with concern: "Your Majesty, are you okay?"

Long Mohan shook his head, not expecting that the source of this headache was the woman in front of him. He smiled bitterly and said, "It's okay... I thought I just had problems with my internal organs... I didn't expect that now even my head has problems... I'm afraid I don't have much time left..."

"Your Majesty, please do not speak such unlucky words. Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune and will surely live a long life."

Looking at Yizhen's concerned expression, Long Mohan just shook his head helplessly. In fact, he had already had the intention to abdicate, but he didn't know who to appoint as the crown prince. Prince Ming was a fox demon, so he naturally couldn't inherit the throne. So he turned to pass the throne to Princess Tianning's husband, but Tianning's marriage was still not settled. Although Tianning was not the late emperor's biological child, this secret was only known by a small number of people in the palace and had not yet spread to the people.

At this moment, Eunuch Hua came running over and reported to Long Mohan that the general was outside the door asking to see him to discuss Zhao Ji's matter.

Long Mohan smiled bitterly and said, "I never expected him to come. Now half of the palace affairs are handed over to him and the other half to Prime Minister An. When has he ever asked for my opinion?" Even when he heard the news that the general had released Zhao Ji, Long Mohan had no intention of blaming him for handling the matter without authorization. So now that he heard that he came to discuss Zhao Ji's affairs with him, he was a little surprised.

Yizhen bowed to Long Mohan and said, "Your Majesty, Yizhen will step aside for a moment."

Long Mohan waved his hand gently, signaling Yizhen to leave for the time being, and then ordered Eunuch Hua to bring the general to the audience.

Kang Qingyuan immediately performed the etiquette of monarch and subject when he saw Long Mohan, reminding Long Mohan that he was still the emperor. Kang Qingyuan said without any extra words, "Your Majesty, today I took the initiative to let Zhao Ji return to the East Concubine Palace. Your Majesty will not blame me, right?"

Long Mohan said: "How dare I blame you? I know the general must be thinking about the overall interests of the country."

Kang Qingyuan said, "I came here tonight to report this matter. Releasing Zhao Ji is indeed for the sake of the country's overall situation. Because Zhao Ji is the key to this natural disaster, if we want to stop the rain, we must rely on Zhao Ji's power. So I took the initiative to release Zhao Ji, all just to let her prepare..."

"Prepare?" Long Mohan couldn't comprehend the meaning.

Kang Qingyuan explained directly, "It's the preparation for the ceremony." He paused, and added in a heavier voice, "The ceremony to meet the Ghost King."

The word "Ghost King" made Long Mohan feel cold. This legendary king of ghosts, formed by evil spirits, is a terrifying existence no matter when or where it is mentioned. "Will the rain stop if we meet the Ghost King?" Long Mohan, who finally calmed down, asked in a doubtful tone.

Kang Qingyuan shook his head and said solemnly, "It all depends on what reasons we use to convince the Ghost King."

"Could it be that the general has come up with an idea?" Long Mohan could never figure out the real reason why Kang Qingyuan discussed this matter with him. Whether it was the festival or the ghost king, he could have easily bypassed Long Mohan and handled it himself. The reason why he specifically met with Long Mohan seemed to have a deeper meaning.

Kang Qingyuan said: "I have thought about it...but the emperor may pay a heavy price for it..."

After hearing this, Long Mohan was more certain of his guess that the Ghost King Festival was related to him. Not only was it related, but it was probably very related, otherwise Kang Qingyuan would not have said so many words to lay the groundwork.

Long Mohan waved his hand and said, "General, please speak frankly. There is no one here except you and me. I have nothing now... I have lost not only my wife and the prince... but also my body and life... are in danger... What so-called "painful price" can I pay?" After that, he laughed bitterly again, mixed with a few painful coughs. In front of Kang Qingyuan, the white-bearded old man, Long Mohan, the young man, looked even more listless.

"Now I have only one thing left to give..." Although he didn't know the whole story, Long Mohan could vaguely guess Kang Qingyuan's intention. As expected, there was a hint of danger in Kang Qingyuan's eyes.

Long Mohan turned his eyes away and said, "The general came here today... to force me to abdicate?" Apart from the throne, Long Mohan could not think of any other "painful price" he could pay. Moreover, Kang Qingyuan's ambition to usurp the throne had already emerged in the era of the previous emperor. Now that the queen mother has died and the An family has fallen, his power in the court is growing stronger and stronger, so it is not surprising that he covets the throne.

Long Mohan's pointed question made Kang Qingyuan really unsure of how to answer. He was silent for a moment, but finally avoided the question. "Your Majesty, do you remember what I said to you in the room where Concubine Hui once lived with you in the Empress Dowager's Palace?"

Long Moran sneered and said, "Of course I remember. The general said that my mother is no longer the one I remember... but a criminal who is suspected of murdering the little prince."

Kang Qingyuan immediately denied it: "I have never said anything like that. Everything is just the emperor's speculation."

"The reason you told me so many past events is not to make me think like this?" Long Mohan's tone became more and more harsh. He was never merciful to anyone who slandered Concubine Hui. Until now, he still clearly remembered that the general said that Concubine Hui must be very unwilling, why the son she gave birth to could only go to Qi as a hostage, while the sons of others were destined to be the prince from birth. Although Kang Qingyuan did not directly say that Concubine Hui was the murderer, he said that Concubine Hui was a serious suspect, implying to Long Mohan that Concubine Hui was very likely to have killed the little prince out of jealousy.

"Your Majesty, I understand your feelings very well. However, I have not finished what I said in the Empress Dowager's Palace. The reason I came to see you tonight is to report to Your Majesty all the truth that I know..." Kang Qingyuan stepped forward, his expression serious and almost terrifying.

"Your Majesty, in fact, you, like Princess Tianning, are not the late emperor's biological child..."