CHAPTER 326: CHAPTER 326: ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON EMPEROR JING

The news of Emperor Jing’s assassination reached the Imperial Palace, throwing it into chaos.

Noble Consort An forced herself to remain calm, steadied the concubines, and sent the Imperial Army to gather more information.

The next news reported was that Consort Jing had shielded Emperor Jing from a sword, but the child could not be saved.

It was said to be a fully formed male fetus.

Consort Jing was bleeding heavily, and her condition was critical.

Although Consort Jing had been at odds with her since entering the palace, she had never wished for her death.

"Send everyone from the Imperial Hospital over," Noble Consort An calmly ordered.

In the middle of the night, Emperor Jing and his party returned to the palace.

Consort Jing could not be saved from the heavy bleeding.

In less than a day, Emperor Jing seemed to have aged several years.

Noble Consort An went to bring Emperor Jing some soup, and he buried his head in her arms, weeping bitterly.

"I should have refused her," Emperor Jing was filled with regret.

If he had been more resolute in his refusal, Consort Jing would have stayed in the palace, avoided the assassination, and both she and the child would not have died.

"Your Majesty, has the assassin been caught?" Noble Consort An asked. "This is not the time for grief; only by capturing the assassin and avenging Sister Consort Jing can we honor her and the child’s spirits in heaven."

"Yes, I must give her and her child an explanation."

Emperor Jing took a few sips of the soup haphazardly and called in the officials waiting outside the hall.

The trip to pay respects at the temple, though not hidden in itinerary, was very well guarded.

The fact that an assassination could happen under such circumstances.

Means that there was collusion from within and without.

The last time, during the Heaven and Earth Sect incident, the palace had undergone a major purge. Although not all had been eradicated, Emperor Jing believed that those remaining could not become a threat.

"The Ministry of Justice is already conducting an investigation," the Commander of the Imperial Army reported. "It is being interrogated personally by Young Minister Tang, and the results should come soon."

"Don’t stay idle either. You must thoroughly uncover all the palace insiders this time," Emperor Jing said with a somber expression. "Bring those imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison to me; I want to interrogate them personally."

Those in the Heavenly Prison were all people planted in the palace by the Heaven and Earth Sect.

The entire atmosphere of the Imperial Palace was extremely stifling. All the palace servants were highly vigilant and cautious, afraid of making any mistakes while on duty.

As dawn approached, news from the Ministry of Justice was delivered into the palace.

"There were two groups of assassins!"

One group was from the Heaven and Earth Sect.

The other group was from Consort Jing!

This news shocked everyone!

Soon, all the servants who served Consort Jing were arrested.

After Emperor Jing personally interrogated them, his expression turned even more grim.

Zhou Kangping and Consort Jing conspired to stage a rescue, ensuring Consort Jing’s standing with Emperor Jing would surpass that of Noble Consort An, securing her place as Empress.

The assassins they arranged, of course, were never meant to truly harm Consort Jing.

Except, they didn’t anticipate the Heaven and Earth Sect’s intervention.

Emperor Jing fell silent.

He grieved for the unborn child.

As for Consort Jing, she brought this upon herself.

"Bring Zhou Kangping to me," Emperor Jing ordered the Commander of the Imperial Army.

At that time, Zhou Kangping was unaware that things had not gone according to her and Consort Jing’s plan.

She was currently flirting with a lover, feeling quite pleased with herself.

Unable to endure solitude in the estate, Zhou Kangping took a huge sum of silver from Consort Jing’s family, living leisurely every day.

Anticipating that once the plan succeeded, with Consort Jing’s whispering, she would restore her status as the Grand Princess.

When the Commander of the Imperial Army arrived, Zhou Kangping was in disarray.

She and the Commander of the Imperial Army were old acquaintances and even had shared intimate moments.

Therefore, when she saw him, Zhou Kangping was not too nervous.

Consort Jing was extremely cautious, so Zhou Kangping did not believe their plan would fail.

"What, missed me? So you came to find me?" Zhou Kangping asked lazily.

"By the Emperor’s order, we come to arrest the criminal woman Zhou Kangping," the Commander of the Imperial Army said coldly. "Any resistance will be met with no mercy."

Zhou Kangping was momentarily stunned.

After a while, she asked, "What happened to Consort Jing?"

"The Lady shielded His Majesty from a sword, resulting in excessive bleeding and death, both mother and child perished," the Commander of the Imperial Army replied.

Consort Jing was dead!

How could she be dead?

Their plan was flawless!

"Lin Quan, could you let me go? We’ve shared intimate moments! I still don’t want to die!" Zhou Kangping pleaded with the Commander of the Imperial Army.

"I and my family certainly do not wish to die either," Lin Quan responded coldly.

Zhou Kangping was not destined to meet a good end.

The things that had happened between him and Zhou Kangping couldn’t be kept secret. His position as the Commander of the Imperial Army seemed to be coming to an end.

But losing an official position was better than losing his life.

Lin Quan did not hesitate to personally bind Zhou Kangping.

Zhou Kangping was brought before Emperor Jing in disarray, her hair tangled and clothing disheveled.

Emperor Jing waved his hand, and the officials and attendants in the hall retreated.

Zhou Kangping knelt pitifully at Emperor Jing’s feet, "My dear brother, hear my explanation!"

"Very well, I’m listening. Speak." Emperor Jing’s voice was icy, devoid of any inflection.

"It was Consort Jing who contacted me. She knew I still had Hidden Guards, so she proposed collaborating with me. As long as she could smoothly become Empress, she promised to help restore my status as the Grand Princess. I didn’t want to spend my life on the estate, so I agreed," Zhou Kangping cried bitterly.

Completely lacking her former high-and-mighty demeanor of a Grand Princess.

"Is that so?" Emperor Jing said indifferently.

"Consort Jing feared that this time she wasn’t carrying a Prince, so we agreed that at her time of labor, I would help her find a male infant. If it were a Prince, then it would be a great joy; if not, we’d perform a ’Cat for Prince’ swap," Zhou Kangping explained, "All of this was Consort Jing’s idea. She approached me."

"Did she say how the swapped child would be treated?"

"That’s her own flesh and blood, it would be sent to her family to be well raised," Zhou Kangping replied.

"So, you two were treating me like a fool?" Emperor Jing laughed, his eyes and brows full of ridicule.

"No, no," Zhou Kangping denied, humbly.

"Since I ascended the throne, I believed I had never wronged you because I was grateful for your sacrifices for me. Therefore, I always protected you, tried my best to satisfy your wishes. And the result? Again and again, you repay me like this?"

"I, I—"

Zhou Kangping was at a loss for words.

"Can’t think of anything to say? Then let me tell you. You overstepped by meddling in politics; you indulged your subordinates to commit crimes; you harmed the court officials, and in the end, you wanted to see me dead!"

"I, I didn’t—" Zhou Kangping’s denial was weak.

Emperor Jing wordlessly flung the confession sent over by the Ministry of Justice in front of Zhou Kangping.

Consort Jing’s closest Chief Palace Maid was Zhou Kangping’s person.

Besides Zhou Kangping’s plans with Consort Jing, she even coveted the position of Empress.

Emperor Jing had never known his sister harbored such aspirations.

He was even unaware of the numerous courtiers under her sway.

Now that matters had come to light, Zhou Kangping knew she couldn’t escape.

So she didn’t bother to remain kneeling and directly stood up, "So what if it’s true? Back then, had it not been for me protecting you, could you have ascended the throne? Your kindness to me was right and proper. Initially, maintaining close ties with those ministers, for what purpose? To stabilize the court when you first took the throne. Without me, could you have made them bow down in such a short time?"