Chapter 139 Emperor Didn't Die

The emperor didn't die.

This is bad.

Zhu Changluo didn't dare to raise his head, afraid that the Wanli Emperor would see something unusual. At first, Emperor Wanli didn't think there was a problem, someone coming to rescue him... but soon he felt that something was wrong.

"Get up quickly, the ground is full of mud and rainwater."

Emperor Wanli felt that he was about to figure out what was wrong, and gave Zhu Changluo a rare kind look, even reaching out to help him up.

Zhu Changluo raised his head, his face covered with rainwater or tears, looking miserable. Emperor Wanli looked at the ashes and dirt on him, sighed, and became more certain that Zhu Changluo had come to rescue him.

However, at this moment, Zhu Changluo's eyes met Ji Xiang's, who was standing behind Emperor Wanli.

Zhu Changluo's body immediately stiffened, as if he had been doused with cold water in the wind and rain. Ji Xiang also narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing a smile:

"How coincidental that the First Prince is here."

Ji Xiang didn't intend to cover up for this future Emperor Guangzong of Ming. Now, Zhu Changluo, one of the masterminds, had to pay his dues.

However, Ji Xiang discovered that the incense aura on Zhu Changluo had disappeared without a trace. Ji Xiang guessed that this was probably because those fire gods had died, and so it vanished along with them.

Zhu Changluo was so nervous at this moment that he was sweating profusely. Fortunately, the heavy rain concealed it, and he was truly "sweating like rain." At the same time, great fear arose in his heart:

This little Daoist from Longde Hall actually appeared here, and he even controlled the fire spirits...

Zhu Changluo saw those fire spirits, who were now restrained, not having the slightest thought of escaping, seeming to be very afraid of Ji Xiang.

Connecting the dots, it wasn't difficult for Zhu Changluo to imagine the situation, which made his hands and feet even colder!

Ji Xiang killed Song Wuji, and also killed Song Zhongzheng, and even the Fire Lord...

He had kicked a steel plate. So his father had been far-sighted and had hidden such a big figure in the Forbidden City. He had foolishly thought that everything was ready and under his control. How foolish he was.

He also thought that when Zhang Juzheng was alive, his father was considered a wise ruler, and many people praised him at that time...

Indeed, things were not as simple as they seemed!

At this time, in Zhu Changluo's heart, Emperor Wanli had become a very far-sighted, even somewhat scheming, terrible emperor with great city and many backup plans, and Zhu Changluo's face was ashen.

Emperor Wanli noticed the problem. Recalling what happened tonight, he remembered the source of the matter of sending people to Longde Hall was that Consort Zheng said that the First Prince was bewitched by a demonic Daoist...

Emperor Wanli asked Ji Xiang, "Ji Xiang, what did the First Prince do in your hall? Did he just burn incense?"

Ji Xiang responded frankly, "Yesterday morning, the First Prince entered Longde Hall to burn incense, praying for blessings for Consort Gong, and inquiring about matters of life, death, and change."

Emperor Wanli had actually learned about this so-called life and death change from Consort Zheng long ago. Consort Zheng said that the First Prince was bewitched by Ji Xiang, and she used this as an excuse. Now he asked again, just to confirm.

Ji Xiang told Emperor Wanli, "The First Prince asked the poor Daoist, can the dead be revived? Is there reincarnation in the world? Is life and death in one's own hands?"

These three questions were thrown out, and Emperor Wanli nodded.

"Good, I am quite interested in the events that happened in Longde Hall, the causes and consequences. Ji Xiang, tell me in detail everything that happened in the past few days, everything you know."

Emperor Wanli wanted to hear the whole story, so Ji Xiang responded truthfully, while Zhu Changluo felt immense fear in his heart.

"On June 17th, at the beginning of the night watch... in Longde Hall, incense and fire spirits caused trouble. The poor Daoist faked his death, lying on the ground all night, and tricked out the Scarlet Banner Child, and only then did he begin to learn about the Fire Lord..."

Ji Xiang spoke, his voice steady, but in Zhu Changluo's ears, it was like the murmur of ghosts and gods, telling him word by word, your time has come!

"On the morning of June 18th, the Scarlet Banner Child appeared in Longde Hall, talking with the incense spirits. During the conversation, they talked about someone wanting to see if the poor Daoist was really dead. Afterwards, the poor Daoist got up and killed the incense spirit. The child's escape technique was superb, and he escaped using incense."

"On the morning of June 18th, not long after the child left, His Highness the First Prince came to the hall to pray for blessings..."

"He asked the poor Daoist some questions about life and death, and then left. Before leaving, His Highness the First Prince told the poor Daoist to rest early tonight."

"On June 18th, at the beginning of the night watch, everything was normal in the hall. At the second watch, His Majesty sent Lord Luo, the Southern Garrison Commander, to inspect Longde Hall..."

"Near the third watch, the Fire God Song Wuji appeared... and was killed by the poor Daoist with a sword. Lord Luo ran out of the hall to rescue His Majesty..."

Ji Xiang said here, Emperor Wanli made a stopping gesture, and then slowly said:

"At the third watch, my Qianqing Palace was burned down, and three people appeared in the fire."

Emperor Wanli stared at Zhu Changluo, "Changge, tell me, from the time you went back, until the third watch last night, what were you doing?"

Changge was Emperor Wanli's casual term for Zhu Changluo.

"Your son... after praying for blessings in Longde Hall, returned to Jingyang Palace to read..."

"In the afternoon... in the palace, I didn't go out, there was nothing to do..."

"At the third watch... your son had already fallen asleep, but the fire in the front three palaces was raging. After your son saw the fire in the harem, he was worried about what happened to his father, so he came in..."

Zhu Changluo carefully considered every word he said. He was sweating profusely on his forehead, but fortunately it was raining heavily now, so it was not obvious, only his face was pale.

Emperor Wanli asked Ji Xiang, "What do you think?"

Ji Xiang replied, "The Fire Lord had just died, and His Highness the First Prince arrived right after, suddenly appearing here, saying he was here to rescue you."

"The poor Daoist still doesn't know why His Highness arrived so coincidentally?"

Zhu Changluo's heart jumped to his throat, hoping that Ji Xiang didn't know that he was the mastermind, but it seemed that his relationship with the Fire Lord and the others had already been exposed:

"It was the rain that extinguished the fire... that's why I was able to get inside, it wasn't a coincidence."

Ji Xiang nodded, and then asked, "Your Highness, you reside in Jingyang Palace, and you haven't gone out for a day. Why do you know that His Majesty is on West Second Street?"

Zhu Changluo was immediately stunned, greatly alarmed. He had actually forgotten this. The harem was huge. Even though Qianqing Palace was on fire, there were many places for the emperor to run away to. As someone who hadn't left his room all day and had never been to the West Sixth Palaces, he shouldn't know where the emperor was!

At this moment, the sound of armored soldiers came from outside, accompanied by shouts of "Search, search".

Ji Xiang looked at Zhu Changluo, whose face was livid, and asked calmly, "The lords of the inner cabinet, so many of them, have only just begun to search. Why is it that Your Highness is faster than them and came straight here?"

The entire West Second Street was silent except for the sound of rain hitting the bluestone pavement.