Everyone present was startled.
Emperor Chenghua, however, remained calm and said, "Send the Ninth Prince to guard the city. All matters will be decided by the Ninth Prince."
"Yes." The guard turned and left.
Upon hearing this, the gazes of those in the hall fell upon Li Man'er. Now that she was the Ninth Princess Consort, and the Emperor trusted the Ninth Prince so much, he would naturally also favor her.
The Empress also looked at Li Man'er and said softly, "Ninth Princess Consort, the wise know when to adapt to circumstances. At this point, do you still intend to stand by the side of a misguided ruler?"
Things were far from the false appearance everyone saw. Li Man'er had principles and confidence, so she didn't take the Empress's words to heart.
"I will stand by the Prince through thick and thin. Now that the Prince is fighting on the front lines, quelling the rebellion, how can I abandon my loyalty and betray the Empress?"
"Fool!" The Empress turned to the others in the hall. Here were the Emperor's sons, daughters, and sons-in-law, as well as the imperial concubines.
"Is His Majesty still so stubborn?" the Empress asked. "If you abdicate voluntarily, you can at least retain your dignity."
After all, no one wished to ascend the throne through rebellion. Even for a ruler like Li Er, the Xuanwu Gate Incident was an eternal pain in his heart.
If Emperor Chenghua were willing to abdicate and issue an imperial decree, then the successor would be legitimate.
"If I abdicate, whom do you intend to put on the throne?"
The Empress remained silent. "Your Majesty need not worry about that."
Emperor Chenghua seemed to be amused. "Let me guess. Your father has always claimed to be unwell and retired from court early. He is already esteemed as the Emperor's father-in-law, so he has been paving the way for his descendants."
Emperor Chenghua said with a half-smile, "Could it be the Emperor's maternal uncle who wishes to ascend the throne? Yes, this man has always considered himself extraordinary. When I was still a prince, how old was the Emperor's maternal uncle? He didn't even pay attention to me. Now that you have an opportunity, you will surely push this fellow into my position. Moreover, the Emperor's maternal uncle seems to have six or seven sons, so there should be no worries about future heirs."
"Your Majesty need not trouble yourself with this. As long as you are willing to write a decree of abdication, I will guarantee your safety and allow you to live out your years as a wealthy and idle person, free from court affairs. Wouldn't that be joyful?"
"Haha." Emperor Chenghua laughed. "Does the Empress truly think I am muddle-headed?"
The Empress knew Emperor Chenghua's deep cunning and his nature of choosing death over disgrace. She immediately said, "Since His Majesty is stubborn, then this concubine can only bid Your Majesty farewell on his journey."
With a wave of her hand, over thirty guards emerged from the shadows, sealing the hall doors tightly. These men were all armed, clad in armor, and menacing in appearance, terrifying everyone inside.
Everyone was thus brought under control.
Eunuch Xia's legs went weak. He squeaked, "Protect His Majesty!"
The Empress had already replaced everyone in the hall. Who would protect the Emperor now?
"I underestimated you. The Empress has even bribed the Imperial Guards. You have considered every angle." Emperor Chenghua's expression showed a hint of displeasure, but he remained steady.
Seeing this, Li Man'er nodded inwardly. Regardless of anything else, Emperor Chenghua possessed considerable courage, worthy of being an emperor.
With this thought, Li Man'er stood up, preparing to protect the Emperor. A rebel soldier stood not far from her. Seeing Li Man'er rise, he immediately became vigilant, pointing his saber at her and shouting, "Sit down!"
Li Man'er possessed martial arts skills, making her a prime target. When selecting people, they had chosen two highly skilled guards to keep an eye on her.
Li Man'er was not one to be intimidated. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she casually picked up a wine cup from the table, throwing it with a swish.
The man blocked with his saber, and the wine cup shattered. But then, a nimble figure lunged towards him.
Gasps erupted from within the hall. The man reacted extremely quickly. He lowered his wrist, thrust his arm forward, and the tip of his saber pierced towards Li Man'er.
Seeing this, the Empress smiled with satisfaction. If Li Man'er could be killed on the spot, it would be excellent. She had married yesterday and was now the Ninth Princess Consort, her status greatly elevated. Killing her would establish authority, disrupt Qi Yihan's heart, and lead to a more favorable turn of events.
The timid womenfolk cried out in fear. Li Qingshu even shouted anxiously, "Man'er, be careful!"
What kind of person was Li Man'er? She didn't even consider a mere Imperial Guard a threat. She twisted her body, moving to the side with incredible, exaggerated speed, narrowly dodging the opponent's saber.
The man seemed to have not expected Li Man'er's speed to be so great. It was too late to swing his saber again. Li Man'er grabbed his wrist and forcefully twisted it outwards, causing the saber to fall to the ground.
Seizing this opportunity, Li Man'er kicked towards the man's knee. With a crack, the man wailed and collapsed to the ground, clutching his leg and howling.
"My leg, my leg." He was clearly crippled.
Seeing this, everyone understood that Li Man'er had to be subdued first. The Empress angrily ordered, "Take her down!"
Several guards close to Li Man'er leaped forward, intending to kill her together. In their minds, as long as they could eliminate Li Man'er, any means were permissible, and rules did not matter.
Li Man'er was never one to passively await her fate. She reached for her waist and produced several darts, throwing them fiercely at the guards. Her darts were poisoned; even a slight scratch could be instantly fatal.
In an instant, four or five more men fell. They spat black blood. Although their wounds were not fatal, they died nonetheless.
It was obvious to everyone that they had died from poisoning.
The Empress's eyes turned bloodshot, wishing she could devour Li Man'er. "You dare use poison?"
"The Empress dares to rebel and force the Emperor to abdicate, and they dare to use superior numbers to bully the few. Why can't I restore order and justice?"
Her words were powerful, and even Emperor Chenghua couldn't help but commend her.
"Good, good indeed, restoring order and justice!"
Li Man'er walked slowly towards Emperor Chenghua and bowed slightly. "Your subject's wife is here to protect Your Majesty."
Emperor Chenghua nodded with satisfaction. Eunuch Xia was moved to tears. At critical moments, one had to rely on the Ninth Prince and the Ninth Princess Consort. When His Majesty was in trouble, this couple truly stood by him!
The Empress screamed maniacally, "Attack! Capture her for me."
No one dared to step forward, each hesitating, fearing that Li Man'er's poison would strike them indiscriminately, taking their lives in an instant.
The thoughts of those present began to stir. It seemed Li Man'er was not only an exceptional physician but also a formidable killer.
Outside, the sounds of battle raged, as if the palace gates had been breached. The Empress laughed loudly. "Qi, you are finished. The empire's rivers and mountains will now be ruled by my Chen family."
Emperor Chenghua snorted lightly, his face devoid of fear. "So, even without the matter of the Crown Prince, your Chen family intended to rebel, didn't you? If my guess is correct, you were originally waiting for me to die, and then the Crown Prince would logically succeed to the throne and become the new emperor. He is weak and incompetent, and could be a puppet of your Chen family. When he becomes senile and the common people are in despair, the Chen family could then take his place. Am I correct?"