Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 865 - 862: Usurping the Throne

King Liang was shocked, deeply puzzled, not knowing if Li Mingrui was faking his surrender to Bai Jinxiu or truly betraying him.

Meanwhile, Li Mao and his son exchanged glances. Li Mao pursed his lips tightly, anger rising suddenly, but it dissipated quickly... He immediately understood his son’s intent. The look in his eyes towards his son changed from anger to reassurance and appreciation.

Only by standing on opposite sides, regardless of whether King Liang or the Crown Prince became the victor, the Li family could at least ensure its survival.

To sacrifice one life for the benefit of the entire clan was a worthwhile deal.

It seemed that in this life, they would be fortunate enough to have a match, to see who bet on the right person.

Li Mao feigned anger and rebuked Li Mingrui: "Li Mingrui, how dare you falsely accuse your father! Are you even human?!"

Li Mingrui’s eyes were filled with tears, his throat choked and unable to speak.

Seeing the Emperor’s wide eyes on him, Li Mao put on a composed appearance: "Your Majesty, my loyalty is as clear as day and night. Your Majesty, please do not be misled by vile individuals!"

"Misled?!" The Emperor hated two things most in his life: being constrained by others and being deceived. The Emperor gritted his teeth, extremely angry, "You conspired with King Liang, and that is also being misled by others?!"

"Soldiers! His Majesty has spoken... King Liang and Li Mao conspired to rebel!" Bai Jinxiu shouted.

Today, as King Liang appeared with the Emperor, some Yuanping soldiers were already hesitant. But considering the threat posed by the Shuoyang Army brought by Ji Tingyu, they reluctantly convinced themselves to believe Bai Jinxiu’s words about King Liang’s rebellion. Now, with the Emperor saying it himself, there was no doubt left for the Yuanping soldiers.

Seeing Li Mao’s livid face, Bai Jinxiu deliberately provoked King Liang: "King Liang, you are now forcing the Emperor. When I break into the Imperial Palace, I will definitely execute you to vent the Emperor’s and the Crown Prince’s anger!"

"Father, if you don’t say something now, we might not hold out until the Pingyang Army arrives! You... will not be able to ascend the nine-tiered platform! At the nine-tiered platform... Maybe the boys and girls are already gathered, just waiting for you and the State Preceptor to make the Immortal Pill." King Liang turned to look at the Emperor.

The Emperor’s fist tightened upon hearing this, his bloodshot eyes narrowing sharply, asking: "Bai Jinxiu, will you retreat or not?!"

"Bai Jinxiu swears to protect the Emperor and the Crown Prince to the death!"

The Emperor looked coldly at the Crown Prince: "Someone! Hang the Crown Prince above Wude Gate!"

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince looked at his father in disbelief, his legs trembling: "Father?!"

King Liang shouted loudly: "What are you waiting for! The Emperor has decreed to hang the Crown Prince above Wude Gate!"

"Father! Father! Save me, Father!" The Crown Prince shouted in terror at the Emperor, struggling as he was pushed up the Wude Gate wall, tears and snot flowing.

The imperial guards above Wude Gate tied the rope around the Crown Prince and pushed him off. The Crown Prince screamed in terror as he fell, the rope tightening around him, almost causing him to vomit. He felt a hot flush, a warm flow dripping down his dirty robes, his shame and fear intertwining. The Crown Prince broke down in uncontrollable sobs: "Father! Father, save me! I don’t want to die!"

"King Liang! How dare you say you are not forcing the Emperor!" Bai Jinxiu suddenly stood up, pointing at King Liang above Wude Gate, "A tiger doesn’t eat its cubs. How could the Emperor treat his own flesh and blood like this? Only a heartless, unfilial, shameless beast like you, King Liang, would treat his brother this way!"

King Liang was almost amused, not expecting Bai Jinxiu to outact him.

"Bai Jinxiu!" The Emperor, thinking only of the nine-tiered platform, shouted, "Will you retreat or not?!"

"Unless the Emperor and the Crown Prince safely leave the Imperial City, Bai Jinxiu swears to protect their safety to the death and will not retreat!" Bai Jinxiu, holding the sword at his waist, shouted, "It is only by this that I can be sure King Liang is not rebelling and can be reassured!"

King Liang’s greatest leverage now was holding the Emperor and the Crown Prince hostage. Would King Liang let them leave?

Heh...

Knowing his own father, King Liang knew that he would abandon the Crown Prince and certainly not favor an unloved Prince like him.

"King Liang, since you claim you are not rebelling, do you dare to release the Emperor and the Crown Prince? Only then will Bai Jinxiu surrender his military power to the Emperor and await his judgment!" Bai Jinxiu shouted.

Strike the snake at its seven-inch mark, Bai Jinxiu knew well that King Liang wouldn’t dare.

"I will leave the palace!" The Emperor, eager to reach the nine-tiered platform, said.

King Liang turned to look at his father, sneering: "Father, you want to leave the palace for the nine-tiered platform, leaving Bai Jinxiu to deal with me?"

Knowing his father’s character, King Liang knew that having forced the Emperor to this humiliation, unless he had leverage, his father would tear him to pieces.

"I will now decree to pass the throne to you!" The Emperor lowered his voice, "Is that not enough?!"

"Father... with the army at the city gates, even if you pass the throne to me now, it depends on whether Bai Jinxiu acknowledges it..." King Liang’s gaze fell on Bai Jinxiu below Wude Gate, "Moreover, if you change your mind after leaving the city, who can stop you?"

The Crown Prince still cried out in despair as the Emperor turned and left, filled with rage. The Emperor hated most being controlled, as he had been by Bai Weiting... Now, his most obedient son had become his greatest threat.

King Liang looked deeply at Bai Jinxiu, calling out: "Keep the Crown Prince hanging here. Only when Bai Jinxiu retreats will he be released!"

With that, King Liang turned and left as well.

Li Mao followed King Liang closely, lowering his voice: "Your Highness, we can delay no longer... We must force the Emperor to abdicate and have Your Highness ascend the throne! The Pingyang Army must be on their way, and if they arrive and Bai Jinxiu persuades them to let the Emperor leave the city, once he is out of our control, we lose! Only if Your Highness ascends before the Pingyang Army’s arrival and the Emperor dies can you legitimize yourself with the Anping Army!"

King Liang halted in his steps, looking mockingly at Li Mao: "Left Prime Minister, are you afraid that if we fail, Bai Jinxiu and the others will tear you to pieces? My second elder brother... Did you incite him to seize the throne?"

Li Mao, aware of the second Prince’s weight in King Liang’s heart, quickly calculated his response.

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