Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Chapter 90: Rebel_1

The battle in the southern borders had cost the Jin Kingdom hundreds of thousands of soldiers. The Jin Kingdom would not have the strength to battle Xiliang again for at least five years and would undoubtedly have to cede land for peace.

The Emperor, with a head full of anger, was trembling. He had been enraged by the Bai family’s coercion, but at this moment, his greatest anger was directed at his legitimate son, King Xin!

That arrogant fool had no ability yet forced the commander into battle. He regretted ever giving King Xin the gold medal and arrow. His own child… Could he not see what kind of person he was?!

Yes, when he sent King Xin to the Duke of Zhen’s estate, it was with the intention of having King Xin overpower the Duke. He only wanted to bring guilt upon the Duke of Zhen’s entire household. He merely intended to curb the so-called undefeated legend of this military family.

But as the Emperor of the Jin Kingdom, he had never intended for the Jin Kingdom to be defeated so miserably!

The Bai family members’ deaths were of no consequence, but those countless soldiers who had died were his troops. How could he not feel heartbroken?!

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And then there was Liu Huanzhang!

Daring to betray the nation!

Daring to lead the Jin Kingdom’s army against its own people!

A traitor! To execute the Nine Clans of his family! They must be executed!

The Emperor’s hand, holding the bamboo slip, kept shaking. As he thought of the Bai daughters dressed in mourning clothes kneeling at the Wude Gate and the citizens of Dadu City, pressuring him to kill his legitimate son, his anger flared even more.

He only had that one legitimate son!

The Emperor was deeply troubled and felt an overwhelming desire to immediately order the extermination of the entire Bai family.

At this moment, the Empress was pacing outside the grand hall, uncertain of what to do. Now, the Bai family and the people, surging with anger, were kneeling at the palace gates, demanding justice and insisting the Emperor kill King Xin to appease the public.

The Empress, having been married to the Emperor for many years, understood well his tendency to court fame and avoid infamy. If, in pursuit of his reputation, he truly killed King Xin…

The Empress dared not even think about it. The Emperor had many sons, but she had only that one!

Inside the hall, the Emperor, looking at the solemn Eldest Princess, closed his eyes. “Aunt, we are family; behind closed doors, we speak family business. What are you hoping to gain by causing such a commotion?”

The Emperor’s dark eyes filled with murderous intent turned towards the Eldest Princess. “Do you truly… want to force me to kill King Xin?!”

King Xin… deserved to die! _{freēwebnovel.com}

The Eldest Princess’s words made the Emperor’s heart pound. He tightly clenched the bamboo slip in his hand, tapping it against the table before throwing it aside. Leaning on the cushion embroidered with the golden dragon soaring in the sky, he closed his eyes and pondered repeatedly.

Balancing the consolidation of royal authority and the will of the people against familial ties and his reluctance, the Emperor soon gathered a cloud of obscurity in his heart.

With his eyes closed, he asked, “Aunt, are you truly speaking with no intent of avenging your descendants by killing King Xin?”

Indeed, having sat on the throne for so long, the Emperor’s intimidating power was overwhelming.

The Eldest Princess steadied herself and slowly spoke, “It is true I am the Duchess of the Duke of Zhen. But my foremost role is as the Eldest Princess of the Imperial Family!”

The Emperor opened his eyes and looked at the Eldest Princess with probing, sinister eyes.

The Eldest Princess stared directly into the Emperor’s eyes, her voice steady. “Under these circumstances… Liu Huanzhang’s Nine Clans must not be spared! While the people are gathered at Wude Gate, His Majesty must at least make a show of it. Have the Imperial Army surround the Liu Mansion and confiscate their property! King Xin, because he is the legitimate son, must be severely punished. Even if not killed, he can no longer have any prospects of reaching the supreme position! As for the Bai family… only a few widows and orphans are left. They can hardly stir up any trouble.”

When the previous Emperor was still alive, he had said that the Eldest Princess was a formidable and proud woman. Despite years of living a life of meditation and eating vegetarian, and having a benevolent and compassionate demeanor, she hadn’t lost the ruthlessness and decisiveness deep in her bones when faced with significant matters.

“That legitimate granddaughter of yours, Bai Qingyan, is indeed formidable!” The Emperor squinted his eyes, and speaking of Bai Qingyan, a hint of murderous intent inadvertently leaked, his voice cold as ice.

The Eldest Princess’s hand, holding the agarwood Buddha beads, trembled. She lightly flicked the beads, her voice growing stronger, “I’ve already planned the aftermath. Let the Bai family’s great mourning be handled simply, so this matter can pass quickly! Then… I will come to the palace to request the forfeiture of the Duke of Zhen’s title and go to the temple to pray for the country, living there permanently. I ask His Majesty, in consideration of the Bai family’s generations of loyalty, to allow the Bai family’s widows to return to their ancestral home in Shuoyang.”