thebusnovel Chapter 202 Traitors and Scoundrels
Chapter 202 Traitors and Scoundrels
Zhou Hongying thought to herself, "Beauties are common, but generals are not. The Emperor still values the Zhou family after all."
If Shen's face is ruined, how will she still have the face to remain as an Imperial Noble Consort?
Would the emperor really risk her life for a mere concubine?
If she enters the palace, will she still have to worry about her future?
She let out a loud cry and lashed out at Shen Shixi with her whip. Shen Shixi raised his hand, and a whooshing sound rang out.
"Stop!" Li Yuanke lunged forward, but someone was faster than him.
"Your Majesty, be careful!" The man leaped up and tackled Shen Shixi to the ground, using his back to block the whip. With a ripping sound, a layer of flesh was scraped off the man's body.
At the same time, a loud cry was heard, and Zhou Weiming's guards rushed over, asking, "Grand Protector, how are you?"
The silver arrow, originally aimed at Zhou Hongying, was diverted and its aim shifted. By sheer coincidence, it struck Zhou Weiming, embedding itself in his right shoulder, causing him excruciating pain.
Li Yuanke came over and pulled Nie Yunshen away, protecting Shen Shixi in his arms. He had already drawn his sword, and the atmosphere on both sides was very tense.
Zhou Hongying had lost her mind. If anything happened to her elder brother, how could she enter the harem and compete with others?
"You bitch, how dare you hurt my brother!" She raised her whip again.
Nie Yunshen had already propped himself up on his arms. He grabbed the whip, pulled Zhou Hongying back, and turned to say, "Zhou Hongying, are you trying to rebel by being an insubordinate?"
Shen Shixi pushed Li Yuanke aside, rushed over, drew Nie Yunshen's sword, and was about to stab Zhou Hongying when Nie Yunshen grabbed her wrist. "Your Majesty, this humble general is willing to do it in your stead!"
He looked intently at Shen Shixi, his eyes seeming to say, "Whatever you're going to do, I'll do it. Don't get your hands dirty!"
Shen Shixi was never one to listen to advice. His anger blazing, he roared, "Let go! Nie Yunshen, don't think I won't take action against you!"
With a forceful pull, Nie Yunshen dragged Zhou Hongying off the horse, and the whip fell into Nie Yunshen's hand.
He let go.
"Stop! Imperial Noble Consort Chenyuan, spare my life!"
Zhou Weiming shouted, his eyes red, and charged forward. Li Yuanke pointed his sword at his throat in a flash, "What do you want?"
"No, no, no, I didn't mean to... I am... I am... a person with... meritorious service!" Zhou Hongying supported herself and desperately dodged and retreated.
"Fight your mother's merits!" Shen Shixi raised his hand and thrust his sword into Zhou Hongying's right shoulder, pinning her to the ground.
"I have no grudge against you, yet you try to kill me the moment you see me. No matter how great your achievements are, you'll never get this hand back!"
She gripped the sword hilt with both hands, slashed downwards, and severed her meridians.
Zhou Hongying was heartbroken and screamed out loud.
The soldiers were all terrified; none of them had expected that the emperor's concubine would be so fierce.
It wasn't fatal, but it was incredibly horrific!
Zhou Weiming never imagined that she could be so vicious after stabbing him once. His sister's arm was now useless, and he was devastated.
"Your Majesty, how could the Imperial Noble Consort do such a thing? My sister is also a soldier of the Northern Court, and she has rendered meritorious service to our Great Zhou! Without this arm, how will she fight the enemy and serve Your Majesty in the future!"
[Ha, what high-sounding words! She clearly just wants to serve you in bed. Does she even need arms? With me here, this woman can forget about entering the harem!]
She wouldn't stop Li Yuanke from taking concubines, but she would never allow a woman who could kill her to enter.
Shen Shixi sneered, "Which of the soldiers of Beiting is not a decorated warrior? I will never deny your sister's military achievements, but that is not a reason for her to kill me!"
"In terms of merit, who can compare to Protector-General Zhou? Is that why you harbored such wolfish ambitions and dared to commit treason?"
Shen Shixi's voice echoed across the grassland under the night sky. Her eyes shone brightly in the torchlight, her beauty was stunning, and she was awe-inspiring and unapproachable!
"Imperial Noble Consort, please be careful with your words! I have not done anything wrong, so please do not slander me!" Zhou Weiming trembled with rage. He wanted to test the emperor, but he never intended to rebel.
Shen Shixi said sternly, "Zhou Weiming, this is the first crime of leaving your post without being summoned; this is the second crime of launching a night attack on the Emperor; this is the third crime of not removing your armor and not performing the proper etiquette between ruler and subject when you see the Emperor."
"You have committed five major crimes: condoning your subordinates' assassination attempt on the Emperor; disobeying the Emperor's decree and failing to express gratitude; and committing these five heinous crimes before the Emperor today alone. Zhou Weiming, do you think your high achievements give you the right to threaten the Emperor? The Northern Court will not collapse without you!"
Unable to argue with her, Zhou Weiming knelt down with a thud. "Your Majesty, Hongying fought alongside you many years ago. She has a heart full of loyalty to the emperor and love for the country. How can there be any talk of assassination?"
The Imperial Noble Consort, consumed by jealousy, crippled my sister's arm. I had no choice but to comply; if the Emperor commands me to die, I must! However, the Imperial Noble Consort further accused us of treason. I absolutely refuse to admit it, nor will I accept it, nor will the soldiers of the Northern Court!
Shen Shixi sneered, "Beiting belongs to the Emperor, to the soldiers, not to you, Zhou Weiming, alone! Do you think the soldiers are blind? Do you think they can just believe whatever you say?"
Nie Yunshen knelt down and shouted, "We, your humble servants, swear to protect His Majesty and the Imperial Concubine with our lives!"
The soldiers of Beiting also shouted, "We swear to protect His Majesty and the Imperial Concubine with our lives!"
Zhou Weiming was furious that Nie Yunshen dared to betray him!
"Your Majesty, Nie Yunshen is clearly colluding with the Imperial Noble Consort. They are planning to work together from the inside to harm Your Majesty. Your Majesty, please believe in my loyalty."
Zhou Hongying slowly awoke at this moment. She looked at the emperor, tears streaming down her face, and said, "Your Majesty, how could I, a humble general, bear to assassinate Your Majesty when my heart is so devoted to you? Your Majesty, please do not listen to the bewitching concubine. Heaven and earth can bear witness to my love for Your Majesty!"
[Ugh, aren't women these days supposed to be reserved? I couldn't even do something as bold as this to express my love, and she's actually shameless enough to do it! It's a real shame, Li Yuanke, you can forget about this woman, I want her dead!]
Li Yuanke came over, lifted her onto his horse, and looked down at her from above.
"Zhou Weiming, relying on his high merits, has committed treason and rebellion. Effective immediately, the position of Military Governor of Beiting will be temporarily held by Deputy Grand Protector Nie Yunshen. Zhou Weiming will be removed from his armor, imprisoned, and sent to the capital for joint trial by the three judicial departments, and dealt with according to the law!"
His sister is equally guilty! "
He doesn't remember the woman's name!
Zhou Hongying struggled and shouted "Your Majesty!" but her captors covered her mouth and dragged her away.
"Your subject obeys the decree!" Nie Yunshen replied.
Zhou Weiming was horrified. "Your Majesty, I am innocent! Your Majesty, I have absolutely no intention of being a traitor! Please do not listen to the Imperial Noble Consort's wicked words! Your Majesty, you cannot believe what women say!"
Li Yuanke slowly wiped the blood from Shen Shixi's face and said, "You colluded with the Wolf King of Beisha, committed treason, had an affair with the Wolf King's sister, leaked military secrets, and disregarded the life and death of the Beiting Protectorate. Zhou Weiming, have I treated you poorly?"
Zhou Weiming's expression changed instantly.
Li Yuanke didn't waste any more words with him and directly issued an order: "Nie Yunshen, lead the Beiting army back. Be loyal to your duty and do not leave without orders! The rest of you, return to camp!"
Nie Yunshen rose and mounted his horse. "Soldiers of Beiting, mount your horses and follow me back to camp immediately!"
"yes!"
"Wait!" Shen Shixi said.
Nie Yunshen reined in his horse. "What are your orders, Imperial Noble Consort?"
"Nie Yun Shen, the wound on your back...would you like the imperial physician to bandage it before you leave?" The emperor's hand suddenly tightened around Shen Shi Xi's waist, almost snapping her in two.