RWNEFE -Chapter 475 The Sixteenth Prince Forces the Palace Coup

After Shen Lanxi left, only then did people in the mansion dare to move about.

“Old Madam, it’s not a household raid—it’s the Sixteenth Prince rebelling in the palace!”

The news quickly spread through every mansion, and then, via the relevant generals, throughout the capital.

“The Sixteenth Prince is only eleven! Impossible—absolutely impossible!”

“You don’t understand. The Sixteenth Prince’s mother is the consort of General Wang Ling, who served the emperor back then. Even if none of the general’s descendants practiced martial arts, they surely left the Wang family ways to survive.”

“The Wang family has always followed the emperor closely—they’ve probably long coveted the throne and harbored rebellious intentions.”

“Hurry, find out if Shen Lanxi is still in the palace!”

Soon, each mansion received word that Shen Lanxi had returned home for something today.

“The palace must be in chaos now!”

“The Wang family has always been low-key; they’ve likely been waiting for this exact moment.”

“This is bad—the Wang family might coerce the emperor to command the nobles. If they seize the imperial seal and issue a false edict, all hell will break loose.”

“Quick! Gather all the household guards and palace troops! If the Wang family gets the false edict, the slaughter will be aimed at us.”

At that moment, whoever refused to comply with the edict would be threatened through their own families, and the kingdom could genuinely change hands.

Those with foresight had just gathered the household troops when the sound of iron-clad cavalry thundered outside.

“Who is it?”

Whose troops could this be at such a time? Could it be the Wang family?

The hearts of the ministers sank instantly. Indeed, aside from the secretly powerful Wang family, all other troops had been dispatched.

Even if Shen Lanxi could face hundreds at once, she couldn’t turn the tide now.

The capital was about to change hands—hopefully with as little bloodshed as possible. The Great Zhou Dynasty was already fragile and could not withstand internal strife.

Daybreak came quickly.

Ministers and commoners alike cautiously opened their doors to see what had happened.

“Why are the streets so empty?”

“No blood on the ground.” At this point, it was impossible to even discern who had fought.

Thus, no killing occurred in the streets the night before.

Seeing this, the ministers and citizens felt slightly reassured and braver.

“There seems to be commotion near the palace!”

“I hear it too.”

Commoners could avoid the palace, but ministers could not—especially senior officials. If they failed to appear, later blame would fall on them for cowardice.

After a brief deliberation, many officials arranged for their families and proceeded toward the palace.

The three regent ministers encountered each other on the way.

Each had their own thoughts, but the old tutor suggested, “Let’s go together!”

This successfully eased the awkwardness between them.

By the time they arrived, the palace gates were already surrounded by iron cavalry. Several dozen children’s bodies hung from the gates.

The three regent ministers glanced once—and their hearts sank.

The bodies hanging from the gates were underage princes from the harem. On the ground lay numerous corpses of concubines, princes, and princesses.

When they arrived, Shen Lanxi was angrily negotiating with those atop the city walls.

“Do not harm the emperor or the princes. I, the King, will take responsibility. I will give you a fiefdom to govern as you wish!”

Even before, when two rebels had sent envoys to threaten them, this honor had not been offered. Clearly, Shen Lanxi had already made multiple concessions before their arrival.

“Old Tutor, Lord Liu, Lord Wu…” Shen Lanxi greeted the three regent ministers in order.

Mei Nanhua, fuming, asked, “What is the situation in the palace?”

Shen Lanxi: “It’s confirmed—the Sixteenth Prince is rebelling. His troops have taken the emperor hostage and are using concubines and royal children as leverage. For every demand we fail to meet, they drop one person!”

Mei Nanhua furrowed his brow, shouting toward the city walls, “Traitors and rebels! Every one of you deserves execution! If you do not want to become eternal villains of the Great Zhou, open the gates immediately—we will pardon the past!”

The city wall troops moved—but not to open the gates. Instead, they threw a concubine off the wall.

As she fell, Shen Lanxi immediately ordered soldiers to catch her. Before she could finish, archers on the wall began shooting arrows.

The concubine hit the ground and died instantly, her swollen belly striking a shock into everyone’s eyes.

“Beasts! You’re beasts! You don’t even spare a pregnant woman? Do you not have wives or children?” Mei Nanhua screamed in rage.

The response was another princess thrown to her death.

Liu Mingxin hastily intervened: “We cannot provoke them further. They’re already desperate and frenzied.”

Wu Yanzhi, face full of anger and grief, said: “Should we just let them threaten us, presenting ourselves to the knives?”

If they allowed themselves to be butchered, they could only await their doom.

“Lord Shen, what exactly are their demands?” The three regent ministers, now fully aware of reality, began to strategize.

Shen Lanxi’s gaze was icy: “The Sixteenth Prince claims the throne and demands that we kill the Prince of Zhennan.”

Mei Nanhua immediately cursed: “Never!”

Wu Yanzhi quickly cautioned: “Old Tutor, keep your voice down.”

Mei Nanhua, furious, dared not shout again.

If another person was thrown, they could not bear the responsibility.

“Lord Shen, do you have a plan?” Wu Yanzhi asked Shen Lanxi.

Liu Mingxin was also panicked, instinctively looking to Shen Lanxi.

“The Prince of Zhennan must not die!” This was the top priority, agreed by all three regent ministers.

Shen Lanxi: “Next, we need to rescue the emperor, the Virtuous Consort, and as many people in the palace as we can!”

The three regent ministers nodded.

“Of course.”

Shen Lanxi: “The imperial seal is in the palace. If the Sixteenth Prince tries to claim the throne with it, resisting him would be treason!”

The three regent ministers stiffened. Wu Yanzhi quickly countered in a low voice: “Even with the imperial seal, can’t he only write whatever he wants? He is the true rebel.”

Naturally, he meant the Sixteenth Prince.

Shen Lanxi frowned in analysis: “If we don’t comply, he’ll continue killing.”

Surely they couldn’t allow him to slaughter everyone in the palace.

This was an unsolvable problem.

Mei Nanhua grimly said: “Even if these traitors seize high office, their position will never be legitimate—they will eventually be overthrown.”

Shen Lanxi whispered: “My plan is to feign compliance, to temporarily pacify him and stop the killings.”

Wu Yanzhi widened his eyes: “And the Prince of Zhennan?”

Shen Lanxi explained calmly: “The Prince of Zhennan is currently pacifying Jiangling. Even if we wanted to kill him, it would take time.”

Mei Nanhua’s eyes brightened: “We stall?”

Shen Lanxi nodded gently: “The palace isn’t entirely under their control. Even if some obey the Sixteenth Prince’s orders temporarily, over time they will become anxious and fearful.”

Liu Mingxin stared at Shen Lanxi, then after a moment said: “You’ve long planned to submit, haven’t you?”