At this time, apart from a group of civil servants led by Zhong Wuji, only Yin Que was left to protect Chen Ji.
Looking at the dagger still bleeding in Xu's hands, Chen Ji asked hoarsely: "Why?"
Xu Shuang came from a poor and powerful family, and his great-grandfather served as the commander of the Imperial Army for two terms.
Later, the Xu family fell into decline and was forced to make a living by selling soybean oil.
This situation did not change until Xu Shuang joined the Forbidden Army.
Later, Xu Shuang was valued by Qin Zhen and was selected into the Red Armor Army. The life of the Xu family became better and better.
After becoming the captain of the emperor's personal guard, Chen Ji would reward Xu Shuang with something every once in a while to win people's hearts.
The status of the Xu family has also risen accordingly. Many neighbors who looked down on the Xu family before now look at the Xu family with admiration.
A down-and-out young man became a celebrity in front of the emperor in just a few years. Xu Shuang could definitely reach the sky in one step.
But human greed has no limits.
Xu Shuang was originally very satisfied with his current life, until someone found him and told him that he could replace Qin Zhen, Xu Shuang's heart was shaken.
Although he is already the captain of the Red Armor Army and is a high-ranking figure in the Forbidden Army, and he is very grateful to Qin Zhen who single-handedly promoted him, but if there is a chance to replace him, no one is willing to succumb to others.
Coincidentally, during training the next morning, two of Xu Shuang's soldiers came late due to sleepiness.
Qin Zhen was furious and not only severely punished the two soldiers, but also scolded Xu Shuang bloody in public.
From that day on, Xu Shuang changed.
Although he understood that the two soldiers might have been late on purpose and deliberately provoked his relationship with Qin Zhen, he still couldn't help but become more and more dissatisfied with Qin Zhen.
Just like many people who have been working at a job for a long time, one day they have the idea of resigning, and then every minute and every second becomes extremely painful.
From that day on, replacing Qin Zhen took root in Xu Shuang's heart.
Betrayal is not a glorious thing, so Xu Shuang said nothing, just held the dagger and continued to walk towards Chen Ji step by step.
The surrounding red-armored soldiers were all Xu Shuang's men, and they had all been bribed.
As for those who couldn't be bribed, Xu Shuang drove them away with excuses.
Everyone knew that once they took this step today, there would be no turning back, so they actively cooperated with Xu Shuang and surrounded Chen Ji, Yinque, Zhong Wuji and others in the middle.
Chen Ji probably knew that he was going to be doomed today, so he simply let go, stared at Xu Shuang and continued to ask: "Why?"
"Your Majesty, why else? Because someone else promised him greater benefits!"
Zhong Wuji looked at Xu Shuang with a sneer: "Am I right?"
"Tell me who it is?" Chen Ji asked with eyes wide open.
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the fourth prince and a group of men in black walking over in a swaggering manner.
"It's you?"
A flash of shock flashed in Chen Ji's eyes, then a look of surprise appeared, and then he lowered his head and smiled bitterly, his face full of sadness.
At this moment, he wanted to understand many things.
Zhong Wuji sneered, showing an expression that said, "It's just as I expected."
"You're such a traitor, did you also come to me to ask for the edict of Zen status?"
Chen Ji smiled miserably and said: "If this is the case, you should give up this idea completely!"
It is impossible to hide such a big thing as forced uterus, and sooner or later it will be known to the world.
Whether it is to silence the world, or to leave a fig leaf in the history books, it is best to find an excuse that is barely justified.
Therefore, when the prince forced the palace, he once asked Chen Ji for the edict of Zen status.
In this case, violently forcing the uterus into the palace becomes Chen Ji's active Zen position.
Although it is a cover-up, it can also be regarded as a fig leaf.
So when Chen Ji saw the fourth prince, the first thing that came to his mind was the Zen edict.
But who knew that the fourth prince shook his head and said with a smile: "Father, you don't have to worry, I'm not here to ask for an imperial edict."
"Then what are you here for?" Chen Ji asked, "Are you here to rescue me?"
Among Chen Ji's sons, the Fourth Prince is one of the most outstanding ones, and he is also the one whom the Ninth Princess has always supported.
When the prince forced him to go to the palace, Chen Ji sent an edict outside the palace in advance. In the edict, Chen Ji passed the throne to the fourth prince.
However, Jin Feng later rescued him and Chen Ji did not die, so the edict was naturally invalidated.
But anyone with a discerning eye can see the importance Chen Ji attaches to the fourth prince.
So when Chen Ji heard that the fourth prince said that he was not here to ask for the Zen edict, Chen Ji couldn't help but feel a little extravagant hope.
But what the fourth prince said next completely shattered Chen Ji's last chance.
"My son came to see my father and wanted to borrow something." The fourth prince said with a smile.
"What do you want to borrow?" Chen Ji asked.
"My son wants to borrow my father's head!" The fourth prince saluted Chen Ji: "I hope my father will grant me his wish!"
"Hahaha!……"
Chen Ji looked up to the sky and laughed so much that tears came out of his eyes.
When the prince forced the palace, he did not intend to kill Chen Ji, but planned to sideline him and become the supreme emperor.
It's better for the fourth prince, he wants to kill him directly.
Chen Ji burst into tears with laughter. He stopped after a while and gave a thumbs up to the fourth prince: "He is indeed a prince that both Wu Yang and I value. His methods are indeed much more domineering than that traitor!"
"Thank you for the compliment, Father!" The fourth prince bowed again: "I wonder if Father is willing to fulfill his wishes?"
"Now that things have come to this, do you think there is still room for me to fail?" Chen Ji sneered miserably.
"Thank you very much, Father!"
The fourth prince rolled up his sleeves, knelt on the ground solemnly, and kowtowed three times to Chen Ji.
The excitement and joy in his eyes could hardly be suppressed.
He has been waiting for this day for too long.
After Jin Feng came to the rescue, everyone thought that the emperor would abolish the crown prince and establish the fourth prince as the new crown prince.
The fourth prince himself thought so.
During that time, the fourth prince was extremely attentive. He came to the palace every morning and evening to pay his respects to Chen Ji. He also often spent time in the Privy Council during the day, learning all kinds of statecraft from the ministers, and trying his best to appear filial and capable.
But Chen Ji seemed to have forgotten this matter and never mentioned the matter of establishing a heir apparent.
Although the fourth prince was dissatisfied, he did not dare to ask and could only suppress his dissatisfaction in his heart.
Then one day, the fourth prince's uncle found him and persuaded him to force him into the palace.
The prince's mistakes were still fresh in his mind, so the fourth prince did not dare to do so at first.
But his uncle promised to help him deal with Jin Feng, and the fourth prince was finally moved.
Because Chen Ji is still in his prime, when he abdicates, even if the throne is passed to the fourth prince, the fourth prince will not be able to sit on it for a few years.
What's more, Chen Ji hasn't made him the prince yet.
If the position is passed to someone else at that time, the fourth prince will be in vain and will probably be killed by the new emperor.
This has been a normal phenomenon in all dynasties.
So the fourth prince finally accepted his uncle's suggestion, and then the current scene happened.