Ch 247 Final – Second Half Part 3
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Xia Yuqing spoke softly, and combined with the strong wind on the celestial platform, Feng Tingye couldn’t hear her clearly. By the time he wanted to inquire, they had already reached the top. He had to suppress his curiosity and focus on the ceremony.
The grand altar was set up on the platform, with tall railings resembling a circular tent, similar to a yurt but with open sides, allowing people to see everything inside. In front of the railing, there stood a huge statue of the founding emperor of Ye Country.
Xia Yuqing stared at the statue curiously for a while and found that it did bear some resemblance to Feng Tingye’s appearance. However, after weighing it in her mind, she still felt that her husband, who was the Ultra Seme Lord, was more handsome.
Two senior officials stepped forward to light the incense on the altar, but they were stopped by Yan Ran and Leng Ruofeng.
The senior officials were taken aback and hesitated for a moment before quickly regaining their composure. They smiled and said, “What is the Grand Tutor and the Prime Minister doing? The time for the ceremony is almost here. Please release us; if we delay the timing, it may lead to significant issues.”
Yan Ran smiled and said, “Tai Shi and Admiral, His Majesty has given us orders to take care of these small matters, so it’s better for us to handle this.”
The senior officials’ expressions changed slightly. After a moment of hesitation, they tried to maintain a smile and said, “We don’t dare to bother the Grand Tutor and the Prime Minister. We have always handled these matters before. You are still young, and it’s not suitable…”
Yan Ran’s expression remained unchanged, and he continued to smile, saying, “Precisely because we are young, we should take this opportunity to gain more experience. Would you not want to satisfy our request, esteemed officials?”
Leng Ruofeng saw that the two officials were still trying to resist and added with a simple remark, “This is also His Majesty’s intention. Are you preparing to openly defy His Majesty’s orders?”
The expressions of the two senior officials changed drastically. They bowed and said, “We dare not, we dare not.” They then obediently stepped back.
Leng Ruofeng and Yan Ran exchanged glances and approached Feng Tingye and Xia Yuqing, handing them the incense. Xia Yuqing didn’t understand the twists and turns in this, thinking it was supposed to be this way. Feng Tingye, on the other hand, had already understood what was happening when the two approached. He smiled slightly.
Together, they offered their prayers to the heavens and the earth, properly lit the incense, and everything went incredibly smoothly. The two senior officials, on the other side, saw Feng Tingye and Xia Yuqing successfully placing the incense in the censer, and their faces showed a hint of astonishment.
As Xia Yuqing finished inserting the incense and was about to turn and leave, she heard a soft muffled sound. She raised her head curiously and saw a shadow protruding from the edge of the frame above the altar. In just a second, the person was pulled back inside.
Xia Yuqing widened her eyes and almost cried out in surprise but was stopped by a gesture from the shadow. She hurriedly suppressed the exclamation, wondering why her Second Senior Brother appeared here. Why did he seem like he was committing a crime?
Xia Yuqing silently retracted her gaze and looked at the people around her. Fortunately, there was a package on top of the frame that blocked Yun Zhongyue, so unless they walked to the front of the offering table like Feng Tingye and herself, they couldn’t spot Yun Zhongyue.
In her heart, Xia Yuqing felt that Yun Zhongyue was so daring. She didn’t realize that she had narrowly escaped danger just a moment ago.
Hidden above, Yun Zhongyue knocked out the man he had dragged back and retrieved a dagger from him. If he hadn’t pulled the man back in time, the support frame above the offering table would have been cut, causing the entire structure to collapse instantly, ruining the ceremony.
Yun Zhongyue let out a sigh of relief and, through a gap in the package, looked at the statue in front with a worried expression. What came next was…
Behind the massive statue, several dark figures sneaked into a small hole, and when they confirmed that the ceremony had started below, they made a gesture to each other.
Inside the hole, the other dark figures took out a bag of something and prepared to act while looking for a certain hole. Suddenly, they heard a muffled sound from outside. Surprised, they turned to look, but before they could see what happened, they felt a pain in their necks and lost consciousness.
Hua Nongying and Shao Zitang emerged from the darkness. Shao Zitang picked up the items that the black-clad individuals had dropped and sneered, “Chicken blood?”
Shao Zitang coldly laughed, “By pouring chicken blood from this location, it will appear as if the statue is shedding tears of blood.”
“Eh…” Hua Nongying showed disgust as he looked at the chicken blood that Shao Zitang handed to him. “Get it away, get it away! This is so gross. If it weren’t for my Junior Sister and two Senior Brothers, I wouldn’t do such a dirty and tiring job.”
Shao Zitang watched Hua Nongying’s OCD reactions, and the corner of his mouth twitched. He finally understood why Xia Yuqing always looked constipated whenever she mentioned her third senior brother.
Having such an eccentric senior brother was both fortunate and distressing.
Shao Zitang and his companions smoothly carried out their plan to eliminate the hidden manipulators.
Unaware of the attempted ambushes, Xia Yuqing managed to avoid consecutive attacks while she was offering her prayers and greetings to the gods during the ceremony.
As Feng Tingye and Xia Yuqing walked out of the altar with a faint smile, the faces of the ministers who had been waiting outside were full of surprise and excitement.
However, these ministers were not so easily defeated. When they realized that everything had not gone as planned, a few venerable senior officials exchanged glances and made a gesture in a place where no one could see them.
As a result, the spectators at the ceremony saw the revered Emperor and Empress being stopped by a young man dressed in the attire of the Imperial Guards as soon as they stepped out of the altar.
The young man immediately knelt down in front of Feng Tingye and Xia Yuqing and shouted loudly, “Your Majesty, the Empress is a demon star, bearing an ominous aura. She is misleading the saintly ruler and harming the people. The recent plague at the border is closely related to her. Your Majesty and all esteemed officials, for the sake of the countless people of Ye Country, remove this woman to ensure the safety of our nation!”
After the young man’s words were spoken, the crowds under the altar erupted into an uproar. The rumors, which had been temporarily suppressed, bounced back instantly. The atmosphere became lively with discussions and commotions.
Feng Tingye felt the cold sweat on Xia Yuqing’s hand, which was held tightly in his, and remained composed as he calmly said, “Huh, I didn’t realize there were people in my Royal Guards who love to talk nonsense and spread rumors. Please take this person away at once!”
The guards guarding the area were shocked and quickly approached to take the young man away.
The young man, clearly not expecting such a response from Feng Tingye, hesitated for a moment before realizing what was happening. He struggled intensely and cried out, “Your Majesty, every word I said is true. If there’s any falsehood, may I be struck by heaven’s wrath! Your Majesty, please don’t let this demon woman cloud your judgment. Otherwise, the fate of Ye Country and the lives of its people will be ruined by her!”
His voice echoed above the entire altar, making the people below even more restless. It also caused a slight change in Feng Tingye’s expression.
Seeing an opportunity, the ministers stepped forward and knelt down, appearing to stand for justice. “Your Majesty, this man repeatedly claims that the Empress is a demon star and that she is related to the recent plague. Your Majesty, wouldn’t it be prudent to listen to his words and make a fair judgment?”
“That’s right, Your Majesty. This person sounds reasonable, and it doesn’t seem like he’s lying. If you just take him away like this, it will be harder to suppress the rumors. It will provide more evidence against the Empress!”
“Your Majesty, the esteemed officials are right. This guard dares to speak such words in front of Your Majesty; he must have some evidence. Besides, I’ve heard that the Astronomical Observatory has also spread rumors about the Empress being a disaster for the country. The Astronomical Observatory protects the nation’s destiny and sees into the future. Their reports are likely…”
“I’ve heard that Your Majesty has recently been unreasonably angry with the Astronomical Observatory. This act of yours is bound to make the officials and the people of Ye Country tremble with fear!”
“Your Majesty…”
Feng Tingye coldly observed the ministers, who were like fleas leaping out one after another, pressuring him relentlessly. He once laughed at how Xia Mingyuan was pressured by a group of officials, but he never imagined that he would also face such pressure one day. Was this the saying, “what goes around comes around”? Unfortunately, he wasn’t like Xia Mingyuan, who had an unstable foundation. If they wanted to play these games with him, fine, he would play along.
Feng Tingye tightened his grip on Xia Yuqing’s hand, pulling her slightly panicked form into his embrace. From above, he looked down at the ministers, who were kneeling below, as if forcing him to make a decision. He sneered, “It seems that all of you have many opinions about my actions and believe that man’s words. So, now you are planning to force me to personally kill my Empress? All based on your words alone?”
The ministers were frozen by the chilling tone in Feng Tingye’s voice, but they still persevered, saying, “We only hope that Your Majesty prioritizes the nation’s affairs and does not let a mere woman jeopardize the country. Please consider it carefully, Your Majesty.”
“Please consider it carefully!” The ministers knelt down and echoed loudly, and even the people below the altar wavered one by one.
Xia Yuqing couldn’t help but shrink back, trying to move away, but Feng Tingye held her hand tightly. He comforted her with a soft voice, “Don’t be afraid. It will be over soon.”
Confused, Xia Yuqing turned to look at Feng Tingye’s calm and composed face. What did he mean by “it will be over soon”?
Soon, a familiar voice resolved her confusion.
“Nonsense! Who dares to harm my little disciple? They’ll have to step over me first!”
“Master?!” Xia Yuqing exclaimed as she turned around to see an elderly man charging up from below the altar, with a surprised expression on her face.
“Call me Older Brother Xu!” Xu Lao said, glaring at Xia Yuqing with raised eyebrows, his imposing manner daunting.
“…” Master, is that the main point? Xia Yuqing was helpless and twitched the corners of her mouth. Then she suddenly remembered Feng Tingye’s words just now and turned her head to look at him. Could it be…
Feng Tingye did not respond to Xia Yuqing’s surprise. He tightened his grip on her hand and smiled as he looked at Xu Lao, who had arrived just in time.
Xu Lao, supported by a young servant, climbed up the steps and glared at the ministers kneeling below. “What do you want to do to my little disciple?”
All the officials on their knees were stunned. Under Feng Tingye’s instruction and Xia Yuqing’s unwillingness to be exposed, many of them knew that Xu Lao had a beloved little disciple, but they did not know that she was the current Empress. Although they had noticed some signs during previous banquets, perhaps because this matter was too significant, they intentionally or unintentionally ignored this fact.
Now, Xu Lao’s sudden appearance caught them off guard, and they inwardly thought, “This is bad.”
“Why did Xu Lao come here?” Some officials who didn’t understand asked with confusion.
Xu Lao slammed his cane on the ground, and the two strands of white beard at the corners of his mouth quivered as he indignantly retorted, “If this old man didn’t come, you would have pushed my little disciple to her death!”
As soon as Xu Lao finished speaking, the officials looked at each other in confusion. They wore puzzled expressions and said, “How could we dare to act recklessly against your little disciple, Xu Lao? Could there be some misunderstanding?”
Xu Lao’s eyebrows raised, and he snorted, pointing at Xia Yuqing. “You all said she’s a demon, yet you still want to deny it?”
The officials were stunned when they heard Xu Lao’s words. They looked at Xia Yuqing with astonishment. This young girl was really Xu Lao’s most beloved little disciple?
The people below the altar were also stunned by Xu Lao’s sudden appearance. Xu Lao was a renowned legendary figure in Ye Country, skilled in mechanical arts and various architectural and water conservancy projects. Even during the reign of the previous emperor, he had to show him some respect. His eccentric and reclusive personality made him appear mysterious. Now, such a legendary figure suddenly appeared in public and insisted on standing up for his little disciple. Moreover, this little disciple turned out to be their Empress!
The area under the altar became noisy again in an instant. The officials’ expressions changed when they heard Xu Lao’s words.
“Xu Lao, even if that’s the case, it’s true that this girl is the demon star incarnate. Xu Lao, please don’t let your personal feelings blind you to the welfare of our Ye Country and the millions of people!” A senior official, seeing the rumors turning in Xia Yuqing’s favor again, hurriedly stepped forward and said righteously.
“That’s right…” The stunned officials also chimed in.
Feng Tingye and the others found the situation amusing. Yan Ran stepped forward first, his voice laced with mockery. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, Ge Lao, if this Grand Tutor remembers correctly, it was that guard who said the Empress is the demon star incarnate. Just a moment ago, when you interceded on his behalf, you only mentioned that there might be hidden factors. Why are you suddenly so sure now? This kind of hasty conclusion isn’t in line with your usual approach. Is it that you actually knew something from the beginning, or perhaps you have some connection with this guard…”
Yan Ran’s insinuations caused the senior official who had spoken earlier to change his expression, and the people below the altar also froze. Although many of them lacked knowledge, they were familiar with human affairs to some extent. Yan Ran’s words made them suspicious.
Xu Lao exchanged a glance with Feng Tingye and coldly smiled at the senior official who spoke up, “Ge Lao, are you accusing me of misjudging someone and accepting a calamitous demon as my disciple, endangering the country?”
“Xu Lao, please don’t misunderstand. I absolutely didn’t mean that.”
Xu Lao, however, paid no attention to the senior official’s explanation and said, “Regardless of whether you meant it or not, I’ll tell you all today that my little disciple is not a calamitous demon to our country. Not only that, but she is also an uncredited contributor to Ye Country!”
“Master!” Xia Yuqing widened her eyes suddenly, exclaiming in shock, trying to stop Xu Lao from continuing. She had no idea when she had done anything beneficial to the whole country. Her Master was boasting too much, and she had no idea how to end this.
Feng Tingye pulled Xia Yuqing back, gesturing for her to be quiet, but his eyes carried a faint smile. This made Xia Yuqing even more confused.
“Xu Lao, you can’t just protect the Empress because she’s your disciple…”
“Don’t believe me?” Xu Lao raised his eyebrows, no longer bothering to listen to the old officials’ chatter. He coldly snorted and turned to the crowd below, saying, “Do you all remember the frequent floods on the southern bank of the Huai River for several years? About three years ago, there was an unprecedented major flood that affected countless people, and many lost their homes and lives. But later, His Majesty proposed building a dam on the southern bank of the Huai River to prevent floods from happening again. Does anyone know whose hand designed the blueprints for that dam?”
The old officials looked at each other and couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.
“That’s right, the blueprints for building the dam that time were personally designed by me. My little disciple made some modifications to them. Without her help, the dam might have been built, but it wouldn’t be as sturdy as it is now. Look at what the southern bank of the Huai River has become today. Three years ago, it was a desolate land suffering from frequent floods. But since the construction of that dam, the Huai River has not experienced any more floods. The crops are flourishing, and within just three years, it has become a prosperous land. Who dares to say that my little disciple is a calamitous demon for our country? Can a calamitous demon do such things? Hmph…” Xu Lao said with disdain.
After hearing Xu Lao’s words, the expressions of many people changed. They all knew about the incident at the Huai River three years ago, and some of them had even been involved in it. However, they never expected that Xia Yuqing would be connected to that incident and play such a significant role in it.
Seeing the sudden change in the officials’ expressions, Xu Lao continued coldly, “Furthermore, let me remind you all that when His Majesty proposed building the dam on the southern bank of the Huai River, many of you did things that angered him.”
The officials recalled the situation at that time, and their faces immediately turned colorful as they remained silent.
Feng Tingye glanced at the crowd under the altar, raised his eyebrows, and reminded with a faint smile, “Xu Lao, it seems like Ai Fei has made more contributions to Ye Country, right?”
Xia Yuqing was once again stunned and turned to look at Feng Tingye. Xu Lao had already surprised her by bringing up the old story about the dam. But now, from what Feng Tingye said, it seemed like she had done something earth-shattering.
Xu Lao’s eyes glimmered slightly, and he chuckled, “Look at my memory. I’m getting old and can’t remember some things. Oh yes, there was one more thing. Do you all remember that huge project after building the dam, where His Majesty sent several officials to divert water from the south to the drought-ridden north?”
At Xu Lao’s words, the officials’ faces all changed, especially Taishi Yuan Chenhuan, who was leading the group.
They were well aware of the project Xu Lao mentioned. Not only were they aware, but they had strongly opposed Feng Tingye’s decision at the time, citing reasons such as wasting manpower and resources. However, Feng Tingye insisted on his own views and used various methods to make them compromise. The subsequent results proved Feng Tingye’s foresight. The project took more than two years to complete and more than a year of trial use, benefiting both the north and the south. However, they had never imagined that Xia Yuqing would be involved in this matter. Wasn’t this a public slap in their faces?
Feng Tingye seemed to have seen through Yuan Chenhuan’s thoughts, and his smile became even colder. He still had some respect for this old minister who had accompanied his father to go through life and death. Unfortunately, years of immersion in the court had wiped away his former grand ambitions, leaving behind the characteristic air of a bureaucrat. If not for him pushing them so hard, he wouldn’t have treated him like this. Ultimately, it was human nature.
“Xu Lao means that the Empress was also involved in His Majesty’s project?”
“While the Empress didn’t participate in the design of the project’s blueprints, she did propose the idea herself, and several other knowledgeable officials can attest to this,” Feng Tingye said as he pulled Xia Yuqing to his side, inserting his words with a smile.
Yuan Chenhuan was momentarily choked and couldn’t find any retort.
Feng Tingye lowered his head and glanced at the people walking down from the stone statue: Hua Nongying, Shao Zitang, and the black-clothed men who were bound. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
With a bang, several black-clothed men were thrown in front of the crowd like sandbags. Shao Zitang clapped his hands and said, “Your Majesty, we have captured all those who disturbed the ceremony. Please pass judgment.”
Shao Zitang’s words stunned the people present. The civilians under the altar looked at the black-clothed men with some difficulty understanding the situation. However, those officials who knew the truth paled instantly; they knew they had been truly set up this time.
Xia Yuqing looked at the people lying on the ground with astonishment. The sudden turn of events left her feeling dizzy and disoriented.
Shao Zitang tossed the chicken blood he had just taken from the black-clothed men’s hands and sneered, “These people intended to pour blood on the statue of our founding emperor, creating the illusion of the statue shedding tears, all to frame the Empress.”
Shao Zitang’s words were like a huge boulder thrown into the already turbulent water, instantly causing an uproar among the people below the altar.
“Did that person say someone wanted to frame the Empress?”
“Yes, I heard it too. This person’s heart is so malicious. They wanted to use the statue of the late Emperor to frame the Empress. If they succeeded, wouldn’t the Empress be unable to clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River?”
“That’s right, just now, Xu Lao also mentioned that the Empress has done so many good things for Ye Country, yet these people repaid her kindness with such evil intentions. It’s truly…”
“Exactly, think about it. If this had succeeded just now, who would have been truly frightened? It would have been us common folks. I see, these people clearly wanted us to misunderstand and then help them trouble the Empress. Hmph, they really think we, the common people, are fools that deserve to be led around by the nose?”
The shouts and accusations continued towards the black-clothed men, who were scared awake and struggled desperately.
Feng Tingye, with a seemingly smile on his face, added, “Have you noticed that this group of black-clothed men is quite similar to the ones who attempted to assassinate the Empress a few days ago?”
“What?” When Feng Tingye said this, Xu Lao’s face immediately turned dark. “You people are the culprits who harmed my precious son! Watch me…”
Xu Lao brandished his cane and rushed forward, unleashing a barrage of punches and kicks at the black-clothed men. The nearby old ministers paled at the sound of Xu Lao’s shouts.
They had heard that the group who attempted to assassinate Xia Yuqing didn’t harm her but injured someone close to her. However, they never expected that the person who had been injured was Xu Lao’s son! They had heard about Xu Lao longing for a child for a long time and rejoiced when he finally had one. If anything were to happen to the child, they would be in trouble!
The black-clothed men cried out in pain from the beating. To prevent Xu Lao from killing them, Leng Ruofeng hurriedly stepped forward to stop Xu Lao.
Shao Zitang and Yan Ran exchanged a glance, then approached the black-clothed men and removed the cloth covering their mouths. One of the black-clothed men, now freed, immediately shouted, “Your Majesty, spare us, spare us! We didn’t do this disrespectful act on our own. It was… it was Taishi Yuan and a few other senior officials who forced us to do it. Your Majesty, please see through their deception!”
“You!” Before the black-clothed man finished speaking, Yuan Chenhuan and the others’ faces completely darkened.
“Your Majesty, these treacherous individuals are intentionally trying to sow discord. Please see through their deception. We truly did not instruct anyone to commit such treasonous acts!” The accused ministers, led by Yuan Chenhuan, all fell to their knees, loudly pleading their innocence.
Feng Tingye, with his arm around Xia Yuqing’s waist, expressionless, watched as the ministers put on a show of innocence. He then chuckled, taking a folded document handed to him by Leng Ruofeng, and threw it in front of them, saying, “Why don’t you take a look at what’s inside this before you protest further?”
Yuan Chenhuan and the others exchanged looks and, upon opening the document, their faces froze. Their bodies trembled with extreme fear as they realized the d*mning evidence against them.
Feng Tingye looked at their expressions and sneered, “It seems you have seen the truth. Very well! If it weren’t for this incident, I would never have known about the deep connection between you and the Duke Huo. You even went to the extent of bribing the Astronomical Observatory to fabricate a divination about the former Miss Huo as well as the false accusations against my Empress. You have truly broadened my horizons!”
With Feng Tingye’s words, the people below the altar erupted into commotion again. Even Xia Yuqing was surprised to learn that this matter was related to the Huo family from many years ago.
Upon reflection, she remembered that the Duke Huo seemed to have a certain degree of influence in the Astronomical Observatory. So, these people… were they trying to seek justice for the Duke Huo by framing her?
Feng Tingye didn’t pay attention to their commotion but instead focused on the old ministers. He smiled lightly and said, “With both human and material evidence, do you have anything else to say?”
The old ministers were rendered speechless. Feng Tingye smiled with satisfaction, “Alright, Taishi, scholars of Wen Yuan and Ge Dai, and the others, you conspired to disrupt this grand ritual, disrespecting our ancestors, spreading false rumors, and attempting to frame the Empress. Your actions are despicable. I hereby strip you of all your official positions and order you to be imprisoned. You will await trial at the Shuntian Prefecture and the Dali Temple, and your crime will be determined there. Take them away!”
As Feng Tingye finished speaking, the imperial guards and the Royal Guards immediately moved forward, capturing the struggling ministers.
“Your Majesty, we devoted ourselves to the country, and everything we did was for the sake of Ye Country and its people. You can’t do this! Your Majesty, that woman truly cannot stay by your side. Otherwise, one day, Your Majesty will regret it, you will regret it!” Yuan Chenhuan’s voice gradually faded away, but he continued shouting desperately.
However, his self-proclaimed act of devotion to the country, combined with the chaos all around and the curses from the people below the altar, only made him look more ridiculous.
“She can’t stay by my side. Is a lunatic like Huo Feiyan suitable then?” Feng Tingye sneered. In the end, they just wanted to use a puppet woman to control him and fulfill their ambition. These old men were indeed regressing the more they lived.
Xia Yuqing, seeing Feng Tingye’s mocking expression, didn’t speak but just tightened her grip on their clasped hands. In this moment of silent communication, she let him know her heart.
Just as everyone below the altar thought everything had ended, the sound of fast galloping hooves suddenly approached. Everyone turned to see a soldier dressed in the attire of a commander sliding off a swift horse and rushing towards the altar.
“Report!” The soldier shouted loudly, kneeling in front of Feng Tingye and others, then spoke with an impassioned tone, “Your Majesty, there is urgent news from the border. Divine Doctor Su has obtained enough herbs to create a cure against the plague. The epidemic in the border region has stabilized, and it will no longer spread. In a few days, the plague will dissipate. Please rest assured, Your Majesty.”
This unexpected urgent report gave everyone a shot of confidence. All the people below the altar erupted into cheers. Even Xia Yuqing felt her pent-up emotions easing a bit. Finally… finally, the plague was under control and wouldn’t spread further. That was great news.
Seeing Xia Yuqing’s relieved expression, Feng Tingye smiled gently and pulled her forward, saying loudly, “Come.”
“Huh? Your Majesty?” Xia Yuqing looked puzzled as Feng Tingye led her forward.
On the edge closest to the altar, overlooking the masses gathered below, Feng Tingye turned to Xia Yuqing with a tender and focused gaze. He spoke loudly, “This is my first and only Empress, from the moment she married me, she has accompanied me through thick and thin, countless assassination attempts. I can say that today, standing before you unharmed, able to wholeheartedly care for the people, is largely due to her presence by my side. She is not a calamity to our country; rather, she is the person I most want to protect in this life. I hope you can accept her as you have accepted me.”
“Your Majesty…” Xia Yuqing was surprised, looking at Feng Tingye, who was gazing at her with a warm smile. She couldn’t believe he would expose her so openly in front of everyone. A warm current flowed through her heart, making her chest feel like it was about to burst.
The people below the altar were shocked by Feng Tingye’s sudden declaration. After a moment, several of them regained their composure and knelt down, shouting, “Long live our Emperor, long live, long live!”
Once someone took the lead, others followed suit, and soon, the cries of “Long live our Emperor, long live the Empress” echoed through the area, shaking everyone present.
Xia Yuqing looked at everything in front of her, feeling her eyes slightly hot. She turned her head to look at Feng Tingye, but he was already gazing back at her with a tender smile, his eyebrows slightly raised, just like before.
On the altar, everyone couldn’t help but smile knowingly as Yun Zhongyue took advantage of the attention focused on Xia Yuqing and Feng Tingye to quietly slip down from the railing and murmur to himself, “This is more like it.”
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