Chapter 65.2 Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip.
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A clear and steady voice came from outside, “This official, Huo Caiyu, has arrived late to rescue Your Majesty. Please pardon this official’s delay!”
It was Huo Caiyu.
Li Jinyu listened attentively, and the sounds of battle had subsided outside, indicating that the situation had been brought under control.
Chief Kang looked at Li Jinyu with trepidation and whispered, “Your Majesty, should we open the door?”
If Regent Prince was merely coming to save the day, that would be fine, but considering the guards stationed outside the palace earlier… It appeared that the Regent Prince might have ulterior motives, didn’t it?
Opening the door at this moment, what if Regent Prince harbored treasonous intentions?
Li Jinyu didn’t hesitate at all. “Open the door.”
Chief Kang hesitated. “But what if…”
Li Jinyu glanced at him. “If the Regent Prince intends to barge in forcefully, do you think you can stop him?”
Chief Kang recalled the time when Huo Caiyu, who was still considered the “male pet” imprisoned by His Majesty in the palace, shattered the palace door with a single palm blos when coming to see His Majesty. He couldn’t help but shiver.
The Regent Prince possessed unparalleled martial arts skills. How could this fragile palace door possibly withstand him?
Chief Kang, accompanied by several palace maids and eunuchs, nervously moved the furniture blocking the entrance and finally slid back the door bolt.
Huo Caiyu walked in with a composed expression, still gripping a blood-stained long sword, its surface marked by someone’s blood.
The dragon throne faced the entrance of the palace’s main hall, and Li Jinyu’s and Huo Caiyu’s gazes coincidentally met.
Worried about rebels infiltrating through windows and doors, Chief Kang had closed all the palace windows and lit the lamps in advance.
Now, with the palace doors wide open, the warm evening sunlight streamed in, casting a gentle orange-red glow around Huo Caiyu.
In the welcoming light, Huo Caiyu’s handsome face seemed somewhat surreal, and Li Jinyu even noticed a slight smile forming at the corners of his lips.
It was truly a delightful thought.
Now that someone had already betrayed ahead of him, Huo Caiyu could conveniently seize complete control over the entire Di Dynasty, all in the name of loyalty to the rightful ruler. Once he wore the yellow robe, wouldn’t the current Emperor, who sat on the throne, have to comply with his every request?
Li Jinyu’s gaze couldn’t help but reveal a hint of longing.
It had been a whole year since he arrived in this world.
Throughout this year, he had been restricted within this human body, unable to return to his most carefree hamster form.
Despite becoming the Emperor, getting acquainted with numerous people, acquiring knowledge, and gradually developing independent thoughts… deep inside, he was still a hamster.
He wished to have soft fur like Dumpling, with plump cheek pouches.
He yearned to bathe in smooth, fine sand and sleep in fluffy wood shavings.
He wished to regain his true form.
He had gone to great lengths to maneuver Huo Caiyu into the position of Regent Prince, hoping that Huo Caiyu would seize power sooner and set him free.
After Huo Caiyu confessed to him, he had briefly despaired, wondering if he would forever be bound to Emperor Jingchang’s body… But things took a surprising turn, and the long-awaited rebellion had finally arrived!
Li Jinyu watched Huo Caiyu intently, completely discarding the elaborate plan he had prepared. He only awaited the words “Your Majesty, please abdicate” from Huo Caiyu’s mouth, and he would readily and decisively agree!
Huo Caiyu paused at the entrance of the grand hall, silently gazing at his Majesty, then took a few steps forward.
The fierce Imperial Guards stood guard at the door, their weapons stained with blood.
Huo Caiyu walked to the center of the grand hall, glanced up at his Majesty, and a faint smile curved his lips. The aura of coldness that had accompanied his entrance quickly dissipated.
He suddenly knelt down on one knee, his blood-stained sword reversed and placed on the ground. His voice remained calm and steady, carrying a clear sense of loyalty and fervor. “The rebels have been completely eliminated! As long as this official lives, Your Majesty shall be safe and worry-free!”
Li Jinyu: “…?”
Why was this development not going as planned?!
Li Jinyu widened his eyes, still clinging to a glimmer of hope that Huo Caiyu was merely putting on a show. However, in the next moment, he keenly sensed that something was off about the spiritual energy in the grand hall.
He concentrated his spiritual power into his eyes and fixed his gaze upon Huo Caiyu, who knelt before him.
There, he witnessed a faint, pale purple Ziwei imperial aura swirling around Huo Caiyu, resembling tiny fireflies that fluttered away from him, eventually converging onto Li Jinyu.
In a matter of seconds, the Ziwei imperial aura surrounding Huo Caiyu had diminished to the point of being almost imperceptible.
Li Jinyu stared in disbelief as the entirety of the Ziwei imperial aura gathered onto his own body, the shock and heartache within him nearly impossible to put into words.
Why did this happen?
Ziwei imperial aura symbolized the recognition of Heavenly Dao towards imperial power and revealed the potential to become an Emperor.
Did the substantial flow of Ziwei imperial aura onto himself just now mean that Huo Caiyu had willingly forsaken the greatest opportunity to ascend the throne?
Li Jinyu lowered his head, and by chance, his gaze met Huo Caiyu’s affectionate brown eyes.
In that moment, he found himself unsure whether to feel touched by Huo Caiyu’s sacrifice or saddened by the slimness of his own chance for escape.
After a brief pause, he realized that Huo Caiyu was still kneeling before him. He opened his mouth and managed to say, “Please, rise.”
Huo Caiyu complied with the request, standing before Li Jinyu. Observing the Emperor’s shocked expression, a faint pleasure curved his lips as he softly spoke, “Your Majesty, this official must confess that he has withheld certain information. This official begs for Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”
Li Jinyu lifted his head, feeling somewhat lost. He tried his best not to dwell on overly sorrowful matters, took a breath, and blinked. “It’s alright, Zhen… doesn’t blame you.”
Huo Caiyu’s face suddenly became more restrained, and he let out a gentle sigh. “If Your Majesty is interested, perhaps we could go together to confront the mastermind behind this rebellion.”
Li Jinyu still had concerns about the whereabouts of the black cat. Considering that the black cat might be with the instigator of the rebellion, he stood up and said, “Alright, let’s go.”
He was genuinely curious about who could be so desperate as to instigate this rebellion… and what intrigued him even more was that they had actually succeeded in causing trouble.
Huo Caiyu followed behind Li Jinyu, his sympathetic brown eyes turning determined.
Chief Kang had initially suspected that the Regent Prince might have ill intentions, but the situation took an unexpected turn, resolving their grave crisis. He couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Noticing Li Jinyu’s intention to go outside, Chief Kang’s professional instincts kicked in, and he quickly fetched a cloak. “Your Majesty, it’s still chilly outside.”
He had planned to personally drape it over Li Jinyu, but Huo Caiyu naturally reached out and took the cloak, carefully fastening it for him. “Your Majesty, be cautious of the cold.”
As Li Jinyu raised his head, he caught sight of the man who had just quelled the rebellion gently tying the cloak’s straps around him. A faint blush tinged his cheeks.
He couldn’t understand why his heart suddenly started beating so fast.
“Alright, Your Majesty, please.”
Huo Caiyu stood tall, admiring His Majesty’s radiant appearance. A sense of pride and satisfaction filled him as he smiled and spoke, his voice carrying a touch of seriousness, “Let them witness who truly holds the title of the Great Di.”
………
The Imperial Guards paved the way, and Li Jinyu walked alongside Huo Caiyu through the desolate palace without taking the dragon carriage.
Along the way, they occasionally caught sight of the green-clad soldiers who had been slain or captured by the guards.
Li Jinyu glanced in the direction of the person leading them, feeling somewhat perplexed.
It seemed that this path only led in one direction.
Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager’s residence?
Li Jinyu anxiously glanced at Huo Caiyu, seeking reassurance, and received a calming smile in response.
After walking for approximately ten minutes, they eventually arrived at the entrance of Cining Palace.
Within Cining Palace, where once there were meticulously carved jade Buddha statues and the scent of burning incense, now lay broken statues and scattered incense, creating a scene of disorder.
Li Jinyu’s gaze fell upon the hollow bellies of those statues, causing his brows to furrow slightly.
These empty spaces appeared as though they once concealed something.
Suddenly, an image of the weapons held by the green-clad soldiers flashed in his mind.
Moving forward, they arrived at the entrance to the main hall of Cining Palace, where several guards were binding a kneeling figure.
Li Jinyu came to a halt, his gaze fixed on the person.
Despite having expected it, he was still taken aback. “General Meng.”
General Meng’s slightly graying hair was disheveled, his complexion somewhat pale, and there were faint traces of blood at the corner of his lips. He remained motionless, securely bound with a rope.
Upon hearing Li Jinyu call his name, General Meng lifted his head, a flicker of guilt passing through his eyes. He moved his lips slightly and said, “Your Majesty.”
General Meng was the sole individual in the capital authorized to mobilize troops.
Previously, Li Jinyu had speculated that the orderly actions of the green-clad soldiers indicated their training, possibly with General Meng’s involvement.
However, General Meng had always been unwaveringly loyal to the royal family, and Li Jinyu couldn’t bring himself to believe that General Meng would choose to rebel.
Did General Meng intend to become Emperor himself?
Li Jinyu pressed his lips together. “Why?”
General Meng looked up, ready to say something, but upon seeing the cold and stern gaze of Huo Caiyu behind Li Jinyu, he forced a bitter smile and remained silent. “Your Majesty will understand once you go inside.”
Li Jinyu pressed his lips together again, took a deep breath, and confidently walked into the main hall of Cining Palace.
Inside Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager sat on the main seat, dressed in opulent and majestic robes. Her expression remained calm and serene. When she noticed Li Jinyu’s arrival, her gaze remained indifferent, as if she paid no attention to his presence.
Li Jinyu also didn’t glance at her.
His gaze focused on the young man standing next to Empress Dowager, wearing a black and gold dragon-embroidered robe.
The man cradled a completely black kitten in his arms. His familiar baby face displayed an unfamiliar coldness. He maintained a steady gaze and attentively stroked the fur of the black kitten, seemingly unconcerned about anyone entering the room.
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