Chapter 255: Forcing Abdication
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
In the evening, Xiao Jue returned to the Xiao Residence.
As the night was falling, He Yan had just reached the entrance of the courtyard when she saw him. She hurriedly asked, “Xiao Jue, do you know about Teacher Wei…”
Xiao Jue replied, “I just came back from the Wei Residence.” With that, he entered the house.
He had gone to the military training ground outside the city early in the morning, and upon learning about Wei Xuanzhang’s death, he rushed back. Coming from the Wei Residence, he hadn’t even had a chance to change his clothes.
“I need to go out tonight,” he said.
He Yan’s heart sank at his words, looking at him, “Xiao Jue…”
He walked up to her, asking, “Is the black jade I gave you still with you?”
He Yan hesitated for a moment and then took the jade pendant from her waist, holding it in her hand.
“I will leave some people at home. If I don’t return early tomorrow, take this jade and find Shen Han from the Liangzhou Garrison.”
“Xiao Jue,” He Yan didn’t directly respond to his words but instead held his hand, looking uncertain, “Are you…”
The unspoken words were left hanging. Some things were understood without being said.
Xiao Jue looked at her, knowing that while He Yan was daring in her actions, she had refrained from doing anything outrageous all these years. But…
“Time is running out,” he said after a moment, covering He Yan’s hand with both of his. His voice was calm but determined.
After a long silence, He Yan nodded, “I understand.”
If a decision had been made, there was no need to hesitate. Moreover, it seemed that this was inevitable, sooner or later.
Just not expected to happen so soon.
“You can go with peace of mind.” She looked up at Xiao Jue, her expression becoming light-hearted again. “I will guard the Xiao family here for you, and no one can cross my sword. But Xiao Jue, you must remember, Big Sister-in-law is pregnant, unable to bear shocks. So, early tomorrow morning,” she tightened her grip on Xiao Jue’s hands, “you must come back. If you don’t return, I will bring my sword into the palace to find you.”
Xiao Jue was taken aback, angry, “You dare?”
He Yan remained unfazed, “See if I dare or not.”
With a determined gaze, the young girl was naturally stubborn. Once she made up her mind, there was no room for regret. After a long stalemate, Xiao Jue finally succumbed and said, “I promise you.”
He Yan smiled, “It’s a deal.”
…
Night enveloped the entire imperial palace.
In the Jinluan Hall, Crown Prince Guangyan was slowly walking.
The palace maids were dismissed, leaving only a few trusted aides guarding at the door. He walked up the steps, advancing until the end of the platform, in front of the dragon throne, finally stopping his steps.
On the armrests of the bright yellow dragon throne, there were carved golden dragons. He reached out and slowly touched the dragon’s beard and scales. They were cold, but the touch made the blood throughout his body boil with excitement.
Guangyan turned and sat on the dragon throne.
He looked down at the steps below, and in his mind, the image of courtiers bowing and ministers kneeling seemed to have appeared. He was the emperor, and the world should bow to him. Just thinking about it made Guangyan feel triumphant; the satisfaction in his chest was beyond words.
“Royal Father…” he muttered in a low voice, “Your son has finally taken this position.”
The world was finally his!
Since his birth, everyone had told him, subtly or overtly, that Emperor Wenxuan would eventually hand over the throne to him. In the end, Guangyan would become the emperor of Great Wei. So, Guangyan had always believed this. However, at some point, he realized that things had changed.
There appeared a Guangshuo who was more suitable to be the emperor than him.
Emperor Wenxuan’s favoritism towards Noble Consort Lan’s son made him uneasy. Moreover, the delayed issuance of the abdication decree felt like a betrayal to Guangyan. Such an indecisive and unclear-sighted emperor like Emperor Wenxuan didn’t deserve to be an emperor. Guangyan thought, Emperor Wenxuan needed to be removed to restore everything to its original state.
He was just taking back what rightfully belonged to him.
But…
Guangyan looked at the empty hall, and there was no joy in his heart. He realized that in the past, many followed him mainly because of Xu Jingfu. Now that Xu Jingfu was gone, many of those followers, who were opportunistic, had switched to Guangshuo’s side.
And now, He Rufei had died. In fact, he was a fake from the beginning. If Xiao Huaijing followed Guangshuo, without the military forces to contend with Guangshuo, he had to rely on those Wutuo people. That was why he insisted on agreeing to peace with the Wutuo people, accepting their absurd conditions of establishing a market in Great Wei.
If, in the past, he was afraid that the Wutuo people would leak the news, upsetting Emperor Wenxuan, then now, it was because he had reached an agreement with the Wutuo people. The price they had to pay was to eliminate Guangshuo’s people and his thorn in the eye, Xiao Huaijing.
Very fair, Guangyan thought, there was nothing more important than gaining control of this world.
Thinking about the day after tomorrow, when he would ascend the throne and everyone in the world would bow and worship him with awe and reverence, Guangyan couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“The Emperor’s remains have not yet entered the imperial tomb, and Your Highness has not yet ascended the throne. Why are you sitting on the dragon throne?” A sudden voice interrupted his laughter. “I’m afraid it’s somewhat inappropriate, isn’t it?”
Guangyan suddenly looked forward, at the entrance of the hall, where two trusted aides were holding back Guangshuo, preventing him from entering.
Guangshuo looked at him calmly.
“Let him in,” Guangyan chuckled, “My fourth brother.”
The aides released their hold, and Guangshuo walked in.
Guangyan stood up from the dragon throne, looking at him with interest. “Tomorrow is the day of Noble Consort Lan’s burial. My good fourth brother, being the most compassionate and filial, why not take this last opportunity to have a few words with Noble Consort Lan instead of coming here?” He spoke with a meaningful tone, “Or perhaps, does my fourth brother also want to sit in this chair?”
“While Royal Father was alive, he never mentioned the matter of burial. Your Highness, what you said about the imperial edict may not be true,” Guangshuo remained unfazed.
“Why would it not be true?” Guangyan sneered, “Speaking of it, Royal Father’s burial and Noble Consort Lan’s burial together are considered Noble Consort Lan’s good fortune. His Majesty always favored Noble Consort Lan. After his departure, fearing that he would not find a confidante like Noble Consort Lan, he took her along. How does it sound like complaining, as you put it? With the imperial edict in hand, how can you prove it is false?”
“Whether it’s true or false, Your Highness knows, but it doesn’t matter now,” Guangshuo sighed.
“That’s right!” the Crown Prince clapped his hands, “Whether it’s true or false doesn’t matter. Fourth Brother, you’ve finally said something useful.”
“I have more to say.” Guangshuo looked at Guangyan, his gaze indifferent. “I also want to talk about the crime of you killing your Royal Father and usurping the throne.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.
The servants guarding at the door were on high alert, staring at Guangshuo. He stood quietly; he had no weapons on him, and from his appearance, he looked like a scholar with no strength.
Guangyan stared at him, “What are you saying?”
“I said,” Guangshuo’s gaze collided with his, undeterred, “Your Highness, you killed your Royal Father and usurped the throne.”
Guangyan looked at the man in front of him. In the past, Guangshuo had always been cautious and reserved in his presence, silent and not involved in court affairs. Although Guangyan disliked Guangshuo, he had always thought that Guangshuo couldn’t make any waves. But now, he realized that at some point, Guangshuo’s gaze was no longer as timid as before. When looking directly at him, it seemed like an invisible fire was burning, possessing the unique dominance of the royal family.
“Joke!” Guangyan sarcastically remarked, “I am the Crown Prince, the world is rightfully mine. Why would I kill my Royal Father and usurp the throne, gaining nothing but trouble? If someone is plotting to usurp the throne, it should be you, shouldn’t it?” He spoke with a sinister tone, “Fourth Brother, didn’t you always hope that Royal Father would depose the eldest and enthrone the younger? Now that your plan has failed, do you want to baselessly accuse me?”
“Your Highness, how can you think the world belongs to you?” Guangshuo suddenly smiled, “Failed plan?”
Guangyan’s laughter froze on his lips. “What do you mean by that?”
Guangyan smiled without saying a word.
Suddenly he realized something and shouted loudly, “Guards, come—”
Indeed, someone came, but they were not his men. Soldiers clad in golden armor poured in from outside, and the leader was unexpectedly Yan He.
“Gui De Zhonglang General?” Guangyan was startled, then furious. “Have you gone mad? Don’t you know this is rebellion? This is collusion with chaos!”
Guangyan hadn’t deliberately suppressed Yan He. First, the Yan family was nouveau riche, and in the court struggles, they had always been wise in protecting themselves, not attracting too much attention like the Xiao family. Second, Guangyan had also heard that Yan He and Xiao Huaijin were at odds. An enemy’s enemy is a friend, and Guangyan had once thought of recruiting Yan He for his own use. However, Yan He had been absent from Shuojing for years, and Yan’s father was as cunning as a fox. He was fierce in his promises, but had never really gained any advantage from him.
But now, Guangyan never expected Yan He to actually join Guangshuo!
Guangyan was both shocked and angry. “How dare you do this to me!”
“General Yan is not colluding with chaos,” Guangshuo said calmly. “He is just following orders to capture traitors.”
“Guangshuo, don’t speak nonsense here!”
Guangshuo smiled indifferently, saying, “Whether I speak nonsense or not, Your Highness knows in your heart.”
At this moment, someone else came in, carried by guards. It was the Fifth Prince, Guangji. As soon as Guangji entered the hall, he pointed at Guangyan and shouted, “It’s the Crown Prince! That day, I was practicing calligraphy in Royal Father’s hall. I saw the Crown Prince carrying a basket into Royal Father’s bedroom… Later, after the Crown Prince left, Steward He came in and said… said Royal Father had passed away!”
Before Guangyan could speak, Guangshuo interjected, “Doctor Lin in the palace found traces of poison in the emperor’s blanket. That day, only Your Highness went to Royal Father’s bedroom with the medicine.”
Guangyan sneered, “Royal Father was not poisoned to death!”
How Emperor Wenxuan died, he knew better than anyone else. If Guangshuo thought he could pin the blame on him with this, he was gravely mistaken.
“Your Highness, whether it’s true or false, it doesn’t matter now.”
Guangyan was taken aback. These were the same words Guangshuo had used to retort his false testament just now. But now, using them here, it seemed appropriate.
At this point, the truth didn’t matter anymore. In the struggle of the royal family, there were only winners and losers.
The winner became the true dragon emperor, while the loser fell into ruin.
“Guangshuo, this prince warns you, my men will arrive immediately. Tomorrow is the day to enter the imperial tomb, and this prince—”
“Your Highness may not be aware,” Guangshuo looked at him, with a cold and pitiful indifference, “General Fengyun’s troops have already reached outside the Chengle Palace. Your cavalry…” He spoke slowly, emphasizing each word, “have all abandoned their armor and weapons.”
“Impossible!” Guangyan’s voice suddenly became sharp. He said, “Impossible!”
But in his heart, panic and fear had gradually surfaced; it was already this time. The entire hall was filled with people brought by Yan He, and his people hadn’t entered yet. If the people outside were under Xiao Huaijin…
Those Wutuo people… idiots, at this crucial moment, they turned out to be useless!
The name Chu Zilan suddenly flashed in Guangyan’s mind. How could his plans be foreseen by the other party? Did Chu Zilan betray him? That rogue, that unreliable white-eyed wolf!
“Guangshuo, don’t be too pleased,” Guangyan was at his wits’ end, looking at the figure in front of him, slowly retreating, “Do you think everyone in the world will believe your nonsense? I am the Crown Prince, the heir to the throne. The coronation ceremony is imminent. If you harm me at this moment, people all over the world will discuss your conspiracy. Even if you ascend to this position, you will never have a proper and respected name. You will inevitably be pointed at by others!”
“Your Highness is overthinking.” Guangshuo did not show any other emotions because of his words. Looking at Guangyan, his gaze seemed to be watching something ridiculous. “Before His Majesty, there was already a decree to establish the heir.”
“You’re lying!” Guangyan’s eyes widened, “How is that possible?”
“The decree is in the hands of His Majesty’s trusted ministers. If you haven’t seen it, it doesn’t mean you don’t know,” Guangshuo said calmly. He turned slightly, and someone behind him stepped forward, handing him a bow and arrow.
He played with the bow and arrow, slowly speaking, “In this way, does Your Highness still think people all over the world will discuss me, and it won’t be right and proper?”
Guangyan almost wanted to spit blood. At this moment, he suddenly understood the meaning behind Guangshuo’s words at the beginning: “Whether it’s true or false doesn’t matter.”
To silence the multitude and stop the world’s rumors, all he needed was to present an abdication decree. Who cared whether it was true or false? People wouldn’t go one by one to verify. As long as the person standing in this hall today was Guangshuo, no matter what others said in the future, it would all be under Guangshuo’s control.
He looked at his fourth brother, who had always been silent and unassuming, slowly picking up the bow and arrow. The arrow pointed at him. Guangyan instinctively hid behind the dragon throne, angrily saying, “What do you want? Guangshuo, stop—”
His words were not finished.
A sudden gust of wind blew into the Jinluang Hall, extinguishing the lights around. In the dim hall, a cluster of viscous blood slowly flowed down the dragon throne, vividly staining the dragon beard and dragon head on the armrest.
It was like a silent gaze, a cold mockery.
The wind covered all the killing intent. It was a cold night.
…
The dawn was breaking, and He Yan watched the gradually brightening sky outside the window, her expression gradually becoming serious.
Since Xiao Jue left last night until now, she hadn’t closed her eyes. Bai Rongwei was pregnant, and He Yan dared not tell her other things. Although Xiao Jing was a bit suspicious, he was kept in the dark about what had happened. He Yan guarded alone, occasionally rubbing the black jade in her hand, wondering what would happen if Xiao Jue didn’t come back by morning.
Even if she went out of the city to find Shen Han, it might not be foolproof.
Just as she was thinking, there was a commotion outside. He Yan suddenly stood up, rushed out, and saw Xiao Jue walking towards her from outside.
He was still wearing armor, with a dark trace of blood on it. He Yan asked, “Are you injured?”
At this time, Qingmei hadn’t even woken up yet. Xiao Jue frowned slightly and asked, “You didn’t sleep all night?”
“I couldn’t sleep.” He Yan stared at his face. He looked a bit tired, but he was still okay. He Yan asked, “This blood…”
“It’s not mine.” Xiao Jue paused, “Let’s talk inside.”
The two entered the room, He Yan closed the door, and then asked, “In the palace last night….”
“The Crown Prince is dead.” Xiao Jue looked at her.
This was an expected event. In fact, since that day when she saw Yan He at the Wei family, He Yan had a premonition. Yan He didn’t directly answer her question that day, but silence was often an answer.
He Yan helped him hang Drinking Autumn on the wall. Xiao Jue took off his armor and sat down at the table. He Yan poured a cup of hot tea and pushed it in front of him, “Xiao Jue, what happened last night?”
Xiao Jue looked at her and, after a moment, sighed, telling her about what happened last night.
He Yan listened intently.
He only knew a little bit about what happened in the Jinluang Hall last night. Xiao Jue learned about it afterwards. At that time, he was confronting the Crown Prince’s men with half of the Nanfu soldiers in front of Chengle Palace. When he came out, he only knew that Guangyan was shot by Guangshuo himself.
“You… did you deliberately avoid going to Jinluang Hall?” He Yan hesitated for a moment before asking.
Xiao Jue lowered his head, smiled, and said in a low voice, “The Xiao family is different from the Yan family. The Yan family is a newcomer and still depends on the royal family. I have too much military power myself. If I personally witnessed the Fourth Prince shooting his brother, even if there is nothing wrong now, over time, the Fourth Prince may feel uneasy.”
“I don’t want to leave a thorn in the Fourth Prince’s heart.”
The authority of the emperor is unpredictable. Without Guangyan, the Fourth Prince is the ruler. Even if he doesn’t have much now, once he takes that position, whether it’s involuntary or due to changes, it’s better not to have a scene at the beginning.
“In this way, letting Yan He go is also a good choice. The Yan family’s military power is not strong, and they are newcomers. There is no foundation. The Fourth Prince can use them without scruples.” He Yan said, “I just didn’t expect that Yan He would actually follow the Fourth Prince.”
For so many years, the Yan family has stood independently. They are as cunning as foxes, but at the last moment, they gave Guangyan a blow. Perhaps Guangyan himself didn’t expect it.
“The skin cannot exist without hair,” Xiao Jue picked up the tea cup, took a sip, and then said, “When it’s time to make a choice, even if you don’t want to, you must.”
He Yan breathed a sigh of relief. “Anyway, it’s good that you’re safe. But…” She glanced at Xiao Jue and whispered, “Did His Majesty really issue the decree to change the heir to the throne early on? Did the Fifth Prince really witness the Crown Prince poisoning someone with his own eyes?”
With each piece of evidence falling into place so conveniently, Guangshuo’s ascension to the throne became an unquestionable and natural occurrence.
“Whether it’s true or false doesn’t matter,” Xiao Jue lowered his gaze. “The Crown Prince is already dead.”
With that, everything was settled.
Want to show your support? Go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! Want to get early access to at least 5 chapters in advance? Go to my Patreon to join now! :)
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Thanks for the chapters