“How come His Highness is still insecure when he’s about to become the emperor?” Li Shu patted Qi Mingxuan’s back comfortingly and teased.
“It has nothing to do with my identity. Even if I become the emperor of Great Zhou, or even if I become the master of this world in the future, if you are determined to leave, I think I won’t be able to stop you.”
Qi Mingxuan tightened his arms around the young man, holding him firmly. Although he didn’t know where this thought came from, he was certain that if the young man really wanted to leave, no matter what he did, he wouldn’t be able to keep him.
To keep the young man by his side, the only way was to make him stay willingly. If he let the young man leave, he would never be able to find him again.
So, he felt uneasy, and could only repeatedly confirm if the young man really wanted to stay.
Qi Mingxuan’s voice was very low, with a kind of magnetism that was deliberately subdued, lingering in Li Shu’s ears. Li Shu tilted his head, and the tip of his ear brushed against Qi Mingxuan’s cheek, causing a tingling sensation.
Looking at the man who was just within reach, Li Shu unconsciously twitched his ears. This was the son of destiny in this world, the true pride of heaven. Regardless of appearance, physique, abilities, or temperament, Qi Mingxuan lived up to the title “Son of destiny.”
This man, who could have anything he wanted, eagerly held on with a sincere heart, repeatedly approaching him cautiously, not caring about the potential harm to himself, but only concerned if his actions would upset him.
The most touching thing is a sincere heart. Qi Mingxuan’s sincere attitude made Li Shu unable to refuse, so he could only take it one step at a time.
Li Shu answered: “I won’t leave.”
‘As long as your feelings remain unchanged, I’ll stay by your side and won’t leave.’
If this relationship deteriorated over time, he could leave without any burden.
How long could this feeling last?
Li Shu didn’t know, but just thinking about the possibility filled him with indescribable emotions, leaving him somewhat bewildered for a moment.
Not long after, Qi Mingxuan let go of his hand and said apologetically, “Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”
Li Shu complained, ‘Couldn’t help what? Holding hands? Hugging? Or that restrained yet passionate kiss on my hair?’
“Now that the posthumous edict is in place, Your Highness’s ascension to the throne is justified. At this point, those ministers should have received the news and rushed to the palace, right?” Avoiding Qi Mingxuan’s question, Li Shu asked, “What are Your Highness’s plans next?”
Knowing that Li Shu wouldn’t discuss that topic, Qi Mingxuan followed Li Shu’s lead, “Naturally, we’ll stick to the original plan. With this edict, everything will go even smoother than imagined.”
Qi Mingxuan picked up the already dried edict, raised his eyebrows and smiled, “Speaking of which, we owe a lot to Zi Shu’s assistance.”
With such a convincingly forged handwriting, it was indeed a great help, at least it could shut the mouths of those conservative ministers and scholars.
The sky began to lighten, and it would be Qi Mingxuan’s arena next.
Qi Mingxuan went alone to the Jiulong Hall to face the incoming ministers. Naturally, Li Shu couldn’t directly follow, so he had to at least pretend to have hurried from outside the palace like the other ministers.
Qi Mingxuan’s arrangement was naturally for Li Shu’s reputation. Li Shu had no objections to it, and followed An Yu out of the palace through another small path.
The carriage was already prepared outside, with neatly folded new official robes inside.
The guards outside bowed respectfully, “Master Li, the conditions are simple. Please bear with us. We’ll wait outside, and you can change comfortably.”
Li Shu changed into the dark red official robe, and the carriage set off with the guards disguised as servants sitting at the front, driving the carriage.
The deep tolling of the bell rang three times, and everyone got off the carriage, kneeling towards the east at the palace gate.
When they rose, there was sorrow on their faces.
Three tolls of the bell with a lingering sound meant that the master of the palace had passed away.
Officials looked at each other, seeing the solemnity in each other’s eyes.
When the palace turmoil first started, spies had already transmitted the news from inside the palace to the outside. Those aristocratic families with connections inside the palace received the news first. Before they could prepare, news of the eldest prince’s involvement quickly followed. Then, no more news came from the palace.
Who won between the Eldest Prince and the Fourth Prince?
Qin Mingxuan’s army entered the palace through another route, and these ministers were so focused on the palace that they failed to notice anything wrong outside until it was too late. By the time they realized something was amiss, the palace was surrounded by border troops.
Prince Qin had finally made his move.
When the Emperor listened to slander and summoned Prince Qin back to the capital, they were worried that Prince Qin would rebel.
Who was Prince Qin? He was none other than the Seventh Prince, who had suffered humiliation in the palace, a descendant of the Mu family who had to flee to the border, Great Zhou’s War God who commanded a million troops. If he really wanted to rebel, who in the imperial city could stop him?
No one.
Unexpectedly, after returning to the capital, Prince Qin remained peaceful and surrendered his military power, like a tiger whose sharp claws had been removed.
But a tiger was still a tiger. After a deep slumber of nearly half a year, this terrifying beast finally revealed its ferocious appearance.
Prince Qin dealt with the rebellious Eldest Prince and Fourth Prince with thunderous methods. With the late Emperor dead, no one could stop Prince Qin, who held the edict of succession, from ascending to the throne.
At this moment, all their schemes were doomed to fail.
No matter what they felt inside, they still had to walk the path they chose and do what they needed to do.
After the bell stopped tolling, the ministers stood up, their faces solemn. Under the guidance of the eunuchs, they went to face the situation, which could be good or bad for them.
Because Li Shu held a relatively low position, he walked at the back of the procession. Not far away, there were palace guards disguised as attendants following him to prevent accidents.
The journey from the palace gate to Jiulong Hall where the discussions took place took about fifteen minutes. Ministers dressed in various court robes traversed this road they passed through every day, each with different thoughts in their minds.
“Enter—”
The eunuch’s high pitched voice rang out, and the heavy doors were slowly pushed open.
The sky brightened further as the morning sun rose from the east, painting the entire sky a beautiful orange color. The heavy rain had stopped, the sun was rising, and a brand new day was about to begin.
The old era had passed, separated by a heavy rain that marked the transition between the old and the new. Whatever happened in the rain would be forever buried, except for those involved.
The army Qi Mingxuan brought was still stationed in the palace. Along the way, the ministers met many soldiers patrolling and standing guard. These soldiers were different from the Imperial Guards who were stationed in the palace year-round; they were sharp swords that had seen blood and battle. Just standing there, they exuded a formidable aura.
Letting ministers see these soldiers was also a deterrence to those with evil intentions. If anyone wanted to take advantage of this opportunity, it was best to consider whether they could bear the consequences.
Fear led to vigilance, which in turn led to restraint.
In the Jiulong Hall at this moment, a man wearing a black robe with wide sleeves stood in the center. His hair was tied up with a black jade crown, revealing a sharp jawline.
He stood sideways, his posture upright and his demeanor extraordinary. Hearing the sound of the door opening, he slightly turned his body and looked towards the entrance.
The man’s expression was calm, and his sharp gaze swept over the ministers entering one by one. It was like a heavy hammer smashing down on their hearts, shattering their newly raised thoughts and crushing any intentions of rebellion.
Those with ill intentions lowered their heads, burying all their dark thoughts deep in their hearts.
The aura emanating from Prince Qin was too awe-inspiring. He didn’t even need to make a move to make these pampered ministers give up any thoughts they shouldn’t have.
One could imagine how amazing it was for such a person to descend upon the battlefield holding a long sword. No wonder the border ruffians didn’t dare invade under his watch, no wonder the soldiers of Xi Qiong trembled with fear upon hearing his name and fled in panic.
He didn’t speak, just silently watched as each of them entered the hall, like lambs willingly walking into a trap.
The ministers felt uneasy, and the timid ones even found it difficult to walk. Li Shu supported a middle-aged man who was staggering in front of him, preventing him from falling in public.
“Thank you.” The middle-aged official expressed his gratitude. If he made a fool of himself in public at such a time, it would surely lead to a major disaster, jeopardizing not only his official position but also his family.
After calming himself down, the middle-aged official straightened his posture, silently reminding himself not to be afraid. He was a later-promoted official and had no grudges with Prince Qin. Even if Prince Qin wanted to assert his authority, it shouldn’t be directed at him.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” the middle-aged official muttered under his breath, comforting and hypnotizing himself at the same time. As he walked, he suddenly felt something was amiss.
A piercing gaze fell directly on him. Looking up, he saw Prince Qin staring at him with a gloomy expression.
His legs went weak, and the middle-aged official nearly fell to his knees. Perhaps due to the self-suggestions, he managed to hold himself upright this time and didn’t collapse.
He walked to his position with trepidation, and that gaze followed him like a shadow. Though it was only a few steps, it felt like a long and arduous journey with a burden weighing heavily on him.
Sweat dripped from his forehead. He stood respectfully in his designated spot, and didn’t dare to wipe it off.
Fortunately, Prince Qin didn’t keep staring at him. Once the officials were all in place, Prince Qin withdrew his gaze.
Li Shu, who was standing behind the middle-aged official, saw this scene and wanted to laugh. Perhaps the official in front of him didn’t know why he had attracted Prince Qin’s prolonged attention, but Li Shu could guess a bit. It was probably because he had just assisted him earlier.
Throughout, Qi Mingxuan’s gaze remained fixed on the left arm of the middle-aged official, which was exactly where he had supported him.
Li Shu quietly raised his eyes and glanced at the man standing in front of the throne. The man wore formal prince attire, with a black base color and golden embroidery along the edges. The hem of his robe was adorned with a fierce four-clawed golden dragon, exuding an aura of nobility.
Just as Qi Mingxuan’s gaze shifted in this direction, their eyes met. Qi Mingxuan seemed momentarily stunned, then he lowered his gaze first, and his imposing aura eased significantly.
When he raised his eyes again, they were filled with determination.
“Everyone must have heard about what happened yesterday. Prince Yu and his people committed treason. They attempted to seize power and cause chaos in the court. They have already been executed.”
“The Eldest Prince is severely injured and is currently recuperating in the palace. As for the Emperor…”
The funeral bell had tolled. Even if Qi Mingxuan didn’t finish his sentence, everyone understood the implication.
“Your Highness Prince Qin, this is merely your side of the story. What happened in the palace from yesterday afternoon to early this morning is based on your words alone. Forgive us for not being convinced!”
A stern-faced sixty-year-old man stood up. He was the current Grand Tutor, a veteran of two dynasties, and had considerable influence in the court. His disbelief prompted several other ministers to step forward, hoping that Qi Mingxuan could provide a convincing explanation.
“The prince knows some may not believe, but the fact remains. The Fourth Prince has already been executed, and the Eldest Prince is severely injured and hasn’t regained consciousness. Everyone in the palace knows what has happened during this period.”
Qi Mingxuan stared directly at the speaker. The corners of his mouth raised slightly, but his eyes were cold.
“Oh, by the way, the eyes and ears you planted in the palace should also be able to corroborate what I’m saying.”
“This…”
There were many people with eyes and ears in the palace. In order to discern the Emperor’s thoughts at any time, many ministers had their own spies in the palace, especially those in high positions. They needed to know the Emperor’s stance on matters in advance to plan for their own interests.
“Everyone is well aware of this matter. Presumably, the late Emperor was not completely unaware either. Since you have ways to ascertain the truth yourselves, this prince won’t bother bringing witnesses to testify.”
The Grand Tutor and his group were left speechless by Qi Mingxuan’s words. How could they not understand the meaning behind his statement? Witnesses? What witnesses? It definitely wouldn’t be ordinary palace servants, but rather those they had bribed or sent into the palace themselves.
What kind of tactic was this? Did Prince Qin mean that he knew the identities of most of the spies in the palace? How long had he been back in the capital? How could his reach extend so far?
Unless…
A certain possibility dawned on the Grand Tutor, sending a shiver down his spine. Unless Prince Qin had already planted people in the capital, and planned everything that was happening today well in advance. Returning to the capital and relinquishing his military power was just part of his plan.
No wonder! Now wonder after the royal decree was issued, Prince Qin wasted no time in packing up and returning to the capital. He had probably been waiting for this opportunity, waiting for a chance to come back.
Only when he came back to the capital could he unfold his next plan.
They had schemed so hard, thinking they had gained a great advantage, only to fall into the trap set by someone else. All their planning had been turned against them.
Prince Qin was truly cunning!
The Grand Tutor looked up at the man whom he had never taken seriously before. This man was so similar to the Mu family members of the past. They both had the same pride, sense of justice, and tendency to protect their own. However, compared to the stubbornness of the Mu family, Prince Qin was evidently more cunning.
He knew how to disguise himself, how to reduce the fear of those in power toward him, how to endure. That’s why he succeeded.
There was no turning back now unless the late Emperor had left an edict before his death.
However, the late emperor suddenly fell seriously ill and died so suddenly. It was completely unknown as to whether he left any posthumous edict.
“Since the late Emperor has passed away, the country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. Please ascend to the throne, Your Highness!”
Before the Grand Tutor could come up with a plan, some people couldn’t wait to speak up. Seeing that Prince Qin was about to become the biggest winner, they naturally had to speak up at this moment.
“Your Highness, please ascend—”
Once someone spoke up, naturally, more would follow suit. Among these people were not only supporters of Prince Qin but also some neutrals who joined in just to take advantage of the situation.
After all, looking at the current situation, Prince Qin’s ascension to the throne was already a done deal.
While some were delighted, there were also those who didn’t want this outcome. However, Qi Mingxuan didn’t give them time to react and directly summoned Eunuch An to the court.
Who was Eunuch An? He was the close confidant of the late Emperor, the old man who had served the late Emperor his whole life, and likewise, the person most likely to know whether the late Emperor had left an edict.
Eunuch An didn’t enter empty-handed; he carried a dark red sandalwood box and, under everyone’s gaze, opened it to reveal the imperial edict inside.
“In accordance with the decree of the Emperor: The Seventh Prince, Qi Mingxuan, has made outstanding contributions in pacifying the northwest…”
It was actually the imperial edict of succession!
Those who had wanted to prevent the succession of Qi Mingxuan by citing reasons such as his background were suddenly silenced.
With this edict of succession in hand, who dared to say anything? Even if there were grievances in their hearts, they could only grit their teeth and kneel down to congratulate the new ruler.
The Grand Tutor still refused to believe. He was one of the planners behind the Mu family incident years ago. The plan had gone so smoothly back then because everything had been tacitly approved by the Emperor!
The Mu family was powerful, and it had already made the late Emperor dissatisfied. After that incident occurred, there was no thorough investigation. The late Emperor hastily assigned blame, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to any doubts in the entire affair.
If it weren’t for the Emperor’s support behind the scenes, how could they have so easily wiped out the Mu family?
Because of this, he knew that the late Emperor could pass the throne to any prince except the Seventh Prince. Once the Seventh Prince ascended, it would inevitably lead to a re-investigation of the Mu family case, a matter the late Emperor was least willing to revisit.
“Prince Qin,” the Grand Tutor stood up and looked forward with a stern demeanor, “It’s well-known that the late Emperor was unable to speak or move before his death. So, I would like to ask, where did this imperial edict come from?”
“Oh? Does the Grand Tutor doubt the authenticity of the imperial edict?” Qi Mingxuan smiled. He raised his hand slightly, and a palace attendant brought the edict to him, handing it over.
Qi Mingxuan walked over to the Grand Tutor with the edict in hand, looking down at him from above. “Then, Grand Tutor, take a look. Is this edict real?”
Seeing Qi Mingxuan’s attitude, the Grand Tutor’s heart sank. He didn’t need confirmation to know that this edict was real.
“Considering your age, I won’t pursue your mistakes this time. In the future, Grand Tutor must remember not to act recklessly like today.”
“Yes, I understand my fault.”
The Grand Tutor was trembling with anger, but he didn’t dare to utter a word of resistance and knelt down for mercy.
With the Grand Tutor’s example before them, no one dared to oppose anymore.
The coronation was settled, and now preparations for the coronation ceremony had to begin. During this time, Qi Mingxuan also needed to deal with Prince Yu, who had committed treason, handle the late Emperor’s funeral, and clean up the court’s discipline.
During the recent period, the struggle between the Eldest Prince and the Fourth Prince had made the court chaotic. Now, with one severely injured and unconscious and the other imprisoned and awaiting execution, Qi Mingxuan had to clean up the mess they left behind.
Qi Mingxuan was so busy that he didn’t have time to meet with Li Shu.
One was in the palace, and the other was outside. Except for the morning court, they had surprisingly few chances to interact. Qi Mingxuan was very unhappy about this.
After being busy for several days, Qi Mingxuan finally found an opportunity. After the morning court, he asked Li Shu to stay behind.
When the new emperor ascended, many courtiers who had been highly favored by the late Emperor thought that Li Shu, who had also enjoyed the late Emperor’s favor, was in trouble this time. Didn’t they see that the new emperor hadn’t called for him alone yet?
Little did they know, it wasn’t that the Emperor didn’t approach Li Shu; it was Li Shu who didn’t let the Emperor do anything at such a time, lest it stirred up trouble. If given the choice, their new Emperor would rather stick by Li Shu’s side.
Unexpectedly, Li Shu was called away after morning court today.
What kind of spell had Li Shu cast to make two consecutive emperors hold him in such high regard?
Could it be because of his face? It seemed that the Qi family had some invisible beauty con attributes. Good-looking people are always more likely to be favored by the emperor. The former Grand Tutor and Left Prime Minister were famously handsome men in those days.
Why don’t they have outstanding faces? People who thought this way touched their cheeks sadly, attracting a good deal of teasing from their companions.
“Your Majesty.”
“Zi Shu is here? Bring a seat for him.”
Qi Mingxuan raised his head from a pile of memorials and saw Li Shu. The slight furrow of his brow slowly smoothed out.
The nimble palace attendant quickly brought a chair, and Li Shu sat down without ceremony, asking, “Your Majesty, are you troubled by something?”
It was more than troubling. In recent days, dealing with the mess left by the Eldest Prince and others had almost driven Qi Mingxuan mad. They didn’t attend to official duties, only indulging in their own desires and abusing their power. But if he were to replace all these people at once, where would he find so many replacements?
And it wasn’t just in one or two places. This behavior permeated the entire Great Zhou, from the central government to local officials. They were all the same!
“I won’t mention these annoying matters. I called you here because I wanted to ask you about that man you mentioned before, Yu Rongxiu.”
Qi Mingxuan felt sour when he mentioned this name. This was the first time he had Zi Shu praise a man so highly. When he heard about this person’s deeds from Li Shu, his first reaction wasn’t delight to see a talent but jealousy.
Yes, it was jealousy. He, a prince in a high position, had felt jealous of a mere scholar in the Hanlin Academy, all because of a few words from Li Shu.
“What’s wrong with Master Yu?” Li Shu focused his attention.
“I went to observe him, and it’s as you said, Master Yu is an extremely capable person. It’s a waste of his talent for him to stay in the Hanlin Academy. I’m currently short of manpower, so I want to discuss with you what kind of task to assign him.”
According to Qi Mingxuan’s thoughts, of course the farther away he could send the person, the better. But he also worried that if he did this, Li Shu would be unhappy because Yu Rongxiu was Li Shu’s good friend.
“When it comes to using people, naturally, everything should be done according to Your Majesty’s wishes.”
That meant letting him arrange as he pleased. Qi Mingxuan was about to express his plan when a young eunuch suddenly ran in.
“Your Majesty, Master He requests an audience.”
‘Why is teacher here?’ Without much thought, Qi Mingxuan said, “Quick, let him in.”
The young eunuch ran out, and soon, an old man in a light gray robe strode in. The old man’s eyes were sharp. He had a long beard, and his gray hair was tied with a wooden hairpin behind his head. He extended his long sleeves and bowed respectfully to his superior:
“The humble one pays his respects to Your Majesty.”
“Teacher, please rise quickly.” Qi Mingxuan took a few steps forward and helped the old man up by his arm.
The old man raised his head and happened to see Li Shu standing behind Qi Mingxuan, and his pupils shrank.
This… was his little disciple?
