Chapter 620
Chapter 620
Yu Gong Gong was devastated.
Is Your Majesty truly gone? Will he never return?
"Yu Gong Gong, I don't need you either."
Prince Jin issued his final ultimatum.
Yu Gong Gong glanced at the tortured and unrecognizable Xiao Dezi, then silently followed Prince Jin.
Halfway through their journey, Prince Jin encountered Jiang Huiyi.
Jiang Huiyi asked coolly, "Prince Jin, in such a hurry, where are you off to?"
Prince Jin replied with a cold tone, "I have important matters to attend to. I hope Imperial Consort Hui can step aside."
Jiang Huiyi retorted, "What important matters could you have? Planning a rebellion, perhaps?"
Prince Jin signaled to one of his eunuchs.
Two palace attendants approached Jiang Huiyi.
Jiang Huiyi drew her long sword, "Who dares to touch me?"
While Imperial Consort Chen was using the restroom, when she returned to the side hall, Jiang Huiyi was gone.
Upon inquiry, she learned that Jiang Huiyi had left with her sword. Realizing something was amiss, she hurried to catch up.
"Imperial Consort Hui!"
She called out to Jiang Huiyi, quickly stepping forward and grabbing her wrist.
Prince Jin glanced at her deeply, "Imperial Consort Chen, I entrust you to bring Imperial Consort Hui back to her quarters."
With that, Prince Jin turned and left.
Jiang Huiyi, sword in hand, wanted to strike him, but Imperial Consort Chen firmly held her wrist, "Hui'er."
This was the first time she had called Jiang Huiyi by her given name.
Jiang Huiyi paused.
Imperial Consort Chen shook her head, "We've done all we can. Now it's up to him to see if he has the fate of an emperor."
Jiang Huiyi glared at Prince Jin's retreating back, "Fate of an emperor, my foot!"
She threw her sword to the ground, "He used to be so capable. Now that the throne is about to be taken, why doesn't he say something from the grave?"
---
Dark clouds loomed overhead.
Lu Yuan rode a white horse, binding the Liang Emperor to his back, galloping swiftly toward the palace.
Whoosh!
A cold arrow shot through the air.
The King of Miao, riding a black horse, caught the arrow and shot it back at the archer in one fluid motion.
"Which way next?"
He shouted.
The Liang Emperor, lying on Lu Yuan's back, replied, "East."
The King of Miao turned into an eastern alley.
Lu Yuan followed closely.
They did not return to the palace with the Black Armor Army but split into two groups.
Despite this, Hu Lie still guessed their plan and sent numerous elite assassins to ambush them along the way.
"These don't seem like the great beard's elite assassins."
After killing another assassin, the King of Miao asked the Liang Emperor, "Hey, how many people want you dead?"
The Liang Emperor, who usually would have retorted with a sarcastic comment, remained silent.
If not for this incident, he would never have known that so many people around him wished him dead.
Formerly trusted ministers wanted to kill him, while his sworn enemy was saving him.
What a bitter irony his life had become.
"Your grandfather is here!"
The King of Miao spotted several more assassins, slapped his horse's back with one hand, and leaped to the roof, smashing through the tiles and sending the assassins flying.
"Ha ha ha!"
"Come on!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
A barrage of poisoned darts shot at him.
"Damn!"
The King of Miao's hair stood on end as he dove into the hole in the roof, narrowly avoiding the darts with his rear end exposed.
---
Prince Jin arrived at the Golden Hall with Yu Gong Gong.
The court officials were already in place.
Prince Jin announced the Liang Emperor's death.
The officials were grief-stricken, and the entire court wept.
Prince Jin, filled with righteous indignation, declared, "Father Emperor was killed by the King of Miao. I swear that I will not rest until I have avenged him, until I have destroyed the Miao Borderlands!"
Zhang Qufeng stepped forward, holding his tablet, "With the death of Your Majesty, we are all in deep sorrow. However, the nation cannot be without a ruler. We implore Prince Jin to ascend the throne and take charge of the state, for the sake of the Liang Kingdom, the people, and the realm!"
Encouraged by his lead, the officials in Prince Jin's faction echoed the request.
"Please, Prince Jin, ascend the throne!"
"Please, Prince Jin, Your Highness, ascend the throne!"
The Grand Agricultural Commissioner and the Academy Chancellor exchanged uneasy glances.
Meng Ge Lao was not present.
"Where is the Senior Minister?"
The Academy Chancellor whispered.
The Grand Agricultural Commissioner glanced at the empty seat of the Imperial Tutor: "He most likely won’t be coming."
The Academy Chancellor was startled: "Could it be... they’ve taken the Senior Minister..."
With Prince Jin ascending the throne, it was highly suspicious that Gongsun Yanming, the Imperial Tutor, was not present in the court.
Today, it wasn’t just Meng Ge Lao who was absent.
Anyone who opposed Prince Jin was likely under control.
The Grand Agricultural Commissioner's expression grew grim.
The Academy Chancellor said, "I still don’t believe the Crown Prince would betray His Majesty."
The Grand Agricultural Commissioner sighed inwardly.
He didn’t believe it either.
But... it seemed everything was already decided.
"Imperial Edict arrives—"
At this critical moment, an announcement echoed from outside the Golden Hall.
The civil and military officials all turned to look.
Even Prince Jin, about to sit on the dragon throne, paused to watch.
Under the sky, Lu Zhaoyan, dressed in the formal attire of the Crown Prince, held a bright yellow imperial edict and calmly entered the Golden Hall.
The entire court was stunned.
Prince Jin frowned: "Lu Zhaoyan! Weren’t you confined to the Crown Prince’s Mansion? How dare you enter the palace without permission!"
Lu Zhaoyan replied: "Father Emperor has an edict."
Yu Gong Gong knelt down with a thud.
Seeing him kneel, the palace attendants followed suit.
Prince Jin glared at Yu Gong Gong in frustration and then said to Lu Zhaoyan, "Younger Brother, your unauthorized escape is already a capital offense. Now, you dare to forge an imperial edict? Your crimes will be compounded, and you will face eternal punishment!"
Lu Zhaoyan said, "Steward Yu, please read Father Emperor’s edict."
Prince Jin angrily shouted at Yu Gong Gong, "You dare?"
Without hesitation, Yu Gong Gong walked to Lu Zhaoyan, took the edict with both hands, and slowly unfurled it: "Your Excellencies, receive the edict—"
This time, it was the turn of the officials to exchange puzzled looks.
The Grand Agricultural Commissioner and the Academy Chancellor immediately knelt down.
Prince Jin narrowed his eyes.
Something was off.
If Lu Zhaoyan had such a powerful card as an imperial edict, he would have used it much earlier. This edict must be a forgery!
"…I hereby pass the throne to my second son—"
Just as Yu Gong Gong was about to read Lu Zhaoyan’s name, Prince Jin reached out and snatched the edict away through the air.
The officials were shocked!
Lu Zhaoyan said sternly, "Prince Jin, do you dare defy the edict?"
Prince Jin coldly replied, "Lu Zhaoyan, you don’t really think a forged edict can deceive everyone, do you?"
Lu Zhaoyan calmly asked, "Forged? What proof do you have that it’s a forgery?"
Prince Jin retorted, "Father Emperor is trapped in the underground palace. How could he have the time to write you an edict?"
Lu Zhaoyan replied calmly, "Then how did Father Emperor have the time to pass the throne to you?"
Prince Jin sneered, "Not to me, the rightful heir, but to you, a traitor who conspired with the King of Miao and murdered the emperor? Guards! Arrest this traitor!"
"I’d like to see who dares!"
Lu Zhaoyan revealed the token of the Imperial Guards.
Prince Jin clenched his fists, then laughed mockingly after a moment, "You don’t really think a mere token can command the Imperial Guards, do you?"
The military power belongs to the Hu family!
The commander of the Imperial Guards had long been replaced by his uncle with a trusted ally. How could Lu Zhaoyan possibly get away with such a cheap trick?！
"Close the doors!"
At Prince Jin's command, the massive doors of the Golden Hall were slammed shut by his elite guards.
Lu Zhaoyan stared at him, frozen in place.
Prince Jin smiled faintly. "Younger brother, you can never match the older one. Watch carefully, for your older brother is about to ascend the throne."
He wore a brilliant yellow dragon robe and ascended the steps, approaching the imperial throne that towered above all.
---
On the other side, Female Meng Qianqian's Black Armor Army met up with the King of Miao and his party at the palace gates.
The King of Miao, panting heavily, said, "My dear granddaughter, are you alright? I'm exhausted! That old man is such a weakling!"
He pointed at Liang Emperor, who was behind Lu Yuan, wishing he could drag him down and beat him up!
Female Meng Qianqian replied, "Grandfather, His Majesty was injured saving you."
The King of Miao was speechless.
What a powerful move.
After speaking to the King of Miao, Female Meng Qianqian raised her head to look at the tightly closed palace gates and called out, "His Majesty has returned to the palace! Open the gates!"
There was no response.
The palace gates remained firmly shut.
Female Meng Qianqian said coldly, "If you don't open the gates, I won't be so polite!"
She raised her hand.
The Black Armor Army, well-trained, cleared a path, and siege rams and ladders were pushed forward.
At that moment, the palace gates opened.
Hu Lie led a squadron of cavalry, marching out with great authority.
Hu Lie rode at the front.
Female Meng Qianqian also spurred her horse forward.
General to general, king to king.
Female Meng Qianqian exuded an aura that even Hu Lie found startling.
"Why don't you kneel to welcome His Majesty back to the palace?"
Hu Lie stared at her intently. "You are not the Imperial Princess."
Female Meng Qianqian's lips curled into a smile. "Indeed, I am not. So what?"
Hu Lie was unyielding. "If you can impersonate the Imperial Princess, then I have every reason to suspect that you have also found someone to impersonate His Majesty! After all, His Majesty has already passed away in the underground palace! My trusted subordinate witnessed it with his own eyes. His Majesty had my subordinate bring back his final words, instructing Prince Jin to ascend the throne, eliminate the traitors, and attack the Miao Borderlands!"
Female Meng Qianqian said, "Does anyone really believe such nonsense?"
Hu Lie replied, "Whether they believe it or not is not important. What matters is that you are too late."
Female Meng Qianqian laughed. "If we were truly too late, why are you wasting time here with us?"
From three yards away, the King of Miao shouted, "Grand... that... Imperial Princess? Don't waste time with him! Move aside! Let me handle it!"
Hu Lie sneered. "Men! Seize the traitors for me!"
Liang Emperor said coldly, "Hu Lie! How dare you!"
Hu Lie's chest tightened.
The pressure from Liang Emperor almost crushed him in an instant.
But it was just a moment.
Once a path is taken, there's no turning back.
Prince Jin's mansion, the general's mansion... the lives and fortunes of everyone were tied to him.
He couldn't retreat!
Hu Lie barked, "His Majesty has passed away. Who are you? Why are you all just standing there? Seize them now!"
"But..."
A deputy hesitated and asked, "That's the Imperial Princess and His Majesty..."
"Do you really think she is the Imperial Princess? Watch closely!"
Hu Lie suddenly raised his spear and, without warning, aimed it at Female Meng Qianqian.
Female Meng Qianqian leaned back on her horse.
Although Hu Lie's spear did not injure her, it tore off her human skin mask.
The sight left the soldiers without any hesitation.
Female Meng Qianqian pointed her sword at the sky. "Black Armor Army, form ranks! Charge!"
(End of Chapter)
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