vncnus Chapter 198 The World in Mourning! Zhu Ignores the Opposition!
Chapter 198 The World in Mourning! Zhu Ignores the Opposition!
Chapter 198 The World in Mourning! Zhu Ignores the Opposition!
The bell tolled thirty thousand times, and the whole world was dressed in mourning.
Even before winter, the capital city was already covered in snow.
Nobody knows how the emperor died during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and most ordinary people don't care; they just cry and that's it.
They didn't have much affection for the emperor; in contrast, the纨绔贤王 (a spoiled and dissolute prince) was more often in the public eye.
The sound of weeping continued inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The princes were heartbroken, the ministers were heartbroken, but the most heartbroken of all was Yan Song, who cried as if his own father had died, and no one in the entire court could cry louder than him.
Anyone who saw him would sincerely praise him, saying, "Grand Secretary Yan is loyal to the emperor and loves his country."
Whether Yan Song was loyal to the emperor or loved his country is unknown, but his suffering was certainly real.
His son died at the hands of the demons, and the emperor who had always favored him suddenly passed away. In just a few days, he had lost everything. Anyone would have burst into tears in his shoes.
In factional struggles, the situation can change in an instant. No matter how capable Grand Secretary Yan is, if an emperor who doesn't like him comes along, he will still have to obediently step down.
Not to mention that Xu Jie, who is even more capable, is waiting below.
Now that things have come to this point, Grand Secretary Yan has a lot of political enemies. If a real purge were to take place, he might not be able to leave the capital alive.
Compared to the civil officials, the military officers were more composed; at least none of them cried like Grand Secretary Yan.
Two marquises and one gatekeeper, two factories and one guard, only three people stood in the imperial court.
Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi, Zhuge Marquis Zhuge Zhengwo, and the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Zheng Dongliu.
The three men stood motionless, eyes downcast, like three thousand-year-old stone statues.
Many people were secretly observing them. It could be said that whether the court would descend into chaos depended entirely on the attitude of these six people.
If everyone sits down and talks properly, things will naturally be peaceful. But the real danger is that someone might try to profit from the situation in secret.
Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi is the most unique one among them.
The emperor died suddenly without even appointing a crown prince. Theoretically, it wouldn't be unreasonable for his uncle to try and seize power.
After all, the abnormality of the Demon Kingdom frightened everyone. A stronger emperor would at least make people feel safer.
Moreover, even if Zhu Wushi fails to ascend the throne, according to convention, he would become a regent or similar figure to help the young emperor clear obstacles in the court and establish the imperial authority.
In short, Zhu Wushi benefited the most from the deaths of this emperor.
Because he was the biggest beneficiary, people inevitably associated the emperor's mysterious death with this special Iron-Blooded Marquis.
At this moment, voices of discussion began to circulate among the officials.
Even if they spoke in hushed tones, it would still reach the ears of the three martial arts experts.
The white-haired and beardless Zhuge Shenhou didn't resemble a warrior; he seemed more like a Taoist immortal with an air of otherworldly wisdom. He slowly opened his eyes and said softly, "Lord Marquis, won't you say a few words? The noise is getting a bit loud."
Zhu Wushi said calmly, "Thank you for your concern, Divine Marquis. I have nothing to refute. The innocent will clear themselves."
Zhuge Shenhou scrutinized Zhu Wushi and found that his expression was natural and composed, not like he was lying, so he nodded slightly.
"If it's not Zhu Wushi, then it can only be..."
The image of Chu Yang flashed through Zhuge Shenhou's mind, and he sighed silently. He knew about Chu Yang's visit to the palace to admire the moon, and he also learned some information about Chu Yang from Sheng Yayu.
But he still didn't quite believe that Chu Yang could really kill the emperor. Even he couldn't break through the dragon vein's protection, so what made Chu Yang so capable?
More importantly, how could a tyrant sit on the dragon throne?
Who in the world can be trusted?
If he were to actually sit on the dragon throne, it wouldn't be long before war broke out everywhere, with everyone vying for power under the banner of "pacifying the rebellion."
Zhuge Shenhou turned to Zheng Dongliu and asked, "What's the situation with the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Hasn't Lord Zheng heard anything?"
Zheng Dongliu sighed, "The Embroidered Uniform Guards were blocked outside the palace by the Imperial Guards, so they naturally know nothing since they can't get in."
"The Imperial Guards?" Zhuge Shenhou frowned. "Who is leading the Imperial Guards now?"
"Li Chengliang, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong." Zhu Wushi sneered, "But now he should be a proper commander-in-chief, as His Majesty issued an edict before his death."
"Li Chengliang..." Zhuge Shenhou nodded. He knew this man. He was responsible for resisting the Jurchens in Liaodong and helping the Ming Dynasty stabilize its northern defenses.
There had been no war there for five or six years, which speaks volumes about his abilities. Zhuge Liang even believed that sending such a talent back to the capital would be a loss.
"That's ridiculous."
"His Majesty has always been like this; otherwise, how could he have achieved such a great vision today?"
"His Majesty has passed away; you two should be careful with your words."
At Zheng Dongliu's prompting, Zhu Wushi and Zhuge Shenhou both fell silent. One was the emperor's uncle, and the other was a marquis bestowed by the late emperor, both with special status.
Just then, a flurry of footsteps sounded outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
"The Imperial Guards have arrived."
"Those are... Lord Guo and the two eunuchs."
The newcomers were none other than the other three leaders of the six major powers: Guo Bujing, Cao Zhengchun, and Yu Huatian.
The imperial guards stopped outside the palace.
As soon as Guo Bujing, Cao Zhengchun, and Yu Huatian stepped into the main hall, countless voices arose around them.
"Eunuch Cao, what exactly happened last night? How did His Majesty pass away?"
"Eunuch Yu, did His Majesty leave a will before his passing? Whom should we appoint as emperor?"
"Lord Guo, why are you with those two eunuchs?"
A barrage of questions revealed the fear and unease in the hearts of the courtiers, for such a thing had never happened before.
"I know that you colleagues are very concerned about the reason for His Majesty's passing. Please be patient and listen to what I have to say."
The Hall of Supreme Harmony gradually quieted down, and even the young princes stopped crying. Under the care of the eunuchs, they looked at Guo Bujing with a dazed expression.
"Last night, the heir of the Prince of Pingnan colluded with Ye Gucheng and Chief Steward Wang, among others, to use the showdown at the Forbidden City as a pretext to enter the palace and assassinate His Majesty."
"Chief Steward Wang secretly ordered a large number of additional travel passes to be issued, resulting in a chaotic mix of people in the Forbidden City. Deputy Commander Wei Ziyun failed in his supervisory duties and has been dismissed and investigated. It was the Imperial Guards' dereliction of duty that led to their failure to protect His Majesty."
Guo Bujing revealed the cause of the emperor's death, but made no mention of the imperial guards' siege of Chuyang.
Then, Zhuge Shenhou, who knew some of the inside story, couldn't help but look at Guo Bujing, as well as Cao Zhengchun and Yu Huatian beside him.
The three of them together looked rather odd no matter how you looked at it.
Zhu Wushi's eyes suddenly sharpened as he asked, "Why would the Prince of Pingnan's heir attempt to assassinate His Majesty? And how could he possibly have done so?"
"What even a Grandmaster couldn't accomplish, how could Ye Gucheng possibly do?"
"Just because of that 'Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens' move?"
All the civil and military officials looked at Guo Bujing with the same puzzlement.
At this moment, Cao Zhengchun stepped forward and explained, "The reason why the Prince of Pingnan was able to successfully assassinate him is because they used a vicious technique."
"Because this matter is of great importance, we can only discuss it in detail with the three adults."
The lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the fiefdom under the jurisdiction of the Prince of Pingnan's Mansion are a major issue, and the blood sacrifice ritual can affect the dragon vein and the fate of the nation, which is an even more important issue.
The fewer people who know, the better.
Zhuge Shenhou and the other two listened intently, and were all shocked when they learned the truth.
However, their expressions also aroused the curiosity of the other officials, but intimidated by their imposing presence, no one dared to ask them for the time being.
The civil officials all looked at Yan Song without prior arrangement.
As the Prime Minister, he should say something now.
Yan Song also felt he should say something, so he cleared his throat and prepared to speak.
"If you are not feeling well, please go back first. After all, you are getting on in years."
Zhuge Shenhou and Zhu Wushi stared at Yan Song at the same time, their eyes sharp as knives, making the latter feel a chill in his heart.
"Please don't mind, my lords. I just have a sore throat, it's nothing serious."
Yan Song chuckled and retreated.
The other civil officials looked on with disappointment.
Unbeknownst to everyone, a young official behind Xu Jie strode out of the ranks of officials and headed straight for the six most powerful people.
"May I ask you gentlemen, is there anything that your colleagues are not allowed to know?"
The young official's outspokenness brought the atmosphere inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony to a freezing point.
"Uncle, come back!"
Xu Jie stepped forward, grabbed the middle-aged official's sleeve, and tried to take him back.
Zhang Juzheng remained motionless, his gaze resolute. Even if he made a huge mess today, he was determined to challenge the authority of the six men.
For no other reason than to prevent the imperial court from becoming a place where these six people hold absolute power.
A flash of anger crossed the Iron-Blooded Marquis's eyes.
Cao Zhengchun and Yu Huatian looked displeased.
However, Zhuge Shenhou, Zheng Dongliu, and Guo Bujing all looked at Zhang Juzheng with admiration.
Having witnessed Yan Song's cunning and shrewdness, and Xu Jie's shrewdness and cunning, Zhang Juzheng's fortitude was like a ray of light shining into the corrupt court of the Ming Dynasty.
"There's nothing that can't be said. The Prince of Pingnan sacrificed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people on his fiefdom to create a Blood Sacrifice Pearl, which his son used to pollute the dragon vein with the people's resentment."
Chu Yang walked in from outside the hall, step by step, and stood in front of Zhang Juzheng, saying, "Is there anything else you want to ask?"
"No...that's all." Zhang Juzheng was intimidated by Chu Yang's imposing manner, and his words became stammered.
Not only him, but all the other civil officials were also taken aback when they saw Chu Yang appear here.
"Since there's nothing else to ask, let's get the funeral done quickly. What kind of scene is this with a bunch of people crying and wailing here?"
Chu Yang's indifferent gaze swept over the officials in the hall, then he turned and walked towards the high seat in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. As he passed by Zhuge Shenhou and the others, he did not say a word, as if he regarded these six people as air.
Such an arrogant act made the civil and military officials tense up, feeling as if they could hardly breathe.
It wasn't until Chu Yang sat on the dragon throne that everyone snapped out of their daze, staring at him with a mixture of shock and anger.
Everyone couldn't decide who should be emperor, so why are you sitting on top?
It's not your turn, Your Majesty!
Don't you have any idea what kind of reputation you have?
Some of the officials wanted to curse the King of Xian for his shamelessness, and some even wanted Chu Yang to take a piss and look at himself in the mirror.
But it wasn't their turn to speak, because the real decision-makers were those six people.
"What does Your Highness mean by this?"
Zhu Wushi, who was the most dissatisfied, spoke first. He also wanted to sit in this position, but he couldn't be as unrestrained as Chu Yang. After all, he had to maintain his previous image.
He felt both envious and somewhat annoyed by this.
"Sitting in this chair, of course you're the emperor! Uncle, are you getting old and your mind isn't working properly?"
Chu Yang said with a worried expression.
Zhu Wushi felt a surge of anger rising in his throat, and he almost burst into a tirade, but he held back in the end and said in a gentle tone, "The ministers haven't finalized the rules yet. Even if you covet the throne, you still have to follow the regulations."
Chu Yang tilted his head and smiled, "Rules? My rules are the rules."
Zhu Wushi finally couldn't hold back any longer and glared angrily at Chu Yang, "Don't think you can be so arrogant just because you've been hiding some of your cultivation. If you don't come down now, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun and Yu Huatian immediately looked at Zhu Wushi as if he were an idiot.
That guy is really brave.
Guo Bujing softly reminded him, "My lord, your two top-ranking spies haven't returned yet, have they?"
Zhu Wushi frowned and said, "Tianya and Yidao have indeed not returned yet."
Guo Bujing continued, "I advise Your Highness to calm down. Wait for them to return, ask them about it, and then make a plan."
Zhu Wushi looked at Guo Bujing in surprise; the warning in the other party's words was very obvious.
He was unaware that Lu Xiaofeng had discussed the events in Jinling City with the three of them the previous night, and that all three now knew that Chu Yang had killed two great demon kings.
Guo Bujing couldn't help but shout with delight after hearing this, wishing he had been there to fight alongside Chu Yang and slay the demons together.
Cao Zhengchun was so frustrated that he beat his chest in despair. If he had known earlier that the Prince Xian was so fierce, he would never have walked into the line of fire and almost lost his life.
Having realized the gap between the two sides, Yu Huatian was completely convinced of Chu Yang's powerful strength and became his number one die-hard fan, ranking on par with Li Gexiao.
Zhuge Shenhou asked with considerable surprise, "Judging from Lord Guo's tone, it seems you have already decided to support the virtuous king's ascension to the throne?"
Guo Bujing nodded without hesitation.
"Not only Lord Guo, but I also believe that only a prince is qualified to ascend the throne."
Cao Zhengchun hurriedly pledged his loyalty to Chu Yang, fearing that Guo Bujing would steal his thunder.
"Me too!"
Yu Huatian, who was the last to speak up, was filled with regret. Why was he always a step behind Cao Laogou in this regard?!
The officials were stunned. In just a short while, three out of the six had expressed their support for the wise king. This scene was completely unexpected by everyone.
No one should have chosen the wise prince!
Sirs, you are all so foolish!
Seeing how decisive the three of them were, Zhuge Shenhou was certain that they knew something he did not.
As one of the earliest people to believe in Chu Yang, Zhuge Shenhou was not opposed to his ascension to the throne, and even looked forward to it.
He could accept anything as long as it wasn't Zhu Wushi.
As for Zheng Dongliu, he believed in Guo Bujing's character and even more in Li Gexiao's judgment. Since Li Gexiao was willing to follow Chu Yang, he must have his own exceptional qualities.
The two old men glanced at each other and saw the smiles on each other's faces.
"The princes are young, so it is a good choice for His Highness the Wise Prince to succeed to the throne. This does not violate the rules."
"The Divine Marquis is right."
Two more people fell to the opposite side, and five out of the six were now on Chu Yang's side, which greatly worried Zhu Wushi.
But he was also unwilling to give up.
We've finally got this opportunity, how can we easily give it up to someone else?
"Rumors about the Prince Xian's dissolute behavior have been circulating in the capital for years. Everyone knows his character; if he were to ascend the throne, how could the people of the land possibly trust him?"
"If the people are not satisfied, the generals guarding the border will be equally dissatisfied, and naturally, war will break out everywhere!"
"The wise prince must never succeed to the throne!"
(End of this chapter)