“Your Majesty, I implore you to depose Crown Prince Zhu Xuanyu and appoint Princess Shuyang Zhu Xuanyi as the heir!”
No one had expected that the first person to voice these words would not be the princess’s maternal grandfather, her teacher, or her father-in-law…
But rather, Minister of Personnel Xue Zeruo.
When the Sky Screen first appeared, Emperor Hui made the choice on behalf of the Dayin people.
When the Sky Screen appeared for the second time, all citizens of Dayin could make their own choices.
However, the One-Click Triple Action light screen only appeared before Princess Shuyang.
If the One-Click Triple Action represented offering sacrifices to the heavens, then whoever possessed the qualification to offer sacrifices to the heavens on behalf of all citizens would be the rightful ruler of the land. Moreover, this time it was the Sky Screen itself making the choice.
—Princess Shuyang.
In the current court, following the former Prime Minister’s illness and death, Minister of Revenue Sheng Mian was temporarily acting as Prime Minister.
The fierce competitors for the Prime Minister position were Minister of Revenue Sheng Mian and Minister of Personnel Xue Zeruo.
Sheng Mian, who was acting as Prime Minister, seemed to have the upper hand. But with the appearance of the Sky Screen, the situation changed abruptly.
The Sky Screen personally confirmed that Xue Zeruo would become Prime Minister in the early years of Emperor Zhao Wen’s reign.
Sheng Mian, the Crown Prince’s teacher, ultimately failed to have the last laugh.
One must say, Minister Xue, you are both principled and flexible!
After just one night, Emperor Hui appeared to have aged considerably. The imperial physicians’ herbal decoctions could not save his body, which had been poisoned by elixirs.
What made Emperor Hui feel even more powerless was that the court officials’ hearts had scattered. They shouted “long live the Emperor” to him, but in their hearts, they were thinking of the era of Emperor Zhao Wen that Princess Shuyang had brought.
Emperor Hui stared at their faces, carefully using his clouded eyes and unclear vision to discern their expressions.
Are they laughing at me? Are they mocking me?
Look, after all these years of Your Majesty’s reign, our dynasty is still being chased and beaten by the Northern Barbarians.
Capable and upright civil officials are sent away from the central government; generals capable of driving out bandits and invaders receive neither trust nor important positions, losing battle after battle under Your Majesty’s orders. When they finally win a battle, they must still act “humbly and uneasily” while sending money.
Since Your Majesty is so useless, why not replace you with Princess Shuyang!
Your Majesty’s greatest use might be fathering Princess Shuyang!
“Pfft—”
“Your Majesty!”
Emperor Hui actually vomited blood on the spot and fell unconscious.
*
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty—”
Emperor Hui wandered through a hazy void, hearing someone call him. Gradually, a woman emerged from the white mist.
“Does Your Majesty still remember your humble wife?”
Ah, isn’t this my early-departed first wife Shen Shi?
She remained as young and beautiful as before, even wearing the same clothes she had on when she blocked the arrow—still stained with blood and bearing the hole pierced by the arrow.
While I, though dressed in fine silks, have aged…
Tears fell from Emperor Hui’s eyes: “My dear, are you well in the underworld?”
“Your Majesty, you promised me you would take good care of Yiyi. Why have you let Yiyi suffer?”
Emperor Hui was surprised: “My dear, I treat Yiyi as the apple of my eye. I’ve given her the title and lands of Shuyang, treated her with the same privileges as the Crown Prince. When have I ever let Yiyi…”
Empress Shen gazed at him with tearful, profound eyes. Emperor Hui paused—he had indeed let Yiyi suffer.
Yiyi’s child had been killed by the Crown Prince.
“That… Xuanyu didn’t mean to do it, it was an unfortunate accident…”
Empress Shen only looked at him mournfully.
Unintentional mistake? Unfortunate coincidence? Accident?
How innocent was that child?
Should Yiyi simply swallow this bitter fruit?
Emperor Hui lowered his head, murmuring: “I’ve granted Shunyang her title and fiefdom, given her treatment equal to the Crown Prince, allowed her honor and wealth—is this not enough?”
The Crown Prince is the heir apparent who can inherit the throne, but Yiyi cannot—how could this be considered treatment equal to the Crown Prince?
Hearing these words, Emperor Hui looked up to see Empress Shen rushing toward him with grief and fury, the arrow-pierced hole in her chest now bleeding profusely.
Empress Shen tightly gripped Emperor Hui’s hand, the gushing blood not only staining her own robes but splattering onto the Emperor as well.
“Your Majesty, didn’t you promise me to treat Yiyi well? Why won’t you give Yiyi the very best?”
Emperor Hui struggled in panic to break free from Empress Shen’s grasp, but she only tightened her hold, her expression growing increasingly deranged…
The scent of blood was so thick and pungent.
Emperor Hui’s eyes snapped open.
Princess Shunyang stood by his bedside holding a bowl of medicine.
“Father, it’s time for your medicine!”
Ah, the strong medicinal odor was so similar to the scent of blood in his dream?!
The person before him wore a worried expression, her wide sleeves flowing deeply—were there daggers concealed within them?
Noticing Emperor Hui’s gaze, Princess Shunyang’s heart sank—what was he afraid of? Would I commit patricide before all the ministers?
Clang—
Emperor Hui knocked over the medicine: “I’m not sick! Cough, cough, cough, cough!”
The dark medicinal liquid splashed onto Princess Shunyang’s clothing.
“Father!”
“Your Majesty!”
Various voices called out, and only then did Emperor Hui look around. The Crown Prince, the Queen, and several ministers were all present.
He had just awakened from his nightmare and hadn’t noticed.
Princess Shunyang stood silently in place while Queen Wang hurried forward to check: “Yiyi, were you burned?”
Minister of Personnel Xue Zeruo asked: “Is Your Highness injured? Perhaps you should change clothes?”
The Crown Prince seized the opportunity to support the frail Emperor, who leaned on the bed with one hand while covering his chest and coughing: “Father!”
Emperor Hui scanned the crowd.
Gathered so completely—did they think he was dying?
Just as shown on the Sky Screen, lying weak and dying on his sickbed.
Was the Minister of Personnel already showing concern for Princess Shunyang?
Yiyi, Yiyi!
Empress Shen’s grief-stricken, resentful questioning still echoed in his ears.
“Your Majesty, you promised your consort to take good care of Yiyi. Why must Your Majesty let Yiyi suffer?”
Emperor Hui’s head throbbed with pain—was it the nightmare, or the elixir?
The Crown Prince continued whispering words of comfort and apology by his ear.
Utterly irritating.
Suddenly, Emperor Hui raised his hand and pushed him down with all his strength, snarling: “You vicious dog! How dare you kill your own nephew!”
Princess Shunyang, the Queen, the Minister of Personnel, and others stood frozen in place.
Why suddenly rage at the Crown Prince? And bring up this matter?
His own nephew—wasn’t that Princess Shunyang’s son?
Was His Majesty bringing this up to condemn the Crown Prince?
The Crown Prince fell to the ground, looking at Emperor Hui in disbelief, tears instantly welling in his eyes.
Minister of Revenue Sheng Mian wanted to help up this student he valued most, but hesitated and ultimately didn’t step forward.
Silence filled the hall.
Palace maids and eunuchs knelt throughout the room.
The Crown Prince knelt and kowtowed, weeping bitterly: “Father, your son is guilty!”
Emperor Hui closed his eyes in agony—how had things come to this in less than half a month?
Heaven’s will is profound and unfathomable.
The Crown Prince, after all, was not the one destined to bear the Mandate of Heaven.
Princess Shunyang watched everything quietly.
Her elder brother the Crown Prince had reached a dead end, while her father was on the verge of collapse.
Why had things come to this?
Many years ago, when her father lay unconscious on his sickbed, she—then just a child—had been so anxious and fearful that she prayed to the gods, willing to exchange her own lifespan for her father’s health.
But now, if she searched her heart, would she still be willing to make such a plea to the gods?
“Father, please take your medicine. Only by taking it will your health improve.”
She still wished for her father to be well, yet at the same time, she intended to take the power from his hands.
Emperor Hui leaned weakly against the soft pillows and cushions Princess Shunyang had arranged for him, breathing heavily.
After a long while, he finally calmed.
“Xue Zeruo, draft the edicts.”
“One: Depose the Crown Prince and Prince Chen.”
“Another: Appoint Princess Shunyang as heir apparent.”