Many of the court officials, nobles, royalty, and imperial relatives finally left the palace with a collective sigh of relief.
Their feelings were incredibly complex.
They had never imagined things would escalate to this point.
The original hunters had become the hunted. The force they thought they could annihilate with a few lives had directly flipped the table, orchestrating the dethronement and destruction of the empire.
The crucial point was that they were powerless to stop it.
Many were deeply troubled, unsure of what to do next. Should they truly obey, flee immediately, or try to contact others to form a new force to rescue Emperor Minghui and restore the throne?
Of course, besides that.
What most people were truly grieving was the confiscation of their homes. The wealth accumulated over decades, even centuries, had been plundered, leaving them wishing they could drag Ding Yun down with them.
If they hadn't known they were no match for her, and that any action could lead to their deaths, they likely would have lost control when they first learned of their families being raided.
In the end, some were filled with indignant resentment, already planning acts of sabotage. Others were thinking that they couldn't possibly contend with so many terrifying steel giants and monstrous beasts, so perhaps it was best to compromise for now. Still others, fearing annihilation as members of the imperial family, were already plotting their escape.
However, their self-congratulatory schemes were all being observed by Ding Yun's fly robots, and meticulously recorded by the responsible bodyguard robots.
There would be time for reckoning later.
As for those planning mischief, their survival into tomorrow was uncertain, so there was no need to worry about them disrupting the smooth progression of the abdication and succession ceremonies.
...
Within the imperial palace, in the Hall of Political Affairs.
Ding Yun's parents, her father's two concubines, her paternal uncle, and two half-siblings were all brought here.
Even though they had been informed of what had transpired by the bodyguard robots on their way, they still gazed at the grand hall, a symbol of absolute imperial power, with looks of utter disbelief.
Because this was truly...
Something they had never dared to dream of.
For a moment, Ji Linyu and the others felt disoriented, questioning whether they were dreaming or awake, wondering if this was a final dream before death, or perhaps they were already dead.
Could everything be a delusion before death, or an illusion after death? Perhaps their heads were no longer attached to their bodies, and they had already been beheaded.
This state of dazed disbelief persisted for a long time, until their thighs were so bruised from pinching that they lost sensation. Only then did they finally regain their senses, able to accept, and become ecstatic.
Ji Linyu even murmured in a low voice.
Even if this were a dream, he would accept it and refuse to wake.
Faced with this situation, Ding Yun was also at a loss. Her immense power, exceeding her family's wildest imaginations, made it difficult for them to fully accept it immediately. But that was fine, as there would be ample time later for them to gradually come to terms with it, and it wouldn't affect her ascension to the throne.
Therefore, Ding Yun quickly instructed the bodyguard robots to escort them to the rear palace to reside temporarily. She then busied herself with the preparations for the next day's events: the abdication ceremony and the enthronement ceremony.
She did not entirely trust the officials of the Ministry of Rites, fearing they might cut corners or deliberately slack off.
Thus, she naturally had to make some backup arrangements.
Furthermore, the edict of abdication and the dragon and phoenix robes she would wear for her ascension were likely something the Ministry of Rites wouldn't dare to prepare, so she had to handle these matters herself.
Time flew by amidst her busyness.
A night passed swiftly.
And much indeed had transpired during this night.
Some individuals contacted each other through secret passages, engaging in communication and forging agreements. Others fled under the cover of darkness, attempting to carry messages.
Some also sent their loved ones away overnight, preparing to dedicate themselves alone to loyalty and service to the country.
The common people were abuzz with private discussions.
The circumstances of many were similar, but few were identical.
Regardless, as the morning of the next day dawned, those officials and nobles were once again urged by Ding Yun's people to gather in the Hall of Political Affairs.
There, Ding Yun had someone read an abdication letter, written by Emperor Minghui himself under her coercion the previous day.
Then, without any pretense of three refusals and three welcomes, she declared the letter valid upon its reading, accepted it, and announced the commencement of the enthronement ceremony.
The ministers, though outwardly mournful, ultimately said nothing more. Like puppets on strings, they followed Ding Yun woodenly to the Altar of Heaven for the ritual of worship and enthronement. Many secretly prayed for someone to intervene,
Or for the heavens to show no favor,
And to strike this demoness dead with a lightning bolt.
However, they were destined to be disappointed. Those who were planning to cause trouble had already been apprehended or controlled by Ding Yun beforehand. As for the weather, forget the fact that it was a clear day; even if it hadn't been, she could have deployed weather manipulation weapons to force it into sunshine.
Thus, their silent prayers were utterly useless.
The enthronement ceremony proceeded smoothly.
With the completion of the enthronement ceremony, Ding Yun had effectively taken control of the central government. Consequently, she began to implement sweeping changes and enforce her will.
The first decree she issued was to change the dynastic name.
The Jingguo was extinguished, its imperial family demoted to commoners, and the nation's name was changed to Ji. Henceforth, their country would be known as the Ji Dynasty.
Following this, she rehabilitated her own family and, by extension, other officials loyal to the former Crown Prince.
Thus, the original mission entrusted to her was largely completed.
Next, in accordance with the usual procedure, she conferred titles upon her parents: Supreme Emperor and Empress Dowager, her two concubines as Grand Consorts, and her younger brother and half-siblings as Princes and Princesses for now.
These were considered domestic matters.
Ding Yun merely notified them.
Subsequently, she issued three more decrees, which truly represented her inaugural initiatives after ascending the throne.
First, the events in the capital were to be announced to the entire realm, proclaiming her enthronement and demanding obedience from officials nationwide.
Any who refused would be immediately executed.
Let it not be said that she did not warn them in advance.
Second, the tax system was to be reformed. All land taxes and poll taxes for the common people across the nation would be permanently abolished. The tax exemption privilege for scholars and officials would be revoked, replaced by income tax and high commercial taxes.
Third, a census was to be conducted to clarify land ownership.
To put it in simple terms, if an individual owned land exceeding a certain acreage, it would no longer be considered personal property but rather a farm, treated as a commercial enterprise. The produce of the farm would be subject to commercial tax.
Those with less land had no need to worry.
This policy was primarily aimed at those with extensive landholdings.