She was truly a peculiar woman, likely impossible to find another like her in the world. The thought brought him both melancholy and heartache, yet he showed no outward sign.
"Then we will remain inactive."
He sought Qing Yao's instructions, but she shook her head. She had a different mission for him that night.
"Liu Zhao, have Geng Han take the Yi Zhao and accompany Yi Si Yuan on a trip. See how many people he can win over. At this time, the more people the better. We must control all aspects of the situation by that day; no loopholes will be tolerated."
"Yes, I will go and relay the order immediately."
Nan An Wang accepted the command, took the Yi Zhao from Qing Yao's hand, and personally went to instruct Geng Han to handle the matter with utmost care. He was to return with the Yi Zhao once it was done, ensuring it was not lost.
Geng Han, leading two others, vanished into the night, heading straight for the Yi Mansion within the capital.
That evening, the envoys of the six kingdoms, along with Nan An Wang, split into two groups and swiftly entered the capital.
The capital was shrouded in an atmosphere of dread. The winds of change blew, and people on the streets lived in constant fear, not daring to step outside their homes for anything but the absolute necessities. Consequently, the streets were eerily deserted, doors shut tight at sunset. Even the pleasure houses and brothels were eerily quiet, devoid of any patrons, a stark and desolate contrast to their usual bustling vibrancy.
The envoys from the six kingdoms were all formidable individuals, thus they found themselves confined.
This allowed them to meet with the Fifth Prince and the First Prince with ease.
The Fifth Prince, Shen Xuan, was a man of considerable shrewdness.
The First Prince, Shen Ye, was inherently suspicious. Consequently, neither party received a direct answer when they presented their case. However, the sword was already nocked and ready; there was no turning back. The First Prince had sealed off all news from within the palace. What had become of their father, the Emperor? No one knew. Any intelligent person could easily surmise.
The Emperor had been persecuted by the First Prince. Perhaps he was not dead yet, but he was waiting for the Yi Zhao. As soon as the Emperor could no longer endure his torment, the First Prince would succeed.
Therefore, there was no time to delay; the matter could not be postponed any longer.
As the sky began to show its first hints of dawn, a bloody battle erupted within and outside the palace. The Fifth Prince's forces were numerous, and they should not have been easily defeated. However, for reasons unknown, many of his troops retreated in the end. The Fifth Prince was left with only a portion of his forces, rendering him instantly vulnerable. Furthermore, the First Prince had the backing of the Empress's Xiao family. The Xiao family, from an unknown source, had mobilized two thousand troops to lay siege to the Fifth Prince from the outside. The Fifth Prince was killed within the inner palace, and all his commanding officers surrendered.
Blood stained the entire palace crimson, the walls within and without painted in a lurid red.
The sun rose from the horizon, and a semblance of peace settled over the surroundings.
Within the vast expanse of the imperial palace, the Imperial Guards were cleaning up the battlefield, carrying out corpse after corpse, the area being meticulously cleared.
"The victor becomes king, the vanquished a bandit," as the saying goes. No one had expected the Fifth Prince to be so easily vanquished. Apart from Qing Yao and the people of Xian Yue Kingdom, the others were perplexed. They had anticipated a fierce battle to the death, but instead, the Fifth Prince had been killed with surprising ease. There seemed to be something eerie about the whole affair.
What was the origin of the two thousand troops that had suddenly appeared?
The Empress's maternal family had no military power. The Emperor had long been wary of them, so how could troops have fallen into their hands? Where, then, had these two thousand men emerged from? Everyone was baffled.
However, there was no time for them to ponder these questions, as the old Emperor had passed away. The new Emperor was to ascend the throne, and following ancestral customs, there would be a period of lying in state, followed by ceremonies of tribute and mourning.
The envoys from the six kingdoms, who had initially intended to fish in troubled waters and gain some advantage, now found themselves to be merely envoys congratulating the new Emperor on his enthronement.
The Minister of Rites, accompanied by two other officials from the Huang Yuan Dynasty, escorted the envoys of the six kingdoms to the Guang Ming Zheng Tai Hall to witness the new Emperor's coronation.
The Guang Ming Zheng Tai Hall faced a wide plaza. At this moment, the plaza was filled with Imperial Guards clad in silver armor, their expressions stern and their presence chilling, their eyes fixed on the events unfolding in the plaza.
Given that this was a somewhat unsavory coronation, the First Prince remained uneasy even after ascending the throne, fearing any unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, he had instructed the commander of the Imperial Guards that anyone daring to disrupt the coronation ceremony was to be killed without mercy, regardless of whether they were an envoy from any nation.
Imperial Guards were stationed all around, creating a scene of imposing grandeur and splendor.
The envoys of the six kingdoms were positioned on either side as resonant music filled the air. From the layers of stone steps below the plaza, two lines of palace maids and eunuchs, dressed in magnificent court attire, emerged, their heads bowed and their gazes lowered as they carried auspicious objects. They proceeded to the front of the Guang Ming Zheng Tai Hall, where they parted into two lines, stationing themselves before the envoys of the six kingdoms.
Following them was the ceremonial guard, with a powerful musical ensemble. The music, however, failed to convey any sense of festivity, instead exuding an oppressive aura of death.
This was because the place had recently undergone a baptism of blood. Although it had been thoroughly cleaned, the red silk streamers adorning the surroundings seemed like an indelible, alluring crimson.
Finally, five hundred Imperial Guards appeared, their steps perfectly synchronized and resounding on the ground. Clad in gleaming silver armor, their silver spears shone brightly, demonstrating the extraordinary caliber of these men. These five hundred elite soldiers marched forward, like the palace maids and ceremonial guards, lining up on both sides and standing at the very front.
At last, a magnificent eight-bearer imperial palanquin appeared. Golden drapes covered the interior, allowing only a hazy glimpse of the occupant seated within.
Eight young eunuchs carried the palanquin with light steps, placing it precisely in the center of the plaza. Behind the palanquin, eight richly adorned palace maids stepped forward and gently lifted the golden drapes.
A melodious voice then rang out: "Your Majesty, please alight from the palanquin."
A tall figure clad in imperial yellow descended from the palanquin, revealed to the eyes of the assembled crowd.
Qing Yao was among the envoys of the six kingdoms. At this moment, she gazed coldly at the man seated high above, piercing through the layers of mist.
He was dressed in an imperial dragon robe woven with intricate patterns, a jade belt of a matching hue cinching his waist, and a golden coronet binding his hair. He exuded an air of noble dignity, yet there was a distinct aura of ferocity in his brow, and his eyes were a startling red, instilling a chill that made one tremble with apprehension.
This man was unlikely to be a true ruler. If the Huang Yuan Kingdom were to fall into his hands, it would ultimately be divided among other nations.
Qing Yao withdrew her gaze and shifted it to the ministers assembled at the back. She wondered how many of these officials genuinely supported the First Prince's ascension. A cold smile touched her lips, and she turned to look at Mo You, also known as Shen Yu, who was at her side. He had previously entered disguised and had now reverted to his true appearance. To avoid being recognized, he kept his head lowered. Fortunately, at this moment, everyone's attention was focused on the new Emperor, and no one noticed him in the corner.
The Master of Ceremonies stood at the center of the white jade steps before the entrance to the Guang Ming Zheng Tai Hall and loudly proclaimed: "Pay homage to the new Emperor! May Your Majesty live for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand years!"
The First Prince, Shen Ye, his face radiant, stood before the Guang Ming Zheng Tai Hall, accepting the obeisance of the officials.
As the Master of Ceremonies' call ended, he stepped forward and knelt. The Imperial Guards knelt, setting their silver spears aside. The palace maids and eunuchs knelt, placing their auspicious objects to one side. The envoys of the six kingdoms also slowly bowed their heads in salutation. Finally, only the court officials remained. Witnessing everyone else kneeling, they exchanged glances. Several of them began to kneel.
However, many still remained standing, looking up at the new Emperor. The new Emperor's expression was somewhat grim and cold as he glared at these individuals, his suppressed anger evident in his eyes, unmoving.