Xiao Jue returned to the Xiao Manor in the evening.
It was almost dark. He Yan saw him as soon as he walked to the door of the courtyard. He hurriedly asked, "Xiao Jue, do you know Mr. Wei …"
Xiao Jue said, "I just came back from the Wei Manor." With that, he entered the room.
He had gone to the South Manor Army to train early in the morning. Later, he learned about Wei Xuanzhang's death remonstrance and hurried back. He hadn't even had time to change his clothes after returning from the Wei Manor.
"I'm going out tonight," he said.
He Yan's heart thumped. She looked at him. "Xiao Jue …"
He walked to He Yan's side and asked, "Do you still have the black jade I gave you before?"
He Yan paused. She took the jade pendant from her waist and pinched it in her hand.
"I will leave some people in the manor. If I don't come back tomorrow morning, take this jade out of the city and find Shen Han of the Liang Province Guards."
"Xiao Jue." He Yan didn't directly answer his question. Instead, she grabbed his hand, her expression uncertain. "Are you …"
She didn't say the rest of her words. There were some things that didn't need to be said to be understood.
Xiao Jue looked down at her. He knew that although He Yan was bold, she hadn't done anything out of line in these years. But …
"There's not much time left." After a moment, he put his hands on He Yan's and said softly.
He Yan was silent for a long time. She nodded. "I know."
Since there were some things that had already been decided, there was no need to be overly cautious. Moreover, from the looks of it now, this was something that would happen sooner or later.
She just hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.
"Don't worry and go." She raised her head to look at Xiao Jue, and her expression became relaxed again. "I will guard the Xiao family for you here. No one will be able to cross my sword. But Xiao Jue, you have to remember that my sister-in-law is pregnant and can't take the shock. So tomorrow morning, "she held Xiao Jue's hands tightly," you have to come back. If you don't come back, I will bring the sword into the palace to look for you. "
Xiao Jue was stunned and said angrily, "You dare?"
He Yan was unmoved. "Let's see if I dare."
The girl's gaze was firm. She had always been stubborn. Once she had decided on something, there was no room for regret. After a long stalemate, Xiao Jue finally gave in and said, "I promise you."
He Yan smiled. "It's a deal."
Night enveloped the entire palace.
In the throne room, the Crown Prince of Guang Yan was walking slowly.
The palace servants were all dismissed, leaving only a few trusted subordinates to guard the door. He slowly walked up the steps until he reached the end of the steps and stopped in front of the Dragon Throne.
The armrest of the bright yellow dragon throne was engraved with a golden True Dragon. He reached out and very slowly stroked the dragon's whiskers and scales. It was clearly ice-cold, but it made the blood flowing through his body boil and boil.
Guang Yan turned around and sat on the Dragon Throne.
He raised his eyes and looked down at the steps. It was as if he could see hundreds of officials bowing and kneeling in front of him. He was the Son of Heaven. Everyone should submit to him. When he thought of this, Guang Yan felt proud and elated. His chest was extremely carefree.
"Father …" he muttered softly, "I have finally sat on this throne."
The world was finally his!
Since he was born, everyone had told him that Emperor Wen Xuan would eventually hand over the country to him. In the future, he would become the Son of Heaven of the Da Wei. That was why Guang Yan had always thought so. But he didn't know when, but he realized that the situation had changed.
There was a Guang shuo who was more suitable than him to be the Son of Heaven.
Emperor Wen Xuan's favoritism towards Concubine Lan and her son made him panic. His delay in drafting the edict made Guang Yan feel a sense of betrayal. An emperor like Emperor Wen Xuan was indecisive and didn't know how to judge people. He didn't deserve to be an emperor. Guang Yan thought that he didn't intend to kill his father. But this was the only way to restore everything to its original state.
He was just taking back what belonged to him.
But …
Guang Yan looked at the empty Great Hall. He didn't feel happy at all. He understood that Xu Jingfu was the main reason why he had so many followers in the court. Now that Xu Jingfu was no longer around, many of his former followers had changed their minds and joined the Guang shuo.
He Rufei was dead, and he was a fake from the start. If Xiao Huaijin joined the Guang shuo, he wouldn't have the troops to contend against the Guang shuo. He could only rely on the Uto. This was why he insisted on agreeing to make peace with the Uto and agreed to their ridiculous conditions of opening a market in Da Wei.
In the past, he was afraid that the Uto would leak information and make Emperor Wen Xuan unhappy. But now, because he had reached an agreement with the Uto, the Uto had to pay the price of getting rid of the Guang shuo for him, as well as the thorn in his side, Xiao Huaijin.
It was very fair. Guang Yan believed that there was nothing more important than gaining control of the world.
The Guang Yan couldn't help but laugh out loud when he thought about how everyone in the world would have to worship and respect him when he ascended the throne tomorrow.
"Father's remains haven't been buried in the imperial mausoleum, and Your Highness hasn't ascended the throne. How can you sit on the dragon throne?" A sudden voice interrupted his laughter. "I'm afraid that's a little inappropriate."
Guang Yan looked in front of him. At the entrance of the Great Hall, two of his confidants were holding onto the Guang shuo, preventing him from entering.
The Guang shuo looked at him calmly.
"Let him in." Guang Yan smiled viciously. "My fourth brother."
The confidants loosened their grip, and the Guang shuo walked in.
The Guang Yan stood up from the dragon throne and looked at him with interest. "Tomorrow is the day of Concubine Lan's burial. Isn't my good fourth brother the most benevolent and filial? Why didn't you seize the last opportunity to talk to Concubine Lan, and instead come here?" He said meaningfully. "Could it be that fourth brother also wants to sit on this throne?"
"When Father was alive, he never mentioned anything about being buried with Concubine Lan. Your Highness's posthumous edict may not be true." The Guang shuo was unmoved.
"How is it not true?" The Guang Yan sneered. "Speaking of which, when Father entered the imperial mausoleum, Concubine Lan was buried with Concubine Lan. It was Concubine Lan's good fortune. Father had always doted on Concubine Lan. After he passed away, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to find someone like Concubine Lan, so he took her with him. Fourth brother, why do you sound like you're complaining? With the posthumous edict in hand, how can you prove that it's fake? "
"Whether it's real or fake, Your Highness knows. However, that's not important." The Guang shuo sighed.
"That's right!" The Crown Prince clapped his hands. "Whether it's real or fake isn't important. Fourth brother, you finally said something useful."
"That's not all I want to say." The Guang shuo looked at the Guang Yan standing on the stairs. His gaze was calm: "I also want to say that Your Highness killed your father, killed the monarch, and attempted to usurp the throne."
As soon as these words came out, the entire hall fell silent.
The servants guarding the door stared at the Guang shuo as if they were facing a great enemy. The Guang shuo only stood there quietly. He didn't have any weapons on him, and just from his appearance, he looked like a weak scholar.
The Guang Yan stared at him closely. "What did you say?"
"I said," the Guang shuo's eyes met his, not backing down in the slightest. "Your Highness, you killed your father, killed the monarch, and attempted to usurp the throne."
The Guang Yan looked at the person in front of him. In the past, the Guang shuo had always been cautious and taciturn in front of him. He never participated in court affairs. Even though he hated the Guang shuo, in his heart, he was certain that the Guang shuo wouldn't be able to cause any waves. But now, he didn't know when, but this person's gaze was no longer as timid as before. When he looked directly at him, it was as if there was an invisible fire burning in his eyes. He also had the wanton domineering aura unique to the imperial family.
"What a joke!" The Guang Yan mocked: "I'm the Crown Prince. The world belongs to me. Why would I kill my father? It's a thankless task. If we're talking about usurping the throne, shouldn't it be you?" He said eerily: "Fourth brother, didn't you always hope that Imperial Father would abolish the old and replace the young? Now that your plan has failed, you want to slander me?"
"Your Highness, why would you think that the world belongs to you?" The Guang shuo suddenly smiled slightly. "Your plan has failed?"
The Guang Yan's smile froze at the corner of his mouth. He asked: "What do you mean by that?"
The Guang Yan smiled but didn't say anything.
He suddenly realized something and loudly called out: "Men, come here — —"
Indeed, there were people coming, but they weren't his men. Soldiers wearing golden armor rushed in from outside. The person leading them was actually Yan He.
"Guide Zhonglang General?" The Guang Yan was stunned, then he said in exasperation: "Are you crazy? Don't you know that this is rebellion! This is collusion to cause trouble! "
The Guang Yan didn't deliberately suppress Yan He. Firstly, the Yan family was a new noble family. They had always been wise to protect themselves in court affairs. They weren't as popular as the Xiao family. Secondly, the Guang Yan also heard that Yan He and Xiao Huaijin didn't get along. The enemy of an enemy was a friend. The Guang Yan even wanted to recruit Yan He for his own use. However, Yan He wasn't in the capital for many years. Father Yan was also as cunning as a fox. Although Father Yan agreed to it, he never really took advantage of it.
But now, he never thought that Yan He would actually rely on the Guang shuo!
The Guang Yan was shocked and angry: "How dare you treat me like this!"
"Generals Yan isn't colluding to cause trouble." The Guang shuo said calmly: "I'm just following orders to capture traitors."
"Guang shuo, don't slander me!"
The Guang shuo smiled carelessly and said: "Whether I'm slandering you or not, Your Highness knows best."
At this time, someone came in from outside. It was the Fifth Prince, Guang Ji, who was being carried by a guard. As soon as Guang Ji entered the palace, he pointed at the Guang Yan and shouted: "It was Brother Crown Prince! That day, I was practicing calligraphy in Father Emperor's palace. I saw Brother Crown Prince carrying a basket into Father Emperor's bedroom … After Brother Crown Prince left, Chief Steward He went in and said … said that Father Emperor had passed away! "
Without waiting for the Guang Yan to speak, the Guang shuo said: "Imperial Physician Lin from the palace found traces of poison in the blanket in Father Emperor's bedroom. That day, only Your Highness brought ginseng soup to Father Emperor's bedroom."
The Guang Yan sneered: "Father Emperor wasn't poisoned to death!"
He knew better than anyone how Emperor Wen Xuan died. If the Guang shuo thought that he could use this to convict him, then he was gravely mistaken.
"Your Highness, it doesn't matter whether it's true or not."
The Guang Yan was stunned. This was what the Guang shuo had said in response to his fake posthumous edict. But now, there was nothing wrong with using it here.
At this time, no one cared about what the truth was. In the struggle of the imperial family, there had always been only winners and losers.
The winner was the true dragon son of heaven. The loser suffered a crushing defeat.
"Guang shuo, I'm warning you. My people will immediately rush over. Tomorrow is the day to enter the imperial mausoleum. I …"
"Your Highness may not know," the Guang shuo looked at him with seemingly cold pity, "General Fengyun's people have already arrived outside Chengle Palace. Your Highness's people …" he said word by word, "have all abandoned their armor and defected."
"Impossible!" The Guang Yan's voice suddenly became sharp. He said: "Impossible!"
But in his heart, panic and fear gradually emerged. It was already this time. The palace hall was filled with Yan He's people. His people hadn't come in yet. If it was Xiao Huaijin's people outside …
Those Uto … bastard. Those Uto were useless at this time!
Chu Zilan. A name suddenly appeared in the Guang Yan's mind. How could his plan be predicted by the other party? Chu Zilan leaked the secret? That bastard. That ungrateful wretch!
"Guang shuo, don't be complacent," the Guang Yan was already an arrow at the end of its flight. Gritting his teeth, he looked at the people in front of him and slowly retreated, "Do you think that the world will believe your nonsense? I'm the crown prince, the heir apparent. The coronation ceremony is close at hand. If you harm me at this time, the world will talk about your conspiracy. Even if you ascend to this position, you won't have a proper title for the rest of your life. You can't avoid being pointed at by others! "
"Your Highness worries too much." The Guang shuo didn't feel any other emotions because of his words. He looked at the Guang Yan as if he was looking at something ridiculous, "Before this, Imperial Father had already written an imperial edict to change the heir apparent."
"You're lying!" The Guang Yan's eyes were about to split open, "How is that possible?"
"The imperial edict is in the hands of Imperial Father's trusted officials. It doesn't mean that you didn't know about it just because you didn't see it." The Guang shuo leaned slightly to the side. The people behind him came forward and handed him a bow and arrow.
He played with the bow and arrow and slowly said, "Does Your Highness still think that the world will talk about me and that I won't have a proper title?"
The Guang Yan wanted to vomit blood. At this time, he suddenly understood what the Guang shuo said at the beginning: "It doesn't matter if it's true or false."
To shut the mouths of the world's people, all he needed to do was to take out an imperial edict. Who cared if it was true or false? The world wouldn't judge it one by one. As long as the person who survived today was the Guang shuo, then wouldn't the Guang shuo have the final say in what others said in the future?
He looked at his quiet fourth brother who slowly picked up the bow and arrow and pointed the arrow at him. The Guang Yan subconsciously hid behind the dragon throne and said angrily, "What are you doing? Guang shuo, stop it — "
He didn't finish his sentence.
A sudden gust of wind blew from the throne room, extinguishing all the lights in the room. In the dim room, a cluster of sticky blood slowly flowed down the dragon throne, staining the dragon's head and whiskers on the armrest of the dragon, making them stand out.
It was like a silent peep, but also like a sneer.
The sound of the wind covered all the murderous intent. It was a cold night.
He Yan looked at the sky that was gradually brightening outside the window. His expression gradually became serious.
She hadn't slept since Xiao Jue left last night. Bai Rongwei was pregnant, so He Yan didn't dare to tell her anything else. Although Xiao Jing had some suspicions, she was kept in the dark and didn't know what was going on. He Yan stood guard alone, rubbing the black jade in his hand from time to time. He thought about what to do if Xiao Jue didn't return in the morning.
He was afraid that going out of the city to find Shen Han might not be completely safe.
Just as he was thinking, there was movement outside. He Yan suddenly got up and rushed out of the door. He saw Xiao Jue walking in from outside.
There were still some dark bloodstains on the armor he was wearing. He Yan asked, "You're injured?"
At this time, Qing Mei hadn't woken up yet. Xiao Jue frowned slightly and asked, "You didn't sleep last night?"
"I couldn't sleep." He Yan stared at his face. He looked a little tired, but he was still okay. He Yan asked, "This blood …"
"It's not mine." Xiao Jue paused and said, "Let's talk inside."
The two of them entered the room. He Yan closed the door and turned around to ask, "Last night, in the palace …"
"The Crown Prince is dead." Xiao Jue looked at her.
This was expected. In fact, He Yan already had a premonition when he saw Yan He at the Wei residence that day. Yan He didn't directly answer her question, but many times, silence was an answer.
He Yan helped him hang Autumn Wine on the wall. Xiao Jue took off his armor and sat down at the table. He Yan poured a cup of hot tea and pushed it in front of him. "Xiao Jue, what happened last night?"
Xiao Jue looked at her. After a while, she knew that if she didn't tell him, she wouldn't be able to leave the room today. She sighed and told him what happened last night.
He Yan listened attentively.
Xiao Jue only knew a little about what happened last night in the throne room. At that time, he led half of the South House soldiers to fight with the Crown Prince's men in front of Chengle Palace. Yan He led his men inside. When they came out, they only knew that the Guang Yan was killed by the Guang Shuo himself.
"You … you didn't go to the throne room on purpose?" He Yan hesitated before asking.
Xiao Jue lowered her head and smiled. She said calmly, "Xiao family is different from the Yan family. The Yan family is new and still depends on the royal family. I have too much military power. If I saw the Fourth Prince kill his brother, even if it's fine now, the Fourth Prince will inevitably feel uncomfortable after a long time."
"I don't want to leave a thorn in the Fourth Prince's heart."
Heaven's power was unpredictable. Without the Guang Yan, the Fourth Prince would be the emperor in the future. Even if he didn't feel anything now, once he sat on the throne, he might not be able to control himself or things might change. It was better to avoid any possible situations from the start.
"So, letting Yan He go was a good choice. The Yan family's military power is not great, and they are new and have no foundation. The Fourth Prince has no qualms about using them. "He Yan said," I just didn't think that Yan He would follow the Fourth Prince. "
The Yan family had been neutral for so many years. They were as cunning as a fox, but at the last moment, they dealt a blow to the Guang Yan. The Guang Yan probably didn't expect it either.
"Without the skin, what can the hair be attached to?" Xiao Jue raised her teacup and took a sip. She said, "When it's time to make a choice, even if you don't want to, you have to do it."
He Yan sighed in relief, "In short, it's good that you are safe. But … "She looked at Xiao Jue and asked in a low voice," Did the Emperor really write the edict to change the succession of the Crown Prince early on? Did the Fifth Prince really see the Crown Prince poison him? "
These things happened one after another, and it was too coincidental. It made the Guang Yan's ascension to the throne a matter without any objections.
"It's not important whether it's true or not." Xiao Jue narrowed her eyes, "The Crown Prince is already dead."
Everything was settled.
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