Yu Xiang didn't know what she had seen, but she understood how serious something must be to make an old woman who had weathered the palace intrigues for years scream in terror. She leaned close to the Empress Dowager and whispered a few words. The Empress Dowager's expression turned cold as she scanned the room with a sweeping gaze. "The imperial princes shall remain. All others, wait outside."
The consorts rose without daring to lift their heads, those with no curiosity not even glancing toward Haoyue. To survive long in the palace, one must know as few secrets as possible.
"Consort Xu, you are not among the irrelevant persons."
Consort Xu halted her steps, her body trembling slightly, yet she lacked the courage to turn around. Some actions, once taken, leave no path for retreat.
Hua Zhi was also detained. "You and Yan Xi are practically bound in all but name. Keep your eyes wide open and witness this on his behalf."
Hua Zhi had no desire to stay, but she couldn't refuse either. Words spoken by the Emperor were imperial decrees, and those from the Empress Dowager's mouth were equally unbreakable edicts.
"Speak. What happened?"
Yu Xiang glanced at the only informed old palace maid and approached her.
The old maid turned pale. Following the palace's customary handling of such matters, she likely wouldn't survive.
Shooting a resentful look at Haoyue, she forcefully lifted the hem of Haoyue's garment, revealing the small child lying in a pool of blood beneath. Yu Xiang didn't even notice the umbilical cord wrapped around the infant's neck at that moment. When she saw the child's face, despite having weathered countless storms, she nearly failed to suppress a scream. This child... this child... actually had no facial features, only faint outlines where they should have been.
Yu Xiang clenched her fists tightly, uncertain how to explain this to the Emperor and Empress Dowager. This was imperial lineage! Whether it belonged to the Emperor or a prince, this was a child of the Gu imperial bloodline!
The reactions of the old maid and Yu Xiang unmistakably conveyed the gravity of the situation. If it were merely a stillbirth, it wouldn't warrant such responses—after all, being born prematurely made survival unlikely. Haoyue sensed impending doom and struggled to sit up, looking down.
"Ah!"
After just one glance, the terrified Haoyue screamed and scrambled backward. With her garment no longer covering it, the child came into view of those present.
The Empress Dowager's heart stirred slightly as she commanded clearly, "Bring it here."
Before Yu Xiang could respond, Haoyue had already scrambled back with surprising speed, suppressing her disgust and fear to cover the child again with her skirt. The Emperor must not see it. He absolutely must not see it. If he learned she had given birth to such a monster, then...
Haoyue shuddered. She lifted her head, intending to exploit the Emperor's vulnerabilities, but unexpectedly met eyes completely devoid of emotion. Her mouth opened, but no words emerged.
The Empress Dowager snorted coldly. "Bring it forward."
The old maid possessed considerable strength and knew her fate now rested in the Empress Dowager's hands. Without waiting for Yu Xiang's instruction, she stepped forward, pushed Haoyue aside, scooped up the child along with the placenta from beneath her, and carried it toward the dignitaries. As Haoyue moved to block her, Yu Xiang shifted sideways to intercept, giving her a cold glance before quickly following.
Haoyue collapsed weakly to the floor, forced to watch as the esteemed figures at the front simultaneously displayed shock and revulsion. The Fourth Prince repeatedly backed away, even shielding half his face with his hand, using action to declare he didn't want to see another glimpse.
In contrast, the Emperor stared fixedly at the child and suddenly burst into loud laughter.Karma, this is karma! He devoured the children of others, and now Heaven has given the imperial family such a descendant. The principles of Heaven are clear and just—no one can escape them!
Signaling the palace maid to take the child away, the Empress Dowager grasped her son’s hand. It was unclear whose hand was trembling, but both mother and son held on with unusual strength.
This was the closest they had been, both physically and emotionally, in recent years.
"Mother, your son has disappointed you."
The Empress Dowager sighed. Yes, disappointment—how could she not be disappointed? She had watched helplessly as he reached this point, unable to pull him back, unable to protect him, and now, she could not even save his life.
The Emperor looked at Miraculous Doctor Yu. "How much longer do I have?"
Seeing the ashen hue on his face, Miraculous Doctor Yu shook his head slightly, stepped forward, and removed the golden needles. "It has already been a quarter of an hour."
The Emperor closed his eyes, his expression unexpectedly calm. He glanced at his mother and each of his children in turn, even giving Hua Zhi, who stood not far away, a look. Only Consort Xu and Haoyue were no longer in his sight.
"In that case, summon the officials to the hall."
The hall doors opened once more. The sky was dark and oppressive, rain pouring down in torrents. The ministers, all disheveled, knelt beneath the corridor eaves. Looking up, they saw Lai Fu, whom they knew all too well, emerge from inside.
Lai Fu struggled to steady his voice. "By His Majesty’s decree, all officials are to enter the hall."
The ministers helped each other to their feet, exchanging furtive glances. Most of them already had a sense of what was to come.
The resounding cry of "Long live the Emperor!" echoed through the hall. For a moment, the Emperor felt dazed. Having heard "long live" so often in his lifetime, he had truly wished to live ten thousand years. But what right did he have to dream of such longevity? Even the founding emperor had lived only a little over fifty years, and he himself had achieved nothing in his life—nothing at all!
"Cough, cough, cough…"
"Your Majesty!"
Waving off those who rushed forward, the Emperor struggled to sit up straight, his voice hoarse. "In my life, I have achieved no merits but committed many faults, falling far short of the late Emperor."
"Your Majesty!"
"My only hope is that the new Emperor will breathe new life into Daqing and rectify my mistakes."
The ministers cried out in unison once more.
The Emperor clutched the soft couch tightly, refusing to let himself collapse. Strength was gradually draining from his body, and he knew he had very little time left.
"By decree, the Sixth Prince is named Crown Prince, inheriting the legitimate rule of Daqing."
Little Six instinctively stepped forward, knelt, and pressed his forehead to the ground, his mind buzzing. Had it… really happened?
"By decree, the Heir Gu Yanxi is named Regent, and Duke Dingguo is appointed Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. Together, they shall assist in governance."
Duke Dingguo stepped forward. "This old subject obeys the decree."
"By decree, Hua Zhi is appointed Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. She shall not attend court sessions and shall not participate in political affairs."
This announcement shocked everyone present. Although it was widely known that Hua Zhi was the Sixth Prince’s teacher, an official appointment by the Emperor carried vastly different significance. Strictly speaking, she was the first female official in the history of Daqing!
Even without power, she was now an official. And given her closeness to the new Emperor, who could compare? Who would dare look down on her now?
Hua Zhi herself was utterly surprised. Given the Emperor’s previous disdain for her, she had thought it would be a mercy if he did not cause trouble for her or order her execution on his deathbed. She never expected him to grant her an official position!
Instinctively, she wanted to refuse, but as she lifted her head, she realized her mistake. There was no room for refusal—this was a dying decree!
She could only step forward from the side, kneel, and accept the appointment.The Emperor coughed several more times, his voice noticeably weaker when he spoke again. Lai Fu knelt and shuffled forward, using his shoulder to support the Emperor, allowing him to lean against him.
"By decree, Consort Xu and her son have brought chaos to the palace. They are to be executed and forbidden from burial in the imperial mausoleum. All those involved in this matter shall not be spared. By decree, the Xu family shall be executed and their clan exterminated."
After breathing rapidly for a few moments, the Emperor paused to recover before continuing, "Posthumously elevate Consort Zhen to the status of Empress, to be buried with me. Little Six shall henceforth be recognized as my legitimate son and the rightful Crown Prince of Daqing. All my ministers must assist him with their full efforts, helping him become a wise ruler of his generation."
"Your servant obeys the decree! Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand thousand years!"
Waving his hand weakly, he said, "Dismissed. Hua Zhi, step forward."
"Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand thousand years!"
PS: Why is this so difficult to write!
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