Chapter 113
Facing the doubtful gazes from the lower-ranking officials, the Empress Dowager continued leisurely, "The imperial decree from the previous reign was entrusted to me for safekeeping during the Late Emperor's illness and remains securely stored in my palace, ready to be retrieved for verification at any time... So, Old Prime Minister, when and where did you obtain the decree in your possession?"
The Old Prime Minister spat in disdain. "Enough with your pretentious act! You're just trying to send someone out to deliver a message—don't even think about it!" The Empress Dowager showed faint irritation and rebuked, "For years, you have opposed me at every turn. Out of respect for your status as a veteran minister of the previous reign and your advanced age and merits, I have tolerated your behavior. Yet you grow bolder, openly slandering me in court today! If you cannot produce evidence for your accusations, I will not let you off lightly!"
"Evidence?" The Old Prime Minister sneered. "Even if I present evidence, you would still find a way to overturn it—do you think I don’t know your tricks?" He turned and addressed the assembled courtiers, raising his voice. "My colleagues, do you recall what news spread from the palace before the Late Emperor's passing?"
A murmur rippled through the crowd before someone hesitantly replied, "Was it the Second Imperial Son announcing his withdrawal from the succession dispute...?" "Exactly!" The Old Prime Minister nodded. "At the time, the Second Imperial Son—now the King Who Pacifies the South—suddenly declared he would no longer contend for the throne. The Late Emperor had originally intended to name him Crown Prince. Upon hearing this news, the Late Emperor urgently summoned him, yet failed to uncover the reason for his withdrawal. In the evening, the Late Emperor called five ministers, including myself, into the palace for a secret discussion. Ultimately, the Late Emperor still resolved to name the King Who Pacifies the South as heir and ordered me to draft the imperial edict overnight to announce it to the realm without delay!"
"After the court session the next day, I presented the draft to the Late Emperor, who made several revisions. He then proposed enfeoffing the remaining imperial sons to various regions as garrison commanders. Thus, in the Late Emperor's study, I prepared a second draft, personally transcribed it onto the edict, and the Late Emperor affixed the imperial seal." The Old Prime Minister paused, his breath trembling. "The plan was to proclaim the edict at the next day's court session. Yet, in the early hours, news arrived that the Late Emperor had fallen gravely ill. By the time I arrived, though he could no longer speak, he still managed to entrust the imperial decree to me. Meanwhile, the Empress—now the Empress Dowager—had already gathered officials outside the hall, claiming she had received the Late Emperor's verbal decree to name the Fifth Imperial Son, then an unremarkable figure, as heir and interim regent."
The court erupted in uproar.
Amidst the clamor, the Empress appeared flustered, glancing between the courtiers and the Empress Dowager, who remained inscrutable. Slowly, the Empress Dowager remarked, "The Late Emperor held high expectations for the Second Imperial Son, but he proved unworthy. It was only natural for the Late Emperor to fall ill from anger. Yet you’ve spun such an elaborate tale from this—truly befitting the Old Prime Minister. Though I understand your sentiments. If I recall correctly, weren’t you the Second Imperial Son’s first tutor?"
"Shameless witch!" the Old Prime Minister cursed bitterly. "I won’t even address the matter of the verbal decree. Answer me this: When the Late Emperor lay on his deathbed, he was incoherent and barely breathing—so how was the final imperial edict written?!""The Old Prime Minister is getting on in years, and his memory is failing. Could it be that he has forgotten it was I who attended to the Late Emperor day and night at his sickbed, never even loosening my garments?" the Empress Dowager replied calmly. "The Imperial Edict was naturally dictated by the Late Emperor in his lucid moments before his passing, with me transcribing it. But the imperial seal was pressed by the Late Emperor himself, hence the impression is faint—this can be seen clearly from the mark."
"That edict is identical in every word to the draft I composed, except for swapping the names of the Second and Fifth Imperial Sons! How do you explain that?" "Explain?" The Empress Dowager curled her lips mockingly. "On the day the edict was proclaimed, its contents were known to all under heaven. Now you claim it was your writing—but who can prove it?"
At her words, several officials who had long been on good terms with the Empress Dowager seized the moment to chime in. "Her Majesty speaks truly! How can mere words without proof be taken as fact?"
The Old Prime Minister trembled with rage, glaring fiercely at the men before drawing a yellowed scroll from his sleeve and holding it aloft. "I still keep the original draft of the edict—" His words were cut off by raucous laughter as one of the Empress Dowager's supporters strode forward and pointed haughtily at his nose. "Old Prime Minister, if I were to take an old sheet of paper, copy the Late Emperor's edict onto it, and present it to everyone, would that make me its author? Hahaha—"
His laughter died abruptly as the Old Prime Minister slowly unfurled the scroll.
Upon the yellowed, curling paper, alongside the dark ink strokes, were clear vermilion annotations in the Late Emperor's own hand!
The Empress Dowager's face turned deathly pale.
Before anyone could react, several elder ministers rushed forward to examine it. They passed the document among themselves with grave expressions, the hall so silent that the rustling of paper was audible.
"These are indeed the Late Emperor's own words..." One elder minister wept openly as he received the scroll. "It's true..."
More and more eyes turned toward the Empress Dowager's lofty countenance—eyes filled with doubt, loathing, fury, and dread.
"How could there be a woman as vile as you in this world!" The Old Prime Minister pointed accusingly at her. "You murdered the Late Emperor, then burned Xuanfei alive in her chambers under cover of night, falsely claiming she had immolated herself in grief—Did you know? Before the palace gates closed, Xuanfei, concerned for the Second Imperial Son, sent word to my residence asking me to meet her at dawn... Your cruelty knows no bounds!"
The Empress Dowager stood frozen for a moment before gradually composing herself. Suddenly, she lifted her chin defiantly. "These are nothing but baseless slanders and accusations—With the Emperor absent, you think to overthrow order!"
The previously quiet hall erupted into chaos as officials swiftly divided into factions—some siding with the Prime Minister, others supporting the Empress Dowager, and still others advocating for recalling the Holy Emperor and the King Who Pacifies the South before deciding on a course of action. Amid the rising fervor, several ministers began shoving one another, turning the assembly into complete bedlam.
The Empress Dowager smirked coldly and exchanged a meaningful glance with the Empress, who nodded imperceptibly and began retreating backward unnoticed."Where does the Empress think she's going?" A booming voice suddenly erupted below, silencing the clamor in the hall. The speaker was the heavily armored Guardian General. Striding forward without pause, he ascended the jade steps while loudly commanding, "No more nonsense—seize them first!" Several young generals immediately broke from the crowd, swiftly following his lead.
The Empress Dowager paled, frozen in place, unable to move.
The court ladies and palace attendants on the dais trembled as they stepped forward, attempting to block the advancing Military Generals. The Empress, weak and leaning against the golden jade screen, mustered her strength to shout, "Are you rebelling...?" Meanwhile, murmurs rose from below: "No! What if—" "There are no what-ifs!" the Guardian General roared. "If anything goes wrong, I alone will bear the blame!"
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