Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 392: Marquis Boyuan Announces the Imperial Edict

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, members of the royal family and powerful officials knelt.

Outside the hall, the steps were densely packed with civil and military officials, eunuchs, palace maids, and Imperial Guards. The sound of weeping spread everywhere.

However, when a cabinet minister stood up holding the imperial edict to announce it, the weeping gradually subsided.

Yun Chu looked up at this minister. He was Marquis Boyuan, who also served in the cabinet as a fourth-rank Grand Academician. His noble status, combined with his fourth-rank authority and, most importantly, his position in the cabinet, made him a unique figure in the capital—a noble with real power.

She had heard Yu Ge'er mention that Marquis Boyuan's son performed exceptionally well at the Imperial College. Along with Meng Shen, he was one of the two students most valued by Professor Wang.

If this trend continued, the Marquis Boyuan residence would soon become a major force in the capital.

What a pity... Marquis Boyuan had chosen the wrong side.

Yun Chu lowered her head, her eyes filled with a cold gleam.

"By the mandate of heaven, the Emperor proclaims: Having reigned for thirty years, I have diligently attended to state affairs from dawn to dusk, never shirking my duties..."

The beginning of the edict contained a long personal account by the Emperor—what he had accomplished over the years, what he had contributed to the Great Jin, what benefits he had brought to the people... Only after a lengthy preamble did it get to the main point.

"...Regent Chu Rui, having endured hardships since childhood, has developed remarkable resilience... During my final moments, Chu Rui remained by my side, deeply imbibing my teachings, almost becoming one with me... As I depart this world, the Great Jin lacks a crown prince to succeed the throne. After careful consideration, I summoned Grand Tutor Xu, Regent Chu Rui, Marquis Boyuan, and Minister Qi of the Military Council... for joint deliberation. It has been decided to establish Regent Chu Rui as the next Emperor! Let this be proclaimed throughout the land for all to know. So ordered!"

Marquis Boyuan finished reading the edict.

Standing beside Chu Rui was the new Commander of the Imperial Guards, Lord Lin—the legitimate son of his maternal family and a trusted aide he had personally promoted.

Lord Lin was the first to speak: "Your subject pays homage to the new sovereign! May the Emperor live ten thousand years!"

As soon as he spoke, seven or eight other followers beside Chu Rui bowed in allegiance: "We pay homage to the new sovereign! May the Emperor live ten thousand years!"

The remaining officials all looked at each other in confusion.

There were still princes and imperial grandsons of direct lineage. How could the Emperor appoint a nephew from a collateral branch as the new sovereign?

This was utterly absurd.

Lord Nie, kneeling beside Yun Chu, couldn't help but look up: "May I ask Marquis Boyuan, does this imperial edict bear the imperial seal?"

"Audacious Nie Zhou!" Marquis Boyuan, holding the edict that represented imperial authority, addressed Lord Nie by his full name and coldly rebuked, "Questioning an imperial edict—do you know what crime that constitutes?"

Yun Ze calmly spoke: "Throughout history, after a late emperor's final decree is announced, all civil and military officials bow to the new emperor. Why then do all the ministers outside the hall remain silent? It is because the content of this final decree is truly difficult to accept!"

Marquis Boyuan picked up the final decree and placed it in Yun Ze's hands, saying coldly, "The final decree was dictated by the late Emperor and transcribed by me into written form. Since everyone questions it, let all civil and military officials personally examine the decree!"

For ordinary imperial edicts, aside from those the Emperor might write on a whim, the vast majority were drafted and written by Grand Academicians of the cabinet, then stamped with the imperial seal by the Emperor himself.

Yun Ze examined it but found no issues, then passed it to the civil and military officials behind him one by one.

A cold smile played on Chu Rui's lips.The imperial edict was personally written by the Marquis of Boyuan, a Grand Secretary of the Neige, and the imperial seal was genuine. In every aspect, not a single fault could be found.

Back when his father was the Crown Prince, he was murdered by the current Emperor.

Now, he had finally slain his father's killer and reclaimed the vast empire for his father.

Even if he had only ten years left to live, what did it matter? It was enough time for him to father a child and continue his father's legacy.

Yun Chu slowly raised her head.

She did not look at Chu Rui but instead fixed her gaze on the Marquis of Boyuan, who was proclaiming the edict, and asked, "Marquis of Boyuan, are you certain you have accurately conveyed the late Emperor's will? Are you certain you have not altered the content of the edict?"

"Your Highness, the Crown Princess, I would never dare to do such a thing!" The Marquis of Boyuan cupped his hands respectfully. "Moreover, I was not the only one present at the time."

Lord Qi of the Junji Chu spoke up, "I can attest that every word in the edict was spoken by the late Emperor on his deathbed. The Marquis of Boyuan did not alter even a single character."

Lord Lin followed, "I, too, can vouch for the Marquis of Boyuan."

Yun Chu stood up, a cryptic smile playing on her lips as she addressed the civil and military officials, "A person with a false identity—I believe the edict he wrote cannot be trusted. Even if there are multiple witnesses, even if the edict appears genuine, I still consider it a forgery!"

"What does the Crown Princess mean by this?!" The Marquis of Boyuan's face instantly changed. "This is the late Emperor's true edict, as genuine as it can be. All the civil and military officials have examined it one by one. If you claim it is false, where exactly is the falsity?"

"The falsity lies in the fact that you are not the Marquis of Boyuan at all!"

Yun Chu declared sharply.

In the next moment, Yun Ze, who had been kneeling in the hall, abruptly rose and stepped forward, seizing the Marquis of Boyuan by the shoulders.

He then removed the Marquis's official hat, pulled out the hairpin, and a cascade of black hair tumbled down.

Simultaneously, Yun Ze stripped off the Marquis's loose outer official robe, revealing the close-fitting white undergarments beneath.

Almost instinctively, the Marquis of Boyuan crossed his arms to cover his chest.

He roared in fury, "Lord Yun! Though you are the legitimate son of the Yun family, though your father holds the esteemed titles of Grand General and Grand Commandant, and though your Yun family commands hundreds of thousands of troops—you should not humiliate me like this! Let go of me! Release me!"

Everyone present had lifted their heads, watching the scene unfold, utterly bewildered by what was happening and unsure of Yun Ze's intentions.

Yun Chu commanded coldly, "Someone, fetch a bucket of water!"

Chu Rui intervened, "This is the Hall of Mental Cultivation, in the presence of the late Emperor's remains! What exactly are the Crown Princess and Lord Yun trying to do?"

Lord Nie Zhou had already brought a basin of water from the vat outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Yun Ze took it and poured it over the Marquis of Boyuan's head.

The Marquis tried to evade, but he could not escape.

Yun Ze's strength was too great.

He did not understand—hadn't Yun Ze chosen to become a civil official because he lacked talent for martial arts? Why was he so strong?

As the basin of water drenched him, the Marquis of Boyuan felt a chill to his core.

He instinctively curled into a ball, shielding his body.

But there were far too many onlookers—all the members of the imperial family, all the court officials, and so many palace maids and eunuchs...

The entire hall erupted in uproar.

"Heavens, why is the Marquis of Boyuan's figure so slender, like a woman's!"

"The Marquis of Boyuan has always been thin, but now he looks even thinner... No, something's not right. How could someone so thin have pectoral muscles...""I've invited Marquis Boyuan to bathe together before, but he never agreed. Turns out he has a physical issue - a grown man with breasts like a woman's."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Can't you see? Marquis Boyuan is clearly a woman!"

"What? The Marquis is female?"

"No wonder the Crown Princess said Marquis Boyuan's identity was fake! Good heavens, I've known Marquis Boyuan since over ten years ago and he's looked like this all along. Has it been fake since then?"

"..."