Chapter 589 The Three Sons Become King

In that instant, something collapsed without the knowledge or awareness of hundreds of millions of people, before the eyes of civil and military officials, and even more so in Shang Ruyi's heart!

As Chu Chengfei was pulled off the dragon throne and staggered down the steps, it was as if something had been ripped from him. His sobbing stopped abruptly, and he looked up at the pale-faced Empress Dowager, whose eyes were filled with sorrow and grief, with a hint of bewilderment. Then he looked back at the dragon throne that no longer belonged to him.

He slowly came to a stop and finally let out a long sigh.

Just then, a hunched and emaciated figure stepped out from among the officials, walked step by step to the Empress Dowager, and then slowly knelt down and kowtowed.

He said in a deep voice, "Thank you—Empress Dowager!"

It's Ji Hong!

His eyes were filled with unbearable sorrow as he slowly kowtowed to Empress Dowager Jiang. At this moment, did he think of the emperor to whom he had devoted almost his entire life? If he could have stopped him, if he could have properly assisted him, would none of this have happened today?

This question, at this moment, also weighed heavily on everyone's mind.

But it was all just an illusion.

His bow was the real one!

Although it was just a trembling, almost powerless movement, at that moment, it was as if a huge rock had been thrown into the court. As the invisible ripples spread outwards, the ministers standing in the Taiji Hall followed behind him and bowed down to the Empress Dowager one after another.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Hearing the resounding shouts that seemed to shake the heavens, Empress Dowager Jiang's eyes, which had been broken and seemed to have been stirred by the shock of this moment, finally calmed down. She smiled at Ji Hong, then looked up at the civil and military officials who were bowing to her for the last time.

Among the officials, Yuwen Ye had a stern and thoughtful expression, while Shang Ruyi looked bewildered.

A faint smile appeared on her pale face as she simply raised her hand at Ji Hong.

Ji Hong slowly raised his head and saw that the Empress Dowager was holding a document in her hand. He hurriedly took it with both hands, unfolded it, and was immediately shocked.

That was actually a pre-drafted abdication edict!

Ji Hong stared wide-eyed at the words written in vermilion ink. Gradually, his eyes were stained red by the words. He raised his head, tears streaming down his face, and looked at Empress Dowager Jiang. But Empress Dowager Jiang smiled faintly and said in a hoarse voice, "Go and do what you should do."

"..."

Ji Hong took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and walked to the center of the main hall.

At that moment, all the civil and military officials turned to face him. Ji Hong unfolded the edict, raised his head, and loudly recited it in an aged yet deep and resonant voice—

"Since my ascension to the throne, the world has been in turmoil, and the people have suffered greatly. Fortunately, thanks to the spirits of my ancestors and the protection of Heaven, the Great Dynasty has been restored from the brink of collapse. However, my virtue is mediocre and I have failed to move Heaven and Earth. Thus, wars continue and epidemics persist, harming the people. This is my fault. I have reflected on my lack of planning for the state and my inability to do anything for my people. The Great Way prevails, and the world is for all. The virtuous and capable are chosen. Thus, Emperor Yao did not favor his son, yet his name spread far and wide. I admire and aspire to this. Now, following the example of Yao, I abdicate the throne to—the Duke of Sheng."

As soon as she finished speaking, Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a tingling sensation in her back.

Although the sky was clear and cloudless, after Ji Hong finished reciting the last word, there was not a single cough or gasp in the entire Taiji Hall. It was so quiet that it seemed as if the whole world had fallen into a moment of nothingness and emptiness. However, she felt as if a thunderclap had suddenly exploded at that moment.

At that moment, it was as if his entire being was shattered by lightning, turning into dust and scattering away.

She didn't know how much time had passed before the excruciating pain in her chest brought her back to her senses.

She realized that she had just forgotten to breathe.

She truly understood that all of this was real—the life-or-death struggle that had taken place inside her body was real; Yu Mingyue's memories were real; Yuwen Yuan's ascension to the throne was real.

So, Yuwen Qian...

Thinking of this, she almost subconsciously raised her head and looked at the familiar, handsome figure in the other train. At this moment, more eyes were focused on him, but he seemed to sense something and slowly raised his head to look at Shang Ruyi.

"...!"

The moment their eyes met, it was as if another bolt of lightning struck her back, and Shang Ruyi immediately lowered her head.

This is just the beginning.

There are many more truths waiting for her on the road of life, whether she wants them or not, whether she is willing or not. They will lurk behind thorns and obstacles, like ferocious tigers and jackals, pouncing on her one by one.

Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi took a deep breath.

And around her, the sound of deep breaths echoed one after another. Clearly, she wasn't the only one who had suffocated after the abdication edict was read.

Even Ji Hong himself took a deep breath after slowly closing the imperial edict.

Then he said, "Please, Grand Chancellor!"

These words were like a thunderclap, completely exploding in the Taiji Hall. Everyone was somewhat shaken and disoriented, but in the next moment, a variety of complex emotions, such as joy, relief, and greed, pulled them all back to their senses. Immediately, some people turned around and faced the open door of the Taiji Hall.

"Please summon the Grand Chancellor!"

Immediately, a group of people ran past the gate of the Taiji Hall.

They were soldiers of the Left Guard Army. Shang Ruyi recognized them at a glance. The leader was none other than Yu Dingxing, who looked excited and whose eyes were even bloodshot.

He must have been waiting for these words, and even more so for this moment.

They headed straight for a side hall outside the Taiji Hall, the place where Yuwen Yuan had just been alone with the Empress Dowager. Because it wasn't far away, the people inside the hall could clearly hear the heavy yet excited footsteps as they jogged to the entrance of the side hall and then stopped.

At this moment, civil and military officials also came out of the Taiji Hall and followed to the side hall.

The gate remained tightly shut, just as before.

Everyone exchanged glances, some of them eager to join in. Finally, Ji Hong slowly walked to the entrance of the side hall and said to those inside, "Duke Sheng, His Majesty has issued the abdication edict. The country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and the state cannot be without a sovereign for a day. I beseech Duke Sheng to accept the mandate of Heaven and ascend the throne."

After he finished speaking, the civil and military officials behind him knelt down one after another and said in unison, "Please, Duke Sheng, ascend the throne by the grace of Heaven."

The main gate of the side hall remained tightly closed.

After a while, Yuwen Yuan's deep voice came from inside: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."

"..."

"But, with limited virtue and talent, how can he be entrusted with such a great responsibility?"

"..."

"I beg Your Majesty to find another wise and virtuous successor to the throne. I am willing to risk my life to protect the new emperor, so as to ensure the stability of the country and the long-term peace of the nation."

Upon hearing this, a commotion immediately arose in the crowd.

Some people looked up with unease, exchanging glances, all somewhat at a loss—after all, at the last court assembly, the emperor's abdication was already a foregone conclusion, and it was precisely because the Yuwen family had kept such a promise that they had managed to control the plague in Daxing City within half a month.

At this point, it truly deserves the phrase "by the mandate of Heaven."

Why is Yuwen Yuan hesitating at this moment?

If he refuses to become emperor, then who in this court can surpass him to inherit the throne? No matter who it is, they will not be able to win over the people, and will instead cause even greater chaos!

Upon hearing this, some officials began to discuss among themselves, and they couldn't help but get up and go to the entrance of the side hall to persuade him.

At this moment, Ji Hong turned around.

Although he was the oldest and his eyes were so cloudy that they seemed to have lost their light, his gaze was clearer than ever before. He slowly walked up to Yuwen Qian and Yuwen Ye and said to them, "Young Master, Second Young Master."

The two immediately bowed to him.

Ji Hong sighed and said, "The Duke's refusal to ascend the throne is a sign of his humility as a subject; however, the country and the nation are of utmost importance, and this is no longer a matter of his personal honor or loss."

"..."

"Both of you are the beloved sons of the Duke and pillars of the court. In recent days, you have made great contributions to the Daye Dynasty. Please advise your father not to seek only to protect his own reputation and forget the common people."

The two exchanged a glance.

These two pairs of eyes, one clear and bright, the other cold and stern, one gentle and the other strong, one effortlessly conquering Daxing City and eradicating the plague, the other brave and fearless, commanding tens of thousands of troops from Longxi before them, also made the officials of the world understand more clearly that only the Yuwen family, only Yuwen Yuan who has two such exceptionally talented sons, has the right to ascend the throne.

With greater strength, they can achieve great things and establish a career in such a chaotic world.

So everyone around stepped forward, saying repeatedly, "Yes, Your Highness, you must persuade the Duke."

"General, a country cannot be without a ruler for even a day."

"If even the Duke cannot ascend the throne, then who will rule the country? Wouldn't the world descend into even greater chaos?"

Hearing their words, the two looked at each other again.

Finally, Yuwen Qian smiled gently and said, "Thank you all for your high regard, but my father also has his considerations. Whether we can persuade him or not, we can only leave it to fate."

After saying that, he glanced at Yuwen Ye.

Yuwen Ye nodded, and the two brothers walked forward together. The surrounding officials immediately made way for them, and even Yu Dingxing, who was guarding the entrance of the side hall, waved his hand, and several soldiers then retreated to the side.

The two reached the door, and Yuwen Qian raised his hand and gently knocked.

The sound wasn't loud, but at that moment, it seemed to strike the hearts of everyone present, and all the civil and military officials around instinctively held their breath.

After a long while, a voice was heard from inside: "I have finished speaking."

Yuwen Qian said, "Father, it's me and my second brother."

Yuwen Yuan's voice, coming from behind the door, was clearer and much deeper and more serious than before. He said, "You don't need to say anything more."

"..."

"As a subject, I have followed Emperor Wen since childhood and have received the favor of the late Emperor. How can I disregard the etiquette between ruler and subject and forget the distinction between superior and inferior?"

"..."

"I absolutely cannot accept this throne."

"..."

Upon hearing this, the two people outside the door looked up at each other again, their eyes showing some hesitation.

Neither of them were eloquent or persuasive, but their ingenuity and wit were second to none in the court. Moreover, at this point, it was no longer time for them to hide their talents.

But—after all, there is a distinction between ruler and subject, and between father and son.

Even if they already had their own thoughts, they couldn't say them aloud. Besides, at this moment, the civil and military officials had almost unconsciously started to form two lines behind the two of them.

How should these words be said?

Just as everyone was somewhat silent, yet a certain power was gathering within that silence, as if it were about to stir, a soft, melodious note, like a sudden burst of deep, resonant music, made everyone's heart tremble.

"father."

Yuwen Ye immediately turned around.

Yuwen Qian slowly turned around and saw Shang Ruyi, who had been standing at the back of the crowd and had hardly made a sound in the Taiji Hall, slowly walking forward.

Upon seeing her, a glint of light flashed in Yuwen Qian's eyes.

But he didn't say anything. He just glanced at Yuwen Ye beside him, and after thinking about it, a smile appeared on his lips.

In an instant, Shang Ruyi had passed through the dumbfounded officials and the guarded soldiers of the Left Guard, and walked all the way to the entrance of the side hall, where she gently bowed to the closed door.

Immediately, Yuwen Yuan's voice, which was much gentler than before, came from the side hall.

"Ruyi, is that you?"

"Father, it is Ruyi."

Are you here to advise me, just like them?

"No,"

Shang Ruyi gently shook her head and said, "Ruyi just came to ask Father a question."

The person inside seemed hesitant, remaining silent for a moment before asking, "What do you want to ask?"

Shang Ruyi raised her head, took a deep breath, and then said in a deep, clear voice, word by word, "Father, do you want to be a sinner?"

"...!?"

Upon hearing this, not only did the side hall fall silent, but even the surrounding officials showed expressions of astonishment, especially Yu Dingxing, who was guarding the main gate, whose eyes widened immediately.

He looked as if he was about to shout angrily at this unfilial junior at any moment.

Even Ji Hong, who was standing to the side, frowned.

In truth, what didn't he know? Yuwen Yuan proceeded cautiously, and although he hadn't uttered a single word about the coercion in court or the seemingly gamble-like promises, every single word he spoke was secretly orchestrated.

Even today's court assembly, where he, as the Grand Chancellor, did not go to the Taiji Hall but instead hid in this side hall, was precisely so that after Empress Dowager Jiang issued the abdication edict, the ministers would come to invite him, making it seem legitimate.

However, he could not accept the invitation from the court officials immediately.

Historically, the abdication of the throne often involved three refusals and three concessions, in order to demonstrate the humility and virtue of the successor.

Just now, Ji Hong made an invitation, and the two young masters of the Yuwen family made a second invitation, completing the first two steps. The third step is that anyone who speaks again can invite this Grand Chancellor out of the side hall as the new emperor with just one sentence, and then ascend the throne.

The reason everyone remained silent just now was not because of the same concerns they had about "bullying the young emperor" in the Taiji Hall. On the contrary, it was because everyone was somewhat deferring to each other. After all, if they spoke up at this moment and invited Yuwen Yuan to ascend the throne, they would be the greatest contributors to his ascension.

Therefore, no one dared to easily claim the credit.

Unexpectedly, it was his daughter-in-law who spoke up.

What he never expected was that his daughter-in-law, who could have gotten anything done by saying anything, instead uttered the word "crime"!

Is this a move to contradict the Yuwen family at such a crucial moment, plunging them into utter ruin?

Just as everyone was stunned, Ji Hong couldn't help but step forward. Just as he was about to say something, a large hand gently rose and was placed in front of him.

Upon closer inspection, it was Yuwen Ye.

He stopped him.

That handsome yet aloof face was now completely calm. When he looked at Shang Ruyi, a gentle light seemed to flash in his eyes, but there were more complex emotions tangled in them.

But he never let anyone get close to Shang Ruyi.

After a long silence, Yuwen Yuan's deep, slightly hoarse voice came from inside the hall: "What did you say?"

Shang Ruyi said, "If Father does not accept His Majesty's abdication today, he will be a sinner against the world!"

"...!"

Upon hearing this, the hearts of everyone around jumped, and their eyes lit up.

The person inside the side hall immediately asked, "Why?"

Shang Ruyi raised her head and said calmly and solemnly, "His Majesty's abdication is a virtue; Father's refusal is loyalty; but the fact that he refused to accept the abdication has plunged the people of the world into suffering."

"..."

"Father deeply understands the people's plight and loves them dearly. How could he not know the principle that a family without a head will descend into chaos, and a country without a ruler will perish? The world is in great turmoil, with war raging everywhere. Whether it is a dynasty or a state, whether it is officials or common people, they all need a virtuous ruler to lead the people, end the chaos, and achieve unification. Otherwise, the world will never have peace!"

"..."

"Father, can you really bear to let the people of the world fall into war again and suffer misery once more?"

"..."

"In that case, if Father isn't a sinner, then what is he?!"

"..."

Everyone around was completely stunned.

It should be noted that Shang Ru had previously debated with the Eldest Princess in the imperial court, where everyone had witnessed her cleverness and wit. However, no one expected that when persuading the Duke to ascend the throne, this young mistress of the Yuwen family and daughter-in-law of the Duke's mansion could speak so eloquently, articulating the great principles of the world and the suffering of the people with clarity, sharpness, and penetrating insight.

It's clear that her ambition extends far beyond her status as the young mistress of the Yuwen family and the daughter-in-law of the Duke's mansion!

What Ji Hong found even more unbelievable was that her words were not only a final invitation after three refusals, but also a direct definition of Yuwen Yuan's act of inheriting the throne as saving the common people. If he refused to accept the emperor's abdication, he would become a "sinner."

This completely absolved Yuwen Yuan of the charge of deceiving the emperor as a subject.

This was more valuable than any previous piece of advice; it was a statement of immense worth!

Thinking of this, he almost forgot how crucial this moment was, and he also forgot what the surrounding ministers were hoping for. Ji Hong took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Well said!"

But no one heard his voice.

It wasn't just because his voice was low, but also because the moment he finished speaking, the door to the side hall slowly opened!

While everyone was still reeling from the shock of those words, they quickly came to their senses, looked up, and saw that tall, immovable figure, like Mount Tai, standing inside the gate.

It was Yuwen Yuan!

He stood inside the doorway, his tall figure yet to step out. The surrounding light was dim, but a pair of piercing, tiger-like eyes shone from within the hall, sweeping over everyone. That invisible pressure caused everyone to hold their breath, and even involuntarily kneel down, bowing in worship—

"Greetings, Grand Chancellor..."

"Greetings, Duke..."

Amidst the chaotic kowtows, one voice rang out with exceptional clarity: "Long live the Emperor!"

Upon hearing this shout, everyone snapped out of their daze, knelt down, and roared "Long live the Emperor!" at the towering figure.

Amidst these shouts, Yuwen Yuan walked out of the side hall step by step.

However, as he walked past Shang Ruyi, his steps faltered slightly, his gaze lingered for a moment, and Shang Ruyi could even clearly feel him take a deep breath and then exhale heavily.

It's just unknown whether, in those two breaths, he was looking at Yuwen Ye or himself.

But as he took another step forward, he left behind a faint, unreadable remark—

"very good."

...

After that, Shang Ruyi was in a state of confusion.

All she remembered was that the crowd surrounded Yuwen Yuan as they walked from the side hall back to the Taiji Hall. Although it was only a short distance, the sheer number of people and the noise made her feel as if she were in a chaotic, untamed place, and she even staggered a little.

Until a large, hot, and strong hand took hers.

She was led back to the Taiji Hall, where she saw the civil and military officials standing in two rows on either side of the hall. Yuwen Yuan then walked up the steps to the heavenly platform. Just then, the eunuch who had been serving Chu Chengfei presented a bright yellow dragon robe. With a flick of his wrist, a gust of north wind swept through the Taiji Hall, making everyone's hearts tremble.

Then, the dragon robe was draped over Yuwen Yuan's shoulders.

He walked to the main hall, placed his hands on the armrests of the dragon throne, and slowly sat down.

At this moment, the mountains and rivers trembled!

Immediately, a document was brought up. It was unclear when it had been prepared, but Shang Ruyi could clearly sense that it had just been taken from the side hall, and the ink stains were not even completely dry.

Such an imperial edict should naturally be read aloud by a palace attendant.

However, Eunuch Yu remained by Empress Dowager Jiang's side in the main hall. Although Yuwen Yuan glanced down at him, Eunuch Yu lowered his head, looking guilty, and refused to step forward.

Clearly, at this final moment, he still chose to defend his former master.

Even if—we've become strangers.

The eunuch who had just presented the imperial robe to Yuwen Yuan stepped aside, unable to come forward. Just then, Yu Dingxing stepped forward and took the document with both hands.

It seems he intends to take the credit for this.

However, after dealing with the plague in Yanzuo Ward, everyone in the court understood his relationship with the heir of the Duke of Sheng, and thus understood his relationship with the Duke of Sheng. At this time, gaining such a small merit was nothing to him.

not to mention--

That document also contained what he had been longing for day and night.

However, for some reason, when Yu Dingxing took the document and excitedly unfolded it with his eyes red, Yuwen Qian seemed to sense something and turned his head again to look at Yuwen Ye, who was standing not far away, calm and without even a ripple in his eyes.

His brow furrowed slightly.

A strange, uneasy feeling welled up in my heart.

But all of this happened in an instant, and the crowd didn't even notice this subtle change. Their eyes were fixed on the main hall, where Yu Dingxing unfolded the document and read aloud with great joy: "The Yuwen clan, in accordance with the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people, ascends the throne, changes the dynasty name to Sheng, establishes the capital at Daxing, and renames it Chang'an; all other officials will inherit the titles and rewards of the previous dynasty..."

When he got to this point, he became a little anxious and even spoke faster. He even skipped over a few sentences that were a little unclear. Shang Ruyi was distracted and didn't hear them clearly either.

I could only feel the breathing of the people around me becoming calmer and calmer.

Finally, the imperial edict was read to its last part.

"Yuwen Cheng is hereby enfeoffed as the Prince of Qi, commanding 100,000 troops to garrison the land of Longxing. Further rewards will be bestowed upon him upon his success. General Yuwen Ye is hereby enfeoffed as the Prince of Qin, commanding 200,000 troops to guard the capital Chang'an. His heir, Yuwen Qian—"

His voice suddenly froze as he read this.

Shang Ruyi subconsciously looked up and saw Yu Dingxing suddenly widen his eyes, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. He checked again and again, then turned his head to look at Yuwen Yuan, who was sitting on the dragon throne with a solemn expression and even more complicated eyes.

Yuwen Yuan slowly placed his hands on the dragon table in front of him, his thick fingers gripping the edge of the table tightly in an unusual way, as if he was restraining something, or as if he was hinting at something. His gaze slowly moved from the calm but gentle Empress Dowager Jiang below the hall to his second son, Yuwen Ye, whom he was once proud of and who was still not to be underestimated.

He understood even more clearly that they were indeed not to be underestimated.

A moment of silence fell over the main hall because of this exchange of glances.

It even made everyone feel somewhat suffocated.

But we cannot stop.

Yu Dingxing's face was pale, and a hint of gloom appeared between his brows. After struggling for a while, he could only take a deep breath and continue to read: "Conferring upon him the title of King of Han!"

"..."

"For his meritorious service in controlling the plague, he was granted the title of Kaifu Jianya!"

"...!"

Upon hearing this, a low, uncontrollable gasp immediately rippled through the entire Taiji Hall.

All eyes were focused on Yuwen Qian.

And on that usually calm and handsome face, which seemed to know everything, a hint of astonishment finally appeared. When he looked at Yuwen Ye again, the surprise in his eyes was completely undisguised.

A glint of cold light flashed across those clear eyes.