Before the deceased emperor, the King of Song, dressed in a dragon robe and wearing a crown, ascended the throne as the new emperor.

He stood majestically before the crowd, receiving their worship and congratulations.

Amid cheers, the new emperor walked toward the dragon throne in the main hall, each step solemn and resolute.

When he finally sat on the throne that symbolized supreme power, an indescribable sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart.

Prime Minister Xiao led a group of officials, kneeling respectfully on the ground and performing the grand ceremony of three kowtows and nine prostrations, shouting in unison, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" The new Emperor smiled and raised his hand to signal them to rise.

With a fawning smile, Prime Minister Xiao stood up and cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, please issue an edict summoning all officials to the palace." Only after the new emperor ascends the throne can a state funeral be held for the recently deceased emperor.

"Not in a hurry," the new emperor waved his hand.

The new emperor raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a faint smile, and said loudly, "Prime Minister, do two things for me. If you do them well, I will reward you handsomely and bestow upon you the title of Marquis."

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Xiao was overjoyed. He immediately knelt down again and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty! Please give your orders, Your Majesty, and I will do my utmost!"

The new emperor nodded in satisfaction and said slowly, "Firstly, you shall read my edict of accession to the officials and the people of the world to set the record straight."

Without hesitation, Prime Minister Xiao replied, "Your humble servant obeys the decree!"

The new emperor continued, "Secondly, you must find the imperial seal and hand it over to me."

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Xiao was suddenly stunned. He was speechless and didn't know how to answer for a moment.

Upon seeing this, the new emperor's expression darkened slightly, and he asked with displeasure, "What's wrong?"

Prime Minister Xiao hesitated, unsure how to tell the truth.

The new emperor slammed his hand on the dragon throne and demanded, "What exactly happened?"

Prime Minister Xiao had no choice but to tell the truth in front of everyone: "The imperial seal has disappeared without a trace. In fact, the late emperor did not have an imperial seal either."

"What?" The new emperor was dumbfounded.

Those present were stunned. Without the Imperial Seal of the State, the throne would be unstable, and the people would consider it illegitimate.

The new emperor asked anxiously, "Where exactly is the Imperial Seal?"

Everyone shook their heads. If they knew where it was, they would have already taken the imperial seal to any prince and received high-ranking positions and generous salaries.

"Seal off the palace and search it," the new emperor ordered.

"As you command." Huang Kuan bowed respectfully, then led his men to seal off the palace and search it, plunging the entire palace into chaos.

Lin Mansion

Zhao Canchen and Lin Yajun were sitting in the main hall of the courtyard, leisurely playing chess and occasionally chatting in hushed tones.

"Ah Jun, how did that jade thing end up in the courtyard?" Zhao Canchen suddenly asked softly, his gaze fixed on the chessboard, seemingly not particularly concerned about the question.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yajun quickly looked around, then put her left index finger to her lips in a shushing gesture, and whispered, "Let's not make a fuss for now, let's observe and see how things unfold, and we'll naturally find out the answer."

Zhao Canchen nodded in understanding, then paused for a moment before changing the subject: "A-Jun, do you think we might already be pregnant?"

Lin Yajun's face flushed red instantly. She lowered her head shyly and said softly, "Hmm...that's possible too."

In truth, Lin Yajun knew very well that they had been making love day and night for the past two days, and it just so happened to coincide with her ovulation period, so the possibility of pregnancy was indeed very high. However, she didn't say these words aloud; she just muttered them to herself.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Canchen first showed an expectant expression and said, "I really hope to have a child who looks like you and like me."

Then he seemed to hesitate for a moment, "However, why don't we wait a few months before having a child?"

Lin Yajun understood Zhao Canchen's thoughts, of course. She smiled slightly and said gently, "If you're coming, then accept it. I'm already prepared."

Zhao Canchen smiled upon hearing this, "Okay, then I'll listen to you."

Suddenly, Lin Daoyan's expression turned tense, and he hurried along, as if something major had happened. As he walked, he muttered, "Young Master Zhao, something terrible has happened!"

Zhao Canchen and Lin Yajun were playing chess when they heard Lin Daoyan's shout. They both stopped playing, looked up, and stared at Lin Daoyan.

Lin Daoyan looked anxious, and there was even a layer of fine sweat on his forehead.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Canchen quickly stood up, stepped forward, and asked with concern, "Father-in-law, what has caused such a panic?"

Lin Yajun also quickly stood up, bowed to Lin Daoyan, and said, "Father, please don't be anxious, let's talk slowly."

Lin Daoyan waved his hand, indicating that they should not worry, and walked straight into the hall. He plopped down in a chair, took a breath, and said, "According to a report, the Duke has been murdered!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Canchen's heart tightened. He raised his eyebrows, his face filled with disbelief. The Duke was a high-ranking official in the court, wielding great power and influence. How could he have been suddenly murdered? Zhao Canchen couldn't help but wonder if the Emperor himself had orchestrated it.

Lin Yajun's reaction was calm; she simply stood quietly to the side, seemingly unsurprised by the news. Only she knew the truth: first, she had poisoned the Duke of Enguo, and then someone had arranged for men in black to kill him.

Then, Lin Daoyan said in an even lower voice, "There's even more shocking news: the Emperor has also been murdered! I've heard that the Prince of Song will ascend the throne."

"What?!" Zhao Canchen was so shocked he almost jumped up, his face filled with astonishment. The Emperor had actually been murdered! This was truly a momentous event!

Upon hearing that the Emperor had been murdered, Lin Yajun looked surprised and asked, "The Emperor was murdered? What about the Imperial Guards who protected the Emperor?"

“There must be a traitor within the Imperial Guard,” Lin Daoyan pointed out the truth.

"I understand, this is terrifying," Zhao Canchen murmured.

"The ascension of the King of Song is undoubtedly a great thing for Young Master Zhao! After all, he has been very kind to you for so long," Lin Daoyan said with a smile and a gratified tone.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Canchen felt a surge of anticipation.

He thought that if the Prince of Song really ascended the throne, then his father-in-law might return to his side and resume his important position as the General of the Imperial Guard.

Because of his involvement, Lin Daoyan was forced to guard the city gate, which made Zhao Canchen feel deeply guilty and uneasy. He often blamed himself, feeling that he had implicated Lin Daoyan and caused him to lose his rightful position and power.

The news of the Song King's ascension to the throne seemed to bring Zhao Canchen a glimmer of hope.

He prayed silently that Uncle Song would be able to ascend the throne smoothly, so that not only could Lin Daoyan regain his former glory, but he himself could also find some solace.