Chapter 205 Chapter 205 is the only genuine version...
Prince Jin looked towards the city gate.
The loud collision was met with a sarcastic laugh from him.
After being poisoned, the late emperor's spirit became increasingly weak. In just ten days, his five internal organs began to fail, and he was only awake for less than an hour each day.
The Crown Prince had been raised by the late Emperor. He couldn't believe he would not investigate, not even care that his father, the Emperor, had been poisoned, and so he committed suicide. He was certain that Prince Rong had taken control of the capital.
He no longer had the energy to purge the court and the country, and just wanted to hold on until he could help the crown prince ascend the throne.
"Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince was poisoned again and is in critical condition. The late Emperor, in his desperation, vomited blood again. This time, even the imperial physician said there was no hope of recovery."
"The late emperor knew his fate was in jeopardy, and on his deathbed, he wrote this second edict."
Prince Li looked at the bloodstains on the imperial edict, feeling bitter in his heart.
"I was at his side while he was ill, and the late emperor entrusted his will to me. He said..."
"Alu, I know you are a talented person. You must assist the Crown Prince. He will surely bring prosperity to the Great Qi. Alu, I believe in you."
The late emperor's last words echoed in the ears of Prince Jin, making him feel bitter.
Before that day, he had never known the late emperor had high hopes for him. Later, he thought, the late emperor's frequent transfers of him to various positions were not meant to demote him, but to train him and make him a loyal minister to the crown prince.
If he had known the late emperor's intention earlier... he wouldn't have come to this point.
There's no going back.
From the moment he massacred everyone in Blackwater Castle, his fate was sealed.
"The late emperor told me to destroy the first will and personally hand this one over to Prince Li. I was greedy and forged the will, saying that the late emperor had appointed Xie Rong as the heir. But that's not true! The late emperor's designated successor was the crown prince, Xie Yingchen!"
"The edict in Prince Li's hand was written by the late emperor before his death."
"The late emperor was poisoned, injuring his five internal organs and six viscera. In the last few days before his death, he was constantly vomiting blood, as recorded in his diary. When the late emperor was writing his will, he coughed up blood continuously. Even with a handkerchief to cover his mouth, the blood still splattered all over the will."
"The date on the will is also five days later than the previous one."
Prince Li stood on the altar and unfolded the will in his hand so that everyone could see the black and red bloodstains on it.
Prince Li asked in a deep voice, "Did you hide this edict?"
Everyone pricked up their ears.
Of course! He was afraid that Xie Rong would abandon him in the future, so he hid the will and the remaining ink. However, since things had come to this, the King of Jin wanted to do Xie Yingchen a favor.
He said, "I burned this will and watched it burn to ashes with my own eyes."
"Burned?"
There were gasps from the crowd.
"The will was burned? Then why...why is it still here?"
"Look, there are actually traces of burns on the edges of the will! I know it. The late emperor must have discovered from underground that Xie Rong had usurped the throne and turned Daqi upside down, causing great suffering for the people. He must have been furious. He's making decisions for the Crown Prince!"
"Yes! The Imperial Preceptor possesses immense magical powers, and the Crown Prince personally came to the Imperial Temple to pray for blessings, so the late Emperor issued this decree."
right!
It must be like this.
"It's the late emperor appearing!"
"Long live the late emperor!!"
"The Imperial Master's magical powers are ineffective, he is a true immortal."
There were all kinds of random shouting.
"See." The King of Jin let out a self-deprecating smile. Their grandson's methods far surpassed Xie Rong's.
If he simply took out the will in the court, even if the court recognized it, asking the emperor to abdicate would also lead to criticism from the court, and even impeachment by the imperial envoy, which would inevitably waste a lot of energy.
And now.
Under the watchful eyes of the public, no one in the future, whether official history or unofficial history, will question his orthodox status.
He is the new emperor chosen by the late emperor before his death!
He is the eldest grandson of the late emperor, the eldest son of the crown prince, and the third-generation monarch of Daqi.
His succession to the throne was in accordance with the will of heaven and was a blessing bestowed by heaven on Daqi.
As for the Emperor...
Not only had he murdered the previous emperor and framed the deposed crown prince, but now he was even trying to lead his troops to "force the palace" and kill the crown prince. These crimes alone were enough to get him killed. Xie Rong had no chance of turning things around.
"It's fake! This is fake!" Duke Cheng'en's face turned pale as paper. He screamed, "Xie Yingchen, Xie Yingchen... That's right, he must have colluded with Prince Jin! He got Prince Jin to frame the emperor."
Boom!
The city gates are shaking.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, come quickly!"
Duke Cheng'en's mouth was half open and half closed, and a glimmer of hope surged in his heart.
As long as the emperor can take down Xie Yingchen, they will not lose! History books are written by people. Even without Xie Yingchen, the emperor is still the emperor!
Whatever he could think of, the people also thought of.
Lu Youshang turned his head to look at the city gate. Under the continuous impact, he suddenly found a small crack on the door bolt.
However, at this moment, he no longer had the previous panic and anxiety, thinking: If the emperor really broke down the city gate and broke in. He, he... he was willing to fight for the crown prince and would never beg for mercy!
He is from Huaizhou.
The Huai River burst its banks, but the emperor continued to increase taxes, and their entire family was on the verge of survival.
It was the Crown Prince who issued a three-year tax exemption and ordered dike repairs and disaster relief. The family survived those most difficult times. He also found work, working for a wealthy family as a traveling merchant under the Shang family. Later, he learned that the Shang family had specifically sent people to recruit these merchants, also on the orders of the Crown Prince, to ensure they had a way to support their families.
He happened to be passing by Yizhou a while ago. When he heard that the Crown Prince was coming to the Taimiao to pray for blessings, he hurried over, wanting to kowtow to the Crown Prince from afar.
It turned out that the late emperor passed the throne to the crown prince.
If it weren't for this tyrant emperor usurping the throne, Daqi would have been peaceful and prosperous, and his wife wouldn't have starved to death just to save a bite of food for their child!
The crack on the bolt grew deeper and longer, like the claws of a ferocious beast.
Without thinking, Lu Youshang rushed over and pressed his back against the door.
Boom! !
Lu Youshang groaned, the impact seemed to have hit his internal organs, and blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
The people around looked at each other, and like him, they used their backs, shoulders, and bodies as bolts to block the door.
Crown Prince!
Crown Prince!
Auspicious signs from heaven, the Crown Prince is the destined king! !
They want to protect the crown prince!
Even if it means death, I will not hesitate.
See. The King of Jin smiled sadly. The people had already recognized him and were willing to sacrifice their lives for him.
The people watching the ceremony came from all over the state, including traveling merchants and students. They would spread what they saw today throughout Daqi.
Just a will allowed Xie Yingchen to easily win the hearts of the people and take control of the world.
There will be no turbulent power transition in Daqi.
The people spontaneously blocked the city gate. Xie Yingchen stood in front of the Taimiao, his eyes sweeping over the crowd, and his gaze fell on the Jinwu Guard who was still standing with a sword in his hand.
He asked aloud, "The Jinwu Guards are planning a rebellion?"
Zhou Mu: “…”
He had heard the late emperor's will clearly. If the emperor had not murdered his brother and usurped the throne, the one sitting in the Golden Throne Hall would have been the crown prince. The person the Jinwu Guards should be loyal to was also the crown prince.
He closed his eyes, made a decision, slowly bent down and put down the sword in his hand.
"Commander!"
All the soldiers looked at him and exclaimed in surprise.
Zhou Mu said in a deep voice, "The late emperor's will stripped Xie Rong of his title. Xie Rong is not the Emperor of Daqi. The Jinwu Vanguard must obey the late emperor's will and protect the crown prince and restore him to his rightful position."
"The Jinwu Vanguard is willing to be loyal to the Crown Prince and will never have second thoughts!"
Yes. The soldiers clenched their swords in their hearts. The Jinwu Guards were never anyone's private army!
Emperor Taizu established the Jinwu Guard to protect the emperor and the Great Qi. When they joined the Jinwu Guard, they all swore a solemn oath. A token from Duke Cheng'en would not easily cause them to betray their oath and faith.
They are loyal to Daqi, not a token!
The soldiers put down their swords and knelt on the ground, even those who pointed their swords at Xie Yingchen.
When the Jinwu Guards knelt, the Fubing Guards, Huben Guards and others also put down their swords and knelt down.
"Should we kneel?" the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard asked Zheng Si quietly.
Zheng Si:?
They didn't point swords at the crown prince, so why should he kneel?
Zheng Si: "Everyone is kneeling. Who will protect the Crown Prince?"
The deputy commander thought it made sense! No wonder he was a "deputy".
Xie Yingchen looked down at the crowd prostrating themselves on the ground. Zhou Mu didn't dare look up, cold sweat streaming down the back of his neck, as if he were being watched by a ferocious beast. He felt incredibly stupid for questioning the Crown Prince and even attempting to attack him.
Xie Yingchen withdrew his gaze from him and said gently, "Pick it up."
Zhou Mu suddenly felt as if a thousand pounds of strength had been lost from his body, and he looked up.
Xie Yingchen gave him a helping hand: "The soldiers of Daqi fulfilled their duties and are innocent."
The word "not guilty" was like a key that unlocked the shackles on them.
In other words, the Crown Prince will not pursue their "treasonous" behavior today.
Very good.
Huh. Zhou Mu picked up the sword.
He took a step forward and stood beside Xie Yingchen as a guard.
The others also stood up, gripping their swords tightly, their eyes filled with burning confidence and fearlessness of death.
Your Majesty... No, Xie Rong is rebelling, they must fight to the death for the Crown Prince!
"Grandson!"
A young soldier ran down from the city wall, ran to him, knelt on one knee and said, "Xie Rong ordered the use of rolling logs!"
Rolling log!
"Not good!" exclaimed the Duke of Wei. "If they use rolling logs, they won't be able to stop it!"
The walls and gates built around the Taimiao Square were intended to prevent villains from vandalizing the Taimiao. To be honest, they can't be compared with real city gates, even if they are called city gates.
Once the rolling log is used, it will definitely not last more than half a cup of tea, and the people who reach the door will definitely be seriously injured.
"Grandson." Duke Weiguo knelt on one knee and clasped his fists, saying, "Your Highness, I am willing to sacrifice my life for you!"
He looked up suddenly, his eyes burning with determination.
"Your Highness, I swear allegiance to you until death."
"Your Highness, please ask the King of Zhenbei to escort you away."
The shouts of the soldiers rolled like thunder, they gripped their swords tightly, veins popped out on the backs of their hands, and every young face burned with burning loyalty and blood.
The corner of Prime Minister Song's mouth twitched. This Duke of Wei had been fighting and vying for power, and this time he finally had the chance to show his face in front of the Crown Prince.
However, a gentleman does not venture into dangerous places or build dangerous walls. The best strategy for the Crown Prince is to leave as soon as possible!
"Grandson."
Xie Yingchen raised his hand and interrupted him before he finished speaking.
"Open the gates."
What? !
Xie Rong brought a force of more than 20,000 men, even if more than half of them were from the Twenty-Six Guards. But if he let them in like this, he would not have enough time to persuade them to defect one by one before the fighting started. No, it would be too late to make them realize their mistakes and return to the right path one by one.
Is it too risky?
"Prince, a gentleman does not stand on a dangerous wall."
Xie Yingchen smiled faintly: "Xie Rong is colluding with the Liang people. If the Liang people take him away during the chaos, it will definitely endanger the Great Qi Empire."
Colluding with Ryoto? !
Everyone gasped.
Gu Yican stood in front of him and whispered unhappily, "Don't move, don't be so stubborn. If you cause me to be bullied by my sister, I won't let you go."
Xie Yingchen laughed and agreed.
"Qin Su."
Xie Yingchen's voice was neither too loud nor too low. To Qin Su's ears, it sounded like a thunderclap, which made him shudder.
He slowly walked out of the crowd and knelt on one knee.
"This general, this general..."
He hesitated to speak, his eyes wandering.
Gu Yican snorted coldly. He thought he had hidden well. Inside the Taimiao, it was the Jinwu Guards who were deployed on the surface, but in reality... Gu Yican narrowed his eyes.
If he made a mistake, everything would be lost. How could he be careless? Nothing here could be hidden from his eyes and ears.
As soon as Qin Su arrived, he knew it.
Xie Yingchen looked at him from a distance: "Go open the door."
Qin Su did not hesitate.
The outcome was set, the winner had to be the Crown Prince, otherwise A Liao and A Man, whose surname was Gu, would lose their lives.
"I will obey your orders."
Qin Su stood up and took out a carrier pigeon. The pigeon had its wings tied and was hidden in his wide sleeves. There was a red cloth strip and a blue cloth strip on the pigeon's legs. He pulled off the blue cloth strip and threw the pigeon out.
The carrier pigeon flapped its wings, flew high and passed the city gate.
"Admiral Zuo, there's a carrier pigeon."
Hearing this, Gong Hai squinted his eyes and saw a gray carrier pigeon flying over his head. A long red cloth hung from its claws and fluttered in the wind.
Meaning, everything goes well.
smoothly? !
Gong Hai looked towards the spire of the Taimiao. The intermittent noise inside made him very uneasy.
Even though he couldn't hear clearly over the drumbeats, he could still vaguely hear words like "Late Emperor," "Long Live the Emperor," and "Swear Allegiance Until Death." If the emperor hadn't insisted, Gong Hai would have actually sent someone to investigate.
"how's it going?"
The emperor also heard the sound of the pigeon flapping its wings and asked nervously, "Is it red or blue?"
"red."
Hehe. The emperor's chest vibrated as he laughed wildly, from soft to loud, from slow to fast. The sound of war drums mixed with his laughter, and somehow it made Gong Hai feel a little creepy.
"Open the door!"
"Why don't you open the city gates yet?"
The emperor asked impatiently.
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a "click" sound, which was the sound of the city gate opening.
Qin Su came out and knelt on one knee: "Your Majesty, Duke Cheng'en has captured Xie Yingchen. Please take charge of the situation."
The emperor was extremely excited. His chaotic eyes stared straight ahead, but he could only see a little blurry light and shadow.
"quick!"
He couldn't wait to go in, but was stopped by Gong Hai.
Through the open city gate, Gong Hai looked at the situation inside from afar.
Qin Su stood in front of the gate. The commanders of the Jinwu Guard and the Fujun Guard each led more than a hundred people to guard the city gate and knelt on one knee.
All the people in the square were kneeling, and some were even secretly gazing at the holy face.
Just like the countless times he had welcomed the emperor before.
Qin Su shouted, "Welcome the Emperor!"
"We respectfully welcome His Majesty!"
“…”
It was going so smoothly that it made Gong Hai a little uneasy.
He thought there would be at least a fierce battle, but no! Everything seemed to be going smoothly.
"emperor."
He wanted to say wait a little longer.
The open door before him was like the mouth of a ferocious beast, making him feel uneasy.
But the emperor no longer wanted to wait.
He had waited long enough. He was fed up with being held under house arrest by Xie Yingchen and unable to move an inch!
"Left Admiral." Wu Er was from Liang, and Duoleng had specifically asked him to follow the emperor. He said impatiently, "You've been dithering and timid all this time. Isn't that enough?"
"You're afraid if the city gates are closed, and you're also afraid if they're open. A rootless man has lost even his courage."
Gong Hai's face darkened, but he suppressed his anger. He grabbed Qin Su and asked, "Are you sure there's no problem?"
"Yes." Qin Su said, "I am sure!"
"Where's Xie Yingchen?" Gong Hai asked, "Where are the Third Prince and Duke Cheng'en?"
"I'm here!" Duke Cheng'en shouted, "I..."
A drawn sword rested against his waist. Duke Cheng'en wanted to express his loyalty and fearlessness, and tell the emperor to leave quickly, but when the words reached his lips, he said aggrievedly, "I'll keep an eye on Xie Yingchen from here to prevent him from playing any tricks. His Royal Highness the Third Prince is still on the altar."
"Your Majesty, Xie Yingchen is finished!"
Is that okay? Can you hold the knife farther away? He's afraid.
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