Chapter 261 It seems I haven't tried hard enough.
Upon hearing this, Chu Jichen raised an eyebrow, and then a deep smile spread across his deep phoenix eyes, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
He looked at her, his voice filled with doting affection and a hint of barely perceptible self-mockery: "Stigma?"
"Have I not already been stigmatized enough?" He chuckled lightly. "A cursed lone star, cruel and ruthless, sinister and crippled... what's one more regicide case?"
“Furthermore,” he slowly raised his hand, his fingertips gently brushing across her brow, which was furrowed with worry, “wasn’t it me who personally begged that tyrannical emperor for that imperial edict ordering you to ‘slay your enemies’?”
“I know perfectly well who your real enemy is. Isn’t everything you’ve done today with my tacit approval, or even indulgence?”
Chu Jichen lifted his eyelids, a half-smile curving his lips, his eyes cunning like a fox that had already laid a trap.
"I did it on purpose."
A hint of confusion flashed in Shen Qingci's eyes: "Deliberately?"
Chu Jichen nodded and smiled slowly.
He maneuvered the wheelchair, bringing her to the empty dragon throne, before slowly explaining, "The reason I was in such a hurry, to make the officials acknowledge my identity before Liu Wenyuan could reveal his true colors, is because I knew they would soon discover that I was the one who forced the emperor to abdicate, and that I was also the one who murdered him."
“And,” his voice was deep and clear, “I want them to know that I did all of this.”
"Think about it, if Liu Wenyuan kills Emperor Yongming, and then I step in to clean up the mess and take the throne, what would that mean in the eyes of the entire court?"
Shen Qingci's mind raced in an instant, and she slowly uttered four words: "Lucky... fisherman."
“That’s right.” A hint of approval flashed in Chu Jichen’s eyes. “They will only think that I, Chu Jichen… am just a lucky fisherman. They will not respect me, much less fear me.”
“But now,” his voice suddenly turned cold, filled with a chilling aura, “it was I who personally orchestrated this earth-shattering drama of regicide and usurpation! It was I who allowed my own queen to kill the tyrannical emperor in the palace! And it was I who had already laid a trap, surrounding the entire palace like an iron barrel!”
“This means,” he lowered his voice, like a ghostly whisper, “that I am ruthless and will stop at nothing to achieve my goals.”
"That's why they...fear me and are afraid of me."
“But now I am the emperor. Even if they know the truth, what can they do?” His eyes were filled with utter coldness and disdain. “Unless they have the guts to stand up and oppose me. Otherwise, they can only tuck their tails between their legs and pretend they know nothing.”
“If anyone actually dares to step forward,” a cruel smile curled at the corner of his lips, “then…it would be best.”
"Perfect, let everyone see what happens when they oppose me. Perfect... make an example of them."
"No emperor's empire is easily obtained. And no throne can be held securely without ups and downs."
"As for the stain..." He looked at her, finally slowly reaching out to pull her into his arms, his voice filled with complete confidence and domineering, "As long as I can obtain this empire and hold onto it, the historian's pen will be in my hands. I can write whatever I want. What is there to be afraid of?"
Shen Qingci thought about it carefully, repeatedly going over Chu Jichen's words in her mind, and finally understood completely.
She nodded slowly, her clear phoenix eyes no longer showing any worry, but instead displaying the same all-knowing calmness as his.
“Your Highness… no, His Majesty is right.” She changed her words, her voice filled with unprecedented determination, “In that case, the most urgent task is to clean up this mess as soon as possible and quickly secure the throne.”
She quickly went through all the clues and potential problems in her mind, then lowered her voice and spoke clearly and logically:
"In that case, the first step is to immediately announce to the world that Emperor Yongming has passed away and that you have ascended the throne. At the same time, we must also make it public that your leg injury has healed and that you are able to stand and walk again."
"The hearts of the people are the easiest to be stirred up, and also the ones that most need to be appeased." A glint flashed in her eyes. "As long as the people of the world know that the new emperor is healthy and not disabled as rumored, then the previous rumors about 'not being able to continue the bloodline' will fall apart on their own. In this way, your throne will be more secure."
Chu Jichen chuckled, looking at her with amusement in his eyes: "I think the best way to break through the rumors that I can't continue my bloodline is for you, Qingqing, to get pregnant as soon as possible."
He sighed softly, "It seems I haven't tried hard enough! I need to work harder and use the children to speak for themselves sooner, to silence the gossip."
Shen Qingci glared at him. This man, at a time like this, when she was talking about serious matters, why did he keep bringing up those kinds of things?
She ignored him and asked the most crucial question: "Then... what about Liu Wenyuan? He shouldn't... have run away, right?"
“After all,” she said with a hint of certainty, “he was hiding in the palace right under your nose.”
“Of course he couldn’t escape.” Chu Jichen looked at her, his eyes full of approval and doting. “I have already ordered Yuanbao to personally lead people to ‘invite’ him back to the Regent’s Palace’s secret prison.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingci finally felt completely relieved.
She let out a long sigh of relief, then her brows furrowed again as if she had thought of something.
“There is one more thing,” her voice was full of solemnity, “The reason why Emperor Yongming and Liu Wenyuan were able to bring down the Shen family so easily back then, besides fabricating evidence, was that… they took advantage of the fear and suspicion that other people in the court had about the ‘Shen family’s private army’.”
"Although Liu Wenyuan has fallen from power, the troops he previously deployed outside the city, disguised as the Shen family's private soldiers, are still there, though they have temporarily ceased activity."
“If these people are not handled properly, it will not only affect the Shen family’s exoneration, but may also... become an excuse for those with ulterior motives to attack you.”
Chu Jichen smiled upon hearing this.
He reached out and gently stroked the tip of her nose, his voice full of confidence: "Don't worry, I've already made arrangements for this matter."
"Those people were originally soldiers secretly trained by Liu Wenyuan, but they were just using the name of the Shen family's private army."
“Ordinary people can’t verify their authenticity, but you,” he looked at her intently, his voice filled with undeniable certainty, “are known to everyone and no one can doubt your identity as the eldest daughter of the Shen family.”
“At that time,” a calculating smile slowly curved his lips, “I will arrange for someone to disguise themselves as you and personally ascend the city wall to confront them in front of all the people.”
“You can expose their disguise in public, angrily denouncing them for impersonating the Shen family and plotting treason, thus tarnishing General Shen’s illustrious reputation!”
“Then,” a cold killing intent flashed in his eyes, “I can then rightfully use the pretext of ‘suppressing the rebels and restoring General Shen’s innocence’ to directly send troops to kill them without mercy!”
This is a truly perfect final battle, enough to silence all dissent!
Looking at his composed and strategic demeanor, Shen Qingci's last bit of worry finally vanished.
She couldn't help but smile; in that smile was complete peace of mind and trust.
"What about the Huo family? Although Huo Yunzhan is dead, Old Madam Huo is still alive. What are you going to do with them?"
Chu Jichen turned to look at Shen Qingci, his eyes crinkling with a smile: "Qingqing, what are your plans?"
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