Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Zhan immediately fell silent.
He had no objections. In fact, he had always been bothered by the fact that he couldn't truly legitimize his mother and himself. Now that he wanted to marry his mother, and she was willing, what else could he say?
As for the officials in the court, knowing that he only had three days to live, they probably wouldn't make things difficult for him and his mother anymore.
Zong Jiu and Bai Shi helped Xuan Yuanpeng get up, and the two of them helped him change into a dragon robe. Because he had a head injury, they also put a hat on him.
After everything was prepared, Xuan Yuanzhan and Zong Jiu helped Xuan Yuanpeng out the door.
At the entrance of the main hall, Su Xuening was waiting outside. When she saw Xuan Yuanpeng come out, she quickly curtsied and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
When Xuanyuan Peng saw the pale gold dress that Su Xuening was wearing, which was clearly not from the Eastern Chu Kingdom, he remembered that her mother was the Vermilion Bird Empress. He smiled at her and said, "Zhan'er has already started calling me Father Emperor. You should start calling him Father Emperor too."
Su Xuening looked at Xuan Yuanzhan in surprise, not expecting him to have changed his tune.
He used to be the most unwilling, but the situation is different now. The emperor is really good to him, and the emperor doesn't have many days left to live, so it's normal for him to change his address.
Xuanyuan Zhan nodded to Su Xuening.
Su Xuening then bowed again, saying, "Father."
Upon hearing the word "Father Emperor," Xuanyuan Peng grinned happily: "This time, we owe it all to your mother's help."
Su Xuening nodded to him and said, "My mother sent the Vermilion Bird divine beast to pick up Yun'an and me. It just so happened that this happened, so she brought us all to Xiliang."
Xuanyuan Peng nodded, then looked at her belly: "I heard from your mother that the baby looks exactly like Zhan'er."
Mentioning Xiao Bao, Su Xuening immediately softened: "Yes, Xiao Bao looks just like the prince, even his eyes are the same, both are grayish."
Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Peng immediately became happy, his face crinkling with laughter, but then he said with some regret, "It's a pity you didn't bring him back."
This was indeed a pity, and Su Xuening didn't know how to comfort her. She could only explain, "Because we didn't know the situation in Dongchu, and Xiaobao was born prematurely and just turned one month old, we didn't dare to take Xiaobao back to Dongchu rashly. However, it is safest for Xiaobao to stay in Xiliang and be taken care of by my mother."
"Of course." He wasn't worried about leaving the child in Xiliang; his only regret was not being able to see his grandson with his own eyes.
However, knowing that his grandson looks exactly like Zhan'er and even has his own eyes, he can imagine what his grandson looks like, just like Zhan'er when he was a child.
Xuanyuan Peng said to Su Xuening, "You and your mother stay in Chengqian Palace for a while. Zhan'er and I are going to court today."
"Yes," Su Xuening bowed in response.
Xuan Yuanpeng was very satisfied with Su Xuening's attitude.
Actually, her status is different now; she is the Crown Princess of Xiliang. She could have been exempt from such formalities, but this girl is still so considerate. Her attitude towards them hasn't changed at all because of her new status, which is truly remarkable.
Xuanyuan Zhan and Zong Jiu helped Xuanyuan Peng to court, while Su Xuening entered the main hall.
"Mother."
Bai looked at Su Xuening with concern and said, "You didn't sleep well last night, did you?"
Su Xuening shook her head, looking at Bai's swollen eyes, and said, "I slept for a while, but Mother didn't sleep all night. Do you want to rest?"
Bai shook her head and said bitterly, "How can I be in the mood to sleep? The main hall of Dongchu must be very lively today. Let's go and join in the fun."
The Emperor still wanted to keep her in Chengqian Palace, but on such an important day, how could she stay there!
Bai's idea was exactly what Su Xuening wanted, so Su Xuening helped Bai out of the main hall.
The main hall of the Eastern Chu Kingdom.
At this moment, all the civil and military officials of Eastern Chu were waiting in the main hall.
Because the Emperor hadn't attended court for several months, and with such a major event happening in the court—rumored that the Third Prince had cast some kind of puppet curse on the Emperor—everyone was on edge.
Especially the officials from the former Third Prince's faction and the Second Prince's faction.
The Third Prince and the Second Prince's failure to defend the city means they have lost the struggle for the throne, and those officials from the Third Prince's faction and the Second Prince's faction will not have a good outcome.
Even more terrifying is that the Third Prince plotted to harm the Emperor, a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of his family!
"The Emperor has arrived! The Holy King has arrived!"
Just as the ministers were feeling uneasy, the sound of a palace attendant announcing something outside rang out.
All the ministers turned to look at the entrance and saw Xuan Yuanzhan and Zong Jiu helping Xuan Yuanpeng into the main hall.
Seeing Xuanyuan Peng's emaciated and withered figure, the officials almost didn't recognize him.
Good heavens, is this the emperor?
How could the Emperor have become so thin? Not only is there no flesh on his body, but he also looks like a withered tree, with a pale and ashen face, and he has no hair at all.
I heard that the Third Prince used some kind of puppet curse on the Emperor. The Emperor is in this state now, it must be because of that puppet curse!
Xuanyuan Zhan helped Xuanyuan Peng to sit on the dragon throne before getting down himself.
The assembled officials knelt and bowed in unison, saying, "Your Majesty, we pay our respects! Long live the Emperor!"
Xuanyuan Peng now finds the phrase "Long live the Emperor" extremely ironic: "Rise."
Xuanyuan Peng's voice was hoarse and weak, which startled everyone once again.
The Emperor doesn't seem to be in good condition!
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
After the ministers rose, Xuanyuan Peng spoke again: "I was previously put into a puppet state by Xuanyuan Yu, so I was controlled by him and fell into a coma for several months. During this time, many things happened in Dongchu. When Xuanyuan Yu and Xuanyuan Zhi jointly managed state affairs, all the imperial edicts and decrees they issued were not my will and were all invalid."
The ministers looked at each other, wondering if the emperor meant that the previous imperial edict, which accused the Holy King of privately accepting amnesty, amassing a private army, and plotting rebellion, was invalid.
I knew that the previous imperial edict was the will of the Third Prince and the Second Prince. The Emperor favors the Holy Prince so much that he even gave him the Xuanwu Sword, so why would he suddenly wrong the Holy Prince like this?
"Bring Xuanyuan Duo, Xuanyuan Zhi, and Xuanyuan Yu to me."
"Yes," Zong Jiu replied, and called out, "Summon the First Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince."
Soon, Cao Qi, Jin Lu, Shan Jing, and Liao Fan escorted Xuan Yuan Duo, Xuan Yuan Zhi, and Xuan Yuan Yu into the main hall.
When Xuanyuan Yu was brought up, his condition was almost identical to that of the Emperor.
His face was ashen, and he had no hair...
Aside from not being as thin as the Emperor, his complexion and overall condition were exactly the same. How could this be?
Xuanyuan Peng was stunned for a moment, not expecting Xuanyuan Yu to have become like this.
Upon seeing Xuan Yuanpeng, Xuan Yuanyu knelt down, crying out, "Father, Xuan Yuanzhan not only plotted rebellion, but also framed and harmed me! Father, you must avenge me!"
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