The emperor subconsciously, with a hint of imperceptible complex thoughts, turned to the person who had been so quiet that he was almost forgotten - his eldest son, Xinyi Daoyi.
"Prince," the emperor's voice was tentative, with a hint of weakness that he himself was not even aware of. "What do you... think?"
The question was not raised in a loud voice, but it was like a bolt of lightning.
All eyes were instantly focused on Crown Prince Xinyi Daoyi.
Few thought he would agree.
Including the old emperor sitting on the throne on the steps.
When he asked this question, his deepest expectation was that the cowardly and sickly prince would take a step back, lower his head and humbly say that he was weak and sick and could not bear the heavy responsibility, just like he had done countless times, and asked his father to find another capable person.
Xin Yiwei's lips curled up into a sneer of confidence, and the arrogance in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows could hardly be suppressed.
Xinyi Daoyi closed his eyes slightly, and under the gaze of everyone, he stepped out of the line of civil officials step by step.
The steady steps under his feet stepped on the gold bricks, making a slight but clear sound, as if knocking on everyone's heart!
He walked to the center of the hall, stood beside Xin Yiwei, raised his robe facing the throne, and bowed slowly and deeply.
His voice was not loud, and carried the hoarseness typical of someone who had just recovered from a serious injury, but it was clearly heard in every corner of the hall:
"Father!"
"Your son—" He took a deep breath, his chest heaving, "I am willing to personally preside over the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven!"
"Pray for the blessings of all people and for the peace of the Western Jin Dynasty!"
Dead silence!
The entire hall seemed to have been drained of all the air in an instant.
The ministers were stunned, their expressions were stiff, and they even forgot to move their eyes.
On the throne, the old emperor's hand, which was originally rubbing his forehead, suddenly stopped and he leaned forward slightly in disbelief.
His eyes suddenly widened and he stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure at the steps below.
The withered fingers trembled slightly, and were somewhat out of control.
At this moment, the old emperor's heart was filled with indescribable emotions, not anger, not calculation, but the throbbing and longing that was almost buried by the years.
He thought of the eldest prince who was intelligent and insightful many years ago and who was highly regarded by everyone.
"Okay!" The emperor blurted out, his voice trembling with excitement, but his joy and determination were extremely clear.
He slammed the armrest of the throne, "My prince is responsible and courageous! He is worthy of being the crown prince!"
The emperor's voice suddenly rose, carrying with it unquestionable imperial majesty: "The Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony will be presided over personally by Crown Prince Xinyi Daoyi. All officials from the Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Household Department, and the Inner Court must immediately cooperate fully. We must ensure that this ceremony is a complete success!"
"Your Majesty is wise!" Minister of Rites Li Chonghou almost cried with joy. He led Yang Wenbo and other ministers from the Four Princes' party to bow down in a resounding kowtow, and the sound shook the sky.
Although this result conceals their most sinister expectations, at least on the surface, orthodoxy has finally returned!
In stark contrast to this cheering—
"What?!" Xin Yiwei blurted out.
He suddenly looked up, and his usually handsome face was now filled with extreme astonishment and disbelief.
He even suspected that he was hallucinating!
Xinyi Daoyi? That sickly person? The useless person who had been hiding in the Taibai Mountain Palace for years, treated as nothing by everyone?
He actually dared?
Why does he dare!
Xin Yiwei suddenly turned his head, and his eyes, full of hostility and sinister intent, were like poisoned daggers, stabbing fiercely at his brother beside him.
Xinyi Daoyi seemed oblivious. He calmly accepted his father's order and nodded slightly.
In the bronze animal-faced incense burner at the corner of the hall, a wisp of green smoke suddenly swayed, like the struggling eyes of a dying person.
A palace servant seemed to be startled by the sudden change and dropped his hand. With a slight "clang" sound, the incense burner lid fell on the gold brick, making a harsh sound.
…
In early winter, a biting cold wind was blowing through the capital, causing the dead leaves on Qianyuan Avenue to swirl around.
The sky was a clear blue, and the sunlight shone directly on the sacred road leading to the Temple of Heaven outside the city, painting the colorful flags draped along the way with an extremely dazzling light.
There was a guard post every three steps and a sentry every five steps along the way. The imperial guards were wearing armor, their faces were stern, and their iron spears reflected a cold light under the cold sun.
The atmosphere around the altar became even more heavy and stagnant.
The white marble platform stood gleaming in the winter sun, almost blinding the eyes. Huge incense candles burned in the cauldron, sending wisps of smoke spiraling upwards and merging into the azure sky.
The royal family members and all the civil and military officials in the court were lined up in strict order of rank. In the silence, the only sound was the rustling of flags in the wind.
Jiang Songyi stood quietly in the viewing area designated for distinguished relatives on the east side of the altar.
She was the Princess Jiaqing, and she was wearing the auspicious dress of the Princess Yunjin according to regulations. She was dignified yet girlish and bright. A pearl hairpin with red gold and kingfisher feathers in her hair trembled slightly with her breathing, shining brightly.
Yesterday, the Crown Prince's decree to govern the country was issued, causing a stir in the court. People speculated and discussed privately, but eventually things calmed down.
After all, His Majesty has been summoning the Crown Prince for long talks for several days, and has used the assassination incident to reduce the power of the Second Prince Xin Yiwei. Even the Qi family, his maternal family, has been pushed to bear the blame, which in disguise has restricted the Second Prince's hands and feet.
Each step was made silently.
The Second Prince's faction is now like a beast in a cage. They dare not act rashly to assassinate the Crown Prince. They must also be wary of the Fourth Prince's faction secretly plotting to frame Xin Yiwei again.
A cold light flashed across Jiang Songyi's eyes. It was really ridiculous that Xin Yiwei, a ferocious beast, was forced to become a hunting dog to protect its master.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
