Chapter 819 A Dream of Youth 351
The eunuch Ding slowly unfurled the bright yellow imperial edict in his hand and read aloud, "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: In the past, the rule of emperors over the world... Now, my son, Crown Prince Minglian, has unfortunately passed away. My heart is filled with grief, and I am also seriously ill, unable to attend to imperial affairs for long. If you can all be vigilant and protect yourselves after my death, I will pass away peacefully..."
Princess Zhao Yanxi of Huiguo is of noble character and closely resembles me; she will surely be able to inherit the throne. Therefore, she is hereby appointed to succeed me on the throne, to assume the imperial position, and to immediately follow the prescribed rites, observing a twenty-seven-day mourning period. Afterwards, the mourning period will be lifted, and a proclamation will be made throughout the realm, so that all may know.
A strong wind swept by, scattering the lamplight; once the decree was issued, all was quiet.
Before the ministers could object, the emperor said, “A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. I do not have much time left. I hope that all my ministers will set aside their prejudices, assist the new ruler, drive out the foreign enemies, and restore peace and prosperity to our Great Zhou.”
Then several ministers were summoned, and all of them were key figures in the court. Xie Wangzhi was among them, and he... ultimately chose Yan Xi as well.
When Yan Xi laid out the relationships between the Empress Dowager, Prince Zhao, and Prince Pingyao on the chessboard, Xie Wangzhi knew that Yan Xi was the one standing at the very end.
What does Yan Xi have?
If she only had the three hundred soldiers given to her by the emperor, she would never have reached this point. There must be much more hidden behind her.
Xie Wangzhi didn't ask any questions, but simply transferred the Ministry of Works' armor to her as a gesture of sincerity.
The kneeling Jade Prime Minister was somewhat bewildered. He never expected that the emperor would pass the throne to a princess. Even though Princess Yanxi was indeed a good princess, she was still a princess!
How could the throne be passed to a princess?
But seeing the emperor's face gradually turn ashen, Yu Xiang was speechless, overwhelmed with sorrow, unsure whether it was for the emperor or for the Great Zhou Dynasty.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." The first person to stand up and speak was none other than Lord Shi, who had suddenly entered the palace. After he spoke, one courtier after another knelt down and bowed to Yan Xi.
With this, Yan Xi's position was half secured.
"Rise."
Standing before the assembled officials, Yan Xi looked down and felt not the thrill of holding power, but a heavy burden and a sense of loneliness.
Looking at Yan Xi's resolute back, the emperor wondered if he had made the wrong choice. His eldest princess was naturally intelligent, wise, and outstanding. Even though she was still young, she did not lack the ability and courage to shoulder great responsibilities.
Perhaps the only thing that could be criticized by the court officials was her identity as a woman.
The emperor felt that he was still selfish after all. He didn't want the position to fall into someone else's hands. Yanxi was, after all, his daughter. He hadn't let down the Great Zhou Dynasty because his Yanxi was good enough.
But the emperor was still in great pain, for the Zhou Dynasty that was plunged into war, for his empress, and for his lost children.
Suddenly, the emperor met the eyes of the man below him. He smiled, surprised that this man had left before the trusted minister he had once entrusted with everything.
The emperor moved his lips, but ultimately did not utter a sound. Many people had taught him in his life, but in his heart, there were only two teachers: one was Prime Minister Shi, and the other was He Qing'an, who was far away in Quanzhou.
It's been many years since I last saw you, Mr. He. You're really stubborn. Why can't you just give in?
However, it's better to go far away. The most prosperous place in the world is actually the most corrupt and dark place underneath, which is not suitable for someone like Mr. He.
Mr. He left on his own, but he sent his disciple with him.
Xie Wangzhi was different from Mr. He, but he assisted him in building the Great Zhou Dynasty even better.
The emperor's vision was gradually blurring, but he held the Empress Dowager's hand tightly, saying, "Mother, your son is unfilial. I have caused you, an old man, to bury your son."
The Empress Dowager shook her head and tears streamed down her face.
"Your Majesty!" With a cry of alarm from Eunuch Ding, everyone realized that the emperor had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Yan Xi knelt before the emperor, sobbing uncontrollably.
She had chosen two paths for herself. If her father was unwilling to pass the throne to her, the edict would become a will, and she would take the throne herself. The people outside were all her people, and she was not afraid.
But her father was willing to support her and pave the way for her to ascend the throne.
Yan Xi didn't know whether her father had no other choice or did it because he loved her. It didn't matter anymore. She could always believe that her father was willing to pass the throne to her because he loved her and recognized her abilities.
"Grandmother... I beg you to take care of all the matters here. I am going to war to drive the barbarians of Northern Jin out of the country and bring peace to Great Zhou!"
Despite the advice of ministers, Yan Xi refused to listen. This was a plan she had devised long ago; she needed military achievements to solidify her throne.
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