Chapter 248 Strange Phenomenon Shocks All Sides (Part 2)...
That night, it was rare for the Sixth Department to finish their shift so late.
After a long wait filled with anxiety and worry, the eunuch who came to deliver the news never arrived, and they lost their chance to raise their arms and bravely sacrifice themselves.
but.
They still can't leave.
Because martial law was in effect in the palace.
The sounds of chaotic fighting came from outside. The Imperial Guards stationed at the Six Ministries were on high alert. They glanced out at the scene and their expressions changed drastically. They hurriedly ordered the guards to close the palace gates and room doors and not to move around too much. The remaining ministers and several Grand Secretaries made arrangements to have the officials squeeze into a slightly more spacious room so that they could work together to deal with any problems that might arise.
The room was filled with intermittent, suppressed whispers, creating a buzzing sound. Wang Chuandao stood silently by the window, his brows furrowed.
Shen Shuzhi slowly walked over, her mind becoming active, and looked at him politely: "Lord Wang, after tonight... we will all be very different now."
His tone was meaningful.
We are all reborn officials, and now we are all equally trapped here without being able to help. Apart from those lucky guys in the Crown Prince's former residence, along with Grand Secretary Mu and Grand Tutor Wu, who were among the first to get a share of the pie; what about the other officials? They can only compete for second place, and even this position has its hierarchy.
Wang Chuandao frowned, turned around, and didn't say anything.
He still disliked Shen Shuzhi, but since Shen Shuzhi's family had dutifully assisted the new emperor in ascending the throne, Wang Chuandao's prejudice against him had lessened slightly. Only slightly—essentially, he still disliked this kind of opportunistic person.
Too much opportunism.
"Lord Shen, don't be too smug," Wang Chuandao said quietly, giving him a warning. Wang Chuandao was also annoyed by Shen Shuzhi's scheming nature, which stemmed from not having received any concrete information yet.
But he knew it was true, and he was very unhappy about it.
Before today, the reborn ministers were a united front, working towards the new emperor's ascension. Their biggest disagreement was simply about who had contributed more, a point easily suppressed by the veteran ministers, who remained obedient. But after today… if the new emperor ascends the throne, their unspoken alliance will crumble.
The imperial court has already undergone a purge due to the autumn imperial examinations, and a second purge is imminent. Regardless of rank, those who have been reborn as ministers will likely occupy most of the positions. Then, everyone will be competing on equal footing… vying for the new emperor's attention and favor—who knows what chaos will ensue?
Wang Chuandao's heart sank a little more; just thinking about it gave him a splitting headache.
“Lord Wang, another year is almost here, and the floods are a constant problem.” Shen Shuzhi sighed with worry. “If an imperial envoy is to be appointed, and I’m not exaggerating—it would be the two of us who are best suited for the task.”
"..." Wang Chuandao glanced at him unhappily, and said with a forced smile, "Not at all, not at all. I only know the result after being entrusted by His Majesty."
Shen Shuzhi was speechless, her face fell, and she cursed inwardly at this ungrateful bastard.
He walked away angrily.
"Hmph... I am a capable minister, and he is a loyal minister. Just watch, we will be in charge of flood control next year!" Shen Shuzhi said with a sullen smile.
He was well aware of his tendency to make wrong choices and succumb to temptation. The new emperor, with his discerning eye, had recognized his talent for flood control, which allowed him to rise to a high position early in life. But regardless of the era or who sat on the throne, everyone recognized Shen Shuzhi's abilities, while others harbored doubts. It was certain that someone would be assigned to keep a close eye on him to prevent him from becoming arrogant.
Besides Wang Chuandao, who is not only the new emperor's tutor, but also undoubtedly loyal, knowledgeable about the inner workings of water management, and highly skilled, who else could it be?
Shen Shuzhi's handsome young face was filled with displeasure.
He hated Wang Chuandao's pedantic mind.
Don't they realize that so many reborn ministers are vying for power and resources? How could they possibly compete with such a small force? They would have better form an alliance sooner rather than later!
This dog understood his meaning, yet he so casually returned the favor, then used his own words to shut him up—"As a loyal subject, I will naturally wait for the new ruler's appointment and will naturally be grateful for the new ruler's kindness. What business is it of yours now?"
He's completely unresponsive!
The people on this side were cursing their colleagues in their hearts.
The Imperial Observatory Director, however, kept his sharp eyes fixed on the sky outside the window. His eyes never missed a thing, and he finally spotted the unusual phenomenon. He murmured, "...It has begun."
The majestic voice boomed from the sky, rebuking someone: "Silence...!"
The officials from the six ministries fell silent as if they had been choked, looking around in terror.
The room suddenly fell silent.
Some realized something, their eyes barely concealing their wild joy. Others, shocked, crowded to the window, craning their necks to see what was happening. A minor official, unaware of the situation, his face ashen, trembled as he asked, "What's that noise?"
The Left Vice Minister of War swiftly lifted his robe and knelt down on the spot, piously saying, "This must be a divine intervention! Gentlemen, we must not disobey Heaven's warning!"
At that moment, countless officials secretly cursed him for being too clever.
—So you're the one who's showing off, aren't you!
You have to tell me!
One after another, the ministers knelt down, some raising their hands in fervor, others gritting their teeth and shouting praises of Heaven's grace—their reactions varied widely. Who didn't know that once the new emperor ascended the throne and took control, the behavior of everyone present would inevitably reach his ears?
The most bewildered were the officials who hadn't been reborn. The clever ones had already knelt down and followed suit, blending in seamlessly. Others were still staring tremblingly at the vast white sky outside the window, their faces almost deathly pale with fear.
"What a grand scene!"
At the Mu residence, Grand Scholar Mu, unable to contact anyone due to his need to conceal his whereabouts, remained alone in his study, gazing at the horizon and murmuring to himself.
A hint of relief appeared on his face.
Compared to his previous life, the new ruler in this life is much bolder and more composed, daring to display his divine signs so unreservedly.
Although the new emperor is not a plant, after cultivating many plants for pleasure, Grand Scholar Mu always felt that there was not much difference between raising a new emperor and raising plants—the kind that will die quickly if not carefully tended.
So, after years of hard work, when he finally saw this scene, Grand Scholar Mu straightened his posture even more, filled with inexplicable pride.
Look how well they've taken care of her!
"The outcome will be decided tomorrow." Grand Scholar Mu's face was still not completely relaxed, and he muttered to himself as if he were still plotting something.
He didn't think the new emperor would lose. If he did, there was no point in talking about the tactics he'd employed in his previous life. The problem was... how to win. If the new emperor failed to ascend the throne smoothly and was suspected of patricide or a coup... given his temperament, that was quite possible. In that case, they, his ministers, would have to figure out how to navigate the situation.
Grand Secretary Mu's face fell unconsciously as he pondered, shrouded in shadow. His mind raced, and he spent another night devising a plan...
Only those in the capital could truly grasp the sheer terror of what happened that night.
Even if the reborn officials far away paid close attention and inquired, the news was delayed, and by the time they realized what was happening, everything had already been settled. Only a few special people were worried—such as Huang Dong in the Silver Island Mansion.
He sat there all day, holding his small MP4 player, staring at it with worry. After many days of hard work, his eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion, but he dared not relax for even a moment.
Huang Dong carried the new emperor's final instructions on his back.
In the worst-case scenario—and just in the worst-case scenario—His Highness is ultimately defeated. As his last resort, he holds a large amount of silver and the troops of Silver Island Prefecture, including three militia units lurking in the outskirts of the capital, all under his command. His only hope is to seize the opportunity to rescue His Highness and bring him back from afar. If all else fails, they can flee overseas and slowly rebuild their power.
It's still a way out.
...
That night, countless people in the capital city were unable to sleep.
In the palace.
After Emperor Hongren gave those instructions, he was exhausted.
The commander of the Imperial Guards opened his eyes wide, caught off guard by this earth-shattering statement.
He recalled the chaos he had witnessed on his way here, and the many similar incidents that had occurred in the palace. He couldn't help but muster the courage to look up at His Highness the Crown Prince.
The light was so bright that he couldn't see the Crown Prince's expression.
Even though the many strange events that had just occurred had terrified the Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards, he still bravely braced himself, his liver trembling, and made one last, impassioned request to His Majesty, gritting his teeth as he asked, "Does Your Majesty wish to summon the Grand Secretaries?"
Commander Mao understood the deeper meaning in his words and gave him a cool glance.
All eyes were fixed on the pale and dejected old emperor. Emperor Hongren waved his hand dismissively, his entire weight pressed against the palace door, weakly repeating in a listless and impatient tone, "Do I have to say everything twice? Go! Go now!"
"...Yes!" The commander of the Imperial Guards then darted out without hesitation, as if fleeing in panic.
Qi Chengming turned his gaze to the side. Zhao Fuman had been stunned ever since he saw the strange phenomenon, his eyes bulging with excitement. He stood silently in the corner, bowing, lost in thought. Now that the reinforcements had arrived, the atmosphere eased, and everyone followed the old emperor into the palace. He quietly hid at the back and grabbed a guard, questioning him in detail about what had just happened.
Prince Ning also gave a wink and fell to the back.
His sister-in-law's nephews and nieces, who served in the palace and were among the few military officers under his command, had also come along. Upon seeing an acquaintance, Prince Ning naturally wanted to get to the bottom of things, his curiosity burning like a cat's claws.
"Is that the third prince? Is he... still alive?" Prince Ning gestured with his chin towards a figure being escorted by the Imperial Guards, his expression filled with doubt and uncertainty.
The man was covered in blood, his face gaunt and emaciated, and his head was tilted back unnaturally, not in a normal state. His eerie appearance made Prince Ning somewhat fearful. Prince Ning almost didn't recognize him; he stammered slightly.
"Yes, it's the three commoners." The guard looked left and right, then quickly said, "The commoners who rebelled were killed in the chaos of battle long ago." "Among the remaining rebels... I don't know if I've mistaken them for someone else, but it seems there are members of noble families who have entangled the Grand Commander..."
After confirming the Third Prince's death, Prince Ning was filled with mixed emotions: "..."
They should be executed as soon as possible.
Such wording made Prince Ning think twice, and he secretly glanced at his elder brother, the Crown Prince, who was still standing calmly.
However, considering the long-standing feud between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, Prince Ning felt that it wasn't a bad thing for the Third Prince to end up like this.
The Crown Prince is starting to retaliate.
Then Prince Ning realized what the guard was saying next: "—You said there are members of powerful families among the rebels?"
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Author's Note: The next chapter will feature the ascension to the throne!
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