The two were quickly taken to the Qianqing Palace, but Gao Xian was brought there with an indignant look on his face, while Yin Ciguang did not resist and was submissive.
When they arrived at the palace, the two were forced to kneel down, and next to them were Yin Chengjing and Defei.
Yin Ci Guang glanced at the mother and son, who were in a state of panic, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips: "I thought I would not see the result." His voice was light and shallow: "Third brother loves to kill people with borrowed knives. I wonder how it feels to kill my father with your own hands this time?"
Yin Chengjing slowly turned to look at him.
It was just that he had been hungry for several days, and the fact that his life was completely cut off had crushed his spirit, leaving him without even the strength to refute. His expression twisted for a moment, and he could only weakly curse, "Mad."
Yin Ci Guang smiled and didn't take it seriously.
Instead, the court officials standing in the hall were shocked by the brief conversation between the two, and they regretted wading into this turbulent water even more.
But it's too late to resign now.
Yin Chengyu looked at Yin Ciguang and asked, "Was it Prince An who imprisoned Yin Chengjing and Consort De in my father's bedroom?"
"yes."
"You colluded with the eunuchs, held your father in the thrall, falsely transmitted the imperial edict, caused chaos in the palace, and committed treason. Do you plead guilty?"
"Please plead guilty."
Yin Ci Guang admitted all the crimes without making any excuses.
Gao Xian, who was standing beside him, saw this and screamed, "Prince An was coerced by the Crown Prince! Before his death, His Majesty left a decree to pass the throne to Prince An. You are the rebels and traitors!"
However, he was only a eunuch, and all his power depended on the emperor's favor. When Emperor Longfeng died, his power also vanished.
What's more, he is now involved in treason.
No one believed him.
Gao Xian looked around and saw that no one believed him. He took out a small piece of burnt yellow cloth from his sleeve and said in a dying struggle: "Your Majesty left behind an edict of succession, it is absolutely true! But it was burned by Prince An!"
His voice became louder and louder, as if this could vent his fear of death.
"If you can't speak, then don't speak."
Xue Shu took two steps forward and drew his sword with his backhand. The blade flashed with a cold light and instantly slashed across his face before quickly returning to the sheath.
Gao Xian's expression was frozen, and a line of blood ran from his left cheek to his right chin, running through most of his face.
The pain came slower than his perception, and when the blood started to flow, Gao Xian covered his face and howled in pain. However, his mouth was also scratched, and after howling twice, he rolled on the ground in pain, and could only make suppressed cries.
The court officials were horrified as they witnessed Xue Shu's ruthless methods for the first time. They subconsciously looked at Yin Chengyu, but found that he looked normal.
Gao Xian, who was wailing continuously, was soon dragged away.
As a eunuch, he had no right to interfere in matters concerning the royal family.
As for Yin Ciguang, Yin Chengjing and Defei, they were demoted to commoners and temporarily detained in the clan house, awaiting final conviction.
After several people were suppressed one after another, Yin Chengyu rubbed his brows, comforted the ministers who had witnessed the royal scandal with kind words, and let them out of the palace.
The next step was to reorganize the palace defenses, clean up the mess caused by the two palace coups, and order the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Cabinet to formulate the funeral rites for the late emperor.
It took time to sort out every detail, and by the time the dust had settled, it was three days later.
The body of Emperor Longfeng was temporarily kept in the funeral palace. He had been building a mausoleum for himself during his lifetime, so Yin Chengyu didn't have to worry about it. He just had to wait for an auspicious day to carry the coffin and bury it.
As the national treasury was poor, Yin Chengyu ordered the Ministry of Rites to keep the funeral ceremony simple.
The auspicious date for burial was chosen by Qin Tianjian. Emperor Longfeng died in an ignominious manner, so the funeral was simple, and the burial date was set for seven days later.
During this period, Yin Chengyu also needed to deal with three people detained in the clan house.
The treatment of Yin Chengjing and Concubine De had already been decided, and a piece of white silk was their final destination.
Only what to do with Yin Ci Guang has not yet been decided.
"Someone will take care of Yin Chengjing and Concubine De today. How does Your Highness plan to deal with Prince An?" Xue Shu asked.
Yin Chengyu thought for a moment and said, "It is not my wish to have come to this, but it is irreversible now. I will go and see him off."
The two went to the clan house.
The jailer opened the prison door, Yin Chengyu ordered Xue Shu to guard the door, and walked in.
The prison in the clan residence was simple, with only a wooden board for resting. At this time, Yin Ciguang was sitting on the board leaning against the wall, with a calm expression.
"Your Highness, why did you come to this filthy place?"
Yin Chengyu looked at him inquiringly. Even at this moment, he still couldn't understand the person in front of him: "If you are angry about Concubine Rong's unjust death, I can help you get revenge. Why do you have to do this?"
He knew that the death of Concubine Rong had dealt a heavy blow to Yin Ciguang. He had also suffered the pain of losing his mother in his previous life and could understand Yin Ciguang's grief.
But if Yin Ci Guang wanted to take revenge, there were thousands of ways to do it, but he chose the one that would involve destroying himself along with the enemy.
"But I don't just want them to die." Yin Ciguang looked at him for a moment, then looked away. After removing the calm and gentle mask, he finally revealed the twisted and vicious hatred inside: "Your Highness the Crown Prince has helped me a lot, why do you have to be dragged down by me? I have been forbearing and giving in all my life, and I have endured and given in enough."
He lowered his eyes and looked at his hands, clenching them vaguely as if he wanted to grasp something, but finally let go powerlessly.
Yin Chengyu was silent.
It was Yin Ciguang who spoke again. He did not raise his head, his eyes fixed on the bloodless fingertips: "Your Highness, do you regret helping me restore my identity?"
"No." Yin Chengyu said without hesitation.
When he helped Yin Ciguang regain his identity, he had imagined the possibility that he would be hostile to him. But Yin Ciguang had helped him before, and he was willing to treat Yin Ciguang as a brother. As the ancients said, "Do not doubt a person if you employ him, and do not employ him if you doubt him." Since he had made the choice, he naturally had the ability to bear the consequences.
Even though the outcome was not satisfactory, he never regretted helping him.
"Then do you regret it?" Yin Chengyu asked back.
Yin Ci Guang looked miserable, and he shook his head without saying a word.
They are different after all.
The moon is bright without a trace of haze. But those who are shrouded by the moonlight become delusional and trapped in confusion.
Yin Chengyu never regretted helping him, but he regretted asking for help when he was imprisoned in Xuefu Gallery.
If he had not taken that step, and had stayed in Yongxi Palace with his mother, playing the role of the eldest princess, would he not have felt so much resentment and regret?
Unfortunately, there are no ifs in this world.
With his fingers clenched and unclenched, Yin Ciguang suppressed all his emotions and said calmly, "I know that my crime is unforgivable and I cannot escape death, but I saved a jar of snow water and a can of good tea last winter, and I haven't had time to taste them yet. Could Your Highness please have someone send them to me? It will also save the clan house from having to pay for the poisoned wine."
"I will have someone deliver it to you."
Yin Ciguang smiled and thanked him, then said, "I am a criminal. I cannot be buried in the imperial mausoleum after my death. There is no need to waste time hiding me. Burn my body and scatter my ashes in a mountain or field."
Yin Chengyu agreed, and gave him one last look before turning away: "I will have people look for a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters."
Yin Ciguang leaned forward, touched his forehead to the ground, and said goodbye: "Thank you, Your Highness. Take care."
On the day Yin Ciguang died, Yin Chengyu did not go to see him off.
He only sent a message to the clan affairs office, ordering people to collect the body and cremate it, and then bury his ashes in the back hill of Jinyun Temple. There were peach trees everywhere, Buddhist chants were heard everywhere, and he could rest in peace without being disturbed by worldly affairs.
Another day passed and it was the day of the late emperor's burial.
Having lived together for two lifetimes, Yin Ciguang's feelings for Emperor Longfeng had long been worn away. On the day of the burial, he followed the rituals and completed everything he was supposed to do, but he really didn't feel any sadness in his heart.
After the late emperor was buried, preparations for the coronation ceremony began.
As the crown prince, Yin Chengyu was the legitimate successor after the death of the previous emperor. After three requests from court officials, led by the inner cabinet scholars, Yin Chengyu agreed, and the Ministry of Rites began to prepare for his enthronement.
Although the enthronement hall was simple, it was solemn. Qin Tianjian calculated again and again before finally deciding on the auspicious date of June 6th.
More than half a month had passed in between. As the heir to the throne, Yin Chengyu had not yet officially held his coronation ceremony, but all the official duties that the emperor should handle had fallen on him. Since he had just taken over, the affairs were more numerous and complicated than before.
At the turn of the old and the new, the people in the court were in a state of panic. In addition, Xie Wendao's corruption case had entered the retrial stage after the death of the emperor, and many people were implicated. Some people in the court were quite panicked, fearing that they would be punished by the new emperor if they were not careful.
Yin Chengyu was busy pacifying people and handling government affairs every day, so he didn't have much time and energy to devote to others. As the day of the coronation ceremony approached and the affairs of the court were gradually sorted out, Yin Chengyu finally had some free time and was surprised to find that Xue Shu seemed to be much more distant from him recently.
He had not yet officially ascended the throne, and he still lived in the Ciqing Palace because he felt that the Qianqing Palace was unlucky.
In the past, Xue Shu would always find excuses to stay in the bedroom and refuse to leave every night, but now he is often nowhere to be seen.
Yin Chengyu frowned and thought about it, then he realized that Xue Shu had not slept with him for three days.
The people who he had wished to live with him forever in the past were no longer serving him and had disappeared.
Yin Chengyu didn't think much about it, just thinking that Xue Shu had encountered some difficult problems. After looking at the official business that was almost done, he didn't ask anyone to summon him, but got up and went to look for him himself.
Xue Shu's power in the palace is now even greater than Zheng Duobao's. Yin Chengyu randomly asked a eunuch and found out that Xue Shu was in the Jianxiang Pavilion.
Why would he go to the fragrance pavilion if he had nothing to do?
Yin Chengyu was puzzled, but he was already walking towards the Jianxiang Pavilion.
When they arrived, they found that not only Xue Shu was there, but Xie Pingchuan was also there. The two of them sat opposite each other in the pavilion, with tea sets placed on the stone table in the middle, and they were talking and laughing.
Compared to the tense situation in their previous life, the atmosphere between the two can be said to be harmonious.
He had never seen Xue Shu be so kind and cheerful to anyone other than him.
With his narrow eyes narrowed, Yin Chengyu stood still and looked for a long time, but did not come forward. Instead, he turned away and returned to Hongren Hall.
It seems that he was just being too sentimental.