"Your Highness, please accept the order."
Before the ministers could react, Song Hongshen had already refused, "No, my father is in the prime of his life, and I am afraid I cannot handle this important task."
He couldn't accept the order directly, he had to refuse it.
Shen Zhixiu said, "Your Highness, His Majesty has left the palace for the West Mountain Villa. If Your Highness can work hard to bring the Great Zhou to a higher level of success, it will be worthy of His Majesty's painstaking efforts."
As he spoke, Shen Zhixiu raised his voice and said, "Your Highness, please accept the order."
Among the court officials, there were officials from the Crown Prince's lineage who all said in unison, "Your Highness, please accept my order."
Finally, Song Hongshen refused and declined three times before he accepted the order.
Song Hongshen took the imperial edict and handed it to Liu Bao behind him, then said, "Everyone, please stand up."
Zhang Zhongliang, the Deputy Minister of the Cabinet, stepped forward and asked, "Your Highness, why did His Majesty suddenly abdicate? I haven't heard His Majesty mention it before."
"Your Majesty, if you abdicate, why don't you announce it publicly?"
Zhang Zhongliang was suspicious. Was he abdicating or was the prince forcing the emperor to abdicate?
But although he thought so, he didn't dare to say it out loud, so he could only ask tentatively.
Marquis Jingyuan ignored him and stepped forward to ask, "Your Highness, I believe Your Majesty cannot abdicate. Is this edict truly written by Your Majesty? May I have a look?"
Obviously, Marquis Jingyuan still considers himself the father-in-law of the emperor.
But Emperor Xuande spoiled him, but Song Hongshen did not, and he had disliked him for a long time.
"If Marquis Jingyuan feels something is wrong, he can go to the Xishan Palace to meet with the emperor in person."
"Master Zhang, do you also think it's wrong? Do you want me to send you to the palace?" Song Hongshen looked at Zhang Zhongliang coldly, not hiding his cold expression.
Zhang Zhongliang hurriedly said, "I dare not. I believe that Your Highness's ascension to the throne is what everyone wants."
He understood Song Hongshen's intention. If he knew how to behave, he could have a good ending. If he didn't, his fate would be uncertain.
Upon seeing this, the Minister of Rites stepped forward and said, "Since Your Majesty has abdicated, the country cannot remain without a ruler for a single day. I implore Your Highness to choose an auspicious day to ascend the throne."
Afterwards, all the court officials knelt down again and invited His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to ascend the throne.
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