Chapter 93: Farce. You want to depose me?
Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, it was so quiet that even breathing seemed an offense.
The exquisite white porcelain plates with gold rims on the jade table were filled with delicate pastries, including peach blossom cakes, osmanthus cakes, jujube paste cakes, lotus seed paste rolls...all of which were made in the imperial kitchen of the palace.
Normally, these cakes should be sweet and tempting, but now they look like poison bait stained with poison, which makes people terrified at the sight of them.
The hall was silent for a long time. Civil and military officials stood on both sides, their eyes vigilantly scanning every cake on the table, but no one dared to reach out for it.
The emperor had just died, the coffin had not yet been closed, and the funeral bells were still echoing in the palace. To hold a banquet in the court would be tantamount to a blasphemy against the emperor's grace and a violation of ancestral rules.
The ministers who can stand in this Hall of Supreme Harmony are all experienced people in officialdom. Everyone understands that this is not a multiple-choice question of whether to eat or not, but a line of life and death that determines which side to stand on.
On the main seat, the empress dowager was wearing a phoenix robe and a jade crown, with pearls and jade swaying gently on her temples.
She glanced coldly at the ministers, then suddenly pursed her lips and gave a sarcastic sneer.
"Why, are you all here after eating?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she slowly stretched out her fingertips, picked up a piece of peach blossom cake, put it to her lips, and took a sip.
She ate so calmly, as if there was no emperor in the palace and everyone present was not a minister but a guest at the banquet.
Concubine Zhang sat beside her, wearing a dark purple palace dress with a peony embroidered with gold thread on the collar, looking extremely graceful.
She glanced at the ministers in the hall, as if she was looking at a group of lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
She chuckled, and reached out her hand, picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, took a bite, and smiled softly:
"This pastry was made by the new chief steward of the palace, using a new recipe. It is softer and more glutinous than before. My lords, why don't you try it?"
The voice was gentle and soft, but it was like a thin needle, making people's hearts numb.
The ministers had different expressions. Some avoided his gaze, some lowered their heads and remained silent, and some were covered in cold sweat and stood upright without moving.
The silent atmosphere was so oppressive that it made people feel a little breathless.
Finally, a middle-aged civil official with a pale face and cold sweat on his forehead reached out his hand tremblingly, picked up a piece of cake and put it into his mouth.
As soon as someone started eating, a second and a third followed. It was as if a dam had collapsed and all the ministers in the hall began to compromise.
But there were still a few old ministers, with their robes neat and tidy and solemn expressions, standing still like iron towers.
They stood straight, their eyes on their noses, their noses on their hearts, and they didn't even bother to glance at the cakes on the table.
Wei Zilin's voice slowly rang out in this suffocating silence:
"Why? Not to your liking?"
He had a smile on his face, but his voice was like an icy blade cutting into your bones.
He walked down the jade steps slowly, his long robe dragging on the ground, and every step struck dully on everyone's heart.
"I asked the imperial kitchen to change the recipe. These cakes are specially made according to the tastes of the adults. They won't be unpalatable. Could it be that they are not to your liking?"
He changed the subject, pressed on, and said with a smile: "If you really don't like it, it doesn't matter. Come, send the adults to the side hall... and have a good rest."
The word "side hall" fell very slowly, like a devilish sound filling the ears.
The guards in the palace responded in unison, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.
The few old ministers who were still holding out remained expressionless, with a chill in their eyes.
They said nothing, as if they had known that this situation would happen and had already put life and death aside.
One of the ministers couldn't help but plead in a trembling voice: "Your Highness, several of our loyal ministers are old and loyal. I hope you will consider their...their great contributions to the late emperor..."
"loyalty?"
The prince stopped and smiled, then suddenly turned around and stared at the man, saying lightly, "I don't remember who they are loyal to."
"Drag him away."
"yes."
The guards responded and immediately grabbed the shoulders of several old ministers and dragged them out.
Although those ministers were forced to move, their steps were steady and their backs were straight. No one shouted, and no one begged for mercy.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony was as quiet as a tomb.
The prince stood with his hands behind his back, looking in the direction where those people were being taken away. After a long moment, he let out a light breath.
"Those who do not know the current situation should be removed."
He turned around, his eyes dimming.
Yan Jinghuan just stood there quietly from beginning to end, his dark eyes like an icy deep pool, without any ripples.
No one noticed that he moved his index finger and thumb slightly, and a tiny mechanism slid from his sleeve into his fingertips and sank into his palm.
The voices in the hall gradually died down, but the atmosphere was still extremely depressing.
Yan Jinghuan never touched the pastries on the table from beginning to end.
He stood quietly in the first position, his arms hanging naturally, his body as soft as a pine tree, and his posture stern.
Everyone else bowed their heads to eat snacks and greet the prince, but he remained motionless like a mountain.
But even so, no guard in the palace dared to approach him even a step.
Wei Zilin glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, but never said anything, as if he was intentionally avoiding the topic. He just clenched his fists silently, until his knuckles turned white.
He knew that he couldn't touch him for the time being.
Although the Regent did not express his opinion, his silence was the most dangerous warning.
Wei Zilin finally chuckled, retracted his gaze, walked back to the jade steps, stood in front of the dragon throne that had just lost the emperor, and raised his hand solemnly.
"The former emperor passed away, and the country has lost its ruler."
His voice was not loud, but it was very penetrating, rolling and echoing in the hall.
"According to the order of the late emperor, I was ordered to supervise the country and assist in making decisions while he was ill."
"I will now temporarily take charge of state affairs to maintain order in the country. My Lords, do you have any objections?"
As soon as these words came out, the Hall of Supreme Harmony suddenly exploded.
Several ministers from the Zhang family suddenly stepped out, bowed and knelt on the ground, and said loudly: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is the legitimate heir to the throne. He has been intelligent and virtuous since childhood, and is highly respected. He should follow the will of heaven and the will of the people, and ascend the throne immediately to bring peace to the world!"
Another person echoed: "The country cannot be without a monarch for a day. The political situation is turbulent and people's hearts are unstable. Only when His Royal Highness ascends the throne can the Wei Kingdom be blessed with prosperity and peace!"
Before these people finished speaking, an important official from the prince's faction suddenly stood up and retorted in a deep voice: "Although the prince is the heir to the throne, the emperor's will has not been made public yet, and there are still questions about who will pass the throne to. How can you rush to seize power and trample on the ancestral system?"
"yes!"
Another court official looked solemn, "The emperor's body is still warm, but His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is eager to sit on the throne. Isn't this move going to make the people of the world lose their support?"
The two factions were on the verge of a tense exchange of words, and the situation in the court was immediately on the verge of breaking out.
At this moment, a dull sound of metal clashing approached from outside the palace, heavy and sonorous, like thousands of troops approaching, shaking the temple tiles and making the floor tiles tremble.
The guard standing at the door's face changed, and before he could react, the door of the palace was pushed open with a bang.
General Zhang, clad in silver armor, strode into the hall, his cloak fluttering and his armor shining brightly.
He had a long sword hanging from his waist, his eyes and brows carried the lingering iron-blooded murderous aura of the old days. His armor made a dull sound when he walked, as if he was a sleeping god of war who was suddenly awakened on the night of the emperor's death and came here in a bloody manner.
All the officials were speechless, and the faces of several older civil servants suddenly changed.
Someone couldn't help but speak out, asking in surprise: "General Zhang... haven't you retired to your hometown to enjoy your old age? Why are you here suddenly?"
General Zhang slowly stopped, his eyes were cold as frost, his voice was cold and hard, with a bit of disdain:
"The emperor is dead, the new emperor is weak, and the world is not settled. How can I sit back and do nothing?"
After saying that, he sneered, looked at the prince, and bowed.
"Your Highness is a young hero, capable of shouldering great responsibilities. I am willing to take up my armor and fight again to help Your Highness eliminate the treacherous villains, clear the court, and protect you from ascending the throne."
The atmosphere in the entire hall changed suddenly.
General Zhang has never been good at political tactics. He uses a heavy sword but no edge, and is famous for his iron-blooded military management.
But his words were obviously not just the words of a soldier, but a political statement and a declaration of war with murderous intent.
"Clear the emperor's side? What emperor's side?"
One of the officials could not help but sneer and questioned, "The emperor has passed away, and the new emperor has not yet ascended the throne. Who is qualified to be called the new emperor? General Zhang, please do not violate the rules without the emperor's order!"
Before he finished speaking, a cold light flashed.
The long sword in General Zhang's hand was as fast as lightning, and he killed the enemy with one blow!
Before the minister could dodge, he suddenly fell to the ground, blood gushing out and splashing all over the gold bricks.
"You are a traitor, you dare to speak nonsense, and you deserve death."
General Zhang looked indifferent, as if he had just killed a nobody.
There was chaos in the palace.
Guards immediately rushed in and surrounded the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony. Swords were unsheathed with a clanging sound, the sword light was cold, and a bone-chilling chill quickly spread.
General Zhang stood with a sword in his hand, blood dripping from the tip of the sword. The bright red blood drops fell on the gold bricks, and there was an eerie chill.
He glanced coldly around the hall.
"Any objections?"
No one responded.
All the ministers were silent, and for a moment they felt that the familiar Hall of Supreme Harmony had suddenly turned into a Shura execution ground.
All the ministers were shocked and there was dead silence in the hall.
Some people were pale and silent, while some of the more timid ones had already fallen to the ground, unable to even keep their court boots on, and were shaking like sieves.
General Zhang stood with his sword over his shoulder, the tip of the sword still not sheathed, his silver armor reflecting the cold light in the hall.
He had a blank expression on his face, like a god of war who could not distinguish between loyalty and treachery, and only gave the signal for killing and purging.
Wei Zilin continued to advance in this bloody massacre.
He was dressed in a black python robe and a jade belt around his waist. His features gave him the temperament of a nobleman, but at this moment, his lust for power revealed a vicious look in his eyes.
He stood on a high step, his eyes sharp and full of pride.
"My Lords," Wei Zilin suddenly raised his voice, his tone cold, "The Prince Regent has assisted in the administration for several years and has made great achievements. He has indeed made contributions to the State of Wei."
"But now that I have grown up, my father has ordered me to govern the country. If I still rely on the regent to manage the government, wouldn't I become a puppet?"
His voice was not loud and his sentences were plain, but every word was heart-piercing.
After saying this, he turned around and looked at the Queen Mother and General Zhang. Both of them said nothing, but their expressions were calm, and it was obvious that they had conspired in advance.
The prince turned slowly, his eyes fixed on the inky figure standing at the side of the hall.
"Yeon Kyung-hwan."
He called out the man's name word by word.
"I have been ordered to be the regent. From today on, I will take over the government. I hope the regent will know the current situation, abdicate and give up power, and live up to the trust of the late emperor."
The wind suddenly picked up, and the cold was bone-chilling.
Yan Jinghuan stood quietly, with his wide sleeves hanging down at his sides. The dark golden cloud patterns on his black robe moved lightly in the wind, shining brightly.
He never moved a step and had been standing there since he entered the hall, as quiet as a stone sculpture.
Until this moment, he finally slowly raised his eyes.
A pair of eyes were as dark as a deep pool, with no bottom in sight.
He looked towards Wei Zilin, his eyes neither angry nor sad, nor fearful, but only a frightening calmness, like the quiet sea before a violent storm, and the cold silence before a sword is unsheathed.
Wei Zilin's smile froze slightly. For some reason, at that moment, he felt a chill in his heart.
Yan Jinghuan said slowly: "You, want to depose me?"
His tone was calm, as if he was asking a trivial question, but he emphasized the word "this king" very heavily, like a thunderclap pressing down on one's head.
Wei Zilin refused to back down. He laughed out loud as if to give himself courage.
"Yan Jinghuan, you were just a minister assisting the government. Now that I want to rule the country myself, it is time for you to hand over the power."
"Could it be that... you still want to control the king with your own ministers?"
All the ministers in the hall held their breath and remained silent, all trembling slightly.
As soon as these words were spoken, several old ministers who had been neutral suddenly showed panic. Some quietly stepped back, some tightly grasped their sleeves, and some closed their eyes silently.
The Regent holds power like a mountain, and if the Crown Prince were to seize it, it would be like inviting a bolt of lightning.
General Zhang stepped forward and said in a deep voice: "I obey the orders of the Crown Prince and am willing to help Your Highness eliminate the old power and clean up the court."
Yan Jinghuan suddenly chuckled.
That smile was extremely cold, extremely chilly, and extremely indifferent.
He walked forward slowly, one step at a time, stepping on the gold bricks. Each step was extremely light, yet it seemed like he was stepping on everyone's hearts, as heavy as the beating of a drum.
He walked to the center of everyone's sight and stopped.
He swept his eyes across the people in the hall, finally landing on Wei Zilin, and said slowly:
"The previous emperor passed away, and the government is still unsettled. Who ordered you to be the regent? Where is the will? Where is the imperial edict?"
In a word, the prince was hit at the vital point.
Wei Zilin's expression suddenly changed, and he clenched his teeth and sneered: "The will will be announced to the world soon."
"As the crown prince, I have the power to supervise the country. Do you want to disobey my orders?"
"Disobedience?"
Yan Jinghuan asked calmly, his voice slightly deep, "I am the regent king, and I have assisted the Kingdom of Wei for many years, and I have a clear conscience. If you want to seize power, you can fight openly, why do you have to use a knife to kill for personal gain?"
Before he finished speaking, the prince's face turned cold: "What are you talking about?"
"General Zhang had retired from the army long ago, but he secretly mobilized the imperial guards to break into the imperial court at night, staining the golden steps with blood."
Yan Jinghuan's eyes were as sharp as a knife. "Do you really think you can conceal this farce of coronation and get away with it smoothly?"
General Zhang sneered: "I don't need you to tell me what to do."
"pity......"
Yan Jinghuan suddenly lowered his eyes, and a cold smile slowly appeared on the corner of his lips, "You forgot that the late emperor did not leave you only a will after his death."
The prince was suddenly startled.
The expressions of the ministers in the hall suddenly changed.
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