Chapter 474 The Emperor's Uncle's Ambition and the Uncle-Nephew's Clever Maneuvering
A hint of pride flashed in Zhao Chengyu's eyes, as if he had already seen Zhao Yunci bowing down in submission.
He took out a bright yellow scroll that had been prepared long ago from his sleeve and threw it casually on the table in front of Zhao Yunci.
"This is the abdication edict prepared for you by your uncle."
Zhao Chengyu's voice carried a hint of almsgiving. "As long as you obediently sign your name and affix the imperial seal, the emperor's uncle can spare your life and allow you to continue being your carefree prince, living a life of luxury. This is much better than being a king of a fallen nation, with your head and body torn apart."
Zhao Yunci lowered her eyes, looked at the spread-out edict and the words listed on it, and snorted softly.
He slowly raised his head. "Uncle Emperor...are you really going to be so decisive? After all, you and I are connected by blood. Can you...can you really bear to watch the Zhao family's kingdom fall into...into the hands of others?"
He paused deliberately, his eyes sweeping over the core figures of Qingmo Valley around him, as if implying that they were the "outsiders".
Upon hearing this, the leader of Qingmo Valley frowned, stepped forward, and said sternly, "Your Majesty, please stop trying to sow discord here! The Valley Master is a man of great talent and strategy, and he is destined to be the one chosen by Heaven!"
"A man who knows the current situation is a hero. Your Majesty, it is best to sign the agreement as soon as possible to avoid physical pain!"
Zhao Chengyu waved his hand, signaling the middle-aged man to withdraw, with a playful smile on his face: "Yunci, there is no need to play these tricks."
"Everyone in this Qingmo Valley is my confidant. As for blood... did Anyang spare my other brothers back then, considering our uncle-nephew bloodline?"
His tone darkened. "I'll give you one stick of incense to think about it. If you don't sign, I have plenty of ways to make you speak up."
Zhao Yunci's fingers tightened slightly as she placed them on her knees. "Uncle, I... I need time. This matter is of great importance and concerns the fate of our nation. How can we be so careless?"
His eyes were wandering, as if he was trying hard to find a way to escape, or as if he was trying to delay time.
"I...if I sign, how can my uncle guarantee my safety? How can he guarantee the loyalty of those ministers in the court..."
Just as Zhao Yunci and Zhao Chengyu were dealing with each other, an unusual commotion was faintly heard outside the secret room.
Although they tried their best to suppress it, the subtle sounds of chaotic footsteps and the low hum of weapons colliding still reached the deep secret room.
A leader of the Qingmo Valley beside Zhao Chengyu's face changed slightly. He listened attentively, then stepped forward and whispered, "Valley Master, something seems amiss outside."
Zhao Chengyu frowned, and a fierce look flashed in his eyes.
He has been running this Jingxin Villa for many years, and the defense is as solid as a rock. How could there be trouble easily?
"Send someone to see what happened!"
The leader took the order and hurried out of the secret room.
Zhao Chengyu's patience was clearly running out. He turned to Zhao Yunci with a cold look in his eyes. "It seems you're waiting for reinforcements?"
He sneered, "Don't be so delusional. Even if Gu Junze comes in person, he won't be able to set foot in this villa!"
He slammed his hand on the table, causing the candlelight to flicker. "Zhao Yunci, my patience is limited! Sign or not? If you delay any further, don't blame your uncle for being ruthless. I'll teach you a lesson about the ways of Qingmo Valley!"
As he finished speaking, two deacons from Qingmo Valley stepped forward and stared at Zhao Yunci with unfriendly eyes, as if ready to attack at any time.
The atmosphere in the secret room froze instantly, and it was so oppressive that it made people breathless.
Zhao Yunci looked at the murderous intent in Zhao Chengyu's eyes and knew that the delay had reached its limit.
He took a deep breath, a look of dejection and despair on his face, as if all resistance had collapsed at this moment.
"Okay... I'll sign." His voice was hoarse and filled with endless fatigue.
He slowly stretched out his hand and picked up the brush on the table. His movements were so slow that it seemed as if the brush weighed a thousand pounds.
Seeing this, Zhao Chengyu curled up a victorious sneer at the corner of his mouth, his eyes full of contempt.
With trembling hands, Zhao Yunci dipped the tip of the brush into the inkstone, but at the moment when she lifted the brush and was about to write on the imperial edict, her wrist suddenly shook.
"Ouch!" a soft cry.
The tip of the pen dipped in ink uncontrollably slid across an inconspicuous corner of the imperial edict, and a drop of thick ink also dripped and quickly spread out.
That location happened to be at the end of the abdication edict. Although the ink was not big, it blurred a few key small words.
"Waste!" Zhao Chengyu shouted impatiently when he saw this.
But seeing that Zhao Yunci was about to sign, he didn't pay too much attention to the tiny ink stain, thinking that it was caused by his distraction and shaking hands.
"Sign quickly! Stop playing tricks!" he urged.
Zhao Yunci picked up the pen and without hesitation, signed his name on the abdication edict in a flamboyant manner.
Afterwards, under the gaze of everyone in Qingmo Valley, he took the jade seal beside him and pressed it down heavily.
After doing all this, he seemed to have been drained of all his strength. He leaned back in his chair dejectedly and closed his eyes.
Zhao Chengyu grabbed the imperial edict and looked at the clear signature and seal on it, and a look of ecstasy finally appeared on his face.
He held up the imperial edict and laughed heartily at everyone in the secret room, "Hahaha! From today on, the Eastern Jin Dynasty will belong to me, Zhao Chengyu!"
Everyone in the Qingmo Valley in the secret room knelt down and shouted "Long live the emperor!" Their voices were filled with excitement and enthusiasm.
Only the middle-aged leader, in his excitement, inadvertently glanced at the small ink stain on the edict.
His brows furrowed slightly, but the Valley Master was in high spirits.
He didn't dare say much and just suppressed the doubt in his heart.
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