Lin Xueping's body shook, his heart in turmoil.
He couldn't understand why there was a will.
Obviously——
"Master Lin seems to be feeling unwell?" Shen Yanchuan walked past him and paused, "Do you want to summon the imperial physician?"
Lin Xueping subconsciously retorted, "No need! Your humble servant, your humble servant has done nothing wrong..."
"That's good." Chen Yanchuan raised his eyebrows slightly. "Since Lord Lin is alright, why don't you come with me to Qiyuan Hall to retrieve the late emperor's will? With Lord Lin as a witness, I believe no one will stir up trouble or spread slander and rumors."
Lin Xueping was stunned for a moment before he realized what Shen Yanchuan was talking about.
His face immediately became very embarrassed.
Shen Yanchuan's words were clearly a veiled attack, but he couldn't refute it!
"...Since the Crown Prince has said so, I will obey."
Lin Xueping stood up, straightened his clothes, and tried to calm himself down.
Afterwards, he went to the Qiyuan Hall with Shen Yanchuan.
The remaining people in the hall looked at each other in confusion.
No one expected that things would turn out like this...
"Also, I have heard that some people suspect that the late emperor's death was not due to illness, but other reasons."
Xiao Chengqi raised his chin slightly.
"Summon the Imperial Hospital Director Chu Qiyuan and Ye Chutang to the palace."
…
Qiyuan Hall.
Ever since Emperor Mu Wu passed away, this place has been fenced off, and all the palace servants who had served him before have been locked up separately. Now it looks like a dead silent cage.
Seeing Shen Yanchuan and others coming, the imperial guards saluted in unison.
Shen Yanchuan looked at the closed door.
"I have come by His Majesty's order to retrieve the late Emperor's will. Open the door."
"yes!"
The guarding imperial guards did not hesitate and immediately turned around and opened the door.
Everyone knows that on the night Xiao Chengqi succeeded to the throne, Shen Yanchuan was by his side.
Xiao Chengqi was able to secure the throne so quickly thanks to the contributions of Chen Yanchuan and the Dingbei Marquisate behind him, so his status was naturally incomparable.
Squeak——
The door opened and Shen Yanchuan walked in first.
Lin Xueping looked hesitant, but still gritted his teeth and followed.
Shen Yanchuan came to the side of the dragon bed and gently pressed a certain position under the jade pillow.
Click.
Suddenly, a secret compartment popped up under the bed.
A bright yellow imperial edict was lying quietly inside!
Lin Xueping's heart was instantly lifted!
——It actually exists!
This location is so secret that no one can find it unless Emperor Mu Wu tells it himself!
Even if one were to doubt the authenticity of this imperial edict, it would be difficult to convince everyone...
Shen Yanchuan took out the imperial edict and turned around to see Lin Xueping's face as pale as a ghost.
…
Bang——!
The cell door was opened forcefully from the outside.
Xiao Chenglin, who was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, heard the noise and slowly opened his eyes.
He tilted his head expressionlessly.
Su Wei stood with his hands behind his back, looking at him through the prison door.
Xiao Chenglin laughed softly.
"Why, Lord Su, are you planning to come and interrogate me personally? Unfortunately, I haven't done anything, so you can't get anything out of me."
He stretched out his hands, revealing his thin wrists, and his tone was filled with sarcasm.
"He's been waiting impatiently for my testimony, right? If you want to torture him, go ahead."
Su Wei ignored him and just turned his head to signal the jailer.
The jailer walked over and stood in front of Xiao Chenglin.
Then—
He undid Xiao Chenglin's shackles.
Xiao Chenglin was stunned, but saw that the jailer had retreated and had no intention of taking action.
This is……
Su Wei finally spoke,
"Your Highness Prince Jing, His Majesty summons you, please come in—"
Xiao Chenglin's heart suddenly sank.
…
The journey from the Heavenly Prison to the Taiji Hall was particularly long for Xiao Chenglin.
He had difficulty walking, but no one cared, so he could only use a crutch to move forward step by step.
When he arrived in front of the hall, his clothes were soaked, his forehead was covered with sweat, his lips were pale, and he looked quite disheveled.
He saw Xiao Chengqi sitting upright in the hall in front of him.
All the ministers bowed their heads, looking down on the emperor.
"Prince Jing has arrived—!"
Everyone turned around and cast various looks.
Xiao Chenglin had never thought of this scene.
He had an expressionless face, ignored the curious or mocking glances that fell on him, and walked into the hall.
"Royal brother."
He did not kneel or salute.
"How dare you! Why don't you kneel when you see His Majesty!?" someone shouted.
Xiao Chenglin raised his head and looked straight at Xiao Chengqi.
"My brother and I are of the same generation, why should I kneel?"
Xiao Chengqi actually laughed.
At this point, Xiao Chenglin really didn't plan to continue acting.
In the past, when brothers met, they would exchange a few polite words, but now they are unwilling to even bow their heads.
"Prince Jing is unwilling to give in, and I don't want to force him. Just don't kneel if you don't want to."
He spoke lazily.
"However, if I were to see the imperial edict from our father, would you be willing to kneel?"
Xiao Chenglin's pupils suddenly shrank!
Will?
How could he not know——
Just then, familiar footsteps were heard behind me.
Xiao Chenglin subconsciously turned around and saw that Shen Yanchuan had arrived outside the hall at some point.
"The late emperor's will has arrived—"
All the ministers knelt down, leaving Xiao Chenglin standing alone.
Shen Yanchuan held the imperial edict in one hand and looked at him.
"Now that Prince Jing has seen the late emperor's will, why doesn't he perform the solemn ceremony?"
Xiao Chenglin gritted his teeth and wanted to refute, but he saw Lin Xueping with an ugly face behind Shen Yanchuan.
He became increasingly uneasy, and finally knelt down slowly.
Chen Yanchuan opened the will, and his deep voice echoed clearly in everyone's ears.
"By the Will of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: I have received the favor of Heaven and have diligently and diligently observed His will. Now, plagued by illness, I fear that I will no longer be able to attend to my duties. However, mindful of the importance of the state and its people, I wish to establish the foundation of the nation as soon as possible. The Emperor's third son, Chengqi, is wise and decisive, possessing both virtue and talent, and is worthy of inheriting the throne..."
With every sentence he read, Xiao Chenglin's face became uglier.
And when he heard the final date of signature, he was even more shocked.
Because - this will was not written on the day Emperor Muwu passed away, but on New Year's Day three months ago!
"impossible!"
Xiao Chenglin could no longer bear it and directly refuted,
"That was when the Wazhen envoys arrived in Beijing. My father was still in good health. How could he have made a will at that time?!"
Shen Yanchuan glanced at him.
Xiao Chengqi said, "Yanchuan, give him the will and let him take a good look at it to see if it is written by our father himself."
Shen Yanchuan came in front of Xiao Chenglin.
"Prince Jing, please look."
Xiao Chenglin suddenly became uneasy.
Could it be... that this is really a will that was made long ago?!
But there was no news at all before...it was kept secret so thoroughly!
"You can imitate the handwriting, but I don't need to read it."
Someone gasped.
Prince Jing is too bold!
Isn't this a blatant questioning of the new emperor's falsification of the imperial edict and his attempt to usurp the throne?!
Shen Yanchuan raised his eyebrows.
"Since Prince Jing doesn't want to see it, then everyone else must be willing to see it, right?"
Xiao Chenglin was stunned.
people?
Who?
Shen Yanchuan tilted his head and spoke in a calm tone.
"Bring the people up." (End of this chapter)
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