Chapter 76 The Next Emperor of Nanyue
Time flies, and Prince Liu Xiao has grown up completely, shedding his youthful immaturity and becoming unparalleled in handsomeness and graceful demeanor.
He has been handling state affairs for many years on behalf of his recuperating father, Emperor Liu Jin. He is calm and composed in his behavior and makes clear decisions, and he already has the style of a crown prince.
However, in the past one or two years, some careful veteran officials have gradually discovered a secret that frightens them but they dare not speak it out loud:
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's appearance, especially his eyebrows and demeanor, is becoming more and more like that of the Nanyue Emperor Xiao Ziran, who has a close relationship with Your Majesty!
At first, it was just subtle whispers in a very small private circle.
"My Lord, don't you think... His Royal Highness the Crown Prince seems to be..."
"Hush! Be careful with your words! Don't make irresponsible remarks about this matter!"
"But... this is too similar... especially when he smiles, those eyebrows and eyes..."
Doubt spread among the court officials like a silent plague.
They looked at His Majesty, who was still majestic but had already shown signs of letting go on the dragon throne, and then looked at the Crown Prince, who looked more and more like Emperor Nanyue at the foot of the imperial steps, and their hearts were filled with great confusion and anxiety.
Doubt the prince's bloodline?
This thought is enough to kill nine generations of your clan!
Who doesn’t know how the current Majesty Liu Jin ascended the throne?
That was a bloody road fought out by stepping on the corpses of countless brothers and political enemies!
He is cruel and ruthless, how could he tolerate someone else's bloodline inheriting his kingdom?
What's more, he doted on the prince so much and cultivated him so unreservedly, and even showed the intention of abdicating in recent years?
This clearly shows that he is determined to be the prince's son!
It doesn't make sense logically, but how do you explain the increasingly similar looks before your eyes?
The court officials were caught in huge contradictions and self-doubts, and could only suppress this shock and suspicion deep in their hearts, and no one dared to be the first to speak out.
In this strange calm and undercurrent, a storm that was enough to detonate the courts of the two countries suddenly arrived!
A grand state banquet was held in the capital of Nanyue Kingdom.
At a banquet, Emperor Xiao Ziran of Nanyue, in front of his country's civil and military officials and envoys from various countries, announced a decree that shocked the world:
"I, Emperor Xiao Ziran of Nanyue, hereby announce to the world! After investigation, it has been confirmed that the Crown Prince Liu Xiao of the Celestial Empire is actually my blood nephew, and his mother is my deceased sister."
He glanced at the stunned crowd, and his tone became even more solemn, even with a hint of unquestionable fanaticism:
"However, the bond of blood cannot be abandoned, and the succession of the ancestral temple cannot be taken lightly! I have decided that after a hundred years, the throne of Emperor Nanyue will be inherited by my nephew, the Crown Prince of the Heavenly Dynasty, Liu Xiao! This edict has been entered into the Nanyue Ancestral Temple, announced to the heavens, the earth, and the ancestors, for the whole world to witness!"
Boom——!!!
Like a bolt from the blue, the entire banquet hall fell silent, and then a huge uproar broke out!
The news was transmitted back to the capital of the Celestial Empire as quickly as possible!
The entire imperial court was in an uproar!
All the previous whispers and suspicions about the prince's appearance found an absurd yet seemingly
"Reasonable" explanation!
It turns out the prince really has Nanyue blood! He is actually the son of Princess Nanyue?
Then His Majesty... His Majesty, did he know? How could he not know? Then why did he still make him the Crown Prince? Even abdicate the throne to him?!
Great confusion, shock, panic, and even anger at being deceived intertwined in the hearts of the court officials!
This completely overturned their cognition! Some veteran officials almost fainted on the spot!
"This... this is outrageous! How can a crown prince inherit the throne of another country?!"
"Your Majesty, are you going to hand over our Celestial Empire to Nanyue?"
"Does Your Highness know? Whose son is he?!"
"The case of Concubine Jing's child swapping back then... could there be such a hidden story behind it?!"
The voices of questioning, exclamations, and arguments almost blew the roof off the hall.
Everyone's eyes were focused on Emperor Liu Jin, who sat expressionless on the dragon throne, and Crown Prince Liu Xiao, who was standing at the foot of the imperial steps, his face pale and his eyes filled with shock and confusion due to the shocking news.
Liu Xiao stood in the court, feeling a buzzing in his ears and all sounds became unclear.
He looked at his father on the dragon throne in disbelief, and seemed to be able to penetrate the palace walls and see the Emperor Nanyue in the distance who announced this absurd edict.
Uncle? Inherit the throne of Nanyue?
What is going on?
He always thought that the mystery of his life experience had been solved, and he was just a victim of Concubine Jing's vicious plan. Why was the late Emperor Nanyue involved?
Why did Xiao Ziran do this?
Father...what role did Father play in this?
The huge shock and sense of betrayal almost overwhelmed him. His body swayed slightly and his face turned pale as paper.
Liu Jin, sitting on the dragon throne, faced the almost out-of-control court and the doubtful gazes of the ministers below, but there was no expression of surprise on his face.
There was only a deep, cold calm.
It was as if all this had been anticipated by him, or even...under his control.
He slowly raised his hand. It was just a simple movement, but it carried the absolute pressure of an emperor, and instantly quieted the noisy hall.
Everyone's heart was in their throat, waiting for the emperor's answer.
How will this huge storm caused by Emperor Nanyue, which concerns the foundation of the two countries and the bloodline of the prince, end?
Liu Jin's gaze slowly swept over the ministers and finally fell on the pale-faced Liu Xiao.
He spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly heard by everyone, like a thunderclap:
"What Emperor Nanyue said is true."
These six simple words confirmed all the speculations and pushed the storm to its climax!
In the court, after the deathly silence, there was a critical point where a greater uproar was about to break out!
At this moment, Xiao Ziran, who was far away in Nanyue, might be looking towards the direction of the Celestial Empire with a calculating and affectionate smile on his face.
This move was shocking, but it was also the biggest move he and Liu Jin made together for the future world order.
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