Shang Changge understood, and was moved by General Xiao's consideration for her in every way.
She reached out and stroked the man's rugged face, the words slipping out:
"I love you."
In the dim moonlight, one could see that both of them had bloodstains on their bodies and faces.
Xiao Ji stopped, his usually cold and handsome face showing an uncontrollable smile mixed with a hint of helplessness:
"You little rascal, I'm glad I love you too, but isn't it a bit inappropriate for us to talk about this now?"
Shang Changge raised an eyebrow, deliberately teasing General Xiao: "Then I'll withdraw? You should also wipe that smile off your face and eyes?"
Xiao Ji took another step, his steps steady: "No, I won't accept it. I heard it, just now my princess said she loves me."
His words contained just the right amount of domineering and pride, revealing General Xiao's unusually pleasant mood.
The first snowfall in Qingyan this year lasted longer than the first snowfall in previous years, which destined this year's snowfall to be unusual.
The palace remained majestic and solemn.
However, the long road stretching from the towering palace gates to the inner palace of the imperial concubines had just witnessed a fierce battle.
Severed limbs and remains were scattered everywhere on the bluestone ground, and the nauseating smell of blood permeated the air.
And those who die on the path of the struggle for the throne are far more than just those who die on this path tonight.
Countless people have lost their lives, both openly and secretly, for this cause, with no possibility of being brought back to life and starting over.
The entire palace was sealed off by the Crown Prince's troops, including the Imperial Study.
"Your Majesty."
Li Fuhai, filled with trepidation, presented Shang Changze with the edict of succession that Emperor Mingde had written long ago, his heart churning with turmoil.
He had merely caught a cold and asked for a day off to rest early, how could such a huge upheaval have occurred in the palace, even the Emperor...
Shang Changze took the imperial edict, opened it, and after a long pause, said indifferently:
"I am still the Crown Prince, and the name on this edict of succession is not mine. I am truly unworthy of being called Your Majesty by the title of Your Excellency."
Li Fuhai trembled, his knees buckled, and he knelt down.
Shang Changze withdrew his gaze from the two characters "Shang Rui" on the edict of succession and swept it towards the box held by the guard with a sword.
The guard with the sword understood and respectfully presented the box.
Kneeling, Li Fuhai's hunched back became even more hunched. No one in the world knew better than him what was inside the box.
It was a document written by the Emperor himself, detailing the Crown Prince's crimes of forcing the throne and plotting rebellion, just like the edict of succession.
The emperor would rewrite it every year, then carefully put it in a box and order him to keep it safe.
Although the Crown Prince hadn't staged a coup before tonight, it was a recurring nightmare for the Emperor. He never imagined the nightmare would come true... this...
Shang Changze: "Father is really confused. He can't even tell me apart from my third brother."
The candlelight blazed brightly, and the edict of succession and the list of the crown prince's crimes were gradually swallowed up and burned to ashes by the flickering flames.
In the flickering firelight, Shang Changze's face was half refined and half fierce.
"The edict of succession should have my name, but it was written as my third brother. The document on the crime of forcing the emperor to abdicate clearly states that my third brother was the one who committed the crime, but it was written as me."
"Very well, I will rewrite a correct one for Father."
Li Fuhai was greatly alarmed. What did the Crown Prince mean by that? Could it be...?
The Imperial Study was filled with Shang Changze's men, and no one spoke. It was so quiet that the sound of grinding ink and writing could be clearly heard.
In a short while,
Shang Changze wrote down the edict of succession and the list of crimes, and had a guard with a sword show it to Li Fuhai.
Li Fuhai's hands trembled as he looked at the two books, which bore the exact same handwriting as Emperor Mingde's. He was speechless for a long time.
Shang Changze sat calmly and composedly in the seat where Emperor Mingde usually sat, his fingers interlaced.
"What does Father-in-law think? Is my imitation of Father Emperor's handwriting accurate?"
Li Fuhai kowtowed again to the jade floor, held the two books above his head, and said in a trembling voice:
"Your Highness, it's exactly the same."
Shang Changze looked up and smiled, "That's excellent."
In the winter of the 315th year of Qingyan, the third prince Shang Rui and his cronies seized power in the night to force the emperor to abdicate and kill his father. His mother, Consort Yun Rou, died protecting the emperor.
Fortunately, Crown Prince Shang Changze led troops into the palace in time to quell the rebellion, thus preventing a greater disaster from occurring.
A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. The next day, the crown prince ascended the throne.
Overnight, the palace was turned upside down, and the countless corpses that had been lying in various parts of the palace the night before were all cleaned up.
After the heavy snow, the sun still rose in the east.
The magnificent palace, bathed in the golden morning light, remained as beautiful as ever.
It was as if nothing had happened last night, just a cruel, bloody, and illusory dream.
The morning court session was held in the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Shang Changze remained calm and composed, his black hair tied up in a crown, wearing a bright yellow robe with a five-clawed golden dragon, sitting high on the dragon throne, looking down at the officials.
The civil and military officials had different thoughts, but the situation was already decided, and even if they had other ideas, they were powerless to change it. They all kowtowed.
"Congratulations on the new emperor's ascension to the throne! Long live the Emperor!"
Of course, today's morning court session didn't go so smoothly from the start.
Prior to this, ever since Shang Changze appeared before the officials in his dragon robe,
Officials of different ranks and with differing opinions have spent nearly an hour engaging in dozens of friendly exchanges involving spittle flying, objects being thrown at each other, and even physical altercations.
There were quite a few ministers who did not accept the accounts of Emperor Mingde's death, the death of the Imperial Concubine, or that Shang Rui had forced the emperor to abdicate while Shang Changze had led troops to quell the rebellion.
Among these people were several ministers who had previously chosen to support Shang Changze because they valued his kindness and benevolence.
After all, the act of forcing the emperor to abdicate, plotting rebellion, murdering his father, and then framing his brothers afterwards—these are all...
Each of these acts, taken individually, is a despicable act of disloyalty, filial impiety, inhumanity, and injustice.
However,
There are gentlemen in the world who uphold the principles of a virtuous person who loves power but acquires it through proper means, and who adhere to loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness. There are also people who are completely the opposite.
They knew all too well that in the struggle for succession and power, there was no distinction between gentlemen and villains; only the victor was king and the loser was villain.
Especially considering the Crown Prince's previous situation, if he had truly insisted on maintaining a gentlemanly demeanor, the only ones who would have met a tragic end would have been the Crown Prince and those who supported him.
So these people started to refute it in various ways, for example, by bringing up the recent uproar about the falling out between Emperor Mingde and his son Shang Rui.
What was originally a tactic used by Emperor Mingde to deceive the world has now become the rhetoric used by ministers supporting Shang Changze to refute doubts.
This leaves both those who know the inside story and those who don't, speechless with bitterness.
The morning court session, which usually lasts no more than two hours, took a full half day today to get back on track.
In this morning court session, everyone played their part, including Shang Ye.
At noon, at the Princess's residence.
Shang Changge had just woken up; after a good night's sleep, the pain from all the wounds on her body, big and small, was gone.
Thinking that from today onwards there would be no more dog emperors controlling him, Shang Changge felt refreshed and full of energy.
Inside the bedroom, in front of the dressing table.
Mi Chan was applying makeup to Shang Changge alone, whispering instructions as she did so:
"Princess, I've drawn red dots under your eyes, making it look like you've been crying."
When you step out of the palace later, be sure to suppress your smile and don't let outsiders notice anything amiss!
You have no idea how many people came to our Princess's residence this morning, all wanting to know what you're doing.
Especially your fifth or even seventh sister, who led a group of guards and tried to force her way in.
They were shouting in front of our gate that the Crown Prince had killed her father and mother, and that if it weren't for Sister Qingyao and the guards stopping them..."
Mi Chan listened to Shang Changge only by picking out the key points, as for the imperial sister, oh, Shang Le.
Shang Changge smiled. Her father and mother were dead, and one of her two full brothers was imprisoned in the imperial palace's dungeon.
Shang Le even dared to lead her guards in an attempt to force her way into her princess's residence. It has to be said, her younger sister is truly courageous.
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