Prime Minister Xiao frowned, silently pondering the current situation. He knew all too well that he had no foothold in the army, and to think of establishing himself as king was simply a pipe dream.
After careful consideration, he realized that the best option at present was to take the initiative to support the new emperor. In this way, he would not only gain the merit of supporting the emperor, but also be very likely to be granted a noble title and enjoy wealth and honor.
Having made up his mind, Prime Minister Xiao acted decisively and issued orders without hesitation: "Immediately seal off the news and ensure that no information leaks out! At the same time, dispatch the fastest horses to welcome His Highness Prince Song back to the palace. Make sure his safety is ensured and that there are no mishaps." His voice was firm and powerful, revealing an air of authority and decisiveness.
Just then, a palace guard rushed into the hall like a whirlwind, his speed astonishing.
The guard was panting heavily, his face pale, clearly having run all the way. Without even catching his breath, he hurriedly reported to Prime Minister Xiao, "Prime Minister, His Highness Prince Song has entered the palace by carriage. He said his illness has been cured and he has come to pay his respects to His Majesty."
"King Song, he... he also brought a large army with him."
This sudden news shocked all the officials present.
Prime Minister Xiao's face also turned extremely ugly. He never expected that the King of Song would come uninvited and bring a troop of soldiers, which clearly indicated that he had ill intentions.
He was thinking that he had lost his great merit in supporting the emperor. Not only would he lose his title, but the new emperor might also eliminate him, the prime minister, first, since his daughter was the emperor's concubine.
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, thinking to themselves: What a coincidence! The Emperor had just passed away, and just as everyone was discussing the establishment of a new Emperor, the previously seriously ill Prince Song miraculously recovered and returned with a large army, clearly indicating that he had come prepared.
Such a coincidence, no matter how you look at it, makes one feel that a huge conspiracy is hidden within it.
Regardless of the conspiracy, the throne belongs to the Zhao family. It is their business if the royal family members fight amongst themselves for the throne.
None of the officials and soldiers present were willing to get involved in the power struggle; the saying "the winner takes all, the loser is a bandit" held true, and the slightest mistake could lead to the extermination of their entire families.
In the blink of an eye, the King of Song led a large contingent of guards and soldiers, striding into the imperial study like a whirlwind.
The King of Song was tall and imposing, like a mountain. His complexion was slightly yellow, indicating that he had just recovered from a serious illness.
He had a small, meticulously trimmed beard on his chin, which made him look quite dignified.
His eyes were like burning flames, bright and piercing, able to see through everything when he looked up.
The moment Prince Song stepped into the imperial study, his gaze, sharp as a hawk's, fell directly on the deceased emperor. In an instant, his eyes widened in horror, his face contorted with terror. He involuntarily took a step back, crying out, "Your Majesty, what's wrong? Who did this?"
His voice echoed in the silent imperial study, filled with boundless shock and rage.
His gaze was piercing as he scanned the surroundings, finally settling on the Prime Minister. He pointed a finger at the four corners of the room and said fiercely, "Did you kill the Emperor? Did you plot a rebellion and usurp the throne?"
Upon seeing this, the Prime Minister hurriedly stepped forward, bowed tremblingly, and stammered, "No... it wasn't us, it was... it was General Huang of the city's garrison who killed His Majesty."
"This is utter nonsense!" The Prince of Song roared in fury, his voice so loud that the roof of the imperial study seemed to tremble slightly. "Huang Kuan has always been by my side. How could he possibly be in two places at once to plot against the Emperor?"
The Prime Minister insisted, "It is absolutely true, Your Highness Prince Song. This was definitely Huang Kuan's doing. If you don't believe me, you can ask the others present."
Upon seeing this, everyone present echoed, "Indeed, we all witnessed Huang Kuan murdering the Emperor."
"Hmph, Huang Kuan." King Song snorted coldly, then shouted.
"Your Highness." Huang Kuan strode in from outside and bowed respectfully.
The Prince of Song stared intently at Huang Kuan with a serious expression, questioning him without any attempt to conceal his true intentions: "They all say that you killed the Emperor, is that really the case?"
Huang Kuan showed no sign of panic. He calmly shook his head and firmly replied, "Your Highness, this is absolutely impossible! I have always been by your side, so how could I possibly kill the Emperor?"
Having said that, Huang Kuan, as if nothing had happened, calmly turned to the officials and asked suspiciously, "Has someone impersonated this general?"
If Huang Kuan's killing of the emperor had already shocked the prime minister and officials, then...
The shocking revelation that Huang Kuan was actually one of the Song King's men sent a chill down the spines of everyone present, making them feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.
Some astute individuals immediately sensed the impending danger—they feared they would be silenced and then framed for the emperor's murder.
Among these people, the most astute was none other than Prime Minister Xiao. He immediately changed his tune, saying, "Yes, yes, someone did indeed impersonate General Huang to assassinate His Majesty. That person was not only taller and fatter than General Huang, but also far less handsome."
King Song nodded in satisfaction after hearing Prime Minister Xiao's words, then looked at the prime minister with a meaningful gaze, quite appreciating his tact.
Other officials quickly echoed, "Yes, yes, that's exactly right!"
The King of Song crossed his arms over his chest, a faint smile playing on his lips, and casually asked, "Prime Minister, tell me, what should we do next?"
Prime Minister Xiao sensed the murderous intent in the King of Song's words. He trembled as if struck by lightning, his legs went weak, and he knelt down with a thud.
His face was deathly pale, and cold sweat poured down his forehead. He stammered and hurriedly said, "This...this humble official was just discussing with the officials and said that His Majesty has no heir. If we were to discuss who is most qualified to inherit the throne, it would be none other than Your Highness Prince Song!"
Before the words were even finished, the other officials also knelt down and echoed in unison, "That's right! Your Highness is virtuous and talented, benevolent and loves the people. You are truly the only one who can inherit the throne!"
Amidst this chorus of flattery, some secretly grumbled: even if the King of Song was the least qualified to inherit the throne, now that he has a large army pressing in and is heading straight for the palace, the throne is naturally his.
Faced with the crowd's kneeling and urging to take the throne, King Song remained unmoved. He waved his hand, took a few steps back, and refused with a serious expression, saying, "I am not talented enough to shoulder this great responsibility. I hope you will not bring this matter up again."
Just then, Prince Lu, accompanied by a few guards, rushed into the palace in a panic, shouting, "Your Majesty, I have urgent business to discuss with you."
He received a message from an informant in the palace that "a palace coup might be possible," so he quickly led his guards into the palace to check the situation.
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