TBR CH161

Before all the matters of power, betrayal, and slaughter unfolded, it was necessary to first address one person’s situation.

Qin Sangzhi’s face was ashen, trembling like a sieve, even his dark blue robes seemed to have faded, blending into the crowd. He clenched his teeth, looking at the madman who had a knife at His Majesty’s throat, his mind still replaying Ji Ying’s contemptuous gaze at their group. As if seeking comfort, he quickly scanned the surrounding crowd.

No, Chu Huaicun wasn’t there.

Instead, a member of his literary society beside him stepped forward, filled with righteous indignation, and began to denounce the outrageous act before them. Qin Sangzhi hesitated for a moment, but still did not step forward. He felt as if he had swallowed a piece of ice in his stomach, and an uncontrollable fear began to grip him.

Having stayed in this world for so long… he had become accustomed to a pampered life, accustomed to oppressing others with power. He could naturally pride himself on his integrity, fearless and unyielding, but that was because he had Chu Huaicun’s influence as his backing. But what had he just seen? The most noble person in the world, his safety, was now suspended between thin blades.

And Prime Minister Chu was not here. Moreover, according to what he had just heard, Chu Huaicun was practically in danger himself. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva, tremblingly calling out to the system in his mind:

“System, are you… are you still there? What exactly is going on? Didn’t you say that Ji Ying was just a petty villain, that he shouldn’t have much luck, and couldn’t possibly kill the true Son of Heaven? And Chu Huaicun… will Prime Minister Chu be alright?”

After a moment, the system’s voice finally sounded in his mind.

“Detecting fluctuations in this world’s luck value,” the mechanical buzzing began, “When loading the observation data, I used Ji Ying’s identity, but as the host can now see, he is not Ji Ying. This is not just a mistake, and furthermore—”

“Furthermore, what?”

The system’s tone also held a strange fluctuation: “The Emperor’s luck value is continuously decreasing, while his luck value is increasing. I must also remind the host of something crucial: Ji Ying’s true identity is extremely tricky, so the host must be very careful.”

Qin Sangzhi swallowed hard, feeling his hands cold and clammy. He asked with difficulty:

“What did you say?”

“Data updates confirm that Ji Ying was the white moonlight in Chu Huaicun’s heart back then, which is the source of the emotions you replaced. Although there’s no evidence yet of the transference effect failing. However, all evidence indicates that Ji Ying may have already confessed his identity to Chu Huaicun, and everything happening now is the best proof. The host must carefully consider…”

“How could such a lackey,” Qin Sangzhi felt his mind wasn’t his own, slowly comprehending the system’s meaning, suppressing the urge to scream, “How can Ji Ying be worthy? He… I… will Chu Huaicun not love me after remembering? Impossible, this won’t happen. He clearly brought me out of prison and even saved me. What is this now? You clearly promised there would be no problems!”

“Host, please calm down.”

An alarm blared loudly in Qin Sangzhi’s mind, its sharp ringing awakening a sliver of Qin Sangzhi’s reason. His body was still in the hall, but his soul floated, his words twisting several times on his tongue. The system then comforted him:

“Nothing is set in stone yet. Isn’t Chu Huaicun still treating you the same? The transference effect is still active; there might be some confusion, but even if Chu Huaicun remembers the other person, his feelings are entirely for you. Moreover, you are the white moonlight in his heart, and Ji Ying is far, far behind, so much so that even I overlooked it.”

“…Really?” Qin Sangzhi’s lingering fear had not subsided.

“Naturally,” the system replied, “Of course, if you’re not at ease, we can also leave this world as soon as possible. We can depart now. This would be safer. It’s just a pity, if the current Chu Huaicun…”

“The current Chu Huaicun?”

Qin Sangzhi mechanically repeated it in his mind. He clenched his sleeves tightly, suddenly feeling a massive unease sweep over him at the thought of leaving. He thought of that man in his pristine white robes, so imposing that his mere sight brought immense relief; he thought of him holding his sword, forcing back enemies, and his heart pounded. He remembered the tenderness beneath his cold exterior, his unique treatment of himself—the thought of losing all of it actually made Qin Sangzhi’s heart ache.

“We chose Chu Huaicun as the target,”

The system paused, perhaps it too was hesitating: “Because he is not orthodox in this world, yet his luck is at its peak. But now, I see the dragon vein falling upon him, his luck value has reached a rare scale, and is still gradually heading towards its zenith. If we have such a force, we…”

Qin Sangzhi suddenly and anxiously interrupted it: “We can’t leave!”

In the hushed hall, Qin Sangzhi, hidden in the shadows and drenched in cold sweat, was not yet drawing attention. He remained concealed in the crowd, hearing some people filled with righteous indignation, others heartbroken. A few scholars occasionally glanced in his direction, as if wondering why Qin Sangzhi, who usually criticized current affairs, hadn’t stepped forward.

In Qin Sangzhi’s eyes, Ji Ying had completely transformed into his love rival. He looked left and right, finding no redeeming qualities in the other’s mad and violent demeanor, not a single strand of hair comparable to his own radiant and unblemished image as the foremost young master.

“How could Chu Huaicun like someone like him?”

Qin Sangzhi furrowed his brows, speaking to the system in his mind, already unconsciously feeling several degrees of certainty, “Are there really so few examples of substitutes becoming the true love? Even if Prime Minister Chu gives him some face for being the person he knew in his youth, isn’t he hiding it from me now precisely because he fears I’d mind?”

As the situation shifted, Qin Sangzhi began to be the one persuading the system.

“Moreover,” he even said patiently, “Didn’t you tell me at first that you were just an incomplete backup. If we run away without collecting enough energy, what will you do in the next world? Let me try to conquer a villain without any abilities? I won’t live that kind of life.”

The system was silent for a short while.

It did not possess a human emotional system. Its host’s pupils were constantly flickering, and that face, though pretty, was involuntarily veiled by a shadow of jealousy. If it understood humans a little more, it would realize that the burning emotion in the other’s eyes was dangerous, an irrational devotion to love.

“But,” its mechanical voice still echoed in Qin Sangzhi’s mind, “the situation here has gone out of control and could be targeted by the Heavenly Dao at any time. Does the host truly have confidence—”

“Yes,” Qin Sangzhi said decisively.

To stay, he had already convinced himself.

Seeing this, the system still didn’t completely relax. It hesitated for a long time before replying in Qin Sangzhi’s mind: “Then, we’ll stay for three more days. If anything goes wrong in these three days, we’ll leave immediately.”

However, these two mechanical sentences floated through Qin Sangzhi’s mind without leaving any substantial impact. For at this moment, Chu Huaicun had already entered the palace hall with his sword. The chilling aura of Prime Minister Chu, stained with blood but his expression as indifferent as ever, captivated everyone’s gaze. Qin Sangzhi immediately straightened his robes.

His pupils uncontrollably gazed towards Chu Huaicun, his nostrils slightly flared, and a faint blush appeared on his fear-pale face, revealing unconcealed greed. The system felt a sense of losing control and derailing, but it comforted itself that the situation was still relatively smooth, giving the host another chance.

—The host was the one in a superior position; there was no way they could truly fall in love with the target of their conquest.

Afterwards, it would regret it, wishing it had realized sooner.

“I am here to bear witness for him.”

The civil and military officials, along with the Emperor, whose throat was at Ji Ying’s blade, clearly heard these words. Some were still struggling to comprehend, while others had already realized that a storm was brewing. In truth, it didn’t require much acumen; the dense array of soldiers behind Chu Huaicun stretched almost to the horizon. And this was within the imperial city, at the Son of Heaven’s feet.

The Son of Heaven was speechless for a long time, and Ji Ying then realized he might have been gripping too tightly. He relaxed his hold slightly, whereupon His Majesty immediately reproached him in disbelief:

“Chu Huaicun, are you attempting a coup! What an arrogant and rebellious Prime Minister Chu you are. Where are my imperial guards? Where are my soldiers? Prince Duan clearly went to mobilize troops; why hasn’t he arrived yet?”

“I advise Your Majesty not to harbor any illusions about such matters.”

As soon as Chu Huaicun arrived, Ji Ying didn’t lower his knife, but his demeanor became even more courteous, appearing almost gentle. “Even if the troops arrive, what then? Do you truly wish to have your blood spilled before the six armies, dying so undignifiedly? Allow me to remind you, your life and death now rest solely in my hands.”

The few bright flickers occasionally leaping in his dark eyes revealed that the madness in his blood had not been diluted one bit.

Holding the Son of Heaven hostage, attempting a coup before the Golden Throne. At this moment, even the most outspoken and unyielding ministers in the court fell silent for a moment. In the absolute quiet, an aged voice suddenly spoke.

“Prime Minister Chu’s meaning just now was,” it was an old minister who had served two dynasties, he said cautiously, “You are here to bear witness for Minister Ji? What kind of witness, could it be that Minister Ji is truly…”

Chu Huaicun pointed his sword downwards, looking as if he intended to take two steps towards Ji Ying. He softly called out: “Yuan Ya.”

“Mm.” Ji Ying still smiled faintly, “I’m fine.”

When the name “Yuan Ya” was uttered, even the old minister was speechless, though he still looked with some disbelief at the figure wrapped in deep purple robes before the crowd. Chu Huaicun could not lie, or rather, he had no need to lie, nor could he meticulously fabricate such an identity for the sake of a lie.

This was not Chu Huaicun’s style.

What was Chu Huaicun’s style?

Entering the palace, sword in hand, slaying all in his path, be they men or gods.

Chu Huaicun continued, his tone steady: “All of you present already know my identity, so there’s no need for me to conceal it. I only hope that you know that the person before me did not have the surname Ji ten years ago, but Lin. I have already been counted as a member of the Lin family; he is none other than my Eldest Son.”

When Ji Ying heard “my Eldest Son,” his hand instinctively twitched. Unfortunately, His Majesty’s neck was no longer suitable for more knife marks. He concealed the bloody glint in his eyes, lifted his eyelids again, and said concisely:

“It is I.”

The old minister who had stepped forward said tremblingly, “Young Master Lin… Young Master Lin’s calligraphy and painting were renowned throughout the capital thirteen years ago. My humble home still possesses a painting with the seal ‘Yuan Ya,’ depicting—”

“Evening Glow on Zhoushan.” Ji Ying did not even pause, as if it was deeply etched in his very being. “The poem title is ‘Late Plum Blossoms,’ presented at the Little Blue Water Pavilion poetry gathering in the third year of Yong’an.”

The other party suddenly became tearful, quickly wiping his eyes with his hand, and nodded:

“Yes, yes. The plum trees painted by Young Master were of icy soul and snowy purity, of lofty integrity. I have often regretted all these years that such a young talent of noble character had simply perished in that great fire in Shengjing. Now, this can be considered… considered…”

As he spoke, he finally noticed the nearly devouring expression on His Majesty’s face, and his voice involuntarily became softer.

The crowd fell silent again for a brief moment. People were weighing the gravity of Chu Huaicun’s words, or assessing the power that Ji Ying, called “Eldest Son” by Chu Huaicun, now carried. Ji Ying himself had nothing; he was merely a dog raised by His Majesty, performing dirty and despicable deeds, yet clearly holding little actual power.

However, even if they were unwilling to believe it, they had to now.

Moreover, Chu Huaicun’s “Eldest Son” just now had placed himself in the position of a vassal of the Lin family.

Although Ji Ying seemed mad enough, Chu Huaicun’s calm demeanor clearly showed no less madness than his own. To prove Ji Ying’s identity, he had brought countless soldiers to surround the Golden Throne Hall. To go to such lengths, if it was only for one person, then that person’s status in his heart…

“Do you all believe it now?” Chu Huaicun said patiently, his eyelashes fluttering slightly, as if thin snowflakes were melting.

“Of course, I can find all other evidence, such as the Lin family members who have been imprisoned by His Majesty for over ten years, or the power I have gradually accumulated over ten years of investigating the Lin family, or even people within the palace willing to testify for Yuan Ya. However, given how things have evolved, let’s make things clearer.”

At this moment, the blood on his sword had not yet dried, and crimson drops continued to fall.

Chu Huaicun smiled: “Does anyone still not believe?”

Power was the best weapon, and above power was the insatiable greed that people could not discard, especially for these civil and military officials, most of whom cherished their lives. Moreover, the facts were clear enough, and sharp-witted individuals had already grasped the crucial point, countless thoughts flashing through their minds from the words “imprisoned by His Majesty.”

His Majesty could not raise his head, but he was clearly furious, on the verge of fainting. He desperately raised his hand, as if to express something, and Ji Ying took it all in, saying as if surprised:

“Does Your Majesty have something to say?”

As he asked, he gently moved the blade from one side of the neck to the other. The cold blade shifted across the most vulnerable flesh of the throat, forcing a muffled gasp from His Majesty. Ji Ying blinked:

“Are you referring to your imprisonment of the Lin family for over ten years, or your brutal murder of loyal officials and innocent people?”

His Majesty’s cloudy eyes darted frantically, trying to stop something, but to no avail. For Ji Ying was already calmly staring at him, slowly speaking the last sentence:

“I understand. Your Majesty wishes to admit this matter… admit that the late Emperor’s death is related to you. You harmed the late Emperor to ascend the throne early, fearing that the late Emperor would leave a new decree before his death, and thus you would exterminate all those who knew the truth.”

“How dare you…”

The crowd was first silent, then erupted in an uproar. Younger ministers, unable to hold their composure, began to shout loudly, but they soon realized something was amiss. The person standing before them, accusing His Majesty, was a remnant of a family that had vanished for over a decade, with few survivors.

“Your Majesty cannot say that my current state has nothing to do with you,”

Ji Ying’s smile before the emperor was like a ghost’s. He said softly, “Ten years ago, I couldn’t imagine a day when I would have to grovel before someone, begging for a little pity. Your Majesty believes I should be grateful to you, because this is what I sought, but isn’t that especially unfair? You didn’t believe the Lin family was ignorant. To extract the hiding place of the late Emperor’s last will, you brutally killed my father, drowned my young brother in the river, and the old scholar Wei of the previous dynasty, merely for being slightly confused about this matter, met his death. And many more died tragically because of your paranoia. Until these past few years, you felt it was time for this nightmare to end, didn’t you? As the princes grew older, you began to follow the late Emperor’s old path, and so you began to be wary…”

His address shifted from “Your Majesty” to “you,” and then from “you” to a stark, naked “you.”

However, such a change was entirely understandable for someone holding the emperor hostage. Chu Huaicun thought this to himself, completely disregarding how heavily filtered his perception of Ji Ying was. If it were a jianghu character, he’d probably be calling him “old scoundrel” by now, which showed that Ji Ying was quite rational and restrained.

The rational and restrained Ji Ying couldn’t help but laugh at this moment, his voice sinister and dark, revealing a trace of戾气.

“Now is not your time to speak,” he said, looking into His Majesty’s eyes, “Of course you want evidence. But do you really think that after cultivating for so many years, I wouldn’t be able to completely understand the situation in the palace?”

As Ji Ying’s voice slowly echoed through the hall, a hushed silence fell.

“…These are the last words Mr. Wei Gong left before his death, written in the language of the Huns who paid tribute back then; this is the historical record from that time; the palace servants of that year can also testify. The one who provided the poison to His Majesty was a wandering sorcerer from the jianghu.”

Ji Ying extended a hand and made a gesture, and a person was pushed to the front of Chu Huaicun’s formation: “I believe Your Majesty still remembers. Besides the ‘Nine Flavors Powder’ you used to kill the late Emperor, you also bought a poison called ‘Half-Face Make-up’ from him.”

His Majesty’s eyes dimmed, bit by bit.

He couldn’t help but cast pleading glances at the civil and military officials before him, seemingly wanting to find a trace of a ruler’s dignity in their eyes. If he were a monarch with absolute power, even having committed such a heinous crime, his history would likely be whitewashed. But he was not, and the culprit who had usurped his power was coldly watching him from the side.

Prime Minister Chu commented at the opportune moment: “It seems, Your Majesty, you have indeed brought ruin upon the nation and caused endless harm.”

Just as he could have used the excuse of the Lin family’s remnants harboring malicious intentions to sweep Chu Huaicun away in one fell swoop—

Now Chu Huaicun, leading an unknown number of soldiers, blocked the palace gates, and even the clouds in the sky seemed to reflect the dark color of their iron armor, while Ji Ying held a knife to his neck. A complete change of dynasty between two eras, and hatred was understandable. Moreover, a change of emperor was only a matter of decades. If people hadn’t completely forgotten the late emperor by then, he wouldn’t have…

“Ho…” A lingering sound of exhalation squeezed from his throat, his eyes staring unwillingly at the sky.

“You feel unwilling?” Ji Ying smiled disdainfully, his eyes meeting the emperor’s, sharp as a blade, causing His Majesty to involuntarily look away slightly: “Am I then willing? After spending so long in the imperial prison, sometimes I forget if I am human or ghost. If I am human, how dare you so thoroughly destroy, suppress, and shatter every bone in a person’s body? If I am merely a ghost, then Your Majesty has indeed reached the end of your retribution. Raising a ghost is not like raising a dog.”

His voice grew lower and lower: “Ghosts are very vengeful. They must skin and dismember their enemies, cast them into the eighteen layers of hell, and ensure they are never reincarnated.”

His expression was too sinister; except for Chu Huaicun, who accepted it well, everyone else present couldn’t help but hold their breath.

However, they knew very clearly who the blame should be directed at now.

“The late Emperor treated Your Majesty with utmost sincerity and devotion, yet Your Majesty murdered his sovereign father, violated moral principles, and disgraced himself, an act intolerable to the world; this is the first crime,”

Ji Ying said: “The Lin family, bearing the sovereign’s trust, chose death over repentance, yet was imprisoned by Your Majesty for over ten years, never seeing the light of day, and loyal officials were slaughtered; this is the second crime; the old scholar Wei, an upright official, died tragically merely because of Your Majesty’s groundless suspicions; this is the third crime; Your Majesty, an unrighteous ruler, indulged treacherous sycophants, oppressed the world, and accumulated countless evil deeds; this is the fourth crime; nurturing without educating, allowing the princes to fight amongst themselves, leading to disunion between father and son, and the loss of the throne; this is the fifth crime; painstakingly pondering over baseless memorials, neglecting state affairs, and being absent-minded, shaming the world; this is the sixth crime. These six crimes are not enough to fully describe the evil deeds Your Majesty has committed, only covering a part of them. Your Majesty, do you believe you are still fit to sit on this throne?”

He finished speaking and looked up, sweeping his gaze across the room.

The somewhat impetuous young ministers, full of patriotic fervor, were stunned by these six weighty accusations, awkwardly avoiding His Majesty’s gaze, their faces flushed. As for the old hands in officialdom, they understood perfectly well that if only Ji Ying were here proclaiming the crimes, they would still need to deliberate on which side to take; but Chu Huaicun was still watching coldly from the side…

So, no one refuted.

Indeed, no one refuted. The Emperor’s chest heaved frantically, gasping for breath like an ox, almost losing control. He then realized that Ji Ying had released the blade from his neck and was now calmly straightening his robes.

He instantly erupted, almost reaching out to tightly grab the other’s collar, but Chu Huaicun’s sword was already positioned between them.

“Save me—” he said hoarsely, “Why isn’t anyone coming?”

However, no one moved.

“Good,” His Majesty stared at them for a long moment, then cackled, “Ji Ying, no, should I also call you Young Master Lin? You have truly deceived me greatly. I never thought that you, in your current state, would dare to disgrace the Lin family’s name so blatantly. Very well, you have pushed me to this point; you can’t possibly still preserve yourself.”

“…Indeed.”

This voice came from an unexpected source, but his standing up to speak at this moment was entirely reasonable. The Seventh Prince emerged from the crowd, his back slightly bent, his face even paler than His Majesty’s, as if he had just been pulled out of water. His gaze briefly met His Majesty’s, then quickly darted away.

As if he had seen something filthy.

The Seventh Prince had calculated meticulously, planned elaborately. The first half of today’s events were entirely within his expectations; it was he who revealed Chu Huaicun’s background to Prince Duan, guiding Prince Duan to speak of it at the banquet. Prince Duan’s performance today perfectly aligned with his internal arrangements. His plan should have proceeded normally: first kill Chu Huaicun, then guide Prince Duan to become arrogant from his achievements.

If Prime Minister Chu were dead, how could His Majesty easily relinquish power? Watching Prince Duan’s triumphant demeanor before His Majesty, as if having conquered a city, the Seventh Prince could almost envision him being despised by His Majesty and eventually banished to some remote place. And the Crown Prince, of course, would no longer be the Crown Prince then.

Although his chess move was risky, it was definitely a good one.

The Seventh Prince, though young, was full of cunning. His outwardly timid and humble demeanor made him easy to overlook, but every action was carefully calculated. He cautiously navigated between Chu Huaicun and Ji Ying, trusting neither, and was meticulously vengeful, remembering every fault of others, just waiting to retaliate one by one after ascending the throne.

For example, Qin Sangzhi, who prided himself as the foremost young master.

He was outwardly polite to him, but in reality, he looked down on him. As soon as Chu Huaicun appeared, he eagerly stuck to him, leaving him standing there. This made the Seventh Prince quite indignant, feeling even stronger resentment than others.

Since he had made so many plans and had so many intentions in mind, he naturally would not have imagined everything that happened in the hall today in a flash. His imperial father had virtually collapsed by now, blood still trickling from his neck, and his utility value was negligible. The Seventh Prince almost ground his teeth; he never would have thought that all his previous efforts to curry favor had gone to waste.

And now,

The aging emperor had become the greatest obstacle.

Since the current emperor ascended the throne illegitimately, then where the succession would fall was open to discussion. The Seventh Prince took a deep breath, a faint, bitter smile gracing his face. Staring at the powerful minister and the treacherous official before him, he felt that perhaps no uncrowned prince in history had ever faced a greater challenge—yet he still said sternly:

“Young Master Lin, although your actions are justifiable, your methods are still incredibly absurd, even treacherous.”

He pointed to the soldiers outside, “Those not of royal blood cannot mobilize troops. How can such an outrage be tolerated before the Golden Throne? Do you truly intend to rebel? The common people, the civil and military officials, are all watching. If the situation today has no reasonable explanation, Young Master Lin, you too will be a sinner for all eternity.”

Ji Ying’s pupils shifted slightly, and he sighed: “I am well aware of my deep sins, and there is no need to change my surname. However, I would like to ask for Your Highness the Seventh Prince’s guidance on what you mean.”

They both spoke in circles, but in reality, it was about who would inherit the throne after His Majesty’s downfall.

Since the current emperor had committed such an outrageous act, he and his descendants should rightfully be stripped of their right to succession. From this perspective, the Crown Prince, Prince Duan, and the Seventh Prince were all out of the running. Those who realized this glanced around, their gazes finally landing on one person. That person had originally been eagerly watching the commotion, but when everyone’s gaze fell upon him, he too appeared terrified.

The Crown Prince of Ping stammered, pointing to himself, shaking his head frantically.

“What? Me…” he said, “No, no, how can I be emperor? I don’t know anything; I love to play above all else. The dragon throne may be adorned with gold and jade and look splendid, and I might like to look at it, but for me to sit on it, I definitely can’t.”

Among the late emperor’s children, not many of the current emperor’s siblings were left, and he himself might be partly to blame for this. Prince Ping had lost to His Majesty back then, but he truly accepted his fate, living a carefree life in Lingnan and even raising a couple of dissolute sons. He never imagined that in the distant future, the throne would actually fall to his own son.

Unfortunately, his son was utterly worthless, making a fool of himself in public.

Prince Ping sighed, finally suppressing a lingering regret from his youth, clasped his hands, and stepped out from the crowd:

“This prince knows he is untalented and unlearned, moreover, advanced in years. I cannot bear the great affairs of this world. As for this prodigal son of mine, he is even more utterly unsuitable. He has always been uneducated, merely raised as an ordinary child. As you all have seen, he is truly… truly incapable of bearing such a responsibility.”

If his child were to sit on the throne, he would probably be chewed to pieces by Chu Huaicun, leaving not even a crumb.

Moreover, although Ji Ying was said to be the elegant Young Master Lin of yesteryear, Prince Ping always felt a chill down his spine when looking at him. The other’s aura was chillingly sinister, and he was definitely not an easy person to deal with.

Even Prince Ping’s son was like this, and other royal relatives and nobles glanced at each other. The Seventh Prince then spoke again at the opportune moment:

“According to our dynasty’s law, a regicide is demoted to a commoner, but there is no guilt by association, as this is, after all, kinslaying. I have not been in the capital for even a year, and I have had little interaction with His Majesty, let alone been influenced by him. Since the Crown Prince designated by the late Emperor was indeed His Majesty, it must be that His Majesty’s ascension to the throne conformed to the ancestral calendar. I believe…”

Chu Huaicun seemed to curl the corner of his lips, and even His Highness the Seventh Prince was somewhat startled by this untimely smile.

He then subtly changed the subject: “I believe it should be Crown Prince Brother who replaces His Majesty.”

He said this as if his heart was being torn apart. However, compared to Prince Duan, the Crown Prince was a much easier enemy to deal with. Moreover, in such a situation, he could not utter his own name. To bring the power of succession back among His Majesty’s sons was already an extraordinary achievement, not to mention he was confident that the Crown Prince would ultimately be the most acceptable answer for Chu Huaicun.

Chu Huaicun showed a pair of ice-like eyes, noncommittally.

However, Ji Ying suddenly spoke.

He shook his head and said, “This is inappropriate.”

At this moment on the stage, Ji Ying had clearly become the person of highest status. But behind this respect also lurked more dangerous factors. The Seventh Prince’s suggestion just now had actually persuaded many people present, and Ji Ying’s immediate negation of it was not without its abruptness. Someone could not help but speak:

“The late Emperor left few descendants, and there are no usable talents at all; since the princes are all trained in statecraft, they must be more knowledgeable about court affairs and the art of governance than others. Today’s events were entirely orchestrated by Minister Ji, who, under the pretext of loyalty and service to the nation, used cruel and unjust means as his weapons, yet allowed Prime Minister Chu to deploy troops before the hall. What then does he consider benevolence and morality?”

“That’s right, if Minister Ji is the Young Master Lin of yesteryear, he would never have committed such an outrageous act against heaven.”

“Young Master Lin, since Prime Minister Chu was also once a client of the Lin family, what you did can be said to have been forced by His Majesty. But Prime Minister Chu is ambitious and ruthless; aren’t his actions also inappropriate? You are still resisting now; do you really intend to let Prime Minister Chu ascend the throne and commit such an act of rebellion? How can you convince the public, and how can you silence the murmuring voices of the world?”

The civil and military officials, in their speech, largely cast wary glances at Chu Huaicun.

But Chu Huaicun didn’t care; he treated these gazes as if brushing off snow that had fallen on him, merely calmly watching Ji Ying before him. Ji Ying’s hand was still stained with a large patch of crimson. His Majesty, meanwhile, lay motionless on the side, only his eyes blinking rapidly from time to time; this blood was from his neck.

Some of them spoke with a certain boldness, having perceived that Chu Huaicun’s attitude towards Ji Ying would essentially be one of complete approval, and having heard that Prime Minister Chu was once a member of the Lin family, they instinctively assumed he was a vassal or retainer.

Ji Ying, however, now lifted his eyes again, a pair of dark eyes showing no discernible emotion. He adjusted his robes, then slowly spoke:

“Who says the late Emperor didn’t arrange for other successors?”

Chu Huaicun didn’t react with any particular surprise to this statement, after all, he was simply letting Ji Ying take the lead and completely trusted every decision the other made. Ji Ying’s face had always worn a smile, but every word he spoke carried blood, tears, and the gloom of over ten years in darkness, and he had no intention of interfering with Ji Ying enjoying the pleasure of revenge. His eyes were clear, like ice and snow, merely holding his sword.

Although most of the blood on him belonged to others, Chu Huaicun’s injuries at this moment were by no means light.

While dealing with the pursuit earlier, his right shoulder had been struck by an arrow, which was deeply embedded in his flesh. At this moment, there was only time for a simple treatment, and pain still came in waves, but Chu Huaicun had essentially made peace with it, treating it with indifference.

He waited for Ji Ying to speak, and at the same time, couldn’t help but feel a little curious.

If Ji Ying proposed a certain name at this moment, it wouldn’t matter. He knew that Ji Ying still had an unyielding core of a gentleman; if the late emperor truly had such an instruction, the Lin family would certainly carry it out.

No matter what, Ji Ying would not do anything detrimental to him.

Chu Huaicun was very clear that he had not the slightest relation to the imperial family; his origins were indeed not fabricated, being from a small border town. His parents had passed away when he was young, but he still remembered their faces, both ordinary, weathered commoners. Then he met his master, and after that, he met Yuan Ya, he—

Ji Ying smiled at him, then walked over.

The movement was very slow, almost incredible, but Chu Huaicun saw the light flickering in Ji Ying’s eyes. Ji Ying walked up to him, and Chu Huaicun instinctively reached out, but the other naturally placed his hand on his. A touch, cold and intimate, followed by an incredibly natural half-kneel, his bright eyes raised halfway.

“Chu Huaicun,” he said unequivocally, “Read this memorial.”