Yuqiongyin

Night fell over the imperial city, and the palace was in deathly silence.

In the study of the Duke of Zhenguo, the candlelight flickered and the light and shadows on the wall swayed violently, as if they were also disturbed by the tense atmosphere.

Xie Feisi's face was solemn, his brows were furrowed, and there was a complex light flashing in his eyes.

He stood in the middle of the study, holding an imperial edict tightly in his hand, his face very solemn.

Unfolding the edict, it was the handwriting of the late emperor:

I, Wei Shunde, have been the ruler of the Wei Dynasty for more than 20 years. During my reign, I have devoted all my energy to the prosperity of the country and the peace of the people. However, I know that life and death are determined by fate and cannot be violated by human power. My health is getting worse and worse, so I have issued this edict to determine the inheritance of the great throne.

I have observed that the Crown Prince Wei Ke has been intelligent since childhood, and has both benevolence and filial piety. He cares about the world and has compassion for the people. He studies poetry, books, etiquette, and state governance very diligently, and has a noble character and a gentlemanly demeanor.

I believe that the Crown Prince has the qualities of an emperor and is capable of shouldering great responsibilities, succeeding me, and continuing the glory of the Great Wei.

I have decided to pass the throne to the crown prince Wei Ke. I hope that after he ascends the throne, he will respect the heaven and follow the ancestors, and govern the country diligently. Internally, he will cultivate benevolent policies, reduce taxes and levies, and make the people rich and live and work in peace and contentment; externally, he will repel powerful enemies, defend his home and country, promote the prestige of the Great Wei, and protect the tranquility of the border.

I also hope that all the ministers in the court will loyally assist the Crown Prince and jointly lay the foundation for a prosperous era.

This edict is my last wish, and it is announced to the world. No one should disobey it.

Anyone who dares to disobey my will and disrupt the order of the court will be punished by heaven and will not be tolerated by the law of the country.

Xie Feisi looked at the late emperor's handwriting, added the imperial seal and the date written on it, and knew at a glance whether it was real or fake.

It has been four years since the third prince Wei Ming ascended the throne. During these four years, the court seemed calm, but in secret, the various forces inside and outside the palace had never stopped their struggle for power under the surface peace.

The imperial edict of succession was tampered with, and the one who should have truly inherited the throne was Crown Prince Wei Ke, not the third prince Wei Ming.

Now the real imperial edict in his hand carries the fate of the Wei royal family and will also set off a storm.

Xie Chenning was wearing plain clothes, his expression was equally serious, there was no panic in his eyes, he was still calm.

She sat at the desk, her eyes fixed on the letters and secret reports spread out on the table, "What does father think?"

Xie Chenning was the first to break the silence. Her voice was clear and pleasant, yet it carried an unquestionable firmness that echoed in the silent study.

Xie Feisi heard the voice and looked at his daughter who had escaped death. "The Third Prince has been on the throne for four years. It seems stable, but in fact, there are undercurrents. Your father holds the true will of the late emperor. Once this matter is made public, it will surely cause a storm."

Xie Chenning frowned slightly, "Father, I understand the pros and cons of this. The late emperor's last wish cannot be violated. The crown prince is the legitimate heir, but now he has been harmed by a conspiracy. We cannot sit idly by."

"Humph, the Queen Mother is a vicious woman who will do anything to gain power. She forged the will and murdered the heir to the throne. Now the court is in chaos because of her. If the truth is not made public, the Wei Dynasty will be doomed to failure."

His tone was filled with anger, his fists were clenched, veins bulged on the back of his hands, and he slammed his fist on the desk, causing the pens and ink on the desk to tremble slightly.

"Father, act quickly and take advantage of the situation."

Xie Feisi picked up the evidence on the table again and examined it carefully. "Thank you and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for your hard work."

Xie Chenning shook his head slightly, "The minor official who participated in the forgery of the will has now been brought back. This is solid evidence."

The Duke of Zhenguo nodded, "Well, this plan is feasible. Well, let's wait until the national mourning is over."

"Okay, then get ready."

*

When the queen died, the national mourning lasted for about a month.

During this period, the court would suspend its meetings for several days, and the emperor would lead all officials in mourning. A mourning hall would be set up in the palace for the royal family members and officials to pay their respects.

Gray clouds hung heavily over the imperial city. A biting cold wind whistled past, making the trees in the palace tremble.

The atmosphere in the court was as depressing as the suffocating weather.

The ministers gathered together, Wei Ming sat high on the dragon throne, his figure seemed a little lonely in this dim environment.

During this month, his face became thin and pale, and his eyes showed deep fatigue and sadness, as if the years had ruthlessly left their marks on him during this short period of national mourning.

The ministers all knew that the Queen’s departure was an unhealable wound for the Emperor, and that the dull court would be shrouded in this shadow for a long time.

Duke Xie Feisi held an old sandalwood box in his hand and walked towards the center of the court with firm steps.

"Your Majesty, I, an old minister, have important matters to report today." The voice of the Duke of Zhenguo broke the silence, echoing in the court, steady and solemn.

Everyone's attention was drawn to him, and the court suddenly fell silent.

Wei Ming looked up at the Duke of Zhenguo and frowned slightly, feeling a little uneasy.

He straightened up slightly, trying to stay calm, "Duke Zhenguo, what is so serious?"

His voice sounded a little thin in the empty court.

Xie Feisi slowly raised his head, his eyes swept over everyone in the court, and then stopped on Wei Ming.

"Your Majesty, this is the true edict of succession. The late emperor originally intended to pass the throne to the crown prince, not the third prince."

Xie Feisi slowly opened the sandalwood box and took out an imperial edict. The paper of the edict had turned slightly yellow, but the words on it were still clearly visible.

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the court. The ministers looked at each other in disbelief at the edict in the hands of the Duke of Zhenguo.

Wei Ming's face turned paler and paler. He tightly grasped the armrest of the dragon throne, his knuckles turning white from the force. "Duke Zhenguo, do you know what you are talking about? Where did this edict come from?"

His voice was trembling as he tried to regain some sanity in this sudden shock.

Xie Feisi raised his head, held the edict high above his head, and looked at Wei Ming with a firm gaze, "Third Prince, this edict has been kept secret. Before the late emperor died, he realized that there were evil people in the palace who attempted to tamper with the edict, so he placed the real edict in the secret room of the imperial study. Over the years, this old minister has been waiting for the right opportunity. Now, the truth can no longer be buried."

Wei Ming took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. "Duke Zhenguo, how can I be convinced by just your one-sided words and an imperial edict whose authenticity is unknown?"

He tried to maintain his dignity in front of the ministers, but his inner panic was difficult to conceal.

Xie Feisi frowned slightly. He had expected the Third Prince to ask this question.

He put down the edict and took out a series of evidence from the box.

Several letters were unfolded one by one, and the handwriting on the letters was clearly legible, which was the evidence of collusion between the Queen Mother and certain ministers.

"These letters are the correspondence between the Queen Mother and several ministers who were plotting to tamper with the imperial edict. They would do anything to achieve their goal."

There was a buzz of discussion in the court, and the ministers stretched their necks to see the contents of the letter clearly.

Wei Ming's expression became even uglier, and a hint of panic flashed in his eyes.

He could only remain silent now.