At present, the only part of Emperor Qingping’s body he could move was his eyes.
Xue Yan sat beside his bed, while Empress Jiang stood nearby. Communication was limited to the two of them speaking and Emperor Qingping blinking in response.
They had been at a loss over how to communicate with him until Xue Yan came up with this solution.
“If you agree, blink once. If you disagree, blink twice,” he said. “Don’t get it wrong.”
Emperor Qingping paused. He clearly wasn’t particularly fond of this passive method of communication.
Xue Yan, however, was growing impatient.
“Do you understand or not?” he asked.
Emperor Qingping genuinely couldn’t think of a better alternative.
Reluctantly, he blinked once.
“Let me make this clear first,” Xue Yan said. “No matter what you want me to do, don’t even think about making me sit on the throne. I went through so much trouble to win my wife over. I’m not about to scare him away.”
Emperor Qingping glared at him and blinked twice, fiercely.
Xue Yan let out a cold laugh.
“It won’t make any difference even if you disagree,” he said. “If we can’t agree on this point, there’s nothing else to discuss.”
Emperor Qingping continued glaring at him, while Xue Yan calmly met his gaze.
“If you can’t agree to this, don’t blame me when your ancestors’ centuries-old empire is left without anyone to look after it.” Xue Yan folded his arms and spoke without the slightest regard for propriety. “Anyway, when you meet your ancestors in the afterlife, it’ll be because you trusted treacherous ministers too easily.”
Everyone around them heard these utterly disrespectful words but didn’t dare breathe too loudly. They lowered their heads and eyes, wishing they could simply cease to exist.
Even Empress Jiang remained silent.
After a moment, Emperor Qingping blinked once through gritted teeth, glaring furiously at Xue Yan.
Xue Yan gave a derisive snort.
Empress Jiang watched the exchange with considerable trepidation.
Even now, though Emperor Qingping could neither speak nor move his limbs, he was still the emperor, the symbol of the highest authority in Great Yong.
Apart from Xue Yan, there was no one else who would dare show him such disrespect.
Emperor Qingping glared at Xue Yan, but Xue Yan remained completely unmoved. After a while, the emperor was so furious that he finally ran out of steam. He squeezed his eyes shut, apparently deciding that if he couldn’t see Xue Yan, he wouldn’t have to deal with him.
Strangely enough, this scene made the two of them seem more like father and son than they had at any point in nearly twenty years.
Xue Yan chuckled, knowing that Emperor Qingping had been forced to give his tacit approval.
Now that they had reached an understanding on this matter, they could continue their discussion.
“Since you want me to take charge, I assume you don’t trust either your eldest or your second son, do you?”
Emperor Qingping blinked once without hesitation.
Xue Yan laughed.
“Good. You haven’t become senile yet.”
Emperor Qingping immediately began glaring at him again.
But Xue Yan didn’t care in the slightest.
Even Empress Jiang could hardly bear to watch any longer. She tugged at his sleeve.
Xue Yan showed no sign of remorse. Emperor Qingping’s eyes began to ache from glaring so hard, and he finally turned his gaze away, refusing to look at Xue Yan anymore.
“What about the Sixth Prince?” Xue Yan continued.
Emperor Qingping pondered for a long while, then blinked once, followed by another blink.
Empress Jiang nodded beside them.
“I spoiled Yunhuan too much,” she said. “I raised him to be careless and somewhat naive. He never liked studying in the first place, and he understands even less about court affairs. Even I wouldn’t feel comfortable entrusting him with such a responsibility.”
Although she was the empress and her father was an important court minister, Chancellor Jiang was a conservative, rigid man who deeply disliked favoritism. Consequently, Empress Jiang herself had been raised with the same principles from childhood.
After speaking, she looked at Xue Yan.
Her meaning was clear: apart from Xue Yan, there was no one suitable for the task. The remaining princes were either only just beginning their education or still in swaddling clothes.
Xue Yan clicked his tongue impatiently.
“The physician from Jiangnan will arrive soon,” he said. “We’ll see how things stand once he gets here.”
Emperor Qingping’s gaze immediately followed him.
Xue Yan knew what the emperor was afraid of, so he continued, “I’ll temporarily handle the affairs of the court. But I won’t live in the palace, and I won’t become crown prince. If you can be cured, you can rule yourself again. If you can’t, we’ll see which of your younger sons turns out to be capable, and hand the throne over to him when the time comes.”
In other words, Xue Yan was agreeing to safeguard the empire on the emperor’s behalf for the time being.
Emperor Qingping understood Xue Yan’s character well enough. If he was willing to take responsibility now, he wouldn’t abandon the task before the situation had been settled.
Emperor Qingping knew that Xue Yan was willing to keep things from falling apart for him.
At last, the great weight on his heart lifted. Yet along with his relief came a certain regret.
He had to admit that ever since waking up—or perhaps even since a year ago—whenever he occasionally thought about the succession, he always felt that Xue Yan was the most suitable candidate.
He had fought bitterly for this throne among his many siblings and children. Over the years, he had exhausted himself trying to secure his position while constantly guarding against others who coveted it.
Yet he had never imagined that one day he would want to hand the throne over, only to discover that the person he wanted to give it to had absolutely no interest in accepting it.
Emperor Qingping looked at Xue Yan and blinked once, taking it as his agreement.
Xue Yan acknowledged him. Since their discussion was settled, he rose without the slightest reluctance and took his leave.
Emperor Qingping watched Xue Yan’s retreating back.
He knew there was no one he could blame.
Things had come to this point because, in the end, every mistake had begun with him.
Early the next morning, the civil and military officials assembled in the court hall, waiting to see who would occupy the imperial throne that day.
No one spoke. Everyone appeared perfectly composed at first glance, but a closer look revealed the tension and unease on every face.
The political situation had changed dramatically. Although Prince Guangling had managed to stabilize the court for the time being, now that the question of succession was approaching a decisive moment, no one could feel entirely certain of what would happen.
Just then, drums sounded outside the great hall, signaling the official start of the morning court session.
As usual, the emperor would be announced by a eunuch before emerging from behind the main hall and taking his seat on the imperial throne.
Even when the Fourth Prince had attended court that day, the procedure had been the same.
Everyone held their breath.
But then the eunuch’s announcement came from behind them instead.
“His Highness Prince Guangling has arrived!”
The eunuch was so startled that he even stumbled over his words.
The ministers were immediately thrown into confusion and turned around in alarm.
Prince Guangling had come from outside the palace?
For a moment, everyone stood dumbfounded, staring at him in disbelief.
Xue Yan was dressed in his formal princely court robes. Without so much as glancing sideways, he walked past the assembled officials and even passed Chancellor Jiang, who stood at their head.
He climbed the golden steps leading to the imperial throne and turned to stand before it.
Jinbao followed behind him with an almost triumphant swagger, then took his place beside the throne.
Xue Yan sat down on the imperial throne.
The ministers stared at him in astonishment.
Since Xue Yan wasn’t residing in the palace, he was naturally still entering the court in his capacity as a prince. But why had he gone and sat on the imperial throne?
No one could make sense of it.
Xue Yan clicked his tongue impatiently.
“What are you all standing there for?” he asked. “Is there nothing to report? Nothing that needs handling?”
Only then did the ministers seem to come to their senses. They hurriedly knelt and paid their respects.
Xue Yan rested one hand on the armrest and shifted into a more comfortable sitting position.
“My father was poisoned. I will investigate the matter thoroughly, and I will also find a way to cure him,” Xue Yan said.
“But for now, he can’t do anything. I’ll handle the affairs of the court on his behalf. As for who will become crown prince and who will inherit the throne, that isn’t something we need to discuss yet.”
He swept his gaze across the assembled officials.
“In any case, whoever sits in this seat has nothing to do with you. Just do your own jobs properly. The rest is none of your concern. Unlike my father, I have a bad temper. I believe you’ve all heard about that.”
The ministers hurriedly voiced their agreement.
Xue Yan raised a hand, allowing them to stand.
The rest of the morning court proceeded in orderly fashion.
The civil and military officials of Chang’an were naturally well aware of Xue Yan’s reputation. When he had first entered the court, some had tried to oppose him and impeach him.
However, things had rarely ended well for those people.
Over time, the officials had learned their lesson. Everyone had done things they would rather keep hidden, things they had been forced to do or things they could not afford to have exposed. But whatever their secrets, they must never provoke Prince Guangling.
If they wanted smooth careers and trouble-free lives, the first rule was simple: never get on Prince Guangling’s bad side.
The officials knew to be afraid. Only the Xu family had failed to understand that.
Now, the fate of the Xu family was plain for all to see.
With Xue Yan sitting in that seat, even fewer people dared to disobey him.
As a result, the morning court proceeded peacefully and efficiently—indeed, considerably more efficiently than it had under Emperor Qingping.
The session ended two quarters of an hour earlier than usual.
After the ministers dispersed, Xue Yan kept the Minister of Justice behind.
“Have you decided how Chancellor Xu and his family are to be sentenced?” Xue Yan asked.
The Minister of Justice hurriedly replied, “Your Highness, we have already drafted the verdict. We’re only waiting for your decree.”
Xue Yan gave a brief acknowledgment, signaling him to continue.
The Xu family had already been guilty of corruption, bribery, and collusion with regional princes. Now they had gone further, using a large military force to hold the capital under siege and attempting to usurp the throne. Such grave crimes were enough to warrant the extermination of their entire clan.
There was little room for dispute. The Minister of Justice did not hesitate for long before informing Xue Yan of the sentence his department had proposed.
Xue Yan acknowledged him.
“The punishment for the Xu family is too lenient,” he said.
The Minister of Justice froze.
Extermination of the entire clan was already the most severe punishment available. How could it possibly be made harsher?
He didn’t dare say anything, simply kneeling at the foot of the steps and waiting for Xue Yan’s instructions.
Xue Yan slowly tapped the dragon ornament on the armrest of the imperial throne.
“If the entire clan is to be exterminated, what sentence would Chancellor Xu, Xu Zonglun, and Xu Zongwei receive?”
“Naturally, they would be beheaded…” the Minister of Justice replied.
Xue Yan’s fingers stopped moving.
“Those three will receive separate sentences,” he said.
The previous night, Duan Shisi had already informed him of what had happened to the Jun family. Xue Yan knew exactly why Xue Yunhong had sent men to the Duke of Yongning’s residence and why they had intended to imprison Madam Jun and her eldest daughter as well.
It was the Xu family who had tried to have the Duke of Yongning killed in Jiangnan. Now, they had attempted to imprison the women of the Jun household while there were no men at home, precisely because the Jun family and the Xu family had long been at odds.
Xue Yan naturally had no intention of letting them off so easily.
“Your Highness, please clarify your instructions,” the Minister of Justice said hastily.
Xue Yan looked at him and spoke casually.
“Give them a different kind of death. Don’t make it too dignified or too easy. As for what kind of death, I’m sure you know better than I do.”
The Minister of Justice understood perfectly well.
“But…” He hesitated. “Selecting a few individuals for separate sentences from among those condemned to clan extermination has never been done before.”
Xue Yan had no patience to hear him out.
“Just do it,” he said.
“What about Xue Yunhong?” Xue Yan asked next.
“This… Since the matter involves a member of the imperial family, this humble official dares not make a decision on his own,” the Minister of Justice replied after a pause. “I await Your Highness’s instructions.”
Xue Yan gave an inscrutable laugh.
“If he tried to seize the throne, why should he be allowed to live?” he asked.
The Minister of Justice understood. The Fourth Prince was to be executed.
But then Xue Yan added, “Behead him.”
The Minister of Justice was shocked.
Even when princes and imperial descendants committed serious crimes and were sentenced to death, their bodies were ordinarily kept intact. To have the head separated from the body would be a tremendous humiliation for the Fourth Prince!
The Minister of Justice stood frozen.
Xue Yan frowned impatiently.
“Is there a problem?”
There was no problem. Of course there was no problem.
The Minister of Justice broke out in a cold sweat and left in a daze.
Once the man had exited the hall, Xue Yan let out a cold laugh.
Those people hadn’t merely schemed against him. They had also dared to lay a hand on the Duke of Yongning’s residence.
If he let them die peacefully, how could he ever sleep soundly again?
Jinbao sidled up to him with a broad grin.
“Your Highness, now that court is over, where shall we go?”
By rights, they should naturally have returned to the prince’s residence. There was no need for Jinbao to ask.
But his question had an ulterior meaning, and it happened to be exactly what Xue Yan had in mind.
He paused, then said, “Let’s go visit the duke’s residence.”
Jinbao grinned and responded enthusiastically before hurrying off to make the arrangements.
The Duke of Yongning’s residence had suffered a calamity only the day before. Fortunately, Xue Yan had come to their aid, allowing them to escape disaster. It was only natural for him to visit them today.
Jinbao quickly made all the arrangements. As soon as Xue Yan left the palace, his carriage set off without delay toward the duke’s residence.
Jinbao delivered the calling card openly and properly.
Unexpectedly, the servant at the gate took one look at it and promptly handed it back to Jinbao.
“Eunuch, please return with His Highness.”
Jinbao stared at him in surprise.
“Is no one home?”
The gatekeeper shook his head.
“Madam has given an order. No one from Prince Guangling’s residence is to be received, no matter who they are.”