Hou Ye's palm heart is a black lotus

Chapter 770 National Mourning (First Update)
The night wind is howling.

The vast Qiyuan Hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; the atmosphere seemed frozen.

Only Emperor Muwu's faint breathing remained.

"King Lie...is brave and skilled in battle...his mind and strategies are all outstanding..."

Emperor Mu Wu looked at the intricate and ornate patterns on his head, and felt his mind growing heavier and heavier.
"My entire life..."

Countless images flashed through his mind, and past memories came flooding back, but they all gradually faded in color.

That's it.

Nothing more...

Emperor Mu Wu's chest pain intensified, and his face turned deathly pale.

"...Now...the only one who can be of great use...is King Lie..."

As he spoke, Emperor Muwu coughed again.

Xiao Chengqi knelt forward, "Father!"

Emperor Muwu waved his hand weakly.
"I once thought... that everything under heaven was within my grasp, but..."

But in the end, too many unexpected events occurred that he could not have foreseen.

Previously, his favorite was Xiao Chengxuan, whom he had personally taught and raised for many years, placing high hopes on him.

However, at this moment, he had no other choice.

Perhaps he was wrong from the very beginning...

"I have decided... to pass the throne to Prince Lie..."

He turned his head to look at Xiao Chengqi, his breathing suddenly became rapid, and his upper body seemed to want to straighten up slightly, but he could not because his body was too weak, and he could only tremble slightly.

"You! You... From now on... you must treat your brothers and sisters well..."

Shen Yanchuan stared silently at the ground in front of him, feeling only a sense of absurdity.

It's truly laughable that these words came from Emperor Muwu's mouth.

He was the one who watched helplessly as his princes turned against each other, and several princesses also met tragic ends as a result.

All of this was merely a balancing act he used to secure his position.

Now that things have come to this, he is finally realizing that his bloodline is almost gone.
But, it's too late.

Emperor Mu Wu suddenly grabbed Xiao Chengqi's hand, "You will grant my request..."

Xiao Chengqi looked at him as well, and said, word by word,

"Your Majesty once taught me that I must be upright and impartial in my actions, and that I must never be biased or selfish. I have kept this in mind."

Emperor Mu Wu's eyes widened slightly, because he had pinched Xiao Chengqi's hand so hard that it turned blue.

"you--"

He wanted to say something more, but he couldn't utter another word.

After a couple of heavy breaths, he turned his head to the side and his hand fell limply to his side.

Sobbing and whimpering gradually rose from inside the hall.

Xiao Chengqi raised his hand and slowly closed Emperor Muwu's eyes.

The flickering candlelight illuminated his face, making him appear cold and solemn.

Shen Yanchuan looked up:
"Your Majesty, please accept my condolences and take good care of yourself. The heavy burden left by the late Emperor still rests on your shoulders."

……

Ye family.

Ye Chutang suddenly opened her eyes. The room was pitch black, and she could only see blurry outlines by the moonlight from the window.

She listened intently for a moment, then glanced at Xiao Wu, who was fast asleep beside her, gently tucked her in, got up, put on her clothes, and went to the window.

Lu Yu was standing outside the window, handing over a letter with both hands.

Ye Chutang didn't ask any questions, she just took it, opened it and took a look.

Her brow twitched slightly, and she nodded. "I understand."

Lu Yu's figure disappeared in an instant.

Ye Chutang returned to her room and lit a candle.

Xiao Wu seemed to sense something and opened his eyes, only to see Ye Chutang taking a letter and lighting it over a candle.

Xiao Wu was already used to this, turned over and went back to sleep.

Ye Chutang finished her business and quickly returned. Xiao Wu lingered close to her.

Ye Chutang touched her little face, "Go to sleep."

For some, such a deep sleep is something they may never experience again.

……

The sky began to lighten.

Xiao Chenglin didn't sleep all night, just sat there waiting.

His eyes were slightly bluish, but he showed no signs of drowsiness; instead, anxiety gradually grew in his heart.

"No news yet?" he asked in a low voice.

The man beside him answered tremblingly, "...Your Highness, no. The palace gates were suddenly closed yesterday evening, and no one is allowed in or out. All news has been blocked, and our people have no way of knowing what happened."

No news is the worst news!

Xiao Chenglin's fingers tapped unconsciously.

In fact, he is in a very difficult situation right now. He is being monitored both inside and outside the company, and any slight movement he makes will give others something to say about him.

Being restricted in one's actions, one naturally cannot know anything.

Just then, a loud and long drumbeat suddenly came from afar!

Boom-!
Xiao Chenglin's heart stirred, and he immediately looked in the direction from which the bell sound came!

"Your Highness, this is—" The man beside her realized something and immediately became excited.

The rest didn't need to be said; they understood.

Boom-!
Another sound came!
Boom-!
At dawn, the sound of the bell shattered the silence of the capital and reached the ears of countless people!

Many people looked in the same direction in shock.

The sound of the bell signifies only one thing!

Emperor Mu Wu has passed away!

Xiao Chenglin immediately said, "Prepare the carriage! I must enter the palace immediately!"

However, things didn't go as planned, and Xiao Chenglin was ultimately stopped at the door.

The Imperial Guards responsible for guarding the area spoke in a cold tone.
“Your Highness Prince Jing, please return. Without an imperial decree, no one dares to let you step out of this door.”

Xiao Chenglin's face was grim.
"I am of royal blood, and now that the bells are ringing, it is my duty to go and fulfill my filial duty!"

However, the other party remained unmoved by these words and refused to budge an inch no matter how angry Xiao Chenglin became.

Xiao Chenglin couldn't resort to force, which made him extremely annoyed.

"If things get delayed, can you take responsibility?"

The other party coldly replied, "If I have made a mistake, I will accept the punishment. But Your Highness Prince Jing need not worry about that."

"you--"

Just as the situation was reaching a critical point, a group of people suddenly arrived in a hurry.

The person in front is dressed in official robes, but it is Su Wei dressed in official robes.

Seeing the standoff at the door, he frowned. "What happened?"

The imperial guards bowed in unison, "Greetings, Lord Su."

Xiao Chenglin said coldly, "Lord Su, you've come at the perfect time. Just now, when the bell rang, I was about to enter the palace, but I was stopped by these people. This is truly outrageous!"

Su Wei understood. "Does His Highness Prince Jing wish to enter the palace?"

"nature!"

What time is it now?
When Emperor Muwu passed away, he, as a prince, was already—

“I’m afraid that won’t work,” Su Wei said. “Your Majesty is here on orders, and you cannot go to the palace.”

Xiao Chenglin's heart sank!
"What do you mean by that, Lord Su?!"

Su Wei's expression was solemn, and his aura was imposing.

"By imperial decree, the Fourth Prince, Prince Jing, has been found guilty of treason and collusion with the enemy. His crimes are unforgivable. He shall be apprehended and brought to justice, to be executed in the autumn!"

Xiao Chenglin was shocked and suddenly looked up!

"What did you say?"

Su Wei looked down at him with a cold expression.

"The late emperor's words were law, abdicating the throne to the third prince, Prince Lie. This imperial edict... is naturally the decree personally issued by His Majesty the present."