I am a soldier in the border army

Chapter 646 Powerful Minister! My brothers, offer sacrifices! Assist me in attaining enlightenment!

Weiyang Palace.

The winter snow covered the glazed tiles, but it could not conceal the grandeur of this cluster of palaces.

Perhaps even Emperor Taikang never imagined that he would one day be able to return to this place.

When the coffin of the deceased emperor was moved from the Southern Palace to the Northern Palace, Weiyang Palace, no matter what the surrounding officials thought in their hearts, they still made sure to do their best on the surface.

Not only were they all dressed in simple hemp clothing, but they also rarely smiled.

The entire Weiyang Palace was decorated in white, exuding a profound and solemn atmosphere.

During this time, some people wondered why Shangguan Ding went to the trouble of moving Emperor Taikang's coffin to Weiyang Palace for temporary burial.

Shangguan Ding explained, "Weiyang Palace is the main palace, and it is only right for His Majesty to move here."

He spoke so eloquently, but in reality, he was guilty.

Especially when that old eunuch Li Jin, after serving Emperor Taikang as he changed his clothes, committed suicide in front of Emperor Taikang's spirit tablet in front of him, the eerie wind that suddenly blew up in Ganquan Palace even made his cultivation feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Fearing that Emperor Taikang might have left some contingency plans in the Southern Palace before his death, Shangguan Ding had no choice but to move the coffin to the Northern Palace.

Nothing more than wanting to play it safe.

……

The death of the emperor was not an isolated incident that had occurred more than once during the reign of Emperor Yong.

The officials in charge of rites at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices were quite familiar with the job.

With all the proper etiquette in place, no one could find fault with it.

After all, regardless of his life, Ji Taikang was a ruler and emperor. If something went wrong at this time, it would be a disgrace to them all. So no one was going to be perfunctory in this situation.

By the time the princes, surrounded by the Ji royal family, hurriedly arrived, Emperor Taikang's coffin had already been moved to the inner palace for placement.

Actually, they shouldn't have arrived so late; they just missed Ganquan Palace.

When they hurriedly turned to the Weiyang Palace in the north, they were deliberately harassed by those scoundrels from the Northern Army.

Therefore, many people who came had a mixture of sorrow and anger in their expressions.

When they saw that scoundrel Shangguan Ding standing so brazenly beneath the Dragon Head Throne, looking down at them, they could no longer contain their suppressed anger.

"Shangguan Ding! How dare you!"

"Beside the Emperor's throne lies the forbidden ground of the Human Emperor!"

"Could it be that you intend to usurp the throne?"

Faced with this serious accusation, Shangguan Ding's expression was cold and stern, but inwardly he felt amusement.

'Hasn't my true nature been clearly revealed over the years?'

Shangguan Ding narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the Ji clan members before finally settling on the princes who were surrounded in the center.

A moment later, a look of disdain and contempt flashed in his eyes.

When Ji Taikang was alive, he still had to be somewhat cautious in his actions.

Now that Ji Taikang is dead, what can these immature children do to fight him?

Just like now, faced with such criticism, he doesn't even bother to personally defend himself; his followers and supporters will naturally stand up for him and cheer him on.

"You're the ones who are being insolent!"

He Kai, the Minister of Justice, pointed at the members of the Ji clan and said coldly.

"His Majesty has just passed away! Instead of going to pay your respects at His Majesty's grave, you are here making a racket and barking wildly!"

"Do you even have any respect for His Majesty the Emperor? Do you even have any sense of propriety as members of the Great Yong royal family?!"

Faced with the counterattack by the Minister of Justice He Kai, the members of the Ji clan turned pale with anger.

Just as he was about to argue with him, He Kai continued.

"Furthermore! His Majesty left a will before his death, appointing my family's Prime Minister as regent!"

"Before the new emperor ascends the throne, all state affairs will be decided by the word of my prime minister!"

As the Minister of Justice, he was one of the Nine Ministers, a highly respected official.

He kept referring to his "Prime Minister" as if he were a loyal dog under Shangguan Ding.

However, the members of the Ji royal family could not care about their contempt for this person's despicable face. Upon hearing these words, their expressions all changed drastically.

"Assist in governing? How is that possible?!"

absurd!

It's ridiculous!

His Majesty was sworn enemies with that traitor Shangguan Ding during his lifetime, fighting each other to the death both openly and secretly. How could he possibly have left a will entrusting such an important task to this rebellious minister!

"You scoundrel! How dare you forge an imperial edict!?"

Forged imperial edict?

So what if it's corrected?
Seeing the angry and bewildered expressions of the Ji clan members, the Zhu Zi faction members in the hall exchanged smiles, their expressions full of mockery.

"Don't talk nonsense. You accuse us of forging an imperial edict, but do you have any evidence?"

After He Kai, the Minister of Justice, finished speaking, his face suddenly darkened.

Those eyes, like those of a hawk, were filled with a chilling light.

"If you have no evidence... you dare to slander us nobles based solely on one side of the story!"

"According to the laws of my Great Yong! Those who make false accusations shall be punished instead!"

"I am about to order your arrest. Have you thought it through?"

The Court of Justice was in charge of the criminal laws of the Great Yong Dynasty.

Recalling the period when Emperor Taikang and Shangguan Ding were fighting most fiercely, a lot of Ji clan blood was shed in their prisons.

Faced with He Kai's sharp gaze, many members of the Ji royal family, who were originally filled with righteous indignation, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over their heads, and fear flashed in their eyes.

In the silence, a member of the royal family, his face flushed, gritted his teeth and spoke.

"You say there is a will, so where is it?"

"May we take a look?"

Upon hearing this, He Kai, as the one who held the power of criminal law in the imperial dynasty, swept his gaze over these timid and cowering Ji clan members, his eyes filled with pleasure and amusement.

"The will?"

"If you want to see it, how about I write one for you right now?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of laughter erupted in the main hall of Weiyang Palace.

In an instant, the pretense of solemnity that had been maintained vanished.

Traitor!

These are a bunch of traitors!

Faced with the unbridled arrogance of these rebellious officials, the faces of the Ji clan members turned completely purple and ashen.

Those who still had some backbone couldn't help but curse out loud.

"You scoundrels! You have fabricated imperial edicts, disrupted the court, and disregarded the laws of the court. Aren't you afraid of divine retribution?"

Divine retribution?

Who is Heaven? Who will send us?
Ji Taikang, who had already passed away?

Ah, perhaps he could be considered one while he was alive.

But the problem is... he's already dead!
Hearing the continuous curses, Shangguan Ding, who had remained silent until now, finally frowned and spoke in a low voice.

"Guards! Drag these rebellious scoundrels who are ravaging the court away!"

“They have disturbed the peace of the Holy Land. Throw them into the Heavenly Prison and interrogate them to see what their intentions are!”

Enough. Today is the auspicious day of Emperor Taikang's passing. Let's avoid bloodshed.

As soon as Shangguan Ding uttered these words, a group of fierce, armored guards surged into the main hall and, without a word, rushed into the Ji clan members and dragged them away.

Revolt?

With Shangguan Ding here, even an eighth-realm celestial being is nothing more than an ant in the palm of one's hand, unable to make the slightest ripple and can only surrender and be dragged away.

"Traitor! Shangguan Ding, you treacherous minister!"

"You have wreaked havoc on the court! You harbor wolfish ambitions! You wish to usurp the throne of my Ji clan..."

"One day, the whole world will surely punish him! He will die a horrible death!"

Hearing the roars and shouts of these people, some members of the Ji clan felt their emotions surge and were almost unable to restrain themselves from taking action. However, when they looked at the princes among the crowd, their passion gradually cooled down.

Forget it, even they don't have the courage to stand up, so what's the point of us collateral branches making a fuss?

Yes.

Throughout the entire process, the princes under Emperor Taikang, both legitimate and illegitimate, maintained a submissive demeanor with their eyes lowered, remaining completely silent.

Not to mention verbally rebuking him.

For a moment, all the members of the Ji clan looked gloomy.

Some people were already sighing inwardly.

'The Ji clan, which has lasted for over two thousand years, is likely nearing its end in this generation…'

Once this thought crossed their minds, the crowd inevitably felt even more desperate and terrified.

At this moment, Shangguan Ding's gaze finally fell back on the princes, and he almost reprimanded them.

"Your Highnesses, what are you standing there for? Go to His Majesty's coffin and keep vigil!"

The child sees the emperor as his son!

Such arrogance and domineering behavior caused the princes to clench their fists tightly beneath their robes, veins throbbing on their foreheads.

One of the princes made a move, but was stopped by the eldest prince, Ji Wu, with his divine sense.

"Don't act impulsively..."

Having said this, Ji Wu felt Shangguan Ding's sharp gaze suddenly focus on him. He wasn't overly alarmed, but rather felt a profound sense of sorrow. The once glorious Great Yong Dynasty, renowned throughout the world, had fallen so low!
……

The inner palace is the coffin of Emperor Taikang.

Kneeling before the spirit tablet, Ji Wu suddenly understood why his father had been delaying the appointment of a crown prince.

As the eldest son of the Taikang dynasty, the position of crown prince should have been his.

But in reality, he is not.

For so many years, he has lived the life of a joke, bearing the title of the eldest prince.

For this reason, he resented his father more than once.

But now he suddenly understands.

The reason why the position of crown prince was not given to him was actually his father's last act of pity for him.

He is giving himself a choice.

only……

"Father, why don't you ask me if I need such pity?"

His surname was Ji, and he was the eldest son of the imperial family.

The most noble bloodline in the world.

How could I be content with a mediocre life!
And at this moment, he was not the only one who shared almost the same thoughts.
At this moment, the figures kneeling in succession before the coffin behind the eldest prince all had shifting expressions in their eyes.

Now that Father has passed away, the supreme throne is within reach!

Who could remain unmoved and not yearn for it?

Even if that traitor Shangguan Ding stands in our way, so what?

Who can guarantee that once they're in that position, they won't be able to turn the tide and bring down that scoundrel in one fell swoop?

At that time, not only will the Great Yong Dynasty be able to continue its lineage!
He himself could use this to become a renowned restorer of the dynasty, whose name would be remembered for eternity!
Just as the princes were lost in thought, a series of unhurried footsteps suddenly disturbed their minds.

At first, they thought it was some palace eunuch, but gradually they sensed that something was wrong.

Because those footsteps simply passed over them, even walking directly in front of the eldest prince, Ji Wu, and then he, like them, knelt on the ground!
this--

In an instant, everyone looked up at that figure, their faces filled with anger.

They had endured the humiliation they suffered in front of Shangguan Ding.

But at this moment, they couldn't bear it.

Just as they were glaring angrily at that figure, they suddenly froze, their faces showing shock.

"Lao Jiu?"

"No! Wasn't the Ninth Prince supposed to be enfeoffed in the South China Sea Commandery, thousands of miles away? How could this be..."

But even though it seemed impossible, when that figure turned around and revealed that familiar face, it all became reality.

"My dear brothers, it has been a long time since we last met, and I have missed you dearly."

A familiar, repulsive, even disgusting smile.

That bastard child!

Everyone's expression changed, and they immediately reprimanded them.

"Ninth Prince, how dare you! Before the Emperor's spirit, there is a proper order of seniority! How dare you overstep your bounds!"

"Do you still respect Father Emperor? Do you still respect your elder brothers?"

"Get to the back now!"

Ji Jiu smiled with narrowed eyes at such scolding.

"It's been a long time since we last met, and my brothers are much more polite to me."

“In the past, the emperor’s younger brother was always called a ‘bastard’.”

His mother was a princess of the Merfolk clan, so wouldn't he be a bastard?
Upon hearing Ji Jiu's words, the remaining princes were about to rebuke him again when Ji Wu, the leader, spoke up.

"Ninth Brother, let bygones be bygones."

"Now that our Ji clan has fallen to such a state of decline, we brothers should unite and cheer each other up, and stop fighting amongst ourselves..."

Upon hearing this, Ji Jiu looked up and turned around.

"My eldest brother remains as kind as ever..."

Thinking back on the past, it seems that only this eldest brother of the emperor has never humiliated me; at most, he has remained neutral.

Ji Wu remained silent in the face of Ji Jiu's gaze.

"Old Jiu..."

Ji Jiu waved her hand to interrupt.

"'Ninth Brother' doesn't sound right. How about... Eldest Brother, you change how you address me?"

Ji Wu was taken aback upon hearing this.

"Change the way you address me?"

"for example……"

Ji Jiu suddenly grinned.

"Please address me, Your Majesty, as I...Crown Prince!"

The Crown Prince!?
Upon hearing this, not only did Ji Wu's expression change, but the expressions of the princes behind him also changed drastically.

Only then did they realize that Ji Jiu's royal robes seemed different from theirs.

According to the ritual system of the Dayong Dynasty, princes were tattooed with three-clawed dragons, while the crown prince had four-clawed dragons.

"How dare you, Ninth Brother, overstep your bounds like this!"

"Who granted you the title of Crown Prince!"

Ji Jiu didn't even glance at them.

The emperor had nine sons and one daughter.

Aside from his elder sister, whom he was somewhat wary of, only his eldest brother, Ji Wu, could earn him a slightly higher regard. As for the rest of these good-for-nothings, he never paid them any attention.

As expected, Ji Wu did not disappoint him. After Ji Jiu said those words, he seemed to have thought of something.

His eyes lowered for a moment, then he sighed when he looked up again.

"Ninth Brother, that seat isn't so easy to sit in."

"You and Shangguan Ding... are practically asking a tiger for its skin..."

Ji Jiu remained silent for a moment, then turned around and looked back.

"Therefore... I need my eldest brother to help me..."

Ji Wu was taken aback and said subconsciously.

"How to help?"

As he said this, his expression suddenly changed.

"Ninth Brother, you..."

At this moment, the remaining princes present also exclaimed in surprise.

"Ninth Brother! You're insane! How dare you!"

Only then did they realize with horror that an array had been set up beneath each of their assigned positions.

As the array runes appeared, the primal power within their bodies rapidly flowed away like water, converging towards Ji Jiu, that bastard.

In other words, that beast, that bastard Lao Jiu, actually wants to eat them all!
"You beast! Stop it!"

"We are your imperial brothers!"

"Yes, we are blood relatives!"

Imperial brother? Closest relative?
Now that we've come this far, isn't it ridiculous to talk about family ties again?

Furthermore, if we were not of the same bloodline, both being of the noble bloodline of the Ji family of the Heavenly Clan, do you think I would need you fools?

"Are you trying to use this opportunity to revert to your ancestral bloodline?"

Upon hearing Ji Wu's words, Ji Jiu, who was rapidly absorbing the power of his bloodline, did not hide anything and praised him.

"Eldest brother has discerning eyes."

Ji Wu paused for a moment, then asked again.

How confident are you in restoring your ancestors' legacy?

This time, it was Ji Jiu's turn to remain silent.

After a moment, he replied.

"Whether it succeeds or not, you'll only know after you've tried."

After thinking for a moment, he continued.

"However, if my plan succeeds, at least in terms of cultivation, Shangguan Ding will be inferior to me."

Upon hearing this, Ji Wu's eyes widened in surprise and delight.

"really?"