Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 272 The Remnants

When the emperor's bell rang, all the civil and military officials in the capital stopped what they were doing, held their breath, and listened carefully.

When the bell finally stopped ringing thirteen times, most people breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, nothing bad had happened to His Majesty.

Then everyone immediately changed into their official robes, tidied their appearance, and hurried towards the palace, some on horseback and some in carriages. What could have happened in the palace that would cause the Emperor's Bell to ring? You know, even when the three princes died, the bell didn't ring—cough, cough, although the causes of death for those three princes weren't exactly honorable.

So many officials were rushing towards the palace. The common people who saw the officials' carriages on the road couldn't help but wonder if something big had happened at the palace, otherwise why would so many officials be heading there?

This is like the calm before the storm.

Some astute citizens were already rushing home, fearing they might encounter something irreversible.

Within two incense sticks' time, all the officials of the seventh rank and above in the capital had arrived at the palace. There were so many people that the Golden Palace was almost too full to hold them all.

Everyone looked at each other, completely bewildered. Especially the high-ranking officials, those of the third rank and above; their lower-ranking colleagues tried to look at them, but they had no idea what was going on. When they saw the Fourth Prince, who had rushed over unharmed, their treacherous suspicions vanished. That only made things more puzzling. If His Majesty's only son, the Fourth Prince, was safe and sound, then why was the Emperor's Bell ringing?

Those officials who genuinely didn't know what was happening were merely suspicious, but those with guilty consciences couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety. Especially one elderly and frail man, recalling his wife's worried expression before they left, suddenly had a bad feeling. While everyone was cautiously discussing the matter, he quietly walked towards the edge of the crowd, only to find the door closed and locked when he reached it. His heart sank to the bottom. Something had happened! Had he been discovered?
No, don't panic. The truly dangerous person is still hiding in the mountain villa outside the city. Besides, without any evidence, who can prove that he did those things!
This was definitely a deliberate illusion, designed to throw him off balance! The man who had figured it out stroked his beard and quietly returned to his rightful place.

Just then, with a loud announcement from Eunuch Jiufu, Emperor Jingtai walked out expressionlessly. The moment the officials saw His Majesty, they all bowed.

But for some reason, His Majesty, usually so lenient, didn't offer to rise. The young and talented officials were fine; they were young and agile. But the older officials simply couldn't keep going. What's wrong with His Majesty? Has he learned to bully these officials?
After a long while, Emperor Jingtai coldly told them to rise. Some older officials subtly rubbed their aching backs and legs, then stealthily glanced around. They had just noticed that His Majesty hadn't come alone; he had brought a group of unruly people, including some seriously injured. How had these people managed to get into the Golden Palace? Could it be that His Majesty's ringing of the Imperial Bell was related to them?

After seeing the faces of the people in front of him clearly, the guilty person couldn't help but pinch his palm.

Why would his carefully trained assassins appear in the main hall severely injured? Shouldn't they be guarding that crucial person at Qingyun Manor?

Emperor Jingtai was not one to beat around the bush. After leaving his ministers waiting, he spoke with a cold face.

"I have been on the throne for thirteen years, and this is the first time I have ever seen anyone dare to commit violence in the street on Xuan Niao Street. They even stabbed the imperial physician! This is truly extraordinary! Is this still my capital?!"

Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials, who had just stood up straight, immediately knelt down again, all begging His Majesty to calm down.

"I will not tolerate this!" Emperor Jingtai roared in fury. Those assassins not only possessed swords and knives, but also finely crafted bows and crossbows; they were practically a private army.

"Just to shut up the Lady of Ningguo, they can mobilize hundreds of elite soldiers. If they want to rebel, wouldn't I, the emperor, have to wait to be killed?! I think I shouldn't be the emperor anymore. Why not just hand it over to someone with ulterior motives? That way, I won't have to live in fear."

After venting his anger, Emperor Jingtai instructed Lady Ningguo to tell him everything she had heard.

In fact, the moment most officials saw Lady Ningguo, they couldn't help but glance at the Duke of Ningguo standing at the very front. The Duke had initially been complaining about Lady Ningguo's lack of manners, bringing their private affairs to the imperial court. However, after hearing what Lady Ningguo had to say, the Duke was utterly drenched in sweat.

Is this...is this a rebellion?

Compared to this matter, the privacy of one's own home is nothing! If you had kept it discreet, that would have been fine, but instead, it was exposed, and His Majesty knows everything. He, he! The Ningguo Duke's mansion is finished. Even if they are truly innocent, how could His Majesty possibly believe they have nothing to do with this?!

What's more, his mother was already planning to kill him to silence him!

"...It was precisely because I overheard these secrets that I met my demise. Imperial Physician Liu and Chief Physician Lu were truly implicated by us. Please forgive me, Your Majesty..."

At this moment, everyone's gaze shifted, especially those officials of the third rank and above standing at the front, who tacitly distanced themselves from a certain person. A vacuum suddenly formed around that person, who, at this moment, remained expressionless.

They really know how to keep their composure; no wonder they can sneak around doing all this right under my nose.

Emperor Jingtai tapped the armrest of the dragon throne and gave him a meaningful look.

"I never expected that even after thirteen years since the fall of the previous dynasty, there would still be loyal ministers. It's just strange, though. If you truly still yearn for the previous dynasty, why don't you join the former prime minister in dying for your country, instead of serving under these traitors in my new dynasty? If you had the courage to commit suicide, it would surely have been recorded in history. It's one thing if you don't have that courage, after all, it's human nature to be afraid of death. But to secretly harbor the bloodline of the former emperor and plot treason is another."

"Worry-Free Cave, Blood Mine, Gold Mine, Saltworks, Northern Frontier Grain Supplies... One by one, these things, aren't they all about satisfying selfish desires with the blood and flesh of the people of my Great Jing? Don't tell me that such acts can be cloaked in the name of righteousness. Don't you think so? Left Prime Minister? Grand Tutor? Or should I call you a remnant of the previous dynasty?"

The Left Prime Minister, who had been keeping his eyes down as if in deep meditation, finally opened them and looked up openly at the supreme ruler of the world, the Great Jing Emperor.

"The old minister is here."

(End of this chapter)