Chapter 97

Zhang Gonggong, without glancing sideways, walked straight through the grand hall and came before the Empress, trembling as he knelt to pay his respects. He opened his mouth and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant Zhang San pays his respects. May Your Majesty be blessed with good fortune, a thousand years, a thousand years, and a thousand thousand years."

The Empress extended her hand in a gesture of support and managed a smile, "Old Zhang, there’s no need for such formalities. Whatever you have to say, we can discuss after you sit down. Attendants, provide a seat for Zhang Gonggong."

Zhang Gonggong shook his head and bowed low, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. In front of Your Majesty, how can this old servant have the right to sit and speak? Besides, the matter at hand is urgent. I will wait until I have completed my task before I can offer a cup of tea in place of wine to show my respect to Your Majesty."

Seeing the old eunuch’s stubborn demeanor, the Empress did not insist. She asked softly, "Zhang Gonggong, what brings you here today?"

Zhang Gonggong coughed twice and shook his head, "To speak of guidance, I dare not. I am here today to announce the imperial edict that the Emperor has just written, in front of everyone."

He paused, and his expression suddenly changed. He straightened his back and spoke with a solemn tone, "Empress, please receive the edict."

As soon as Zhang Gonggong spoke, his entire demeanor changed. Originally, he was just a frail old man, like a candle flickering in the wind. But suddenly, the feeling of impending death vanished, replaced by an overwhelming aura of authority and inviolability.

Indeed, at this moment, Zhang Gonggong no longer represented himself. He represented the supreme ruler, the only master of the Da Hao Dynasty: Emperor Xuan! The change in his aura was inevitable. However, the ability to transform so dramatically in an instant indicated that Zhang Gonggong himself possessed unfathomable strength.

No one knew what level of martial cultivation Zhang Gonggong had reached. But one thing was certain: in terms of aura, the aura of the Son of the Eastern Wasteland and Zhang Gonggong were worlds apart, not even worthy of comparison.

A hint of unusual emotion flashed in the Empress’s eyes. She slowly knelt before Zhang Gonggong and said respectfully, "This concubine respectfully receives the imperial edict."

This world was still the world of Emperor Xuan. In front of Emperor Xuan, everyone was a subject. Even the Empress, who held great power in the court, could only call herself a concubine and bow to receive orders.

Since the Empress had knelt, all the others present, who were of lower rank than the Empress, naturally had to kneel as well. In an instant, a sea of people knelt on the ground, all ears perked up, listening intently. After all, for the past five years, Emperor Xuan had been hiding in the Yangxin Hall, not only refusing to see outsiders but also not issuing any verbal orders. Many had secretly speculated that Emperor Xuan had already passed away, but there was no concrete evidence.

Now, with Zhang Gonggong suddenly appearing to announce the imperial edict on behalf of Emperor Xuan, it was certainly not for some trivial matter. No matter what, they had to listen clearly and understand.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhang Gonggong coughed and took out a piece of bright yellow silk from his chest, unfolded it, and read it aloud.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Since I ascended the throne, nineteen years have passed. Due to my illness, I have been unable to govern the state and manage national affairs in recent years. Although the Empress has been handling the affairs of state, this is not a long-term solution. For the sake of the Da Hao Dynasty, it is time to establish a crown prince, rectify the rules, and stabilize the realm. This will ensure that after my passing, the state will remain peaceful and the dynasty will be secure.

Throughout history, the crown prince has either been the eldest legitimate son or the most virtuous. Unfortunately, in my review of history, most eldest legitimate sons have been mediocre and not capable of shouldering great responsibilities. Therefore, if I am to establish a crown prince, it must be someone virtuous and capable.

There has never been a fixed standard for who is virtuous and capable. However, the Da Hao Dynasty was founded on martial prowess, and a ruler must not be weak. I have fourteen sons in total, and nine are still alive. Among them, the Second Prince Xiao Mao, the Fourth Prince Xiao Yu, the Eighth Prince Xiao Chang, and the Fourteenth Prince Xiao Sheng have the deepest martial cultivation and noble character, making them suitable for the task.

Therefore, I intend to first establish these four as crown princes and appoint them as Grand Generals. The Second Prince Xiao Mao will go to the northern border; the Fourth Prince Xiao Yu to the western frontier; the Eighth Prince Xiao Chang to the southern barbarian region; and the Fourteenth Prince Xiao Sheng to the eastern wasteland. They will each take charge of the local administration for a year to observe their performance.

After one year, on the first day of the first month of the seventh year of Yongchang, after worshipping heaven and the ancestral temple, these four will compete in martial arts in front of the imperial temple. This will allow everyone to see their abilities. The one who ascends the throne will be recognized by the people.

This matter is to be prepared by the Empress, and the Grand Marshal Mu Shouxin and the Grand General He Chimen will jointly decide the winner. This edict is to be announced to the entire empire, so that all may know. This matter concerns the future of the Da Hao Dynasty, and everyone must spare no effort and not be negligent. So decreed.

The fifth day of the tenth month of the sixth year of Yongchang, the hour of Dog."

After reading the edict, the inviolable aura around Zhang Gonggong suddenly disappeared. He returned to being the frail old man who seemed to be on the verge of death. He struggled to open his dim old eyes and said weakly, "Empress, please receive the edict."

The Empress’s right hand clenched into a tight fist, the veins on her hand standing out from the force. Her face, lowered toward the floor, was already flushed and green, causing alarm.

"Despicable! Despicable! Despicable! Despicable! How long do you intend to... toy with me?"

The shout echoed only in her heart, unheard in reality. Zhang Gonggong waited for a long time but saw no movement from the Empress. He urged again, "Empress, please receive the edict."

"......" The Empress took a long breath, stood up expressionless, and reached out to take the edict. Upon opening it, she saw that every word and sentence matched what Zhang Gonggong had read, without any difference.

Especially the name "Fourteenth Prince Xiao Sheng" at the end, the ink was still wet, clearly just added. The imperial seal at the bottom was still damp with red ink, and the familiar handwriting made it clear that this edict was indeed written by Emperor Xuan himself and had just been completed.

The Empress slammed the edict shut with a "snap" and turned to face the crowd in the hall, saying coldly, "Did you all understand just now? The Emperor is establishing the Second Prince, Fourth Prince, Eighth Prince, and Fourteenth Prince as crown princes. They will go to the eastern wasteland, southern barbarian region, western frontier, and northern border to serve as Grand Generals and manage local affairs, evaluating their performance over a year.

After one year, on the first day of the first month, they will worship heaven and the ancestral temple. Then, the Empress, Grand Marshal, and Grand General will act as judges, supervising the martial competition among the four crown princes. The winner will be the fourth emperor of the Da Hao Dynasty."

When Zhang Gonggong read the edict, the content was rather elegant, and some foreign envoys did not fully understand. But now, the Empress’s words made everyone in the hall understand the true meaning of the edict. Instantly, the hall was like a boiling pot, with everyone excited, whispering, and discussing.

It must be understood that establishing four crown princes simultaneously is unprecedented. Moreover, after establishing the four crown princes, they must compete in martial arts to determine the strongest, a method never seen or heard before.

After years of silence, what was the true intention behind Emperor Xuan’s edict?

For others, Emperor Xuan’s edict might be nothing more than a novelty. But for the Crown Prince, it was like being stripped naked in public and slapped repeatedly in the face.

The reason was simple. As the Empress’s legitimate son, the Crown Prince, by all logic, should be the only choice for the crown prince. But now, Emperor Xuan’s edict directly rejected the principle of establishing the eldest legitimate son, opting instead for the most virtuous. Although the Crown Prince’s name was included in the list of the four crown princes, this parallel arrangement clearly indicated that he lacked the ability to be emperor.

Such a public humiliation was unbearable for the Crown Prince.

His teeth clenched, his heart burning with anger, the Crown Prince suddenly raised his head and glanced at one of the officials in the hall, giving a signal.

This official was the Deputy Minister of Revenue, a high-ranking position. He had always believed that the throne of the fourth emperor of the Da Hao Dynasty would definitely belong to the Crown Prince. Therefore, he had long aligned himself with the Crown Prince, hoping to gain the status of a founding minister and the credit of establishing the new emperor.

Suddenly hearing Emperor Xuan’s edict, the Deputy Minister of Revenue was panic-stricken. Not knowing what to do, he suddenly received the Crown Prince’s signal. He immediately came to his senses and, without hesitation, rushed out to kneel in the center of the hall, tears streaming down his face as he cried out loudly.

"Unthinkable, unthinkable! Throughout history, the replacement of the eldest son with a younger one has always been the source of chaos. Only by establishing the eldest legitimate son can the state be stable and the people live in peace. This edict from the Emperor is clearly a chaotic command! I, a thousand times, dare not accept it! I beg the Emperor to reconsider and revoke the edict, establishing the Second Prince as the crown prince to ensure the eternal stability of the Da Hao Dynasty."

The world is full of those who seek favor. With the Crown Prince’s status, many court officials naturally aligned themselves with him, forming a powerful faction within the court. If the next emperor were truly chosen as Emperor Xuan suggested, the Crown Prince might be overlooked. In that case, these officials would be left with nothing.

This could not be tolerated! In a flash, at least thirteen or fourteen officials rushed out, kneeling in the center of the hall, wailing and begging Emperor Xuan to revoke the chaotic edict and refuse to accept it.