As the beaded curtain scattered, a piercing cold light shot out, resembling the unfathomable eyes of the Empress Dowager. She stared coldly at Shu Wu, uttering each word with deliberate weight, "Grand Academician Shu, to speak falsely of the imperial will is the crime of deceiving the sovereign!"

Shu Wu's expression shifted slightly. After a brief silence, he bowed respectfully and replied, "My Great Qing has no sovereign today, so where does this talk of deceiving the sovereign come from?" Facing the Empress Dowager, this Grand Academician did not yield an inch!

The Empress Dowager extended her aged hand, slowly parting the beaded curtain. She stepped out from behind it, standing beside the dragon throne, as the Crown Prince hastily supported the old woman.

"His Majesty passed away at Great Dong Mountain. This was the result of an assassination plotted by Fan Xian, the Director of the Supervisory Council, in collusion with Dongyi City. It happened suddenly, so where is there any imperial edict?" The Empress Dowager fixed her gaze on Shu Wu's eyes, speaking with unnerving calm. "If there is an imperial edict, where is it now?"

Shu Wu felt a chill in his heart, knowing that the Empress Dowager's words were intended to connect him to Fan Xian. With a sigh, he responded, "The imperial edict is currently in the hands of the Earl of Danbo."

These words caused an immediate uproar in the imperial court. At the beginning of the Crown Prince's enthronement ceremony today, Fan Xian's crimes had already been clearly stated, casting him directly into the abyss. None of the officials had expected that Grand Academician Shu would suddenly produce a so-called imperial edict, and that the edict...was actually in the hands of Little Fan!

The Empress Dowager coughed twice, looking at Shu Wu, and said, "Is that so? Fan Xian is a heinous criminal wanted by the court. We have secretly pursued him for days, yet we did not know he had returned to the capital. Grand Academician Shu seems to know a great deal. Why does the Grand Academician know about the imperial edict?"

Shu Wu bowed to the ground, replying with sorrow, "His Majesty was assassinated at Great Dong Mountain, a tragedy that grieves the entire nation. However, only half a month has passed, and the military and local prefectures speak with certainty that the Earl of Danbo was responsible. This old minister knows the Earl of Danbo's character well and would never dare to commit such an outrageous act. As for the imperial edict, it is indeed genuine. This old minister has seen it with his own eyes."

The Crown Prince's hands were somewhat cold, and a chill permeated the depths of his heart. He had never imagined that before the events at Great Dong Mountain, his father would have left behind an imperial edict! The contents of that edict were clear without even thinking about it. The Crown Prince suddenly felt a sense of sorrow. It seemed his father truly hated him to the bone.

He stood silently beside the Empress Dowager, a bitter smile rising in his heart, knowing that his grandmother's mind was utterly exhausted today. Otherwise, she would never have made such a clumsy response. As the highly revered Empress Dowager, why would she need to quibble over such details with an old minister? However, since the topic had been raised, if he wanted to ascend the dragon throne smoothly, he had to suppress this suddenly appearing imperial edict!

"Fan Xian colluded with Si Gu Jian to commit this great evil."

The Crown Prince looked at the officials below and said slowly, "That Fan Xian is habitually adept at applying makeup and deceiving the world to gain fame. Grand Academician Shu must not be deceived by such a treacherous person. If Father Emperor truly had an imperial edict, this son would naturally yearn to see Father Emperor's handwriting again…"

As he spoke, the Crown Prince's voice took on a note of grief. The officials below offered words of consolation, and he took the opportunity to regain his composure.

The meaning of these words was clear. Imperial edicts could be forged. How could you, Shu Wu, a Grand Academician, secretly associate with Fan Xian, a wanted criminal? The Crown Prince asked, "This Prince has always deeply respected the old academician's character, but what I have heard and seen today has greatly disappointed me. You are secretly protecting a criminal wanted by the court. Considering how highly Father Emperor regarded the old academician in the past, the academician is now so muddled and malicious. I wonder what face you will have to meet my Father Emperor in the future!"

The Crown Prince's gaze gradually turned cold. A strong aura, rarely seen in him, began to permeate the hall, influencing all the officials with his words.

"Grand Academician Shu Wu, colluding with a criminal wanted by the court, falsely claiming the will of the late Emperor… Someone, take him out of the hall! In consideration of his age, imprison him to await trial!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall erupted in an uproar. The Qing officials were well aware that in matters involving the struggle for imperial power, there was never any gentleness. Especially since Grand Academician Shu had forcefully produced the so-called imperial edict today, the Crown Prince would inevitably choose the most iron-blooded means to suppress it.

However, for a moment, the crowd was unaccustomed to the fact that the gentle Crown Prince would, in an instant, exhibit such similar domineering manner as the recently deceased Emperor!

At that moment, everyone's heart felt as if a wooden fish was gently struck by a wooden mallet, producing a dull thud.

Because of Shu Wu's sorrowful cry, the Crown Prince's enthronement process was forcibly interrupted. All the officials had stood up, their black or white mourning robes hanging limply. Everyone was dumbfounded, speechless, their sleeves swaying gently.

In the empty Taiji Hall, all the officials were silent, watching the eunuchs support Grand Academician Shu's arms. At the same time, they glanced out of the Taiji Hall, where many people were walking—presumably the palace guards, those guards carrying short straight swords. All the officials knew that if things went wrong today, it might end in a grim scene with blood splattering on the hall!

…

…

Shu Wu gave a bitter laugh, offering no resistance. He allowed the eunuchs beside him to bind his arms. He had already done what he needed to do. If the officials in the hall, intimidated by the Empress Dowager's power, the Crown Prince's position, and the Eldest Princess's influence, remained silent, then what good would it do even if he produced the imperial edict?

If the Empress Dowager said the imperial edict was fake, who would dare say it was genuine?

He shook his head, glancing at the Empress Dowager with his aging eyes. He quietly looked at the Empress Dowager, sighing in his heart, why did Fan Xian insist on not contacting the officials with the imperial edict? If he had made extensive contacts in the officials' residences last night, with the protection of His Majesty's imperial edict, these civil officials would have been bolder. Why did he have to put himself in such a lonely position today?

The imperial edict written in Emperor Qing's own hand was, of course, not thrown into the bronze basin to be burned. What was burned was just a blank sheet of paper inside the envelope, burning away the last remaining hope that Grand Academician Shu had for the Empress Dowager.

The eunuchs half-supported and half-pushed Shu Wu out of the hall, where guards with murderous intent were waiting.

The Crown Prince breathed a slight sigh of relief. These stubborn civil officials were, after all, subdued by the might of the imperial family and dared not be too presumptuous. The Empress Dowager also felt a little calmer, hoping to quickly drag Shu Wu, this uncooperative old man, down so that the Crown Prince's enthronement ceremony could be completed.

As Shu Wu was dragged away in a disheveled state, the old man thought to himself that his reputation would likely prevent him from being executed immediately. But after the Crown Prince truly secured his position on the dragon throne, would he be greeted with a cup of poisoned wine or a white silk noose?

Just then, many people heard a faint sigh.

The sigh came from the head of the civil official ranks, the First Grand Academician of the Secretariat Drafting Department, the originator of the New Culture Movement in Qing, and a man with extremely high reputation in the court… Grand Academician Hu.

Grand Academician Hu looked at Shu Wu, shaking his head with a bitter smile. Then he stepped forward, knelt down, kowtowed, raised his head, and opened his mouth.

"This minister begs His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to withdraw the decree."

The court was in an uproar.

The Empress Dowager's expression changed slightly, her hands trembling slightly within her sleeves. She had not expected that Grand Academician Hu would stand up at this moment. Even if he had a good personal relationship with Shu Wu, at this sacred moment of national transition, this Grand Academician…

Grand Academician Hu lowered his head, his three inches of clear beard perfectly still, and said, "Since His Majesty has an imperial edict, this minister dares to ask for the Empress Dowager's decree to announce His Majesty's will in the hall."

Without waiting for the Empress Dowager and Crown Prince to speak, Grand Academician Hu lowered his head again and said, "The matter of Dong Mountain is full of doubts. If the Earl of Danbo has already returned to the capital, then he should be summoned to the palace to present the so-called imperial edict in person. The matter of treason should be jointly tried by the Three Supreme Courts. How can it be hastily decided based on military intelligence? His Majesty's life and death are matters of national importance. Until today, we have not seen the imperial body, nor have we heard any reports from the Tiger Guards. The Supervisory Council is in chaos…"

The words of this leader of the Qing civil officials became faster and faster, and even the Empress Dowager's cold rebuttals could not stop him from speaking.

"This minister believes that the most urgent task is to know the truth of Dong Mountain. And the only one who can know the truth of Dong Mountain… is the Earl of Danbo."

"Whether the imperial edict is true or false must be seen."

"Whether the Earl of Danbo should be cut into a thousand pieces must be captured and tried."

"Therefore, this minister believes that arresting the Earl of Danbo and bringing him to justice is the most important thing. I implore the Empress Dowager to make a wise decision."

…

…

The hall was silent for a long time before the Empress Dowager, with a livid face, looked at Grand Academician Hu and said three times, "Good! Good! Good!… Good for you, Killer Hu!"

Killer Hu was a nickname that His Majesty the Qing Emperor had given to Grand Academician Hu in the past, praising his upright and clear heart. Today, in this dangerous situation in the hall, Grand Academician Hu, after a long silence, suddenly spoke out with firm conviction. He did not yield an inch in the face of the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince, and his words pierced straight at the hidden truths!

The Empress Dowager's eyes slowly narrowed, and a cold light gradually filled them. However, the Crown Prince's expression remained as calm as usual, and he glanced downwards.

The Crown Prince naturally had his own confidants in the court. Although the ministers had been swaying between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince for many years because of the Eldest Princess's actions, they still bravely stood up at this moment. Yan Xingshu, the Minister of Personnel, looked at Grand Academician Hu coldly and said, "The Empress Dowager has already issued a decree to strip Fan Xian of his title and ordered the confiscation of the Fan family's property. It is somewhat inappropriate for the Grand Academician to still refer to him as the Earl of Danbo. Fan Xian is guilty of treason. Today, the two Grand Academicians have not forgotten to defend him. I wonder if there are any unspeakable secrets behind this."

Shu Wu, who was at the door at this time, looked at Grand Academician Hu, who was kneeling under the dragon throne, with surprise and gratification.

Grand Academician Hu did not even look at the Minister, and said contemptuously, "This minister is a minister of Qing, a minister of His Majesty. This minister is the leader of the Secretariat Drafting Department, handling state affairs on the Emperor's orders. If His Majesty has an imperial edict, this minister must see it. What unspeakable secrets are there?"

At this time, the three princes standing in a row under the dragon throne had complex feelings. The Second Prince was mocking the grandmother and the Crown Prince in his heart, thinking that when it came to the throne, they had to take a righteous path, no wonder it would cause so much trouble. The Eldest Prince was silent, secretly calculating whether the imperial edict mentioned by the two Grand Academicians was true or false.

Only the youngest Third Prince lowered his head slightly, feeling the hard sensation coming from his calf, and felt a little cold in his heart, thinking that if a large group of guards really rushed in later… what should he do? Of course, he would not let his brother the Crown Prince kill all these old ministers!

Standing high beside the dragon throne, the Crown Prince looked coldly at Grand Academician Hu, who was kneeling below, with a very complicated mood. He thought that his aunt's judgment was indeed correct. Among the two arms of Qing, besides the military, the civil officials always had their own brains. The Emperor had allowed them to have this brain, but at this time, this brain was beginning to bring endless trouble to the Crown Prince's enthronement path.

"The two Grand Academicians have all stood up…" The Crown Prince thought to himself with a faint self-mockery, then said coldly, "As ministers, you falsely claim an imperial edict, Grand Academician Hu, you should also reflect on yourself."

As soon as his words fell, other eunuch guards stepped forward and supported both sides of Grand Academician Hu. In an instant, the Taiji Hall was filled with a sense of panic. The two Grand Academicians of the Secretariat Drafting Department opposed the Crown Prince's enthronement! The two Grand Academicians were to be arrested and imprisoned!

When was the last time such a situation occurred in Qing history? No minister could remember. They only knew that these two Grand Academicians were the leaders of the civil officials. If the Crown Prince could not subdue them openly but could only suppress them with such violent means, then many problems would eventually arise.

The problem of the court's heart.

And this problem was immediately revealed as Grand Academician Hu was escorted out of the Taiji Hall. When Grand Academician Hu and Grand Academician Shu exchanged a silent smile at the hall door, the civil officials who had been standing solemnly in the Taiji Hall suddenly knelt down in a large group!

A large black mass!

…

…

"Please think thrice, Empress Dowager, please think thrice, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Fully half of the civil officials knelt down at that moment, shouting in unison! This was not only pleading for the two Grand Academicians, but also demonstrating to the grandmother and grandson on the dragon throne, telling the Li family that in the Qing court, there were many people who were not afraid of death, not just the two Grand Academicians.

The civil officials from the Eldest Princess's side, and the row of military generals who had been silent, were moved by this scene. They did not understand what these kneeling civil officials were thinking, what did they want? Did they really intend to exonerate Fan Xian, did they really want to prevent the Crown Prince's enthronement? Besides that mouth and that reputation, what strength did they have?

Looking at the black mass of ministers kneeling at her feet, the Empress Dowager felt a dizziness in her head and was a little unsteady. The Crown Prince's face also finally lost its usual calm and became gloomy. He had not expected that an imperial edict that had not even appeared in front of everyone would bring such a great disaster to today's enthronement ceremony!

Are there really people in this world who are not afraid of death? There shouldn't be. If the civil officials were all upright and fearless officials, then what need would Qing have for the Supervisory Council?

At that moment, the Crown Prince's thoughts were somewhat dazed. He did not understand why so many people opposed him. He had never noticed it normally, and the officials kneeling now were basically neutral… Could it be that Fan Xian had cast some kind of witchcraft on them?

Kill them all?

If not kill, what to do?

A pain that had been accumulating between the Crown Prince's eyebrows began to spread throughout his skull. He suppressed the thought in his heart, Fan Xian, Fan Xian, it seems that I still underestimated your influence in Kyoto.

However, at this time, the Empress Dowager, who had already returned to her chair, reminded the Crown Prince with the name of a person she cursed out in a low voice, that this scene of the officials kneeling down and advising was not something that Fan Xian could instigate at all.

Only then did the Crown Prince realize that, including his aunt, everyone seemed to have vaguely forgotten a person. The last Prime Minister of Qing, who had been entangled with his aunt for more than ten years, had been forced out of Kyoto by His Majesty, had lived in seclusion in Wuzhou for several years, but had once been powerful in the court and had countless disciples—Lin Ruofu!