Chapter 1 "Come up and sit." Ji Chengjue invited Zheng Fan.

"You want me to drive the carriage for you?" Zheng Fan retorted.

Last time outside the capital, the Yan Emperor and Prince Jingnan sat inside the carriage, and Zheng Fan was the driver.

"Bullshit." Ji Chengjue laughed. "If you're willing, I wouldn't be polite."

"Dream on."

Marquis Zheng dismounted the Pixiu.

On the other side, inside the carriage.

Ji Chengjue looked at Ji Chenglang and said,

"Second Brother, you go down first."

Not a suggestion, but an order.

But somehow, Ji Chenglang felt more comfortable with this commanding tone.

He hated the Emperor, but like the Fourth Prince, he felt lost after the Emperor's death.

He hated the person, but he was used to the lifestyle when that person was around.

"Alright."

So,

As Zheng Fan prepared to board the carriage, Ji Chenglang came out first.

Zheng Fan took a step back, allowing Ji Chenglang to get off the carriage first. They nodded to each other, and then Zheng Fan boarded the carriage.

Eunuch Wei wanted to offer a hand, but Zheng Fan refused.

Inside the carriage, there was no charcoal brazier, and it was a bit cold.

Ji Chengjue sat there, watching Zheng Fan come in and then sit down.

"Old Zheng, I feel a bit uneasy."

"Really?"

"It feels like the first time I became a father, after all, it's my first time being an emperor in this lifetime."

"Practice makes perfect, after a few more times, you'll become numb."

Ji Chengjue nodded, leaning casually against the corner of the carriage, making him look incredibly weak and helpless,

"The Emperor is dead."

"I heard the bell."

Ji Chengjue raised his hand and said,

"I killed him, with a dagger, stabbed into the Emperor's chest."

"His Majesty should be very pleased."

"Yeah, he forced me to do it, he wanted to be free, and I gave it to him."

"That's good."

"Zheng, I'm already starting to get tired. I'm sitting in the carriage now, not yet enthroned, but I can already imagine in my mind what I'll look like sixty years from now, exhausted and inhuman."

"Are you sure you can live another sixty years?"

"Why can't you have a serious conversation with me? When you were being sentimental before, I felt disgusted, but on the surface, I was still very cooperative with you."

"Okay, well, being an emperor, wanting to be a good emperor, must be very tiring."

"Yeah, my mind is very confused right now."

"Take a nap, I'll wake you up when we get to the palace."

Ji Chengjue agreed,

The weak him stretched out his weak arm, drove the weak hand, and flicked out a weak finger towards Zheng Fan,

"Zheng, let me lean on your shoulder."

"Go to hell, get lost."

"Hehe."

Ji Chengjue laughed,

He didn't get to lean on his shoulder,

But he still closed his eyes contentedly and started dozing off.

Outside,

The carriage driven by Eunuch Wei arrived in front of the palace gate.

Ji Chengfeng and Lu Bing had already walked over.

Grand Eunuch Wei Zhonghe, the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial, was driving the carriage, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was walking alongside it. In the past, the person sitting inside would definitely be the Yan Emperor.

Well,

Now,

The person sitting inside must also be the Yan Emperor.

The stone in Ji Chengfeng's heart could be considered to have landed. He was different from Zheng Fan. No matter what, once Zheng Fan left this Yanjing City and returned to his marquis's mansion, he could still be spirited. Unless Great Yan wanted internal strife, the court and the new Emperor couldn't be too harsh on him.

But Ji Chengfeng was a prince, and the fate of a prince would inevitably usher in a profound reshuffle when the throne changed.

The Fourth Brother could also let go,

He had already let go once at the roast duck restaurant,

So this time,

He directly knelt down:

"Ji Chengfeng kowtows to Your Majesty, may my Emperor live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

Not yet enthroned, addressing him as Your Majesty and wishing him ten thousand years wasn't appropriate,

But it was only a matter of procedure. The former Crown Prince was waiting beside him, and Ji Chengfeng couldn't think of any other troubles that could arise.

Regardless of whether Sixth Brother obtained the throne legitimately with the late Emperor's approval or seized it through means,

Heh,

The Dragon Throne,

Was originally a game where the winner takes all.

But Ji Chengfeng knelt, and he shouted, but there was still no sound from inside the carriage.

Immediately,

Cold sweat began to seep out of Ji Chengfeng's forehead.

All along, he could be considered half of Sixth Lord's faction, but the other half was considered part of the Crown Prince's faction.

He was ordered by the late Emperor to lead troops to control the palace gate, and in such a dangerous position, he hadn't informed the current victor, not even a hint of a look.

You could explain that you were also very scared at the time, but wanting to get something in return without paying anything was clearly impossible.

Ministers could protect themselves, anyway, they were just working long-term for the Ji family, but princes were different. Princes were the new Emperor's brothers, relatives. If relatives didn't pay any attention when something happened, it would really hurt feelings.

The more Ji Chengfeng thought about it, the more frightened and flustered he became.

Finally,

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Marquis Zheng poked half of his body out, saying to the Fourth Prince kneeling in front of the carriage:

"Get up, he's tired, he's asleep."

Ji Chengfeng was relieved, and subconsciously wanted to say, "Thank you, Your Majesty." Fortunately, he held back.

Zheng Fan reached out and patted Wei Zhonghe's shoulder, saying:

"Drive the carriage slower, let him sleep a little longer."

Eunuch Wei immediately replied:

"Yes, this servant understands."

At Ji Chengfeng's signal, the Jingying guards guarding the palace gate made way. After the order was given, these Jingying soldiers clearly breathed a sigh of relief.

They were also scared to death when facing the Jingnan Army's iron cavalry earlier. They were all paid soldiers, and everyone knew in their hearts that if they really fought, their side wouldn't be a match for the other side.

The carriage entered the palace gate.

At the same time, the Jingnan Army brought by Marquis Zheng also entered the palace.

Especially the guards in brocade clothes, who directly guarded the carriage. The neat steps, the uniform direction of the knife hilts, and the rhythmic sound of the boots stepping on the palace's bluestone bricks were really enjoyable.

Wei Zhonghe drove the carriage to the front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Marquis Zheng reached out and gently shook Ji Chengjue, who was really asleep,

Saying:

"We're here."

Ji Chengjue opened his eyes, shaking his head helplessly.

"That expression of yours is really asking for a beating."

You're about to become Emperor, and you're still helpless?

"I'm sleepy." Ji Chengjue explained. "It's like the days before fighting a war when you don't close your eyes for days, and then you fall asleep as soon as you see the overall situation is set. Once your mind relaxes, it's hard to get it up in a short time. You should understand."

"Many old men and old women are like this after their great wishes are fulfilled."

"Hehe, I can't be like that, my son is still young."

"Don't be polite, I'm here."

"Tsk, that's true."

Ji Chengjue got up and stepped out of the carriage.

Marquis Zheng came down behind him.

"Your Majesty, please rest in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for a while. Next, the Grand Secretary and the officials will enter the palace." Wei Zhonghe reported.

"Okay." Ji Chengjue nodded and walked towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After taking a few steps, seeing that Zheng Fan hadn't followed, he turned his head and waved to Zheng Fan, urging:

"Come here."

Marquis Zheng followed.

The remaining,

Wei Zhonghe said to Ji Chenglang and Ji Chengfeng:

"Your Highnesses, please follow this servant to change clothes first."

The two princes were taken away.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation was actually a place for small meetings. Inside, there was also a Dragon Throne, not as grand as the main hall, but it was indeed a type of Dragon Throne.

After Zheng Fan walked in, he put his hands on his hips and said:

"Pretty smooth, huh."

Ji Chengjue nodded and said, "After I stabbed the dagger into the late Emperor's chest, things just became simple."

After all, the late Emperor had already arranged everything.

Ji Chengjue simply sat on the ground, and Zheng Fan also sat down beside him.

"You're going to meet the officials in a while?"

Although Marquis Zheng was a marquis, he didn't really understand etiquette.

"Yeah, Second Brother will first announce the edict abolishing himself, Zhao Jiulang will then announce the edict for me to succeed to the throne, and then I'll accept the officials' worship, and that's it.

The process is still simple."

The most difficult part was in the beginning. Once that was done, the rest was just a formality.

At this time, Eunuch Wei walked in again. Lu Bing still had matters outside to attend to, so Eunuch Wei was in charge of the inner palace.

The late Emperor's arrangements were already extremely detailed,

In addition, Marquis Zheng's army had already entered the palace,

It could be said that,

Unless Marquis Zheng suddenly went crazy and wanted to rebel, there wouldn't be any major disturbances in the palace.

"Your Majesty."

"What is it, so soon?"

"No, no, the matters outside are still early. The officials still need to prepare, and the palace still needs to prepare. Although it's not an official enthronement ceremony, it can't be too hasty. This is the late Emperor's intention."

The official enthronement ceremony required first offering sacrifices to the heavens, then appeasing the ancestral temple, a series of grand procedures, and at the same time, various conferments.

The conferments to the meritorious officials in the succession struggle were not mentioned for the time being, but just the conferments of the empress and other series of titles couldn't be prepared easily. The phoenix coronet and ceremonial robes had to be prepared, right?

Fortunately, there were only two women in the Prince's mansion. The empress would definitely be He Sisi, and for Lingxiang, it depended on the Emperor's intention whether to confer her a title of Noble Consort.

The late Emperor would at most prepare a suitable dragon robe for his son, and it was impossible to prepare phoenix robes for his daughter-in-law. It wasn't that he couldn't prepare them, but it would be too embarrassing and inappropriate for an eunuch to prepare this.

In addition, there were rewards for the empress's maternal clan. There were many things to do.

Today was just a formal appearance, to inform the world who the new emperor of Great Yan was, and to stabilize the court and the people's hearts.

Then, there was a national mourning to be held, and it was impossible to keep the coffin of the departed Emperor for too long.

"Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince has arrived." Wei Zhonghe reported.

The Seventh Prince originally lived in the palace, and he was now begging to come and pay his respects to his brother who was about to ascend the throne.

"Let him in."

"This servant obeys."

Soon,

Little Seven came in,

He had a smile on his face, and after crossing the threshold of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he trotted over, opening his arms with a happy expression.

"Sixth Brother, Sixth Brother..."

Little Seven ran over,

Ji Chengjue continued to sit on the ground, looking at him calmly.

In an instant,

Little Seven felt as if the sound of the bell was fake;

His mother said that the Emperor had passed away, and the servants also said that the Emperor had passed away,

But,

Wasn't the Emperor still sitting in front of him?

Running,

Little Seven stopped,

Under Ji Chengjue's calm gaze, he slowly knelt down, put away his smile, and solemnly saluted and kowtowed:

"Ji Chengsui... pays respects to Your Majesty, may my Emperor live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years."

Ji Chengjue still didn't speak.

Ji Chengsui raised his head in confusion. He saw clearly that the Emperor was still there, seemingly no different from before, but no longer his father, but... his half-brother.

Ji Chengjue finally spoke:

"Pack up and move to the prince's residence with your mother after a while."

"This son... oh no, this younger brother, receives the decree and thanks Your Majesty."

Little Seven wasn't stupid or foolish. None of the Ji family's brothers, from oldest to youngest, were simpletons.

Therefore, after Ji Chengsui received the decree and thanked Your Majesty, he got up and retreated.

He knew that his words at the roast duck restaurant had led to the current situation, and the best thing to do now was to obediently take his mother and live outside the palace, without arguing or making trouble;

This was his brother, not his father anymore.

Ji Chengjue then looked at Wei Zhonghe and said, "Did the late Emperor leave any edicts regarding the arrangements for the people in the palace?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, no."

Ji Chengjue nodded.

There were still many concubines living in the palace, but that was indeed his father's temperament, to arrange everything for him, the successor, and he wouldn't care about the women who had served him.

Ji Chengjue looked at Zheng Fan beside him and smiled;

"It is said that people are kind in their last words, but my dad has always maintained his cold-blooded nature."

Marquis Zheng looked at Eunuch Wei and didn't respond.

"Alright, Eunuch Wei, go and get busy."

"Your Majesty, this servant will be waiting outside, please give your orders."

"Okay, for now, don't let anyone in."

"Yes, this servant knows his mistake, this servant knows his mistake."

Eunuch Wei bowed and withdrew. He was serving the new Emperor for the first time, so it was inevitable that he wasn't familiar with his temperament. He shouldn't have come to report that the Seventh Prince had arrived, disturbing His Majesty and the Marquis of the West.

Ji Chengjue wiped his face with his sleeve and asked Zheng Fan:

"Do you think there's oil on my face?"

"Just take a bath and change clothes later, and you'll have to change your hairstyle too, right?" Zheng Fan said with a smile.

"Why don't we take a bath together, and you can wash your armor too, otherwise, I'll be wearing a dragon robe and looking spirited, and you'll look too shabby next to me."

"Armor doesn't need to be too shiny. I'll ask Wei Zhonghe later to see if the palace should clean up some people. Instead of sinking them to the bottom of a pond, bleed some for me to smear on the armor, that'll really look impressive."

"You're deliberately trying to disgust me."

"You disgusted me first."

What Ji Chengjue wanted was to sit on the Dragon Throne in a proper, upright, and legitimate manner.

What was it with having Marquis Pingxi, whose armor was stained with blood, standing next to him?

"I just saw that the clothes of your guards are very imposing."

"Oh? So you're thinking of luxury now that you're full and warm."

A few days ago, he wouldn't have cared whether the clothes of his Marquis Pingxi's guards looked good or not.

Now, he felt they looked good because he had the qualifications and conditions to buy them himself.

"I just think the clothes of the palace guards are too monotonous, not as impressive as your guards' clothes."

"Alright, I'll send you the designs for the clothes tomorrow."

"What are these clothes called?"

"Jinyi (Brocade Clothes)."

"So simple?"

"Yes, that's how simple it is."

"Okay, then the guards in the palace can just be called the Jinyiwei (Brocade-Clothed Guards) from now on."

"..." Zheng Fan.

"What's wrong?"

"Whatever you like, do as you please."

"Zheng."

"Yeah."

"Next, I want to do some things."

"Reduce the power of the vassals?"

Ji Chengjue shook his head and said:

"When I was a prince, that's what I thought about, but now, I suddenly feel that there's no need for that. Just now, when I was sitting in the carriage entering the palace, in a dreamlike state, I felt like I flew into the sky..."

"Heh, you're getting carried away."

"I looked down at the palace, and slowly, I looked down at the capital, and then slowly, I looked down at the whole world.

Actually, I don't want to fulfill the old thing's last wishes. What he wants has nothing to do with me."

"You don't have to explain."

"But since I'm sitting in this position, I have to do something. In the early years, there were rumors in the court and among the people that the reason why my father was hesitant between me and Second Brother was because he was constantly weighing between recuperation and continued vigorous progress.

Even I thought so, believing that my father had emptied this Great Yan, and he was afraid that if he continued to fight, the later generations would be emperors like him who wanted to be famous in history, and would completely collapse this already thinned family fortune."

"And then?"

"Then I found out that this statement is really correct. I haven't summoned the officials yet, I haven't been enthroned yet, but my heart has already started to run wild.

Zheng Fan,

Do you know,

Being an emperor is a completely different feeling from being a prince or a minister."

Marquis Zheng rolled his eyes and reminded:

"Brother, that's a dangerous question."

"Hahahaha."

Ji Chengjue laughed, reaching out and patting Zheng Fan's shoulder.

"Come, come, come, come with me."

Ji Chengjue pulled Zheng Fan, and the two of them walked up the steps together, coming to the front of the Dragon Throne.

Ji Chengjue sat down first, but the Dragon Throne was very spacious. He reached out and patted the empty space next to him,

"Come, sit together and feel it."

In the eyes of others, this was the Emperor showing favor to you, but if you really dared to sit, hehe...

Logically speaking, at this moment, countless examples of worthy predecessors should have flashed through Marquis Zheng's mind, such as Lu Buwei, Huo Guang, Zhang Juzheng, Ao Bai, Nian Gengyao...

It should be known that those above were arrogant, but they didn't seem to have actually sat on the Dragon Throne, but their endings were already extremely miserable.

But Marquis Zheng only hesitated for two breaths, almost without hesitation, and directly sat down on the Dragon Throne.

Then,

He reached out and pushed Ji Laoliu,

Saying:

"Let me sit alone for a bit and feel it."

"Hahaha, okay."

Ji Chengjue actually stood up and stood to the side.

Zheng Fan sat his butt in the center of the Dragon Throne,

First, he sat upright,

Then,

He changed to a posture with his legs crossed,

Then, he leaned back and lay down;

Immediately,

He changed another posture, putting his hands on his knees, looking melancholy.

Ji Chengjue smiled beside him: "Quick, tell me, how does it feel?"

Zheng Fan raised his hand,

Saying:

"Don't make noise."

Then,

Marquis Zheng took out his Zhonghua brand large iron box from the interlayer of his armor, and took out a Huazi cigarette from it.

"Let me have a cigarette and feel it properly."

Then,

He took out a fire starter,

And handed it to Ji Chengjue standing on the side.

"You bastard."

Ji Chengjue cursed, but he still took the fire starter, opened the cap, blew on it, and then handed it over:

"Come, Marquis, I, will light it for you."

Marquis Zheng held the cigarette in his mouth, leaned his neck forward slightly, and after it was lit, took a deep breath;

Immediately,

He slowly exhaled smoke from his nostrils.

Ji Chengjue asked with a smile beside him:

"How does it feel?"

Marquis Zheng clamped the cigarette,

Shook off the ash,

Nodding,

Saying:

"Comfortable."

————

There's another chapter tonight, asking for monthly tickets.