Yao Jingyun rarely met with his foreign ministers, but she saw Fan Zehao quite often. He wasn't like this when he was in his fief, so why today…
“That wet nurse Pi, please have the steward go to the front to find the Commander of the Imperial Guards. I have something to discuss with him!”
“Yes, Imperial Consort!”
The Emperor had passed away, and the Commander of the Imperial Guards was afraid of any chaos breaking out in the palace, constantly watching every move within. Naturally, he knew that the King of Zhen and his consort had entered the palace.
When the steward from Qixia Palace came to find him, Huang Kangtai’s small brain quickly guessed the general idea, and he immediately followed the steward to Qixia Palace.
His armor made him look imposing, and upon entering the palace hall, he cupped his hands and knelt on one knee: “Your humble servant pays his respects to the Imperial Consort, greetings.”
“Huang Kangtai pays his respects to the King of Zhen and his consort, greetings!”
Fan Zehao nodded slightly, acknowledging him.
Yao Jingyun raised her hand slightly: “Get up, it’s the King who has something to discuss with you!”
Huang Kangtai stood up and turned to look at Fan Zehao.
Before he became the Commander of the Imperial Guards, he had only heard of this person. Now that he saw the real person, he was just a brute.
“I wonder what the King requires of your humble servant!”
From his thin gaze, Fan Zehao sensed his contempt. He clenched his hands behind his back and said coldly, “At tomorrow’s morning court, I order you to keep the palace gates tightly shut. No one is to enter or leave the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Can you accomplish this task?”
Huang Kangtai’s brows rose slightly as his eyes met Fan Zehao’s sharp gaze. The latter felt a slight jolt in his heart and quickly looked away from his hawk-like eyes.
He lowered his head and said, “Your humble servant cannot comply!”
Fan Zehao frowned: “Tomorrow the Crown Prince ascends the throne. Without a summons, no one is to enter the palace. You, the Imperial Guards, are responsible for maintaining security within the palace. Tell me, why can’t you do it?”
Huang Kangtai looked up and stood up straight, boldly meeting his sharp gaze. Their eyes collided mid-air, sparks flying.
“King of Zhen, you have quite an ego. Not even the elder princes of the imperial clan have stepped forward, so who are you relying on for your power!”
Fan Zehao sneered: “The Crown Prince is the heir apparent. With the Emperor’s passing, the Crown Prince ascends the throne. Does this require the elder princes of the imperial clan to step forward? As long as the Imperial Consort approves, others will act on imperial decree. What is amiss!”
Yao Jingyun watched the two of them with their palpable tension. She wanted to resolve matters as soon as possible and said, “Commander Huang, I mean the same thing. Since the late Emperor has already designated the Crown Prince as his heir, it is only natural for the Crown Prince to succeed him after the Emperor’s passing. Tomorrow, Commander Huang should follow the King of Zhen’s arrangements.”
“But the ministers in court do not agree…”
“Are the ministers in court the late Emperor? When the late Emperor recognized the Crown Prince, he did not depose him. Why should we listen to them? Or are you, Commander Huang, repeatedly making excuses because you wish to rebel?”
Huang Kangtai’s face tightened. He pursed his lips and said, word by word, “Your Highness, mind your words!”
“If that is the case, then you shall follow my arrangements tomorrow!”
Huang Kangtai gritted his teeth. He bowed to Yao Jingyun and retreated from the palace hall, leaving in a hurry.
Seeing this, Zhao Jiaqi felt that the matter might be a bit hasty.
“My lord, we don’t even know who in the palace is friend or foe. To overtly protect the Crown Prince’s ascension like this might not be wise! It could lead to desperate measures and ultimately be counterproductive!”
Fan Zehao sighed: “How could I not know? If we delay any longer, the Crown Prince’s chances of ascending the throne will be smaller. It’s better to cut the gordian knot. Once the Crown Prince ascends, even if some don’t want to acknowledge it, it won’t matter. After all, the late Emperor did not depose the Crown Prince, so it is natural for the Crown Prince to ascend upon the Emperor’s passing. This aligns with heaven’s will. Then, if anyone desires to sit on the dragon throne, they will have to reconsider!”
If they dare to assassinate, he will have reason to investigate. Besides the two princes, who else is so bored to assassinate the Emperor?
If they dare to raise an army in rebellion, he will present the imperial decree to control the national military. If any general disobeys, he can then raise an army to quell the rebellion. It's all a strategy.
It depends on whether these people will act and if they dare to act!
“My lord, to prevent Commander Huang from betraying us tomorrow, you should make preparations tonight!”
Yao Jingyun sat on the soft couch and agreed with Zhao Jiaqi’s words: “Strive for a swift and decisive blow. Tomorrow, we cannot let certain individuals ruin the good fortune of the Crown Prince’s ascension. Otherwise, it will be even more difficult for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne in the future!”
“Your humble servant will go find the Crown Prince now to discuss tomorrow’s matters. My dear, please stay at Qixia Palace for now. I will come to pick you up!”
After speaking, Fan Zehao glanced at Zhao Jiaqi before striding away.
His eagerness to push the Crown Prince onto the throne, others might not know the reason, but she knew it deeply.
She prayed in her heart that what needed to be done tomorrow would go smoothly and that internal strife would be avoided.
That afternoon, the Crown Prince summoned several elder princes from the imperial clan to discuss tomorrow’s ascension. However, when these princes heard the matter, they all verbally expressed their support. As for how genuine their support was, only they themselves knew.
Huangfu Yifan and Fan Zehao discussed for a long time. By the time they left the palace, it was already very late.
He sent Zhao Jiaqi back to the princely estate, while he himself went to the outskirts where twenty thousand elite soldiers were stationed.
With these twenty thousand soldiers, why should he fear a mere few thousand Imperial Guards?
At that time, in the princely estate, Zhao Jiaqi lay in bed, unable to sleep for a long time, constantly wondering who the mastermind behind this was.
Was it Prince Xiaoyao, Huangfu Xu!
Or Prince Xian, Huangfu Xian!
As the eastern sky began to lighten, Fan Zehao returned, looking exhausted. Seeing his wife sleeping soundly, he dared not get into bed and instead lay on the chaise lounge, catching a brief nap in his clothes.
In the morning, Zhao Jiaqi asked the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous meal. If her body, not well-rested, was not nourished properly, even an iron body could not withstand it.
Especially this time entering the palace, which was unlike any other. There was a battle to be fought, one that was more tiring than actual combat.
The Imperial Palace.
The King of Zhen, who had never worn armor to court, was now uncharacteristically wearing heavy, cold-gleaming armor, a long sword at his waist, his eyes like an eagle’s, standing in the grand hall and surveying the arriving ministers.
Seeing that all the necessary ministers had arrived, he raised his arm. Xiao Ce departed from the shadows. Huang Kangtai, who had personally witnessed the departure of the former Commander of the Imperial Guards, knew that any further resistance today would be futile.
Under Huang Kangtai’s instruction, the Imperial Guards slowly closed the gates of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Those inside the hall were immediately filled with anxiety. The ministers whispered amongst themselves about this sudden turn of events.
Fan Zehao, with his imposing aura, stood like a wooden pillar in the hall. However, no minister dared to step forward and question him. Instead, they only dared to glare at him.
Huangfu Xian, who was bolder and disliked Fan Zehao, stepped forward a few paces and, with a shallow, insincere smile, asked, “What is the meaning of this, Your Highness?”
Fan Zehao didn’t even spare him a glance, treating his words as if they were nothing. What he was concerned about now was whether General Fang had brought his elite troops.
His silence caused the face of Prince Xian to be lost among the ministers. He became even more displeased with Fan Zehao and angrily asked, “I am speaking to you!”