Chapter 286 - 234: Temporary Regency, Invitation from Jiang’s Father

Chapter 286: Chapter 234: Temporary Regency, Invitation from Jiang’s Father

The coffin of Great Yan’s emperor, Yan Sheng, was buried beneath the ruins, along with the Empress Dowager of the Eastern Palace.

It turned out that when the roof of Taihe Palace was turned to dust by the battle between the two Grandmasters, the Empress Dowager saw that things were dire and tried to flee.

But she hadn’t gotten far before a collapsing section of wall crushed her.

And whether by coincidence or some twist of fate, she was buried right next to Yan Sheng’s coffin.

She hadn’t died instantly. Instead, she had struggled for some time, trying to dig her way out from under the broken bricks and tiles, but to no avail.

She had only managed to push her two bloody hands out, and they came to rest right on the coffin in a posture that resembled a deep, apologetic kowtow.

All of this was discovered when the coffin was unearthed.

When they saw the face of the Empress Dowager of the Eastern Palace—a woman who had enjoyed every luxury and held great power for over a decade—twisted in terror, even these nobles, who were accustomed to death and slaughter, couldn’t help but feel a chill run down their spines.

The scene was simply too eerie.

It was so unsettling that it made them wonder if this was the work of ghosts, or perhaps karmic retribution.

Yan Jun was naturally startled as well, but with his resolute nature, he didn’t believe in such tales of ghosts and gods. He quickly composed himself and ordered in a low voice,

"Clear the area at once. Prepare the Empress Dowager’s body for burial; she will be interred during the state funeral."

"Yes!"

Soldiers immediately began to clear the site.

Meanwhile, Yan Jun turned to the assembled court officials and nobles. Wherever his gaze fell, no one dared to meet his eyes, and all lowered their heads.

"I do not want this incident to become a public sensation. Therefore, you had all best think very carefully about what you say and do after leaving the palace!"

The officials’ hearts jumped at his words. But some were quick-witted, and seeing that Yan Jun’s ascension was now inevitable, they immediately began to curry favor.

"Rest assured, Your Highness. We will be sure to watch our words and actions."

One even more eager official spoke up directly, "Your Highness, a nation cannot be without a sovereign for a single day! Now that both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor have passed, there is no one to lead the court. We implore Your Highness, for the sake of the people and the citizens of Great Yan, to ascend the throne as soon as possible!"

These words seemed to be a signal. With a great rustle of fabric, all the officials fell to their knees and began urging him to take the throne.

Even Xu Kai knelt, listlessly calling out a few times for His Highness to ascend the throne for the good of the people and the nation.

Faced with this scene, Yan Jun was inwardly ecstatic, but on the surface, he feigned a look of deep grief. He shook his head and said,

"You need not say more. The Emperor has just passed, and the Empress Dowager has followed him. My heart is in turmoil, and I have no mind to consider such matters."

It was a clever statement. He didn’t refuse outright, only saying his mind was in chaos and he couldn’t think about these things right now.

The implication was clear: wait a while, then we’ll talk.

Besides, even Taihe Palace had collapsed. No matter how much he wanted to be emperor, he could hardly hold the coronation ceremony amid a pile of rubble.

Every official present was a master of courtly intrigue; of course they understood the meaning behind Yan Jun’s words.

None of them expected to succeed on the first try. This was all part of a well-established ritual; they would have to plead with him three or four times before Yan Jun could "reluctantly" agree.

Agreeing too quickly would give people ammunition for gossip, after all.

"Then we implore Your Highness to act as regent for the time being! We can discuss these other matters once things have settled down," a voice suddenly cried out from the crowd.

The imperial clansmen, powerful nobles, and heads of the Six Ministries kneeling at the front all turned to see who could be so "shameless" and desperate to advance their career.

Yan Jun was secretly delighted, as the suggestion was exactly what he wanted to hear. He also raised his eyes to look at the speaker.

He saw a plain-looking man kneeling at the back of the crowd, his face full of fervent devotion as he gazed at him.

"What is your name?" Yan Jun asked.

The moment he asked, many of the officials were kicking themselves with regret.

They knew this upstart had just seized a golden opportunity.

’Isn’t his career about to take flight?’

’If only I’d known, I would have shouted it myself!’

But it was too late for regrets.

The man replied excitedly, "Answering Your Highness, this humble official is He Chang’an, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice."

"Mm." Yan Jun didn’t say much more, simply giving the man a nod before turning to address the crowd.

"Though it is not my wish, the nation’s affairs are in chaos. I shall reluctantly assume the role of regent for now!"

"Your Highness is wise!"

The officials shouted in unison, stopping just short of crying, "Long live the Emperor!"

Yan Jun waved a hand, dismissing them.

As expected, He Chang’an was summoned to follow.

Many watched his retreating back with unconcealed envy, knowing that from this day on, He Chang’an would no longer be a mere Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

Xu Kai, however, felt little about the matter. He turned to leave but was stopped by an old eunuch.

The old eunuch beamed. "Lord Xu, the Prince has requested your presence as well. He says he has an important matter to discuss with you."

Xu Kai was startled for a moment, but then he understood and nodded.

"Very well, I understand."

"This way, please."

Led by the old eunuch, Xu Kai soon arrived at Sanhe Hall, located next to Taihe Palace.

It was originally a hall for the imperial consorts to rest and change clothes during grand court assemblies, but with Taihe Palace destroyed, Yan Jun had no choice but to use it to meet his officials.

Xu Kai waited outside for a moment before He Chang’an emerged, his face beaming with delight. Upon seeing Xu Kai, he even remembered to cup his hands in a respectful bow.