Chapter 1443 - 1376: The Protagonist Always Appears Last

But there's a difference.

In the hearts of others, the statue of the late Emperor is held with utmost reverence.

Because without the late Emperor, there would be no current Great Qin Empire.

Without the Great Qin Empire, there would be no them.

Therefore.

Toward the late Emperor, people feel not only gratitude but deep appreciation.

However, the State Preceptor and the members of the Zhuge family are full of mockery.

So what if the late Emperor was powerful?

Didn't the realm of Great Qin ultimately fall into the hands of the Zhuge family?

In the near future, Great Qin might even change its surname to Zhuge!

They actually do feel grateful to the late Emperor.

Because.

If not for the late Emperor overthrowing the Tianyang Empire and founding the Great Qin Empire, the Zhuge family wouldn't have what they have today.

Of course.

Their gratitude is tinged with sarcasm.

A moment later.

The ancestral worship ceremony finally concluded.

The Emperor and Empress took the young Prince and walked to the State Preceptor's side.

Court officials and commoners also rose one after another.

The State Preceptor looked at the Chief Eunuch and said, "Read the imperial decree!"

The Chief Eunuch nodded and took out the decree from the Qiankun Bag.

This decree was, of course, prepared in advance by the State Preceptor and Emperor Hong, and was stamped with the Imperial Jade Seal.

When the Chief Eunuch took out the decree, everyone present knelt down once more.

This time.

The Emperor, Empress, and the young Prince also knelt.

"The Emperor has decreed..."

The Chief Eunuch opened the decree and solemnly began to read it.

The content was almost the same as the edict in Qin Feiyang's hands.

The only difference was that the edict had Qin Feiyang replacing the State Preceptor to assist the young Prince.

In the decree, it was still the State Preceptor assisting the young Prince in managing state affairs.

After reading, the Chief Eunuch looked at the young Prince and the State Preceptor and said, "Your Highness, State Preceptor, please accept the decree!"

"This minister is grateful for Your Majesty's trust."

"I hereby swear to not disappoint Your Majesty's trust, to assist His Highness Haotian, to bow and die in the service of Great Qin and its people."

The State Preceptor bowed before the Chief Eunuch, exclaiming with great righteousness, his face full of gratitude.

"This child thanks the father Emperor."

Under the Empress's guidance, the young Prince also prostrated on the ground, respectfully speaking, and then received the decree from the Chief Eunuch.

The Chief Eunuch took out the Imperial Jade Seal, looked at the young Prince, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, please accept the Imperial Jade Seal."

At this moment.

The State Preceptor was excited beyond measure.

As soon as the young Prince took possession of the Imperial Jade Seal, he would be the true emperor of the Great Qin Empire, and no one could change it.

The Empress was equally excited.

Mother raises her son to prominence!

Once the young Prince becomes emperor, her status as mother will naturally rise in the palace.

"Wait!"

Just as the young Prince was about to rise and accept the Imperial Jade Seal, a cold voice rang out.

"Huh?"

Everyone paused and turned toward the voice, seeing that it was Martial Marquis Shao speaking.

Both the State Preceptor and the Empress's eyes flashed with hostility.

The Chief Eunuch asked, "Does Martial Marquis Shao have any objections?"

"This is the imperial decree, so naturally, I have no objections. But I am puzzled why for such an important ceremony, His Majesty did not come in person?"

Martial Marquis Shao said.

"Oh, that's the matter."

The Chief Eunuch suddenly understood, smiled, and said, "His Majesty anticipated that someone would ask, so he specifically instructed me to inform everyone that he is currently meditating in seclusion and does not want to be distracted."

Martial Marquis Shao asked, "Is meditation more important than the succession ceremony to the throne?"

The Chief Eunuch's gaze grew slightly colder and he said, "How can the thoughts of His Majesty be guessed by mere mortals like us? Therefore, please, Martial Marquis Shao, do not cause a disturbance in public that may affect the progress of the ceremony."

Martial Marquis Shao's face fell, and he knelt on the ground, saying, "I have not caused a disturbance, only expressed my doubts. If I have offended the dragon's power, I am willing to accept punishment."

The Chief Eunuch laughed and said, "Martial Marquis Shao is concerned for His Majesty. His Majesty will surely be gratified to hear it. Please rise quickly, Marquis."

Martial Marquis Shao furrowed his brows, stood up, and stepped back to the side.

He very much wished to see the emperor, but given the current situation, it was evidently impossible.

The Chief Eunuch also secretly breathed a sigh of relief, scanning the civil and military officials and various marquises and asked, "Does anyone else have any objections?"

"No."

Martial Marquis Zhuge was the first to shake his head.

Others exchanged looks and also shook their heads one after another.

The Chief Eunuch scanned the entire assembly and looked at the young Prince, smiling, "Your Highness, please accept the Imperial Jade Seal!"

"Alright."

The young Prince nodded, raised his hands, and the Chief Eunuch promptly placed the Imperial Jade Seal in the young Prince's hands.

"This minister pays homage to Your Majesty!"

Following closely.

The Chief Eunuch was the first to kneel before the young Prince and respectfully shouted.

"Pay homage to Your Majesty!"

The officials once again knelt.

The State Preceptor also bent in salute, but his hands were tightly clenched, his inner excitement boundless.

"Your Majesty."

"Please ascend the dragon throne."

The Chief Eunuch said.

The young Prince looked up at the dragon throne, then joyfully ran toward it.

The Empress quickly caught the young Prince, and whispered, "Tian Er, now you are already an emperor, you must not act with such impropriety, you need to be mature and dignified."

"So troublesome."

The young Prince grumbled discontentedly, allowing the Empress to guide him to the dragon throne, and then sat on it, sullen.

But his little hands couldn't stay still.

Touching here, knocking there, unable to remain calm.

After all, he was just a child.

It's difficult for him to act mature and composed like an adult.

The State Preceptor furrowed his brows, looked at the Empress, and transmitted his voice: "This is inappropriate. Quickly hold him, don't let him move around."

"Alright."

The Empress nodded, picked up the young Prince, sat on the dragon throne, bound the young Prince's little hands with hers, and whispered: "Tian Er, everyone is watching. Listen to your mother and don't move around."

The young Prince pouted, his little face full of displeasure.

The State Preceptor glanced at the young Prince, walked to the side of the dragon throne, looked at the ministers, and with a gleam of frost in his old eyes said: "His Majesty is still young and doesn't understand many things, so I hope everyone here will assist me wholeheartedly in supporting His Majesty, managing state affairs well, and bringing fortune to the people."

"We will obey the State Preceptor's orders."

The civil and military officials, and various Marquises, all responded.

"Of course."

"If I discover anyone scheming behind my back, I will not spare them lightly!"

The State Preceptor continued.

The officials trembled and exclaimed that they did not dare.

"The State Preceptor is truly imposing!"

But at this moment,

a faint laugh suddenly echoed.

"Hmm?"

The State Preceptor raised an eyebrow and scanned the void of the square.

"He really came after all!"

The ministers and the surrounding crowd, upon hearing this voice, felt a chill in their hearts and quickly looked towards the void.

Because this voice was so familiar to everyone.

It was Qin Feiyang!

Beneath the statue of the late emperor, a young man in white appeared from thin air.

Who else could it be but Qin Feiyang?

Everyone stared at Qin Feiyang's back, their pupils constricting.

The State Preceptor's brows also furrowed into a knot.

But one person, upon seeing Qin Feiyang appear, was overjoyed.

And that was the young Prince!

"Brother..."

The young Prince exclaimed in joy and broke free from the Empress's embrace, running towards Qin Feiyang.

Seeing this,

the State Preceptor hurriedly grabbed the young Prince and placed him back in front of the Empress, transmitting his voice: "If you don't control him and let him cause trouble, don't blame me for being harsh!"

The Empress's body trembled, and she quickly held the young Prince in her arms, whispering: "Tian Er, mother is begging you, please don't move around now, okay?"

"I'm not, I just want to go find Brother."

The young Prince looked innocent.

"You treat him as a brother, but he may not treat you as a brother. Don't be foolish, okay?"

"Maybe he came this time to take the throne from you!"

The Empress said anxiously.

"Really?"

"That's great."

"I don't like being an emperor anyway, it's not fun at all, let Brother do it."

The young Prince was overjoyed.

Upon hearing this, the Empress and the State Preceptor, as well as the civil and military officials and the Marquises below, all turned pale.

But the young Prince didn't care at all, looked at the Empress, and pleaded: "Mother, can't you let Brother be the emperor?"

The State Preceptor suddenly turned to glare at the young Prince, his eyes shining with a terrifying sharpness, like a venomous snake.

The young Prince was too young to care.

But the Empress's face turned white as a sheet, and she quickly covered the young Prince's mouth, begging: "My little ancestor, please stop talking, okay?"

The young Prince looked immediately aggrieved.

And throughout all this, Qin Feiyang seemed unaware. From the moment he appeared until now, he kept his head raised, silently gazing at the statue of the ancestors.

It's unclear how much time passed.

Qin Feiyang suddenly knelt on the ground, solemnly bowing to the ancestor's statue.

"Ancestor, rest assured..."

"The realm of Great Qin will never be taken away because I am here..."

Murmuring this silently, Qin Feiyang rose and faced the State Preceptor and others.

The State Preceptor frowned and said: "What are you here for?"

Qin Feiyang glanced at the young Prince, then smiled at the State Preceptor and said: "My brother is ascending the throne, how can I, as the elder brother, not come to congratulate him?"

"Congratulate?"

The people exchanged looks.

It's probably not that simple!

But nobody dared to say it outright.

The State Preceptor said in a deep voice: "Since you're here to congratulate, why did you arrive so late?"

"Don't you know?"

"The main character usually appears last."

Qin Feiyang laughed lightly.

The Empress angrily said: "Qin Feiyang, don't be presumptuous, the main character today should be my child!"

"That's right!"

"Today is the day His Majesty Haotian ascends the throne, yet you claim to be the main character, what are your intentions?"

Martial Marquis Zhuge also shouted.

Qin Feiyang glanced at the Empress and Martial Marquis Zhuge, a playful smile curving at his lips: "You two are indeed confidants, even your words are so in sync."

The word "confidants" was particularly emphasized.

Upon hearing this, a trace of panic climbed onto their faces.

Could it be this little brat already knows about their business?

The State Preceptor discreetly raised an eyebrow, looked at Qin Feiyang, and said: "Since you came to congratulate, you must have prepared a gift?"

"Of course."

"And more than one gift."

Qin Feiyang nodded and smiled.

The State Preceptor said: "Then present it!"

"Don't rush."

"Before presenting the gift, I have one more thing to address."

Qin Feiyang smiled faintly, walking slowly towards the young Prince.

"Qin Feiyang, His Highness Haotian is now the emperor of Great Qin, you'd better not act recklessly."

The Chief Eunuch quickly positioned himself in front of the young Prince, warily watching Qin Feiyang.