Chapter 668 - 671: Posthumous Edict

Chapter 668: Chapter 671: Posthumous Edict

Hua Manman knocked out a palace maid, changed into her clothes, then climbed over a wall to escape Yufu Palace.

Everything went very smoothly.

Hua Manman was emboldened.

She planned to leave the Imperial Palace in one go.

However, she had only taken two steps when she heard the sound of footsteps.

Startled, she immediately used her Qinggong and leaped into a large nearby tree.

She used the cover of the branches and leaves to hide herself.

A squad of Yulin Guards emerged from the corner ahead, striding purposefully in her direction.

They chatted idly as they walked.

"Boss, I heard the Saint just passed away. Shouldn’t we be heading to Hanzhang Hall right now? Why are we still patrolling everywhere?"

"What do you know? The Saint’s passing is a momentous event. The Crown Prince is worried someone might use this as a chance to stir up chaos, so he specifically ordered us to tighten patrols and ensure stability in the palace. If we handle the Crown Prince’s assignment well, we’ll get noticed by him. Once he ascends the throne, there will be no shortage of benefits for us. Isn’t that much better than standing around outside Hanzhang Hall, waiting with bated breath?"

"You’re absolutely right, Boss. You’re always thinking ahead! I’m impressed!"

...

The Yulin Guards walked past under the tree.

Hua Manman waited until they were long gone and completely out of sight before jumping down from the tree.

The Three-colored Cat landed at her feet.

It had also heard what the Yulin Guards said and couldn’t help but worry.

System: "Security in the palace has been tightened. Can we still escape?"

Hua Manman hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to suddenly pull such a move. This was undoubtedly a huge problem for her.

But at this point, there was no turning back for her.

Hua Manman gritted her teeth. "I have to escape!"

The System, unable to understand, asked.

"Now that the Emperor is dead, you and Li Ji’s number one enemy is gone.

Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, all it would take is one Holy Decree from him to clear Li Ji’s name and let you two reunite.

You just need to wait patiently in the palace. Why must you risk escaping?"

Princess Consort Zhen had indeed promised Hua Manman that if she was obedient, she would be reunited with Li Ji.

But her life experience had taught her time and again not to pin all her hopes on others.

Especially in this Imperial Palace, a place that devoured people whole.

She couldn’t trust anyone.

She could only trust herself!

Hua Manman glanced in the direction of Hanzhang Hall and said in a low voice.

"The title of Regent King is a threat to the Emperor, and to the Crown Prince as well.

Even if the person on the throne has changed, it doesn’t mean Ji will be safe.

To be safe, it’s better for me to leave this treacherous place as soon as possible."

With that, she started walking forward.

The Three-colored Cat hurried to catch up. "What’s your plan?"

Hua Manman: "First, let’s go check out the area near the palace gates."

Just then, a group of palace servants passed by in front of them.

Hua Manman lowered her head and fell in line with the group.

The System, for its part, transformed into a tiny bee and landed on her shoulder.

Along the way, they encountered several more patrols of Yulin Guards.

Those Yulin Guards just gave the group of palace servants a second look, not growing suspicious.

Hua Manman managed to slip past them.

She felt no relief, however, as she realized the group was moving farther and farther away from the palace gates.

The group eventually stopped near Hanzhang Hall.

Standing at the back of the line, Hua Manman quietly raised her head and looked ahead. She saw many people kneeling before Hanzhang Hall: Concubines, Princesses and Princes, nobles, and all the civil and military officials.

They were prostrated on the ground, wailing their hearts out. The scene could be described as quite a spectacle.

The System whispered.

"What do we do now?"

The person leading the group went forward to confer with a nanny from Hanzhang Hall. It looked like they were planning to stay here.

Hua Manman had no intention of staying here.

If she ran into Princess Consort Zhen or the Crown Prince, she’d never be able to leave.

Hua Manman retreated step by step, gradually putting distance between herself and the group ahead.

Just then, the main doors of Hanzhang Hall opened, and the Crown Prince, Li Qiong, emerged, supported by others.

Li Qiong was still crying. His eyes were swollen, his face was tear-streaked, and his hair was in disarray. He looked quite disheveled.

But no one present dared to laugh at him.

After all, it was his own father who had died. When one’s father dies, no amount of grieving from a son is excessive.

Following behind the Crown Prince were the Prime Ministers of the Left and Right, as well as Zuo Ji, the Chief Eunuch who had served the Emperor for many years.

Their eyes were also bloodshot, a clear sign they had just been crying.

Zuo Ji held a brocade box with both hands.

Everyone present couldn’t help but stare at the brocade box.

They were all secretly guessing what was inside the box.

Could it be the Emperor’s final edict?

It turned out they were right.

Zuo Ji opened the brocade box, took out a roll of imperial-yellow Holy Decree, and began to read it aloud.

Because he had just been crying, his voice still had a tearful waver to it.

The content of the Holy Decree was very long and filled with a large number of obscure and convoluted words. An uneducated person wouldn’t have understood a word of it.

Hua Manman’s head swam as she listened, completely lost.

She asked the System.

"What’s he saying?"

The System summed it up succinctly.

"The Emperor is dead. The throne is inherited by Crown Prince Li Qiong. Hope Li Qiong can be a wise ruler and not disappoint his dad’s expectations. And that’s pretty much it."

It dawned on Hua Manman that this must be the Emperor’s final edict.

Now that the final edict had been announced publicly, it meant the Crown Prince’s ascension to the throne was set in stone.

Everyone had long anticipated this outcome. They all fell to their knees and kowtowed, addressing Crown Prince Li Qiong as ’Saint’.

Hua Manman had no choice but to kneel as well.

’Li Qiong is only eight years old,’ she thought to herself. ’In modern society, he’d just be a grade-schooler, but here in ancient times, he has to bear the heavy burden of a nation.

I wonder if he can be a good Emperor?

Oh well, none of this has anything to do with me.

I should just hurry up and get out of here.’

As everyone rose to their feet, Hua Manman silently slipped away from the group.

She left in such a hurry that she failed to notice a pair of eyes in the crowd watching her retreating figure.

Li Qiong was helped down the steps.

He first exchanged a few words with the Crown Prince’s Master and the Crown Prince’s Tutor before his gaze fell upon a plain-looking middle-aged man in the crowd.

The man was dressed as a Confucian scholar, wearing a silk cap and a three-inch beard. He had a very refined and scholarly appearance.

He took two steps forward and bowed to Li Qiong with his hands clasped.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Li Qiong was clearly very respectful toward him. He actually made a gesture to help him up and said in a choked voice.

"Mr. Zhu, the official coronation ceremony hasn’t been held yet. I’m not yet the Emperor. You can still address me as you did before."

Mr. Zhu readily obliged. "Your Highness, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Please accept my condolences."

Li Qiong said sadly, "Imperial Father passed so suddenly. I... I can’t accept it. It’s agonizing."

Mr. Zhu offered some words of comfort, then finally added a reminder.

"I saw a furtive-looking person leaving just now. I suspect she may be up to no good. Should we send someone to capture her?"

Li Qiong said at once, "Of course!"