Chapter 695: Rebels and Traitors

Chapter 695 -696: Rebels and Traitors

When Li Ji produced the posthumous edict, a storm raged in the hearts of everyone present.

The most shocked among them was, naturally, Li Qiong.

He had never imagined that his own father, the Emperor, was not the rightful heir.

He refused to believe it was true.

Princess Ningyang passed the edict to the Left and Right Ministers, as well as several other respected elders of the Imperial Family, for them to examine.

The signature, the imperial seal—everything was authentic.

No one voiced any doubt.

Finally, the edict was delivered into the hands of the Empress Dowager.

Princess Ningyang, seeing through the Empress Dowager’s intentions, calmly reminded her.

“If you dare damage this edict, we can charge you with the crime of defying imperial authority this very instant.

Not even an Empress Dowager can bear such a charge.

Besides, even if you weren’t afraid to die and destroyed it anyway, it would be useless.

We have all read the edict. We remember its contents perfectly.”

The Empress Dowager’s fingers, clutching the edict, trembled.

She desperately wanted to rip the damned edict to shreds, but Princess Ningyang’s words extinguished the thought.

‘It’s too late. With everyone watching, what good would destroying the edict do now?’

The Empress Dowager asked hatefully, “I have never seen this edict. Where did you get it?”

Li Ji, not wanting to waste any more time, said flatly.

“You don’t need to know where the edict came from. You only need to know that your son was not the rightful heir to the throne. You and he seized the lands of Great Zhou through treacherous means.”

At this, Li Ji glanced at Li Qiong beside him and added coolly.

“You and your father are nothing but usurpers.”

Li Qiong was still dressed in the magnificent crown robe of an emperor.

Once a symbol of status and power, it was now ironclad proof that he was the descendant of a usurper.

His face was ashen, and he was overcome with shame.

The Empress Dowager crumpled the edict in her fist, hissing through gritted teeth.

“You’re a traitor yourself! What right do you have to spout such nonsense here?!”

Li Ji replied slowly, “My biological father was Crown Prince Li Shu, and my grandmother was Empress Ji. As their descendant, I am seeking justice for them. How does that make me a traitor?”

Every word he spoke was like a clap of thunder, exploding in the ears of the crowd.

Everyone present was stunned into silence, frozen where they stood.

The first to recover was, surprisingly, Li Qiong.

He blurted out in disbelief, “Impossible! You’re clearly the son of my father and Princess Rouwan—”

Li Ji cut him off, his voice chilling.

“Princess Rouwan and Duke Zhen were not my birth parents. Back then, Crown Prince Li Shu was framed by traitors and forced to flee with his pregnant Crown Princess Consort. She gave birth to a son on the run and entrusted him to Duke Zhen. To avoid arousing suspicion, the Duke raised the Crown Prince’s son as his own.”

Princess Ningyang’s heart tightened as she listened.

The Princess, who had remained so composed, felt her eyes redden.

She asked in a trembling voice, “Then what of Rouwan’s child?”

Li Ji lowered his gaze. “He died at birth. Princess Rouwan was never told.”

An immense sorrow gripped Princess Ningyang’s heart.

She turned her head away, wiping the tears from her eyes with her sleeve.

The Empress Dowager was still grasping at straws. “This is all just your side of the story! Duke Zhen has long been dead. The dead can’t testify, so who knows if you’re telling the truth?”

The others present had the same thought.

The matter of imperial succession could not be decided on a few words alone.

Only Li Qiong knew in his heart that all was lost. There was no coming back from this.

A look of utter defeat washed over his face.

Li Ji seemed to have been waiting for the Empress Dowager to ask that very question.

He gave a slight smile and dropped another bombshell.

“Duke Zhen did not die in battle. He has been living in anonymity among the common folk all these years.

I was only recently reunited with him.

The edict you hold in your hand was given to me by Duke Zhen himself.

If you don’t believe me, you can open the city gates. He is with the Xuanjia Army.”

Princess Ningyang was overjoyed. “Is this true? Is Duke Zhen really alive?”

Li Ji nodded, confirming he was telling the truth.

Princess Ningyang laughed through her tears.

Her daughter had fallen ill from grieving her “late” husband and had suffered greatly over the years. Now that Duke Zhen had returned, her daughter would no longer have to endure the pain of separation. The couple could finally be reunited.

The Empress Dowager was still desperately fighting back. “You’re lying! This is just a trick to get us to open the gates and let the rebel army into the city! You won’t fool us!”

Princess Ningyang immediately spoke up.

“I will go to the top of the city walls myself to see Duke Zhen. Everyone else can come and bear witness. We will know the truth of the matter in an instant.”

The members of the Imperial Family and the ministers all agreed.

They all wanted to see with their own eyes if Duke Zhen was truly still alive.

Only the Empress Dowager refused.

“I will not fall for it! I will not take a single step out of the Imperial Palace!”

She balled up the edict and shrieked at the Yulin Guards and the Night Owl Guard.

“What are you gaping at? Go and kill this traitor!”

The Yulin Guards and the Night Owl Guard exchanged glances, but no one moved.

Things had progressed to this point, and everyone understood clearly: whether in legitimacy or in power, the Regent King had the upper hand.

He was the rightful heir to the throne, he held command of a great army—he had every advantage.

At a time like this, no one was willing to openly oppose the Regent King.

The Empress Dowager shouted several times, but no one responded.

She threw off her nanny’s hands and lunged forward, trying to snatch the sword from a Yulin Guard.

“You refuse to act? Fine! Then let me do it myself!”

The terrified Yulin Guard desperately held on to his sword’s hilt, preventing the Empress Dowager from taking it.

The palace maids and eunuchs rushed to surround her, pulling her away in a fluster and pleading with her to calm down and not do anything rash.

After such a struggle, the Empress Dowager was utterly exhausted.

She glanced around, her gaze sweeping over their faces one by one.

They all lowered their heads, avoiding her gaze.

Finally, her eyes fell upon Li Qiong, who stood on the steps above.

Li Qiong had given up the struggle completely. An air of utter defeat hung about him.

‘It’s over. The outcome is decided.’

The last shred of her sanity finally shattered.

The Empress Dowager swayed and collapsed against a palace maid.

She wept and cursed.

“You’re all bullying me! If my son were still alive, every last one of you traitors would be dead!”

Princess Ningyang sneered, “And isn’t the biggest traitor under heaven your own dear, dead son?”

But the Empress Dowager seemed not to hear. Lost in her own world, she continued to weep and wail. After cursing Li Ji, she cursed the old emperor, then moved on to Crown Prince Li Shu, Empress Ji, and Princess Ningyang, cursing each in turn.

In the end, she even cursed Li Qiong.

“You useless thing! Your father entrusted the empire to you, and you can’t even hold on to the throne! You’re worthless!”