The Regent's Concubine is Crazy

Chapter 453

In the tranquility of the Crimson Purple Courtyard, a figure suddenly appeared, passing silently like an inky wind.

When Shangguan Ziling saw that figure, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, and then she raised her long eyebrows, with a hint of teasing in her tone: "Mo Feng, why are you here?"

Mo Feng, dressed in black, with a stern face, bowed his head and saluted, his voice low and firm: "Princess, the emperor is dead."

Shangguan Ziling's face suddenly changed when she heard this, and she almost dropped the cup in her hand. She stood there in a daze, her eyes full of disbelief. This news was too sudden, and she could hardly digest it.

Seeing this, Mo Feng added a touch of tenderness to his tone: "The master may come back late tonight, so the master asked his subordinates to inform the princess and escort her back to the palace."

Shangguan Ziling took a deep breath and tried to calm down the shock in her heart. She said in a deep voice: "Well, I understand."

Shangguan Ziling walked out of the Jiangzi Courtyard, went to her parents' room, and whispered the news to them.

After hearing this, the parents were also shocked.

The death of the emperor means turmoil in the imperial court, and Mo Shaoxie will probably be very busy recently.

Shangguan Ziling returned to the Regent's Palace. She leaned quietly against the window, looking into the distance through the exquisite window lattice.

There was neither grief for losing the emperor nor excitement for the change of imperial power in her eyes, only a faint calmness.

To her, the emperor's sudden death seemed like just a trivial episode in her life.

"I wonder who will inherit the throne?" Shangguan Ziling murmured softly, as if she was talking to herself. There was a hint of curiosity in her voice, but more of it was a kind of indifference that was detached from worldly affairs.

Qiu Kui stood cautiously at the side. When she heard Shangguan Ziling's words, she whispered, "Princess, I just asked Mo Feng. The emperor did not leave a will. Mo Feng said that the court is now divided into three factions. One faction supports the third prince Jun Yixing, and the other supports the fourth prince Jun Feiqin. But the third prince seems to have no intention of the throne, which makes Concubine Xian very anxious. Now in the palace, Concubine Xian and Concubine De are each trying to win over court officials. The two are also in opposition, and there is still a faction of court officials who remain neutral."

Shangguan Ziling raised her eyebrows slightly when she heard this, as if she was a little surprised by the news. She turned to look at Qiu Kui, with a hint of doubt in her eyes: "Hasn't the virtuous concubine always gotten along well with the virtuous concubine?"

Qiu Kui curled her lips and complained, "No matter how good the women in the palace are, how good can they be? They are all just superficial." There was a hint of disdain in her tone, and it was obvious that she was already accustomed to the hypocrisy and fighting in the palace.

Shangguan Ziling couldn't help but shake her head after hearing Qiu Kui's words, sighing at the complexity and ruthlessness of the palace. She slowly walked over, holding her stomach, sat down, picked up the teacup and took a sip. The fragrance of the tea spread in her mouth, calming her mood a little.

Shangguan Ziling analyzed: "Hasn't the emperor always favored the fourth prince Jun Feiqin? It is estimated that he has a greater chance of succeeding to the throne. The third prince himself has no intention of becoming the emperor, and it is useless for Concubine Xian to have fun. The other princes have either been deposed or imprisoned in the Sky Prison. The other princes are also young and cannot compete with the fourth prince."

Qiu Kui nodded and said, "The princess is right."

Shangguan Ziling tapped her fingers on the tea table: "Isn't it possible that the person Mo Shaoxie likes is also the Fourth Prince?"

At this time, Dong Qing interrupted and said, "Princess, not long after we came back, the secret guards came to report that many neutral court officials went to Shangguan Mansion and asked Master Shangguan to return to the court."

Shangguan Ziling frowned when she heard that, and a hint of displeasure flashed in her eyes: "Daddy has already resigned as Prime Minister and will not return to the court. These people are the same. They actually disturbed Daddy's peace." There was a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone.

In the palace, the atmosphere was heavy and depressing. Mo Shaoxie sat there quietly, his black robe looking particularly dark under the candlelight. His eyes were deep, as if they contained endless secrets that made people dare not look directly at him.

The courtiers of His Highness were discussing the matter, some louder, some softer, some faster, some slower, like a pool of stirred water, with waves rising and falling. The two factions held different views, one side advocated that the third prince should inherit the throne, while the other side insisted that the fourth prince should inherit the throne.

The two sides exchanged sharp words and neither gave in. The atmosphere in the hall became increasingly tense.

Suddenly, a heavy sigh broke the chaos. An old minister stepped out slowly, tears in his eyes, and said in a trembling voice: "Everyone, the late emperor passed away suddenly, and the country is in a turbulent time. I wonder which prince the regent favors more?"

As soon as these words came out, the hall suddenly became quiet. The court officials looked at each other, and Mo Shaoxie also frowned slightly.

The old minister continued, "When the late emperor was in power, he always had high hopes for the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince lived up to everyone's expectations. He is both virtuous and talented, and has a kind heart. I wonder what the Regent thinks?"

Another minister also stepped out and said respectfully: "The emperor suddenly became seriously ill, and did not leave a will before he passed away. Please ask the regent to decide the position of crown prince as soon as possible, otherwise the Dongyue Dynasty will be in turmoil!"

Mo Shaoxie was also silent for a long time, and finally spoke slowly: "The fourth prince is both virtuous and talented, so he will be named the crown prince. He will take care of the late emperor's affairs and then choose a day to ascend the throne."

As soon as he finished speaking, there were gasps in the hall. Those who supported Jun Feiqin were naturally happy, but those who supported Jun Yixing had ugly expressions on their faces. However, they did not dare to refute the regent's words.

Jun Feiqin bowed to Mo Shaoxie, then faced the court officials with red eyes, and said, "I will definitely live up to your expectations."

The next day, the sun rose and the golden sunlight shone on the quiet streets, but it failed to dispel the heavy atmosphere hanging over the capital.

The whole city was dressed in white, and the white flags fluttered in the wind, like a silent elegy, telling of the sorrow of the late emperor's passing.

Prince Jun Feiqin stood in front of the palace gate, wearing a plain white mourning dress, looking particularly solemn. His eyes flashed with determination, but also hid deep sorrow. He knew very well that at this moment, he shouldered the heavy responsibility of the entire country and had to face it all with strength.

He turned around and looked at the busy palace servants behind him, who were all busy preparing for the late emperor's funeral.

The white curtain fluttered gently in the wind, candlelight flickered in the mourning hall, and incense smoke curled up.

Jun Feiqin took a deep breath and walked into the mourning hall.

In the mourning hall, the late emperor's body lay quietly, his face peaceful, as if he had just fallen into a deep sleep. Jun Feiqin knelt in front of the coffin, clasped his hands together, and silently recited the words of prayer in his heart. His eyes were wet, but he held back the tears and did not let them fall.

Preparations for the funeral were proceeding intensively and in an orderly manner. Jun Feiqin personally supervised every detail, from the funeral etiquette to the layout of the palace.

This is a grand ceremony that concerns national dignity and public sentiment, and there cannot be any mistakes.

As the funeral approached, the atmosphere in the city became more solemn. People came out of their homes and walked on the streets, silently watching the busy figures. Their faces were full of sadness and awe, mourning the death of the late emperor.

Finally, the day of the funeral arrived, and everyone in the city gathered in front of the palace to see the late emperor off.

Jun Feiqin stood on the high altar, his voice loud and firm, conveying his admiration for the late emperor and his expectations for the future.

As the last wisp of incense faded, the late emperor's body was slowly lifted and placed in the coffin that had been prepared long ago. Jun Feiqin watched the coffin slowly leave, and the grief in his heart surged like a tide. But he knew that he could not fall down, and he had to be strong and lead the country into the future.

After the funeral, Jun Feiqin returned to his bedroom. He took off his mourning clothes, sat quietly in front of the window, and looked at the sky outside.

He knows that from today on, he will shoulder a heavier responsibility, but he also believes that with the support of everyone, he will be able to lead the country to a more prosperous future.