Chapter 817: Here I leave it to you

"His Majesty, the realm is flourishing, why speak of abdication?" The Minister of Rites was the first to step forward, his beard trembling, "The throne of the Fiery Nation cannot be without His Majesty for even a day!"

"I concur!" another courtier stepped forward, "Now that the world is newly settled and the four seas are united, if His Majesty abdicates now, it would not be conducive to overall stability!"

Immediately thereafter, the courtiers lined up one after another to speak.

"Please, His Majesty, think thrice! Though the Crown Prince is virtuous, the nation depends on the reigning lord; please withdraw your decree!"

"The Eastern Sea is at peace, Goryeo has newly submitted, the Western Lu Alliance has just been formed, the Western Regions trade route has just opened— which of these great affairs can be separated from His Majesty?"

"If His Majesty abdicates at this moment, I fear all matters will turn awry!"

More than half of the ministers stepped forward, echoing in unison, and the hall was filled with cries of "His Majesty, think thrice!"

Zhou Jinhua surveyed the hall, just as he was about to lift his leg to leave, his gaze quietly swept toward Prince Ning.

He saw Xiao Yuanhang standing upright, his expression unchanged, not even a flicker of his eyebrows.

Zhou Jinhua felt a sudden thump in his heart; Prince Ning must have already received the news.

He glanced again at Song Jingxian; the Imperial Teacher remained silent, apparently already aware.

If His Majesty's holy intention is already decided, why should I, this lord, raise this displeasure?

He immediately withdrew his leg, swallowed the words that had reached his lips, and stood perfectly still and quiet.

Xiao Jieyun raised his hand and pressed, and the clamor in the hall gradually subsided.

His expression unchanged: "Now the four seas are at peace; I merely wish to accompany the Empress to behold the splendid mountains and rivers of my Fiery Nation."

"If there is anything you cannot decide, just hand the document to me; what could be inseparable?"

He said no more: "My decision is made, Cheng Jinyan, proclaim the edict."

Eunuch Cheng stepped forward, lifted a scroll of bright yellow brocade with both hands, and gently unfurled it.

The hall was so quiet that a falling pin could be heard.

All the ministers returned to their places, knelt on the ground, and involuntarily glanced from the corners of their eyes at the only two adult princes in the hall, Xiao Ze and Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran knelt with perfect posture, expressionless, not even a single hair moving.

The Seventh Prince was steady, having once served as regent.

The Ninth Prince has recently campaigned abroad with Prince Ning; though he has earned some battle merits, his temperament still falls short of the Seventh Prince's.

Most of the courtiers ultimately fixed their gaze on Xiao Ze.

Xiao Ran turned his head to stare at the hall's entrance, every bone in his body straining toward the doorway.

"Sanqing Immortal, protect me; Father Emperor, please never let me inherit the throne."

"If that happens, I'll suffer to death— trapped in the palace forever, never able to leave, not even able to sneak out to play with the little runt."

Xiao Jieyun, from his lofty position, saw his escape-ready stance clearly.

He held back, but couldn't any longer, a corner of his mouth curving: "Old Nine."

Just as Eunuch Cheng was about to read the edict, he promptly shut his mouth.

Xiao Ran's whole body tensed.

"You stay honestly by my side." Xiao Jieyun shook his head, a hint of helplessness and a hint of indulgence on his face, "I haven't lost my mind yet; I intend to pass the empire to you."

Xiao Ran exhaled a long breath, and his tense shoulders instantly slumped.

He giggled: "That's good, that's good, Father Emperor, how wise!"

Chen Hao, standing nearby, lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.

When the Emperor spoke, every minister's mind became as clear as a mirror: the Crown Prince position belongs to no one but the Seventh Prince.

Xiao Jieyun couldn't help but suppress a smile, pressed his lips down, and raised his hand slightly.

Eunuch Cheng cleared his throat: "I, bearing the Mandate of Heaven, survey the realm below. Studying the past and projecting to the present, I merely follow Heaven's order."

"Respectfully informing Heaven, the ancestral temple, and the state, establishing…"

At that moment, a rapid footfall suddenly echoed from outside the hall.

Eunuch Cheng frowned and halted, thinking perhaps there was another urgent eight-hundred-li military report? Then this edict should wait a while before being proclaimed.

A palace attendant, panting heavily, rolled and crawled into the hall, fell to his knees, and loudly reported: "His—His Majesty! Great joy!"

Xiao Jieyun was somewhat displeased: "Why such haste?"

The attendant dared not look up, but his voice trembled with ecstatic joy: "Your Majesty, the Empress just suddenly fainted in Fengyi Palace!"

"Nonsense!" Eunuch Cheng caught the Emperor's glance out of the corner of his eye, realizing his displeasure, and hastily rebuked, "What kind of joyous news is this? Have you lost your mind?"

The attendant hurriedly kowtowed and reported, "Guo Taiyi just took the pulse; the Empress has a joyous pulse! It's been over two months!"

"I, I dare not delay, have come to report this joy to His Majesty!"

Eunuch Cheng was stunned, cold sweat streaming down his forehead, the Empress is pregnant?

"His Majesty will have a legitimate son?"

"Fortunately, I didn't just call out the Seventh Prince."

The entire hall fell into dead silence.

Xiao Yuanhang felt a slight stir within, but his face remained expressionless.

The ministers lay on the ground, foreheads pressed against the backs of their hands, none daring to lift their heads, each mind racing.

"The Empress is actually pregnant?"

The emperor and empress have been married for so many years, and the inner palace has remained quiet; why does it happen precisely at this crucial juncture?

"His Majesty is the legitimate son of the late emperor and late empress, after all."

He is not yet even forty; if the inner palace truly gives birth to a legitimate son, His Majesty could wait until the son matures before deciding the Crown Prince.

"Then today's edict…"

The ministers' bodies did not move, but each quietly glanced from the corner of their eyes toward Xiao Ze.

Xiao Ze's expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn't heard anything, utterly unmoved.

Xiao Ran froze completely.

Xiao Ran stared at the unfinished imperial edict in Eunuch Cheng's hand, then turned his head toward Xiao Ze, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly, his Adam's apple rolling up and down several times.

It was obvious that the Father Emperor's successor was the Seventh Brother!

Could the throne just vanish like that?

The Seventh Brother must feel so distressed.

The Seventh Brother's gaze was extremely complex, filled with shock, worry, and a hint of panic.

Xiao Ze slightly turned his head, met his gaze for an instant, the corner of his mouth lifted faintly, and he shook his head toward him, as if saying, "Don't panic, stay steady."

Xiao Ran took a deep breath and knelt properly again.

On the Dragon Throne, Xiao Jieyun remained silent.

Xiao Jieyun's eyes fell on the back of the inner attendant, then slowly shifted to Xiao Ze.

A trace of satisfaction flashed in the Emperor's eyes—"Not bad, unmoved by favor or disgrace, emotions hidden."

An aged voice sounded.

"His Majesty." Song Jingxian looked up, "the Empress's health is poor, and she is pregnant for the first time; His Majesty should first go to the Phoenix Ritual Palace to check on her."

The ministers in the hall almost simultaneously let out a sigh of relief.

Xiao Jieyun glanced at him, gave a slight nod, and slowly rose.

He descended the imperial steps, came to Xiao Ze's side, and bent down to help him up.

Xiao Ze lifted his head, smiled faintly and said, "Your son, congratulations, Father Emperor."

Xiao Jieyun raised his hand and gently pressed his shoulder, "I will go see your mother, the Empress; I leave this to you now."

Xiao Ze bowed and said, "Your son obeys the edict."

Xiao Jieyun strode toward the outside of the hall.