Chapter 668

As Xiao Yin's words fell, a low murmur of discussion rose again among the civil and military officials around.

Gu Kang looked up at the Bai Xiaosheng who was tightly bound and firmly held by the Azure Dragon Army.

At this moment, Bai Xiaosheng was grimy and disheveled, having no time to put on an outer robe, wearing only an inner garment.

This is practically the greatest insult; even though he is the regent crown prince, they didn't even give him the decency of proper attire.

Now they let him appear before the officials in such disheveled clothing.

Xiao Yin this time likely intends to put him to death.

Not to mention face or reputation, they might not even spare his life.

Some officials who usually got along with Bai Xiaosheng flashed a look of reluctance on their faces.

Although Bai Xiaosheng came from the common folk, during his time as crown prince he had been amiable toward the officials, imposing no excessive demands, let alone violent suppression.

Now seeing him appear before everyone in this state, everyone felt rather uneasy.

Xiao Yin coldly swept his gaze around, then waved his hand.

Ling Feng strode straight up to Bai Xiaosheng, raising his hand to touch behind Bai Xiaosheng's ear and his neck.

"Impudent! Take your filthy hands off—do you even deserve to humiliate His Highness?" Bai Xiaosheng's composed expression finally changed somewhat; he lifted his head and glared fiercely at Ling Feng, who was reaching for his ear.

Ling Feng kept a stern face, ignoring Bai Xiaosheng's verbal threat, and lightly tore a strip of skin from behind his ear, then yanked it off hard.

Ah!

Immediately, a low gasp spread through the crowd, and everyone stared at Bai Xiaosheng in disbelief.

No! This is absolutely not Bai Xiaosheng, merely someone with a similar build.

Though the face is also handsome, it lacks Bai Xiaosheng's extraordinary charm.

"What... what on earth is going on?"

"Where... where has the crown prince gone? Who is this person?"

"Good heavens! This..."

Xiao Yin walked slowly up to that person; the fake Bai Xiaosheng, seeing Xiao Yin approach slowly, flashed a hint of panic, instinctively wanting to retreat, but had nowhere to go.

Xiao Yin drew his Longquan sword, pointing it at the man's throat, and said coldly: "Speak! Where has the crown prince gone? Why did you leave him in the palace to impersonate him? What does he intend?"

The fake Bai Xiaosheng panted heavily, then burst out laughing loudly.

The look in his eyes carried a hint of death‑mad frenzy: "Prince Rui truly is Prince Rui, able to see through this; my mask is the famed work of the Jianghu's Ghost Hand Seven, yet it cannot escape Prince Rui's eyes."

Xiao Yin's brows furrowed slightly, his eyes icy: "I don't know where Bai Xiaosheng found this fool; though he's supposed to impersonate the crown prince, he's rather unconvincing."

"Although Bai Xiaosheng comes from the common folk, his veins still carry the blood of the Southern Qi royal house; his every gesture bears a natural nobility."

"Though he usually fears me and is wary of me, he wouldn't become so obsequious as to act; you're probably overacting."

The man froze there, then burst into even louder laughter.

But as he laughed, a mouthful of black blood welled up and sprayed toward Xiao Yin.

At that moment Ling Feng kicked him, and he collapsed to the ground.

Xiao Yin bent down to look; the man had already breathed his last, so there was no way to ask where Bai Xiaosheng was.

In fact, Xiao Yin never expected to get any information from this person's mouth.

Bai Xiaosheng is the most cunning person in the Jianghu; if he finds a stand‑in, he will surely make that stand‑in unable to speak even in death.

Such people are usually Bai Xiaosheng's trained dead‑men; once discovered, they bite the hidden poison in their mouths, leaving no chance to speak.

Xiao Yin had long guessed this outcome; he merely wanted everyone to see just how cowardly and weak the Southern Qi crown prince really is.

Earlier, when Xiao Yin attacked Yingzhou, he had set up numerous killing traps.

Now that Xiao Yin returns victorious, Bai Xiaosheng knows his good days are over.

Therefore he conjured this fellow, hoping to muddy the waters further, but Bai Xiaosheng's schemes are likely to fail now.

The civil and military officials around stared fixedly at the crown prince's double, slumped on the ground with blood filling his mouth, and for a moment could not speak.

Gu Kang drew a deep breath, then slowly knelt before Xiao Yin and shouted loudly: "Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

"Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

The remaining officials followed Gu Kang's lead, kowtowing to Xiao Yin; the triple chant of "long live" echoed from the Hall of Nurturing Heart throughout the entire palace city, marking the start of a new era for the Southern Qi dynasty.

Dawn finally arrived, and the crimson morning clouds dyed the sky above the palace red.

The news of Prince Rui's succession quickly spread together with Emperor Longqing's self‑reproach edict throughout Shang Jing, and then across the whole realm.

From the issuance of the abdication edict to Xiao Yin's ascension, only a few hours passed, yet there remain many matters to attend to.

Such as holding the enthronement ceremony, offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, establishing a reign title, reorganizing the civil and military officials, and the crowning of the empress, etc.

Although Xiao Yin would rather not be busy with these things, they are nonetheless realistically placed before him.

The enthronement ceremony is set for three days later, to be held at the Altar of Heaven for sacrificial rites, and at that time the empress will also be invested.

At this moment the Prince Rui's residence was already bustling extraordinarily, especially its eastern garden, where people from the palace were constantly coming and going.

Jiu Yue and Yun Duo, who originally served beside Gu Jiu Ling, were now somewhat at a loss, unable to lend a hand.

Gu Jiu Ling sat before the mirror, wearing the vermilion robe of the principal consort.

From the collar down to the hem, a nine‑tailed phoenix nearly as tall as a person was embroidered in gold thread upon the red garment.

Each tip of the phoenix's tails is inlaid with rare southern pearls and jadeite.

The jewels on this robe alone are worth a fortune, and her headdress is even more splendid to the utmost degree.

Every gem on the phoenix crown is beyond price.

She stared fixedly at her bright, dignified face in the mirror, and even now she feels somewhat dazed.

Gu Jiu Ling never imagined she would traverse to this era, from being a despised, unwed pregnant daughter of the Gu family to now becoming the empress who holds the motherly authority over all under heaven.

She originally only wanted to cling to Xiao Yin's thigh for a temporary chance at survival, but now she is firmly bound to him.

"Her Highness looks truly beautiful!" Jiu Yue could not help but exclaim in admiration.

Gu Jiu Ling was naturally beautiful, not the petite jade beauty; the brighter her clothing, the more it complemented her complexion.

At this moment Gu Jiu Ling wore a phoenix robe and a phoenix crown, looking utterly gorgeous.

Xiao Yin is busy in the palace; he hasn't returned even once so far, presumably there are many matters to attend to there.

Starting today, Gu Jiu Ling will move out of the Prince Rui's residence; first she will go to the Heavenly Altar to sacrifice to heaven and earth with Xiao Yin, then she will move directly into the imperial palace.

Gu Jiu Ling raised her hand and lightly touched the phoenix crown on her head.

Yet in her heart there was little joy; instead, she felt a growing apprehension about the unknown future.