Chapter 355

The Emperor Qiyuan had no choice but to let Huang Liangzhong, Grand Scholar of the Wen Ti Academy, draft the edict.

At the same time, he took out the imperial seal beside him and stamped it.

He looked at the seal in his hand, and at this moment, grief welled up from within, and he could not help but bow his head on the desk.

Wang Wan, however, paid no heed to that, directly picking up the imperial seal from beside Emperor Qiyuan, leaving the imperial desk, while a group of ministers all wore smiling faces.

The great matter was already settled.

Wang Huan took the lead, immediately leading the crowd in a mighty procession to the Chancellor's residence, preparing to present the imperial seal and ask the Chancellor to ascend the throne.

Wang Xiao walked at the end of the procession, glancing at Emperor Qiyuan on the imperial desk with slight hesitation, but Song Yingzhen grabbed him firmly.

"Come on, Wang brother! Our revered teacher is still waiting for us at the Chancellor's residence!"

Song Yingzhen's voice was low and deep, yet it carried a trace of intense killing intent.

Wang Xiao instantly came to his senses.

At such a time of overturning heaven and earth, he could not afford the slightest mistake, otherwise the consequences would not only ruin his own official career but also implicate the Wang family.

At the Chancellor's residence, Zhang Zhao had long sent household servants to wait at the palace gate, and also had the Black-Clothed Guards' soldiers help gather news from within the palace.

Not long after the result appeared inside the inner hall, it reached his ears.

"Great rewards!"

His expression remained calm, merely glancing at the Black-Clothed Guard's commander before him, whereupon a servant immediately presented a copper box.

"Thank you, Second Lord!"

The Black-Clothed Guard slightly weighed the copper box, his brows lighting up with joy, then immediately slapped himself in the face.

"Pah... This subordinate thanks the Crown Prince for his generous gift!"

Seeing this, Zhang Zhao's eyes darkened, and he shouted: "Stop speaking nonsense! Have you forgotten the rules of my Chancellor's residence?"

He rebuked, and the commander hurriedly bowed his head to apologize, then quietly withdrew from the hall.

After everyone had left, Zhang Zhao's expression eased slightly, as he recalled in his mind whether there had been any oversight; only then did the corner of his mouth reveal a faint smile.

Beside him, a servant congratulated.

"Congratulations, Second Lord, congratulations, Second Lord, on the sovereign's ascension to the Son of Heaven's throne; as the Zhang family's designated next head, you are undoubtedly the heir apparent!"

Seeing his expression, Zhang Zhao immediately rebuked.

"Do not gossip recklessly, and you too must not have forgotten the family rules?"

Upon hearing this, the servant's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly clasped his hands in apology.

Only then did Zhang Zhao's expression improve considerably; the Zhang family's rules for the sons and young masters are extremely strict, and they also impose unusually harsh demands on servants.

Among them is a rule forbidding discussion of the master's affairs behind their backs, forbidding inciting discord among the master's sons and young masters; violators, if light, are beaten with boards and expelled from the Zhang family; if severe, they are sold off.

Naturally, corresponding to this, the Zhang family's wages are extremely generous, which is also how the Zhang family wins people's hearts.

Zhang Zhao had not waited long outside the residence when, after half an hour, he saw Grand Marshal Wang Huan leading a group of civil and military officials hurrying over to petition.

This petitioning procession was even larger than before entering the imperial palace, having grown by one or two times.

Clearly, as more and more officials heard the news, they naturally did not wish to miss this opportunity to support the dragon's ascension.

After Wang Huan entered the Chancellor's residence, he immediately informed Zhang Jian and his son of his purpose, but seeing the father and son's expressions unchanged, and noticing Zhang Zhao's eyes slightly showing encouragement, he then proceeded to read the abdication edict before all the officials.

The edict read: "I have reigned for eight years, suffering the great calamity of the world; fortunately, relying on the Chancellor's planning in the inner chambers, we have survived danger. Yet now, observing the heavenly signs above and sensing the people's hearts below, the fortune of Great Qian has ended, and the mandate lies with the Zhang clan!"

After the edict was read with rising and falling intonation, Wang Huan's expression was solemn, merely glancing sideways with his peripheral vision at Zhang Jian, but seeing Zhang Jian's expression on the upper seat remain calm and indifferent, while Zhang Zhao bore a faint smile.

After the edict reading concluded, Wang Huan then led the officials in another mountain-shout.

"We earnestly request the Chancellor to accept the edict!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian's expression finally revealed a trace of emotion; he sighed.

His gaze swept over the crowd as he said: "The Emperor's favor, I, as Chancellor, accept it with shame; gentlemen, you return to the Emperor and say that my virtue is shallow, please seek another great worthy to succeed the throne!"

"This..."

Upon hearing this, the officials were stunned; now the arrow is on the bowstring, yet the Chancellor before them actually refuses the edict—how can this be remedied?

Wang Huan's eyes shifted, and in an instant he glanced toward Zhang Zhao beside him.

Zhang Zhao smiled faintly, stepped forward to stand before the officials, and directly pulled Grand Marshal Wang Huan and Minister of Justice Wang Wan to the side hall.

Zhang Zhao said with a smile: "Grand Marshal, Minister of Justice, do not be disheartened; Father refuses the edict not because he wishes to avoid the edict, but because he does not wish to incur the world's blame!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Wan's expression froze: "Now the edict and seal are both in hand, the procedures are complete, and we have numerous civil and military officials of the court as left-wing evidence—how could anyone in the world dare to question the Chancellor?"

Zhang Zhao shook his head: "This statement is mistaken; although the edict and seal have arrived, Father at this moment should instead submit a memorial to humbly decline, doing so repeatedly, then rebuild the abdication altar, let the Emperor personally ascend the altar, and abdicate the throne before all the people—thus..."

He was imparting the plan, but Wang Huan had already understood Zhang Zhao's intention.

This is to emulate the ancient sages, who thrice declined before accepting the throne; although this ritual is somewhat cumbersome, it also has its benefits.

In the presence of the court's civil and military officials, the people of Luoyang, and even the witness of heaven and earth, the Zhang clan would again take over—this would grant them a truly legitimate name.

After the officials had departed, Zhang Jian finally revealed a trace of expression; he beckoned Zhang Zhao to come closer, and simultaneously took out a list to hand to Zhang Zhao.

The list detailed the various cumbersome procedures for the enthronement, among which the key were the state name and era name; simultaneously, Zhang Jian also prepared to fulfill his former vow, to enfeoff the Guardian Divine Beast on the abdication altar.

By also taking advantage of this auspicious omen, he would strengthen the confidence of the court's civil and military officials and the common people in the new dynasty.

Times are different; the common people believe in auspicious omens as heavenly will; the new dynasty revealing 'heavenly will' naturally aligns with the people's hearts, thus inaugurating a great fortune.

Furthermore, there are some other arrangements.

Such as re-enfeoffing the persons of the Cave Spirit Observatory, enfeoffing the Slaying Demon True Lord, etc.

Also, it is necessary to temporarily recall the Bai clan, Zhang Yi, Zhang Zhao, and others who are abroad; this also benefits them.

At this moment, Wang Wan firmly accepted the 'declination' task, and then led Wang Xiao back into the palace.

Inside the inner hall, upon learning that Zhang Jian had declined the edict, Emperor Qiyuan's face immediately showed joy, his eyes gazing expectantly at Wang Wan as he said.

"The Chancellor's humility, not accepting the throne—what then shall I do?"

Wang Wan looked at the Qiyuan Emperor's small gaze, and immediately thought to himself that this Son of Heaven had overthought things.

It's not that they are unwilling, but that they are unwilling to hastily accept the edict.

He then spoke with a stern face.

"In ancient times, when sages were granted high ranks, they often declined repeatedly before the edict was permitted, and only then accepted it. Your Majesty may follow the example of the ancient sages by issuing repeated edicts; the Chancellor will surely consent."

The Qiyuan Emperor's expression immediately stiffened, and he remained silent for a long time, merely meeting Wang Wan's tiger-like gaze, his eyes filled with helplessness, but after thinking it over, he still voiced his inner concern:

"Minister of Justice, you say that I am doing all this—whether..."

Wang Wan glanced at the Qiyuan Emperor, instantly seeing through his thoughts, and spoke sharply.

"Your Majesty need not worry; the Chancellor is benevolent-hearted, and since he can pacify the common people, he will naturally treat Your Majesty well!"

Upon hearing this, the Qiyuan Emperor's expression finally improved considerably.

Since ancient times, the last emperors of dynasties have never had a good end—similar to the Emperor Ai of Former Shu, whose corpse was even stuffed into the dragon veins after death, suppressed for hundreds of years without release, which is even more painful than death.

He then immediately drafted another edict.

……

In the rear court, in the Zhonghe Palace, Empress Qi Taihou had just received news from the palace, and her expression was one of utter disbelief.