Chapter 24: Secret Edict

Nine Thousand Years handed the matter of the ice blocks over to the little eunuch Ah Li to handle, then ran crying and wailing to Prime Minister Mei's side, slapped down onto his knees with a thud, and crawled along the floor beside Prime Minister Mei.

While the two were crawling on their knees, with no one else around, Nine Thousand Years took the opportunity to discuss a matter with Prime Minister Mei.

He had already calculated this in his heart but could not find an opportunity to speak with Prime Minister Mei until now. Seizing this chance at last, he asked urgently.

"Before the Emperor passed away, he took the medicine pills you offered; do you know of this?" Nine Thousand Years asked with a weeping tone.

Upon hearing these words, Prime Minister Mei's heart leaped to his throat.

He knew Nine Thousand Years intended to shift the blame for the Emperor's death onto him, making him the scapegoat.

Prime Minister Mei cried even more bitterly! Wailing and shouting as he wept: "Your Majesty... this subject deserves ten thousand deaths... ten thousand deaths!"

"Your medicine pills..."

Nine Thousand Years continued to sob and say: "It was I, this old servant, who personally presented them. If the court investigates, neither of us can escape involvement... wuwuwu." Nine Thousand Years' words made Prime Minister Mei tremble with fear; he knew Nine Thousand Years was threatening him.

Prime Minister Mei quickly understood the meaning in Nine Thousand Years' words; his heart was filled with mixed emotions, and he truly did not know what to do.

So he asked while crying: "Then... what high opinion does Eunuch Nine Thousand Years hold?"

"Before the Emperor passed away, no will was established..."

Nine Thousand Years continued: "The Emperor always intended... to depose the Crown Prince and install the 'Liang Wang', born of 'Noble Consort Ning'!"

Upon hearing Nine Thousand Years' words, Prime Minister Mei instantly understood his intention.

"Wait!" Prime Minister Mei suddenly stopped crying and asked timidly: "You intend... to depose the old and establish the new!"

Nine Thousand Years also stopped crying at this moment and replied timidly: "The edicts and imperial decrees of the Emperor in recent years were all written by us, the writing eunuchs, and the seal is with the seal-bearing eunuch; I will go back and 'search' for it immediately. Within half an hour... I will surely retrieve the 'secret edict'!"

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Mei immediately understood; with his life hanging by a thread and no other path to choose, he was already led by the nose by Nine Thousand Years, leaving him no choice.

He decided to take a desperate gamble and join Nine Thousand Years in staging a grand drama of deposition and installation!

Prime Minister Mei knew,

"Do you dare guarantee... you will find the secret edict?" Prime Minister Mei asked.

"Rest assured, I will definitely find it!" Nine Thousand Years patted his chest and guaranteed: "Regarding drafting edicts, I know the ins and outs perfectly, absolutely certain."

Prime Minister Mei: "Very well, regarding this secret edict... you go handle it quickly; as for the Crown Prince, I will delay the time!"

Having spoken, the two immediately parted ways. Prime Minister Mei continued to kneel and cry, crawling all the way into Lingxia Palace with wails of mourning. After Nine Thousand Years stood up, he immediately rushed straight to the Upper Study to 'retrieve' the secret edict.

After crawling into Lingxia Palace, Prime Minister Mei knelt beside the dragon bed together with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister He, prostrating himself on the ground and weeping bitterly.

Although Prime Minister Mei had already calculated this in his heart, seeing the Crown Prince and Prime Minister He weeping so miserably, he still felt a trace of sorrow.

After a while, Prime Minister Tu also arrived, followed in succession by the Ministers of various departments, Vice Ministers, Censors, and others.

Seeing that officials of the fourth rank and above had almost all arrived, Prime Minister He suddenly turned around, faced the Crown Prince, and shouted loudly: "Long live His Majesty the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten hundred thousand years!"

Just as the ministers turned around as well, preparing to shout the three long-lives together with Prime Minister He, Prime Minister Mei suddenly shouted out: "Slow!"

Prime Minister Mei knew this was the critical moment to realize his and Nine Thousand Years' conspiracy.

Prime Minister Mei's shout caused the wailing in the hall to stop instantly, suddenly becoming utterly silent!

Including the Crown Prince, everyone's gaze focused on Prime Minister Mei without exception.

Prime Minister Mei wiped away his tears, cleared his throat, and then announced very solemnly: "The late Emperor... left behind a secret edict!"

Upon saying these words, Prime Minister Mei felt both excitement and unease in his heart.

He knew that once his words were spoken, they would trigger turmoil throughout the entire court.

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince, Prime Minister He, Prime Minister Tu, and all the ministers present were all stunned, looked at each other, and began to murmur and discuss!

"Secret edict?" Prime Minister He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and tears, asking with a choked voice: "Why does this Prime Minister not know?" Prime Minister He's words revealed his suspicion.

Prime Minister Mei: "It is called a secret edict; how could it be known to everyone!"

Prime Minister Mei's heart leaped to his throat; he feared Prime Minister He would see through his calculations.

"Prime Minister Mei, we have served in the same court for so many years..."

Prime Minister He pointed at Prime Minister Mei's mouth and solemnly advised: "This matter... you must not speak falsely!"

Prime Minister He's words made Prime Minister Mei feel extremely nervous; he knew the responsibility he bore was heavy.

The Crown Prince, standing aside, remained silent, still prostrated beside the dragon bed, continuing to mourn.

The sound of the Crown Prince's weeping also seemed to reveal his suspicion, which made Prime Minister Mei tremble with fear.

Prime Minister Mei: "Whether it is false or not, once Eunuch Nine Thousand Years retrieves the secret edict, we will know."

Upon saying these words, Prime Minister Mei felt both expectation and unease. He knew everything depended on whether Nine Thousand Years could retrieve the secret edict.

Upon hearing this, both the Crown Prince and Prime Minister He were startled in their hearts!

Prime Minister He was stunned, and the Crown Prince's weeping paused for a moment; they both knew it was eighty percent likely that Prime Minister Mei and Nine Thousand Years had conspired to install a new monarch!

Just at this moment, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, guided by Eunuch Hai, arrived at Lingxia Palace with two squads of the Brocade-Clad Guards!

Seeing someone dare to enter the hall without kneeling and crawling, Prime Minister Mei shouted in reprimand: "How dare you be so rude, entering the hall with sword and boots!"

Prime Minister Mei's words came from instinct; he truly did not expect Jiang Jiang Mingyu to appear at this moment.

With this scolding from Prime Minister Mei, Jiang Jiang Mingyu was instantly intimidated!

Not only him, but Eunuch Hai and Tu Tu Kesiluo beside him were also frightened into silence.

Although Jiang Jiang Mingyu's mind was dull, his reaction was still very fast.

He took out the Regent's Hand Order from his bosom again and explained: "This subordinate is carrying out an imperial order; I hope my lord Prime Minister will forgive me."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's heart was filled with mixed emotions; he was delighted that the Crown Prince trusted him, yet troubled by Prime Minister Mei's questioning.

Upon seeing the Regent's Hand Order and hearing Jiang Jiang Mingyu say he was carrying out an imperial order, Prime Minister Mei was instantly stunned!

He never expected such a move. His calculations had been completely disrupted by Jiang Jiang Mingyu's appearance.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's performance actually amused Prime Minister He!

Prime Minister He saw that Jiang Jiang Mingyu's appearance was greatly disadvantageous to Prime Minister Mei, and he secretly rejoiced.

Secretly delighted in his heart, he seized the opportunity and quickly asked: "Could it be... that my lord Jiang, carrying out an imperial order, is doing so based on the late Emperor's secret edict?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu panicked at He Xiang's question, for he had no secret edict at all!

Jiang Jiang Mingyu thought to himself that he seemed to have been drawn into a complex political struggle, of which he understood nothing.

He stood there like a stunned chicken, staring at the Crown Prince, speechless for a long time.

The Crown Prince reacted quickly and decided to play along with the scheme.

He asked, "The Emperor has passed away; who should succeed to the throne?"

He knew that with Jiang Jiang Mingyu's dull temperament, he would certainly recite the script: the Crown Prince shall succeed.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu said, "Since the Emperor has ascended to heaven, the Crown Prince should rightfully inherit the great line."

As expected, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's answer was exactly what the Crown Prince had anticipated!

No sooner had Jiang Jiang Mingyu finished speaking than He Xiang immediately led the way in bowing to the Crown Prince, shouting "Long live the Emperor" three times; beside him, Tu Xiang also joined in the bowing.

In an instant, within the entire Piandian, the ministers of the He faction and the Tu faction all shouted in unison, "Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor forever..." Only Mei Xiang and the ministers of the Mei faction remained silent, offering no bow to the Crown Prince.

Mei Xiang thought: No, I must help Ninth Eunuch stall for time until he retrieves the secret edict!

Thus, Mei Xiang took the lead, pulling the Mei faction officials into the fray, insisting that they would only bow to the new Emperor after Ninth Thousand Years had finished reading the contents of the secret edict.

With this outburst, Mei Xiang had completely thrown himself into the game!

Having no arrow to turn back once the bow is drawn, and facing death anyway, he might as well take a huge gamble!

In less than half an hour, Ninth Thousand Years returned holding the secret edict; he felt greatly pleased in his heart, believing the edict could turn the situation around.

Seeing the secret edict, all the ministers knelt on the ground.

Ninth Thousand Years hurried to the dragon bed of the late Emperor, faced the ministers, and loudly read the contents of the edict: "Respecting Heaven, receiving the mandate, the Emperor decrees..."

The Crown Prince, kneeling on the ground, noticed immediately upon hearing the opening of the edict that the format was wrong!

After all, as the Crown Prince, he was thoroughly familiar with all document formats. The secret edict should not be written this way; that was clearly the format of an imperial decree.

Thus, before Ninth Thousand Years could finish reading, the Crown Prince rose, took a swift step forward, and snatched the secret edict from Ninth Thousand Years' hand!

After glancing at it, he cursed loudly: "You eunuch, how bold you are, daring to forge an edict!"

With those words, the Crown Prince grabbed the secret edict and slapped Ninth Thousand Years' left cheek!

"Take a good look at your face..."

Enraged, the Crown Prince pointed with his trembling right hand at Ninth Thousand Years, whose face was half covered in red ink, and demanded, "That edict of yours was clearly written within the last half hour; the ink hasn't even dried yet!"

The Crown Prince's words completely exposed Ninth Thousand Years' lie; Ninth Thousand Years was immediately filled with terror.

"Recently, the south wind has brought heavy humidity..." Ninth Thousand Years blurted out an excuse.

Ninth Thousand Years' words made the Crown Prince even angrier; he realized Ninth Thousand Years still intended to argue.

"You still dare to argue!"

After speaking, the Crown Prince kicked, sending Ninth Thousand Years straight to the ground!

Then he ordered, "Guards, take this eunuch away and await judgment!"

The palace guards present, having long feared Ninth Thousand Years' tyranny, dared not obey the Crown Prince's command!

Ninth Thousand Years, emboldened, looked up and smiled, glancing sideways at the Crown Prince, as if to imply: You kid think you can fight me? You're still too green.

Ninth Thousand Years' smile revealed his arrogance and contempt; he still believed himself superior.

But what Ninth Thousand Years did not expect was that while the palace guards indeed dared not move against him, the twenty Longyang Army soldiers brought by Jiang Jiang Mingyu had no such hesitation.

They were the Crown Prince's personal guards; upon hearing the order, they immediately swarmed forward and seized Ninth Thousand Years on the spot!

Ninth Thousand Years was instantly stunned; he never expected the Longyang Army would dare to act against him.

Ninth Thousand Years finally realized he could no longer escape; his cause was lost!!!