Chapter 168: “Regime Change (2)”
Barely half the day had passed after the Crown Prince Mo Qian Yuan led the Rui Lin Army into the Imperial Palace that news of the Emperor’s passing spread in the Imperial City. It was decreed that Mo Qian Yuan was to succeed the throne.
The ascension ceremony was to be held seven days later.
The Kingdom of Qi‘s regime changed, quiet and calm.
With Jun Wu Xie’s bloody massacre of the Emperor’s lackeys and sycophants at the Palace Gates, not a single voice was heard in protest at the throne ascension ceremony.
The court officials were vividly aware of the close relationship between Mo Qian Yuan and Jun Wu Xie, and with Mo Qian Yuan ascending the throne to be the Emperor, the vacant position of Empress might very soon belong to Jun Wu Xie. Moreover, with the fearsome Rui Lin Army still garrisoned within the Imperial City, they would very much rather keep their heads.
The ascension ceremony preparations went on without a hitch, Mo Qian Yuan ordered the Imperial Palace cleaned thoroughly, from top to bottom, got rid of a bunch of palace maids and eunuchs who served the Second Prince and the previous Emperor, and gained full control of the Imperial Palace.
From having had his life under threat, to his ascension as the Emperor. It had only been a mere few months. It all felt like a dream.
If not for Jun Wu Xie, he would have died in the Crown Prince Residence.
“Your Majesty, the things have been sent to the Lin Palace, as per your orders.” Mo Qian Yuan had two more days to the ascension, but the eunuchs in the Imperial Palace had all already taken up the form of address usually reserved only for the reigning ruler.
Mo Qian Yuan was nonchalant. Sitting on the throne, he was not exactly joyous.
“Hmm….. Did you see Miss Jun?” Since that day at the main hall, Mo Qian Yuan had not seen Jun Wu Xie. The three imprisoned in the Imperial Palace dungeons had been left as they were, their lives at the mercy of Jun Wu Xie.
“I did not.”
Mo Qian Yuan nodded, he had sent the jars of Jade Nectar he had in his possession to the Lin Palace. He knew, Jun Wu Xie was interested in little else, but the jars of wine might mean something to her.
Having been busy with the ascension, he did not have much time to spare. No matter what Jun Wu Xie was up to, he was assured, she would have thought things through more thoroughly than he could.
In the Lin Palace, Jun Xian and Jun Qing sat facing Jun Wu Xie, unusually stern.
Jun Wu Xie had not stepped out of Lin Palace for days, and her house arrest was all due to the “interrogation” of these two men.
From forcing an abdication to regime change, the Jun father and son dug into every single detail, and as they got to know the simple brutality involved in the forced abdication, the details made them both break out in cold sweat.
The Jun Family were courageous and unyielding. They were godly and giants in battles and warfare, but became midgets when it came to matter in court politics. Jun Wu Xie had in a matter of months, lifted the Jun Family out of their predicament that had plagued them for over a decade. It had happened too fast, too sudden, and the two men had no time to react, before they realised the dust had already settled…..
“Have you really locked the previous Emperor in the dungeons?” Jun Xian’s heart was beating very fast. The Jun Family had been single mindedly loyal to the Imperial Family for generations, and how did they produce a resolute Jun Wu Xie, a little devil who viewed court decorum with disdain.
“Yes.” Jun Wu Xie nodded in admission.
Jun Xian and Jun Qing looked at each other, their eyes sharing a look of helplessness.
“You have executed your plans for the Crown Prince perfectly. But in regards to what Bai Yun Xian had said, what do you intend to do?” Things were already set in stone, Jun Xian did not ask anymore on what had transpired. He was worried on Bai Yun Xian’s claim on the pending arrival of Qing Yun Clan.
Qing Yun Clan, they are not to be trifled with!