Chapter 48: Who Most Desires Yang Zhan to Die?

Facing Empress Xiao, who was pressing forward with a coup, Emperor Yang Wu’s aged face remained utterly calm.

He looked at the Empress and said, "You are able to mobilize the guards around me without my knowledge. Does that mean Han Zhong is your person as well?"

Empress Xiao called out, "Han Zhong!"

"This old servant is here!"

Han Zhong walked in and knelt before Yang Wu.

Yang Wu remained silent for a moment before letting out a sigh. "This is something I truly did not expect."

Han Zhong prostrated himself on the ground. "Your Majesty, this old servant has failed your imperial grace."

Yang Wu shook his head, uttering no words of reproach. Instead, he looked at Empress Xiao. "You’ve prepared thoroughly?"

Empress Xiao replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, there are likely no flaws. I did not wish to take this step, but with Jin'er dead, what attachment do I have left to this world?"

Yang Wu nodded. "I understand. I didn't expect the Third Prince to die either. But even if he is dead, it was of his own doing. Whom can he blame?"

Empress Xiao’s expression grew cold. "Does that mean Your Majesty refuses to decree the deaths of Yang Zhan and Yang Xing?"

Yang Wu said calmly, "With the Third Prince dead, only the Crown Prince remains. If he were to die as well, to whom could this empire be entrusted? As for Yang Zhan, he cannot die!"

Looking at Yang Wu, Empress Xiao said coldly, "You protect the Crown Prince, fine. But is a mere Yang Zhan also worth your protection?"

Yang Wu glanced at Han Zhong and then back at Empress Xiao. "Empress, who do you think wishes for Yang Zhan's death the most?"

"I don't care about anyone else; I want him dead! If he hadn't dragged Jin'er to the Eastern Palace, Jin'er would never have died!"

Yang Wu stared fixedly at the Empress. "Did someone make you use my hands to kill Yang Zhan?"

"No one! I alone want him to die!"

"And what if I refuse?"

"Then it cannot be helped. I shall simply have to do it myself. Han Zhong, draft the imperial edict!"

Han Zhong stood up, immediately began grinding ink, and prepared to write.

Empress Xiao said coldly, "Yang Zhan took the Third Prince hostage, leading to his death. His crime is monstrous. Sentence him to death!"

"Yang Xing, as the Crown Prince, colluded with Yang Zhan to harm his own kin. Lacking in virtue and prone to violence, sentence him to death!"

Han Zhong quickly drafted these decrees, polished the phrasing, and handed them to Empress Xiao for inspection. Empress Xiao then looked back at Yang Wu. "Your Majesty, affix the imperial seal."

Yang Wu said calmly, "I won't."

"Han Zhong!"

Ignoring Yang Wu, Empress Xiao directly ordered Han Zhong to take action.

Han Zhong ran out of old habit to fetch the imperial seal, but after a moment, he said in confusion, "It's gone!"

Empress Xiao turned her head and looked at the empty box.

"Your Majesty, it's pointless. Even if we only use your verbal decree, it is enough to sentence them to death."

Yang Wu spoke up. "Such blatant distortion of the truth—with so many people present at the scene, who doesn't know the Third Prince started the rebellion? You cannot silence the public, and the civil and military officials will never agree to this. If they die, the entire Great Xia will instantly descend into chaos. Some might even immediately raise the banner of 'cleansing the ruler's side,' march their armies here, and ultimately force me to abdicate and hand over the throne. Neither you nor the person behind you can control such a situation."

Empress Xiao’s expression grew increasingly icy. "I merely seek vengeance, yet Your Majesty refuses even this?"

Yang Wu said, "Your current approach won't work. If you truly want Yang Xing and Yang Zhan dead, the only way is to summon them directly into the palace. In this place, your word is law. You could even make me bleed on the spot and frame Yang Zhan and Yang Xing for patricide—you can spin that however you like!"

Empress Xiao was momentarily taken aback.

Yang Wu continued, "Only this way is foolproof. By then, all my sons will be dead, and Yang Zhan will be dead as well. With Prince Wu's strength and prestige, he will then be able to take complete control of the overall situation. If you don't believe me, go ask the person behind you."

"There is no one behind me, only myself!" Empress Xiao said sternly.

After a moment, she looked at Han Zhong. "Han Zhong, tend to His Majesty well. I shall step out for a moment."

"Understood, Your Highness!"

Yang Wu gazed calmly at Empress Xiao.

That look made Empress Xiao feel deeply uncomfortable, as if every hidden secret was laid completely bare before him.

As Empress Xiao walked out, she cast a glance at a guard.

The guard gave a slight nod, and only then did Empress Xiao step outside.

Yang Wu held out a hand. "Han Zhong, help me sit up!"

Han Zhong hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to help Yang Wu into the rocking chair.

Yang Wu said faintly, "What is it that you are striving for? Can the Empress give you something I cannot?"

Han Zhong remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, "Your Majesty, you are old, and this old servant wishes to live a little longer."

Yang Wu nodded. "I understand. You need to curry favor with the future new ruler and find yourself a new patron."

"Your Majesty, over the years, this old servant has done many things in the shadows for you. If Your Majesty were to pass away, would this old servant... still come to a good end?"

Yang Wu smiled faintly. "Very well. But who is your patron? The Empress cannot protect you."

"Your Majesty, rest assured. This old servant has found a formidable patron and should be able to live out the rest of my days in peace."

"Wasn't the Crown Prince a very good candidate? Why did you look far away instead of choosing what was close at hand?"

"Your Majesty, if this old servant may speak from the heart, the Crown Prince likely won't live much longer either. Although Your Majesty has never said it aloud, this old servant knows that the Crown Prince suffers from deep-rooted illnesses and is likely incapable of continuing the imperial bloodline. In the future, this empire will still belong to someone else."

Hearing this, Yang Wu sighed. "This 'someone else' you speak of is Prince Wu, isn't it?"

Han Zhong stopped talking.

Before long, Empress Xiao returned. She glanced at Han Zhong before speaking, "Very well, we shall do as Your Majesty suggested. Summon Yang Zhan and Yang Xing to the Wunde Hall!"

Yang Wu nodded. "Han Zhong, go issue the decree. To avoid arousing suspicion, the rebel troops of the Four Guards who lay down their weapons shall be pardoned. Furthermore, arrest Xiao Rong and the Grand Generals of the Four Guards. As for afterwards, Your Empress can simply find a pretext to release them."

Empress Xiao nodded. "Han Zhong, carry it out."

"Yes, Your Highness, this old servant is going right now!"

***

Eastern Palace.

The fierce battle outside was still raging on.

Inside the Mingde Hall, both Yang Xing and Yu Shu were gazing intently at Yang Zhan.

"Second Uncle, now that the Third Prince is dead, Xiao Rong and his faction have gone completely mad. Both sides dying out there are soldiers of our Great Xia! The crucial point is, why has my imperial father still not made a move?"

Yang Zhan frowned. The assassination of the Third Prince was something even he had not anticipated.

The one who killed the Third Prince was none other than the Profound-Realm Qi practitioner the Third Prince had hired to deal with Xu Zhen.

That sudden sword strike in the midst of the chaos had caught everyone off guard.

The situation, which had previously been stabilized, plunged into chaotic warfare once again.

Fortunately, Sanzi and Luyang had managed to rouse the Jinwu Guards, and his former subordinates leading the Left and Right Guards had defected to their side. Otherwise, very few of the people here in the Eastern Palace would have survived.

Yang Zhan closed his eyes as a realization surfaced in his mind.

"Second Uncle, I implore you to take charge of the overall situation, command the troops, and quickly suppress the rebels, otherwise the flames of war might damage the very foundations of Great Xia!"

Yang Xing directly cupped his fists, bowed, and respectfully invited Yang Zhan to take action.

Yang Zhan opened his eyes and looked at Yang Xing. "Although the Emperor might watch you and the Third Prince fight among yourselves, he would never sit back and watch both armies slaughter each other. Therefore, something must have happened on the Emperor's end!"

"How is that possible? Imperial Father is in the Tiansheng Palace, and the Tiansheng Palace is teeming with elite masters, not to mention experts like Han Zhong..."

At this point, Yang Xing's expression shifted slightly. "Could it be the Empress?"

Right at that moment.

The sounds of battle outside began to subside.

Immediately following that, the thunderous roar of countless hooves approached rapidly.

Yang Zhan, Yang Xing, and the others instantly rushed outside.

They saw that the warring armies inside and outside the Eastern Palace had already been completely surrounded.

Han Zhong sat on horseback, holding an imperial edict, radiating an imposing aura.

Han Zhong had not come alone; he brought troops from other garrisons as well. Together with the Jinwu Guards, the Left and Right Guards, and others, the rebel army led by Xiao Rong was placed at a complete disadvantage.

At this moment, Han Zhong unrolled the imperial decree to read it aloud. Although there wasn't a single character written on it, the brilliant yellow of the decree meant his words carried the absolute authority of the Emperor's will.

Han Zhong shouted sternly, "By the Emperor's decree, the Left and Right Xiaowei Guards and the Left and Right Wei Guards were merely deceived by traitors. As long as they lay down their weapons, the crime of rebellion shall not be pursued!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the vast majority of the army behind Xiao Rong hesitated only briefly before dropping their weapons.

At this moment, Xiao Rong and the three Grand Generals turned as pale as death.