The Slender Waist-Chapter 795 - 565: Mystery Solved_2

The eunuch looked at her smile, his thoughts stirred slightly.

"I understand now."

He nodded, gathered the items, and smiled at Feng Yun.

"I shall take my leave to return to the palace and relay the Princess’s words to His Majesty, word for word."

Feng Yun bowed slightly, as if letting out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you. Please take your time, Eunuch."

The eunuch returned the courtesy and left through the door.

Feng Yun’s words were measured, but the eunuch understood them completely.

Issuing an imperial decree to have the Prince of Yonghuai ascend to the throne would not necessarily be mere jest. Forcing Pei Jue to take the decree and assume the Dragon Throne in the Golden Throne Hall would be no different from staging a coup.

What Pei Jue desires is not just the throne.

It is a rightful throne obtained openly and honorably.

- 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Princess Chang paced back and forth in Mingguang Hall, her expression anxious.

Emperor Wenzhi, however, was calm; after finishing the edict, he felt as though half of his burden had lifted. Now, all he could do was wait and watch how Pei Jue would handle it.

"Your Majesty, Huai Ren has returned."

Emperor Wenzhi immediately sat up from the couch.

"Quickly, summon him."

Huai Ren, the eunuch entrusted with delivering the decree, was brought along by Emperor Wenzhi from his time in Qian Di and was well aware of his temperament.

Entering the room and seeing Princess Chang was also present, Huai Ren hesitated briefly before saluting them both.

Then, he reported on the situation at Pei Residence.

Emperor Wenzhi was astonished upon hearing this.

"The Prince of Yonghuai refuses? He doesn’t even want the throne?"

His surprise contrasted with Princess Chang’s lack of it.

What she was concerned about was, "Pei Jue didn’t come out to accept the decree? He hasn’t shown himself at all?"

Huai Ren responded, "Correct. The one who came out was the Princess of Yonghuai."

Princess Chang took a deep breath. "As expected. It’s him, without doubt."

Emperor Wenzhi looked at her burning gaze and nervously asked, "Imperial Sister, what should we do? If the Prince of Yonghuai refuses to accept, could it be... could it be he has other plans?"

Princess Chang suddenly turned her head, glaring at him intensely.

Emperor Wenzhi startled, "Imperial Sister..."

Princess Chang said, "It was the greatest misstep, an unwise decision among all unwise decisions, for you to have written that edict of abdication. Now, the tide has turned, and both you and I are teetering on the edge of a precipice."

Emperor Wenzhi furrowed his brows deeply. "I don’t understand..."

Princess Chang let out a sigh, sat down, and slowly explained, "Once the edict is issued, regardless of whether Pei Jue accepts the decree, the remaining loyalty among the court officials, the nobles, and the ministers will crumble. As hearts waver, defeat becomes inevitable."

Emperor Wenzhi pursed his lips, "Imperial Sister, I believe the court’s loyalty has already disintegrated. The outcome has long been sealed. Otherwise, how could Ruan Pu have met such an end today in Zhenghe Hall?"

Princess Chang froze.

She stared at her weakling brother, saying nothing.

Emperor Wenzhi, unaware of her thoughts, sighed heavily.

"While recuperating in the hall these days, I’ve reflected on many things. This empire, this realm, this throne, from ancient times until now, has been replete with frequent transitions. It has never been eternal. Every change of dynasty is marked by fields of corpses and mountains of bones... Imperial Sister, since the greater situation is set, resistance is futile. Why not preserve ourselves?"

He looked earnestly at Princess Chang.

When she remained silent, he added slowly, "History praises the victors. To die for resistance leaves nothing but condemnation in the annals. To survive in obscurity might just earn eternal recognition for insight and wisdom."

Princess Chang snorted coldly.

Emperor Wenzhi noticed a slight relaxation in her expression.

He continued, "A good emperor prioritizes the fate of the people and the welfare of the masses. If I entrust the throne to one capable of revitalizing the Great Jin Dynasty, wouldn’t that be an act of virtue? If the ancestors have spirits in their graves, surely they wouldn’t wish their legacy to crumble at my hands..."

"Emperor." Princess Chang stared at his pitifully cowardly appearance, trying every means to justify weakness, her brow furrowing tightly and refusing to ease.

"At this point, it’s beyond both of us."

-

It must be said, Princess Chang’s insight was extraordinary.

A sudden and unforeseen edict of abdication was like pouring cold water onto hot oil, causing chaos across the Xijing Imperial Court.

The court officials had not anticipated the Emperor would relinquish the throne so spontaneously.

To those harboring fantasies and lingering hope in the Emperor, this move was a crushing blow, instantly driving them to the other side.

The entirety of the Great Jin Imperial Court reached an unprecedented consensus.

——The Yuan Dynasty’s mandate had run out.

Even if Pei Jue was unwilling to support him, and Pei Jue had no intentions of claiming the throne, trying to restore the ailing, throne-avoiding Emperor to the Dragon Throne would surely be futile.

If that’s the case, why not go along with the flow?

Everyone feared arriving late and missing their chance. From that evening onward, the Pei Residence quickly became abuzz with activity. Carriages of civil and military officials arrived in droves, either in groups or alone, imploring the Prince of Yonghuai to accept the decree and ascend the throne.

Naturally, the Prince of Yonghuai, to avoid suspicion, shut his doors to deny visitors.

He refused to see a single noble or official, including Ao Zheng, whose visit was also declined by the residence.

The situation seemed deadlocked.

Chaos swirled across the court, yet within the Pei Residence, the spring garden remained calm, exuding an air of peaceful tranquility.

Ten days later, Pei Jue’s illness had significantly improved.

The rumors of the Emperor’s abdication spread far and wide, reaching every corner of the realm. Now, there wasn’t a soul unaware of the news.

Pei Yao had sent word several times to inquire, even Pei Chong, who had long ceased involvement in political affairs, could barely contain his urgency, pressing Pei Jue for certainty.

Pei Yao, of course, relished the notion, believing it a great honor and an opportunity for great achievements.

Pei Chong, conversely, adamantly opposed, insisting that the Pei family’s legacy of loyal service to protect the Great Jin Dynasty precluded any ambition for the throne, which would surely invite the stigma of treason.

Everyone sought resolution, yearning for an end to the suspense.

Even the lowly servant sweeping the residence grew impatient.

Yet Pei Jue and Feng Yun remained unperturbed, as though indifferent to it all. One casually admired falling blossoms, while the other brewed green-plum wine. Once in high spirits, they played a game of chess, their relationship at its best and their time together exceedingly harmonious.

"Mistress, even the maids are losing their minds with worry..."

Feng Yun asked, "What’s the matter?"

Xiaoman, fatigued from hearing endless rumors over the past days, now had blisters at the corners of her mouth.

She pouted lightly, whining, "What do you think?"

Feng Yun smiled but offered no reply.

As the sun set in the west, its rays bathed the Auspicious Beasts atop the eaves in a golden halo.

Beyond the distant sky, a faint moon began its ascent.

The sun and moon shared the sky, their blurred light falling softly upon Feng Yun’s attire, enhancing her striking beauty.

Xiaoman stared at Feng Yun in awe for a long moment.

Eventually snapping back to reality, she prepared tea while discreetly stealing glances at Pei Jue, quietly absorbed in studying the chessboard. She asked timidly, "What will His Highness do, after all?"

Feng Yun chuckled lightly and calmly uttered a single word.

"Wait."