Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?-Chapter 769 - 589: Three Sons Become Kings
At this moment, something collapsed with a loud crash, unnoticed by the millions of common people, right in front of the civil and military officials, and even more so in the heart of Shang Ruyi!
Pulled down from the Dragon Chair and stumbling down the Heavenly Terrace, Chu Chengfei suddenly felt as if something was extracted from him. His weeping stopped abruptly, and he even raised his head in some bewilderment, looking at the Empress Dowager, whose face was pale and eyes filled with sorrow. Then, he turned back to look at the Dragon Chair that no longer belonged to him.
He slowly came to a stop, finally letting out a long sigh.
Just then, a hunched, emaciated figure stepped out from the officials, walking step by step to the front of the Empress Dowager, and then slowly knelt and kowtowed. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
In a deep voice, he said, "Thank you—Empress Dowager!"
It was Ji Hong!
His eyes were filled with incomparable desolation as he slowly kowtowed towards Empress Dowager Jiang. At this moment, did he think of that Emperor to whom he had nearly dedicated his entire life? If he could have stopped him, if he could have properly aided him, would today’s events not have happened?
This question, at this moment, also shrouded the hearts of everyone.
But it was only illusory.
This kowtow of his was real!
Although it was just a trembling, feeble action, it cast a huge stone into the imperial court at that moment, with ripples spreading all around. The ministers standing in the Taiji Palace followed behind him, bowing to the Empress Dowager one after another.
"Thank you, Empress Dowager!"
"Thank you for everything, Empress Dowager!"
"Thank you, Empress Dowager!"
Listening to this earth-shaking acclaim, Empress Dowager Jiang’s initially shattered gaze, as if stirred with countless ripples by the shock of this moment, finally calmed down. She smiled at Ji Hong, then looked up at the civil and military officials bowing to her for the last time.
Among them, Yu Wenye with a stern face, deep in thought, and Shang Ruyi, bewildered.
A faint smile appeared on her pale face, and she just raised a hand towards Ji Hong.
Ji Hong slowly lifted his head, only then seeing that the Empress Dowager still held a document. He hurried to receive it with both hands, unfolded it, and was immediately startled.
It turned out to be a draft of the abdication edict long since prepared!
Ji Hong widened his eyes, looking at each word written in cinnabar, and gradually, his eyes were also stained red by those sentences. He raised his head, tears streaming, looking at Empress Dowager Jiang, only to see her smile faintly and say in a hoarse voice, "Go, do what needs to be done."
"..."
Ji Hong took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and walked to the center of the grand hall.
All the civil and military officials also turned towards him at that moment. Ji Hong unfolded the edict, raised his head, and in an aged, yet resonant and loud voice, he proclaimed—
"Since I ascended the throne, the world has been in turmoil, people’s livelihood has been precarious. Thanks to the spirits of our ancestors, the heavens have protected us, and the Da Ye Dynasty has stood up from peril; yet my virtues are average, unable to move heaven and earth, hence, wars are unceasing, plagues continue, burdening the people, my fault indeed. Reflecting on the state and people, I have achieved nothing; as the Great Dao is practiced, the world is for the public, selecting the virtuous and able, thus Tang Yao did not favor his own son, and his fame spread boundlessly. I admire and yearn for it, now following the example, I hereby abdicate the throne to—Duke Sheng."
The moment the words fell, Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a shiver down her back.
Although the sky was clear, not a cloud in sight, after Ji Hong finished the last word, no sound of coughing or breathing was heard in the entire Taiji Palace, so quiet that it seemed the whole world plunged into a moment of void and emptiness, yet, she felt a thunderclap suddenly explode at that moment.
Her whole being seemed to be shattered by lightning, turning to dust, scattering away.
She didn’t know how long it took for the intense pain in her chest to bring her back to her senses—
She realized she had just forgotten to breathe.
She truly and genuinely understood that all of this was real—the life-and-death struggle within her body was real; Yu Mingyue’s memories were real; Yu Wenquan ascending the throne was real.
Then, Yu Wenqian...
At the thought of this, she almost instinctively raised her head, looking towards the familiar, handsome figure amid the ranks, at this moment, more gazes also focused on him. But he seemed to sense something, slowly raised his head, and looked at Shang Ruyi.
"...!"
At the moment their gazes met, it was as if another bolt of lightning struck her back. Shang Ruyi immediately lowered her head.
