Chapter 1160: Chapter 728 Intertwined

The court session was over.

In light of such events, ordinary court affairs naturally could not proceed, and regarding the tax reform proposal, there was temporarily no opposition in the court following the death of the Imperial Censor who mentioned the ancestral laws.

Blood was spilled in the Golden Throne Hall, not for the first time, but in the past, these were usually unsolved cases with unknown assailants. Xu Yuan’s blatant murder today was the first in decades.

Such violence is the lowest means, yet it’s most efficient, especially suitable when the Emperor is away, and the senior members of the Imperial Faction could see that for Xu Yuan, murder was not the goal; it was to make a statement.

Even if one could argue him into silence, Xu Changtian would still forcibly announce this tax reform to the entire nation today.

As the bureaucratic route was blocked, the only way to stop this was through force, oppressing Xu Changtian, but the head of the Imperial Guards had just attempted this and failed. Continuing to obstruct would be meaningless; they could only wait until the Emperor’s return to make plans. Furthermore, everyone needed time to adapt to today’s events and find their own path in the chaotic future.

The court’s dispersal was quite disorderly, and Xu Yuan simply sat down on the golden stairs, silently watching the chaotic hall below.

Courtiers do not represent the heavyweights, nor do they represent those with deep cultivation. The Golden Throne Hall is only so big; the impact from Xu Yuan and Wang Shili’s clash earlier injured many people, with some even covered with white cloth.

After roughly the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the Golden Throne Hall finally returned to silence.

As he watched the last official depart, Li Yucheng rose from behind the short table, walked over to Xu Yuan, adjusted his robe, and sat down together on the golden stairs.

The light spilled through the hole in the dome, illuminating the two men sitting on the steps, the large hall solemn and silent.

After a silence of several breaths,

Li Yucheng gazed at the familiar yet empty hall in front of him and suddenly spoke:

“The steward in front of the hall is from your Prime Minister’s Mansion; he will present the tax reform proposal to the Imperial Decree Monitor, but there might be delays, until Father Emperor returns to the capital.”

“Lou Ji has already gone ahead; the Prime Minister Party will not be disobedient.”

“That Black Scale Leader? It seems you have indeed planned this for a long time.”

“One must make some preparations.”

“So, did Teacher know about what you did today?”

“……”

After a brief silence, Xu Yuan glanced at Li Yucheng and replied:

“Does the Crown Prince think that such a matter deciding the future of the Imperial Dynasty, my father would be unaware?”

Li Yucheng pondered for a moment and said seriously:

“Hard to say.”

Xu Yuan exhaled lightly at these words and responded with a smile:

“I believe… he should know.”

“Is that indeed the case….”

Li Yucheng squinted slightly and said with a hint of resentment: “This may be the difference between Teacher and Father Emperor; Father Emperor likes to hold everything in his hands, even until the last moment he wishes to do it himself.”

“This has nothing to do with His Majesty.”

“Oh?” Li Yucheng was slightly surprised.

“Dayan has stood for a thousand years; Imperial Power is already habitual, but the Prime Minister’s Mansion is only decades old.”

“Your perspective is novel, but I still insist on my view…..”

“Crown Prince, why did you help me today?”

Xu Yuan suddenly interrupted Li Yucheng’s words, meeting the calm gaze of the middle-aged man: “Today’s events require someone to bear responsibility; the Prime Minister’s Mansion will protect me, but you… are handing a knife to Li Zhaoyuan.”

This was something Xu Yuan didn’t understand, and it’s the reason he remained in the Golden Throne Hall. Things easily change in the country, but a person’s nature is cultivated over time. Crown Prince Li Yucheng, being over fifty, is unlikely to change, which also determined Li Yaoxuan would not pass the throne to him.

Li Yucheng’s only retreat in doing this would be to seize Li Junqing back, but the latter was now gathering troops on the coastal regions, preparing ships and various military supplies to cross the sea.

Xu Yuan had the Black Scale Guards approach Li Junqing, and his straightforward reply was: “Unless I clear out the pirates, I won’t return home.”

Xu Yuan’s question kept Li Yucheng silent for a long time, causing the face of this man who had been Crown Prince for sixty years to become extremely complex, hesitating multiple times, but those words still could not be voiced.

Li Yucheng knew this was Xu Yuan giving him one last chance, a chance to preserve life and ascend the throne.

If he responded that he had aspirations for the world, then the Prime Minister’s Mansion would start paving the way for him, because as Crown Prince, as a Crown Prince for sixty years, what he needed to ascend the throne was actually very simple.

Suppressing the unwillingness in his heart, Li Yucheng lowered his eyelids:

“I’ve already answered this question.”

[Because I am a member of the Imperial Family]

[Even if I sacrifice this body of blood and bones, I still wish to witness the scenery of a peaceful era]

The voice echoed in his ears, Xu Yuan sighed internally:

“Crown Prince, you would be a benevolent ruler, but the future world needs a hero.”

“I understand.”

After speaking, Li Yucheng’s expression became much more relaxed: “I understand all these things, so there’s no need to say more.”

Saying this, Li Yucheng lowered his eyelids and shifted the topic:

“Third Young Master, I’m actually very curious, if I hadn’t used the National Seal to approve your tax reform today and directly rejected it, what would you have done?”

Xu Yuan did not verbally answer the question, merely looking up at the pit in the hall caused by the head of the Imperial Guards.

Had he not cooperated, there would be one more pit in the hall today.

Li Yucheng couldn’t help but laugh, thinking to himself that he was indeed a daring individual, and stood up from the golden stairs, speaking:

“By now, the news from the court should have reached the Imperial Dragon Forest. Your actions today can be seen as making a decision for Father Emperor, but he has always been autocratic; this matter most likely isn’t over.”

Xu Yuan still sat there, nodding:

“Hmm, I know.”

“Good to know, Qingyan is coming over from there, she probably has something to say to you, so I shall leave first.”

“Hmm.”

“…..”

As the conversation ended, silence remained, leaving only the sound of footsteps.

Li Yucheng walked away from the young man sitting on the golden stairs, heading alone toward the hall exit, but as he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, his voice echoing:

“In the future, the world will not be peaceful.”

“Hmm.”

“It might be a golden age, or it might be a chaotic era, no one can say for sure.”

“At least the Imperial Court will not fight internally.”

“For now indeed.”

“That’s enough.”

“Then it’s good.”

Li Yucheng chuckled softly, and stepped out of the hall.

Outside, the gloomy sky began to drizzle again, fine raindrops falling on his Golden Luminous Jade Robe, the square in front of the hall vast and solemn, reflecting the thousand-year history of the Imperial Dynasty.

As Li Yucheng descended the staircase along the left side of the imperial path, a woman as ethereal as a startled swan was ascending the staircase on the right.

There was no conversation, not even an exchange of glances, as the siblings passed each other on the imperial path.

At the bottom of the final step, Li Yucheng suddenly turned back, gazing complexly at the towering palace where he had supervised the country for twenty years.

Under the dim curtain of rain,

this Golden Hall was as profound and majestic as when he first saw it in his youth.

But now,

he seemed to see a dark curtain.

A dark curtain that veiled the future,

swallowing this thousand-year hall from within.

(End of Volume)