Chapter 146 Forcing the Palace

Chapter 146: The Coup

"Sixth Imperial Brother," Xiao Yan spoke, his voice calm, and asked, "Do you know what consequences your actions today will bring?"

Xiao Jing stared at him, saying nothing.

Xiao Yan continued, "Blockading the palace gates, staging a coup, coercing the court officials—any one of these charges alone would be enough to sentence you to death ten times over."

Xiao Jing was not angered but instead laughed, "Death? I have long since cast life and death aside. This empire is what I have painstakingly managed to this day. When the late Emperor was gravely ill and the court was in turmoil, had I not held it together, this realm would have long collapsed. Now I am merely reclaiming what is rightfully mine—what fault is there in that?"

His eyes swept fiercely over the ministers below the imperial steps, his voice rising.

"Now that we are all in this Golden Throne Hall, if you distinguished officials are wise, you will follow me in this grand endeavor. When rewards are given in the future, you will not be left out. But if you persist in ignorance and insist on siding with that unknown thing to oppose me... then do not blame me for disregarding the bonds of ruler and subject built over these many years!"

Inside the Golden Throne Hall, the atmosphere was taut like a drawn bowstring.

The officials were trapped, fear and unease spreading through the crowd.

When they heard Xiao Jing brazenly refer to the still-ailing Emperor as "the late Emperor," the entire hall was shaken.

Finally, a white-haired old minister stepped forward.

It was the Minister of Rites, Zhang Yanling, a veteran of three reigns, known for his uprightness.

"His Highness Prince Rui," his voice was aged and steady, echoing in the deathly still hall, "This old minister ventures to ask: where is His Majesty?"

At Zhang Yanling's words, all eyes in the hall turned to Xiao Jing.

"Rest assured, everyone, His Majesty is perfectly fine. However, the imperial physician has said he needs quiet rest and should not see visitors. Once His Majesty recovers in a few days, he will naturally meet with you all."

Zhang Yanling fixed his gaze on him, a sharp glint flashing in his aged eyes, "Your Highness says His Majesty needs quiet rest—this old minister has no objection. But what Your Highness has done today... is it not a coup?"

Liu Wenyuan, standing at the head of the civil officials beside Zhang Yanling, saw this, stepped forward, knelt, and said loudly, "I implore Your Highness to allow us to see His Majesty!"

Following him, several old ministers came out and knelt down in succession.

"I implore Your Highness to allow us to see His Majesty!!"

Xiao Jing looked at those kneeling, his expression gradually hardening.

He slowly walked down the imperial steps, came before Zhang Yanling, and looked down at him.

"Minister Zhang," he said softly, his eyes fierce, "You are a veteran of three reigns, and I respect you. But today, if you insist on opposing me..."

"Then do not blame me for being ruthless."

As soon as he finished speaking, the guards stepped forward in unison, their blades glinting.

Zhang Yanling knelt there, motionless.

He lifted his head, facing the blades pointed at him and Xiao Jing's fierce eyes, his aged face showing no fear.

"Your Highness," his voice remained steady, "This old minister has served three reigns and weathered many storms. If Your Highness thinks killing me will silence the mouths of the realm, then go ahead."

He paused, looking directly into Xiao Jing's eyes, and said word by word, "But this old minister would remind Your Highness: if you kill me today, countless other 'old ministers' will rise up. Can Your Highness kill all the court officials? Can you kill everyone under heaven?"

Zhang Yanling continued, "His Majesty is ill, and Your Highness is regent—this is only right and proper. But today, Your Highness has sealed the palace gates, besieged the officials, and repeatedly called His Majesty 'the late Emperor.' This old minister asks but one thing: where is His Majesty now?"

Xiao Jing's face grew darker as he listened.

Suddenly, he spun around, walked to a guard, and snatched the longsword from his hand.

Xiao Jing strode back, sword in hand.

"Minister Zhang, I will give you one last chance. Are you sure you wish to persist in your delusion?"

Zhang Yanling remained silent, unmoved.

"Good. Very good."

Xiao Jing's face twisted completely.

He swung the sword abruptly.

The blade fell; blood splattered.

A deep gash opened on Zhang Yanling's left arm, blood streaming out, staining his sleeve.

As the sword fell, a collective gasp echoed through the hall.

"Xiao Jing!!!"

At the same time, a voice exploded across the hall.

Xiao Jing turned to look, and saw Xiao Yan, who had been bound, now standing up.

His eyes blazed as he stared fiercely at Xiao Jing.

As Xiao Yan stood, he moved his body, and the ropes binding him rattled off.

He flexed his wrists, letting out a slight crack.

Then he raised his head and looked at Xiao Jing.

Xiao Jing's eyes widened in shock. He shouted frantically at the guards beside him, "Are you all dead? Can't you even guard one man?"

The guards responsible for watching Xiao Yan stood bewildered—they had no idea how the ropes had come undone! "Your Highness, we failed in our duty! Please forgive us!" Regardless, they all knelt to apologize.

Xiao Jing was so furious he felt like vomiting blood, and he watched helplessly as Xiao Yan began to walk toward him.

"Stop him!!!" he roared.

The guards quickly rose and blocked Xiao Yan.

Xiao Jing's breathing grew heavier, his chest heaving violently.

He suddenly raised his longsword, stepped forward, and pressed the tip against Xiao Yan's heart.

"Do you think I dare not kill you?" he said, word by word, each syllable squeezed through his teeth.

Another cry of alarm rose from the hall.

When Xiao K saw this, even it, a heartless system, was terrified: "Oh heavens, Host, what now? Xiao Jing has gone mad! He's going to kill you!!!"

Xiao Yan's voice remained calm, "He hasn't killed me yet, has he?"

Hearing that the host was unflustered, Xiao K too stopped panicking.

"Host, I haven't even made a move yet, and you managed to break free—how did you do that?!"

It had been precisely calculating how to get out of this mess, never expecting the host to surprise it all on his own!

Though it was useless, since he was now caught under Xiao Jing's sword again...

Xiao Yan replied nonchalantly, "Just something I picked up out of boredom back then."

Little K asked, "What do we do now? I don't have the teleportation function at the moment. If Xiao Jing really makes a move, I can keep you from getting hurt, but we'll have a hell of a time explaining it later!"

Xiao Yan: "You don't need to do anything. He wouldn't dare kill me."

Little K expressed doubt: "(´･_･`)?"

Xiao Yan looked down at the sword tip pressed against his chest, then raised his head to gaze at Xiao Jing.

"Kill me?" He raised an eyebrow coolly, his tone casual. "Are you sure you want to kill me?"

Xiao Jing's brow twitched. The sword tip pressed forward a little more, cutting through the fabric, just barely pressing against his skin.

Just one more inch forward, and it would draw blood.

Yet Xiao Yan still did not dodge.

His voice suddenly dropped, so low it sounded like a whisper from the depths of the earth: "I died once. You should know that very well. But now I'm standing here again—don't you want to know how I came back?"

Xiao Jing's hand gave a tremor.

Xiao Yan seemed not to notice. His voice grew even softer, as if floating in the air, ready to disperse at any moment, with a haunting edge.

"You killed me once, and I didn't die—if you kill me again, guess... what will I become? Or rather... do you think that killing someone who cannot be killed might come back to bite you or something..."

In his mind, Little K exclaimed, "Whoa~ Host, you're so smart! That Xiao Jing guy is obviously scared of ghosts—just scare him like that!"

As Xiao Yan finished speaking, the candle flames in the hall suddenly flickered.

No one had touched the candles, yet they flickered just like that, as if something unseen had blown them.

Xiao Jing's breath caught for a moment. A chill shot up his spine, so cold it made his scalp crawl.

The sword at Xiao Yan's chest wavered, almost slipping from his hand.

Xiao Jing remembered this man who had been "dead" for months, suddenly appearing before him, alive, as calmly as if he'd stepped out of another world.

Did he... still have some trick Xiao Jing didn't know about?

Xiao Jing's hand shook even harder.

The sword tip pressed against Xiao Yan's heart, yet it simply wouldn't thrust forward.