ASTRP -Chapter 240 Investiture

“I only proved my worth by constantly expanding my abilities… otherwise, Father would say I was unworthy of my position…”

“I have never surpassed Xi Qing Rende in anything… all I could do was keep expanding the territory of Xi Qing Kingdom…”

As the emperor spoke, his head suddenly tilted to one side, and his hand dropped instantly.

He died.

When Cheng Yu tried to stand up, she staggered slightly. Feng Jin Ge quickly supported him.

“Are you alright?”

“Did the gu insect also harm your body?”

Cheng Yu shook her head.

“No… I was just too emotional…”

She said she had finally avenged her parents. If her parents could see it from the heavens, they would surely be comforted.

Later, Cheng Yu left. That night, a carriage remained parked outside Anren Palace.

People went up and down from it.

When Fang Di Jun returned to her room, she saw the Prince Yu had already placed the emperor back onto the bed. She hurriedly called for Imperial Physician An.

Imperial Physician An administered a medicine to the still-warm emperor. It made him appear as if he had died of heart failure.

After everything was staged, Feng Jin Ge instructed Fang Di Jun:

“Consort Fang, tomorrow morning you must start crying… make it convincing. Tonight, you’ll have to stay with the corpse for the night.”

“Don’t be afraid. Tomorrow morning, Li Yue and I will arrive.”

“The excuse for Li Yue’s resurrection has already been arranged. We’ll say that she went out with Prince Yu that night.”

“To avoid being discovered for not returning to the palace, two servants were sent to take their place.”

Fang Di Jun nodded and reminded Xi Qing Li Yue to stay safe on the way.

After they left, a maid came to accompany Fang Di Jun.

Looking at the emperor’s corpse, years of hatred turned into a single vicious sentence.

“If ghosts truly exist, you are not allowed to find my daughter—because you are not worthy!”

“If you have the ability, come for me instead. Let me kill you again myself!”

Soon, the night passed.

Fang Di Jun discovered she could not cry at first. Only after using medicinal drops given by Imperial Physician An were tears forced out.

She cried all the way from Anren Palace to the inner hall.

The emperor’s body had also been moved there.

All the concubines gathered.

Fang Di Jun knelt and cried hysterically.

“Your Majesty… Your Majesty! Wuwuwu… how could you just die like this!”

“This morning… your body was already cold!”

Fang Di Jun had deliberately bruised her arms and neck the night before, making it appear she had spent the night with the emperor.

Now that the emperor was dead, even the imperial physicians who had once been loyal dared not speak recklessly.

After all, no one was left to protect them.

“Reporting to all consorts… His Majesty died from weakness of the body, worsened by consuming excessive tonic medicine.”

Most of the concubines sided with Fang Di Jun.

Only a few who had been favored and not mistreated showed doubt.

“Could it really be exhaustion leading to death?”

“The emperor was already weak, and Consort Fang had not been summoned for over three months. Why was she suddenly summoned?”

Fang Di Jun claimed the emperor had gone to Anren Palace himself and had not summoned anyone through the roster.

At that moment, Consort Pang came forward and confirmed it.

“I personally saw the emperor go to Anren Palace with Eunuch Hai.”

Murmurs of dissatisfaction arose.

“Where is Eunuch Hai?”

“Isn’t he always by the emperor’s side?”

Just then, a cry came from outside.

“Eunuch Hai… jumped into a well… he committed suicide…”

A young servant from Anren Palace whispered:

“Perhaps Eunuch Hai was loyal and chose to follow His Majesty…”

In truth, during the night, Feng Jin Ge and the others had already dealt with Eunuch Hai.

He had resisted and threatened to expose them.

So Prince Yu had directly grabbed his neck and thrown him into the well.

Fang Di Jun, thinking of this, felt a sharp pain in her temple from a sleepless night.

At that moment, a loud announcement came from outside:

“The Princess has arrived!”

Everyone was stunned.

Only Fang Di Jun already understood.

“The Princess?”

“Wasn’t she supposed to have died in the fire?”

“Yes… what is going on?”

Xi Qing Li Yue entered wearing plain clothing.

Prince Yu also wore white mourning robes.

Li Yue knelt immediately, her eyes red as if in grief.

“Father… Father, how could this happen…”

The attendants on both sides urged her to grieve properly.

Soon after, the Crown Prince arrived as well, also dressed in mourning white.

People said that with the emperor gone, the Crown Prince must assume the throne.

Since the emperor left no succession edict, the throne naturally passed to him.

After the funeral arrangements, within a few days, the Crown Prince ascended the throne, wearing imperial robes and a golden crown.

He sat on the seat countless people had longed for.

But he did not truly want it.

No one knew that what he really desired was to be a general.

Beside him stood Cheng Yu, now a noble consort.

She sat next to the new emperor, symbolizing their unity forever.

The Crown Prince looked at the ministers as they knelt and shouted “Long live the Emperor.”

He thought… he could never again be a free and unrestrained general.

“As the new emperor, my ascension was sudden. If any of you have objections, speak freely.”

The ministers immediately bowed again, saying His Majesty was speaking too seriously.

One by one, they pledged loyalty.

The favor of the previous emperor had already been completely exhausted.

The Crown Prince waved his hand and said:

“Then I shall also raise the ranks of the women in the harem.”

“Since the late emperor had no empress, my birth mother’s consort shall be promoted to Imperial Noble Consort.”

“All those in the ranks of Virtuous, Pure, and Wise Consorts shall be promoted to Imperial Dowager Consorts.”

“All concubines shall be promoted accordingly.”

“Oh, Consort Pang is an exception. I will promote him to Imperial Dowager Consort.”

Without Consort Pang’s help, Cheng Yu would not have been able to take revenge so smoothly.

Nor would the Crown Prince have been able to track the emperor’s movements so easily.

“I wish to do one more thing, and I hope you all approve.”

“That is to release all palace women under twenty years of age who have not been defiled.”

“I will give them money so they may leave the palace.”

“They may return to their families or leave the capital—no restrictions.”

The Crown Prince explained that the late emperor frequently held selection ceremonies but only had one man himself.

Those women had never been touched, yet were left to grow old in the palace—it was truly pitiful.

In truth, many women had only been favored once, which was even more tragic.

But once they left, few would accept them outside.

It was better to keep them in the palace, at least they would still receive stipends.

The ministers all praised the emperor’s benevolence, calling it an act of great virtue.

“Next is the investiture of my consorts.”

“When I was still Crown Prince, I had no Crown Princess.”

“And the person by my side is the one I love. She shall be made Empress, Mother of the Nation.”

“The four ranks of Virtuous, Pure, Wise, and Noble Consorts shall remain for my two secondary consorts.”

“The rest shall be titled Noble Ladies and ordinary consorts…”