FBC – Chapter 367 Palace Upheaval

The Marquis of Jingwen’s household acted extremely swiftly. That very night, they sent people to the Eastern Palace under cover of darkness, catching Zhao Yuxuan completely off guard.

The two had already completed all the formalities; only the wedding remained. Such a move was reasonable under the circumstances.

To stabilize the Marquis of Jingwen, Zhao Yuxuan could only accept it graciously, following proper protocol.

By the time Empress Dowager Sun discovered it the next day, it was already too late.

At first, she didn’t suspect any ulterior motives from the Marquis of Jingwen. On the contrary, she was grateful for his foresight and glad that her son could ascend the throne smoothly.

Who would have thought—the trial-marriage maid sent to the Marquis’ household reported back that the Crown Prince was impotent.

For the Marquis of Jingwen, it was the first time he completely lost control. He stormed into the imperial mourning hall, crying and kowtowing in front of the emperor’s coffin, wailing that his daughter could not marry an incapable Crown Prince, insisting that the empire of Daliang could not be entrusted to an heirless prince.

The mourning hall was filled with both civil and military officials and hundreds of palace attendants—essentially broadcasting the Crown Prince’s impotence to the entire court.

Rumors had already circulated in the capital that the Crown Prince had taken a concubine before marrying the Crown Princess, hiding her in a gilded house, and that his debauchery had led to his current condition. Many ministers used this gossip to attack him, claiming he was morally unfit to hold the throne.

But these were only rumors. No one had verified the existence of the concubine.

However, the trial-marriage maid from the future Crown Princess’ household stating that the Crown Prince was impotent was solid evidence.

Empress Dowager Sun was furious, storming to the emperor’s coffin and shouting at the Marquis of Jingwen.

Some overzealous ministers tried to calm her while offering advice: immediately send another trial-marriage palace maid to verify, and the rumor would collapse on its own.

Others suggested summoning the entire medical corps; one person lying could not mean all the imperial physicians were lying.

Empress Dowager Sun was beside herself with anger. If they didn’t act, how could they prove the truth? But if they did, how could they preserve the Crown Prince’s dignity?

Reluctantly, she sent a trusted maid for the trial marriage. Less than two “ke” (a short time), the maid returned, her face red.

A crowd of ministers waiting outside the Eastern Palace saw her expression and the time and immediately realized the truth.

Empress Dowager Sun nearly fainted in anger. “Imperial physicians, hurry!”

Zhao Yuxuan sat on the bed, disheveled and ragged, his mood utterly miserable.

Suddenly, a group of imperial physicians poured in, clamoring to make him remove his pants.

Usually mild and cautious, Zhao Yuxuan erupted in rage, leaping up and screaming, “Get out! All of you, get out!”

The physicians were startled, but the chief physician wasn’t intimidated.

He stepped forward solemnly: “Your Highness, examining your body is not merely a personal matter; it concerns the empire.”

Zhao Yuxuan’s face turned gray. Staring him down, he spoke each word with despair: “You mean… I am no longer a man and the entire empire must know?”

The chief physician frowned: “We have not yet officially diagnosed Your Highness; I would not speak recklessly.”

Zhao Yuxuan laughed maniacally: “The mighty Crown Prince rendered impotent—what a scandal for Daliang! This is a harbinger of doom for the empire!”

The chief physician’s face changed dramatically. He signaled to his colleagues: “The Crown Prince is disturbed; quickly administer the calming elixir.”

The physicians knew the situation today couldn’t be handled quietly. They also suspected the Crown Prince was indeed impotent.

They were caught between a rock and a hard place: either claim the Crown Prince was normal or force him to undergo a check. But if they falsely reported him healthy and he failed to produce an heir, the entire imperial medical corps would face disaster.

Thus, the only option was to have the Crown Prince examined.

Several physicians surged forward, holding him down and forcing him to take the calming medicine.

Zhao Yuxuan never imagined he would be humiliated in such a manner. Within moments, he became drowsy and mentally foggy.

The physicians quickly removed his pants…

The group of physicians exited, their expressions varied.

The ministers outside saw the results on their faces—indeed, the Crown Prince was incapable.

Empress Dowager Sun grabbed the chief physician viciously. “Speak! Don’t defame the Crown Prince!”

The chief physician looked at her hand and frowned: “Your Majesty, please restrain yourself.”

Smack!

A sharp, resounding slap struck the chief physician’s face, the empress’ nails leaving four bloody scratches.

The hall fell silent in shock.

The chief physician’s face flushed red. Even the Empress couldn’t strike him publicly in such a humiliating way, an insult he, as the head imperial physician, could not endure!

He suddenly knelt, tore off his official hat, threw it to the ground, and kowtowed fiercely before the coffin.

The sound of hard stone striking, accompanied by his furious shouts, echoed: “Sire, you cannot entrust the empire to such a Crown Prince and Empress! The Crown Prince’s debauchery has rendered him impotent; he cannot produce an heir. To leave the empire in his hands is to doom the imperial lineage!”

The ministers were in uproar, kneeling before the coffin and crying aloud.

King Cheng arrived with guards, furious, ordering the Imperial Army to surround everyone.

“Who dares to slander the Crown Prince’s reputation? Death without pardon!”

Li Guitian stood up angrily: “King Cheng, are you planning to execute all of us? At least a hundred witnessed this matter—do you intend to kill all of them?”

King Cheng swept a cold glance: “The Crown Prince is ill; the physicians will treat him. But if you conspire to rebel, you shall be executed!”

“I am not incapable!”

Zhao Yuxuan staggered out, appearing mad: “My woman is already with child! Marquis of Jingwen, if your daughter refuses, I am not keen on marrying her anyway! I will bring Qing’e, who carries the imperial heir, into the palace and make her Empress. Her son will be the legitimate heir!”

The Marquis of Jingwen jumped up, pointing at Zhao Yuxuan. “You brat! Do you take the imperial palace of Daliang for a brothel? You dare to mix your lowly bloodline with the pure royal lineage. Would the ancestors of the Zhao clan forgive you? You are unworthy of the throne, and no one in Daliang will agree!”

Zhao Yuxuan retreated in panic, his face pale with fear.

King Cheng furiously commanded: “Kill them all, the traitors!”

Yet, the Imperial Army did not move.

A man stepped forward from the ranks, the Deputy Commander Du, once the front-line commander of the Silver Spear Imperial Dragon Unit, now deputy leader of the Imperial Army.

He bowed to King Cheng.

“Impudent! Do you also dare to defy orders?” King Cheng roared.

Deputy Commander Du smiled: “I naturally would not dare oppose orders.”

He then unfurled a bright yellow imperial edict from his sleeve: “Your Highness, Your Majesty, I act in accordance with the emperor’s decree.”

Empress Dowager Sun, shocked and enraged, lunged to seize it.

Du handed the edict to the Marquis of Jingwen: “Marquis, the edict names you Protectorate King, a first-rank title above King Cheng. We shall all obey you.”

The surrounding ministers were stunned.

How could such an edict exist?

The Marquis of Jingwen was also taken aback. Just last night, Gu Hua had mentioned that Mu Junyan believed he should be a king, and now the edict had descended from heaven.

Could the edict be real?

Not only did the Marquis think so, but King Cheng and the Empress did as well.

Empress Dowager Sun was livid: “Treason! You dare forge an imperial edict?”

A hoarse voice rang out: “It is no forgery. This edict is written by my own hand.”

Everyone turned, astonished.

To their shock, the emperor, who should have been in the coffin, was carried in on a palanquin by four Imperial Guards.

Empress Dowager Sun’s face went pale. “You… you… you’re not dead?”

The emperor cast a cold glance at her: “Empress, we were husband and wife; I treated you fairly. How dare you attempt regicide?”