allonlinenovel Chapter 448 The Emperor Issues an Order to Abdicate
Chapter 448 The Emperor Issues an Order to Abdicate
It was another sunny morning. The palace was filled with a solemn atmosphere. The ministers, dressed in gorgeous official uniforms, lined up neatly in the court, waiting for the new day's morning court to begin.
Just as everyone was preoccupied with their own thoughts, something unexpected happened. The emperor looked solemn and slowly stood up from his throne.
Beside him, the chief eunuch, Gao Lishi, hurriedly stepped forward, unfolded the yellow silk imperial edict in his hand, and echoed loudly: "By the will of Heaven, the Emperor decrees. Lately, I have felt deeply fatigued and my energy is running low, making it difficult for me to handle the numerous state affairs in detail. Fortunately, Crown Prince Li Heng has been assisting me with all his heart and effort. His talents and virtues have greatly satisfied me. Therefore, after careful consideration, I have decided to abdicate and become the Supreme Emperor. I will return to the Western Suburbs Palace to recuperate peacefully and pass the throne to Crown Prince Li Heng. A grand coronation ceremony will be held on a chosen auspicious day. I decree this!"
Gao Lishi's sharp and resounding voice echoed throughout the court, and for a moment, the entire hall fell into a dead silence. Then, an uproar broke out. The first to react was Crown Prince Li Heng. His face was filled with astonishment, and he knelt on his knees, kowtowed, and shouted, "Father, you must not do this! I am inexperienced and cannot handle this important task. Please reconsider your actions!"
At the same time, Li Chu and many court officials standing aside also knelt on the ground and shouted in unison: "Your Majesty, this is not possible! The country cannot be without a monarch for a day, Your Majesty, please withdraw your order!" Some of them looked anxious, some looked terrified, but without exception, they all hoped from the bottom of their hearts that the emperor could change his mind.
However, despite the ministers' earnest admonitions, the emperor remained unmoved. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sweeping resolutely across the kneeling crowd below, and said in a deep voice, "Alright, there's no need to say anything more. My mind is made up, and there's no possibility of changing it. I've reigned for many years, devoting countless efforts to the Tang Dynasty. Now, as I age, I can no longer sustain it. I believe the Crown Prince will inherit the throne, govern the country well, and usher in a new era of prosperity. I simply wish to unburden myself of this heavy burden and enjoy the joys of family life. This is my decree, not something I've discussed with you. It's settled!"
After saying this, the emperor turned around and walked away, leaving the stunned ministers kneeling there, at a loss as to what to do.
After the Emperor left the palace, Li Mi and the others approached the Crown Prince and Li Chu. Li Mi asked, "Your Highness, why did His Majesty suddenly abdicate?"
Guo Ziyi also said: "Yes, Your Highness, this is too sudden!"
The prince shook his head: "I don't know either. Perhaps the death of Yang Guifei has dealt a heavy blow to the emperor. I will go and ask to see him again."
Li Mi and the others had no better ideas, so they said, "Then I'll have to trouble His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
After everyone left the hall, the prince and Li Chu went to the Shangshufang, but the emperor did not see them. They waited at the door for more than an hour. Because it was freezing cold, Gao Lishi persuaded them to go back.
After Li Chu returned, he told Dugu Jingyao that the emperor had said he wanted to abdicate. Dugu Jingyao was shocked when she first heard this. She asked, "Why did the emperor suddenly want to abdicate? Was the death of Yang Guifei too much of a blow to the emperor?"
Li Chu shook his head and motioned Dugu Jingyao to come closer to him. Then he looked at Dugu Jingyao's belly, thought about it and moved closer to Dugu Jingyao. He whispered to her for a while. Dugu Jingyao's expression became more and more shocked from the initial calmness.
Dugu Jingyao couldn't help but sigh: "This is really a good idea!"
Li Chu looked at Dugu Jingyao's expression and smiled dotingly, "Speaking of this method, it's all thanks to A Yao's reminder. Otherwise, if my father and I had used force, we might have given others a reason to criticize us. So, my father and I appealed to his emotions and reasoned with him, and together with the Emperor, we came up with this solution that satisfies both sides. It not only shows that the Emperor sacrificed his own family for the greater good of the Tang Dynasty, but also allows us to successfully eliminate the Yang family, which is a pest. Moreover, the Emperor can take this opportunity to enjoy his retirement. It's three birds with one stone."
Dugu Jingyao raised her head with some pride and said, "Of course, as your wife, Donglang, shouldn't I help you?"
Li Chu couldn't help laughing and said, "Yes, yes, yes, but in this case, father's ascension to the throne must be completed before the end of the year. In this way, we can clean out the Yang family before the end of the year, and then we can have a good new year." After saying that, he peeled an orange and handed it to Dugu Jingyao.
Dugu Jingyao took the orange with a smile and ate it happily. She even broke off a segment and gave it to Li Chu. Li Chu took a bite and almost grimaced at the sour taste. Dugu Jingyao laughed so hard beside him that she couldn't help asking, "Is it really that sour?"
Li Chu nodded and said, "It's just sour, isn't it? Don't eat it anymore. It will upset your stomach if it gets sour."
Dugu Jingyao suddenly realized something, and she said, "Then let's listen to Donglang. Maybe I've been able to tolerate sourness since I was a child, so I don't feel anything."
After that, she called Shi Jian in and said, "Shi Jian, take away all these oranges. They are a bit sour."
Shi Jian knew that Dugu Jingyao could tolerate sour things, and there must be a reason why she was suddenly asked to leave. However, it was not convenient to ask too much at this time, so she took the tribute oranges and retreated.
Li Chu added, "I'll check for any fresh seasonal fruits later and ask Zhang Deyu to buy some."
Dugu Jingyao nodded slightly and didn't mention the matter again.