"What do we do then? Are we really going to just stand by and watch?" Deep down, Ping Yang wanted to trust Fang Zhengzhi. However, if he was planning to make her sit through all this without making a move, she would absolutely be unwilling to.
This was because…
The person in the palace was her father.
The father who doted on her so much.
When someone seemed to have missed out on some memories most people had, such as the warmth of a mother's love, the significance of the father was unbelievably huge. Their entire understanding of family probably only revolved around her father's love.
Despite the fact that she was born in a royal family.
"Actually, I was thinking…" Fang Zhengzhi was just about to say they should just stand by and watch when he looked towards Ping Yang. Upon seeing the anxious expression on her face, he swallowed his words and decided it was better for him to be sensitive.
From Fang Zhengzhi's perspective…
He had no intention of getting involved in this battle.
It was normal for people to fight over the throne.
All who managed to sit on the throne had deployed some sort of unscrupulous tactics and spent countless hours working their way towards that goal. This was true even for Emperor Tai Zong, the widely-respected emperor in the previous generation.
He only managed to ascend the throne after the Xuanwu Gate incident.
Those who succeed become Kings, while those who fail become known as invaders and usurpers.
If Emperor Tai Zong did not instigate the Xuanwu Gate incident, there might not be the glorious age of Control by Zheng Guan, when the country enjoyed swift economic progress, cultural advancements, and a corruption-free government. Who could then fault Emperor Tai Zong for his actions?
"What do we do?" Ping Yang heard Fang Zhengzhi's words and once again cast her glance over at him, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Fang Zhengzhi then lifted his head slightly and stared at the night sky before saying, "If we cannot be the one that reaps the benefits at the end, we only have one other role left to assume!"
"What role is that?" Ping Yang was puzzled.
"A Passer-by!"
Palace, Throne room.
This was the place where the morning court sessions were conducted. Normally, Lin Mubai should not be sitting on his throne seat now. However, he was right there, on top of the luxurious seat with dragon carvings in the throne room.
He wore his golden dragon robe neatly. Eunuch Wei stood beside him.
Apart from the both of them, there were no other people in the throne room. The giant throne room looked slightly empty, too empty in fact. It gave off a claustrophobic pressure despite the spaciousness.
Until…
Two masked figures walked into the palace.
"How insolent, who dares to barge into the throne room!" Eunuch Wei's voice rang the moment the two masked figures walked into the room.
At the same time, he stepped forward. Not a hint of surprise or fear could be seen from his eyes.
Following Eunuch Wei's holler, the two masked figure also stopped in their tracks. They did not intend to move closer towards Eunuch Wei or Emperor Lin Mubai.
Emperor Lin Mubai then raised his hands.
Eunuch Wei stopped speaking upon seeing the signal and retreated to his original position.
"Since you have already arrived, do you plan on keeping your mask on?" Lin Mubai stared at the two masked figures and said.
The two masked figures then exchanged glances before they slowly took off their mask, revealing two young faces
The person on the left had a gaze as sharp as an eagle and a face like porcelain, while the person on the right had thin lips and long, slanted eyes, looking slightly feminine.
It was Crown Prince Lin Tianrong!
"Didn't I order you to reflect within your residence? Why did you come?" Lin Mubai nodded and did not pay attention to the person on the left. He merely fixed his gaze upon Lin Tianrong.
"Why would father ask when you yourself know best!" Crown Prince Lin Tianrong's eyes darted around as he answered. He looked slightly flustered.
"Get the hell out of here," Lin Mubai spoke without much fluctuations in his voice, although his words spoke for themselves.
He tolerated no nonsense.
He also did not wish to discuss this matter any further. He merely used a few non-elegant words to tell Lin Tianrong what he had to do.
This was the Emperor.
The prestigious Emperor revered by many.
Despite the fact that he had no protectors around him and that all his royal guards were robbed of their fighting capabilities, his presence was still overwhelming.
The voice echoed across the throne room.
Lin Tianrong's expression changed immediately and subconsciously took a step backward. He perspired profusely on his face as hesitation flashed across his eyes.
"The Great Xia Emperor is truly something!" The eagle-eyed figure suddenly spoke and stared at Ling Tianrong with a condescending look, "Crown Prince my lord, are we going to get the hell out?"
"Shut up!" Lin Tianrong spoke coldly and took a step forward back to his original position. He then stared at his father with a chilling gaze and said, "Father, I have no intention of going back if I am already here."
"Scram!" Lin Mubai once again shouted. His tone was obviously a lot more intense than the previous one. At the same time. A ray of golden light could also be seen enveloping his body.
An immense pressure seemed to be gushing wildly from his body.
Lin Tianrong was once again taken aback. He subconsciously wanted to take a step back but before his feet landed, he retracted his movements and stood his ground.
"Father, there is no changing the results. As long as you willingly give up the throne, I will spare your life!" Crown Prince Lin Tianrong trembled as he said those words, though his gaze seemed exceptionally determined.
This sentence…
He had longed to say this sentence many times, though he always suppressed his desire to say them. This was because he was the Crown Prince, he could wait, until the day when he officially and rightfully claims his throne.
When Lin Mubai finally decided to pass down his treasured seat.
However, he could no longer wait.
This was because his Crown Prince seat was in jeopardy. If not for his pathetic pleadings and taking advantage of his mother to seek forgiveness, he might already be stripped of his Crown Prince title.
How then, could he continue to wait?
"Crown Prince, please return to your residence immediately. The Emperor is magnanimous and will not punish you severely. You cannot go down this path!" Eunuch Wei could not help but remind Lin Tianrong upon hearing his words.
"Haha… punish me severely?" Lin Tianrong laughed and revealed an insane and insolent expression. "If I, the Crown Prince becomes the Emperor, what kind of punishment will you be giving me?"
"Crown Prince…" Eunuch Wei was about to persuade Lin Tianrong again when he saw Lin Mubai's expression and swallowed his words.
"Father, the entire palace is under my control. The moment you die, the throne seat of the Great Xia Dynasty will become mine. I hope that father will consider my suggestion. If father will willingly give up your seat, I will definitely not hurt…"
"Shut your goddamn mouth, do you know what crime you are committing now?" Lin Mubai interrupted Lin Tianrong before he could finish and asked sternly.
"What crime? This crime is slightly serious, isn't it? Contacting the neighboring states, usurping the throne, I believe the lightest punishment for that will simply be to delay my death sentence. Am I right?" Ling Tianrong answered seriously after thinking for a few moments.
"It seems like you've come prepared!" Lin Mubai nodded as he heard those words. At the same time, the golden brilliance enveloping his body disappeared.
Lin Tianrong sneered upon seeing this scene.
It was as though he had already seen the dawn of victory. If Lin Mubai would give up his throne willingly, that would be for the best.
After all…
Not many people knew Lin Mubai's true strength.
However, there was no doubt that if Lin Mubai were to fight with all his might, the throne room would be dyed a bloody-red. How then, would he be able to conduct the morning court session tomorrow as the new Emperor?
Lin Tianrong did not want o wait any longer.
He had already prepared the speech he would give tomorrow morning. Furthermore, he had already prepared everything beforehand, even coming to the battlefield with his dragon robe.
Hiss!
A crisp sound rang throughout the throne room.
Lin Tianrong tore off the black suit he had been wearing and revealing a luxurious golden robe underneath. It was shining brilliantly and decorated with majestic dragons and soaring clouds.
"Preparations? Of course, I am prepared. Father was killed by assassins from the neighboring countries. When your filial son reached the palace, a will was all I saw. Oh... that's right, there is one thing missing from the will, the royal seal. I will have to trouble Eunuch Wei to help me, the Crown Prince… wait a minute, that's not right. May I trouble Eunuch Wei to help me, the Emperor, stamp the seal of approval!"
"Crown Prince you…" Eunuch Wei stared at the golden robe Lin Tianrong was wearing and the scroll he held in his hand with a horrified expression.
Wearing the dragon robe and bringing a fake will into the throne room!
These actions had demonstrated that Lin Tianrong was fully prepared for this day. At the same time, it also meant that there was no possibility of redemption.
"Do not call me the Crown Prince anymore, call me Your Majesty!" Lin Tianrong said coldly as he brandished a long sword in his hand. The sword shone with a chilling gleam.
As Lin Tianrong flashed his weapon, twenty other masked figures also walked into the throne room. All of them wore a black suit and held different kinds of weapons on their hands.
However, the only difference about their weapons from Lin Tianrong's sword was that…
Their weapons were already stained with blood. The blood dripped down onto the royal floors of the throne room, tainting the room with the stench of fresh blood.
"Father, haven't you always loved that woman? Didn't you almost give up the throne seat just for her? Why don't you give it up for real this time? You can find her, as long as you give the seat to me. You can be released from this shackle and find her without a care for the world. Isn't this what you always wanted?"
Lin Tianrong's voice was filled with hatred and menace, his facial expression twitching ever so often. This was a release of pent-up rage for the past few years, the outburst of a poisonous venom brewing for a long time.
"Presumptuous!" A roar could be heard and at the same time, a golden light illuminated the entire throne room. This light was emanated by a golden dragon, a dragon formed from the concentration of golden light particles.