The protagonist of this crossover film and television series is disrupting the plot again.

Chapter 219 One Year Ago 22

Although Emperor Wu is dead, his image remains like a blank sheet of paper, allowing the living to sketch it with their brushes and ink, bestowing upon it endless brilliance and glory.

Especially considering that Yang Ying was the author of the poem and the last person to meet Emperor Wu, her words carry even more weight.

Now, all Yang Ying needs to do is endlessly glorify Emperor Wu, incite the anger of everyone in Wu Kingdom, and under the banner of avenging Emperor Wu, gather a righteous army, and then she can openly begin to attack An Kingdom.

She not only provided a way for the people of Wu Kingdom to vent their anger, but also paved the way for the expansion of her own power.

"Since my ascension to the throne, I have intended to govern diligently and strive for national prosperity and peace. However, Heaven has not been on my side, and we have suffered defeats in war, leaving the nation in peril. At this critical moment, I feel deeply ashamed and fearful. Reflecting on myself, I realize that I have failed the trust of the late Emperor and the hopes of the people."

Firstly, I failed to grasp the situation and blindly trusted treacherous officials, which led to the demoralization of the army and the collapse of our forces. This is my fault.

Secondly: I have failed to treat the people well, causing them great suffering and alienation from the people. This is my fault.

Thirdly: I failed to select virtuous and capable officials, which led to the decline of the court and many problems in governance. This is my fault.

Fourthly: I failed to plan ahead, which led to the insecurity of the borders and the invasion of foreign enemies. This is my fault.

Now, with the nation in decline, I have no face to meet my ancestors in the afterlife, nor to face the people of this world. Only by sacrificing myself for the country can I demonstrate my resolve, hoping that future generations will learn from this mistake and not repeat it, so that the nation may prosper and the people may live in peace.

A self-reproaching edict brought the atmosphere in the hall to a climax, with everyone prostrating themselves and weeping.

Finally, someone shouted, "We must avenge His Majesty!"

These words ignited the flames of revenge in everyone's hearts.

However, the officials present were all seasoned veterans who had been navigating the political arena for many years. In their anger, some astute individuals began to consider other issues.

His Highness Prince Li claimed that the Emperor had given him an edict of self-reproach and an edict of succession before his death.

The edict of self-reproach has been read out, but the edict of succession has yet to be issued, and even the successor has not been announced.

A country cannot be without a ruler for even a day!

To prevent chaos in the country, Prince Li should have read out his will immediately or sent it back to Wudu to reassure the civil and military officials and the common people.

But he didn't mention it. What does that mean?

Firstly, His Highness Prince Li did not possess the edict of succession. If the edict did not exist, it would naturally be impossible to read it aloud.

The reason why Prince Li claimed to have the imperial edict was probably to stabilize the court and prevent chaos in the court due to the emperor's sudden death.

However, this possibility is very small, because if this will really does not exist, what His Highness Prince Li should do right now is to rush back to Wudu, rather than incite hatred among the people.

Another possibility is that the will for succession did indeed exist, but His Highness Prince Li was not satisfied with the candidate listed on it.

To put it more bluntly, the name on the will was not his, but he coveted the throne, so he could only delay. He neither read the will nor rushed back to Wudu, but stayed in the border city to strengthen his own power and prepare for the struggle for the throne.

The thought of this possibility ignited a burning hope in everyone's hearts.

It wasn't that they were narrow-minded to bet on Prince Li so readily upon first meeting him; it was simply that the allure of the merit of following the emperor was too great. The immense honor and tangible benefits that came with it were almost irresistible to them.

Throughout history, the greatest merit has been saving the emperor, followed by the merit of following the emperor's lead.

They had long been stationed on the border, far from the power struggles of the imperial court, and never expected to have such a heaven-sent opportunity today.

The prince in the Queen's womb has not yet been born, and His Highness the Prince of England is directly ineligible for the throne due to his disability in both legs.

In this way, the only remaining candidates for the next emperor are the Prince of Danyang, who is far away in Wudu, and His Highness the Prince of Li, who is right before our eyes.

Although the Prince of Danyang wields great power in the court, if the Prince of Li has the support of ministers like them who hold military power on the frontier, he may not be without a chance of winning the struggle for the throne.

If His Highness Prince Li can successfully ascend the throne, wouldn't his supporters be able to rise to prominence and enjoy great wealth and power?

The officials of Ducheng, both high and low, were stationed on the border and were unaware of Yang Ying's female identity. They simply assumed that she was a man with feminine features and a more delicate appearance, without considering her gender. Therefore, they naturally included Prince Yang Ying among the candidates for the throne.

To avoid misunderstanding, the group exchanged glances. Finally, Zhou Daoquan, the garrison commander of Ducheng, knelt down before Yang Ying and tentatively advised, "Your Highness, this is not the time to wallow in grief. Although the late Emperor has passed away, his body remains in Anguo. We dare not act on our own authority in such a serious matter. We beg Your Highness, Prince Li, for guidance on what to do."

As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding air seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath and focused their attention. Whether His Highness Prince Li had any ambition to seize the throne depended on how he answered Zhou Daoquan's question.

Yang Ying would not disappoint them. She slowly stood up, her gaze firm, and her words resounding: "The bond between brothers cannot be severed. The pain of being separated by life and death is unforgettable!"

Emperor An has acted despicably, forcing the ruler of my Great Wu Kingdom to his death. This hatred is irreconcilable.

"I hereby swear that I will personally lead a great army, trample across the land of Anguo, and spare no expense to bring back my elder brother's remains, to fulfill my filial duty and comfort his spirit in heaven."

Upon hearing this answer, everyone held their breath for a moment, their joy tinged with a hint of fear.

What pleased them was the confirmation that Yang Ying harbored ambitions to seize the throne, and that they might have the opportunity to gain merit by supporting the emperor.

What terrified them was that Yang Ying's words implied a desire to wage war against Anguo.

Logically speaking, shouldn't His Highness Prince Li be actively seeking the support of officials in Ducheng and the other border cities, and then returning to the capital as soon as possible to compete with Prince Danyang for the throne?

Why are we going to 'trample the mountains and rivers of Anguo' again?

Anguo has a strong military force; is it so easy to defeat them?

Could it be that this Prince Li is just like the late Emperor, all talk and no action?

For a moment, everyone hesitated, but then they thought that although His Highness Prince Li's words were vehement, he had not explicitly mentioned when to attack Anguo. Perhaps this was just an expedient measure to boost morale and establish prestige.

After all, the example of the late Emperor is still fresh in our minds, and His Highness Prince Li should not be so foolish as to rashly provoke a war before even ascending the throne.

Reassured, the crowd bowed down and said in firm voices, "Your Highness, we are willing to obey your commands!"

This is not merely a declaration of loyalty to Yang Ying, but also a strategic statement made under the current circumstances.

The group decided to hold their ground for a few days and observe the situation before making any further decisions.

After all, although His Highness Prince Li is a prince, the actual military power is still in the hands of these garrison commanders.

"If His Highness Prince Li insists on going to war with Anguo, then we will have no choice but to withdraw."

Such thoughts are quietly growing in the minds of many people. They may want to benefit from the success of the emperor and rise to prominence, but that does not mean they are willing to sacrifice their own interests and lives for an uncertain future.

At this moment, the officials of Ducheng seemed to have reached a tacit understanding without words. They understood each other without speaking and worked together to maintain this delicate balance.

Those who knew Yang Ying's true identity as a woman, such as Chief Secretary Du and Ning Yuanzhou, felt uneasy.

Because they knew Yang Ying was a woman, they didn't connect her with the struggle for the throne at all; such an idea seemed like a complete fantasy to them.

Although there have been many instances of women ruling as regents throughout the history of the world, most of them acted as empress dowagers, and none of them actually ascended the throne as emperor.

With this understanding, they couldn't imagine Yang Ying's ambition at this moment, and they were also somewhat puzzled by the excitement of Du Cheng and the others. However, since Yang Ying's words were all about revenge, they assumed that everyone was excited because they wanted to avenge Emperor Wu, and they stopped thinking about it.

Yang Ying stood tall in the center of the kneeling crowd, taking in every change in their expressions.

She naturally understood that everyone present had their own agenda, but that didn't matter.

Because once they get on their "pirate ship," they'll never have a chance to escape.

Now that things have progressed to this point, Yang Ying's plan has been largely successful.

A group of officials from Ducheng escorted Yang Ying to the Ducheng Palace. Throughout the journey, their words and actions were extremely respectful. Only after Yang Ying instructed them to withdraw did the officials leave in turn.

The delegation members naturally followed Yang Ying into the palace, and after eating and drinking their fill, they slept soundly through the night.

The next morning, Du Changshi and Ning Yuanzhou arrived at Yang Ying's place, but were stopped by the guards at the gate. They were only allowed to enter after the guards announced their arrival.

As dawn broke, the sunlight streamed through the carved wooden windows, bathing every corner of the study in a gentle glow, adding a touch of warmth to this classically elegant space.

A censer of sandalwood incense rose gently from the desk, its delicate fragrance mingling with the scent of books, bringing a sense of tranquility.

In front of Yang Ying was a large table, covered with countless sheets of paper, densely covered with writing.

At this moment, she was looking serious, busy with her work, writing and drawing on paper with her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, completely absorbed in her task.

When Du Changshi and Ning Yuanzhou entered the study, they not only felt Yang Ying's busyness, but also an indescribable sense of oppression.

Under this pressure, the two felt somewhat restrained and subconsciously straightened their clothes and bowed in accordance with the custom.

"No need for formalities!"

Hearing the noise, Yang Ying raised her head, put down her brush, and stepped out from in front of the table. Her arms were naturally outstretched, and the maids serving on both sides immediately stepped forward to carefully straighten her clothes and sleeves.

"What brings you two here?" Yang Ying went straight to the point, without any unnecessary pleasantries. She was pressed for time and could not afford to waste any more.

Ning Yuanzhou glanced at Chief Secretary Du and spoke first: "Your Highness, now that the late Emperor has passed away, when will the delegation return to Wudu?"

"Return to Wudu?"

How can this be?

Yang Ying frowned almost imperceptibly, then turned around, his gaze passing through the window lattice to look towards Andu. He snorted coldly, "What I said yesterday was not just empty talk. My brother was forced to his death by Emperor An. This hatred is irreconcilable, and I swear to avenge him!"

"Even if Your Highness is willing to avenge His Majesty, this matter is of great importance and should be reported to the court first. Afterwards, Your Highness should return to Wudu as soon as possible and discuss state affairs together after the new emperor ascends the throne..."

Ning Yuanzhou!

Yang Ying suddenly raised her voice, interrupting Ning Yuanzhou, her face filled with undisguised anger: "Now that my brother's body is not yet cold, you all disregard the duty between ruler and subject, and do not think of avenging the emperor, but instead advise me to return to Wudu. How absurd!"

Ning Yuanzhou stared wide-eyed at Yang Ying, his face full of disbelief. He hadn't expected Yang Ying to suddenly erupt. Startled, he quickly bowed and explained, "Your Highness, please calm down. It's not that we are ungrateful for the late emperor's kindness, but a country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Since you have the late emperor's edict on you, you should first establish a new emperor to appease the people, and then we can talk about revenge."

Upon hearing this, Yang Ying's eyes grew even colder, like a deep, cold pool, and her tone revealed an indescribable sorrow: "You speak with such certainty, but in reality, you are all driven by self-interest. You don't care about the life or death of the Emperor at all; all you care about is your own interests. Whether it's you, Chief Secretary Du, everyone in the delegation, or even the Emperor's sister-in-law, Prince Danyang, and Prime Minister Zhang, they all hope for the Emperor's death so that they can benefit themselves."

Upon hearing this, the room fell silent, the atmosphere so heavy that even breathing seemed to freeze into ice.

Yang Ying's words were so weighty that they could drive the people mentioned in them to their deaths!

"Your Highness, you...you..."

Ning Yuanzhou looked at Yang Ying in disbelief, unable to believe that she could say such a thing, and was speechless for a moment.

Upon seeing this, Chief Secretary Du hurriedly stepped forward and said anxiously, "Your Highness, we have absolutely no such intention! We came to see Your Highness today only to urge you to prioritize the overall situation and return to Wudu as soon as possible to establish a new emperor, so as to prevent those with ulterior motives from taking advantage of the vacant imperial throne to create chaos!"

Yang Ying raised her hand to wipe away her tears: "I don't understand what it means to prioritize the greater good. I only know that my dear brother died in Anguo, his body wandering alone in a foreign land, waiting for me to bring him back."

As she spoke, she took out a piece of paper from her bosom, unfolded it towards them, and the words written on it were clearly visible on the seal:

"I, as Emperor, have received the Mandate of Heaven, the blessings of my ancestors, and the support of my ministers to inherit this great lineage. Now, trapped in a foreign land and unable to manage state affairs, after much deliberation, I have decided to abdicate and pass the throne to [your name/entity], in order to secure the nation and benefit the people. I hereby proclaim this to the world, hoping that you will all be of one mind and one heart, working together towards a prosperous and flourishing nation."

The two looked closely and their spirits lifted.

It's an edict of succession!

It turns out His Highness wasn't lying to them; the late Emperor really did write an edict of succession before his death.

But to whom did Emperor Wu Daxing pass the throne?

I can't see it!

Yang Ying held the imperial edict in her hand, with two of her fingers covering the crucial part, making it impossible for them to see whose name was written on it.

"May I ask, Your Highness, to whom did the late Emperor pass the throne?"