PFC Chapter 243 This damn emperor, let whoever wants to be him be him!
Chapter 243 This damn emperor, let whoever wants to be him be him!
Inside the Jinluan Hall.
The palace servants quickly and efficiently tidied up, and the heavy stench of blood was soon dispelled by sandalwood incense and a gentle breeze.
It was as if the dramatic turn of events just now was merely a dream.
A noteworthy anecdote is...
Under the overwhelming and strong demands of the court officials, the bodies of Li Jing and his son Li Zheng were dragged directly to a mass grave to be fed to wild dogs.
The remains of Emperor Wen, Li Wenshan, were solemnly buried in the imperial mausoleum with imperial rites, so that they may be worshipped by future generations.
One treats it like trash, the other reveres it like a god; the difference in treatment is like night and day.
Once everything was in place, the first formal court assembly of the new dynasty began in a subtle and novel atmosphere.
At first, everything seemed normal.
Several elderly ministers, their hair and beards all white, hesitated for a moment before stepping forward with trembling hands, presenting a thick memorial, and beginning to describe the current predicament facing the Great Yu Dynasty:
Where are the floods in need of relief? Which border troops are short of food and pay? Which county officials urgently need to be assessed and replaced?
There are countless trivial matters to attend to.
Other officials also seemed to have found their backbone, and followed suit, submitting reports one after another, like a flowing stream, on topics such as the preparation of the autumn sacrificial ceremony, the revision of the ritual system, and the promotion of officials.
In the blink of an eye, a pile of memorials, about two feet high, had accumulated on the imperial desk in front of Li Wudao, almost blocking his view.
He casually flipped through a few books, and the densely packed small characters inside made his eyes dizzy.
Various requests for instructions, reports, disputes, demands for money and supplies... these are just today's "urgent matters".
The thought of the years to come, with endless paperwork, contentious court meetings, and calculating memorials to the throne, working from sunrise to sunset, with little chance of rest...
Li Wudao suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. The bright yellow imperial robe he had just put on now felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, making it hard for him to breathe.
Being an emperor is simply the most arduous job in the world!
However, what the ministers said next gave him an even bigger headache, and he almost jumped up and overturned the table.
Several veteran officials, practically ancient figures, stepped forward one after another, their faces solemn and their words righteous and stern, to offer their advice:
"Your Majesty has just ascended the throne. The most urgent task is to quickly appoint an Empress to ensure the continuation of the imperial line and to solidify the foundation of the nation!"
"Excellent! Selecting concubines and having offspring is of paramount importance to the stability of the nation!"
"Your Majesty, I have preliminarily selected several noble ladies of virtuous character and suitable for marriage. Please take a look..."
"The harem cannot be without a mistress for even a day. Your Majesty, please make a decision as soon as possible to put the minds of the people at ease!"
For a time, pleas for "establishing an empress", "selecting concubines", and "having a son" arose one after another.
It was as if the Great Yu Kingdom would perish tomorrow if he didn't nod immediately.
"puff--"
A suppressed, yet still clearly audible sneer came from beside the dragon throne.
"Hehehe... Kid, did you hear that? Hurry up, for the sake of the country, find a few more wives and try to 'spread the family line'!"
The green-haired tortoise was perched in a corner of the imperial desk, its two paws covering its face, its shell twitching, its tone full of mockery:
"I'm waiting to hold my grandson... oh no, I'm waiting to become a royal grand-uncle!"
Shen Ming's lips twitched violently, and his face turned bright red.
He stared intently at the tips of his boots, his shoulders trembling slightly uncontrollably.
Li Nanzhi, standing to the side, also blushed, feeling both shy and amused, and could only pretend to wipe the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.
In reality, half of his face was covered, and his shoulders were shaking violently as well.
Li Wudao's face turned completely black.
He looked at the mountain of memorials before him, listened to the incessant nagging about marriage and childbirth, and thought about how he might have to spend the next few decades like this...
A strong urge to escape instantly overwhelmed his curiosity and attachment to the identity of "emperor".
This damn emperor, let whoever wants to be him be it!
I'm not serving you anymore!
Once the thought arises, it grows wildly like weeds.
Li Wudao suddenly stood up, his movement so forceful that several memorials on the imperial desk tumbled off.
Amidst the astonished gazes of all the civil and military officials in the hall.
Without hesitation, and even somewhat hastily, he ripped off the bright yellow imperial robe from his shoulder.
Then, under everyone's stunned gaze, he walked straight to Li Jing, who was also somewhat bewildered, and without saying a word, draped the imperial robe over his shoulders!
“Father!” Li Wudao’s voice was resolute, carrying a sense of relief.
"You should sit on this throne! It's too boring and stifling! Your son really can't do this job!"
After saying this, he seemed afraid that Li Jing would go back on his word or that the court officials would stop him, so he didn't give anyone time to react.
He pressed Li Jing, who was still in a daze, down onto the dragon throne.
He was like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins. In a flash, he leaped down from the high steps of the palace and ran away as fast as the wind without looking back!
"???"
The entire Golden Palace instantly fell into an eerie silence.
All the ministers, including Shen Huaimin, seemed to be frozen in place.
Everyone stared, mouths agape, eyes wide, as the young man fled the dragon throne as if avoiding a venomous snake, his figure quickly disappearing into the sunlight outside the palace gates.
His Majesty... ran away?
He ascended the throne... less than an hour ago, right?
What... what is this? Abdication? Child's play?
Or... were they all hallucinating?
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please wait!"
"A country cannot be without a ruler for even a day! Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!!"
After a moment of deathly silence, cries of alarm, pleas for help, and panic erupted like a pot exploding in a cacophony.
Countless ministers instinctively wanted to chase after them.
"Kid, wait for me! I only teased you a couple of times, is it necessary to run so fast?!"
The green-haired turtle then realized what was happening, let out a strange cry, and vanished in a blur.
He darted down from the imperial desk with a "whoosh" and nimbly weaved through the panicked crowd, eliciting gasps and commotion.
The once solemn court was suddenly thrown into chaos and utter disarray.
Shen Ming and Li Nanzhi finally broke free from the overwhelming sense of absurdity.
The two looked at each other and saw the mixture of amusement and exasperation in each other's eyes.
They bowed hastily to Shen Huaimin and Li Jing, then turned and hurried after them without a second thought.
The hall fell silent once more.
All that remained were memorials scattered on the floor, a group of terrified officials, and...
Li Jing, draped in a bright yellow imperial robe, sat on the dragon throne, his expression more bewildered than anyone else's.
who am I? where am I?
What just happened? How did I end up sitting here? This robe... it's so heavy!
The ministers looked at each other, at a loss for what to do.
The emperor has fled; how can the court assembly proceed? Does the Great Yu Dynasty still have an emperor?
It was in this awkward moment, almost like a vacuum.
The old Duke Shen Huaimin took a deep breath and was the first to calm himself down.
He straightened his clothes, ignoring Li Jing's bewildered expression, and turned to face the assembled officials, his voice steady and powerful:
"What are you doing standing still?"
His gaze swept across the crowd like lightning, then he took the lead, lifting his robe, bowing, and paying his respects towards the dragon throne.
"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects!"
His voice was loud and clear, echoing throughout the hall and instantly silencing all the whispers.
The ministers were taken aback at first, then suddenly realized!
Oh, right! The Emperor Emeritus is still alive!
No, it should be... a new emperor now?
Although this method of succession to the throne is unprecedented and outrageously childish, it's better to have something than nothing!
Li Jing is Li Wudao's biological father, of pure blood, with sufficient status, and seems much easier to talk to than his "unrestrained" son!
Thus, under Shen Huaimin's lead, the officials all came to their senses.
Regardless of their inner grumbling about the eccentric father and son, they quickly adjusted their expressions, turned to Li Jing in unison, and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty, we pay our respects! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"
The shouts rang out again.
This time, however, there was less awe and unpredictability towards Li Wudao, and more... a resigned helplessness and a sliver of expectation that the new emperor "might be more reliable."
Li Jing sat on the large, cool dragon throne.
Feeling the weight of the imperial robe on his shoulders and the dense mass of kneeling officials below, he finally realized—
It seems, perhaps, maybe... that I have really become the emperor?
He opened his mouth, as if to say something like, "This won't do," or "Quickly bring that brat Wudao back."
But looking at Shen Huaimin's unquestionable gaze, and then at the ministers below who had already bowed their heads, all the words stuck in his throat.
In the end, he could only sigh silently.
His gaze drifted towards the direction where his son had disappeared outside the hall, a complex mix of emotions swirling within him. He silently grumbled to himself:
"That damn brat... he's a master at shirking responsibility! He just dumped this enormous 'trouble' on his father like that?!"