Chapter 128: Asking the Eldest Princess to Ascend the Throne
Chapter 128: Asking the Eldest Princess to Ascend the Throne
After the press conference ended, almost all the people of Great Chu fell into a state of great confusion.
The truth of the matter caught them completely off guard. Lu Qingming, who they had regarded as a god-like figure in their hearts, was dead just like that, and had become a national traitor who killed the royal family and attempted to usurp the throne.
Ling Yi, the enemy who deserved to die ten thousand times over, had actually become a friend of Great Chu… helping the Eldest Princess, helping Great Chu purge the national traitor.
What kind of mess was this?
Moreover, the moment war was declared on Qin State, almost all of Great Chu was cheering.
From top to bottom, everyone felt a strange excitement.
It seemed as though destroying Qin State was just around the corner.
It seemed as though they could all live better lives from then on.
But in the blink of an eye, an earth-shattering reversal occurred.
A wrong person launched a wrong war at a wrong time…
Now, the Monarch was dead, the State Preceptor was dead, the Crown Prince was dead… where would the future of Chu State go?
The Eldest Princess… was she going to become the first female Monarch in the history of Great Chu?
Would Chu State start to decline from then on?
Confused, and terrified.
Especially at the end of the press conference, the mysterious sect disciples in the eyes of the world—the Seven Free Swords—took the stage.
Facing the cameras, they openly admitted that Lu Qingming was a disciple of their sect, and also said that what the Eldest Princess said was all true.
They were willing to testify.
This dealt a devastating blow to those who had originally supported Lu Qingming.
Could it be that Lu Qingming really was a national traitor?
Had the era of the State Preceptor truly come to an end like this?
After Chu Yanyu finished the press conference, she didn’t have time to exchange pleasantries with Ling Yi and the others.
Instead, she took Ling Yi and directly summoned the members of Chu State’s Cabinet to hold an emergency meeting.
The content of the meeting was what should be done next!
In Chu State’s Cabinet, below the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, there were eleven others. Among the thirteen, excluding Chu Yanyu, of the remaining twelve, three were handpicked and promoted by Lu Qingming.
Of the other nine, six stood on Lu Qingming’s side!
If Lu Qingming hadn’t died, Chu Yanyu wouldn’t have been able to preside over a meeting, let alone even summon the Cabinet members!
But now…
People are sensible.
Especially politicians.
Unless they were truly at the end of their rope, they would never choose a mutually destructive path.
Including those few handpicked by Lu Qingming.
In this Cabinet meeting, these Cabinet members all understood what Chu Yanyu’s purpose was.
Then, looking at Ling Yi, who stood behind Chu Yanyu expressionless and silent, this Cabinet meeting became even more harmonious.
The three fostered by Lu Qingming shrank in their seats like quails, saying nothing.
The Prime Minister was a kind-faced old fat man, with a pale, beardless face—a smiling tiger.
The old man first expressed deep grief over the passing of the Monarch, then showed strong anger and hatred toward the national traitor Lu Qingming.
Actually, this anger and hatred, to some extent, were quite genuine.
While Lu Qingming was alive, even if these people sided with him, they were still suppressed and had almost no real power.
In all of Chu State, Lu Qingming held all the power!
And holding high positions, who didn’t have some ambitions and demands?
But with Lu Qingming around, which bird dared to chirp?
So his death, for the people at this meeting table today, might not necessarily be a bad thing.
After the smiling tiger Prime Minister finished his opening remarks, he stood up directly and knelt solemnly before Chu Yanyu.
“A nation cannot be without a ruler for a single day. We ask the Eldest Princess to ascend the throne!”
Damn, this old guy moved so fast?
The other Cabinet members were all shocked.
How could he have such thick skin?
The remaining few scrambled to leave their seats and knelt down in a rush.
“A nation cannot be without a ruler for a single day. We ask the Eldest Princess to ascend the throne!”
Ling Yi: “…”
What a group of principled gentlemen!
Thumbs up for them.
With that, the biggest obstacle for Sister Yanyu to ascend the throne and become the Monarch of Great Chu was cleared.
The rest was just declarations of support from various factions.
But in such a turbulent and chaotic period, hoping for those arrogant and fierce soldiers nurtured by Lu Qingming to declare their support was nothing but a fool’s dream.
So, after securing the “first merit,” the smiling tiger Prime Minister directly offered advice—
“Your Majesty, you must use the quickest time to speak out and reassure those people!”
“Not everyone was a die-hard loyalist of Traitor Lu. In fact, more people were just forced…”
This statement was also a defense for himself and some others in the Cabinet.
But it was also the truth.
When Lu Qingming’s power was overwhelming, who dared to oppose him?
“Additionally, I suggest Your Majesty also promptly appoint those capable people who were once suppressed by Traitor Lu…”
After that, other Cabinet members, not wanting to be outdone, offered their own advice one after another.
Those who could sit in these positions really weren’t freeloaders.
Ling Yi had only one big word in his heart: “Respect.”
These politicians were truly amazing!
The skill of instantly changing faces was just a basic move for them.
With a change of face, they called him “Traitor Lu” so smoothly.
Thumbs up again!
Chu Yanyu listened to the suggestions of these Cabinet members with a calm expression, but her mind had long since wandered elsewhere.
She thought of the restraint and effort she had put in over the years, her father’s reflections and plans in recent years, and her brother who seemingly sided with Lu Qingming but actually understood things clearly…
All of this was like fleeting smoke and clouds, gone in an instant.
If not for the person behind her this time, the entire Chu royal family would have been doomed.
With him here, she couldn’t say her position as Monarch was as solid as a rock, but at least… anyone who wanted to move against her would have to think twice!
She was the last descendant of the royal bloodline. How could she ensure the complete continuation of the Chu imperial family’s lineage?
She thought of a method.
But she found it a bit difficult to speak of.
Her heart was tangled.
Ah, she decided to wait and see first!
“Your Majesty?” The Prime Minister, Smiling Tiger, called out softly as he noticed Chu Yanyu’s distraction.
Chu Yanyu snapped back to attention and offered a faint apologetic look. “We shall follow the Prime Minister’s suggestion. Additionally, I would like to address all of you here,” she said to Smiling Tiger Prime Minister.
The Cabinet members turned to look at her.
“Let bygones be bygones. As long as your hearts are dedicated to Chu, you are the pillars of Great Chu,” Chu Yanyu said, gazing at the group. “The Chu State does not belong solely to the Chu imperial family. It is your Chu State, and it is the Chu State for all the Chu People!”
Expressions of moved emotion immediately appeared on the faces of the Cabinet members. Whether they believed it or not was another matter, but at least, the reassurance Chu Yanyu offered them at this moment was truly valuable.
Among those present, could it be said that there were no accomplices of Lu Qingming?
Probably, even a day ago, more than one person had colluded with Lu Qingming, working together for wicked ends.
Yet, Chu Yanyu had brushed all that aside with a single sentence.
Even if there would be various reckonings in the future, at least for now, the lives and fortunes of these people were truly preserved.
So, after hearing these words, everyone stood up and bowed to Chu Yanyu to express their gratitude.
Their previous kneeling was to save their lives.
This bow was genuinely to express their thanks.
Chu Yanyu naturally understood such details.
She instructed the Cabinet members to begin drafting proclamations to inform the world and also to send letters to the military generals, conveying the new monarch’s stance.
By the time all this busy work was nearly done, the sky was already bright with daylight.
Chu Yanyu looked apologetically at Ling Yi, who had stayed by her side all this time. “Ling Yi, you’ve worked hard. Go back and rest if you’re tired,” she said gently.
Ling Yi smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
Chu Yanyu felt touched and nodded softly.
Many things felt too weak to be expressed with just the word ‘thanks.’
At this point, she even had no thoughts left about Ling Yi severing the Great Chu Dragon Vein and draining the Spirit Stone Vein beneath the Royal Capital.
Because without him, the Chu imperial family would have been completely eradicated!
“Please, go and rest a bit. These matters cannot all be handled in one day. Now that the Seven Free Swords have left, the Carefree Sect… probably won’t let this matter go so easily either. But I have plans for this matter as well,” Chu Yanyu said to Ling Yi, speaking frankly. “Aren’t they just trying to control secular royal power? Then I will negotiate with them. Whatever Lu Qingming could offer, I can offer too! In any case, I will never let this matter involve you.”
Ling Yi gave a light laugh. “If they want to involve me, they’ll have to think twice.”
Chu Yanyu thought for a moment and also smiled. “That’s true. Their most valued disciples are in your hands, and they won’t leave even if driven away…”
Luo Xue, Diwu Qianqian, Hu Xiaoxian, Hu Dali, and a group of Fox Clan sisters were ordered by Chu Yanyu to be directly brought into the Imperial Palace.
At this time, it was hard to say who was protecting whom. Everyone was together, keeping each other warm.
Having them enter the palace could also somewhat ease their minds.
Lest they think she had monopolized Ling Yi.
As the Cabinet members issued proclamation after proclamation, the confused and chaotic Chu State gradually showed signs of returning to calm.
Most of the military generals also calmed down after receiving communications and hearing the stance of the new monarch, Chu Yanyu.
As the Smiling Tiger Prime Minister had said, not all those who once followed Lu Qingming were necessarily loyal to him.
Moreover, rebelling… required courage too!
Most military generals across Chu State had families of varying sizes. If they really rebelled, what would happen to their families?
The bonds of family were a problem that everyone in the secular world had to face, something they couldn’t avoid.
Those who could truly disregard everything were, after all, a minority.
But Lu Qingming had operated for so many years, and there were still die-hard followers.
Chu Yanyu soon received news: General Zhao Chengfeng of the Great Chu Western Route Army led his troops along the Qin-Chu border, crossed Black Mountain, and headed towards the Chaos Zone.
This was a silent rebellion.
Furthermore, two other armies at the Chu-Zhao border declared their separation from Great Chu’s control.
According to the information Chu Yanyu received, those two Chu armies likely intended to flee overseas.
The combat prowess of Chu’s military was the best in the world; that was undeniable.
The three armies rebelling at this time were also the elite of the elite within Chu.
Especially the army led by General Zhao Chengfeng of the Western Route Army, which had just fought a battle with the Qin State.
Although they had suffered significant casualties, their overall strength wasn’t greatly diminished.
His purpose for leading his army into the Chaos Zone was also very clear: he would forever regard the Qin State as an enemy!
At any time, he might lead his army from the Chaos Zone to attack into Qin territory.
For the Qin State, this would be a huge hidden danger.
At the same time, news came out that the Four States of Han, Wei, Yan, and Zhao… withdrew their troops!
This was probably the shortest and most awkward declaration of war in history.
From the start of fighting to the withdrawal, it had lasted less than twenty-four hours.
The Monarchs of those four states were probably now filled with hatred for Chu State and for Lu Qingming.
You couldn’t cheat people like this, could you?
This, damn it, cheated at a whole new level.
Even though these countries withdrew their troops immediately, this matter definitely wouldn’t end simply like this!
Next, they would inevitably face the wrath of the Qin State!
To be honest, the Qin State’s wrath wasn’t all that frightening.
Even though Qin displayed some momentum in yesterday’s war, years of deep-rooted problems and accumulated issues couldn’t be reversed.
It wasn’t something one or two wars could solve.
So they really weren’t that afraid of Qin.
The key problem was—
That Blue Light was too terrifying!