Chapter 493 - 406: Please Ascend the Throne, Your Majesty
Chapter 493: Chapter 406: Please Ascend the Throne, Your Majesty
Fortunately, the Great Dao showed mercy, allowing Us to draw breath on the brink of death. We have since relied on Spirit Medicines and rare treasures from the Four Seas to extend Our life until this day.
However, life and death are ruled by fate; how could they be stayed by mere elixirs?
Now, Our energy is spent and Our spirit withered. We know Our time has come. We hereby issue this final edict. Let all civil and military officials listen well and act with caution:
After We have passed, the funeral rites must be simple and frugal.
Do not undertake grand construction to build a new tomb. It is enough to be buried beside the tomb of Empress Shi. No inscription of Merit shall be carved on the stele before the mausoleum.
All eunuchs in the palace shall be granted thirty mu of fertile land and one hundred taels of Silver, and be sent back to their hometowns.
For the task of assisting in the governance of the Imperial Court, We specially promote three individuals:
Chen Jin, the Jingzhou County Magistrate, who is upright in character and well-versed in common affairs.
The valiant General Su Qin, who inherits the loyalty and bravery of his ancestors.
Lin Xinhan, Governor of Bohai Province, who is incorruptible, frugal, and benevolent to the people.
They are to be summoned to the Imperial Court effective immediately to jointly participate in state affairs.
The Frost King, Xiao Mo, Our right-hand man, is granted the authority of the ceremonial axe, the nine bestowments, and appointed as the supreme commander of all military affairs, both domestic and foreign. He is specially permitted to wear his sword and shoes in the throne hall, to enter the palace without removing his armor, and to meet the sovereign without addressing himself as a subject.
The Third Princess, Siyao, possesses a character as pure as jade. She is intelligent, quick-witted, and serene. For three years, she has assisted in managing the court. In judging criminal cases, she is as stern and impartial as the autumn frost. In managing taxes, she is precise to the finest detail. Her talent for statesmanship is in no way inferior to that of the First Prince, Jing Su, or the Second Prince, Jing Yuan.
The divine vessel cannot be left empty. We have decided to pass the throne to...]
Qin Siyao read on, one word at a time.
Suddenly, Qin Siyao’s voice stopped. She stared blankly at the Imperial Decree in her hands.
Many officials looked up toward the Third Princess at the very front. They saw her eyes tremble, and even the delicate hand holding the Holy Decree was shaking uncontrollably.
Everyone’s heart was wound tight with tension.
What they cared about most was who Your Majesty would pass the throne to.
The very foundation of the Qin Kingdom was at stake.
"Princess..." Prime Minister Li spoke up. "You haven’t finished reading Your Majesty’s decree, have you?"
Baili Xi and Uncle Jian also bowed. "We implore the Princess to continue reading."
Qin Siyao glanced at the three men, took a deep breath, and continued reading:
[We have decided to pass the throne to the Third Princess, Qin Siyao.
All officials shall assist her with utmost sincerity and treat her as if We Ourselves were still present.
Should any dare to defy this decree, harbor dissent, secretly form factions, or destabilize the foundation of the state, the Frost King may use Our bequeathed sword to execute them and exterminate their nine relations. Let Heaven and Earth bear witness.
We have studied the annals of history and found no precedent for a woman to rule the court. This act will surely be met with controversy.
But how can We discard a worthy talent simply because of a difference in gender?
Siyao holds mountains and ravines in her heart and the entire country in her mind. You, Our elder statesmen, should cast aside your prejudices and work together with one heart.
We depart now. We hope you will all unite to protect the eternal stability of Great Qin’s mountains and rivers.
Clouds and sun, the waxing and waning moon—all things follow their constant course. The sun and moon revolve, and a prosperous age can be anticipated.
Do not be grieved, do not be rash. If each of you remains at your post, then We shall smile in the underworld.]
As Qin Siyao finished speaking,
the ministers in the Imperial Court looked at one another, each wondering if they had misheard.
’Your Majesty passed the throne to... the Third Princess?’
’How is that possible?’
’The Third Princess is a woman.’
’There’s no precedent for this in the entire world!’
For a moment, whispers broke out once more across the Imperial Court. It seemed they could not accept this outcome so quickly.
And yet, in their hearts, they all felt that this was exactly the kind of decree the Sovereign would have made.
Otherwise, Your Majesty would have long ago adopted a son as Crown Prince. Why would he have remained silent for so long?
Perhaps Your Majesty had always known how immense the impact of this decision would be, how far-reaching its implications.
In that case, it was better to leave a final decree to be read after his death. That way, what was done would be done, and no one could refute it.
Qin Siyao, meanwhile, still stood at the front of the great hall, staring blankly at the assembled officials.
She, too, had never imagined such an outcome.
’I... I’m to take up my father’s heavy burden and become the Sovereign of Qin?’
’Can I really do it? Can I be the Sovereign?’
’Do I really have the ability?’
’Father had me help him handle court affairs... could it all have been for this day?’
Gradually, the voices of the crowd grew fainter in Qin Siyao’s ears.
In the end, it was as if she could only hear the sound of her own heartbeat.
Just then, from outside the great hall, came the sound of a person’s footsteps.
The abrupt sound made everyone turn to look.
A tall, straight figure walked step by step into the great hall.
When this man appeared, the court officials fell silent once again. Some ministers didn’t even dare to look him directly in the eye.
This man’s power and prestige had already reached their zenith in the Qin Kingdom.
Now, with the Imperial Decree announced, they would not have been surprised if the man before them had one day declared himself Emperor and ruled the Qin Kingdom!
Besides, even if he didn’t become Emperor himself, as the Princess’s husband, any Prince born to them would inevitably be the next Sovereign of Qin.
And when this man appeared, a glimmer of light flashed in Qin Siyao’s eyes. Her delicate hands gripped the Holy Decree tightly.
Finally, the man walked past the ranks of officials and knelt on one knee before the woman. His powerful voice echoed throughout the great hall:
"Your subject, Xiao Mo, hails Your Majesty!"
Before the other court officials could react, the Three Ministers—Prime Minister Li, Baili Xi, and Uncle Jian—bowed and declared loudly:
"We, your subjects, hail Your Majesty!"
Seeing the Frost King and the Three Ministers all declare their stance, the other officials looked at one another. What objection could they possibly have?
Finally, all the civil and military officials bowed low in a deep salute and shouted in unison:
"We, your subjects, hail Your Majesty!"
As the officials’ voices faded, the entire Imperial Court fell into a deep silence. Qin Siyao remained standing motionless where she was.
"We ask Your Majesty to ascend the throne!" Xiao Mo spoke again.
"We ask Your Majesty to ascend the throne!" Prime Minister Li, Baili Xi, and Uncle Jian echoed in unison.
"We ask Your Majesty to ascend the throne!" the officials echoed in unison.
Qin Siyao looked at Xiao Mo, at the assembled officials, then lowered her head to look at the Holy Decree.
Finally, the woman turned and looked at the throne of the Qin Kingdom—a seat that was not so high, yet seemed to reach into the heavens.
At last, she took a step, her long legs moving beneath her gown, and started toward the stairs...
"Third Sister, Second Brother is leaving now. From now on, you have to take good care of yourself."
One step.
"Third Sister, I’m heading out on this campaign to the Jin Kingdom. I can’t guarantee I’ll return. I’ll leave Father and Mother in your care."
Two steps.
"Jing Su, Jing Yuan, Mother is coming to see you... but after this, it will be so hard for Siyao. Can she... can she really bear it...?"
Three steps.
"Siyao, from this day forward, you will help your Father handle the affairs of the court. You don’t know how? It’s alright, Father will teach you."
Four steps.
"Siyao, you are truly very clever. Your talent is not the least bit inferior to your eldest and second brothers."
"Daughter, you are good in every way, but you are too kind. Remember, there is no place for kindness in the Imperial Court."
"In the future, if anything happens, just tell Xiao Mo. You don’t have to trust anyone else, but Father believes that Xiao Mo will never fail you."
"Daughter, from now on, the matters of the Imperial Court are in your hands..."
Five steps, six steps, seven steps...
With every step Qin Siyao took, the words her second brother, eldest brother, mother, and father had once said to her echoed in her mind.
"Siyao... Father... has let you down..."
As Qin Siyao took the final step,
she had reached the top of the high dais. The throne of the Qin Kingdom was right before her.
Qin Siyao turned around. Below the dais stood the man she loved most, and the entire assembly of civil and military officials.
’Xiao Mo, I don’t want to hide behind you anymore.’
’I will cultivate diligently! I want to stand with you! To bear everything alongside you!’
’I want to protect you, too!’
Clenching her small fists, Qin Siyao sat down on the Dragon Throne of the Sovereign of Qin!
The moment Qin Siyao sat down, the Mountain and River Fortune of the Qin Kingdom began to coalesce above the Qin Kingdom Royal Palace. A giant golden dragon circled endlessly over the palace.
ROOOAR!
The sound of a dragon’s cry spread out.
Outside the Imperial City, the people of the Imperial City of the Qin Kingdom looked up, staring at the golden dragon in the sky above the Imperial Palace.
A dense, imperial might pressed down from the clouds, making the people within the Imperial City feel an overwhelming urge to kneel in the direction of the Imperial Palace.
The hearts of all the court officials jolted in shock.
The Princess had not even held her enthronement ceremony, yet she had already summoned such a celestial phenomenon. This was a rare sight in the thousands of years of history across the Allied States.
"Your subject pays his respects to Your Majesty!"
Xiao Mo’s voice resounded through the great hall.
"We, your subjects, pay our respects to Your Majesty!"
The Three Ministers, along with all the civil and military officials, shouted in unison.
’Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, you can rest assured...’
Qin Siyao sat upon the throne, gazing at the sky outside the great hall.
’This Qin Kingdom... your daughter and Xiao Mo will protect it for you...’