Chapter 77 The Young Emperor Ascends the Throne, the Empress Reigns Behind the Curtain

October 27th, the first year of the Daxin An era.

Emperor Zhao Gan, the second emperor, died in the prison of the Wuzhou City government office.

Because he was defeated at Tumu Fortress, he was captured and committed suicide. Later historians recorded this event as the "Tumu Fortress Incident of Daxin".

The sudden suicide of Emperor Zhao Gan did not cause a stir among Chen Huai'an and the Jingnan Army in Longcheng.

Furthermore, Chen Huai'an even voluntarily pardoned the soldiers responsible for guarding Emperor Zhao Gan from their crimes.

Chen Huai'an knew very well that Zhao Gan wanted to use his own death to frame Chen Huai'an for regicide.

Under the constraints of feudal etiquette and law, the crime of regicide was to be recorded in history and condemned for eternity, and everyone had the right to kill the perpetrator.

Unfortunately, this approach was completely ineffective against the time traveler Chen Huai'an; he wasn't buying it.

To him, it seemed to make no difference whether it was Emperor Zhao Gan of the Great Xin Dynasty who committed suicide or Zhao Gan who was a prisoner; it could not stop him from unifying the world and conquering the Central Plains.

Chen Huai'an didn't even stay in Wuzhou City for a moment, entrusting the handling of Emperor Zhao Gan's remains and burial entirely to Prince Wu Ning, Liu Xinwu.

He himself led the vanguard of the Longcheng Jingnan Army without stopping, pursuing the imperial army of 200,000 men who had marched to Yunzhou.

We must sustain our war through war, and we cannot stop for even a moment.

......

On the other hand, when the news of Emperor Zhao Gan's suicide in Wuzhou reached the capital, it shocked the entire court and the public.

Especially for Prime Minister Qin Ruhui, who had just received the secret report, he immediately ordered the news of the emperor's death to be sealed off. Then, he took his confidants straight to the palace and met with the Empress Su Wan'er as soon as possible.

Imperial City, Kunning Palace.

Qin Ruhui's Red-Clad Guards had completely surrounded Kunning Palace, so much so that not even a fly could get in.

Inside the palace, Empress Su Wan'er, dressed in a bright red phoenix robe, was shivering as she leaned against the bed, holding a two- or three-year-old child in her arms.

She was never favored by Emperor Zhao Gan. If it weren't for the fact that she was made Crown Princess during the reign of the late Emperor Zhao Mang and later gave birth to a son for Zhao Gan, she would have been in a different situation.

It is likely that Zhao Gan was already relegated to the cold palace after the late emperor's death and when he ascended the throne.

She had heard the rumors before.

The day Emperor Zhao Gan returns victorious from his northern expedition to quell the rebellion will be the day she is deposed as empress.

Because Zhao Gan wanted to make his favorite concubine, Wenren Yu, empress.

Therefore, when Prime Minister Qin Ruhui led a group of Red-Clad Guards, full of murderous intent, straight to Kunning Palace and surrounded it completely,

Inside the palace, Su Wan'er felt utterly devastated, her face drained of color.

She sensed that the heartless and ungrateful Emperor Zhao Gan was about to take action against her, the nominal Empress of the Great Xin Dynasty.

Born in the deep palace, Su Wan'er naturally understood the truth that the imperial family is the most ruthless place.

But as a mother, she simply couldn't accept being separated from her own flesh and blood.

Therefore, Su Wan'er, who had already made up her mind, decided that as soon as Emperor Zhao Gan's decree to depose her arrived, she would personally end the life of the young crown prince Zhao Lingwu, and then commit suicide.

I absolutely cannot let my son fall into the hands of that vixen Wenren Yu.

Creak!

With a creak, the door to the Empress's bedroom was pushed open from the outside.

Upon seeing this, the maids and eunuchs in the palace all knelt down and buried their heads deep in their hands.

With tears welling in her eyes, Su Wan'er looked at Prime Minister Qin Ruhui, who appeared at the palace gate, and asked in a choked voice, "Prime Minister Qin, has the imperial edict to depose the Empress arrived?"

Forehead!

At the doorway, Qin Ruhui's expression froze. After a moment's hesitation, he waved his hand and sternly ordered, "All of you, step back!"

"yes!"

Upon hearing this, the palace maids and eunuchs who were kneeling on the ground breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly got up and left the palace.

Qin Ruhui personally closed the door to the palace before walking step by step toward Empress Su Wan'er, who was lying on the bed.

"Prime Minister Qin, what do you mean by this?"

Unaware of what was going on, Su Wan'er watched Qin Ruhui approach her step by step, and then took out the dagger she had prepared beforehand from under her pillow.

Then, he pointed the sharp tip of the knife at Qin Ruhui.

After thinking for a moment, she put the dagger back to her neck.

At this moment, the little prince Zhao Lingwu in her arms seemed to sense the danger and was so frightened that he cried loudly and buried himself in his mother Su Wan'er's arms.

Waaaaah!

For a time, the vast Kunning Palace was filled with the helpless and desperate sobs of orphans and widows.

Outside, the red-clad guards, who had drawn their swords to protect the house, turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to the sobbing inside.

thump!

Suddenly, Qin Ruhui knelt down in front of Su Wan'er a dozen steps away and whispered, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! The Emperor has passed away!"

ah?

On the bed, Su Wan'er was completely bewildered and incredulous.

Qin Ruhui continued, "Your Majesty, after His Majesty was defeated at Tumu Fortress and captured alive by the traitor Chen Huai'an, he could not bear to see the emperor humiliated and chose to commit suicide to preserve the dignity of the royal family."

brush!

At this moment, Empress Su Wan'er, who was on the bed, couldn't even hold the dagger in her hand and it fell directly onto the bed.

Even the young Crown Prince Zhao Lingwu, who had just been wailing, stopped crying at this moment.

It's unclear whether he understood Qin Ruhui's words or was frightened by his mother's actions.

Qin Ruhui then said, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. I have no choice but to go to Kunning Palace to see Your Majesty."

"A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. Your Majesty, I have come to discuss the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne!"

Teng!

Suddenly, Su Wan'er stood up abruptly on the bed.

The tearful, pitiful expression that had once graced her stunningly beautiful face had vanished completely.

Instead, she exuded a commanding presence and an aloof, dignified air befitting an empress.

Su Wan'er, carrying the young prince, approached Qin Ruhui and asked, word by word, "Prime Minister Qin, is this true?"

Qin Ruhui remained kneeling, nodded heavily, and said, "Your Majesty, it is absolutely true. How could I, your humble servant, dare to joke about such an important matter!"

call!

Su Wan'er let out a heavy sigh and said, "Prime Minister Qin, what should we do? Tell me."

Qin Ruhui said, "The young emperor ascended the throne, the Empress ruled from behind the curtain, and I, the Prime Minister, oversaw all military and political power in the court until the young emperor came of age and began to rule in his own right!"

"What does Your Majesty think of this arrangement?"

Su Wan'er replied with a wry smile, "Prime Minister Qin, you've already made up your mind, how can I possibly say a word against it?"