Chapter Three: Pressure from All Sides: We Beseech Your Majesty to Issue an Edict of Self-Reproach!

Qin Xuan led hundreds of elite Scarlet Flame soldiers, galloping forward in a grand procession toward the imperial palace.

"Your Highness, could there be an ambush?"

Seeing the palace gates wide open and the area deserted, Zhao Luoying couldn't help but knit her brows. She was now clad in full armor, holding a long spear, and looked remarkably heroic.

"Even if there were an ambush, it would be useless, even if my father summoned the heavenly host today!"

With that, Qin Xuan led the Scarlet Flame soldiers into the palace. Word of his rebellion had clearly spread throughout the capital; the vast palace was devoid of a single living soul. Soon, Qin Xuan arrived at the square in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

"Father, I have words for you!"

Qin Xuan’s voice resonated through the heavens. A moment later, Qin Tian, dressed in his imperial dragon robes, walked out slowly.

"Qin Xuan, you truly are my fine son. In the three hundred years since the founding of the Great Qi, you are the first prince to lead an army to force the palace!" Qin Tian stared coldly at Qin Xuan and the hundreds of Scarlet Flame soldiers, his eyes filled with disdain.

"I am not forcing the palace. You have been misled by treacherous ministers and intend to harm loyal subjects. As a prince of this dynasty, I have no choice but to enter the palace to cleanse the court of those villains!" Although the facade had been dropped, Qin Xuan was no fool; he still maintained the necessary appearances.

"The ministers by my side are all virtuous and upright. How can there be a need to 'cleanse' them?" Qin Tian sneered, "Sixth Son, do you really think you can change the fate of Great Qi with these few hundred men?"

As his voice fell, the ground suddenly trembled. From all four directions came the sound of galloping hooves and clashing armor. Countless Imperial Guards, clad in armor and wielding long spears, surged forth, encircling Qin Xuan and his men completely.

"Qin Xuan, you wicked creature! You won a few battles and now you are so arrogant that you think you can usurp the throne with a mere few hundred ragtag soldiers? Ha, let’s see how you fare now!" Qin Zhen, his injuries crudely bandaged, stood with a deathly pale face, trembling with excitement. If Qin Xuan died, no one would ever threaten his position as Crown Prince again.

"Qin Xuan, considering your past contributions, if you surrender now, I will grant you a complete corpse," Qin Tian declared coldly. He harbored deep hatred for his son's act of rebellion.

"If you were to surrender now, Father, I could also grant you a dignified end," Qin Xuan responded indifferently.

"Seize these rebels who seek to overthrow the state!" Qin Tian’s furious roar echoed to the heavens. "Whoever captures Qin Xuan alive shall be promoted five ranks and rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold!"

"Kill!" The Imperial Guards raised their weapons, their battle cries shaking the sky.

Just as they were about to charge, a sound of footsteps approached.

"Hmm?" Qin Tian frowned. Could Qin Xuan have reinforcements? Looking up, he saw a refined, fair-skinned man in deep red official robes approaching slowly, leading a group of scholarly men dressed in blue gowns.

"Isn’t that Qiu Xingzhi, the Libationer of the Imperial Academy? What is he doing here with the students?" Qin Zhen was baffled. "I understand now, Father! Qiu must know that this wretch Qin Xuan is rebelling and has brought the students here to denounce him!"

Before Qin Tian could fathom the situation, Qiu Xingzhi and his disciples arrived before him and bowed. "Your Majesty, when the Great Qi faced internal and external strife and was on the brink of collapse, it was the Prince of Chu who stepped forward to turn the tide! It is no exaggeration to say that your current hold on the throne is entirely due to his efforts. Yet, you choose to discard the loyal after the task is done, which violates the laws of heaven! I, Qiu Xingzhi, petition Your Majesty to issue an edict of self-reproach, admit your mistakes, and apologize to the Prince of Chu!"

The hundreds of students bowed in unison, crying out, "We petition Your Majesty to issue an edict of self-reproach!"

Boom! Qiu Xingzhi’s words struck like thunder in the minds of everyone present.

"You... you..." Although Qin Tian was neither a man of letters nor a warrior, he was immensely proud. Seeing a minister he had personally promoted impeach him and demand an edict of self-reproach, he forgot all imperial decorum and gnashed his teeth. "Guards! Qiu Xingzhi is conspiring with Qin Xuan. This is a heinous crime! Execute him at once!"

Before the guards could move, another set of footsteps approached. A middle-aged man in dragon robes led a group of luxuriously dressed royal family members toward them.

"Prince of Huai, are you here because of Qin Xuan’s rebellion? You may return; I can handle this matter properly!" Qin Tian said. The newcomer was Qin Yu, Qin Tian’s own brother, who had contributed greatly to Qin Tian’s ascension.

"Your Majesty..." Qin Yu hesitated, then decided to speak. "Xuan has made immortal contributions to Great Qi, yet you seek to execute his wife. Such an act of burning bridges truly chills the hearts of the people! I humbly petition you to abdicate and yield the throne to the Prince of Chu!"

The royal family members chimed in, "We petition Your Majesty to abdicate and yield the throne to the Prince of Chu!"

The scene fell into a deathly silence. Then, expressions of sheer horror, as if they had seen a ghost, appeared on everyone’s faces. Everyone knew that while Qin Yu’s mother was of higher status than Qin Tian’s, he had always known he was not fit to rule and had supported Qin Tian with absolute loyalty. No one in the Great Qi was more loyal than he. And yet, even Qin Yu had betrayed him.

"Prince of Huai, you... you..." Qin Tian clutched his chest, feeling as if struck by lightning. He glared viciously at Qin Xuan. "Qin Xuan, you wretched, thousand-cut villain! It is not enough that you rebel; you must also drag the Prince of Huai into this, staining him with the name of a traitor for all eternity?!"

"Father, justice resides in the hearts of the people," Qin Xuan said with a faint smile, hiding his schemes behind a calm facade. Over the past two days, he had contacted various figures in the capital, expressing his intent to break with the Emperor and seeking their support. Fortunately, all parties knew clearly that, publicly, Qin Xuan was the pillar of the Great Qi, and privately, without him, they would all face a grim fate should the Jurchens strike again.

"Prince of Huai, retract what you just said, and I shall pretend you never spoke!" Qin Tian roared, his imperial dignity shattered by the betrayal of his own flesh and blood.

"Your Majesty, when the Great Qi suffered from natural disasters, the Founding Emperor also issued an edict of self-reproach. Your actions have chilled the hearts of the court. If the Great Qi is to rise again, you must hand the throne to the Prince of Chu!" Qin Yu held his ground, bowing firmly.

"Good, good, good..." Qin Tian laughed in his fury. "A fine 'abdication'! Pass the decree: strip Qin Yu of his titles and cast him into the imperial dungeon!"