Xiao Zhanping’s move can be said to be brilliant!

After all, the Crown Prince’s establishment is at his beck and call.

He says establish, it is established.

He says depose, it is deposed.

What’s most important now is to stabilize Xiao Jinxing’s heart, to make him utterly devoted and rid him of any traitorous thoughts.

Ye Qichi has figured this out.

Xiao Jinxing has naturally figured it out too.

But he can do it without any fanfare.

Xiao Zhanping, despite his physical weakness, picked up the brush and personally wrote the imperial edict for the establishment, firmly pressing the Jade Seal onto it.

He then destroyed the previous surrogate-written will to smithereens.

"Choose an auspicious day to establish the Crown Prince!" Xiao Zhanping ordered.

"Your Son is grateful for Your Majesty’s grace." Xiao Jinxing kneeled on the ground.

Three kneels and nine kowtows, performing the grand ceremony.

Xiao Zhanping allowed Xiao Jinxing to rise, saying, "Before the ceremony of establishment, I have two tasks for you!"

"Your Son will obey and do his utmost!"

"First is to capture the traitorous Xiao Jinsen, to see him alive if he is alive, to see his corpse if he is dead," Xiao Zhanping commanded.

"Your Son will obey."

"Second is to arrest all those involved in Prince’s Chu’s treason and imprison them. Choose a day to behead them publicly!"

"Your Son will obey."

"Princess, you shall stay by my side until I have recovered from my illness."

Ye Qichi accepted the order, "Your Daughter-in-law will obey."

"You may all withdraw now. I am physically weak and need to recuperate..." Xiao Zhanping finished giving his orders.

Just as he was about to lie down.

Suddenly, the announcement came from outside the grand hall, "The Empress Dowager has arrived!"

With one announcement.

All those who were preparing to leave knelt down on the ground again.

"We pay respect to the Grand Empress Dowager/Empress Dowager."

Wen Jingtang entered, glancing at those kneeling on the ground.

Then she turned back to look at Xiao Zhanping, who was just about to lie in bed.

Xiao Zhanping looked at the Empress Dowager, wanting to pay respects, "Mother..."

"The Emperor seems unwell, there is no need to be so ceremonial," Wen Jingtang said coldly.

So Xiao Zhanping didn’t continue with the ceremony either.

He lay in bed, guiltily saying, "I have caused Mother much alarm last night."

"It’s nothing," Wen Jingtang replied indifferently.

Even though Xiao Zhanping was seriously injured at the moment, she did not show half a sentence of concern.

Her gaze was coldly fixed on Xiao Jinxing.

Xiao Jinxing lowered his eyes, giving no response to Wen Jingtang.

"Our Family thought you would take this opportunity to avenge your great vengeance!" Wen Jingtang said with irony in her voice.

Xiao Jinxing remained silent.

"You truly have disappointed Our Family," Wen Jingtang stepped closer to Xiao Jinxing.

Xiao Jinxing kneeled on the ground, giving no response.

Xiao Zhanping clearly realized at this moment that the situation before him was not right.

He watched Wen Jingtang with caution, unsure of what she was about to do.

"Do you need me to lend you a hand?" Wen Jingtang asked Xiao Jinxing.

"Grandson is just yet to thoroughly investigate who exactly has framed my mother," Xiao Jinxing explained.

"Who is it? Does it matter?" Wen Jingtang’s chilly smile, laced with sarcasm, "The person who ordered your mother’s death, is him!"

Wen Jingtang directly pointed at Xiao Zhanping.

Xiao Zhanping felt a shock at heart, as he looked at Wen Jingtang with slight panic, "Mother, what are you talking about?"

"I’m telling your son, it’s time for him to avenge his mother’s murder!" Wen Jingtang enunciated each word with cold-blooded ruthlessness.

"You!" Xiao Zhanping’s body trembled slightly.

He never expected Wen Jingtang to say such a thing.

Though Wen Jingtang was not his birth mother, he had not treated her poorly over the years; she had said she didn’t want to be involved in the affairs of the harem, so he had granted her peace and allowed her to enjoy her glory and wealth quietly within the palace!

"Surprised? You shouldn’t be." Wen Jingtang appeared exceptionally calm towards Xiao Zhanping, "When you were fighting for the throne, killing your own brothers, you should have anticipated such retribution!"

"I do not know what you are talking about!" Xiao Zhanping feigned calmness, "Guards, escort the Empress Dowager back to Cixi Palace! She was shocked yesterday; she needs to recover."

However, no one heeded Xiao Zhanping’s command.

Wen Jingtang let out a cold laugh, full of contempt.

Xiao Zhanping hurriedly called Xiao Jinxing, "Xiao Jinxing, escort your great-grandmother back to her Cixi Palace!"

Xiao Jinxing was also indifferent.

Xiao Zhanping grew angry, "Xiao Jinxing, are you not even listening to your father’s words now?"

Xiao Jinxing indeed wasn’t listening.

"Do you still want the position of Crown Prince?"

"Having killed your father, once you ascend the throne, what need is there for the title of Crown Prince," Wen Jingtang stated plainly.

"You wish to rebel?!" Xiao Zhanping roared.

"The Empress can rebel, Imperial Concubine can rebel, is it that I cannot?!" Wen Jingtang’s voice chilled, her wrinkled face exceptionally fierce and terrifying, and at the moment, her overwhelming presence made one shudder.

Ye Qichi was still kneeling on the ground.

Thinking to himself.

At last, all the big bosses have surfaced.

It must be, the end of the play, right?!

Ye Qichi remained composed.

Xiao Zhanping furiously said, "Do you not know their fates?!"

"Their fates? Do you know that I personally orchestrated their ends! All of you are mere pieces on my chessboard!" Wen Jingtang appeared utterly arrogant, "Xiao Zhanping, I have laid out such an extensive game just to make you abandoned by all! I want you to feel the pain of losing a son, to pay the most excruciating price to atone for the life of my child!"

"The death of the Fifth Prince has nothing to do with me, it was he who overreached trying to usurp the throne, he set out on a path towards his own death, it has nothing to do with me!"

"Nothing to do with it?" Wen Jingtang responded with sarcastic cruelty, "Had it not been for my son’s misplaced trust in you, do you think you could have today’s status! If my son hadn’t been stabbed to death by you, do you think you could have become the Emperor. Xiao Zhanping, do you think you executed everything so flawlessly that I wouldn’t know? I am very clear, I pretended to not know, just to make you suffer all inhuman pains before you die!"

Xiao Zhanping’s face turned red and his ears throbbed from Wen Jingtang’s words.

Back then, he used the Fifth Prince’s banner to recruit forces that had sided with the Fifth Prince; when he actually usurped the position, he secretly assassinated the Fifth Prince and blamed his death on the Third Prince who was seizing power at that time. Subsequently, all the Fifth Prince’s followers defected to him, and finally, with the support of Marquis Wu’s Mansion, he defeated the Third Prince and ascended the throne.

He had always thought that no one knew he was the assailant behind the Fifth Prince’s murder.

He had even let the Fifth Prince’s birth mother ascend as the Empress Dowager.

It was to show his loyalty to the Fifth Prince.

Little did he know.

Wen Jingtang knew everything all along.

"Your throne was given to you by me." Wen Jingtang looked icily at the flustered Xiao Zhanping, "Marquis Wu’s Mansion is my people, they have never been yours, Xiao Zhanping. I did not kill you, allowing you to take the throne and enjoy supreme power, just so you would know the taste of loss afterward. To make you feel the misery of losing your wife and children, the utter destruction of your family!"