Only hearing a "crack" afterwards, the entire Feng Tian Hall was silent as crows and magpies.
Whether it was the Chief Minister of Rites or the bearer of the imperial edict, everyone raised their heads, staring at the astonishing act of the Eldest Prince, not daring to move for a long time.
The imperial box contained the edict conferring the title of Crown Prince, the proof of Chang Yan's status as Crown Prince. Needless to say, it was extremely precious.
But what was most astonishing was Zhu Changhong who smashed the imperial box.
His cheeks flushed red, his chest heaving up and down, he looked over with the cries and shouts rising and falling outside. He looked exactly like a bloodstained avenging demon king returning from battle.
Chang Yan's eyes narrowed imperceptibly. He felt something was wrong intuitively.
Among the six siblings' guesses, Zhu Changhong had long ago become the abandoned son of the Ju family. His performance at the wedding banquet that day further demonstrated his stupidity and cowardice to the fullest extent.
Even when he made trouble at the conferral of the crown prince, it should have been the Second Prince taking the lead and the Ju family assisting. After a brief astonishment, Zhu Changhong should have lost control and collapsed. How could he be so aggressive now?
Especially in this silent hall, he deliberately took heavy steps, one by one, frightening the people in the hall so much that they didn't even dare breathe.
Only Chang Yan casually probed, "The rebellious guards outside, are they Eldest Brother's people?"
"Yes," Zhu Changhong said expressionlessly. "They've taken control of the civil and military officials. They'll rush into the hall soon."
"Eldest Brother is so confident," Chang Yan lifted the corners of his mouth. "But I don't quite believe it. Can you call two people in to take a look?"
Zhu Changhong stopped and glanced at the guards.
The attendant immediately rushed in and shouted, "Stop it! Stop everything!"
The din outside really stopped.
The civil and military officials and ministers seemed to catch their breath too. Led by Jiang Chengfeng, several people escorted Xu Mo and the Jiang siblings to the door and said solemnly, "Your Highness, the imperial guards have rebelled."
Not only had the imperial guards rebelled, they had rebelled following the Eldest Prince.
Chang Yan still felt something was wrong. Frowning, he said, "Did the Ju family arrange this?"
"Of course," Zhu Changhong's eyes flickered. "Who else could it be if not the Ju family?"
With Ju Noble Consort as an insider, after gaining favor it was not difficult to plant people among the imperial guards.
It seemed the Eldest Prince had been playing the pig to eat the tiger, pretending to be a fool first, then baring his fangs at the critical moment, catching everyone by surprise.
Including Zhu Changyu.
This prince who had used dullness and honesty as a disguise was now hiding in the corner with a look of shock and suspicion, his face ashen. Obviously he was also puzzled by the plan's direction.
"Don't struggle. The entire imperial city is now under the Ju family's control," Zhu Changhong glanced at the quivering Chief Minister of Rites and bearer of the edict. "Don't be afraid. I won't harm you. I'm still waiting for you to reissue the edict conferring the title of Crown Prince."
His wild ambition was revealed openly.
But something still felt off.
Chang Yan fell into thought, not noticing Elder Sun struggle to his feet. The aged elder spat in Zhu Changhong's face, "I spit on you! Conferring the crown prince today but plotting treason, you're nothing but a traitor, a rebel! In the future you'll be disgraced, reviled for ten thousand years!"
He wiped his face a little helplessly. "Elder Sun, don't get agitated. You're so old. I never thought of harming you."
"If you've got the guts, kill me on the spot. Otherwise I'll never recognize a traitor like you, much less confer the title of Crown Prince on you." Elder Sun roared furiously.
Despite his nearly centenarian age, his voice was still loud and clear.
Chang Yan's thoughts were interrupted. He decided to take the initiative to attack, "Eldest Brother, don't you know the Ju family has long allied with the Second Prince? Right now you're nothing but a scapegoat."
Zhu Changhong laughed as if he'd heard a joke, then quickly suppressed his expression. "Mother endured being crippled for the Ju family. How could the Ju family possibly abandon us mother and son?"
"You've underestimated the friendship between Mother and Uncle, and underestimated what kind of person my mother is."
What did he mean by that?
While the people around were still puzzled, Chang Yan had already quickly grasped the key point. His expression changed drastically. "Has Lady Ju woken up?"
Only with Ju Noble Consort's scheming could the Ju family devote themselves wholeheartedly and dare to use such a scheme—first letting Zhu Changhong pretend to be an idiot to disrupt the wedding banquet, then allying the Ju family with the Second Prince, while she herself secretly planned to rebel in the name of the Second Prince on the day of conferring the crown prince.
In the eyes of the world, the charge of treason would fall on the Second Prince, while the actual beneficiaries were the Eldest Prince and the Ju family.
It had to be said, this plan was brilliant.
But what made the Ju family and Ju Noble Consort so sure that the Second Prince, who had been able to keep a low profile for over a decade, would be led into their trap and used by them?
Chang Yan glanced subtly at his elder brother and younger sister, signaling them not to act rashly.
At this climactic moment of the decisive battle, he didn't believe the Second Prince could still be patient and keep a low profile. If they missed this chance, they would lose the throne forever.
"It's true that my mother has awakened. Just as you could pretend to be sick to take the imperial exam, and pretend to be sick to hide in the Western Three Palaces without coming out, why can't we?" Zhu Changhong said. But there was no arrogance on his flushed face. Instead, he hesitated briefly. "The entire Feng Tian Hall is under control now. Not even a fly could get in. You'd best not act recklessly."
Today was the conferral of the crown prince. The civil and military officials and trusted aides of the entire Crown Prince's residence were here.
As long as they kept control, the attendants outside would have a hard time even noticing. Ju Noble Consort's skill was indeed formidable.
From the corner of his eye, Chang Yan saw Zhu Changyu had at some point stopped being shocked and suspicious. Half his body was buried in the shadows.
How interesting. How very interesting.
Today's conferral of the crown prince in the hall was even more interesting than he had imagined.
"Go keep the civil and military officials under watch. Go ask His Majesty to bring the imperial seal. Go prepare to rewrite the edict of conferring the crown prince..." Zhu Changhong was calmly and systematically arranging the attendants.
When he gave the order, only ten of the original thirty armed attendants turned around.
The remaining twenty uniformly drew their blades and stabbed their turning comrades to death.
The sudden change occurred in an instant, bloodying the entire hall.
Even Elder Sun was shocked speechless, then slapped his thighs after recovering. "Sinful, utterly sinful!"
That guards of the same troop would kill each other, that brothers would point blades at each other, what was it if not sin?
Zhu Changhong was stunned by this sudden change. He reflexively retreated two steps, astonished. "Who, what's going on here? You dare!"
Elder Sun sighed and turned his head away.
Things would inevitably still develop in an irredeemable direction. The sounds of blades, spears, swords and halberds rang out again outside, accompanied by incredulous shrieks and screams, leaving bodies prostrate on the ground.
The nephew of Ju Noble Consort was escorted into the hall, covering his wound and stumbling to the end. "Your Highness, the agreed alliance has betrayed us. Li Qiang from the third team took action, killing all the people the Ju family has planted over the years."
Zhu Changhong's complexion gradually turned from red to pale. He staggered back two more steps, murmuring, "I said long ago not to go to extremes, said long ago not to be so extreme..."
