Jin Wang Dotes on His Concubine

Chapter 218.1

“Boom—”

A thunderous roar shattered the clear sky, instantly darkening the once-bright day. The atmosphere turned gloomy as heavy, rolling clouds seemed to plunge the day into night in an instant.

In the Eastern Palace, silence reigned supreme. No one dared to speak, and even their breaths were hushed.

Ever since the crown prince had reached his last moments, the once wise and valiant Emperor Jin’an had gone mad. Perhaps he had been mad all along, but no one had noticed.

Three days ago, the crown prince had passed away, and it was customary to prepare his body for burial, place him in Zi Palace, and then proceed with the funeral. However, His Majesty forbade anyone from touching the crown prince’s corpse. He and a group of monks and Taoists remained behind closed doors in the palace, performing some unknown rituals.

During these three days, there was no court assembly, and the emperor was nowhere to be seen. If it weren’t for the continuous chanting of Buddhist sutras and Daoist incantations echoing from the palace, it would have been unbearable.

As a result, the eyes of all the court officials, consorts and imperial concubines were fixed on this place.

Madness! Even if the crown prince was the emperor’s only heir, this was excessive. Truly, it was madness!

But no one dared to utter such words, not even in their dreams. Ever since this emperor defied the world and ascended the Dragon Throne, he had proved himself to be an authoritarian and ruthless ruler. Over the years, many ministers who opposed him in court had mysteriously disappeared, and those who were given beatings were countless. The civil officials were known for having a penchant for challenging emperors, but after witnessing his methods, they were all filled with dread at the thought of going against him.

Travelling a thousand miles to serve the government was primarily for wealth, and even if not for wealth, it was for fame. But having fame without life was also regrettable. How many people in this world could escape death?

As for this emperor, apart from his tyranny, he was surprisingly benevolent when it came to governance and the well-being of the people. Since ascending the throne, he had achieved a state of harmony and prosperity, creating a thriving nation.

Except for two taboo topics: the crown prince and the imperial harem.

Most of the time, Emperor Jin’an seemed nothing like a man in the eyes of his ministers. How many men could maintain such purity and abstention for decades? There were even rumours among the common folk that Emperor Jin’an was impotent, but there were also rumours of his exceptional prowess, although these were just speculations.

Fu Cheng led a group of eunuchs to guard outside the palace gate. From time to time, he looked at the closed palace door with grief and anxiety hidden in his eyes.

He had been here for three days and nights, exhausted to the point of dozing off while standing. He ate and drank casually, but he dared not leave as long as the emperor remained inside. Below the steps and at the palace gate, a formation of heavily armoured imperial guards stood vigilant.

Emperor Jin’an had issued a stern warning: unauthorized entry would be met with a death sentence.

Even so, many imperial princes and high-ranking officials had attempted to enter the palace, but they were all blocked outside the Eastern Palace.

Inside the sleeping chamber, translucent yellow veils fluttered, concealing the figure lying quietly behind them.

Around the bed, dozens of high-ranking monks and Taoists sat, their eyes tightly closed, continuously chanting. Several other monks and Taoists in similar attire sat on the floor nearby. The unceasing Buddhist chants and incantations from these individuals were the only source of sound, as they took turns performing the rituals.

Even so, their faces were pale, their lips parched, and it was evident that they were nearing their limits.

In one corner of the chamber, behind the fluttering veils, a person sat quietly like a statue, motionless. Standing next to him was a Daoist with a youthful appearance, his demeanour serene, but his eyes revealed a sense of sorrow.

Suddenly, another thunderous roar echoed, and raindrops the size of beans began to fall, pounding on the yellow-glazed tiles. The rain intensified rapidly as if the heavens had torn open, and the sound of the pouring rain could even be heard inside the palace.

The rain was so heavy that it suppressed all other sounds within the chamber. The chants and incantations grew louder and more urgent, to the point that even those nearby couldn’t decipher their syllables. Suddenly, a monk collapsed, followed by several more.

As soon as one person fell, another took their place, but the number of fallen individuals kept increasing, and there were not enough people left to replace them.

Click—

With another thunderclap, Han Chuanzi shouted loudly, “Stop!”

Although his voice didn’t sound particularly loud, it sent shivers down everyone’s spine, and the chamber fell into complete silence. Not even a breath could be heard.

The person sitting there suddenly moved and stood up. “Master Han, is it done?”

Han Chuanzi sighed inwardly. “Your Majesty, this humble servant has promised to do the best to my abilities. Everything else is left to fate.”

The person was dressed in bright yellow, standing behind the fluttering veils, making it impossible to see his face clearly. It was only known that he was tall and carried an imposing demeanour.

Suddenly, he moved again. “An excellent balance between human effort and destiny! Master Han and the other high-ranking monks and Taoists have worked hard. Zhen will fulfill the promise Zhen has made to all of you.”

With those words, he walked toward the palace door.

Finally, after days of being sealed shut, the palace doors opened from the inside. Fu Cheng breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the person who emerged.

“Your Majesty.”

“Prepare for the crown prince’s funeral according to imperial customs, a grand burial ceremony.”

Emperor Jin’an had only one son, and after the crown prince’s death, the court was in turmoil.

The late emperor had eight sons in total, but three had passed away by the thirty-second year of his reign. Now, apart from Emperor Jin’an, who had ascended the throne as the ninth emperor of the Dagan Dynasty, there were only a few princes left: An Wang, Qing Wang, Lu Wang, and Wu Wang. Among them, An Wang, who caused a scandal two years ago, had been confined by Emperor Jin’an. In other words, there were only three imperial princes left.

These three princes had a complicated relationship. Qing Wang, who had been favoured by the emperor in his early years, had fallen out of favour for unknown reasons in recent years. As for Lu Wang and Wu Wang, Emperor Jin’an had always treated them with indifference. In this uncertain situation, everyone believed they had a chance, but it was impossible to predict the outcome.

Emperor Jin’an had also not made any indications, fueling the speculation surrounding the matter of succession.