Yun Shu revealed her final hand with disarming calm. The deposed Crown Prince's composed expression finally cracked.
With a snarl, he snatched the sword from the waist of the black-armored guard beside him, turned sharply, and pressed its blade against Marquis Xuanping's neck. His face twisted with fury.
"You dare betray Gu?"
"Your old subject has done no such thing! I know nothing!"
Marquis Xuanping had no idea how events had spiraled so wildly out of control. One moment he was chasing glory, the next he was on the verge of witnessing his own clan's annihilation.
Panic surged in his chest. And then—cold steel touched his throat. He knew then that if he said nothing, it would not be Emperor Xuanwu who judged him, but the very blade poised above his skin. The Crown Prince, in his desperation, might well send him to the afterlife before the Emperor could lift a finger.
Heart pounding, he made a sudden decision and took his stand—openly, this time—beside the deposed heir.
"Your Highness, now is not the time to fall into chaos. We do not yet know the situation outside the palace. Perhaps… it is still our forces who hold the upper hand."
"...You are right."
Whether Yun Chucheng truly found logic in those words, or whether he was merely grasping for one last shred of hope, no one could say. But for a moment, a flicker of resolve returned to his eyes.
"The outcome is not yet decided. Gu still has a chance!"
Yun Shu let out a quiet laugh.
"Dreams are sweet, are they not? You do indeed still have a chance… a chance to be reborn in your next life."
"You—"
"Silence."
She returned the same scornful command he had thrown at her earlier. From outside the hall came the sound of hurried footsteps and rising clamor. Yun Shu lifted her chin slightly.
"Did you not say the victor has yet to be determined? Well, now we know."
So the battle had ended?
The Crown Prince's heart stuttered.
He spun around just in time to see the former commander of Marquis Xuanping's forces enter the Hall of Linde. For a split second, relief and hope bloomed across his face.
But it vanished almost instantly.
With tears streaming down his cheeks, the man fell to his knees.
"Your Highness, forgive me. This subordinate has failed you."
A dull, ringing silence fell.
The smile froze on Yun Chucheng's lips. It had not even fully formed. His mind went blank, staring as Zuo Fengxin kicked aside the kneeling man and strode with thunderous steps to kneel before Emperor Xuanwu and Yun Shu. His voice rang out, bold and steady.
"Your Majesty, I return in triumph. The mission is complete."
"Good."
It was the first time Emperor Xuanwu had spoken since Yun Shu took command of the situation. At last, he raised his cold gaze and declared in a voice that cut like iron:
"Yun Chucheng, the deposed Crown Prince, has committed high treason and dared to rebel.
Fortunately, Our fifth daughter Yun Shu, gifted with intelligence and foresight, possesses both grace and strength, with a virtuous reputation that reaches near and far. She foresaw Yun Chucheng's treachery, and prepared accordingly. Her service in this matter brings great comfort to Our heart.
Henceforth, We name her Crown Princess, heir to the Eastern Palace, to uphold the dynasty and unite the hearts of the realm."
He named her—named Yun Shu Crown Princess?
The court had barely finished reeling from the shock of the failed coup. Princess Sheng An had prepared long in advance. The Crown Prince had been seized. Yet now came another blow.
The hall fell into stunned silence.
Even Yun Shu herself had not anticipated this.
True, when she had relayed Ji Yongtian's intelligence to Emperor Xuanwu, he had temporarily granted her command over both the Imperial Guards and the Capital Garrison, allowing her full authority in handling the threat.
At the time, she suspected that he might be weighing her as a possible heir.
But she had thought it only a trial. A test.
She never imagined he would hand her the title outright, with no hesitation.
Still, it was undoubtedly a blessing.
Her initial shock passed quickly. Yun Shu was the first to recover her composure, stepping forward to receive the decree with solemn grace.
The ministers behind her, particularly those displeased with her appointment, reacted too slowly. Their faces flushed an ugly shade of liver-red. Some itched to protest, but in such a moment—surrounded by defeat and blood—no one dared utter a word.
Only the deposed Crown Prince erupted.
To him, the most unbearable blow was not his failed rebellion, but that Emperor Xuanwu's first official act afterward was not his punishment, but the crowning of Yun Shu.
Fury roared up in his chest, bursting out in a mouthful of blood.
"Ha… ha ha ha ha…"
At first, it was a quiet, bitter chuckle. Then wild, frenzied laughter echoed through the hall. He laughed until his eyes brimmed with tears.
At last, Yun Chucheng raised a trembling hand and wiped the blood from his lips. His gaze, sharp with derision, locked onto Emperor Xuanwu.
"To think… I became the stepping stone that helped Yun Shu ascend to the Eastern Palace.
So Father Emperor knew. You knew all along that making her Crown Princess would stir fierce opposition.
And so, to pave the path for your beloved daughter, you had no choice but to sacrifice your son.
With the coup still fresh and the court yet to recover, you rushed to end all doubts. Ha…
A simple blade to the neck would have sufficed, yet you chose to be cruel."
He had to make him watch. To witness Yun Shu's elevation with his own eyes. To realize that even a treasonous Crown Prince, even one who dared rebellion, was still less valuable than her future.
Gu.
Yes, that title fit him now more than ever.
The splendor of the past had faded. What remained was only isolation.
He lowered his gaze to the sword still in his hand. A cold, thin smile touched his lips.
"Fifth Sister's birthday… and she is named Crown Princess. Such joy upon joy. Gu has no grand gifts to offer, so why not give you a life instead?"
"Ah ku!"
Yun Shu's pupils contracted sharply. The moment she understood his intent, a dark figure flashed before her and knocked the sword from his grip. In the next breath, the deposed prince was forced to the ground.
He struggled, but it was in vain. The calmness of his earlier resolve crumbled into pitiful, snarling rage.
"Yun Shu, don't pretend to be the righteous one here! You—"
"Second Brother, you misunderstand," Yun Shu interrupted coldly. "This Princess has no desire to play the good woman. I simply find your presence… distasteful."
She had no wish for her birthday, from this day forward, to be haunted by such an ill omen.
With a cold glance toward Yun Chucheng, she turned back to Emperor Xuanwu.
"Father Emperor, might this matter be postponed until the day has passed?"
"Did you not hear the Crown Princess speak?"
Bloodshed was ill fortune on a festive day.
Yun Chucheng had chosen this very occasion to rebel—there was no changing that. But since he had been captured alive, punishment could be delayed.
Emperor Xuanwu waved his hand, face still cold as frost. The Imperial Guards received his command and moved swiftly, dragging out the traitors and restoring order.
Yet though the banquet could resume, the atmosphere had been shattered beyond repair.
Yun Shu understood this well.
So instead of pretending, she dismissed the gathering altogether.