FVN 126. Court meeting
126. Court meeting
The civil and military officials, dressed in their court robes, stood in neat rows according to their rank, awaiting the emperor's end of his fast. An unusual tension permeated the air; even the ministers, who were usually fond of whispering among themselves, remained silent.
Lin Mo, dressed in the uniform of a fourth-rank military officer, stood in the middle of the military officer ranks. His gaze swept across the entire area, noticing that the guards around the Imperial Ancestral Temple had indeed been replaced, no longer Han Zhen's confidants. Even more unsettling was the presence of members of the Heavenly Demon Guard scattered around the square; they were dressed in black, close-fitting outfits, with swords at their waists, and eyes as sharp as eagles.
Standing in the ranks of civil officials, Zhang Yuan exchanged a glance with Lin Mo and gently shook his head. This meant that most of the royal relatives they had contacted were not present today, clearly frightened away by the events of the previous night.
Zhao Mingcheng, as the representative of the border army, stood at the end of the military officers' ranks. Behind him were two personal guards, who appeared to be ordinary bodyguards, but were actually the best of the best in the border army.
Master Qingyun did not appear in the square. He hid in a bell tower in the distance, holding a celestial mirror and closely monitoring the movements inside the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
"His Majesty has arrived!" The eunuch's shrill voice broke the silence.
The gates of the Imperial Ancestral Temple slowly opened, and the emperor, dressed in sacrificial robes and wearing a twelve-tassel crown, walked out. His expression was calm, but his eyes revealed a hint of coldness that was difficult to detect.
Lin Mo held his breath; this was the most crucial moment. According to the plan, Li Yan, the last surviving son of the Crown Prince, should appear at this time. However, the square was completely silent, without any movement.
Supported by eunuchs, the emperor walked towards the prepared imperial carriage. All the civil and military officials knelt in unison, saying, "Welcome, Your Majesty!"
Lin Mo was anxious. If the emperor were to board the imperial carriage and head to the Temple of Heaven, they would never have another chance. He looked at Zhang Yuan, who also looked bewildered.
At this critical moment, a young boy's voice came from behind the crowd: "Royal Uncle!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man dressed in plain clothes rush out from the ranks of officials and head straight for the emperor. It was none other than Li Yan, the last surviving son of the crown prince!
The emperor paused, a flicker of shock crossing his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "Who is making this disturbance?"
The Heavenly Demon Guard immediately stepped forward, attempting to stop Li Yan. However, Li Yan was agile and slipped through the gap between two guards, rushing straight towards the emperor.
"Doesn't Imperial Uncle recognize Yan'er?" Li Yan's voice choked with emotion. "I am the Crown Prince's son!"
An uproar erupted in the square. The crown prince had been dead for many years, and his descendants were rumored to have been murdered long ago. His sudden appearance now took everyone by surprise.
The emperor's face darkened: "Nonsense! The Crown Prince's line has long since died out. Who instructed you to dare impersonate a member of the royal family?"
Lin Mo knew the time was right. He strode out of the ranks, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, this man is indeed the Crown Prince's orphan. I can testify to that."
All eyes were on Lin Mo. The Emperor looked at him coldly: "Minister Lin, do you know what you're saying?"
"Your Majesty, I understand perfectly well." Lin Mo raised his head, his gaze piercing. "Not only that, Your Majesty, I also wish to ask why you have not stepped into the Imperial Ancestral Temple for the past three years? Why is there no dragon-shaped mark on the back of your neck, characteristic of the royal bloodline?"
These words struck like a thunderclap in the square. The ministers exchanged bewildered glances, whispers rising and falling among them.
A murderous glint flashed in the emperor's eyes: "How dare you, Lin Mo, slander me!"
"Your Majesty, I dare not slander you. I only request verification." Lin Mo did not back down. "If Your Majesty is indeed of royal blood, please allow us to examine the mark on the back of your neck."
At this moment, Zhang Yuan also stepped forward from the ranks: "Your Majesty, I second your opinion! The imperial bloodline mark is left by our ancestors, and all emperors throughout history have possessed it. If Your Majesty has a clear conscience, what is there to fear in verifying it?"
Zhao Mingcheng immediately stepped forward: "The 100,000 soldiers of the border army are also willing to testify for the Crown Prince's orphan, requesting Your Majesty to verify the bloodline!"
More and more officials began to echo this sentiment, and the atmosphere in the square became increasingly tense.
The emperor's face turned ashen, then he suddenly burst into laughter: "Good! What a test! Are you all planning a rebellion?"
At that moment, a strange change occurred. The emperor's ceremonial robes fluttered without wind, and black mist began to emanate from his body. Officials who were nearby retreated in terror, for the emperor's face was changing—his skin turned ashen, his eyes became completely black, and fangs grew from his mouth.
"Since you've chosen your own death, don't blame me for being ruthless!" the demon roared, now fully revealing his true form.
Lin Mo was prepared and shouted, "Form the formation!"
The disciples of the Qingyun Daoist, hidden among the officials, immediately sprang into action. They took out talismans from their sleeves and swiftly set up a massive array on the plaza. Golden light flashed, trapping the Heavenly Demon in the center.
"Heavenly Demon! You have occupied the throne for three years, wreaking havoc on the court. Today is your end!" Lin Mo drew his sword and pointed it directly at the Heavenly Demon.
The Heavenly Demon laughed wildly: "You ants?"
With a wave of his hand, black demonic energy spread outwards as if it were tangible. Several officials who were directly affected by the demonic energy immediately collapsed to the ground in agony.
The members of the Heavenly Demon Guard also revealed their true forms; they were no longer human, but various ferocious demons. Chaos erupted in the square, and civil and military officials scattered and fled.
"Protect the Crown Prince's orphan!" Lin Mo shouted, joining Zhang Yuan, Zhao Mingcheng, and others to protect Li Yan in the middle.
Master Qingyun leaped down from the bell tower, peach wood sword in hand, and joined the battle: "Demon, cease your arrogance!"
The Taoist priest's arrival temporarily stabilized the situation, as his talismans had a clear restraining effect on the Heavenly Demon. However, the Heavenly Demon was too powerful and quickly broke through the formation's constraints.
"You think you can defeat me like this?" The Heavenly Demon hovered in mid-air, his demonic energy surging. "This physical body is merely a vessel; you cannot even imagine my true form!"
Lin Mo gritted his teeth and persevered, knowing that it would be difficult for them alone to subdue the Heavenly Demon. According to the plan, the border troops should have arrived to provide support by this time, but for some reason they had not yet arrived.
At this critical moment, the sound of orderly footsteps suddenly came from afar. A troop of imperial guards broke through the outer perimeter of the square, led by none other than Han Zhen!
"Imperial Guards, heed my command! Protect the officials and slay the demons!" Han Zhen shouted, leading the Imperial Guards into battle.
With the addition of the Imperial Guards, the tide of battle began to turn. Although ordinary soldiers could hardly harm the Heavenly Demon, they successfully held back the Heavenly Demon's guards.
Seeing the situation was dire, the Heavenly Demon suddenly rushed towards Li Yan, who was being protected in the center: "This bloodline cannot be spared!"
Lin Mo bravely stepped in front of Li Yan, clashing head-on with the Heavenly Demon. The immense impact sent him flying several feet, spitting out blood.
"Lord Lin!" Zhang Yuan exclaimed.
Just as the Heavenly Demon was about to succeed, a golden light suddenly shone in the sky. A huge jade seal descended from the sky, striking the Heavenly Demon directly on the head.
"The Imperial Seal of the State!" an experienced minister exclaimed in surprise.
The jade seal emitted a soft yet powerful golden light, which shone on the Heavenly Demon, causing him to let out a painful roar.
Daoist Qingyun was overjoyed: "The Imperial Seal in the Imperial Ancestral Temple! It sensed the crisis facing the royal family and protected its master on its own!"
Under the suppression of the Imperial Seal, the Heavenly Demon's strength was greatly reduced. He roared angrily, "Impossible! This body is clearly of royal blood, why is the Imperial Seal attacking me?"
Lin Mo struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth: "Because you are ultimately not the true emperor! The Imperial Seal carries the destiny of the Li Tang dynasty; how could it possibly recognize a thief as its master?"
Under the suppression of the Jade Seal, the Heavenly Demon was forced to retreat step by step, eventually turning into a wisp of black smoke as it attempted to escape the plaza.
"We can't let him get away!" Qingyun Daoist shouted, throwing out several talismans to form a wall of light, blocking the Heavenly Demon's path.
Han Zhen led the Imperial Guards to surround the Heavenly Demon.
The Demon King surveyed his surroundings, then suddenly sneered, "You think this is over? Soon, true terror will descend upon this world!"
After saying this, his body suddenly exploded, turning into countless black dots that scattered in all directions. Most of the black dots were purified by the golden light of the jade seal, but some still managed to escape.
The square gradually returned to calm, leaving only devastation and shaken officials.
Lin Mo forced himself to walk to the center of the square and picked up the Imperial Seal of the State that was floating in the air. The seal trembled slightly in his hand, as if acknowledging his identity.
"Fellow colleagues!" Lin Mo raised the imperial seal high. "What happened today is clear to all of you. The emperor was replaced by a demon, but fortunately, the Imperial Ancestral Temple appeared and the Imperial Seal protected him, thus averting a great disaster."
He turned to the still-shaken Li Yan: "The crown prince's orphan is here; he is of the rightful royal bloodline. In this extraordinary time, an extraordinary ruler must be established!"
Zhang Yuan was the first to kneel and bow: "Your Majesty, I request that the Crown Prince's orphan temporarily assume the reins of government to stabilize the situation!"
Zhao Mingcheng and Han Zhen also knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, we second that proposal!"
With one leader taking the lead, more and more officials began to kneel in worship. Everything that had happened today was too shocking; they needed time to process it, but the current situation was crystal clear.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Li Yan appeared somewhat flustered. Lin Mo walked to his side and whispered, "Your Highness, the future of the Tang Dynasty rests in your hands."
The young man took a deep breath, straightened his back, and faced the assembled officials: "I am young and should not bear this heavy responsibility. However, with the nation in peril, I dare not refuse. I implore my esteemed ministers to assist me in restoring our nation and reviving the Tang Dynasty!"
Although his voice was still young, it carried an undeniable firmness. At that moment, he seemed to truly possess the bearing of an emperor.
Lin Mo felt slightly relieved watching this scene. However, he knew that the real battle had only just begun. Although the Heavenly Demon had been banished, his threat was far from gone. Moreover, his threatening words before his departure still echoed in his ears.
What, then, is the real terror?