The Emperor and His Thief

Becoming the Emperor
The news of the Emperor’s assassination spreads quickly. The palace was in chaos and Qin YiJun who is the successor of the throne was rushed to protection. Qin YiJun who had lost his mother at young age now felt miserable after getting the news of his father’s death. He was escorted to the Emperor’s study by both the Crimson Guards and the Shadow Guards. When he arrived, he saw Qin LuoZhuo inside, waiting for him.

“YiJun, you’re here,” Qin LuoZhuo said with an aggrieved expression on his face. “The Emperor… has passed and the court would be restless in the morning. You are the Crown Prince, and thus, you have to assume the throne,” as Qin LuoZhuo said this, he took out a scroll as well as the Imperial Jade Seal from the box on top of the table.

“This is the edict that my brother made, and also the Imperial Jade Seal which is the symbol of the true heir. And now, they belong to you. Only…” he paused as he looked over at Qin YiJun who seemed to be overwhelmed with all that has happened. “YiJun, you are still young. Your grasp within the court is still non-existence. If you agree to it, your uncle can act as the regent until you solidify your influence in the court.”

“I…” Qin YiJun hesitated before finally shaking his head. “No. If I am to ascend the throne now, the citizens will talk. We must first catch the assassin. The news of… Imperial Father’s assassination must not be leaked outside,” Qin YiJun said as he approached the table and took the seal and the edict. “I will hold onto this but until the assassin has been caught—“

“YiJun… I actually do not want to tell you when you are still in turmoil but seeing that you are calm, I believe you should be able to handle this news,” Qin LuoZhuo said as he went closer to Qin YiJun. Placing both his hands on Qin YiJun’s shoulder, he looked at his nephew straight in the eyes. “The assassin was caught earlier in the act. The assassin’s identity… is Li FangMing.”

“Impossible! Li FangMing has yet to return from his training with his master,” Qin YiJun immediately refuted. “Royal uncle better not joke with this! I know Li FangMing well. He is like a brother to me, he won’t harm Imperial Father!”

“I am not joking. We caught him red-handed! When he was found, royal brother’s body were still warm and the dagger was on his hand! If he didn’t do it, who did?!” Qin LuoZhuo asked back. He had already expected that this nephew of him would not believe him so he planned to simply pressure the younger male.

“It can be anyone, but it definitely won’t be Li FangMing,” Qin YiJun replied.

“YiJun, I am not the only one who had seen it! There are several others! It really is unfortunate but this is the truth!” Qin LuoZhuo decided to lay out his card.

“No. I do not believe it.”

“Qin YiJun, you are blinded by your affection. That person who you treat as your brother has been planning this for a while now. Did you know that he had been training assassination technique from Hao Shuren?” Qin LuoZhuo asked.

Qin YiJun glared at his uncle. “What of it?” he asked back. He couldn’t say that he knew because he truly doesn’t. Li FangMing had promised to tell him tonight, but then this happened.

“Don’t you think that it is weird that he’s learning assassination technique? He said he’s learning from Hao Shuren so that he could protect you but to learn assassination? What use is there?”

“Royal uncle… why do I feel like you are trying to push all the blame to Li FangMing?” Qin YiJun couldn’t help but ask. He is starting to feel that there is a deeper plot in this incident.

Qin LuoZhuo just sighed and then walked away. “It seems that no matter what your uncle say, royal nephew will not believe any of it. Then, your uncle can only give you more proof. Follow me to the court hall.”

The two went to the Imperial Court Hall and then, Qin LuoZhuo proceeded to summon the witnesses, the court ministers, as well as Li FangMing. The witnesses and the court ministers arrived quickly despite how late it is but Li FangMing is still missing. While waiting, Qin LuoZhuo had decided to inform them of the current situation and the atmosphere within the court hall turned solemn. They were also condemning the assassin in their heart and couldn’t wait to find out who had dared to kill the Emperor.

They waited for a while until some became restless and impatient. The wait was finally over when several guards entered with a fully restrained Li FangMing.

Qin YiJun could see that Li FangMing was full of injuries and he felt rage bubbling up within him. “What do you think you’re doing?” Qin YiJun asked in a low voice.

“Your Highness,” one of the guards went forward and knelt down before Qin YiJun and Qin LuoZhuo. “Please forgive our tardiness. The convict had tried to escape earlier so we had to—“

“That is now what this prince is asking!” Qin YiJun roared out in anger before he took a long stride over to where Li FangMing is only to be stopped by the guards.

“Your Highness! Please keep your distance away. He’s dangerous! He had already injured many of us when we tried to bring him over.”

Qin YiJun was getting angry and he glared at the guard who stopped him. Then his eyes went to Li FangMing who was full of injury. The other had his head lowered so Qin YiJun couldn’t see his face. “Ming-er…” he called out in a low voice, not caring that the guards nearby would hear him or not.

Upon hearing his name being called, Li FangMing finally lifts up his head. His eyes met with Qin YiJun and suddenly, there were so many things that he wanted to tell Qin YiJun. He had just opened his mouth when he saw Qin LuoZhuo behind Qin YiJun. He could see the older man smile at him mockingly, as if daring Li FangMing to open his mouth to speak.

Li FangMing remembered what Qin LuoZhuo had told him before, and he glanced back to Qin YiJun, eyes filled with guilt before he looked away. He couldn’t see Qin YiJun’s expression but he could hear Qin LuoZhuo’s voice.

“Royal nephew, you have seen it yourself. He didn’t even bother to explain himself, it just shows that he is guilty,” Qin LuoZhuo told his nephew. “And now, everyone present could see it. YiJun… you must find justice for imperial brother… this criminal must be punished.”

“No. There must be an explanation for this,” Qin YiJun said as he gazed at Li FangMing. “Ming-er…” Qin YiJun called out again. “Tell me what happened. You know that I’ll believe you, right?”

Li FangMing heard it but he can only shake his head. Remembering Qin LuoZhuo’s threat, he couldn’t risk telling Qin YiJun.

“We have seen what we needed to see. Earlier, Li FangMing had assassinated the Emperor and when he is brought over to explain himself, he decided to keep quiet. We do not know if he have other accomplice or not, but the severity of his crime is enough for his family up to 9th generation to be punishable by death,” Qin LuoZhuo said out loud for everyone to hear.

Qin YiJun turned to Qin LuoZhuo and gave him a warning. “Royal uncle, do not overstep your authority…”

“My dear nephew, how am I overstepping my authority? The Emperor had been murdered. As his brother, I have the right to give him justice. Everyone present here loves the Emperor and now that their beloved Emperor had been taken away from them, they also want to see the criminal punished. Is that wrong?”

As if on cue, the court ministers, one by one started to kneel down and kowtowed to the crown prince. “Asking the crown prince to punish the criminal and get justice for the Emperor!”

The sentence kept on reverberating in the court hall until every single court ministers present pleaded Qin YiJun. Without even any proof, they have long decided that Li FangMing is the assassin and it made Qin YiJun feels disappointed and betrayed.

“SILENCE!!”

Qin YiJun looked around in rage. He saw how the ministers are now shaking in fear. “In accordance to Emperor Qin WuZhen’s Imperial Edict, Crown Prince, Qin YiJun will ascend the throne the moment of his death. As it is the wish of Imperial Father, Zhen shall now take the Dragon Throne and assume the responsibility of the Emperor.”

Hearing this, the ministers were shocked for a few seconds before they recovered and gathered their wits. “The servants sees His Majesty, the Emperor! Wansui! Wansui! Wan Wansui!”

Qin YiJun then turned to Qin LuoZhuo who is still standing in shock. It seemed that Qin LuoZhuo did not expect that his nephew would have taken this route.

“Still not kneeling before your Emperor?”

Qin YiJun’s voice was cold and devoid of any emotion. The coldness of his gaze was enough to tell Qin LuoZhuo how serious Qin YiJun was so he quickly got to his knees and kowtowed to the new Emperor. Seeing how everyone had finally turned obedient, Qin YiJun turned his attention back towards Li FangMing.

Now that everyone had their heads on the ground, no one should be able to stop Qin YiJun from approaching Li FangMing and yet, just as he took a step forward, Li FangMing himself shook his head.

“Ming-er…?” Qin YiJun eyed Li FangMing, silently asking questions as to why he wouldn’t let him near.

In response, Li FangMing just smiled at the new Emperor. He then knelt down on the floor and despite his hands being bound behind him; he still lowered his head until they touched the floor. “Li FangMing sees the Emperor…” he murmured in a soft voice.