sbdcsierra Chapter 490 The Empress's Iron Fist Shakes the Court and the Country!
Chapter 490 The Empress's Iron Fist Shakes the Court and the Country!
The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of ruthlessness in each other's eyes.
"Royal sister, even now, are you still so stubborn?"
The third prince said sternly, "Father has already issued a decree. If you disobey again, don't blame us for not showing any brotherly affection!"
As he finished speaking, dozens of imperial guards stepped forward from both sides of the hall, their halberds pointing directly at Yan Yang, clearly having been prepared beforehand.
If she makes the slightest move, she will be captured on the spot.
Yan Yang slowly raised her head, her gaze from behind the mask sweeping over the murderous Imperial Guards, then over the smug faces of her "good younger brothers"...
Finally, the blame fell on the cowardly father sitting on the dragon throne.
"Don't you care about sibling affection?" She scoffed, her voice suddenly rising, clear and cold, "I'd like to see how you don't care!"
Before she finished speaking, she suddenly pulled a bone whistle from her waist!
It was that black bone whistle that once terrified the Pingzhou Army!
A sharp, short whistle suddenly rang out!
"Ugh——!"
Outside the main hall, a series of heavy, orderly footsteps and the screeching sound of metal scraping against metal could be heard.
"What's going on?!" The Third Prince's expression changed.
"Stop them!" The Fourth Prince also sensed something was wrong and hurriedly gave the order.
However, it was already too late.
"Boom!"
The heavy doors of the Golden Palace were violently smashed open by a tremendous force!
Dozens of "ghost soldiers," like demons from hell, surged into the hall!
Their target was clear: the imperial guards wielding halberds and the princes standing at the forefront!
"what!"
"Protect the prince!"
Screams, the clash of weapons, and the tearing of flesh filled the entire Golden Palace in an instant!
Those princes, who were used to being pampered, had never seen such a bloody scene before, and were already terrified out of their wits.
Although the Imperial Guards fought desperately, they were as fragile as paper and utterly helpless in the face of the fearless "ghost soldiers."
"Yan Yang! You...you're not planning a rebellion, are you?!"
The third prince was being choked by a "ghost soldier," his feet off the ground, as he screamed with difficulty, his eyes filled with fear and resentment.
Yan Yang walked towards him step by step, the golden mask gleaming eerily under the swaying palace lanterns.
“You’re right,” she said softly, like a whisper between lovers, yet it carried a chilling undertone.
"Crack!"
The "ghost soldier" suddenly tightened his grip, and the Third Prince's voice abruptly stopped, his head drooping limply.
Blood stained the pristine floor tiles of the Golden Palace.
"Witch! You...you dare to murder your own father!" The fourth prince was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, pointing at Yan Yang and uttering incoherently.
Yan Yang ignored him, simply raising his hand and gently removing the golden mask from his face.
When that face was revealed to everyone, a collective gasp filled the hall.
Beneath the mask was not the stunning beauty everyone imagined, but a face covered with crisscrossing scars!
The scars, varying in depth and grotesque in appearance, were almost unrecognizable from their original form.
"Did you see that clearly? Who gave you that face?"
Her gaze slowly swept over the horrified courtiers and her father, who was already pale as a ghost on the dragon throne.
"When I was ten years old, I went to the summer palace with my mother to escape the heat. We encountered assassins at night. The assassins' target was me."
"They say that the eldest princess should not live too long, as she is blocking other people's way."
"My mother died from multiple stab wounds while protecting me. It was then that they slashed my face with a poisoned dagger. If it weren't for my master's rescue, I would already be a skeleton."
"Who sent those assassins, Father? Do you really not know?" Her voice suddenly turned sharp as she stared directly at the dragon throne.
The emperor of Northern Yan trembled, opened his mouth, but could not utter a single word.
"Why can't women hold power?"
Yan Yang questioned sharply, her voice echoing in the blood-soaked hall, "I am the eldest princess of Northern Yan. In terms of birth, talent, and loyalty to Northern Yan, in what way am I inferior to these useless bastards who only know how to fight for power and harm their own brothers?!"
She pointed to the corpses of her brothers, who had long been slaughtered by the "ghost soldiers," without a trace of pity in her eyes.
"Today, I will tell you, and everyone in the world, who should be in charge of Northern Yan!"
Several elderly ministers stepped forward, trembling, and pointed at Yan Yang, angrily rebuking her: "Witch! You murdered your brothers, imprisoned your father and emperor, and committed heinous crimes! You will surely be punished by Heaven!"
Yan Yang looked at them coldly.
"Noisy."
As soon as she finished speaking, several "ghost soldiers" appeared behind the old minister like phantoms, their sharp claws slashing down, blood spurting out.
Inside the main hall, no one dared to utter a sound.
Yan Yang walked step by step toward the dragon throne.
Her father, the once high and mighty ruler of Northern Yan, was now trembling like a leaf, his eyes filled with nothing but fear.
“Father,” Yan Yang stood in front of the dragon throne, looking down at him, “you have been sitting in this position for too long.”
"In your hands, Northern Yan has grown weaker day by day, the people are suffering, and it is beset by internal and external troubles. It is time for you to abdicate."
The Northern Yan emperor's lips trembled as he tried to beg for mercy, but when he met his daughter's cold and ruthless eyes, all the words stuck in his throat.
He knew that resistance would only lead to his death.
Yan Yang didn't look at him again, turned around, and faced the assembled officials.
"From this day forward, I, Yan Yang, will be the only Empress of Northern Yan!"
"Those who disobey will be killed without mercy!"
The stench of blood in the imperial palace had not yet dissipated; it was so thick it was nauseating.
Yan Yang, no, at this moment he should be called the new emperor of Northern Yan, sat on the dragon throne, dressed in blood-stained court robes.
The scarred face appeared even more ferocious in the flickering candlelight.
Your Highness, the surviving courtiers were terrified and lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to even breathe.
The bloody massacre just now had completely shattered all their hopes and desire to resist.
"Preach my will."
"The deposed emperor is incompetent and foolish, which has led to the decline of the Northern Yan state and the boiling resentment of the people. He shall abdicate from this day forward and be imprisoned in Tai'an Palace. No one shall visit him without my decree."
Yan Yang's gaze swept across the area below, as if he were scrutinizing a group of ants.
"Furthermore, the Third Prince, the Fourth Prince and their cronies plotted rebellion, a crime that cannot be forgiven. Their property shall be confiscated, and all male members of their nine generations of relatives shall be executed, while the female members shall be sent to the brothels."
Cold, ruthless words have determined the life and death of countless people.
"As for my beloved ministers," Yan Yang's tone softened slightly, but it still carried a chilling edge, "I can let bygones be bygones regarding what happened before."
"But from this day forward, if anyone harbors any disloyalty, do not blame me for my blade being faster than theirs."
She raised her hand and gently stroked the armrest of the dragon throne, where the warmth of her father still seemed to linger.
"The problems in Northern Yan are deeply entrenched and cannot be cured without drastic measures."
"What I need are capable ministers and loyal ministers, not a bunch of useless people who only know how to flatter and scheme against each other."
Her gaze settled on several of the old ministers who had been the most vocal earlier but were now trembling the most.
Those people felt a chill run down their spines, and lowered their heads even further, wishing the ground would crack open so they could crawl into it.
The doors of the Golden Palace remained open.
The "ghost soldiers" outside the hall, like silent killing gods, blocked all exits.
Sunlight couldn't penetrate this gloomy hall; only death and fear permeated the air.
The news spread like wildfire from the capital to all parts of Northern Yan.
The Empress ascends the throne, murders her brother, and imprisons her father!
These eight words, like a thunderclap, resounded in the hearts of every Northern Yan person.
The former subordinates of the princess's residence, those generals who had followed Yan Yang in his campaigns across the north and south, were the calmest group at this moment.
They had long been familiar with the princess's methods and boldness.
Now, she has finally taken the seat she was always meant to be in.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on your ascension to the throne!" A group of officials, led by the Minister of War, were the first to react, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"
Seeing this, others followed suit, and for a time, the court was filled with commotion, as if the bloodshed and terror that had just occurred had never happened.
Yan Yang watched all of this with a cold eye, his face expressionless.
She knew how much of these people's submission was genuine and how much was out of fear.
But, she doesn't care.
What she wanted was absolute control.
In the following days, the capital of Northern Yan was filled with anxiety and fear.
The new emperor's iron-fisted methods were on full display.
All officials who have any connection with the princes, regardless of their rank, will be thoroughly investigated.
Any misconduct will be met with a thunderous strike.
For a time, everyone was in danger.