In my previous life, I killed my whole family. In my next life, I killed the royal family.

Empress Lu raised her lips slightly and placed her eldest son on the dragon throne. She stood aside and looked at the civil and military officials below with a smile.

The ministers knelt on the ground and shouted: "Long live the emperor, long live the emperor!"

The young emperor succeeded to the throne smoothly, but the officials sighed in their hearts: It has only been half a year, and two emperors have been replaced. I hope this young child can grow up to be a wise monarch.

"My dear ministers, please stand up." Empress Dowager Lu spoke on behalf of the little emperor who was crying softly.

Supreme power is the most courageous thing. In an instant, Empress Dowager Lu transformed from a helpless and weak woman into the most decisive person in the country.

Empress Dowager Lu continued, "The late emperor has passed away, and the new emperor is deeply saddened. But the country cannot be without a ruler for a day. The new emperor will live up to the trust of the late emperor and work hard to learn how to govern the country and make our dynasty prosperous. Today, I am here to discuss the funeral of the late emperor with you, my dear ministers."

The Prime Minister immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "The late emperor has passed away, and the whole country is in mourning. We are willing to listen to the Empress Dowager's order and discuss the funeral arrangements together."

Empress Dowager Lu nodded slightly, with a hint of pride in her eyes.

Empress Dowager Lü first complained of being poor: "There is no silver in the national treasury. The gold and silver in the inner treasury have been stolen. There is no silver for funerals."

"Ah!" Everyone present was stunned.

The royal family was poorer than anyone present and didn't even have the money to hold a funeral.

Apart from the emperors who lost their country in war, this late emperor is probably the most tragic emperor in history.

The late emperor had been on the throne for less than three months and had no reign title. He suddenly died of illness and the construction of the underground palace had not even begun.

The officials present still thought that Empress Dowager Lu was complaining about being poor and would ask every official to donate money for the funeral. They were all prepared to bleed heavily.

But Empress Dowager Lu said nicely, "It will be New Year's Eve in two days. It would be inconvenient to keep the late emperor until the New Year. Why not move the late emperor to the imperial mausoleum today and move his body in after the underground palace is built? What do you think?"

The Queen Mother said this, and although the people present were surprised, they were of course willing in their hearts.

It's too late. Who would be willing to stand guard over the dead and cry for the dead in the cold?

"We will obey the Queen's order." The royal family and civil and military officials answered in unison.

They thought to themselves: This is retribution. The late emperor treated his mother, Empress Dowager Li, in the same way. She died the day before and was immediately moved to the imperial mausoleum without even a funeral.

After the new emperor ascended the throne, under the instructions of Empress Dowager Lu, the people in the harem quickly put the late emperor into an exquisite coffin, and then sent people to escort the coffin to the imperial mausoleum immediately.

The reasons that Empress Dowager Lu gave for sending the late emperor away from the capital in such a hurry were all excuses. In fact, Empress Dowager Lu was full of resentment towards the late emperor in her heart.

When the late emperor first ascended the throne, the prime minister proposed to establish a crown prince, but the late emperor firmly opposed it and delayed establishing her eldest son as the crown prince. This made her very angry.

Now that the late emperor has passed away, she and her two sons are in a difficult situation because they have no official status, and they were almost killed on the spot.

Empress Dowager Lu cursed secretly in her heart: "You are a heartless and ungrateful person. Why should I hold a grand funeral for you and waste my son's treasury money in vain?" Therefore, she couldn't wait to send the late emperor away, hoping to seize power as soon as possible and become the real master.

The little emperor doesn't understand anything now, and she has the final say in everything.

Even though Empress Dowager Lu did not know how to manage state affairs, she knew that she should make use of people who were loyal to her and the young emperor.

Before the Queen Mother Lu gave out the reward, she called General Cheng to ask, "Did you listen to the Lu family and risk entering the palace to protect the new emperor and me?"

General Cheng told the Queen Mother the truth, "Your Majesty, it was someone from the Qi Mansion who asked me to come and protect you."

"Someone said that Zuo Xing wanted to harm the queen and the two princes, so go and protect the queen, so I brought him here."

Empress Dowager Lu nodded, "The people of the Qi Mansion have always been loyal to the emperor."

She asked again: "Was Zuo Xing killed by your people?"

This is a great achievement, so great that General Cheng can be conferred a title of nobility.

General Cheng also knew that this was a great achievement. He regretted that he rushed into the palace a step too late and was unable to kill Zuo Xing with his own hands.

He really wanted to get the title, so he nodded and said yes. Then he thought: That master said I was a good person, how could I take credit for the title? Wasn't it that master who killed Zuo Xing?

General Cheng said honestly: "Madam, it was not me who killed Zuo Xing."

Empress Dowager Lu asked in surprise: "Who could that be?"

General Cheng just shook his head, "I don't know who it is."

Empress Dowager Lu called her brother over and asked, "Did someone from the Lu family enter the palace and kill Zuo Xing?"

He said: "He is not from our Lu Mansion. None of us has such good skills to enter the palace and kill Zuo Xing under the defense of tens of thousands of guards."

General Cheng saw that Empress Dowager Lu was still looking for who killed Zuo Xing. He hesitated for a moment and whispered, "I know someone who might have done it."

"who is it?"

"A guard from the Qi Mansion." General Cheng whispered that the man had great martial arts skills.

"Zuo Xing was pinned to the ground by her and couldn't move."

"Later, the Lu family sent ten people to assassinate Miss Qi, and she killed seven of them and injured three."

"Such great skills." Empress Dowager Lu was shocked. "I'm afraid she killed Zuo Xing and saved us mother and son."

"I'm afraid it's her."

Empress Dowager Lu murmured, "If she is willing to enter the palace, I will appoint her as the deputy commander of the imperial guards."

She was almost killed by Zuo Xing when his child was snatched away from her. She was still in shock and wished she had an expert to protect her day and night.

"Your Majesty, this kind of person is very stubborn and will only recognize one master." General Cheng advised, "At the critical moment, as long as the Qi family protects the emperor and the queen, it will be fine."

Queen Mother Lu was silent for a long time, thinking to herself: If a capable person changes his master casually, it means that he is not loyal.

It's more dangerous to keep such a person around me. What if he wants to kill me for the people in Qi Mansion?

She thought it through and said, "That's right, I won't force you then."

Next, after consulting with the Prime Minister, Empress Dowager Lu issued an imperial decree in the name of the young emperor on this day, conferring rewards:

Prime Minister Pei was conferred the title of Duke Protector of the Country.

The Minister of War, Wu Shangshu, was conferred the title of Marquis of Fenggong.

Qi Lu's military power was restored and he was given the title of Marquis Yi Zhong. His eldest son Qi Ze's official position was restored and he remained the Minister of Revenue.

The Lu Mansion was named the Shanguo Duke Mansion.

The Li Mansion was restored as the Huiguo Mansion.

General Cheng was the commander of the Imperial Guard;

Empress Dowager Lu's nephew Lu Linmo was the deputy commander.

General Cheng's deputy general was promoted to the rank of general protecting the city and other officials, and the generals who took the lead in rushing into the harem to rescue Empress Dowager Lu and the prince were all promoted.

She also granted two marriages on the same day: Princess Yonghe married Lu Fengyun on the same day.

Princess Yongping will marry Zuo Dai, the master of Zuo Mansion, and will also get married on the same day.

Since the two princesses are still in deep mourning, there will be no grand wedding ceremony and no dowry. All they can take with them are the things they have in the palace.

Princess Yongping was not even allowed to take away her mother, Concubine Zuo’s gold and silver jewelry, as they were all put into the inner treasury.