The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

The Imperial Court of the Song Dynasty, Qianyang Hall.

The Qianyang Palace stands majestically, its imposing presence resembling a sleeping dragon lying across the imperial city. Its magnificent glazed tiles gleam brilliantly in the sunlight, making the entire palace appear exceptionally splendid.

Civil and military officials, dressed in various official robes, some civil and some military, some solemn and some elegant, gathered in the main hall like rivers flowing into the sea, and the air was filled with a solemn and tense atmosphere.

Among this gathering of heroes, Xiao Jinyan, dressed in a crisp military officer's uniform, with silver armor draped over his shoulders and a gleaming longsword hanging at his waist, strode steadily into the main hall. Because of his merit in quelling the rebellion, he was also granted a seat in the hall to discuss matters.

In the very center of the main hall, Liu Kun, the Prince of Guangling, wore a brocade robe embroidered with golden dragons, appearing exceptionally noble and majestic. Wei Wuji, the Right Minister of Works, and Yu Jin, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, two important ministers of the court, stood on either side of him at the front, their expressions solemn, as if they were contemplating a major decision concerning the fate of the nation.

Jiang Zhan and Lian Cheng, along with other court officials, stood or stood, each harboring their own secrets. Their gazes darted back and forth between Liu Kun and Wei Wuji. The hall was eerily quiet, as if you could hear a pin drop.

Suddenly, Wei Wuji stepped forward, his voice booming like thunder in the hall: "The Crown Prince plotted to murder the late Emperor, a heinous crime deserving death! Fortunately, the Prince of Guangling was wise and decisive, and has already executed the traitor, stabilizing the court. However, with the late Emperor gone, the country cannot be without a ruler for even a day. To prevent national turmoil, the Prince of Guangling should obey the will of Heaven, ascend the throne, and bring peace to the world!"

Upon hearing this, the hall fell into a deathly silence, and all eyes were focused on Liu Kun.

Liu Kun's eyes were filled with tears, his grief overwhelming, as if he had suffered the greatest blow in the world. He suddenly stood up, looked up to the sky and roared, "Father! You died so tragically! It's all my fault for being unfilial and failing to protect you, letting that wicked crown prince kill you!"

Tears streamed down his cheeks, dripping onto his golden brocade robe, splashing up sorrowful droplets. His cries echoed in the empty hall, like a mournful lament, touching the heartstrings of everyone present.

The courtiers looked at each other, and a murmur arose, as noisy as boiling water.

Xiao Jinyan's gaze swept through the crowd, quickly settling on Liu Kun. She thought to herself, "What a drama queen..."

Yu Jin slowly stood up, his gaze sharp as he swept over the noisy assembled officials in the hall. His voice was steady and powerful: "Gentlemen, quiet down! Please hear what I have to say."

His words seemed to carry an irresistible force, and the once noisy hall instantly fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the crackling of the candlelight echoing in the empty hall.

Yu Jin took a deep breath, his tone heavy with grief and indignation: "Recently, a horrifying incident occurred in the palace. The Crown Prince, in a display of treason, secretly used witchcraft to hasten the late Emperor's death with an evil curse, hoping to ascend the throne as soon as possible! The late Emperor, wise and discerning, discovered this conspiracy and was heartbroken. He intended to depose the Crown Prince and install the virtuous Prince of Guangling as the successor. However, fate intervened, and this secret was inadvertently leaked. Upon learning the news, the Crown Prince, instead of repenting, acted desperately, launching a coup and leading the Imperial Guards to assassinate the late Emperor, committing an unspeakable crime!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan couldn't help but sneer, thinking to himself, "Yu Jin, you're just a sixth man too..."

Upon hearing this, the hall erupted in uproar. Everyone looked at each other in disbelief.

At this moment, Wei Wuji stepped forward, his voice trembling with anger: "What's even more cruel is that the Crown Prince is extremely ruthless. He didn't even leave the late Emperor a complete corpse. The late Emperor's five fingers were mercilessly cut off by that traitor. The Crown Prince's ambition to usurp the throne is as firm as iron. Such behavior is outrageous to both gods and men!"

In reality, the emperor died of natural causes. To make it appear as if the emperor died in a mutiny, Liu Kun personally stabbed Liu Yilong's body several times. Because Liu Yilong's hands were placed on his chest when he was lying in the coffin, Liu Kun also cut off five of his fingers.

Wei Wuji's words were like a cold wind blowing through the hall, casting a shadow over the hearts of everyone present.

Just then, Liu Kun staggered to his feet, his eyes bloodshot, tears streaming down his face, and his sorrowful voice echoed throughout the hall: "Father! How can you bear to leave your son alone? Let your son go with you!"

After saying this, he rushed towards the bronze pillar in the hall without regard for anything else, crashing into it headfirst, a resolute and tragic act.

This sudden turn of events instantly heightened the tension in the hall. Liancheng and Zhanying reacted swiftly, leaping out almost simultaneously to catch Liu Kun just as he was about to crash into the bronze pillar, pulling him back from the brink.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't! The fate of the nation and the lives of countless people rest on your shoulders. You mustn't take your own life!"

Liancheng urgently tried to dissuade him, and Zhan Ying also looked solemn, tightly gripping Liu Kun's arm, afraid that he would do something foolish again.

Yu Jin slowly rose, his voice steady and powerful, like an ancient bell echoing in the empty hall: "My lords, the Prince of Guangling has acted bravely and decisively, quelling the chaos created by the Crown Prince and restoring order to the court. Furthermore, when the late Emperor was alive, he did indeed intend to depose the Crown Prince and establish the Prince of Guangling as the heir apparent. This matter has been widely rumored both inside and outside the court. A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. For the sake of the greater good and the well-being of the people, we should all work together to support the Prince of Guangling in ascending the throne as Emperor, so as to put the hearts of the people at ease."

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuji's eyes hardened, and he echoed, "What the Attendant said is absolutely right. The Prince of Guangling is virtuous and talented, and is the only one who can lead our Great Song to prosperity. Supporting the Prince of Guangling to the throne is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people."

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun burst into tears, his voice trembling: "Father, how can you bear to place such a heavy burden on my frail body? I am terrified, how can I possibly bear it?"

His words were filled with despair, but no one noticed the barely perceptible gleam of secret joy that flashed in his lowered eyes—a spark of desire for power burning quietly deep within his heart.

Just as the atmosphere froze to its lowest point, Shen Xing, the Grand Secretary, a veteran minister known for his integrity, stepped forward. His voice was powerful and resonant, like a thunderclap in winter: "Utter nonsense! When the late Emperor was on the throne, he doted on the Crown Prince and never considered deposing him, much less making the Prince of Guangling his heir. The claim that the Crown Prince used witchcraft to curse the late Emperor is pure fabrication. It is a deliberate frame-up, an attempt to confuse the public. There is only one truth: the Prince of Guangling harbors treacherous intentions, plotting to usurp the throne and harming the Crown Prince to satisfy his own selfish desires! The Prince of Guangling murdered his brother to seize the throne; he is unrighteous, disloyal, and unfilial. Such a person deserves to be torn to pieces. How can he possibly succeed to the throne!"

Shen Xing's words were like a sharp blade, piercing the oppressive silence in the hall and instantly drawing everyone's attention to the Prince of Guangling.

Inside the magnificent hall, candlelight flickered, casting dappled shadows that illuminated tense and complex faces. A sense of impending doom hung in the air; the ministers whispered amongst themselves, their murmurs like undercurrents, making the entire hall noisy and unsettling.