Deep in the main hall, on the dragon chair.
Xue Ye coughed violently, and every breath seemed to be pulling on a broken bellows.
His face was ashen, and his already weak body seemed to have been drained of the last trace of life at the moment he learned the truth.
"Xue Qinghe... No, Qian Renxue." Xue Ye's voice was as hoarse as sandpaper. He stared at the figure under the steps. There was no anger in his eyes, only a bottomless exhaustion and sadness.
"Father." Qian Renxue leaned forward slightly, his tone was calm without a trace of ripples, and even his address had a businesslike indifference, "Or, I should call you, Your Majesty."
"You have been lurking for so many years... just for today." Xue Ye's fingers trembled, stroking the cold armrest of the dragon chair. That was the position where he had been sitting for decades, and it was a symbol of the Heaven Dou Empire's power.
"For the unification of the continent." Qian Renxue raised his head and looked directly into Xue Ye's cloudy eyes.
She raised her hand slightly, and several close ministers behind her immediately stepped forward and neatly stacked stacks of thick military and political documents, garrison distribution maps of each province, and Royal Knights transfer orders under the jade steps of the main hall.
On the top is the Crown Prince's Seal that symbolizes the power of the prince.
"Your Majesty, you can take a look," Qian Renxue's voice echoed in the hall, "Over the years, how much of the Heaven Dou Empire's government affairs, military supplies, and personnel transfers have been done by me. The important posts in half of the province were arranged by me, and many of Royal Knights's military orders were also issued from Crown Prince's Residence. The reason why Heaven Dou Empire can still operate to this day is because of me."
Xue Ye looked at the piles of documents and the familiar prince's seal, and smiled. The laughter was full of self-deprecation and desolation. "Yes... even the prince I trust most is a member of the Spirit Hall. How many people in the civil and military affairs of this dynasty have been bribed by you, and how many people don't even know who they are loyal to."
His eyes swept over the silent ministers below. Those who usually talked loudly and claimed to be loyal ministers and good generals, but at this moment, not even one person dared to stand up and accuse Qian Renxue.
Those Royalist Faction veterans were trembling all over, but they were stared at by the colleagues who had defected around them, and they even lost the courage to draw their swords.
The tide is over.
Xue Ye knows this better than anyone else. When Spirit Hall's army surrounds the palace, everything is over.
The empire he was so proud of had actually been eviscerated long ago without even realizing it, leaving only a gorgeous empty shell.
"Your Majesty."
A deep voice broke the silence.
Qian Renyuan walked forward slowly, and the air in the hall instantly became solemn. Those ministers who were originally afraid did not even dare to breathe at this moment.
"The facts are before our eyes." Qian Renyuan looked at the old man on the dragon throne, without any emotion in his tone, "Heaven Dou's military and political power is no longer in your hands. Hand over the jade seal and Tiger Tally to complete the final handover. This is the last dignity you can retain for the Heaven Dou Imperial Family."
Xue Ye looked at the young man in front of him.
"What if I don't pay?" Xue Ye's voice was very soft, but it contained a hint of the final stubbornness of an emperor.
"You don't have to hand it over." Qian Renyuan said calmly, "But I will take it myself, but by then, there will be no more people standing in this hall. The transfer of power does not require dead people to witness it, but I don't mind killing a few more."
This is not an empty talk. The entire palace is under the control of the Spirit Hall. As long as Qian Renyuan is willing, he can order the place to be razed to the ground at any time.
Xue Ye was silent. He looked at Qian Renxue, then at Qian Renyuan, and finally, his eyes fell on the jade seal on his desk.
"I lost."
After a long time, Xue Ye closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. This sigh contained too much helplessness, unwillingness and compromise.
He understood that even if he died here today, nothing would change the outcome.
Qian Renxue has actually controlled most of the military and political power of the Heaven Dou Empire over the years. Many important checkpoints and troops have long been replaced by her people. Resistance will only increase casualties and will only completely cut off the bloodline of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
"Come here." Xue Ye opened his eyes. Although his voice was weak, it contained a determination to accept his fate.
An old eunuch walked forward tremblingly and knelt beside the dragon chair.
"Give them the jade seal..." Xue Ye pointed at the jade seal on the desk, as if he had exhausted all his strength.
The old eunuch held the jade seal in both hands and walked towards Qian Renxue step by step.
There was deathly silence in the hall, and everyone's eyes were focused on the jade seal that represented the highest power.
"In addition to the jade seal, there is also Tiger Tally." Qian Renyuan's voice sounded again, leaving no room for doubt.
Xue Ye smiled bitterly, knowing that Qian Renyuan would not leave him any chance to make a comeback. He took out half a piece of Tiger Tally from his arms and threw it on the ground with a crisp sound.
"The other half is in the hands of Marshal Ge Long." Xue Ye said, "But he is a smart man. When he sees the half of Tiger Tally and the jade seal, he knows what to do."
"Very good." Qian Renyuan nodded and glanced at the ministers in the hall.
"From now on, all defenses inside and outside the imperial city will be taken over by the Spirit Hall. All courtiers will perform their duties and wait for the new edict."
No one dared to speak, there was only the sound of kneeling down uniformly. They knew that this young man kept his word, and the imperial power of Heaven Dou had completely changed hands at this moment.
"Send the order." Qian Renxue turned around and said to the elite Spirit Hall behind him, "Control all the arteries of the imperial city, seal the treasury, and take over the city defense."
"Yes!"
The uniform response was deafening.
Qian Renyuan stood at the door of the hall, looking at the sky in the distance, with a cold arc at the corner of his mouth.
Qian Renyuan turned to look at Qian Renxue, and the two exchanged glances.
"Notify Spirit City." Qian Renyuan said, "Prepare to draft Spirit Hall Empire's founding edict."