Long Yelin clutched his chest and suddenly cried out, "Protect me! Protect me..."
Empress Jian said coldly, "You could scream your throat raw and it would do no good. There isn't much time left. Do you really want me to become a widowed empress?" Not a trace of affection between husband and wife remained in her words.
A flicker of fear appeared in Long Yelin's eyes. He nodded. "Very well! I... I will do as you wish and name Tingsheng Crown Prince."
Empress Jian smiled. "They're all your own flesh and blood. What difference does it make which one becomes Crown Prince?" She raised her voice. "Come in!"
The door opened, and Ji Feihua walked slowly in. Long Yelin stared at him, his eyes all but spitting fire. Through gritted teeth, he said, "So it was you, you castrated traitor!"
Ji Feihua spread a prepared imperial edict across the desk and said softly, "Please look this over, Your Majesty."
Long Yelin glared at Empress Jian. "You actually conspired with this castrated traitor to harm me!"
Empress Jian said, "Had Your Majesty not driven my son and me into a desperate corner, I would never have done such a thing."
"Good! Good! Good!" Long Yelin repeated the word three times. Fighting the pain in his chest, he braced himself against the desk and stood. He looked down at the already drafted edict. After reading it from beginning to end, he recoiled in shock. "You... you actually intend to have Tingsheng conduct court affairs in my place? Isn't that forcing me to abdicate? This is outright treason..."
Empress Jian said, "Your Majesty should follow the Retired Emperor's example. Why cling to the throne? Besides, Tingsheng is old enough to shoulder the burden himself."
Long Yelin fixed his eyes on Ji Feihua. To