Chapter Twenty-Seven: Usurping Imperial Authority

A trace of mockery flickered across the Great General’s face.

"Take charge of it?" he scoffed. "Do you have any idea how much effort Zhou Hao expended just to get the Imperial Guards to throw him into the dungeon? Do you think it’s not exhausting to beat someone up for the sake of appearances? The Third Prince is truly as foolish as a pig, unable to grasp even the simplest of truths."

"Your Highness, you must be joking," the Great General continued. "How could I possibly have the authority to decide such a matter? The Emperor’s decree is right there. Do you really think the words of a mere Great General carry any weight against the Imperial Guards?"

With that, the Great General flicked his sleeves and strode into the First Prince’s manor. The night was growing late, and he was too weary to return home; he decided he would just make do at his son-in-law’s place for the night. This left the Third Prince behind, slumped limply on the ground outside the gate.

***

"Your Majesty, did you issue any imperial decrees yesterday?" the Great General asked, bowing before the Emperor of Zhou in the royal court.

The Emperor paused, his expression clouding with suspicion. An imperial decree? What decree?

"General, please speak clearly. When did I ever issue such a decree?"

The Great General offered a faint, calm smile and glanced toward the Third Prince standing to the side. The Third Prince shivered, his eyes filled with sudden terror.

"Last night, I was enjoying the moon at the First Prince’s manor when, shortly after, the Imperial Guards burst in, claiming to have an imperial decree to imprison the First Prince," the Great General explained. "The Third Prince was leading them. I found the situation quite suspicious, but as the decree was present, I had no choice but to comply. However, I still felt something was amiss, which is why I am asking now."

The Great General’s account was flawless, distancing himself entirely from the affair while pushing the Third Prince to the brink of disaster. Yet, every word he spoke was the absolute truth, leaving the Third Prince with no room to refute him.

The Emperor’s face turned deathly pale. He knew exactly what had happened; he was well aware whether or not he had issued a decree. He had only just ordered the First Prince to investigate the assassins yesterday—why would he issue a decree to imprison him that same night? Such blatant contradiction was impossible.

"Third Prince, tell me: is there even a shred of falsehood in what the General has said?"

The Third Prince stepped out from the crowd, his eyes filled with apprehension and panic. "No… I believe everything the General said is true."

The Emperor’s face grew colder still. He realized exactly what his son had done. This was an act of usurpation! It was a provocation against his imperial majesty. Even as the Third Prince, his favored candidate for the throne, he could not commit such an act of treason before his ascension!

"General, do you remember who led the Imperial Guards? Point him out to me."

The General remembered perfectly well; in fact, the man was standing right beside the Emperor. "Your Majesty, it is the man right there beside you."

The Emperor cast a cold glance at the guard. "Speak. What exactly happened here?"

The Imperial Guard fell to his knees, struck his head against the floor three times, and gave a clear, detailed account of the events of the previous night. Even though he had suspected the decree was forged, he had dared not defy it. He had acted as the executor, ensuring every procedure was followed to the letter. Since he had merely carried out orders, he could not be faulted for the errors of his superiors. As long as he showed his continued loyalty and obedience to the Emperor’s true commands, the Emperor could find no fault in him.

As the guard spoke, the Emperor’s face darkened, and his gaze toward the Third Prince was filled with rage. What a fool! Did he really think an imperial decree was some trivial toy to be forged at will?

By the time the guard finished, the Third Prince was shaking like a leaf.

"Third Prince, did you hear what the guard said?" the Emperor demanded. "You brought my decree to the guards last night, but when did I ever give such a decree to you yesterday? I have no memory of it. Explain yourself!"

Every word felt like a needle pricking the Third Prince’s heart. Unable to bear the pressure any longer, he collapsed to his knees before the Emperor, head bowed, not daring to look up.

"Father, I was momentarily blinded by greed. I only wanted to dampen the First Prince’s arrogance, so I resorted to this desperate measure. I will never dare do it again."

Looking at his pampered son, the Emperor let out a heavy sigh. He had fostered these toxic traits in him, after all. This was an act of lèse-majesté, a capital offense. Whether one was a prince or a minister, violating imperial authority was punishable by death. But… he was his own son.

"You want there to be a 'next time'?" the Emperor snapped. "I confine you to your quarters for three months and strip you of your salary for three months as a lesson."

With that, the Emperor left with a livid expression, not looking back. The Great General, of course, was dissatisfied with the outcome. Three months of salary? Three months of confinement? Being confined to the Third Prince’s own manor was no punishment at all. It was a classic case of raising a hand high only to let it fall gently.

But at least Zhou Hao’s plan had succeeded. The Great General turned to the Imperial Guard with a kindly smile. "Since this was all a misunderstanding, may I have my son-in-law released now?"

"Of course, of course. I hope the General won't hold it against us for not going easy on him last night," the guard replied.

The General patted his shoulder warmly. "One must perform the duties of their station. We are all caught in the currents of fate; it is only natural."

Back in the palace, the Emperor’s fury only grew. He had retrieved the forged decree from the guards; the handwriting and the seal were indistinguishable from his own. If he didn't know for a fact that he hadn't written it, he would have been fooled himself.

The Third Prince alone could never have achieved this. He could mimic handwriting and tone, but the seal was genuine! It was the very seal sitting on his own desk. The Third Prince could never have touched it; only the Emperor and his personal eunuchs had access to it. Yet, there it was, imprinted clearly on the fake document.

One name came to the Emperor’s mind: the Empress. Only she would have had the opportunity to stamp the seal in a moment of carelessness. Only she could have produced a document with genuine paper and a genuine seal, but with false content.

He had confined the Empress to her quarters in the hope that she would behave and stay out of trouble. But now, it seemed that punishment was far from sufficient. She had dared to usurp his own authority! What would they do next? Would they try to replace him as Emperor?