Great, it's just a lackey, we're saved!

Chapter 234 Your humble servants pay their respects to the Crown Princess!

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and found that it was the head eunuch of Hexi Palace who had come through the snow.

Despite the heavy snow and strong winds, his face was flushed, clearly indicating that he had been running nonstop.

After he stumbled and ran close, he caught his breath and shouted, "His Majesty has decreed!"

The crowd in the square immediately knelt down to receive the imperial decree.

The crown prince was somewhat excited, and a glimmer of hope even arose in his heart.

Now that his power was waning and he was about to be disposed of at the whim of the eldest princess, the emperor suddenly sent an imperial edict.

Does Father want to protect himself and his position as Crown Prince?

Otherwise, besides him, who else in the Great Zhou Dynasty could inherit the throne?

The more the Crown Prince thought about it, the more he felt that this was the case. His father must have been unable to bear seeing Jiang Yueli, a good-for-nothing, riding on his head, which was why he ordered someone to stand up for him.

However, the prince's beautiful fantasy ended when the chief eunuch began to read out the imperial decree.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have received the mandate of Heaven to rule over all lands and establish an heir to secure the nation. However, Crown Prince Jiang Yueshan is morally deficient and disregards ancestral laws, making him unfit to bear the heavy responsibility of the nation. Therefore, I hereby announce to the world that he is hereby deposed as Crown Prince and imprisoned in Chengyun Pavilion."

When the head eunuch read this, the prince's smile froze on his face, and he looked up in shock.

"Impossible! Father Emperor would never depose the heir apparent, absolutely not!"

As the crown prince spoke, he stood up from the ground and rushed towards the chief eunuch like a madman, trying to snatch the imperial edict from his hand.

With a single glance from the eunuch, someone stepped forward, restrained the prince, and pressed him back to the ground.

The eunuch's cold and sarcastic voice rang out: "Fourth Prince, I haven't finished reading His Majesty's decree yet. Please kneel down first."

The prince struggled fiercely, but the two eunuchs holding him down secretly used their feet to step on his calves, rendering him unable to move.

"You vile people, you're all vile people, you're all vile people! I am the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince, how dare you treat the heir apparent like this..."

Faced with the incessant clamor of the crown prince, the head eunuch showed no politeness and simply waved his hand.

Then a young eunuch pulled out a tattered rag from somewhere and roughly stuffed it into the prince's mouth.

The head eunuch said with a forced smile, "It took a little time, but it doesn't matter. This servant will continue reading the imperial edict."

Everyone's expression turned stern. The eunuch ordered someone to gag the prince, showing no regard for even the most basic dignity.

The attitude of a servant is the attitude of his master.

It is clear that Emperor Da Zhou has completely given up on Jiang Yueshan!

At this moment, as the chief eunuch announced the imperial decree, the wind and snow outside Fengtian Hall gradually intensified.

From the first glimpse of sunshine to the current blanket of snow obscuring the sky, only half an incense stick's time has passed.

The head eunuch's hair was gradually turning white, and his hand holding the imperial edict was frozen red, yet he did not move an inch.

He continued reading: "The eldest daughter of the Emperor, Jiang Yueli, is of noble character and exceptional wisdom. She has studied military strategy since childhood and has won many battles. I have observed her virtue and talent and believe that she is the one destined for the throne. She should be made the heir apparent."

"Jiang Yueli is hereby established as Crown Princess, granted a golden book and imperial seal, and appointed to rule the Eastern Palace. The Crown Princess is permitted to re-select officials for the Eastern Palace, and all court officials are to diligently assist her. This proclamation is hereby issued to all, both inside and outside the court, so that all may hear it. This decree is hereby made!"

After the chief eunuch finished reading, he bowed and looked at Jiang Yueli, who was fully armored.

His face was plastered with a fawning smile: "Your Highness, receive the decree!"

Behind the princess, Wang Shu was flushed with excitement.

This is the Crown Princess!

The eldest princess actually became the crown princess!

Previously, when Tan Lin said that the eldest princess harbored ambitions to seize the throne, Wang Shu was still skeptical.

Even if he later believed it, he felt that this matter needed to be considered carefully and would not be so easy to succeed.

After all, Jiang Yueli is a woman, and there has never been a precedent of an imperial princess in any dynasty.

To truly become the crown prince, one must go through a struggle.

Unexpectedly!

The eldest princess gave him such a big surprise.

Before the grand court assembly had even officially ended, the title of Crown Princess was already decided.

Wang Shu, standing behind Jiang Yueli, couldn't help but remind her when she didn't move, "Your Highness, receive the imperial decree!"

Chen Wenyu and the others looked at Jiang Yueli with hopeful eyes, expecting her to accept the imperial decree.

Needless to say, military generals like Qian Tao are also included. After Jiang Yueli's identity as the God of War with a Green Face was confirmed, no one in the Great Zhou Dynasty was worthy to be the crown prince except for her!

However, amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, the eldest princess hesitated to accept the imperial decree, and instead slowly rose to her feet.

She said to the chief eunuch, "Please go back and tell Father that besides Yue Shan, there are also my elder brothers in the court. As Princess Yue Li, I dare not presume to occupy the position of Crown Prince."

The princess's refusal to accept the imperial decree put the head eunuch in a difficult position.

"Your Highness, this is an imperial edict bestowing the title of Crown Prince. Do you know its weight? It cannot be easily given up!"

The eldest princess chuckled softly, still refusing to accept.

Zhou Wei, standing at the back of the crowd, was also anxious. How could she refuse the crown prince position that was offered to her?

Has the princess gone mad?

It wasn't until Chen Wenyu and other senior officials stood up from the ground, then solemnly knelt down in unison, asking the Princess to receive the imperial decree, that the situation changed.

Zhou Wei then realized that the princess wasn't really refusing the imperial decree, but rather that the officials had to keep asking her to accept it.

Since ancient times, declining an offer of service has been considered a virtue of humility.

Of course, Zhou Wei felt that the princess's actions were not only humble, but also a form of demonstration.

When the court officials and 20,000 soldiers of the Roushan Army knelt on the ground, requesting the Princess to accept the imperial decree and become the crown prince.

The momentum was as if a thousand troops were attacking!

The eunuch in charge of delivering the imperial decree was intimidated by the imposing manner, and his face turned pale.

He couldn't help but recall that when he was helping the Great Zhou Emperor draft the imperial edict at Hexi Palace, the Great Zhou Emperor's tone was full of mockery.

"If I were to appoint Yue Li as Crown Princess, do you think the officials would object? Would they be surprised? Would they accuse me of being foolish?"

"There has never been a precedent for a crown princess in any dynasty. I dote on Yue Li so much, will she be moved to tears and kneel down to accept the imperial decree and express her gratitude?"

As the Great Zhou Emperor spoke, he was stroking an ancient jade piece in his hand, appearing quite interested.

How could the chief eunuch dare to comment on such matters so casually?

He could only vaguely reply, "The position of Crown Prince is of unparalleled prestige. Whoever His Majesty bestows it upon will be deeply grateful and prostrate themselves in worship."

Upon hearing this, the Great Zhou Emperor burst into laughter!

The laughter had just been echoing in the chief eunuch's mind, but it was then dispelled by the orderly voices of the 20,000 Roushan soldiers.

The civil and military officials, and even the lowest-ranking soldiers, all knelt down to ask the princess to receive the imperial decree.

The chief eunuch suddenly found the Great Zhou Emperor somewhat laughable.

Your Majesty, who is objecting?

These people practically wish the eldest princess would become the crown prince immediately!

After being invited three times by the court officials and the Roushan Army, Jiang Yueli finally accepted the imperial edict with "utter helplessness".

As she held the imperial edict in both hands, she slowly turned around to look at the crowd.

The crowd immediately shouted in unison, "We, your subjects, pay our respects to Her Highness the Crown Princess!"

At the same moment, the wind suddenly stopped, the blizzard gradually dissipated, and the sun, which had just been obscured by thick clouds and fog, reappeared.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds and fell upon the square.

One of the courtiers exclaimed in surprise, "Heavens! The snow has stopped!"