Catching Monsters

Chapter 608 The Coronation Ceremony is About to Begin

"This humble servant greets Your Highness the Crown Prince." Jiang Yun quickly stood up and stepped forward to bow.

Xiao Jingzhi quickly stepped forward to help Jiang Yun up, saying, "Hey, Brother Jiang, I've already said we should call each other brothers."

At this point, Xiao Jingzhi's face showed helplessness, and he slowly said, "I learned about what happened on my way here. I didn't expect that bastard Xiao Jingqing would be so bold as to assassinate my father!"

"Father really misjudged him!"

Tears welled up in Xiao Jingqing's eyes, though it was unclear whether they were real or not.

After Jiang Yun respectfully invited Xiao Jingzhi to sit down, he said, "Your Highness, with your return, we finally have someone to rely on. In three days, it will be Xiao Jingqing's coronation ceremony. In your opinion, what should we do?"

On his way back, Xiao Jingzhi frowned and said in a deep voice, "After all, Xiao Jingqing is now the Crown Prince. Since the Emperor has died, he should succeed to the throne. This is a tradition since ancient times..."

“But he also killed the emperor, which is against all reason.”

"It's difficult to handle."

Jiang Yun remained silent for a moment, then asked, "If he dies, will His Highness the Crown Prince be able to quickly calm the court officials?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingzhi was slightly taken aback and couldn't help but say, "Brother Jiang, please don't be impulsive. He is, after all, the Crown Prince and the heir apparent. If you kill him, the entire Zhou Kingdom will not tolerate you."

"No, no, no, as far as I know, he is currently protected by the Tongyou Guard. I can't kill him." Jiang Yun shook his head.

Xiao Jingzhi: "Then who will kill him?"

"His Highness the First Prince will find out then."

At this point, Jiang Yun frowned, feeling a little uneasy. He was mainly worried that after the letter was sent to the Demon Kingdom, Tiger Saint might actually help him.

Although Tiger Saint agreed to kill someone for him, even if the other party didn't help him, there was nothing he could do about it.

Everything is now up to fate.

After Xiao Jingzhi arrived, he naturally stayed in this small courtyard. However, Xiao Jingzhi did not stay idle. He wrote several letters and had Qi Da send them to the inner city.

That evening, Jiang Qiaoqiao and Xu Suwen were cooking at the stove in the courtyard when a person dressed in ordinary clothes arrived in a horse-drawn carriage.

It was Yan Hua, the Minister of Personnel.

"Minister Yan." Xiao Jingzhi dusted himself off and hurried forward.

"Your Highness, you're back." Upon seeing Xiao Jingzhi, Yan Hua's face lit up with joy, and he quickly stepped forward to bow respectfully.

"Alas, I never expected that so many major events would occur after I left the capital." Xiao Jingzhi said with a sigh, then said, "Minister Yan, please come in."

"well."

The two entered the house, while Jiang Yun and the others waited outside. It was unclear what they discussed, but when Yan Hua came out, he had a worried look on his face and left in a hurry.

Not long after dinner, the Minister of Rites also arrived.

Xiao Jingzhi continued his conversation with him alone.

Over the next two days, a steady stream of high-ranking civil officials from the imperial court came to meet with Xiao Jingzhi.

Jiang Yun was also puzzled, not knowing what Xiao Jingzhi had talked about with these people, only that everyone left with a worried look on their faces.

One evening, Jiang Yun and Xiao Jingzhi were having dinner in the house when Jiang Yun asked curiously, "Your Highness, you've met with so many civil officials lately. Aren't you afraid that someone might reveal our location to Xiao Jingqing?"

“The people I summon, even if they don’t help me, will never be happy to stand on Xiao Jingqing’s side.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yun paused for a moment before asking, "What did you talk about with them?"

“When the Minister of Personnel comes, I talk to him about how to govern officials in our Zhou state in the future. When the Minister of Rites comes, I talk to him about how our Zhou state’s three-hundred-year-old traditional etiquette still needs to be strengthened.”

Jiang Yun immediately understood that Xiao Jingzhi was indeed erudite and talented, and what he talked about with everyone was all about his policies if he were to take power.

"Furthermore, they also told them the true cause of my father's death." Hearing this, Jiang Yun finally understood why every official had such a grim expression when they left.

The late Emperor was killed by the Crown Prince.

Such an astonishing event would shock anyone who heard it.

Soon, it was New Year's Eve. Jiang Yun, Xu Suwen, Jiang Qiaoqiao, Tao Yuelan, Xiao Jingzhi, Qi Da, Wu Chi, Dong Qiaofeng and their group sat in the courtyard.

On the table, a full spread of food had been prepared, and fireworks and firecrackers could be heard constantly going off from the direction of the capital, including within Gong County.

Xiao Jingzhi sighed and said, "I never imagined that we would spend this year in this little courtyard."

Qi Da and Dong Qiaofeng exchanged a glance and quickly offered Xiao Jingzhi a cup of wine. They both knew very well why Lord Jiang had invited Xiao Jingzhi back.

But it was all for the purpose of putting Xiao Jingzhi in power.

If Xiao Jingzhi were to ascend the throne in the future, it would be difficult to have a meal with him at the same table again.

The others were probably a little uncomfortable, after all, they were all important figures in the capital.

Jiang Qiaoqiao, on the other hand, was quite happy. She always felt that the New Year celebrations were not as joyful as before after she entered the capital.

This small courtyard brings back memories of my time in Nanzhou Prefecture.

After everyone enjoyed a proper New Year's Eve dinner, Tao Yuelan asked Wu Chi to go to Gongxian County to buy a lot of fireworks and firecrackers, which they then set off in the courtyard.

In Tao Yuelan's words, no matter where you are, celebrating the New Year is a big deal.

Xiao Jingzhi pulled Jiang Yun aside, his expression becoming much more serious: "Brother Jiang, are you confident about tomorrow?"

"If I enter the capital and fail, I'm afraid I won't be able to get out."

Xiao Jingzhi knew very well that his eighth brother dared to kill even their father, so if he failed, he would definitely not be able to leave alive.

Jiang Yun smiled, patted Xiao Jingzhi on the shoulder, and said, "Your Highness, rest assured, if anything goes wrong, I will definitely find a way to escort you out of the capital."

Xiao Jingzhi nodded emphatically: "Get some rest early!"

Soon, the next morning arrived, which was also the day of Xiao Jingqing's coronation ceremony.

That morning, all the Imperial Guards were ready, and Jiang Yun and Xiao Jingzhi prepared to set off for the capital.

Tao Yuelan, Xu Suwen, Jiang Qiaoqiao, and Wu Chi stayed behind, with an additional thirty Imperial Guards protecting them.

"Be careful. If things get really bad, escape. We'll go to the southwest to find Xiaogang." Xu Suwen saw Jiang Yun to the entrance of the courtyard, her face full of worry, and reminded Jiang Yun, "Do you understand?"

"Don't worry, nothing will happen." Jiang Yun nodded heavily.

Soon, Jiang Yun and Xiao Jingzhi mounted their horses and, with Qi Da and Dong Qiaofeng in tow, headed towards the capital.

Meanwhile, fireworks and firecrackers were set off early in the morning in and around the capital city, partly because yesterday was Lunar New Year's Eve, and there were still many fireworks and firecrackers on display.

In addition, today is His Highness the Crown Prince's coronation ceremony.

Ordinary people don't care about all that. In the first year of their reign, they will generally grant a general amnesty and exempt many taxes.

This is a good thing for ordinary people.

At the same time, the Imperial Guards also took control of the inner city walls, and the entire coronation ceremony was held in front of the palace.

Many high-ranking officials and nobles also came to offer their congratulations to His Majesty.

Musicians from the Ministry of Rites began playing celebratory music early in the morning, heading towards the main gate of the palace.

The coronation ceremony is about to begin.

(End of this chapter)