712 All Hail Dabao (2)
Eunuch Wang snorted. “The person who instructed me was His Majesty!”
The Empress was furious. “Nonsense! His Majesty is clearly…”
“Your Majesty!” Eunuch Li tightened his grip on the Empress’s arm and squeezed out a voice from between his teeth.
The Empress came back to her senses. She had really underestimated this eunuch surnamed Wang. He had almost forced her to say something.
“This imperial edict was personally written by His Majesty. If you don’t believe me, you can take it and see if it’s His Majesty’s handwriting,” Eunuch Wang said confidently and handed the imperial edict in his hand to a civil official beside him.
Those who could come to court were all officials of the third-grade and above. They had naturally seen the Emperor’s handwriting, but to understand his handwriting, it still depended on the three dukes and a few ministers.
The censor took the imperial edict. He was one of the three dukes and was highly regarded by His Majesty. There were many of His Majesty’s calligraphy on display in the room. He was sure that this was indeed His Majesty’s handwriting.
Then, he showed the imperial edict to the Grand Tutor and Grand Commandant. The two of them had seen it before and also expressed that there were no traces of imitation or copying.
Eunuch Wang heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Prince Yan did not think of rebelling when he was the Prince Consort. Otherwise, with this ability, the world of Nanzhao would have been in chaos!
The imperial edict said that the Empress, Madam Wei, had bad morals and lost the dignity of the country. She colluded with rebellious officials, caused chaos in the court, persecuted loyal people, and violated the court. Her crimes were unforgivable. From today onwards, she was deposed of her posthumous title and demoted to a commoner. She would be imprisoned in the Cold Palace.
This decree could be said to be completely different from the content in the Empress’s hand. It was impossible for the Emperor to want to depose the Empress and make her the Empress Dowager. Therefore, one of the two imperial edicts must be fake.
Eunuch Wang straightened his back and said, “The lords have all checked my imperial edict. It’s His Majesty’s handwriting. The seal and royal paper are also real. However, Empress, I wonder if you dare to show your imperial edict to the lords!”
The Empress’s expression changed.
Eunuch Wang sneered. “What? You don’t dare? I’m afraid the Empress doesn’t know, right? His Majesty’s study has a fake heirloom seal. You stole the wrong one!”
The Empress clenched her fists.
The censor cupped his hands and said, “Your Majesty, please hand the imperial edict to us.”
The Empress stiffened and did not move. The moment the imperial edict entered the throne room, she held it tightly in her hand.
Eunuch Wang walked over and pulled the imperial edict from her hand. “Give it to me!”
“You…” The Empress reached out to snatch it, but Eunuch Wang had already turned around and handed the imperial edict to the three dukes.
This imperial edict was not written by the Emperor, but by the minister. The Emperor was getting older and did not like to write by himself. The imperial edict issued was most likely written by the minister. The minister served the Emperor to write the imperial edict. There was a possibility of infection, and he was also isolated.
Putting this aside for the time being, the handwriting was right, and so was the royal paper. As for the seal—
The three dukes changed his gaze.
Eunuch Wang laughed with his hands on his hips. “Have you revealed your true colors?”
“It’s an imperial edict,” said the censor.
Eunuch Wang widened his almond-shaped eyes. “Look carefully! Don’t make a mistake! Is the seal really ‘Ordered by the heavens to live forever’?”
“Yes,” said the censor.
The Empress smiled coldly. Did he really think she was a fool who couldn’t even distinguish the seal of the real and fake heirloom seal?
That’s true. The two seals were indeed identical. No one would suspect that the heirloom seal was fake, so they would not distinguish those few words too much. Coincidentally, she was going to be the Empress Dowager. She was so excited that she could not sleep. She treated the imperial edict like a treasure and flipped it over and over in her hand before she saw the clues.
The heirloom seal they had snatched for half a day was actually a fake.
Fortunately, they were blessed by the heavens. Although they did not find the real heirloom seal in the imperial study, they found a piece of royal paper stamped with a seal.
This was Dabao’s first “edict” that made him laugh like a pig.
The Emperor could not bear to throw it away, so he treasured it.
The Empress did not know about this, nor did she need to know. It was enough for her to make the best use of it.
The Empress looked at the imperial eunuch arrogantly. “Eunuch Wang, what else do you have to say? Do you think you can depose me just because you stole the heirloom seal and found someone to imitate His Majesty’s handwriting and brought over a fake imperial edict?”
The situation took a turn for the worse. No matter how one looked at it, Eunuch Wang was more suspicious than the Empress.
No matter how favored Eunuch Wang was, he was still a servant. How could he compare to his wife who helped him? When the contents of the two imperial edicts contradicted each other, everyone was more willing to believe that the one in the Empress’s hand was real.
The Empress said solemnly, “His Majesty personally stamped the seal on the imperial edict last night. Fortunately, His Majesty drafted this imperial edict first. Otherwise, I wonder what tricks Eunuch Wang will use the stolen heirloom seal to do!”
“No, you… you…” Eunuch Wang couldn’t argue! This vicious woman! A vicious woman!
Eunuch Li berated, “Guards, Wang Dequan stole the heirloom seal, forged the imperial edict, and slandered the Empress. Arrest him!”
A few imperial guards swarmed up and grabbed Eunuch Wang’s arm.
“Don’t be deceived by her! Her imperial edict is fake! She’s the Demon Empress! Evil woman! Vicious woman! She colluded with the State Preceptor Hall! She disgraced the palace! She… Mhm, mhm, mhm!” Eunuch Wang’s mouth was gagged.
However, just as Eunuch Wang was about to be dragged out, a muscular figure descended from the sky and mercilessly kicked away the imperial guards who had captured Eunuch Wang.
Eunuch Wang regained his freedom. He pulled out the cloth from his mouth and said in surprise, “Shadow Guard!”
Shadow Thirteen wore a long black cloak and calmly walked into the throne room. Under the dumbfounded gazes of the ministers, he knelt down on one knee, opened his cloak, and gently placed the little black egg in his arms on the shiny floor.
Dabao’s black eyes darted around. He hugged the heirloom seal and took a few steps.
Seeing the heirloom seal was like seeing the Emperor.
Everyone knelt on the ground!
Even the Empress knelt down with a pale face.
Dabao walked up to the censor and took the imperial edict from his hand. He bent down and spread the imperial edict on the ground. He poked it with his little finger. “Mmm, mmm!”
The censor looked in the direction he was pointing. It was the back of the imperial edict. In the place covered by patterns, there was a line of small words written in extremely light handwriting—Taichu, 41st year, 17th of the twelfth month, quarter to nine, Dabao’s personal stamp.
This was the first stamp that the Emperor’s beloved great-grandson had stamped. It was also the first time he had heard his little great-grandson laugh like a pig. To the Emperor, this was a memory worth cherishing.
He carefully remembered it.
He treasured it well.
Originally, it was just a piece of love for Dabao, but at the critical moment, it became the strongest evidence to overthrow the Empress.
This was the Emperor’s handwriting. It was impossible for the Censor, the Grand Commandant, and the Grand Tutor not to recognize it. Therefore, this was not the stamp of the Emperor at all, but of the Little Highness.
When the Empress said that the seal was personally stamped by His Majesty last night, she was clearly lying.
Everyone’s expressions changed when they looked at the Empress.
Eunuch Wang could hold his head high. His Highness came at the right time. If he was a step later, this vicious woman would have succeeded!
Eunuch Wang said arrogantly, “What are you waiting for? Can’t you tell who forged the imperial edict? Hurry up and take down this vicious woman!”
The imperial guards looked at each other.
The three lords exchanged glances and said in unison, “Take her down!”
The imperial guards rushed towards the Empress.
In a flash, Eunuch Li pounced over and pulled Dabao into his arms. He grabbed his throat with one hand. “Don’t come over! Otherwise, I’ll kill him!”
