Chapter 125 The Pretender (2/2)
Ten seconds after the awkward silence, Dong Zhuo made a move. He clapped his hands slowly.
The mass psychology took effect, one by one, the crowd also clapped their hands.
It started from a slow clap. Five people clapped. Ten people clapped. Then hundreds of people clapped together.
The sounds of clapped and cheered echoed the palace.
Hiding from the sight of everybody, Liu Ping grinned. He bit the tip of his tongue to resume his serious expression and lift up his face while he was still in a kowtow position.
”For the punishment of my past insolence, I'll cast away my title as the first prince and the right to the throne!”
”WHAT!?”
The cheering chants turned into shock. The sudden announcement stunned every listener.
”NO, YOUR HIGHNESS! YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS!”
”You did it for the people! You don't have to take the blame!”
”Your Highness, please reconsider!”
Among the crowd, officials that Liu Ping had planted in advance shouted out as planned.
The mass psychology took effect once again. The crowd also shouted to stop Ping.
”Your Highness! Please don't!”
”It was not your fault! Please don't!”
”The throne is without a successor! You can't!”
Wang Yun also his close aides kowtowed to Liu Ping and begged him to withdraw his words.
Seeing that his plans went well, Liu Ping slowly stood up and gazed at the panic crowd. His facial complexion was ugly as if he was dissatisfied with something. He shouted.
”If I am still a prince, that means I will be the next Emperor. I've soiled the prestige of the Han Dynasty. I've ruined the reputation of the royal bloodline. Yet, are you all fine with that?”
Dong Zhuo stepped forward. With his obese body, he knelt on one knee and cupped his fist.
”I'm Dong Zhuo Zhongying, Regent of the west border, I'm willing to follow Your Majesty!”
The eyes of everyone gleamed. There was a hint in Dong Zhuo's words. Instead of calling Liu Ping ”Your Highness”, he called him ”Your Majesty” which was a word to call the emperor, not a prince.
It signaled that Dong Zhuo supported Liu Ping as the next Emperor.
”I'm Wang Yun Zishi, Minister of Writing, I'm willing to follow Your Majesty!”
Wang Yun and other officials that Liu Ping tamed followed suit. As soon as the pledging started, everyone kowtowed to Liu Ping as they acknowledged him as the new Emperor.
”I'm willing to follow Your Majesty!”
”Please be our new Emperor!”
The pledging came one after another which made Liu Ping grinned. He waved his hand and shouted.
”There is a few things all of you should know! I'm a practical man, and I see tradition customs as useless fares. There will not be a coronation ceremony, so we can use the fund and the manpower for the people! There will be no celebration for my ascension to the throne, so we can allocate our budget to the poor! But, I'll hold an oath ceremony. I'll swear to the Heaven and the ancestors that I will be a righteous Emperor! I'll rule the people with just! I'll govern the country with cares, so the later generations can enjoy peace for another thousand years!”
There was no cheer or a hand-clap from the crowd. Instead, the slammed their foreheads to the ground. All of them kowtowed to Liu Ping as they were moved by the declaration. They swore their loyalty in their heart.
Dong Zhuo and Wang Yun smiled as they also bowed.
Meanwhile, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu peered at Liu Ping with hatred and envy. They pretended to bow but they did not swear allegiance to Liu Ping.
'How did it come to this!? Wasn't he incompetence good-for-nothing? Why!?'
'Damn it all! I wasted my times to support this brat!? Impossible!'
Yuan Shao cursed in his mind. He glanced around to see if he could use something or gain any untold information from the bystander.
'Wait, He Jin and the Empress He is not here!'
'There are still chances!'
…
…
Liu Ping returned to his private sound-proof room after the farce was done. After he sent everybody away, he burst into laughter. His cackles echoed in the enclosed soundproof room.
”HIEHAHAHAHA!! OMFG! Those retards, HAHAHA!”
He continued laughing for another 10 minutes, but he was interrupted by a sudden message from the system.
<this is=”” a=”” global=”” announcement=””>>
Liu Ping's eyes focus on the message. This was the first time that the system gave out something like a global announcement.
<reincarnator zhang=”” tong=”” has=”” found=”” the=”” first=”” official=”” clan,=”” xian=”” huang=”” jin=””>>
<reward for=”” the=”” first=”” official=”” clan,=”” one=”” shopping=”” pass=”” to=”” the=”” clan=”” pool=””>>
<[clan ranking]=”” has=”” been=”” unlocked=”” to=”” all=”” reincarnators=””>></[clan></reward></reincarnator></this>