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The scroll was soft and shiny, glistening in the dark like the holy text of a saint, untainted by the blood around it.
Meng Fuyao finally moved.
She jumped from the ceiling beam and drifted down, stopping before Feng Xuan.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click visiting.
Feng Xuan closed his eyes and smiled contentedly.
He gripped the decree tightly, waiting for Meng Fuyao to retrieve it. Then, he would shrink back and raise his conditions to her.
However, it didn't go as he had imagined.
Meng Fuyao placed both hands behind her back and did not move forward to receive the decree. Instead, she gazed at him coldly and said, ”Conditions.”
Feng Xuan froze for a moment before his smile widened even more. 'Good, this is the aura of an Empress.' It was fine if he suffered a little disrespect; as long as the successor was strong enough and clever enough, he was satisfied.
It seemed that not searching for her all these years was the right decision. The Meng Fuyao, who had been weatherbeaten by all the trials and tribulations she had encountered, was clearly far more capable and formidable than the sons and daughters he had raised in the Imperial Palace.
”Swear it.” He flicked a finger and the wall behind him opened up, revealing a statue of a mythical creature with a bird's head and a human's body. ”Swear to the ancestors of the Feng Clan that you, Daughter of the Feng Clan, Feng Fuyao, will remain forever loyal to the Feng Clan, forever loyal to Xuanji, and govern all of the nation, nurturing its people and lands, protecting the nation of Xuanji from all dangers. Should you go back on your word, the Heavens shall deliver just punishment, striking your body with lighting until not even your ashes remain!”
Lowering himself from the bed, he looked towards the statue, back-facing Meng Fuyao as he said solemnly, ”The origin of the Xuanji Feng Clan can be traced back to the ancient Phoenix God, mythical and extremely powerful.”
Thereafter, he turned around and gazed at Meng Fuyao expectantly. Nobody had ever gone back on their oath after swearing before the God of the Five Regions Continent. As long as Meng Fuyao dared to swear before this God, it meant that she did not intend to hurt Xuanji or use her position to seek revenge. This was his final test for Meng Fuyao, and also his final attack. Although he personally felt that the position of Empress of Xuanji was more than enough to quench Meng Fuyao's thirst for revenge, he still had to take precautions; the oath had to be made.
Meng Fuyao met his gaze, chuckling matter-of-factly and said, ”Feng Fuyao?”
”You can't possibly be thinking of remaining as Meng,” Feng Xuan replied. ”Feng is the surname of the true nobility.”
”So you've decided to transfer the throne to Feng Fuyao? The lowest-ranked princess, born from you and the palace maid Xu Wan, Feng Fuyao?” Meng Fuyao asked again.
Feng Xuan felt that these were all idle talk, that perhaps this child was too excited; hence, she couldn't help it. He laughed and said, ”Yes, since she is your mother, you can give her a title after you ascend the throne. Since you are to be the Empress, she is no longer a palace maid. If you like, you can even change the historical records and give her a better heritage. It's all up to you.”
Meng Fuyao nodded and strode forward. Lighting three joss sticks, she enunciated each word carefully, ”Daughter of the Feng Clan, Feng Fuyao, daughter of Xuanji Tiancheng Emperor Feng Xuan and Xu Wan of the Qingze Tribe, will now accede her father's position and will remain forever loyal to the Feng Clan, forever loyal to Xuanji, and govern all of the nation, nurturing its people and lands, protecting the nation of Xuanji from all dangers. Should I go back on my word, the Heavens shall deliver just punishment, striking my body with lighting until not even my ashes remain!”
She spoke clearly and fluently without any error. Feng Xuan listened carefully and let out a satisfied smile, then handed the decree to her.
Meng Fuyao received it matter-of-factly.
Holding the Imperial Decree was like holding a blood-red map, littered with words, and she could almost hear the screams and cries of those who had died unjustly, Fourth Princess, Fifth Consort, Sixth Princess, Seventh Prince, Eighth Prince, all of the princes and princesses who had died in the struggle for power. Oh, there was also Eldest Imperial Princess, she'd heard that after the Amethyst Cape Knights had been defeated, she'd been forced to the Duxiu cliff in Jingjiao. The Amethyst Cape Knights had scattered, and in order not to face the humiliation of defeat, she had taken her own life in a fit of rage… Yet another dead.
This was the Xuanji Royal Family, this was the land of Xuanji, this was the decree of Xuanji, a soft scroll decorated with golden and jade leaves, made with fresh blood, offered by a half-dead, rotting old man in a congratulatory manner into her hands.
Meng Fuyao held the decree, unable to feel any of the happiness of reaching the peak of power, nor could she think of any reason to be happy about assuming this position. She suddenly felt the urge to laugh, to laugh hysterically and without care, to laugh at the cruelty and darkness of this world, to laugh at all of the blood, to laugh at the bunch of clowns who had fought to their deaths for this darned scroll, for not knowing their outcome.
Hence, she began to laugh, as hysterically as she could. She laughed for almost a minute. Initially, Feng Xuan thought that she was laughing because she was happy, and laughed along with her. However, gradually, his expression changed, and just as Feng Xuan thought she had laughed herself mad, Meng Fuyao suddenly stopped, as if she had not laughed so hysterically before, grabbed the decree, and turned away calmly, never turning back to face Feng Xuan again.
Ahead, a ray of sunlight began to rise, enveloping the sky in a golden glow, filling the entire palace hall.
Beneath the jade steps, having gone through a night of killing and bloodshed, the square had attained a peaceful silence. The Imperial Army had finally retreated after receiving the orders from His Majesty. The Tang Family's Changyong Army had always been under the control of Feng Xuan and was the final force he'd saved for his final gamble. Of course, to the crafty Young Master of the Tang Family, His Majesty was now old news; as long as he remained loyal to the new Empress, the Tang Family would be assured eternal honor.