Abdication and Their Loyalty to the Late Emperor

The Emperor's sudden collapse may have disrupted Prince Nolan's plans, but it wasn't enough to throw him into chaos. Nolan had prepared for this day for a long time—no matter when it came, he was ready to face it with composure.

Outwardly, Prince Nolan soothed the ministers; inwardly, he ruthlessly investigated every palace consort. Those found tainted were sent to temple cloisters, and those cleared were all forced to 'serve' the Emperor.

It wasn't that no one dared speak up at court—some even accused Prince Nolan of secretly harming the Emperor. But they had no proof. The Emperor’s recent debauchery was fresh in everyone's minds; it was his own lust for palace maids that led him to ruin.

This fact lay bare before the ministers, who wished they could gouge out their own eyes and see nothing. Those who accused Prince Nolan had no grounds—after all, it was the Emperor who ordered women into his bed night after night. How could Nolan control whom the Emperor chose to favor?

The Emperor brought this fate upon himself—his downfall was the result of unchecked indulgence and wild excess, with no one else to blame. Those who spoke for Prince Nolan listed every sordid detail of the Emperor’s recent behavior, exposing his lack of virtue. If word spread, the Three Kingdoms and Nine Cities would laugh Eastlyn to scorn.

The Emperor tried to tighten his grip on the court, and this storm should have dragged on. But once the Three Excellencies stepped forward to defend Prince Nolan, confirming the Emperor’s ruin was his own doing—even to the point of paralysis—the ministers fell silent.

The Three Excellencies had served two reigns and earned the Emperor’s deepest trust. For them to stand up and censure the Emperor now meant they were profoundly disappointed. The ministers lowered their banners and dared not fight on, afraid to offend the man who would soon hold power.

The Emperor lay sick in the palace, but he wasn’t blind. Most believed he’d never rise again and rushed to switch allegiance, clinging to various princes and especially Prince Nolan. Yet some refused to abandon him—chief among them Felix Fuller and his loyal circle.

Felix Fuller remained diligent. Even without the Emperor’s orders, he gathered intelligence and presented each report at the Emperor’s desk, never slacking for a moment despite the crisis.

Under the care of the imperial physicians, the Emperor’s condition gradually stabilized. But as the outside world grew ever more hostile, how could he possibly rest? Each time Felix Fuller delivered new intelligence, the Emperor’s blood pressure soared in rage.

While the Emperor lay incapacitated, Prince Nolan seized control of the court. No one dared resist; even the most loyal ministers kept silent.

The Emperor’s condition was plain for all to see. No matter how much his supporters spoke or acted, he could not recover—and a mute, bedridden invalid could never rule Eastlyn.

When the imperial physicians diagnosed that the Emperor required long-term rest and would be left disabled even if he recovered, the great houses led the charge in court: it was time for the Emperor to abdicate and enthrone a new sovereign.

At first, some officials objected—some wanted to wait and see. But as time passed and the Emperor’s condition failed to improve, their resistance faded to silence.

A nation cannot go a single day without a ruler. The current Emperor could no longer shoulder the throne’s burdens—a new lord had to be chosen.

Choosing the new sovereign was simple—the Emperor had already appointed a Crown Prince. Only...

Would Prince Nolan agree? Would he settle for remaining just a prince? In Eastlyn, Prince Nolan held sway over everything—if he wanted to depose the Emperor and claim the throne, no one could stop him.

Yet, against all expectations, when the officials proposed the Crown Prince inherit the throne, Prince Nolan not only didn’t oppose—he was the first to support it.

Because of Prince Nolan’s restraint, the ministers smoothly nominated him as Regent. Once the new Emperor ascended, Prince Nolan would be Regent of Eastlyn.

When it came time to select the assisting regency ministers, aside from the Three Excellencies, Prince Nolan claimed another key slot for his own side—making the Crown Prince’s Grand Preceptor, William Wang Jinling, one of the chief regency officials.

Everyone at court knew about William Wang Jinling’s private meeting with Prince Nolan at Windchaser Inn. The Three Excellencies were men left by the late Emperor and were known for their impartiality, but William Wang Jinling was a different story.

To keep Prince Nolan from monopolizing power, the ministers insisted on adding one more assisting regency official, personally chosen by the Emperor. Prince Nolan raised no objection.

The worsening crisis left the Emperor increasingly unsettled. When he learned that Prince Nolan and the ministers were forcing him to abdicate, he coughed up blood and collapsed again—this time, the corner of his mouth twisted permanently, refusing to close.

He’d suffered another stroke.

This time, no imperial physician was needed—anyone who saw the Emperor understood just how grave his illness was. No one expected him to return to court; everyone focused on enthroning the new sovereign and securing their own place under the coming regime.

No matter how serious the Emperor’s illness became, it had nothing to do with Prince Nolan, who continued to report court affairs as usual.

“Your Majesty, a nation cannot go a single day without a ruler. After consulting with the old ministers, I have decided to follow your own prior decision: let the Crown Prince inherit, and I will serve as Regent.” Prince Nolan spoke lightly, but the Emperor trembled with rage.

“Th—Three... Ex—Ex...” The Emperor tried to speak, but his mouth foamed, his limbs stiffened—he couldn’t lift a finger.

“You mean the Three Excellencies? They’ve agreed as well.” Prince Nolan stood at the bedside, looking down at the Emperor with calm, unfathomable eyes—neither triumphant nor sympathetic, as if all of this had been within his expectations and held no surprise at all.

Prince Nolan’s attitude cut the Emperor deeply. Biting his tongue, the Emperor managed to mumble out a single, slurred word: “Why?”

Just those three syllables told Prince Nolan what his brother wanted to know—why had the Three Excellencies sided with him? Nolan answered frankly, “Your Majesty, have you forgotten how you won the throne?”

A look of shock flashed in the Emperor’s eyes; he froze on the bed, drool trailing down in silver threads, completely unaware.

The Three Excellencies he trusted most had never truly been loyal to him.

“You’re not wrong, brother. The Three Excellencies were never loyal to you—they served only the late Emperor, and the heir he chose. Clearly, that heir wasn’t you.” Prince Nolan’s voice was calm as he watched the foam gather at the Emperor’s lips, then picked up a handkerchief and personally wiped it away.

“Even now you don’t understand? Even if the Three Excellencies were loyal to you, what difference would it make? You ordered my death and drafted an edict to make the Prince of Jiangnan your successor, but destroyed it yourself. Even if they were loyal, they couldn’t change the outcome.”

Before the Emperor underwent the Gu-triggering procedure, he prepared to die and made arrangements accordingly. But he survived, rendering those plans useless—and even dangerous to himself.

The Emperor would never have left that succession edict for the Prince of Jiangnan behind. If Jiangnan found out, he might assassinate the Emperor and claim the throne—just the thought would have driven the Emperor mad.

Without that edict, Prince Nolan’s path was even easier—the Eighth Prince’s succession was legitimate and unchallenged. Now, the Emperor not only lacked the right to refuse, he couldn’t even utter the word 'no.'