After Lu Long opened the west gate, King Yan’s army drove straight in from there, and the killing noise in the city was loud for a while.
King Yan stood outside the moat, observing the scene with an impassive expression.
“Father, why don’t you let my third brother and I lead the army?” Wei Xuan walked over and asked, suppressing the fire in his heart.
He had accompanied his father all the way south to enter Jinling, yet when they reached their destination, other generals were entrusted with leading the army. Wei Yani couldn’t comprehend the decision.
King Yan shifted his gaze from the city to his fourth son, then to his third son standing silently on one side. In a deep voice, he asked Wei Xuan, “Where do you wish to lead the troops?”
Wei Xuan: “Of course…”
When he stretched out his finger to Jinling City on the other side of the moat, Wei Xuan suddenly understood.
Jinling was the capital, and it was also the hometown that his father often missed.
King Yan snorted, surveyed the towering city wall of Jinling with hands behind his back, and remarked, “I came to punish the treacherous officials as per the ancestors’ instructions. Once the traitors are dealt with, I shall return.”
Wei Yani Xuan to his original position and stood behind his father with his third brother.
Around three o’clock, a sudden blaze erupted from the palace’s direction.
Soon, Feng Teng ran out of the city gate with a group of people to report to King Yan, saying that the defenders, officials and people in the city had surrendered, and all the criminals were arrested, but the Emperor’s family set fire to themselves in the palace. Soldiers were diligently fighting the flames.
King Yan declared, “Tell them that the Emperor must be saved!”
Feng Teng turned back once more.
King Yan released a long sigh and retreated to his tent alone.
At dawn, news arrived that several corpses were discovered in Fengtian Hall, where the new Emperor resided. An edict, housed in a gold box, bore Wei Ang’s final words before his demise. It claimed that mistrust in treacherous officials compelled him to take his own life. Feeling responsible for initiating a war that harmed the people, he chose to end his life by setting himself on fire, unable to face King Yan again.
Upon reading the edict, King Yan wept bitterly, holding the gold box.
As dawn broke, civil and military officials in the city formed a line to meet with King Yan. They insisted that the country couldn’t endure without an Emperor and implored him to assume the throne.
King Yan, feigning illness, complained and declined to see anyone within the confines of his tent.
The ministers knelt outside for three days and three nights. King Yan finally emerged, appearing as though he had just recovered from a severe illness, his face thin and haggard.
Witnessing his condition, the ministers cried and insisted that he ascend to the throne. King Yan reluctantly agreed but proposed visiting Xiaoling first to pay homage to the late Emperor.
Accompanied by all the officials, King Yan went to Xiaoling to honor the late Emperor. Upon their return, supported by the officials and revered by the people, he entered the capital and proceeded straight to the palace.
Early the next morning, King Yan assumed the throne, proclaiming himself Emperor and adopting the title Emperor Yongping.
Upon ascending to the throne, Emperor Yongping took care of the list of treacherous ministers, with Huang Ren, Qi Tao, and Yin Wen ranking at the top.
Both the Huang and Qi families were implicated in the crime of genocide. Yin Wen faced expulsion from his family due to unfilial piety. However, as the Yin family had rendered meritorious service in assisting King Yan, only Yin Wen was executed.
Emperor Yongping later restored the titles of King Qin and King Dai. As one of the kings died of illness and the other committed suicide during the domain’s upheaval, their eldest sons inherited the titles and returned to their original places.
The principle of punishing traitors and rewarding loyal officials was upheld. Guo Xiao, Zhang Xi, Gao Zhen, Yang Jingzhong, Feng Su, and Chen Yanchun were all the titles of marquises and generals. Cui Yu, despite breaking the rules, entered the cabinet. Notably, Lu Long and others, who initially opposed Emperor Yongping but later demonstrated meritorious deeds, retained their original titles without being held accountable.
This period of reward and punishment persisted for a month. Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, nearly half of the civil and military officials in the court had been replaced by the old ministers of Emperor Yongping.
During this time, the palace and houses damaged during the capital’s siege were reconstructed. King Yan, observing the map of the palace and the capital, commenced the enshrinement of his wife, concubines, and children.
Among his five wives and concubines, Princess Xu was granted the title of Empress, Concubine Li as Concubine Li, Concubine Guo as Concubine Xian, Mrs. Wen as Concubine Shun, and Mrs. Cui as Concubine Shu.
The five princes were given distinctive titles. The eldest son, Wei Yang, was named Prince Duan; the second son, Wei Yan, was named Prince Chu; the third son, Wei Luo, was named Prince Shu; the fourth son, Wei Yani, was named Prince Xiang; and the fifth son, Wei Jing, was named Prince Gui. In addition, each of King Yan’s daughters-in-law was the title of Princess.
Because Emperor Yongping didn’t want his sons to be too far away, not only Prince Duan lived in the capital, but the other four princes also lived in the capital, so there was no need to leave the capital to become vassal kings.
Emperor Yongping also had three daughters. The eldest daughter Wei Jin was named Princess Anqing, the second daughter Wei Shan was named Princess Shouchun, and the youngest daughter Wei Ying was named Princess Changle.
After the seal was completed, Emperor Yongping ordered Prince Shu and Prince Xiang to go to Pingcheng to bring everyone to Beijing.
In early September, the Imperial Edict reached the Yan Palace in Pingcheng ahead of the two Wei brothers.
Three generations of the family knelt in front of Cunxin Hall. After listening to the edicts one by one, everyone, except for Wei Yang, who had just been granted the title of Prince Duan, appeared joyful. However, Wei Yang, prompted by Empress Xu’s eyes, quickly forced a smile.
Once Empress Xu had left, Wei Yang’s eyes betrayed a hint of red. As a son, he couldn’t conceal his grievances in front of his mother. His father ascended the throne and proclaimed himself Emperor, and as the eldest son, he expected to be the Crown Prince. However, his father bestowed upon him the title of ��Prince Duan”. What did this choice signify?
Empress Xu could empathize with her son’s feelings, but she didn’t believe that the Emperor’s decision was intended to favor other princes for the crown.