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Reborn Into a Doomed Villain Clan, I Realized Too Late My System Was in English (Web Novel) - Chapter 569 The Last Words of an Emperor
Chapter 569 The Last Words of an Emperor
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
Every prince and princess... along with the Queens and the Empress, received an emergency summons.The letter bore the Emperor's personal seal.
It was absolute, which could not be disobeyed, nor delayed.
Within just a few days, even those stationed in distant lands abandoned everything and rushed back toward the Imperial Palace.
No one dared to ignore it.
No one dared to be late.
Soon... the Imperial Palace was filled once more.
All heirs of the throne had gathered.
From the moment they arrived, the tension in the air was palpable.
They were all competitors.
Aside from a few who still maintained some form of relationship, most exchanged cold glances with one another.
Hidden hostility flickered beneath their calm expressions.
Yet no one acted openly.
After all... it was the Emperor who had summoned them.
On the surface, they greeted one another like normal siblings.
"Brother Longxuan, I heard you made another breakthrough. Congratulations!"
"Sister Qingya, I heard you defeated that so-called genius from the Northern Region. Impressive!"
"Eighth Brother, still guarding the borders? I suppose someone has to do the hard work."
Although they exchanged polite pleasantries with each other, they all knew that it was just an act.
The Queens and the Empress were no different.
Their expressions were elegant and dignified.
Their words were gentle and refined.
But in their hearts, each of them knew only one thing mattered.
Their child must ascend the throne.
No matter the cost.
***
At that moment, a figure stepped forward.
Minister Yan Taifeng!
The moment he appeared, the murmurs grew louder.
"Why is he here?"
"Where is the Father Emperor?"
Confusion grew.
After all, the summons had been issued using the Emperor's seal.
Only he could do that, yet he was nowhere to be seen.
And the one to appear was Minister Yan.
Suspicion began to surface.
All eyes fell onto him.
Yan Taifeng stood calmly before them, though his expression was solemn.
His gaze swept across the hall.
Almost everyone was present.
He took a slow breath, then spoke.
"Please... come inside."
His voice was steady.
But what he said next caused subtle shifts in expression.
"What you are about to see... must not be leaked to anyone."
The atmosphere instantly grew heavier.
Some frowned.
Some narrowed their eyes.
Others felt an inexplicable sense of unease rising in their hearts.
Yan Taifeng lowered his gaze slightly.
A trace of helplessness flickered within it.
This was meant to prevent chaos.
To delay the inevitable.
But he knew...
Once they learned the truth...
None of them would remain still.
They were princes and princesses.
Each one was ambitious.
Each one hungry for the throne.
This revelation would not calm them.
It would ignite them. It would be they who might start this civil war.
Still... he had no choice.
He could not hide this forever.
And what they chose to do after this was no longer something he could control.
He could only pray-
Those things would not spiral beyond salvation.
***
Without another word, Yan Taifeng turned and began walking deeper into the inner palace, protected by countless powerful formations.
One by one... they followed.
As they walked deeper into the inner palace, an uneasy silence settled over the
group.
Suspicion had already begun to take root in their hearts.
Most of them were not fools.
From the urgency of the summons... the absence of the Emperor... the solemn
demeanor of Yan Taifeng...
They had already arrived at a conclusion.
But no one spoke it aloud.
There was no need, as the truth would reveal itself soon enough.
They soon arrived before the Emperor's chamber.
The doors stood closed, as if sealing something irreversible within.
Yan Taifeng stopped.
He turned to face them.
His expression was grave.
"Your Highnesses! Please... steady yourselves."
Minister Yan said with a heavy heart as he finally pushed the doors open.
Creak... The doors slowly parted.
And they stepped inside.
The moment their eyes fell upon the scene, a shockwave rippled through the
entire room.
Even though many had already expected it....
Even though they had mentally prepared themselves...
When faced with reality, it still struck them.
There, upon the grand bed... lay the Emperor.
His eyes were closed.
His face was pale.
Gone was the authority that once commanded an empire.
Gone was the presence that once made countless kneel.
What remained was a lifeless body.
Yet even in death, his expression was not peaceful.
A faint trace of unwillingness lingered between his brows.
Regret etched deeply across his features.
As if even in his final moments, he could not let go.
Silence filled the chamber.
For a brief moment, time itself seemed to stop.
Some of the princes and princesses froze. Shock and sadness flickered across their faces.
But only for a few seconds.
Very quickly, sadness faded.
Replaced by something else. Ambition.
Calculation.
Their gazes shifted.
From the Emperor...
To one another. The meaning was clear.
The moment had arrived.
The Empress and the Queens, however, reacted differently.
Or at least...
On the surface.
Cries broke the silence.
Tears flowed.
Expressions filled with grief and sorrow.
"My Emperor..." "How could this happen..." "Why did you leave us so soon..."
Their voices trembled with emotion.
Their bodies shook as if unable to accept reality. Perhaps it was real.
Perhaps it was not.
Within the royal family... no one could truly tell.
Some princes lowered their heads.
Some clenched their fists.
Some stood silently, their thoughts hidden deep within.
But one thing was certain, no one here was truly unprepared.
Then a figure stepped forward.
First Prince, Yu Zidi!
His expression was solemn, his brows tightly furrowed.
There was even a trace of grief within his eyes, or at least... it appeared so.
He looked toward Yan Taifeng and spoke in a low, heavy voice.
"How did this happen?"
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Just a few months ago... Father Emperor seemed to have recovered."
His tone carried disbelief.
As if he could not accept what he was seeing.
All eyes turned toward Yan Taifeng.
They were all thinking the same thing. The Emperor had clearly appeared healthy not long ago.
So how could he have fallen so suddenly?
Yan Taifeng took a slow breath.
He had expected this question.
"The Emperor's recovery... was only temporary."
His voice was steady, yet heavy.
"He consumed a special healing pill that could temporarily restore his vitality."
A brief pause.
"But the price was severe. He knew... that his time was already running out."
Murmurs spread softly among the crowd.
Yan Taifeng continued.
"He did it... because he wanted to see all of you one last time."
Silence followed.
No one spoke.
No one questioned further.
Whether they believed it fully or not... It was a reasonable explanation.
Yu Zidi lowered his gaze slightly.
His expression turned even more solemn.
But within his eyes...
A faint glimmer of understanding flashed.
(So that's how it is...)
He also thought about that possibility and turns out he was right.
He slowly nodded, accepting the explanation.
At that moment, another figure stepped forward.
Fourth Princess, Yu Qingya!
Her posture was elegant.
Her gaze was calm yet sharp.
"Minister Yan..."
Her voice was soft, but clear. "Did Father Emperor... leave any instructions for us?"
The moment those words were spoken-
The atmosphere shifted subtly. Everyone understood what she truly meant. Did he name a successor?
Did he appoint a Crown Prince... or Crown Princess?
Even if he had... would they accept it?
Most already had their own answer. Still... they wanted to know. Which prince or princess did the Emperor favor among them.
Yan Taifeng looked at her.
Then slowly nodded.
"I did!"
With that, he reached into his sleeve.
And took out a scroll.
The Imperial Decree!
The moment it appeared, everyone's expression changed.
Almost instinctively, they all bowed.
As if the Emperor himself still stood before them.
The room fell into complete silence.
Yan Taifeng carefully opened the decree.
His hands were steady.
But his eyes... carried a trace of complexity. Then he began to read. "The Emperor speaks..."
His voice echoed within the chamber.
"To my Empress... my consorts... my sons and daughters..."
"I have ruled for many years..."
"But I now see clearly... I have failed."
A ripple spread across the room.
Failed?
Those words... coming from the Emperor?
Unthinkable.
"I failed as a husband..."
"I failed as a father..."
"And perhaps... I failed as an Emperor."
Silence deepened.
Many of them were stunned.
This was not the man they knew.
The Emperor they remembered was absolute and unyielding.
Never one to admit weakness.
Yet now...
In his final words...
He laid everything bare. After all, this was his final message to his family and he
can't
just keep acting.
When he was alive, he needed to be always aware of his position as the
Emperor. Do everything that was required as the Emperor.
He can't show weakness.
But in the end, what does that matter to a dead man?
"I leave behind not prosperity... but conflict."
"I leave behind not unity... but division."
"For this... the fault lies with me."
Even those with hardened hearts felt a slight stir, but only slightly.
Because beneath that emotion, something else lingered stronger. Anticipation!
Who would he choose?
