Holding the Emperor Hostage : Chapter 1: Transmigration and Dethronement

The first year of the Jianyuan era, winter.

Dark clouds pressed down upon the city as the north wind swept across the land. Howling gusts carried swirling snowflakes over the palace walls, painting the entire capital in shades of grim solemnity.

Under the cover of night, a eunuch hurried into the Chongde Hall.

“Your Majesty, terrible news.” The eunuch suddenly fell to his knees mid-stride, wailing in terror: “Grand Commandant Huo Yan has committed the gravest treason. During tonight’s banquet for the officials, he openly spoke of deposing Your Majesty and installing the Prince of Dai as emperor instead”

Yin Shuhai sat bolt upright from what he had thought was his deathbed dream. He looked oddly at the kneeling, weeping eunuch, then at the silent, empty hall, and at the palace servants standing still like NPCs. Then he lay back down with a peaceful expression, muttering to himself: “Haha, this dream sure is persistent…” How many times had he woken up already, and it still kept going!

“Y-Your Majesty”

The wailing eunuch cut off abruptly. He looked up in bewilderment, and the others were also staring at Yin Shuhai with strange expressions.

Had the Emperor been frightened out of his mind?

Yin Shuhai ignored their calculating gazes. He closed his eyes and looked at the game system interface still floating before him. His heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally dropped.

He wasn’t dreaming! He had the spectacular misfortune of transmigrating!

Yin Shuhai turned over expressionlessly, burying his face in the bedding, and let out a despairing cry: “I don’t want to transmigrate aaaaaah”

At this sight, the eunuchs and palace maids in the hall all fell to their knees, wailing “Your Majesty” as if the Emperor had already passed away.

In fact, if Yin Shuhai hadn’t arrived when he did, the entire palace would indeed have been holding funeral rites for the Emperor by now. Yin Shuhai sighed with some emotion. His last memory was of having grinded for three days and three nights to finally max out the last life skill on his game account, then collapsing face-first onto his keyboard before he could even take a bite of takeout.

He never expected that when he opened his eyes again, he would have transmigrated into the body of the thirty-sixth emperor of the Great Yin Dynasty a dynasty that didn’t exist in history Emperor Yin Shuhai.

The original owner was the fifth son of the thirty-first emperor, Emperor Yin Li, and although born of the Empress, he had been sent to live outside the palace due to congenital foolishness. His mother, Empress Deng, had been implicated and hanged herself. After her death, Emperor Li flew into a rage and demoted the fifth prince, Yin Shuhai, to commoner status.

Yin Shuhai had wandered among the common people for sixteen years until, a year ago, the powerful eunuch Zhang Jian poisoned the young emperor and then, under the pretense that “Yin Shuhai is the legitimate son of Emperor Wu,” brought the original owner back to the palace and installed him on the throne emperor in name only, a puppet without real power.

The Great Yin Dynasty had lasted over six hundred years, and by the time it reached its current ruler, it was already running on fumes. Inside the court, maternal relatives and eunuchs manipulated power; outside, powerful officials and aristocratic families controlled the government; and regional warlords and local strongmen levied heavy taxes and ruled their territories like independent kingdoms. Before the original owner ascended the throne, various power brokers, maternal relatives, and eunuchs had already killed four emperors through “cold sickness,” “drowning,” and poisoning.

And now, less than a year into his reign, Grand Commandant Huo Yan had launched a palace coup under the pretext that “the treacherous eunuch Zhang Jian was cunningly manipulating power and coveting the throne,” executing Zhang Jian and his faction. He then sought to depose the emperor and install a new one. The original owner had died of fright upon hearing this news.

When he woke up again, it was the game-addicted Yin Shuhai who had died from staying up too many nights.

Although he didn’t want to transmigrate to ancient feudal society with no takeout, no air conditioning, no internet, and no family or friends, for someone who had already died once, the chance to live again was still pretty good. Not to mention that his current identity was the highest ruler of feudal society the Emperor.

Most importantly, not only did the original emperor share Yin Shuhai’s exact name, but he even looked identical to his game character modelyes, after dying from an all-nighter, Yin Shuhai hadn’t just transmigrated; he had brought his game account along with him.

But before Yin Shuhai could even celebrate having a golden finger, he received the terrible news on the very day of his arrival that he, the emperor, was about to be deposed.

What good fate awaited a deposed emperor? Even with his poor knowledge of history, Yin Shuhai only had to think of the four predecessors before him who had been poisoned or died of “illness” to know that a deposed emperor absolutely could not expect a good end!

“No, I have to save myself!”

Yin Shuhai sat up with a fierce expression, turned his head, and asked the eunuch still kneeling and wailing before the hall: “How do you write the Grand Commandant’s name? Besides him, is there anyone else who wants to depose me?”

The eunuch glanced at Yin Shuhai in surprise.

Yin Shuhai ignored his shock and immediately said: “Someone, prepare brush and ink!”

He then had the eunuch write down the names of the Grand Commandant and the others.

The eunuch lowered his eyes and head, writing as he spoke respectfully: “Commandant of the Feathered Forest, Dong Wan, and the Colonel Director of Retainers, Jiang Yang, both support the Grand Commandant’s proposal. The Imperial Censor, Liang Gong, angrily denounced the Grand Commandant’s actions as tantamount to rebellion and was nearly beheaded on the spot by the Grand Commandant…”

Yin Shuhai gasped!

Good heavens, this Grand Commandant was that violent? If he remembered correctly, the Imperial Censor and the Grand Commandant were both among the Three Excellencies. Since Huo Yan could try to behead one of the Three Excellencies on a whim, this puppet emperor of his probably wouldn’t last long if he really was deposed!

Thinking of this, Yin Shuhai couldn’t help but feel sorrow welling up from within. He waved his hand to dismiss all the attending eunuchs and palace maids.

The eunuch who had been answering him looked like he wanted to say more. Seeing that Yin Shuhai had no intention of keeping him behind, he had no choice but to leave with the others.

Once everyone had filed out and the entire hall was left with only Yin Shuhai, he tremblingly opened his system interface.

He didn’t know if he had transmigrated in the wrong position, but although Yin Shuhai’s game account had come with him, the entire game interface was locked, his game skills and inventory space were all frozen, leaving only the daily check-in and “Flying Flower Message” functions barely usable.

Now, what Yin Shuhai was pinning his hopes on was this Flying Flower Message function.

Yin Shuhai opened the Flying Flower Message skill panel and filled in the names of Grand Commandant Huo Yan, Commandant of the Feathered Forest Dong Wan, and Colonel Director of Retainers Jiang Yang. After much deliberation and scribbling, he finally and carefully wrote: “Prime Minister, do you think I still have a chance?” “Commandant, do you think I still have a chance?” “Colonel Director, do you think I still have a chance?”

After writing, Yin Shuhai looked at the three neatly written notes, clicked send with trembling hands.

That’s right, Yin Shuhai was planning to surrender to the great power holder. He hoped Huo Yan would give up on deposing him as emperor, seeing how cowardly and obedient he was.

Then, Yin Shuhai also sent a Flying Flower to Imperial Censor Liang Gong, thanking him for speaking up on his behalf.

That night, the moon was cool as water.

Grand Commandant Huo Yan was in an extremely foul mood.

He had hosted a banquet at his residence for the officials, intending to discuss with them the matter of deposing the emperor and installing a new one. He had thought this matter was a sure thing after all, Yin Shuhai was the puppet emperor installed by the treacherous eunuch Zhang Jian. A fool who didn’t know left from right, how could he bear the heavy responsibility of emperor?

So after thoroughly executing Zhang Jian and his faction, Huo Yan had quietly released word that he intended to depose the emperor and install the Prince of Dai. This move was not only to eliminate Zhang Jian’s remaining influence in the court and demonstrate his authority as Grand Commandant, but also for the sake of the Great Yin Dynasty’s future. Yet he never expected that old man Liang Gong would suddenly turn hostile at the banquet, and even play the seniority card, slandering him as having rebellious intentions. A carefully prepared banquet thus ended on a sour note.

Huo Yan had failed to get what he wanted and was naturally depressed. After seeing off his guests, he drowned his sorrows in wine with his confidants and advisors. By the time the wine had done its work and everyone dispersed, the moon was already high in the sky.

Drunk and muddled, Huo Yan fell into a stupor. In the middle of the night, he woke up with a dry mouth and, in a daze, reached out to call for someone to pour tea. His hand suddenly touched something at his chest—at some point, someone had stuffed an object there.

Huo Yan opened his bleary eyes and, in a haze, saw a small white flower lying quietly in his palm. Beneath the delicate little flower hung a note two fingers wide, with several large characters written on it in proper, neat script: “Prime Minister, do you think I still have a chance?”

A gust of wind blew in from nowhere. The originally drunk Huo Yan suddenly woke with a start. He fixed his eyes on the white flower and note in his hand, broke out in a cold sweat, and his flushed face turned white with fright.

“Come here! Come here now!”

The guards and servants at the door pushed their way in. Huo Yan gripped the white flower and note and demanded in a cold voice: “Who? Who put this white flower and this note on my bed?”

Not only had they placed it on his bed while he slept, but they had also slipped it into his chest without anyone knowing. If this had been a sharp blade instead

Huo Yan didn’t dare think further. If he kept thinking, he probably wouldn’t dare close his eyes to sleep ever again.

Hearing this, the guards and servants at the door exchanged glances and immediately said: “Reporting to the Grand Commandant, no one entered the inner chamber.”

“Nonsense!” Huo Yan roared: “If no one came in, then how did this thing get stuffed into my chest?”

As he spoke, a hurried set of footsteps sounded from outside.

An armored officer stood outside the room and reported loudly: “Reporting to the Grand Commandant, Commandant of the Feathered Forest Dong Wan and Colonel Director of Retainers Jiang Yang request an audience.”

Huo Yan’s gaze sharpened, and he subconsciously looked up at the sky. It was already so late, what did these two want at this hour?

“Show them in.”

Shortly after, Commandant of the Feathered Forest Dong Wan and Colonel Director of Retainers Jiang Yang hurried over.

Both men had crooked headpieces and disheveled clothing, their faces unable to hide their panic.

When they reached the hall, the two hurriedly paid their respects to Huo Yan and eagerly pulled something from their chests: “Grand Commandant, please look.”

Huo Yan fixed his eyes on the objects and his expression suddenly changed. He also took out the white flower and note he had just received: “You received them too?”

“The Grand Commandant received one too?”

At these words, several pairs of eyes fell simultaneously on the three small white flowers and three identical notes, and their faces instantly turned ashen.

The commotion in the residence had awakened several of Huo Yan’s advisors. Everyone gathered together and examined the items for a long time, but couldn’t identify the material of the three white flowers and three notes neither silk nor paper, but crafted with a refinement and beauty rarely seen in the world.

After a long while, an advisor dressed in Confucian robes and wearing a black cloth cap sighed deeply: “Since ancient times, only those in mourning wear white. The person who left these flowers must be warning us that if we dare speak again of deposing and enthroning…”

The speaker was Fan Juan, Huo Yan’s most trusted advisor. He had already deduced from the information on the three notes that the person who left the message was that foolish emperor in the palace of rumor. But how could a foolish puppet emperor manage to deliver his message from within the imperial palace to the beds of three powerful military officials?

Bear in mind that ever since the Grand Commandant executed Zhang Jian and the other treacherous eunuchs, he had appointed his most trusted confidant, Dong Wan, as Commandant of the Feathered Forest and had him lead three thousand guards to take over the defense of the imperial city. Without the Grand Commandant Huo Yan’s written order, no one was permitted to enter or leave the palace without authorization. This measure was specifically designed to cut off all contact between the palace and the outside world, preventing anyone with malicious intent from conspiring with those inside.

And the Grand Commandant Huo Yan had hosted this family banquet tonight. Yet the little emperor, trapped deep within the palace by three thousand guards, had not only accurately learned of the conversations at the banquet that very same night, but had even managed to slip his handwritten messages into the chests of three men, passing through layer upon layer of guards without anyone noticing.

The deeper implications behind this act made everyone’s scalp tingle with apprehension.