The Face-Slapping Journey of a Sword Cultivator Male God (QT) Chapter 017: The Rightful Heir's Retaliation in the Story of a Reincarnated Concubine's Son - Part 16

The carriage, emblazoned with the emblem of the Luoning Marquis Manor, glided along East Main Street, heading towards its destination on the main boulevard where the Marquis Manor stood.

The road beneath was impeccably smooth. With each turn of its wheels, the carriage swayed only slightly, ensuring that its passenger, Xuan Yuan, could rest undisturbed with his eyes shut, revitalizing his spirit.

The main roads of the Great Wei Dynasty's capital were masterfully constructed, boasting an evenness that made travel seamless. After its journey along East Main Street, the carriage veered into a peaceful alley. The city's cacophony was instantly replaced by an enveloping tranquility.

Suddenly, 0617's voice echoed in Xuan Yuan's Sea of Consciousness. "Host, host, when we just passed by Princess Chaoyang, the completion percentage of our first mission increased a bit!" The disarrayed state of Princess Chaoyang seems to be beneficial for their objectives.

Xuan Yuan's eyes fluttered open, the depths of their darkness rendering his gaze impenetrable. He hummed, an air of nonchalance about him, seemingly unimpressed by the update. "Earlier, you spoke of point rewards upon mission completion. How exactly are these points allocated?"

While Xuan Yuan's reaction to the mission's progress was understated, his pointed question about the point system clearly piqued 0617's interest. "The points awarded post-mission," it replied eagerly, "are based on both the mission's difficulty and the extent to which it's completed."

Before Xuan Yuan could delve deeper into his inquiry, 0617, brimming with eagerness, started detailing the rules and assessment methods. After all, this marked Xuan Yuan's maiden inquiry about the Main God Space, so the System felt duty-bound to provide a thorough response.

While 0617 enthusiastically elaborated, Xuan Yuan remained silent, perhaps not wholly engrossed. Unaware of his wavering attention, 0617 pressed on, "The points granted for the host's first world experience are doubled. Though these initial missions may not be especially challenging, if all three are executed flawlessly, a reward of six thousand points awaits!"

As 0617 wrapped up its exposition, its voice brimmed with excitement. To the System, six thousand points appeared to be a considerable sum. Considering its recent awakening, it probably didn't possess even a solitary point.

"Oh, I see." Xuan Yuan's response was both cool and detached, betraying no hint of interest. This dampened 0617's spirits, its virtual presence seeming a touch deflated.

Undeterred, the ever-spirited 0617 soon bounced back, inquiring, "Host, what's your next move to accomplish the mission?"

"Do nothing. Simply await the new emperor's ascension and then be a loyal subject," Xuan Yuan remarked, a hint of amusement playing on his lips.

0617 paused, "...Host, are you for real?" It questioned whether Xuan Yuan was merely jesting. The very idea that this might be his sincere course of action seemed implausible.

Being a mere subject? To the host, it seemed downright absurd.

"Mmm." Xuan Yuan responded with a subtle nod, signaling his genuine intentions. With composed assurance, he retorted, "Aside from eliminating Lin Yingjie, when have you observed me act wrongly?"

0617 faltered, "...Well, there's the demise of the crown prince..." Its voice tapered off, registering the futility of its argument. True, apart from the direct confrontation with Lin Yingjie on day one, Xuan Yuan hadn’t truly acted— or to be precise, hadn't acted overtly.

"You truly are something else, host," 0617 muttered, a tinge of petulance coloring its tone. It then retreated into silence, its virtual disposition deflating. Despite their brief association, 0617 had come to grasp a crucial fact: Xuan Yuan was not one to be underestimated. Otherwise, it might find itself in a predicament akin to Lin Yingjie's—subdued, yet paradoxically feeling indebted. T_T

Following his customary routine upon returning to the Luoning Marquis Manor, Xuan Yuan began by paying his respects to Lady Li. They immersed themselves in a prolonged conversation, leaving Lady Li visibly uplifted. Only after this heartening exchange did Xuan Yuan retire to his quarters.

In the days that followed, Xuan Yuan did as he had mentioned to Old Master Li, remaining unobtrusively within the Marquis Manor, patiently awaiting the perpetually deferred top-grade imperial exam. The ongoing political upheavals and turbulence within the court seemed distant concerns for him, a young heir of the Marquis Manor not yet embroiled in courtly affairs.

On the 23rd day of the fourth month, during the 26th year of the Wenjing era in the Great Wei Dynasty, the emperor finally rallied from his protracted ailment, and the morning court sessions recommenced.

During this particular court gathering, the emperor acted with resolve. The third, fourth, and fifth princes, embroiled in the conspiracy to dethrone the deposed crown prince, faced stern consequences. They were not only chastised publicly but also divested of their royal titles and confined to house arrest.

Those who had backed the three princes weren't spared either. Anyone who had shown allegiance or maintained affiliations with their factions was subjected to severe reprisals during this sweeping cleanse. While some faced the ultimate penalty of execution, others found themselves demoted. Along with the officials who had once allied with the deposed crown prince, the court suddenly stood significantly depopulated.

On the first day of the fifth month during the 26th year of the Wenjing era, the emperor's decree resounded through the court, naming the seventh prince as the new crown prince. The edict declared, "The seventh prince, despite his youth, possesses a keen intellect and an unwavering zeal for knowledge. His filial piety and camaraderie make him worthy of this paramount duty."

This proclamation sent ripples of astonishment throughout the Great Wei Dynasty.

Yet, after reigning for many years, the emperor's grip on the court was unyielding. Even through his severe illness, his daunting authority persisted, leaving no room for dissent within the court's walls.

And the three princes, now divested of their titles and confined, might have simmered with resentment. But with their supporters purged by the emperor's hand, they stood bereft of any power to challenge the decree.

Despite his newfound title, the seventh prince's youth and prior obscurity meant he held little substantial power or sway. Recognizing this, the emperor swiftly decreed the selection of a crown princess and two side consorts for the young crown prince. These matrimonial arrangements would be formalized once the prince reached maturity. Each of the chosen women came from illustrious families wielding immense influence – a calculated move by the emperor to fortify the crown prince's stature and influence.

Following the seventh prince's elevation to crown prince, a fleeting calm settled over the court's political landscape. Yet, with the emperor's health unpredictably deteriorating and incessant provocations from the Xiongnu along the northwest frontier, an undercurrent of tension permeated the court. It was the ominous stillness before a storm, overshadowed by an ever-present specter of impending upheaval.

On the 13th day of the fifth month, during the 26th year of the Wenjing era, the emperor was once more ensnared in the grip of a coma. Imperial physicians, confounded, concluded that neither medicine nor treatment could revive him – his malady was now terminal.

In moments of anguish during his drawn-out suffering, several imperial physicians were executed. As the crown prince and a retinue of high-ranking officials kept vigil by the emperor's side, a thick pall of tension enveloped the palace. The political balance teetered, diving into chaos once more.

On the 27th day of the fifth month, during the 26th year of the Wenjing era of the Great Wei Dynasty, the emperor, in one of his final lucid moments, appointed three distinguished officials to mentor the young crown prince. They were the esteemed First-Rank Grand Scholar of the Inner Cabinet, Lord Xia; the eminent First-Rank member of the Hanlin Imperial Academy, Mr. Li; and the formidable First-Rank Grand General Chen. Their mission was to oversee the crown prince's ascent to the throne and provide counsel until he reached maturity, at which juncture they would then restore the complete reign of power to the emperor.

On the 28th day of that very month, the Great Wei Dynasty's Wenjing Emperor took his final breath. His heir, now known as the Wenyuan Emperor, claimed the throne at a mere twelve years of age.

Merely five days into the young emperor's reign, dire tidings came from the northwest frontier: the Xiongnu had mounted a substantial invasion against the Great Wei. Ill-prepared and overwhelmed, the border troops faced multiple defeats.

This unsettling news rippled through the Great Wei court, sending tremors of anxiety. The empire was already in the throes of navigating the reign of a juvenile emperor. With the Xiongnu seizing this moment of vulnerability, unease clouded the court. Officials and nobles agonized over the dynasty's fate.

Yet, in the midst of this upheaval, a subtle smirk played on Xuan Yuan's lips. His voice, as ever, steady and deliberate, whispered, "It's time..."

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