The Face-Slapping Journey of a Sword Cultivator Male God (QT) Chapter 014: The Rightful Heir's Retaliation in the Story of a Reincarnated Concubine's Son - Part 13

Once the results of the imperial civil service examination were announced, the shortlisted scholars prepared to enter the palace for the highest grade of the imperial exam. This top grade exam is not only the final step in the examination process but also an event of such magnitude that even His Majesty personally attends. For scholars who've dedicated years to their studies, this moment stands as their crowning achievement.

However, this year marked an unexpected change. Following the imperial civil service examination, His Majesty decreed the postponement of the top grade imperial exam by half a month.

Such a decision is almost unheard of in the annals of the Great Wei Dynasty. The abrupt decree sent shockwaves through the court, creating a sense of panic among the officials, making the situation quite unstable.

Though His Majesty is fifty years old this year, he has always been known for his stalwart health. Yet, since six months ago, his once vigorous, dragon body began to deteriorate. The gravity of his condition is such that it even impedes the top grade imperial exam, necessitating the decree to delay it.

The court was already teetering due to His Majesty's ailing health. This, in itself, had led many officials to a state of unease, allowing an atmosphere of panic to seep in.

Yet, what compounded the tumult was the persistent assault on the crown prince by the imperial envoys. While the crown prince had faced impeachment on several prior occasions, the true cause for alarm was the sudden desertion by his erstwhile allies: the Purist Faction and the Royalists.

Stripped of the support from both factions, the crown prince found himself relying solely on his own faction's dwindling power within the court. Under the relentless pressure from the imperial envoys, he was pushed steadily backward. Witnessing his vulnerability, his predatory brothers wasted no time in pouncing, deepening his woes. For a period, the crown prince teetered on the brink of catastrophe.

The gravest dilemma was His Majesty's own condition. Despite his burning desire to aid the crown prince and stabilize the court, his weakening dragon body and waning spirit left him with passion but no power. For a while, the crown prince faced opposition from all sides, so much so that a decree to strip him of his title sat ominously on the imperial desk.

The crown prince's standing was undeniably shaken, reaching a critical low, an observation shared unanimously by the courtiers. Inside the Eastern Palace, overwhelmed by his predicament, the crown prince paced his chamber with eyes inflamed in anguish, shattering porcelain ornaments in his wake.

"Why in the world did the steadfast old purists suddenly forsake me? As for my brothers, with their tiger-like and hyena-esque hearts, ready to strike at my weakness—do they truly believe that by undermining me, the throne will be theirs? They're deluded!"

With a resounding crash, another blue-and-white porcelain vase lay in pieces. The crown prince stood amidst the debris, bent over, catching his breath. His body quivered, his voice defiant, "I refuse to be vanquished this way. The throne belongs to me, and I shall reign as emperor!"

The eunuchs and palace maidens in attendance shrank back, trembling. Hearing the crown prince's audacious proclamation while His Majesty still drew breath was tantamount to treason. They wished they could vanish, or at the very least, be spared the burden of hearing such words.

"Summon General Gao to my presence immediately. I have pressing matters to confer with him," commanded the crown prince. Rising from his frenzied display, he reclaimed his regal poise, his voice icy.

A nearby attendant gave a profound bow and responded with deference, "As you wish, Your Highness." He hastened away, not permitting himself the luxury of wondering about the prince's motives in calling upon General Gao.

General Gao was none other than the commander of the Imperial Guard...

Inside the study of the Li Mansion.

Mr. Li, fingers brushing against his beard, regarded his sole grandson with a probing gaze. The once familiar young man now seemed an enigma to him. With a mix of concern and suspicion, he inquired, "Did you have a hand in His Majesty's ailment?"

It wasn't wholly irrational for him to harbor such thoughts. The circumstances were eerily aligned. Just after his grandson hinted at His Majesty's inability to support the crown prince, the Emperor's health took a drastic turn for the worse, confining him to bed. The uncanny timing gave Mr. Li pause, prompting deeper reflection.

Previously, though His Majesty had displayed signs of waning vigor and occasional bouts of headaches and fevers, he had never plummeted to such a perilous state of health as the present!

"I played no part in it. I merely received word that His Majesty's end is drawing near," Xuan Yuan replied, his voice even. His eyes, touched with a hint of detachment, radiated sincerity. A single glance and Mr. Li was convinced of the truth in his words, discerning no deceit.

Indeed, Xuan Yuan spoke the truth. He hadn't engineered the ailing state of the Great Wei Dynasty's emperor. In line with the destined course of events, the elder emperor was to breathe his last in a mere three months, leaving the throne to the crown prince.

The woeful destinies of Lin Xuanzhu and Lady Li were not solely the handiwork of Lin Yingjie and Princess Chaoyang. Behind them, the crown prince's ambitions played a significant role, as he harbored aspirations to seize power.

Once the crown prince claimed the throne, his malevolence wouldn't end there. He intended to wipe out the entire Li family, ensuring that no threats or opposition remained.

A weight lifted from Mr. Li's shoulders, knowing that his grandson wasn't involved in any plot against the emperor. As a devoted scholar, he'd been steadfastly loyal to the throne throughout his life. Though he had distanced himself from the crown prince for the sake of the Li family's preservation, he had never entertained thoughts of conspiring against His Majesty.

With the pressing concern addressed, Mr. Li's thoughts naturally turned to the future. "What is our next move?" The dynamic between the grandfather and grandson had subtly shifted, and without realizing it, Mr. Li found himself deferring to Xuan Yuan, awaiting the younger's lead.

Xuan Yuan cast his gaze downward, speaking with a composed demeanor. "Our best course is to observe and remain patient." Noticing Mr. Li's confusion, Xuan Yuan offered a faint smile, explaining, "The crown prince, in his naivety and incompetence, is prone to rash actions, especially now when he's pushed to the edge. It's in such moments of desperation that we'll find our opportunity to strip him of his title."

If he persisted as the crown prince, he would seamlessly take the throne following the emperor's demise. Such an outcome would be diametrically opposed to Xuan Yuan's designs.

Thus, the cornerstone of Xuan Yuan's strategy emerged: to topple the crown prince from his pedestal. And to truly persuade the emperor to renounce the crown prince, he recognized that only a rebellion would suffice.

As this thought crystallized, the hint of a smile danced upon his lips. Picking up his teacup with a deliberate grace, Xuan Yuan sipped the tea, its sweetness a stark contrast to the depth of his machinations, as he deftly hid his smirk.

Yet the sudden shift in the situation seemed to baffle 0617. "Host," it queried with a perplexed visage, "why has the scenario with the crown prince changed so suddenly?" It felt as if it had been left behind in the unfolding narrative. Always at the host's side, it couldn't fathom why it was out of the loop.

Xuan Yuan's keen perception already recognized the innocent nature of 0617. He found no reason to exhaustively detail his intricate strategies, doubting that 0617 would grasp them even if he tried. To him, there was no value in squandering moments on such explanations.

Left unanswered, however, 0617 wasn't one to simply let the matter rest. Persistently, it probed, "Host, your adeptness with political maneuvering is quite impressive. Were you once an official before becoming the host?" To 0617, such dexterity in political chess seemed characteristic only of those who had previously held positions of power.

Xuan Yuan's lips curled in a hint of a smile, masterfully concealing any admission or denial.

While he walked the path of a sword cultivator, his methods were far from linear or overtly forceful. His way was a balance of strength and elegance, employing an array of tactics and subterfuge. And such was the essence of his rise. From modest origins, Xuan Yuan meticulously climbed the ranks, securing his place as the preeminent sword cultivator in the Cultivation World. His ascent was a testament to not just sheer power, but to a deep understanding of strategy and diplomacy, navigating the intricate web of power dynamics with a deft touch.

Though Xuan Yuan's formidable strength held sway over the Cultivation World, it was his clandestine tactics that truly consolidated his reign. It was a delicate dance to command both respect and dread, yet ensure none would dare to rebel. Many would find this equilibrium elusive, but Xuan Yuan was never one to wield his power rashly or without forethought.

Upon his return to the stately Luoning Marquis Manor, Xuan Yuan retired to his study. As the heavy wooden doors closed behind him, he granted his servants leave. In the ensuing stillness, with only the flicker of candlelight and shadows for company, he spoke to the void, "Reveal the gunpowder formula I had you document."

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