Chapter 885 - 248: East Crossing! Father and Son

Chapter 885: Chapter 248: East Crossing! Father and Son

The Human Emperor, after all, bears the Ji Family bloodline, and naturally would not let his descendants cultivate in other ways.

Empress Ying and Princess Consort He had also quietly asked the Human Emperor, "What if it’s cut off after reaching the Fourth Grade?"

The Human Emperor only replied with three words: "It won’t be cut off," but did not explain further.

Nineteen-year-old Fifth Grade, in the past, would have been a demon that shocked the world; even now, it is considered a genius. However, for Ji Yong and Ji He, they reached this level only under the cultivation of the royal family’s top resources, so there’s really nothing commendable about it.

Ji Yong is honest and Ji He is romantic; standing together, their personalities are distinct.

But along the way, they are the same in one way: they are both completely anxious.

Traveling through the Imperial City Boulevard, they saw an entire official’s family exterminated, the bricks of the market mouth seeped with fresh blood.

This kind of thing is happening for the first time.

The two pondered and reached the palace door.

In the hall, the light was dim, the thirty-six-year-old Human Emperor sat like a statue of a Demon God on the Nine Dragon Throne, resting his chin in thought.

Thirty-six, even for the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, is just a "childhood period," because their life expectancy has reached three hundred years, which means they’ve only gone through about one-tenth, not to mention they will later step into the Fourth Grade, with a lifespan reaching five hundred years.

But the Human Emperor inexplicably seemed a bit old.

The two hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects.

"This son, Ji Yong, pays respect to Father Emperor."

"This son, Ji He, pays respect to Father Emperor."

Speaking, the two took out their scrolls and respectfully handed them over.

This was their recent assignment, which the Human Emperor had specifically instructed them to write and bring.

Eunuch Feng Yun on the side did not dare to take it directly but carefully glanced at the Human Emperor who seemed in a slumber.

The atmosphere was incredibly oppressive.

The air seemed to have frozen.

The Crown Prince and the Second Prince maintained their hand-over-scroll posture, not daring to move.

And just then, from outside, came an audacious silhouette running with exuberance, and a voice floated ahead in the wind.

"Emperor Brother, Emperor Brother~~"

A vibrant young girl ran inside from outside.

Her voice pierced through the currently frozen air.

Feng Yun quietly let out a breath.

The Human Emperor finally opened his eyes, looking past the Crown Prince and Second Prince at the young girl in the distance, he smiled and said, "It’s Xiaozhen."

The young girl ran to the steps, saluted, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Then, like a machine gun she continued, "Today is Your Majesty’s birthday, so I specially made Your Majesty’s favorite pastry."

Finished speaking, she magically took out a lunch box from behind her, and with a big grin said, "It’s Peach Blossom Pastry."

The Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and even Feng Yun were left dumbfounded.

Why does Your Majesty like eating Peach Blossom Pastry?

The Human Emperor laughed and said, "Come to My side."

Li Zhen ran over, putting the lunch box on the Dragon Throne.

The Human Emperor audaciously picked up a piece and started eating.

He could completely ignore all manners, for no one upon this land could dare to do anything to him.

He grabbed a Peach Blossom Pastry, took a bite, his body suddenly froze for a moment, then smilingly ate the whole pastry.

This was not made by Xiaozhen, but by Empress Dowager Xie.

Empress Dowager Xie used to love making Peach Blossom Pastry for Father Emperor, but she hadn’t done so for a long time, and as the Human Emperor, he also hadn’t eaten it for a long time.

Evidently, Xiaozhen had coaxed the Empress Dowager into personally cooking, hence obtaining this pastry.

A thoughtful gesture indeed...

"Was it tasty?" Li Zhen asked with hands behind her back, peeking slyly.

The Human Emperor entirely ignored others in the hall, but smilingly asked, "What reward do you want?"

Li Zhen murmured, "Your Majesty, killing the corrupt Ma Family is justified, but the Gao Family is somewhat wronged."

The Ma Family is the family the Crown Prince and the Second Prince saw being executed at the market mouth earlier.

The Gao Family is the family scheduled for execution tomorrow.

The former met their doom by embezzling relief grains, which was discovered.

Though Central Capital flourishes now, outside of it, even with Nuannuan Xue’s divine methods, it’s still insufficient to rescue the barren farmlands.

In the past, only certain areas had Ghost Realms, but now they’re unified across the land, Meat Fields sprouting like bamboo after rain.

The Meat Fields benefit martial artists but deprive farmlands of fertility.

Martial artists can consume Meat from the Meat Field, but ordinary folks cannot withstand the dense bloody energy in Demon Beast Meat.

Although many martial artists have gathered in Central Capital, it has attracted almost all talents nationwide.

In a family, those who awaken Shadow Blood are few.

The rest, naturally, need food.

Outside Central Capital, rumors circulate exaggeratedly that "grain is more precious than gold and silver."

Officials responsible for transporting relief grain, even if not for themselves, should consider their families; due to a mindset that nothing will happen, they embezzled a "little bit" of relief grain to stash in their own granaries.

But just that "little bit" enraged the Human Emperor, leading to the whole family’s execution.

The latter was guilty of speaking against, precisely because of the Ma Family incident.

The Gao Family advised, merely saying that the Ma Family’s crime didn’t warrant death, possibly affecting Your Majesty’s reputation; they hinted that if punishing was necessary, it might be done in a more discreet manner, without the fanfare of exterminating an entire family publicly at the market mouth.

Truthfully, what the Gao Family said wasn’t blasphemous; rather, it showed some genuine concern for the Dynasty, for ever since the Human Emperor ascended, such extermination of an Advanced official family had never occurred.

If it happened, it would set a precedent.

Once a precedent is set, all Advanced officials, all noble families would become "in awe" of the Human Emperor.