Chapter 709: The Crown Prince Takes Control

“Crown Prince, you have finally returned!”

The officials in the Eastern Palace were moved to tears upon seeing the Crown Prince return.

If anything were to happen to the Crown Prince, their days ahead would be plunged into darkness.

Now that the Crown Prince has returned, everything has changed.

The Crown Prince is the rightful heir. Even if the Emperor were to pass now, the successor could only be the Crown Prince.

Should King Qi desire the throne, there is only one path: rebellion.

Until the end of the dynasty, even in the midst of a power struggle, no one has succeeded in usurping the throne throughout history.

Moreover, the Crown Prince has not lost virtue, and he holds the rightful moral high ground. Even if someone wishes to support King Qi and become a minister in his court, they’d need the opportunity to do so.

With the Crown Prince now safely back in Li Jing, even those courtiers who once harbored doubts now know where to align their loyalties.

The news of the Crown Prince’s return swiftly spread throughout all of Li Jing City.

Clearly, someone deliberately made it so, ensuring that everyone in the capital knew the Crown Prince was back. With his return, the unstable political climate naturally settled down.

This is the true significance of the Crown Prince over the past twenty years, having no great achievements but also no major faults.

The operation of a mature court relies on the established laws and regulations; the presence of the Emperor, in fact, is not of utmost importance.

As long as the Emperor is there, the officials govern the country according to established rules, and generally, it won’t differ much.

It’s like a deity enshrined in a temple; despite being a clay idol, without it, the place is not considered a temple, and no one would worship.

The Emperor is akin to the clay Buddha in the temple, though unlike the clay Buddha who doesn’t meddle in earthly affairs, the Emperor holds the power of life and death. Thus, if the Emperor acts recklessly, the court would inevitably be in chaos.

However, upon his return to the palace, the Crown Prince did not immediately visit Emperor Tianzuo Zhao Rui; instead, he summoned Fu Qingzhu to the Changxin Palace of the Eastern Palace.

“Mr. Fu, this is a diagnosis and treatment prescription regarding stroke symptoms written by Mr. Lin for me. If you find it useful, you might want to give it a try.”

“Your Highness, you intend to use Mr. Lin’s prescription for His Majesty?”

“Hmm, at least give it a try. You administer the medication based on the symptoms he described; it might just save my father’s life.”

“Alright, I will first take a look and then determine its applicability.” Fu Qingzhu said solemnly, knowing that administering medication to the Emperor had to be done cautiously; being too aggressive could lead to irreparable issues, and even as a top physician, he couldn’t afford any mishaps.

“By all means, we must awaken the Emperor.”

“I will do my utmost.”

“What about Consort Xue? What has she been doing since the Emperor fell seriously ill?”

“The last person His Majesty saw before his stroke was Consort Xue, and thus the Empress has confined her to the palace, forbidding her to step out of Rouyi Palace!” the Crown Prince’s aide reported.

“And my dear brother, King Qi?”

“After the Crown Prince was attacked, King Qi had requested an audience with the Emperor, hoping to go to Dongshan in place of Your Highness, but the Emperor refused. Afterward, when the Emperor had a stroke, the officials proposed that the Empress temporarily oversee the court and recalled the Crown Prince to return to the capital to act as regent. Consort Xue advised that King Qi be sent to Dongshan to replace Your Highness in leading the epidemic control efforts, which the Empress nearly agreed to…”

“Notify all civil and military officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital that I will officially hold court tomorrow, assuming the position of Regent Crown Prince!” Zhao Yuanze instructed.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

…

In Rouyi Palace.

“Worthless, useless, all of you are just worthless! So many of you couldn’t kill Zhao Yuanze, and now he returns unscathed. Ye Miti, was this your plan?” Consort Xue, in her resplendent attire, angrily smashed the objects in her chamber.

“Please calm your anger, Your Highness. The Crown Prince was protected by many experts, including Fahai from Shanglin Temple and the elder Helian Wanwan from the Snow Mountain Sect, who broke through to the Tianyuan level. Additionally, Mr. Qin sent by His Majesty was among his guardians, forming a trio of Tianyuan experts unforeseen…”

“What about Venerable Xiaoyao? Didn’t he say he would personally take action this time?” Consort Xue demanded.

“If the Venerable makes a move, his identity would be exposed, and then the Wendao Sect would surely notice. The Venerable hasn’t yet advanced to the third tier and is no match for Mr. Ziyang.”

“What do we do now? If the Crown Prince acts as regent for a long time and if His Majesty doesn’t awaken, the Crown Prince will use his position to cultivate loyal followers and control the court, leaving my child without any chance?”

“The Venerable assured us, Your Highness, to be patient, as soon there will be a new situation. Please be patient.”

“How much longer do I have to wait?”

“Half a year, at most a year. The Venerable promised to ensure King Qi ascends the throne, and Your Highness will become the revered Empress Dowager.”

“Truly?”

“Does Your Highness doubt the Venerable’s words?” the woman retorted.

“Lianyue, don’t think that being a disciple of the Venerable permits you to act presumptuously before me,” Consort Xue coldly snorted.

“Lianyue wouldn’t dare.”

“Alright, leave now. Remember to console Yuan Chun; the child is impetuous and easily emotional!”

“Prince Qi is still young; as the years pass, he will naturally become more composed,” Lianyue chose her words wisely.

“Does the Venerable have a solution regarding my brother? Once my child ascends, I will rely on him outside the court!”

“Rest assured, Marquis Xue will be fine.”

“I hope you all keep your promises.”

…

In Xinping Town, Jade Manor.

“Marquis, I’ve persuaded Qingyao to go. If Qingyao can really secure Lin Miao for us, will you truly grant her freedom?”

“Someone disloyal has no value in staying. However, if Lin Miao is willing to join, I wouldn’t mind rewarding him with her.”

“And regarding Mr. Lian…”

“Just a mere woman; once our great endeavor is accomplished, what kind of woman won’t he have?” Venerable Xiaoyao coldly chuckled, “A real man focuses on great achievements, not wasting all his energy on a single woman.”

“Your perspective, Marquis, will surely be understood by Mr. Lian.”

“Hongniang, did you know Shen Yidao is dead?”

“What?” Hongniang was shocked. Shen Yidao was a Tianyuan expert, albeit heavily wounded, making him much weaker. Yet, in this world, only another Tianyuan expert could take his life.

Even wounded, Shen Yidao wasn’t someone a Meridian Passage Realm expert could match. Even if he was half-step Tianyuan, even if he couldn’t win, he should at least be able to escape.

“Who was it?”

“Lin Miao. However, Shen Yidao’s death also revealed his trump card to me, making him easier to deal with.” Venerable Xiaoyao explained.

“What is it, Marquis?” Hongniang curiously inquired.

“He has tamed at least two half-step Tianyuan level exotic beasts,” Venerable Xiaoyao slowly revealed.

“Ah!”

Hongniang was truly astonished.

Exotic beasts, especially at the half-step Tianyuan level, are extremely rare, almost unattainable. Although beasts have a simpler advancement path compared to humans, it correlates with their significantly longer lifespan.

Theoretically, exotic beasts can live long, but surviving that long is difficult. Exotic beasts are immensely valuable; thus, hunting them is a warrior’s ultimate pursuit.

Except for those captured and contracted by humans, untamed exotic beasts, if not strong enough, often meet grim ends.

“Marquis, with Qingyao’s allure, no man in the world can resist; it’s only a pity for Lin Miao.”

“In terms of generation, Lin Miao is of my generation, so Qingyao being with him does not disgrace her,” Venerable Xiaoyao remarked.

Hongniang said no more. If Shen Yidao couldn’t kill Lin Miao, it was evident that Venerable Xiaoyao had completely changed his mind.

Shen Yidao was dead anyway; there was no need to make an enemy of Lin Miao over a deceased man.

“Go and consolidate the remaining members of the Green Blade Sect left by Shen Yidao and integrate them into the Shenxiao Association,” Venerable Xiaoyao ordered.

“Yes, Marquis!”

“Master, an eagle message from Li Jing has arrived!”

Venerable Xiaoyao’s expression changed slightly, and with a wave of his hand, indicated to Hongniang to leave.

Hongniang knew well that Venerable Xiaoyao’s strategies in Li Jing were handled exclusively by him, without any outside interference, and even she was largely kept in the dark.

She was no exception.