Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao-Chapter 711 - 360 The Curtain Falls
Meanwhile, this news, spread by those with ulterior motives, quickly reached the ears of various powers, stirring up quite a storm.
In the Crown Prince's Mansion, a person clad in black knelt on the ground and respectfully reported, "Your Highness, there is an Array within the Illusionary Star Mansion. I dared not enter rashly. The Third Prince stayed there for a long time, and when he left, he was beaming with joy. He must have received a satisfactory answer!"
The Crown Prince sat upright on a chair, toying with a finely carved jade in his hand. With a smile on his face, he said, "This brother of mine always thinks so highly of himself, believing everyone else in the world is a fool, not realizing that he is the one who is blind to the truth."
"Your Highness, that's Illusionary Star we're talking about. Besides those few old immortals in the palace, he is the head of the Qi Cultivators. With his support, the possibility of ascending to the throne increases a lot," the man in black said with some anxiety.
"Ha ha, you and my foolish brother are the same, neither of you sees the essence of the matter. The only ones in the entire world qualified to inherit the throne are the three of us brothers. As long as I become the sole choice, in the end, those Qi Cultivators will have no choice but to acknowledge my status," cold cruelty and murderous intent flashed in the Crown Prince's eyes.
The man in black subconsciously raised his head and caught the fleeting chill in his master's eyes. He quickly bowed respectfully again, alerting himself not to be negligent, for the Imperial Family was notoriously fickle in their emotions.
The same situation occurred in the nearby Second Prince's Mansion. At this moment, a man with a gloomy appearance was pacing back and forth in his room, with a man in black also kneeling beside him.
"My third brother really can't stay out of trouble. Does he think he can turn the world upside down?" The Second Prince roared angrily, filling the entire room as if he would tear the roof off. His temper, quite explosive and utterly contrary to his somber appearance, often led to fierce outbursts over trivial matters, making those who served under him tread on eggshells.
However, this seemed to be a common ailment in the Imperial Family, differing only in severity.
"Your Highness, should we take action to stop him?"
"No need. Since he likes to jump around so much, let him be. A prince with no backing can hardly turn the skies upside down. Concentrate more on my elder brother and don't neglect my imperial father. The old man won't sit around waiting for death," the Second Prince ordered sternly.
"But what about Illusionary Star?"
"What kind of people the Qi Cultivators are, I know only too well. To them, it doesn't matter which of us brothers takes the throne, as long as it is the bloodline of the First Emperor. The third brother is merely setting off smoke bombs. If he wants a desperate turnaround, he must have his backup in the military. Keep a close eye on the military for me in the coming days," the Second Prince commanded in a deep voice.
The man in black bowed and retreated. The Second Prince sat alone in the spacious room, and after a good while, he said, "It's still uncertain who the deer will fall to; I wonder if you two are ready."
Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the Imperial Palace, where everyone believed the Emperor was on his deathbed, he was actually lying on the bed intently listening to the slow account of a gentle-voiced man.
Compared to the news of the two princes, his information was more accurate and detailed, as if someone had been standing right beside the Third Prince, listening in.
"Ah, all my good sons are eagerly awaiting my death," the Emperor, who had presided over the court for many years, couldn't help but erupt into a violent cough after these words.
The effeminate man patted his back gently, saying with a concerned look, "Your Majesty must take care of your dragon health. There's no need to haggle with these unfilial sons."
"You're right, I needn't bother myself with these unfilial sons. But this is good, it allows me to make a final decision. Go and prepare, tell them that in six days I will choose the successor," the Emperor said coldly, his eyes flashing with icy light, like a piercing cold wind in the winter of the Nine Heavens.
A flicker of surprise crossed the effeminate man's face, and he quickly spoke, "By your command, I will go and handle this."
Watching the effeminate man's receding figure, the Emperor muttered to himself while staring at the canopy overhead, "There will always be progeny, the ancestors won't blame me for this."
These words, like a lullaby, seemed to persuade him, reinforcing his resolve.
Not a hundred miles from the Capital City, there stands a towering mountain known as Guanyun. At its peak lies a pavilion, constructed during the prosperous times by wealthy merchants from the capital. These days, due to political turmoil and unrest, no one comes to sightsee, making this once bustling place desolate and rarely visited.
However, today, a young man is leaning gently against the pavilion. Dressed in black, he stares intently at the nearby Capital City, none other than the exiled Xu Fu.
At this moment, Xu Fu's lips curl into a cold smile. It seems as though his gaze penetrates the thick city walls, crosses countless homes, and lands on the highest structure there—the Imperial Palace of the Great Qin, the dwelling of the world's supreme power.
"After laying out the pieces for nearly a thousand years, the time has come to see results. Your Majesty, your legacy will be safer in my hands!" Xu Fu murmurs to the sky, his words soon carried away by the breeze through the trees.
In the meantime, countless dark shadows surge behind him, fierce ghostly faces emerging from these shadows appear even more terrifying under the moonlight.
When the Emperor's order was handed down, it stirred up waves of commotion, like a tempest sweeping over the Capital City. Numerous officials and common people realized that something significant was about to happen. After all, every succession to the throne was accompanied by turmoil and bloodshed—it had become a curse looming over the Dynasty.
During such times, countless members of the Nobility would fall from grace, some even facing extermination, while countless others would seize the opportunity to ascend to the very pinnacle of the Dynasty, enjoying a long period of wealth and honor. It seemed to have become their destiny, an inescapable fate.
Of course, for the Common People, disaster spares no one, and they were the unfortunate victims. A stroke of bad luck could mean death at the hands of rampaging soldiers—after all, sin thrives best in blood and fire.
The experienced Common People had already begun to store food in their well-prepared cellars, hoping to survive those brief but bloody days. The Nobility started forming alliances and factions, knowing that only sufficient strength can preserve oneself in the impending upheaval.
