Chapter Four: The Rulers and Ministers of the Celestial Empire

The benevolent Emperor nodded slightly: "Hmm, not bad. Hmph, just by looking at this name, it's clear they are not good people. The Temple of Fierce Ghosts, in my realm, claiming to be evil spirits. Does it mean that the people of my realm cannot survive and must become ghosts? Furthermore, investigate thoroughly who commissioned them to assassinate Prince Ning. I refuse to believe that without a significant backing, they would dare to act against the imperial family of the Celestial Empire. Once identified, annihilate their entire clan. " The Left Chancellor repeatedly affirmed. It seems that although the benevolent Emperor does not have a good reputation, at least he is not a fool. Furthermore, investigate thoroughly who commissioned them to assassinate Prince Ning. I refuse to believe that without a significant backing, they would dare to act against the imperial family of the Celestial Empire. Once identified, annihilate their entire clan. " The Left Chancellor repeatedly affirmed. It seems that although the benevolent Emperor does not have a good reputation, at least he is not a fool.

Mr. Zeng looked at the old man in the red robe and smiled, saying: "The assassination attempt on Prince Ning, in my humble opinion, is merely related to Your Majesty's recent favor towards him. It is likely that some people feel that Your Majesty may have shown a slight bias towards Prince Ning. If this attempt fails, there will surely be another. Therefore, whether or not to eliminate that so-called Ghost Temple is of little consequence; what is important is the safety of Prince Ning and the identity of the instigator."

The Left Chancellor narrowly escaped death, quickly bowed several times, regardless of whether the emperor's command referring to 'you' was directed at him or the person pleading for him. He repeatedly stated: 'I will immediately mobilize the Imperial Guard, conduct a thorough search of the five cities, and uproot the organization of that so-called Fierce Ghost Temple.'

The Divine Benevolence Emperor unexpectedly bent slightly and asked him: "What does Mr. Zeng think?"

The old man in the red robe sat down in a huff, while the benevolent Emperor Shenren did not notice the commotion over here and kept nodding in agreement.

A slight commotion arose around, likely because the ministers nearby were witnessing such an impudent act for the first time, especially in front of the Emperor. Surprisingly, Emperor Shenren did not lose his temper; instead, he asked in astonishment, "My son, why is this happening?"

The Divine Benevolent Emperor wore a purple brocade robe embroidered with the pattern of a dark dragon. His five strands of long beard were slightly grizzled, and his face resembled a pale moon, exuding an air of untroubled grace. However, his gaze appeared somewhat weak, as if he had indulged a bit too much in wine and pleasure

Prince Ning lifted the silk curtain of the warm pavilion with one hand, signaling the two of us to follow him inside. The guards exchanged glances, shrugged their shoulders, and dared not enter. Meanwhile, a few monks and Taoists nearby watched with amused smiles, seemingly finding it quite interesting

Unable to lift my head, I could only study the luxurious carpet that was at least 5 inches thick on the ground

The furious Prince Ning, accompanied by three individuals, stormed into the imperial palace. The commander of the imperial guards, who was prepared to block their way, received a lash from the equally enraged coachman on his hand. Upon seeing the head of Prince Ning protruding from the carriage, he shuddered and ordered all the soldiers blocking the path to disperse.

Mr. Zeng nodded slightly, took a sip of wine, and glanced at me: "Moreover, from the recent incident involving Prince Ning, it appears that our official guards are quite capable in battle and in killing enemies. However, when it comes to dealing with those who employ underhanded tactics, we may need to consider alternative methods. The leader of Prince Ning's guards, Jin Tou'er, who holds the rank of General of the Imperial Guards, was surprisingly killed easily by those individuals. It seems that His Majesty will have to permit Prince Ning to find ways to expand his own guard."

Suddenly, more than 10 imperial guards burst in

King Ning remained silent for half a day: "The matter of befriending ministers can be approached gradually. Can the forces in the martial world be utilized by me?"

Listening to Ning Wang's actions, he unexpectedly rushed directly to the table of Shen Ren Huang, poured a cup of wine, and directly spilled it on the ground

Prince Ning did not ask me why I had changed the subject again, his eyes coldly fixed on me: "We are brothers; who does not wish to be emperor? However, Yang, just two months ago you were nearly frozen to death and starved on the street. What ability do you have to question me about this?"

I nodded slightly: "As long as Your Highness personally promises, when you become the Empress, grant them a title that honors their ancestors, and provide some tangible benefits in daily life. The gangs in the world are fundamentally driven by fame and profit; as long as there is profit first, followed by great fame, they will naturally devote themselves wholeheartedly to Your Highness."

The benevolent emperor furrowed his brow and pondered for a long time: "My son, you have also heard what Master Zeng meant. However, I do not wish for you to associate with those chaotic individuals. If you need, the experts in the Palace of Offerings, the Wangtian Pavilion, and the Secret Palace are at your disposal for you to choose from"

Daring not to raise my head to look too closely, I followed the chief steward of the wind and bumped my head down, shouting "Long live!"

The monster within my body seems ready to break through the barriers and escape from its confinement. A strange aura wraps around my heart, and I find this aura quite unsettling, as it appears to have unknowingly transformed me, distancing me from my former self. This feeling has become particularly pronounced after I took a life for the first time last night, and I can now clearly sense its presence.

The carriage drove straight to the warm chamber of the Emperor, and Prince Ning, in a huff, led me and Chief Steward Feng inside. We ascended the stairs without any intention of notifying the guards outside. A few first-rank guards, unsure whether to stop us or not, cautiously followed us to the place where Emperor Shenren was drinking and enjoying himself with several trusted ministers.

I immediately stated: "We do not seek out those scattered and disorganized individuals; we directly approach the capable factions. As long as their leaders agree, why should we fear a rebellion from their subordinates?"

I coldly said: "Submit to the powerful, nurture the loyal, expand influence, and great achievements can be accomplished"

I wickedly said: "Of course, I have no ability to influence anything, but I can provide Your Highness with individuals who possess sufficient capability. Your Highness and they are like two rivers that will never communicate; I am merely the channel that connects the two rivers. If Your Highness were to seek out their door yourself, do you think they would believe you, dare to believe you?"

Prince Ning pondered for half a day, then suddenly laughed and asked me, "Do you have any solutions?"

I thought for a moment and smiled, saying: "Your Highness, since you already have the result, why do you still ask me?"

Prince Ning gazed deeply at me and asked, "What do you want? Fame or fortune?"

The old man in the red robe quickly stood up, as if he was about to make a statement. Mr. Zeng had already swiftly picked up the thread of the conversation: "Absolutely not. The losses among Prince Ning's guards are nearly total, so we must take special care. If all the princes are treated the same, it is likely that they will form private factions, and the consequences of that..."

King Ning remained silent for a full two tea times before suddenly asking: "How do I know that those people from the rivers and lakes do not have other brothers' spies?"

The Emperor Shenren's expression grew increasingly grim as he listened. In the end, he simply grabbed the wine jug from the table and smashed it forcefully onto the desk of a nearby minister. The minister, utterly terrified, fell to the ground with a thud, desperately bowing his head in apology.

The anger of Emperor Shenren indeed dissipated significantly, and with a snort, he said: "Get up, you are responsible for investigating this matter thoroughly for me"

Once, at www.hetushu.com, the esteemed gentleman repeatedly expressed his disapproval, stating: "Your Majesty, those venerable gentlemen in the offering hall, although each possesses remarkable martial skills, are ultimately of too high a status and are unlikely to be commanded by Prince Ning. To achieve the desired results, it is essential to establish a foundation of one's own. I urge Your Majesty to consider this carefully"

I am full of ambition, gazing into his eyes with a piercing intensity, and I said: "I want to soar, to rise to the heavens, to be above all others. I desire both fame and fortune; I want it all. I will no longer kneel on the ground, ignored by everyone or merely glanced at like a dog."

I confidently stated: "Tianmen. The largest gang in the Holy Capital, the foremost among the three major organizations in the world. Of course, they are just the beginning. Once Tianmen is established, it will be followed by the four great families of the martial world, Qianying Tower, and so on, even the Fierce Ghost Temple. As long as they are willing to serve His Highness, what harm is there in giving them a chance?"

I said with a sinister smile: "Whether it is related to His Highness the Second Prince is actually not important. Any prince who receives even a little more favor is likely to be envied by the other princes, who would wish for his early demise. Therefore, although His Highness the Second Prince is the most suspicious, do the other princes not have their own suspicions?"

After thinking for a long time, Emperor Shenren finally nodded: "Alright, I permit you to act as you see fit. Additionally, have Eunuch Zhu assign fifty brocade-clad guards, and request one hundred elite troops from the commander of the Imperial Guard for Prince Ning. However, Mr. Zeng, should other princes also proceed in this manner?"

Prince Ning nodded in astonishment: "I have a fief covering hundreds of miles outside the Holy Capital, with an annual income of at least 3 million taels of silver. I have never been extravagant, so I have some savings. I cannot claim to have much, but it would not be difficult to take out several million taels. What do you mean..."

I sneered and said, "Does Ning Wang want to be emperor?"

I nodded slightly: "Of course I believe you, but why don't you take a gamble and bet that I have truly fallen into such a predicament for some reason?"

Prince Ning suddenly asked: "Who?"

Prince Ning smiled gently: "I suppose I just happen to be to his taste. Do you know?"

Another old fellow dressed in a bright red brocade robe quickly intervened, smilingly saying: "Your Majesty, this matter cannot be blamed on the Left Chancellor. After all, these individuals from the martial world are inherently prone to violating the law with their martial skills, and we officials have no means to address this. I hope Your Majesty can spare him this time, considering the Left Chancellor's unwavering dedication to the country." This fellow, with a tuft of goat-like beard and a pair of triangular eyes, although his appearance was fairly decent and he had a certain noble demeanor, the flickering light in his eyes clearly indicated that he was a treacherous minister, and a particularly favored one at that.

Prince Ning suddenly revealed a faint smile, extending his hands towards me, and I also reached out my hand. The two of us exchanged glances and began to smile quietly at each other

King Ning nodded silently

After a long silence, Prince Ning said with distress: "Allow me to act at my discretion, hehe, it sounds like a good thing, but it might just be my death warrant. Do you have any ideas?"

Prince Ning said solemnly: "I do have some doubts that you might be someone sent by a few of my brothers. Hehe, your scheming is quite sinister. With such excellent martial skills, you have actually endured being a night watchman for over a month. Do you believe that with a single command from me, the 50 imperial guards outside could turn you into minced meat on the spot"

I nodded slightly and changed the subject: "Where is Prince Ning planning to recruit guards?"

The Divine Benevolent Emperor clapped his hands and said: "Yes, yes."

Prince Ning pulled me onto the carriage and inquired carefully about my background and so on. I did not hide anything from him and explained everything clearly. Prince Ning nodded, his eyes glimmering with thought, and suddenly said: "That old man in the red robe is the Grand Scholar of the Ding Tian Pavilion, wielding immense power in the court and the most favored by the Emperor. He is certainly somewhat... Mr. Zeng is the foremost among the three regents of our dynasty, holding significant authority, to the extent that even the Emperor has to give him some face. He is upright and just, yet I do not know why he has always shown particular favoritism towards me. Can you guess why?"

I nodded and said, "Last night, 8 assassins, but they were merely second-rate characters." Ning Wang exclaimed, "Second-rate? They just killed the esteemed General Jin, a first-class figure in the Heavenly Dynasty?"

Prince Ning furrowed his brow: "I have always been unclear about matters in the Jianghu. However, as for the second brother, well, there are many talented individuals in the residence, but he has also been secretly recruiting them without the Emperor's knowledge. Even now, I still suspect that this incident is closely related to the second brother."

The matter was thus settled. Emperor Shenren took the time to pacify Prince Ning, and the 150 guards assigned to Prince Ning had already arrived outside, waiting for orders. Seizing the opportunity, Prince Ning requested a command on my behalf. Emperor Shenren yawned, his eyes lacking focus, and said: "You can handle it as you see fit; as for your own guard leader, it is naturally your decision. I am also tired; the day is about to break, so all of you may withdraw now."

The Divine Benevolence Emperor is uncertain about his thoughts. In my opinion, he is merely asking Prince Ning to find some skilled individuals. What is there to be afraid of? And why is the esteemed Mr. Zeng speaking on behalf of Prince Ning in such a manner? Meanwhile, the old man in the red robe over there has a face full of fluctuating emotions; what is he up to?

The benevolent emperor angrily scolded: "Left Chancellor, how dare you respond to me in this manner? The world is at peace, at peace, at peace, humph! My son nearly had his head cut off under this so-called peace you govern? Is this the peace you oversee? I, I, I, summon someone..." He was so enraged that he resorted to using the common people's term 'I'.

I also smiled: "Did Prince Ning not pay much attention to befriending those ministers before?" Prince Ning shook his head: "It's not that I didn't want to, but rather that I didn't dare. The ministers in the court are divided into two factions, and casually befriending anyone would lead to enormous trouble."

The inner city wall of the palace stands a full 10 zhang high, which is 1 zhang, 3 chi, and 6 cun taller than the walls of the Holy Capital. Within a hundred zhang outside the wall, there are no buildings, and countless golden-armored guards are patrolling the wall.

Raising his head secretly, Ning Wang tugged at the clothes torn apart by the sword energy at his chest and said, extremely enraged: "Father, if it were not for the protection of our ancestors, I would already be dead." He quickly recounted the events.

At this moment, an elderly man, who was relatively short, thin, and had a clear complexion, exuding an air of integrity, appeared to be around one hundred years old. He was dressed in an extremely simple white cloth long robe, with a sheepskin coat over it, and he slightly opened his mouth to say: "Your Majesty, the matter is not so simple."

The eight ministers filed out of the warm pavilion in succession. As I rubbed my sore and numb thighs, I nearly fell headfirst onto the ground while supporting myself, just as the Grand Steward was passing by, following Prince Ning out. We, the insignificant figures, of course, would not attract the attention of these big shots; we knelt on the ground for a full half an hour, and only Mr. Zeng cast a glance at us.

I coldly asked, "Your Highness, is your purse well-filled?"