[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten":3,"chapter-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-142":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Simulated to Reality: I Once Looked Down Upon Ten Thousand Ages?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2347157,4587,"Chapter 142: The Empress Dowager","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-142",142,"\u003Cp>As soon as these words were spoken, Dong Jie raised the imperial edict high, solemnly holding it out, awaiting your bow to receive it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, Young Protector, kneel to receive the edict.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the Gold Guard stood on tiptoe, watching like an audience at a play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Gold Guard merely wielded the Emperor’s authority to force the Young Protector to kneel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Young Protector kneels, it will be tomorrow’s talk of the capital!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The majesty of the imperial edict is like the Emperor himself present—do not underestimate it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Daqing, literary culture flourishes; literature is revered, martial arts belittled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Jiangnan, most are scholarly nobles; though rituals are observed, the power of aristocratic clans renders them mere formalities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When encountering officials, a humble demeanor suffices—elaborate rites may be omitted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Jiangnan’s common folk, no excessive deference is needed upon seeing an official; a slight bow from one, a light acknowledgment from the other, is enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kneeling is reserved for only the most solemn occasions; even when receiving an edict, whether to kneel or not depends on one’s status and will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In days past, when Lu Chen and the other two entered the capital to pay homage, they never knelt before the Son of Heaven, and the entire court took no offense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Lu Yu narrowed his eyes slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yue had no official rank, yet she understood the weight of the imperial edict; seeing her two cousins remain unmoved, she too stayed still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kneeling before the imperial edict is the prerogative of the imperial messenger—if he finds your etiquette lacking, he may impeach you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be trivial—or grave!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, the scene grew solemn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You did not glance at Dong Jie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your gaze, instead, was drawn to the sea eagle hovering in the sky, slowly descending to land on your shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You smiled faintly, understanding its meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Jie watched the majestic sea eagle, a flicker of envy in his eyes—he knew such divine birds were priceless on the battlefield, capable of saving lives in dire peril.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he could not fathom your intent, and the entire Gold Guard dared not move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yu, confirmed as a Grand Master, had two Grand Masters dead on the ground beside him; though Dong Jie commanded four thousand Gold Guards, including a specialized heavy-armored formation trained to suppress Grand Masters,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>they had come rested and ready, and Lu Yu’s posture revealed nothing of his depth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still had ten thousand Imperial Guards from the capital—this force alone could strike fear into any Grand Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three thousand could slay a Grand Master!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sneered inwardly: “Ten thousand men—can’t they kill one Grand Master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Jie also knew your weakness: your parents and uncle languish in the imperial prison in the capital—your deepest concern, your vulnerability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Jie understood this Young Protector well: loyal and righteous, even after breaching the North Wind City, he never sacked it, maintaining strict discipline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A gentleman may be deceived by propriety!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flag-bearer hurried to Dong Jie’s side and whispered urgently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Jie frowned deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor had made meticulous arrangements: the battalion commanders at both city gates and the Northern Army’s deputy commander both answered to the Empress Dowager’s troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor himself assured him that neither gate would stir today—let him proceed without worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could things have changed again!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten thousand troops surged like a tide down the long street, surrounding the Western Factory and the Gold Guard completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Dong Jie felt unease, his heart remained calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had commanded armies for years; the Emperor had already moved thirty thousand border garrison troops overnight, and by dawn, when the gates opened, all would be settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From now on, there would be but one sun in court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Jie, seeing your calm expression, bided his time patiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a familiar figure entered Dong Jie’s sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He arrived with a dozen soldiers, and no one dared to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sported a fine beard, hand resting on his long sword, dressed as a scholarly general—elegant, yet radiating an air of solemn authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Jie let out a cold sneer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man was Lu Lu, the battalion commander of the city gate; his family had held high office for two generations, even reaching the Three Excellencies, though recently declining, he remained a prominent Jiangnan clan, unwaveringly loyal to the Empress Dowager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his official rank was only third grade, he held real power and was pivotal in court—his influence could not be underestimated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also bore the prestigious title of General of the Heavy Honor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He commanded over twenty thousand elite soldiers from the capital, all rigorously trained, fiercely combat-capable, each a standout among the military.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Jie’s gaze, sharp as a hawk’s, fixed on Lu Lu, trying to read his expression for any clue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Lu ignored Dong Jie’s stare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he walked straight to you, bowed deeply, and spoke clearly and loudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lu Lu pays homage to the Young Protector, here bearing the Empress Dowager’s Golden Arrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Jie’s frown deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was baffled: had not the Empress Dowager long sought to kill Lu Chen? Had they not even conspired to ambush Lu Chen with three Martial Grand Masters?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Lu Lu’s sudden appearance and the Empress Dowager’s decree left him utterly confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clutched the imperial edict in his hand—the Emperor’s order to exterminate the Western Factory and clear Wei Yue’s name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this edict made no mention of tomorrow’s tripartite tribunal, which the Emperor awaited as Lu Chen’s supposed “surrender.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress Dowager’s Golden Arrow carried equal weight to the Emperor’s edict—those who received it must kneel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Golden Arrow could mobilize several major armies in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress Dowager had not intervened in court affairs for over a decade, nor issued a Golden Arrow since.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the capital, the Empress Dowager’s Golden Arrow was even more potent than the imperial edict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Lu continued reading the Empress Dowager’s decree: “The Western Factory harbors filth and corruption—it long deserved cleansing, especially Chen Sanzhong’s scheming to frame the Young Protector, a crime beyond pardon. The Young Protector has merit, no fault.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Empress Dowager’s decree: all charges against Miss Wei Yue are rescinded; she is granted the title of Princess Chaoyang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Lu Lu finished speaking!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Jie’s face turned ashen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor’s entire plan had been built on the assumption that the Empress Dowager would eliminate Lu Chen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the Empress’s sudden amnesty had shattered his scheme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Lu bowed again: “Please, Young Protector and Miss Wei, receive the Empress Dowager’s Golden Arrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yue, hearing she had been granted the title of Princess Chaoyang, was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She recalled Chen Sanzhong’s words: “The Empress Dowager intends to exterminate the Lu family, leaving no survivors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, everything had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked up at you—your face was calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are no eternal enemies, nor eternal allies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the situation, Dong Jie knew it was extraordinary—he quickly unrolled the edict and began reading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his heart burned with resentment, he dared not show any temper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three of you stood silently, listening to the edict’s contents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When you heard the Emperor’s bestowal upon Wei Yue and the grant of four prestigious residences in the capital, she felt dizzy with disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Lu remained bowed, repeating: “Please, Young Protector, receive the Golden Arrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Jie seethed inwardly but could do nothing—if the Empress Dowager and Lu Chen joined forces, he feared he would ruin the Emperor’s grand plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped forward alone, holding the edict, speaking gently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dong Jie has been disrespectful just now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, Young Protector, receive the edict.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1279,"2026-06-21T01:32:57.622Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bf844824fd15dd4c1bd842b2004d2e34b934008afb24e1848a1ada45141d73a1","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-143","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-141",728,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsimulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-cover.jpg"]