[{"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-242":6,"glossary-terms-4587":23},{"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},2347257,4587,"Chapter 242: Follow the Junior Protector","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-242",242,"\u003Cp>You gaze at the rising sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dawn breaks, golden rays stretching miles, gently caressing all things of the mortal world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Haiping leads his party, steady and composed, into the grand and solemn Hall of Supreme Harmony!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pay homage to the Junior Protector!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The troops are fully rested and ready; awaiting only your order to march.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You nod faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In your heart, you think: this journey to the capital, the return date uncertain; should you ever come back here, it may well be another season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spring scenery of Chaoling is breathtaking; your father, when he passed the imperial examination, once said, “One day, I saw all the flowers of Chaoling.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet I arrive not in spring!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You shake your head; when all dust settles, you will retire to the mountains and forests, devoting yourself to the Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your gaze sweeps the hall, seeing Generals Feng Haiping and others, standing at attention, awaiting your command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Jinyu, Liu Wen, Dou Gu— their eyes brim with reverence for you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Haiping also feels puzzled: seeing Liu Wen, Li Xuedian, and other scions of noble families, their gazes toward the Junior Protector burn with unprecedented fervor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Wen, Li Xuedian, and their kind were raised on classical texts; the scholar’s pride and integrity have long been woven into their bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What happened last night?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Haiping didn’t think much of it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They have never set foot in military life; their understanding of your strategy and courage is perhaps no more than “a frog at the bottom of a well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without having endured the flames of war, how could they comprehend your mastery of warfare?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You are like a celestial being!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your gaze finally settles on Zhou Jinyu. This Empress of Daqing, having weathered yesterday’s upheavals, looks weary yet composed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Jinyu meets your gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swift footsteps echo outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony; Xie Chunan leads two venerable elders, Chen and Li, followed by dozens of southern aristocratic ministers, hurrying into the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, Lu Yu spots an acquaintance: Wang Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is your first meeting with Xie Chunan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lu Family Army generals step aside, forming a line to one side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Chunan, not in official robes, bearing no airs, bows respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie Chunan pays homage to the Junior Protector!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with him dare not slacken; all bow deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pay homage to the Junior Protector!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yang, at this moment, feels the deepest emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday, he worried outside the city gate over Lu Chen’s safety and the future of the Lu family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just one day, the capital has been utterly transformed, with dramatic and unpredictable changes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The capital, the center of power, now lies entirely within the Junior Protector’s grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep within the palace, the Son of Heaven has died; the Grand Empress Dowager has followed him. The speed of these events far exceeds anyone’s expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Junior Protector’s arrival in the capital is like a dragon returning to the sea—every corner trembles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yang is no rigid adherent of old customs; he knows well that behind him rests the rise and fall of the Wang family of the south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this chaotic era, with four states surrounding the capital, only Lu Chen can hold the line; only by adapting to the times can the family, himself, and the people be saved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the tragedy of Wang Shi’an, Wang Yang cannot help but sigh—he had repeatedly urged Wang Shi’an to rein in his arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet fate decreed it: the youth perished in pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Wang Yang’s gaze toward you, beyond the original admiration, now lies a deeper awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wang Yang pays homage to the Junior Protector!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the echo of “Pay homage to the Junior Protector!” fades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Jinyu’s heart finally confirms: the capital has wholly knelt beneath your feet, Junior Protector.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A complex emotion flickers in her eyes; then, only peace remains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You say calmly: “Your Excellencies, please rise. I hold no official title.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All rise at once, movements varied—some stiff, clearly still uneasy; others calm, as if already accepting this reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No idle pleasantries; the atmosphere grows heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Gu steps forward, breaking the silence: “Today, all your Excellencies gather to witness a momentous event.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A nation cannot be without a ruler. What do you, esteemed ministers, deem worthy of the throne?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A nation cannot go a single day without a sovereign. I wonder what each of you esteemed officials believes, who is fit to assume the throne?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the hall falls utterly silent. The succession of Daqing’s throne is, without doubt, the most sensitive and critical issue at hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lu Family Army generals stand to one side, clad in armor, swords at their hips, gleaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner does Dou Gu finish than the generals widen their eyes like statues of heavenly kings atop temple altars—menacing, overwhelming, tightening the hall’s tension further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Dou Gu finished speaking, the generals’ eyes widened like those of the heavenly kings on temple altars, their aura overwhelming and deepening the solemn, tense atmosphere of the grand hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The southern aristocratic ministers, though prepared, are momentarily flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They exchange glances, none daring to speak. Some steal glances at Zhou Cheng, seeking a hint; others fix their eyes directly on you, probing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They exchanged glances, none daring to speak lightly. Some stole glances at Zhou Cheng, as if seeking some hint from him; others fixed their gaze directly on you, their eyes brimming with inquiry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Gu speaks again: “Master Xie, what is your view on this matter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, all eyes turn to Xie Chunan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As representative of the southern aristocracy, his stance is crucial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Chunan, sensing the weight, bows slightly, sweeps his gaze over the assembly, and speaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Daqing now suffers calamity; the Son of Heaven has died suddenly. The Junior Protector has come to the capital to temporarily oversee state affairs—he is the pillar of the nation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We look to the Junior Protector as our guide, to weather this crisis. As for the throne’s succession, I dare not presume to speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We look to the Junior Protector as our leader to weather this crisis; as for the selection of the sovereign, your humble servant dares not presume to speak!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie Chunan follows the Junior Protector’s lead. Let the Junior Protector decide!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words are spoken!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Gu is stunned—he never expected Xie Chunan and the others to show no trace of the “virtuous minister’s integrity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never expected such openness, such unhesitating clarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So clean a retreat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, the southern aristocrats hesitate slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Gu smiles and asks: “What of Master Li?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most prestigious surname among southern aristocrats: Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An elder steps forward, bows respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ran follows the Junior Protector’s lead. Let the Junior Protector decide!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Gu continues: “What of Master Chen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second most prestigious southern surname: Chen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder hesitates, sighs, then speaks slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen Tan follows the Junior Protector’s lead. Let the Junior Protector decide!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Gu does not ask further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the hall!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All kneel in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wang Yang follows the Junior Protector’s lead. Let the Junior Protector decide!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Follow the Junior Protector’s lead. Let the Junior Protector decide!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We look to the Junior Protector as our leader; please, Junior Protector, make the decision!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Jinyu hears each southern clan patriarch utter the same phrase: “Follow the Junior Protector’s lead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Jinyu listened as one after another patriarch of the Jiangnan clans uttered the words, \"We look to you as our leader!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Zhen, her husband, the Emperor of Daqing—whenever he proposed policy, these very men would coldly reply: “Your Majesty, this cannot be done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Zhen, the Emperor of Daqing, her husband, had always faced this group’s cold silence whenever he proposed court policy: \"Your Majesty, this matter is unacceptable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men are the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the court has changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1313,"2026-06-21T01:33:00.595Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e1a82db60dcfbeb025451a16599d592e3f2c516b72d5ec1cba918cc4a3813002","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-243","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-241",728,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsimulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-cover.jpg",{"terms":24,"userReplacements":130},[25,30,35,40,45,50,55,60,65,70,75,80,85,90,95,100,105,110,115,120,125],{"id":26,"raw_term":27,"original_term":28,"translations":29},1799945,"Lu Chen","陸沉",[],{"id":31,"raw_term":32,"original_term":33,"translations":34},1799946,"Wu Ying","武纓",[],{"id":36,"raw_term":37,"original_term":38,"translations":39},1799947,"Gongsun Pingxi","公孫平溪",[],{"id":41,"raw_term":42,"original_term":43,"translations":44},1799948,"Yu Ke","俞客",[],{"id":46,"raw_term":47,"original_term":48,"translations":49},1799949,"Dou Gu","竇固",[],{"id":51,"raw_term":52,"original_term":53,"translations":54},1799950,"Huang Yu","黃鈺",[],{"id":56,"raw_term":57,"original_term":58,"translations":59},1799951,"Yu Xu","虞許",[],{"id":61,"raw_term":62,"original_term":63,"translations":64},1799952,"Zhou Cheng","周成",[],{"id":66,"raw_term":67,"original_term":68,"translations":69},1799953,"Liu Wen","劉溫",[],{"id":71,"raw_term":72,"original_term":73,"translations":74},1799954,"Zhou Jinyu","周錦瑜",[],{"id":76,"raw_term":77,"original_term":78,"translations":79},1799955,"Feng Haiping","封海平",[],{"id":81,"raw_term":82,"original_term":83,"translations":84},1799956,"Tuoba Hongyan","拓拔宏宴",[],{"id":86,"raw_term":87,"original_term":88,"translations":89},1799957,"Zhou Xuan","周玄",[],{"id":91,"raw_term":92,"original_term":93,"translations":94},1799958,"Gu Yi","顧議",[],{"id":96,"raw_term":97,"original_term":98,"translations":99},1799959,"Tuoba Shuyi","拓拔術遺",[],{"id":101,"raw_term":102,"original_term":103,"translations":104},1799960,"Lu Jiaxuan","陸佳軒",[],{"id":106,"raw_term":107,"original_term":108,"translations":109},1799961,"You'an","幼安",[],{"id":111,"raw_term":112,"original_term":113,"translations":114},1799962,"Lu Yu","陸羽",[],{"id":116,"raw_term":117,"original_term":118,"translations":119},1799963,"Yuwen Liqian","宇文璃淺",[],{"id":121,"raw_term":122,"original_term":123,"translations":124},1799964,"Su Beihai","蘇北海",[],{"id":126,"raw_term":127,"original_term":128,"translations":129},1799965,"Old Li","老李頭",[],{}]