Chapter 668: Cheng Qian (Bonus Chapter—Requesting Moon Tickets)

“Especially Prince Tai! The other princes have already given up; I suspect Prince Tai outwardly submits, drinking heavily and collecting beauties daily, but secretly still wants one last gamble.”

Yuan Zhao shook his head: “This kind of behavior will eventually trap oneself… To plot against those above, you need at least their cooperation… The one currently in power is utterly flawless.”

As he spoke, a shadow of sorrow crossed his heart: “Besides, we cannot afford another chaotic age!”

Those who have never lived through chaos do not understand its terror.

Better to be a dog in peace than a man in chaos!

Although Yuan Zhao knew not all these veteran ministers shared his exact thoughts.

But with such a stewardly monarch, doing nothing is at least safe—avoiding major mistakes, and with the Great Qian’s sheer scale, it can endure two or three centuries.

…

In the third year of Longchang, Grand Secretary Yuan Zhao retired.

That same year, Emperor Longchang held a selection of concubines; dozens of beautiful, virtuous maidens from across the empire were chosen, most sent to the inner palace, the rest granted to the princes.

Fang Xing, as emperor, always focused only on broad directions, leaving daily affairs to the Grand Secretariat—simple and easy.

One day.

After leaving a concubine’s palace, Fang Xing stretched lazily, savoring the moment.

This trial, for him, was a rare leisurely journey.

As he idly pondered, he strolled into the imperial garden.

One had to admit, the entire palace had gone to great lengths to make life pleasant—quite delightful.

Would today bring some chance encounter, or a small surprise?

“Huh?”

He stopped before a flowerbed and smiled: “These flowers glow like gold—what variety are they?”

“Your Majesty, these are the ‘Jinbo Flowers’ tributed from Yunzhou; their fragrance aids sleep and nourishes the spirit—the Imperial Medical Academy’s physicians have already examined them.”

A eunuch bowed hastily.

After inspection by the Imperial Medical Academy, they were confirmed safe.

“Jinbo Flowers?”

Fang Xing stepped forward, sniffed the fragrance, felt an anomaly in his body, and smiled faintly.

Just now, he had sensed minor damage to his body.

Though slight, the poison was quickly neutralized by his inner qi—but he had indeed been poisoned!

The terrifying part: if accumulated over time, by the time it erupted, it might be beyond salvation.

“Is this… the principle of mutual generation and mutual restraint?”

Fang Xing’s mind stirred: “The Jinbo Flower itself is harmless, but it seems to have mixed with another fragrance I just smelled, transforming into a toxin slowly destroying my body…”

“Too bad—any toxin that ignores dosage to claim harm is just bullying… Poisoning through inhalation requires massive quantities; otherwise, it becomes chronic poisoning.”

He shook his head: “Little Zhang…”

“Your servant is here.”

Zhang Eunuch stepped forward immediately and knelt.

“Investigate thoroughly who’s behind these Jinbo Flowers—and trace the source of the incense in Mei Fei’s palace. Leave no one unexamined…”

Although Fang Xing was nearly certain Mei Fei was merely an innocent scapegoat.

But when an emperor faces such a matter, evidence is never required!

Sweep them all up first, then interrogate slowly.

“Yes!”

Zhang Eunuch’s forehead instantly broke into cold sweat—he knew something grave had happened.

After giving the order, Fang Xing continued strolling through the garden, seemingly unaffected.

‘I never care about evidence—I only look at who benefits…’

‘The princes are still young; my death would benefit them not at all… The Empress Dowager is far too old, bedridden already, and I have no intention of striking her clan—impossible it’s her…’

‘The meritorious nobles? Some civil official? No benefit whatsoever…’

‘So, it’s still my good brothers.’

Fang Xing sneered inwardly: ‘Or perhaps my uncles and aunts? Either way, once uncovered, they’ll be publicly executed.’

The Son of Heaven’s wrath—blood so vast it floats shields!

Even if Fang Xing preferred not to ignite a grand case, ordinary investigations would still kill many.

‘And the civil officials—need a reminder too… Should add arithmetic to the imperial examinations, and increase its weight…’

…

Months later, a shocking rumor spread through the capital of the Great Qian, swiftly radiating outward.

Prince Tai, Li Ruzhang, rebelled—and was immediately ordered to commit suicide.

It was said that after Prince Tai took his own life, his birth mother, Consort Shu, hanged herself as well, following her son.

Such a storm swept through the capital, yet after a brief uproar, calm returned.

The hidden power behind it instantly silenced every ambitious soul, forcing them into hibernation…

…

Time flowed like water, years passed like a shuttle.

Spring departed, autumn came.

Before anyone knew it, it was the sixtieth year of Longchang!

Though the Great Qian had not enjoyed perfect harvests every year, Emperor Longchang had vigorously managed waterworks and promoted production; the people lived in peace and prosperity, population grew, and according to the latest census, exceeded five million households.

Some enthusiasts had already begun chanting the slogan: “The Longchang Golden Age.”

The palace.

Fang Xing was now an eighty-seven-year-old man.

Though his hair and beard were white, his complexion was ruddy, and it was his birthday—the Wan Shou Festival—so ministers, princes, and imperial grandchildren gathered in full attendance.

“Kneel before Your Majesty! May Your Majesty live ten thousand years without end!” A ruler who had held power for sixty years possessed unfathomable authority.

Not to mention, Emperor Longchang’s methods were astonishing: the meritorious nobles grew weaker generation after generation, civil officials remained obedient and dared not defy him.

The imperial clan had been thoroughly subdued.

“Rise, stand.”

Fang Xing waved his hand, glanced around, and felt a pang of emotion.

‘Time… is truly the most terrifying force.’

‘Over long years, the meritorious nobles decline generation by generation—human nature is lazy; their descendants are born into silk and luxury—who still strives, who still endures the stench of soldiers, eating and sleeping alongside them?’

True prestige in the military cannot be built without enduring hardship together, without rolling out of piles of corpses side by side.

But a general who leads his troops from victory to victory gains unparalleled authority—no emperor, not even a god, could make him hesitate.

‘The meritorious nobles weakened, civil officials slightly strengthened—but I’ve divided and suppressed them through multiple examinations…’

‘Being emperor in ancient times was truly delightful.’

!

Fang Xing’s gaze swept over his sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, great-great-grandsons… and he sighed again.

Time was always merciless.

His empress, and the two children of Li Rubi and the empress, had all died of old age and illness.

After all, this was a non-magical ancient era—farmers over thirty were considered elderly; those over forty were considered long-lived.

Even high officials rarely lived long.

The empress died of natural causes in the forty-seventh year of Longchang.

Some princes had even died before this time.

‘My inner qi can only sustain myself—it cannot spare the energy to prolong others’ lives…’

Fang Xing sighed, silently drank.

At this moment, one performance after another unfolded.

Suddenly, amidst drums and music, a group of girls in flowing dance robes entered the hall, singing and dancing gracefully.

Among them, the leader had eyes like autumn waters, a light, ethereal figure—as if she could dance in midair.

“Huh?”

Fang Xing set down his cup.

Many observant eyes noticed this—and were startled.

The emperor had never been fond of beauty—why today…?

Besides, he was eighty-seven!

‘This…’

Fang Xing stared at the lead dancer, a faint glint in his eyes: ‘A fellow traveler… Which Dao Lord?’

‘But she must have had her memories and cultivation sealed… Was it my arrival that triggered the premature opening of the Transcendence Realm?’

‘Or did the secret realm left by the Dao Sovereign emerge early?’

The Dao Sovereign had clearly prepared before transcending, leaving behind a secret realm—Fang Xing had glimpsed it.

But the Dao Sovereign had not bet on the present—he had bet on the future.

And within that secret realm, eight out of ten chances held the means and relics to open the Transcendence Realm!

Fang Xing sensed it—his entry into the Transcendence Realm must have triggered some butterfly effect.

As a result, a certain Third-Step Dao Lord entered the Transcendence Secret Realm and received the inheritance.

‘But… is the Secret Realm that stingy?’

‘Only one test world?’

He mentally grumbled, yet a faint smile appeared on his face: ‘What is this woman’s name?’

‘Your Majesty, this woman’s name is Han Yu. It is said that at her birth, her body emitted an unusual fragrance, and she clutched an ancient jade in her hand…’

The elderly eunuch standing nearby replied respectfully.

‘Oh? Ancient jade? Bring it here to see!’

Fang Xing spoke casually, and Han Yu, her expression slightly shy, stepped forward and knelt, then pulled a jade pendant from her collar.

The pendant was shaped like a hook jade, with eyes resembling yin-yang fish, threaded through by a red cord.

When Fang Xing picked up the hook jade, it still carried her body heat and a faint fragrance.

‘Your humble subject Han Yu bows before Your Majesty; may Your Majesty live ten thousand years without end.’

Han Yu’s voice was clear and crisp.

‘This is intense… a Third-Step Dao Lord just knelt down.’

‘I hope she doesn’t try to kill me after she leaves…’

Fang Xing mentally grumbled, yet still found this female Dao Lord intriguing: ‘Hah… what a fascinating woman. Bestow upon her the title “Hook Jade Lady”… Truly, Heaven has sent me this gift.’

What ill intentions could Fang Xing possibly have? He merely wished to increase the difficulty for this female Dao Lord.

After all, this trial won’t kill anyone; if he didn’t meet the standard, he could still try to help this female Dao Lord achieve a high score, then scheme to obtain a primordial spiritual treasure from her.

The princes and imperial grandchildren below were all stunned.

They never expected their imperial grandfather, their ancestor… to still be so vigorous?

Countless men secretly envied him; several younger princes clenched their teeth in silent fury.

An emperor who lives too long naturally invites hatred.

Thinking of the princes and even imperial grandchildren who had been worn down to death, some lowered their heads to drink, hiding the dark flames in their eyes.

Eleven months later.

A loud infant’s cry suddenly echoed from the “Cheng’en Palace,” where the Hook Jade Lady resided.

Since entering the palace, the Hook Jade Lady had been summoned by the Emperor, became pregnant, and after ten months, gave birth to a son.

Emperor Longchang was overjoyed and bestowed the name—Cheng Qian!

(End of Chapter)