Chapter 300: Who Is the Real Father

"Forget it, it's only a month's time either way, no need to create unnecessary complications," Kong Ming said.

Unfortunately, he refused to create unnecessary complications, yet trouble came looking for him anyway.

Night fell, a party of men hurried to the residence of the Left National Preceptor "Kong Xuan", and shortly after, Kong Ming left the residence and entered the palace at night.

Besides them, several high ministers of the court were also present, even including Yu Xuanzi.

They gathered in the Imperial Study.

The Imperial Study was illuminated by candlelight bright as day, yet everyone's hearts were heavy, as if plunged into darkness.

The Emperor of Dayou, Zhao Yan, wore an extremely ugly expression.

Inside the Imperial Study lay a corpse — none other than the Third Prince Zhao Yi, who had been clamoring loudly in the capital that afternoon.

By this time he was already a corpse; a sharp wooden stick, thick as a forefinger, had been driven into his chest, piercing his heart.

"My son is dead," Zhao Yan spoke slowly, his voice hoarse, "You tell me, who did this?"

The words were spoken thus, yet his gaze swept intentionally or unintentionally across Kong Ming's face.

The atmosphere in the Imperial Study was oppressive, deathly quiet.

Kong Ming let out a light breath and said: "At noon I encountered the Third Prince on the street outside Yangchu Restaurant, had the city defense troops send him away, and haven't seen him since."

"Of course I don't suspect the Left National Preceptor," Zhao Yan said, "I merely wish to ask the National Preceptor to help take a look."

"I'm not a coroner," Kong Ming shook his head, his attitude of staying out of it quite obvious.

The Third Prince's death was clearly no ordinary matter, but with the situation unclear, he was unwilling to be rashly drawn in.

The struggle for succession has always been brutal, but let there be some reality to it — as long as Dayou's stability for this final month is guaranteed, don't stir up any major incidents; court succession struggles, a few dead princes, what the hell does that have to do with gods and demons walking the earth.

On the contrary, if their massive force intervenes, it's easy to provoke reactions from all sides, even drive them to desperate measures.

After all, Tang Luo's might remains undiminished.

Like a fierce tiger at one's side, a pack of wolves tearing at each other, or rather preparing to tear at each other.

If that tiger so much as twitches, it'll likely draw extremely aggressive reactions from the wolf pack; better to just keep sleeping and pay them no mind.

As long as the wolves aren't stupid, they absolutely won't come provoke him on their own.

"Is that so," Zhao Yan didn't press further, "Right National Preceptor, what's your view?"

Yu Xuanzi shook his head: "I'm not well-versed in this field either, Your Majesty had best summon a professional coroner to examine the wounds."

"Good," Zhao Yan said, "Summoning you two in the dead of night is truly troublesome..."

What followed was a pile of empty talk, praising Kong Ming and Yu Xuanzi to the heavens, then bestowing generous rewards, before having palace attendants send the two away first.

After leaving the palace, Kong Ming and Yu Xuanzi dismissed their guards and simply strolled along the deserted streets, moonlight spilling down, clear and cold, peerless.

"Master Xuanzang just pacified Dayou's internal and external troubles, and now this starts again..." Yu Xuanzi sighed.

Kong Ming's meaning was very clear — regarding the succession struggle, the throne and such matters, he represented his faction in not participating.

Yu Xuanzi gave the same answer.

With these cultivators not stirring the pot, Zhao Yan visibly relaxed, which was why he said that "good."

If those two really participated, it probably wouldn't be a simple succession struggle anymore.

Even he, this Emperor, might suddenly drop dead.

Although those cultivators said back then that they wouldn't act against Dayou's court officials, let alone the imperial family — these people all have humanistic xuanqi protecting them.

Cultivators enter the world for a sliver of humanistic xuanqi power to aid cultivation, not for power — although some are addicted to fame, profit, authority and pleasure.

But Longya Dao Gate wouldn't.

For decades, Longya Dao Gate has never stepped beyond the boundaries it once drew for itself, rarely participating in Dayou's court disputes, let alone palace struggles.

Yet suspicion and worry won't vanish just because of words.

At certain critical moments, Zhao Yan still couldn't help wanting to verify these cultivators' attitudes.

Fortunately the answers he got still satisfied Zhao Yan.

"Mr. Kong, the Master won't interfere in the throne struggle, will he?" After sighing, Yu Xuanzi looked at Kong Ming and asked.

Kong Ming said: "As long as it doesn't affect Dayou's stability."

Even if a bloody "Xuanwu Gate Incident" occurs, as long as the new Emperor isn't a tyrant or a fool.

"Stability, huh..." Yu Xuanzi said, "Mr. Kong proposed some new policies, quite beneficial to Dayou, but implementation inevitably brings some turbulence and difficulties. If a new Emperor takes the throne and wants to abolish the new policies, there'll likely be new unrest."

"Heh," Kong Ming chuckled lightly, "If that's really the case, then we'll swap in one who won't."

Yu Xuanzi was stunned, not expecting the consistently easygoing and refined Mr. Kong to suddenly utter such a domineering line.

But then recalling Master Xuanzang behind Kong Ming, he immediately understood.

If that one is willing, forget swapping an Emperor — even swapping a dynasty would probably be effortless.

What does Master Xuanzang want to do, who in the world can stop him?

No wonder Mr. Kong is so unconcerned, not taking the Third Prince's death or the possible storms to come to heart, sitting firmly on the fishing platform.

This much, even Longya Dao Gate cannot achieve.

Although Yu Xuanzi said Longya Dao Gate wouldn't participate, if a prince truly hostile to Longya Dao Gate really showed clear signs of ascending, they might have to declare their stance.

We're the neutral party, that's true, but when knives are being sharpened for the slaughter, they absolutely can't stay neutral anymore.

"That's true as well," Yu Xuanzi said.

The two bid farewell, Kong Ming returned to his residence, went to Tang Luo's small courtyard, and recounted tonight's events to Tang Luo.

"You decide." Tang Luo didn't care at all.

"Hope it doesn't blow up too big," Kong Ming said, sitting firmly on the fishing platform is one thing, but he still couldn't help thinking and making preparations.

Prevent trouble before it happens — what if a major incident does break out.

Continuing to escort Dayou for another month — this may not be the final mission.

If the entire royal clan suddenly drops dead, Dayou will definitely be in chaos, and then everyone might have new missions to do.

Kongming's thinking was not without reason.

Because the next day, the Crown Prince of Great You suddenly died.

The Crown Prince's health was not good, it was common knowledge; if he died suddenly one day, everyone could accept it.

But after the Third Prince was blatantly killed by someone, the Crown Prince followed closely behind and died violently — the nature of it immediately changed.

It was heard that Zhao Yan flew into a thunderous rage, but to no avail; this was a signal.

The blatant struggle for the succession began from this point.

Apart from the dead Crown Prince and Third Prince, the remaining thirteen princes in their twenties immediately took action.

Regardless of whether they initiated it, the current situation is: if you don't move, others will; once others succeed in moving, your own end will be miserable.

Of course, there also wouldn't be thirteen princes each wanting to be Emperor.

After a round of wooing and compromise, a total of seven princes emerged wanting to contend for the throne. The other six respectively joined their brothers' camps.

Then these seven princes respectively attacked their opponents, while simultaneously wanting to win over officials to support themselves.

It can be said to be a tangled mess, extremely "lively".

Half a month's time passed.

The struggle among the princes grew increasingly fierce, and even two had already died.

Of course, the causes of death: one fell from a horse while riding, the other lost his footing and fell while walking down stairs — not brothers fighting at the city wall.

Regardless of whether outsiders believe it, the court historians believed it anyway.

Even the waiters in the capital's taverns could recite a few lines: "The Second Prince lacks virtue, he does not have the bearing of a ruler." "The Eighth Prince has courage but no strategy, more like a general than a prince." "The Ninth Prince is both civil and martial, but his character is cruel; he will surely be a tyrant in the future."

Under all sorts of rumors and gossip, not a single one of the seven princes wanting to rise had a good word said about them; it was either this flaw or that flaw.

Not a single one had the bearing of an Emperor.

One wished His Majesty would just produce another son.

But everyone also knew clearly that the current Son of Heaven, it can be said, had no more offspring born after he turned thirty and stood firm.

According to folk rumors, it was because he overexerted himself in the first ten-odd years, and when he got old his strength failed him, he contracted an unspeakable illness.

Having another is impossible; the originally quite capable Crown Prince, praised by court and commoners alike, just with poor health, is already dead.

It seems they can only pick the tallest among the dwarfs.

But at this time, another wind started to blow.

If not choosing from the princes, then choose one from the imperial grandsons to be Crown Prince!

Although the imperial family's second generation has no successors, not a single one with the bearing of a ruler, the third generation — the Crown Prince's eldest son, although only five years old, already has the reputation of a prodigy.

If raised well, he definitely won't be inferior to those uncles of his.

His Majesty's years are already approaching sixty, but he can probably hold on for five years without any problem.

When the time comes, even if it becomes "too painful to speak of," a few regent ministers can still guarantee peace in the realm — favorable winds and rains are not something human effort can achieve.

When this bit of inside news came out, everyone felt it was very good, especially those few qualified to be regent ministers; they walked with more vigor than usual.

However, not even a day's time had passed, and that little imperial grandson unfortunately fell into water and died during a rare moment of play.

The Son of Heaven flew into a great rage, not caring about the details, summoned all eleven princes, and gave each twenty heavy strokes as a warning.

Then he exiled those anxious ministers who had rushed to form factions, and beheaded those to be beheaded.

Under the thunderous fury, princes and ministers alike trembled in fear.

Zhao Yan used thunderous methods to tell these people who is the true master of this dynasty, who is the father.

"That day, people finally recalled the fear of being dominated by a dictator Emperor." Tang Luo looked at the frowning Kongming before him and asked, "You seem to have gained something?"

There are still five days until Tang Luo and the others return.

"Yes." Kongming said, "It's just a conclusion I didn't hope to reach."

"Speak and let me hear." Tang Luo was very interested to know what Kongming had investigated these days.

Kongming didn't beat around the bush: "The true behind-the-scenes manipulator of this succession struggle during this period, I'm afraid..."

Before Kongming could speak the name, a servant's hurried voice came from outside the door: "My lord, Fei Zongqi has met with trouble!"

Kongming immediately stood up, and meeting Tang Luo's "if you judge out of context like this you won't even be able to walk out the door" gaze, he said while walking: "It is the current Son of Heaven, Zhao Yan."