Star Sky Professional

"Cheng Qian?!"

"Inheriting the Daqian, or inheriting the universe?"

In a secret chamber of a certain prince's mansion.

A prince was so furious that he smashed all the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone at hand.

If outsiders were to witness this scene, they would undoubtedly be extremely surprised.

The prince who always presented himself as gentle, was his true nature like this?

This prince was the legitimate son of the Eighth Prince, who was quite popular back in the day and had the support of the courtiers, with rumors of him being nominated as the Crown Prince.

However, heaven did not grant him long years, and he died young.

In fact, the top twenty princes in the imperial ranking mostly died of old age or illness.

Yet the old Emperor remains, having surpassed the lifespan of emperors from the previous dynasty and even the one before it, which is an anomaly.

And at this time, aside from some princes ranked at the back, born in the past two or three decades, more and more grandsons began eyeing that position.

For these people, the Emperor naming the ninety-ninth prince 'Cheng Qian' was a severe blow.

Isn't this a blatant proclamation to designate him as the Crown Prince?

The name Cheng Qian, in the Daqian Dynasty, if he cannot inherit the throne in the future, he must surely die; whoever ascends cannot keep him alive!

He didn't know, this was just Fang Xing deliberately setting a challenge for others...

However, Fang Xing indeed had some thoughts about establishing a Crown Prince.

After all, his luck was too bad, drawing from the princes and grandsons produced mostly mediocrity, without any dazzling SSR.

But with the extraordinary Madam Gouyu, coupled with himself, they should be able to produce one of true dragon and phoenix elegance.

And he was already eighty-seven, holding out for another ten or twenty years, Li Chengqian would come of age, receive his crown... then become the Crown Prince, ascend the throne... perfect.

Incidentally... such terrifying undercurrents would be the best pressure and stage for that female Dao Lord.

Character needs to be well displayed.

...

Imperial City.

At the gate of the Cold Palace.

Jing Jie stood vigilantly, dressed in armor.

'Jie', means humble.

He originally had several acres of good land, but faced with a natural disaster, his elderly father fell ill, leading to bankruptcy, and the land was sold off.

Subsequently, a locust plague struck, and the family became refugees, dying on the road to escape famine, scarcely ten years past!

Although under Fang Xing's rule, many civil officials praised the 'Long Chang's Governance', in reality, various dark corners still existed under the sun.

Only because they were not large in scale, the escaping folks mostly died on their journey, and it wasn't even worth noting in the annals of history.

Jing Jie survived naturally because he encountered a benefactor.

His entire family starved to death, but he met a 'benefactor' while on the brink of death.

Not only that, the benefactor taught him martial arts, secretly registered him into the capital's household, and even secretly let him marry and have children...

He didn't know how many death soldiers like him were there, but ultimately, through his willingness to risk his life and ability to navigate situations, he was successfully selected into the Imperial Guard, then transferred to the Imperial Palace Guard, guarding the Cold Palace.

How crucial was any position in the Imperial City Guard? It preferred good family backgrounds, with the entire family required to be in the capital.

Once any incident occurred, they'd follow the household registration for elimination games, ensuring no one dared to make a move.

It was only after joining the Imperial Palace Guard that Jing Jie realized what the benefactor wanted him to do.

But it didn't matter, without the benefactor, he'd have been dead long ago.

Now he's eaten, experienced enjoyment, and even has a son, sent away in secret.

The official household registration family had nothing to do with him, even if the extermination of nine generations occurred, he wouldn't fear!

Moreover, his real son was in the hands of the benefactor, his weak point, even if tasked with assassinating the Emperor, he'd have to comply!

Unfortunately, the competition for positions within the Imperial Palace was fierce.

The true Imperial Palace guards serving in the Palace of Diligence were mostly noble military offspring, commoners stood no chance.

Someone like him, with a clean background, could only guard the Cold Palace, not seeing the Emperor even once a year.

Moreover, whenever the Emperor traveled, wasn't he always surrounded by an entourage?

What use could one person be?

Until recently, with the birth of Prince Cheng Qian, it seems the benefactor also received much hidden assistance, finally activating him, this hidden pawn.

Pa!

A whip sound echoed.

Jing Jie instantly became alert.

The purification whip cleared the way, the Emperor is traveling!

Sure enough, shortly after, the imperial procession came into view, with palace maids and eunuchs encircling, accompanied by strong and vigorous guards.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Jing Jie hurriedly kneeled by the roadside, palms sweating with tension.

It was the Emperor, the rumored reincarnation of the Heavenly Emperor!

'Not sure how many people, how many hidden lines were sacrificed... just for this one chance encounter?'

'Where is my opportunity?'

Jing Jie almost held his breath, silently waiting.

...

At the same time.

Sitting on the imperial carriage, Fang Xing was also waiting.

"Man's stupidity is limitless, oh my many foolish sons and grandsons... upon hearing the name Li Chengqian, the whole capital cheers, wails..."

"This is the First Level, concubines from the harem for their sons' and grandsons' future, there will always be fools swayed... thus forming the basis for internal and external collusion."

"Besides, I incorporated mathematics into the imperial exams, steadfastly enforcing it for decades... is it not a significant blow to Confucian learning? Or even Confucianism? At least it created divisions among civil officials..."

"Sad thing is, I have been an emperor in power for sixty years, my prestige long established, attempting a coup or officials forcing the palace are jokes!"

"Those who want to outlast me, mostly outlasted by me..."

"Next, it will be nothing short of a strike as bold as a rainbow piercing the sun..."

At that moment.

Clang!

A eunuch carrying the sedan chair suddenly turned pale, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, and collapsed.

Crash! Crash!

The bright yellow sedan chair immediately tilted towards one corner.

"Protect His Majesty!"

Several guards rushed forward, intending to replace the fallen eunuch.

But just then, the little eunuch's blood-stained face twisted into a grimace. He pulled a dagger from his robe and stabbed at the nearest guard.

"An assassin!"

A piercing scream echoed, and chaos erupted all around.

"Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!"

Jing Jie took a deep breath and stepped forward, watching as the Emperor, with hair and beard as white as snow and an air of ethereal grace, rolled out of the overturned sedan chair.

"Protect the Emperor."

Amidst the chaos, he moved within three feet of the Emperor.

The martial arts instructor in the army had once taught him, within three feet, a single person can challenge an entire country!

"Halt!"

An Imperial Guard saw Jing Jie approaching and immediately reacted, slashing at him with his blade.

Such approaches during chaos warranted an immediate cut down with a blade without question.

Clang!

Jing Jie tilted his body slightly, letting the blade strike his arm armor, while his own long sword unsheathed and pierced the guard's vital point.

Had it not been for his excellent martial arts, he couldn't have infiltrated the Imperial Palace Guard despite his clear record.

"Kill!"

With the Emperor right before him, Jing Jie lunged fiercely.

"Insolent!"

Several masters from the inner palace acted almost simultaneously, their blades and swords already piercing into Jing Jie's body.

Yet, with blood seeping from his mouth and a sinister smile on his face, he released his long sword, sending it flying toward the aged and venerable Emperor!

Whoosh!

Who would have thought that Fang Xing, at this moment, would exhibit movement techniques surprisingly agile? He sidestepped, avoiding the flying sword, and gently lifted his right foot, unleashing a kick like the Shadowless Leg, sending a palace maid flying away.

Crash!

A dagger fell to the ground, glinting blue in the sunlight.

"That maid... is also an assassin?"

"Seems like she was the one who shouted 'Assassin' just now."

"We were late in protecting the Emperor; we beg His Majesty's forgiveness."

Clatter!

A row of armored soldiers arrived, surrounding Fang Xing layer by layer. A middle-aged general hurriedly knelt down, identified as Zhao Hu's grandson—Zhao Xu.

"According to palace regulations, as long as you arrive within ten breaths after an alarm, it's not considered late. What fault is there?"

Fang Xing waved his hand and said, "As for today's incident, thoroughly investigate that palace maid and the guard; let's conclude it this way..."

Zhao Xu was somewhat surprised, not expecting the Emperor to be so... calm?

Little did he know that Fang Xing did it on purpose.

'The older one gets, the easier it is to become confused, due to underlying fear!'

'Especially for beings like emperors, the fear of relentless aging, the burden of a deteriorating body... If coupled with an assassination threat, instant rage would ensue.'

'In a fit of rage, one easily loses reason, exposing greater vulnerabilities for the ambitious to exploit...'

'Today's assassination attempt, the guard and that maid might not even be cooperating; further investigation might reveal a staged situation...'

'Moreover, if few clues are found, suspicions will inevitably fall on those close.'

'To make your foes suffer, live in a way they wish you wouldn't.'

Fang Xing's lips curled into a cold smile.

He had decided, he wanted to live to one hundred and twenty, and pass the throne to Li Chengqian!

This young one had a sound foundation; groomed from an early age, instilled with certain philosophies, he could surely give those who come after a great surprise.

After all, though Fang Xing, while an emperor, firmly held authority, he would handle the major issues but let go of the minor ones, still having time for leisure and enjoyment.

Because he wasn't an indigenous emperor, he didn't have the immense craving for power.

But what about a young emperor, educated in imperial ideology since birth?

He would undoubtedly expand without restraint, reclaim power again and again...

Hmm, Fang Xing's ideal future model for Li Chengqian combined Emperor Qin and Hongwu, ensuring to oppress those bureaucrats so much they'd wish the previous emperor could rise again.

'If you plan to open a window and many oppose, why not just remove the entire roof then...'

Fang Xing's gaze was distant, seemingly looking into the future, as a trace of anticipation rose in his heart.

...

In the seventy-fifth year of Long Chang, the fifteen-year-old Li Chengqian was made Crown Prince.

In the eightieth year of Long Chang, Emperor Long Chang withdrew from politics, choosing to abdicate and become the Eminent Emperor, while commanding the elevated Lady Gouyu as Empress Dowager to assist in governance. The subsequent year marked as the first year of Stabilization.

Li Chengqian had long reached adulthood, capable of ruling himself, yet the arrangement resembling Empress Dowager's assisted governance akin to ruling from behind a veil was peculiar.

This was naturally Fang Xing's intention, causing chaos throughout the court and the public.

Fortunately, the Empress Dowager revealed astonishing deftness, able to both cooperate quietly with the Emperor and deal with the disobedient one by one.

By the fifth year of Stabilization, the Empress Dowager passed away, and the court once again stabilized.

In the twentieth year of Stabilization, the Eminent Emperor passed away. The officials mourned, the Emperor wept bitterly, and the posthumous title 'Wen' was granted, becoming Emperor Wen of the Taizong lineage...

During Emperor Wen's reign, labor was eased, taxes lightened, the populace was united, inaugurating a prosperous era of Long Chang, living to the age of one hundred and twenty-seven before passing, regarded as the longest-lived monarch in history. Rumors spread that Emperor Wen had attained Longevity, inciting envy among later emperors, many of whom pursued traces of Emperor Wen...