Chapter 125: The Cangfeng Emperor
Cangfeng Imperial City, Central Imperial Palace.
Lan Xueruo walked quickly, passing through layers of guards, heading straight for the Emperor's bedchamber. The imperial guards she encountered along the way all bowed respectfully.
"Princess Cangyue, you've returned. His Majesty has been thinking of you these past few days," a middle-aged eunuch said, bending as he hurried to meet her at the entrance of the imperial bedchamber. "Shall I announce your arrival?"
"No need," Lan Xueruo shook her head and walked straight into the imperial bedchamber.
Cang Wanhe, the ninety-ninth Emperor of the Cangfeng Empire, ruled the land and commanded respect across the four seas. He was fifty-six years old this year, and the pampered life of the imperial palace meant that at this age, one would not typically show signs of aging on an emperor. Yet Cang Wanhe lay quietly in bed, his complexion murky, his gaze dim and lifeless, like a decrepit old man in his seventies or eighties.
"Your Majesty, Princess Cangyue has returned!" His personal eunuch stepped in lightly, his face full of joy.
Hearing this, a trace of urgency appeared on Cang Wanhe's deathly still face. He moved his upper body and struggled to stand up: "Quick, let her in."
No sooner had his voice fallen than Lan Xueruo entered. Seeing Cang Wanhe's noticeably older face and the eagerness in his eyes, her heart ached. She stepped forward quickly, kneeling on both knees before Cang Wanhe: "Father, your daughter is unfilial. It's been so long since I last visited you."
"It's good that you're back, good that you're back," Cang Wanhe nodded with satisfaction. At this moment, his face held not a trace of imperial majesty, only the loving kindness of an ordinary father toward his beloved daughter. "Get up quickly. It's been over three months since you last returned from New Moon City. I've been unable to sleep or eat well during this time, afraid something might happen to you. Ha, it's good that nothing did."
"Something minor came up on my end, daughter, and it delayed me a bit. I made Father worry," Lan Xueruo said as she stood up. Looking at her father's condition, her nose tingled with bitterness. "Father, your illness... how has it worsened again? With Master Gu personally treating you, how could this happen?"
"Cough, cough..." Cang Wanhe was about to speak when he was seized by a violent fit of coughing. He gasped a few times, his voice hoarse as he said: "Perhaps I am truly old. Though this illness is severe, with Master Gu, it won't take my life immediately. But sooner or later, I will be angered to death by those rebellious sons... cough, cough, cough, cough..."
After saying a couple of sentences, Cang Wanhe broke into another painful bout of coughing. Lan Xueruo quickly stepped forward and gently patted his back.
Just then, the eunuch's voice came from outside the door: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Crown Prince requests an audience."
Cang Wanhe's body stiffened, and Lan Xueruo's expression also turned unpleasant. Immediately, a roar erupted from Cang Wanhe's mouth: "Tell him to get lost! I don't want to see him!"
"Oh my, what has made Father so angry? Father is unwell right now; you must take care of your health, and above all, avoid getting worked up."
With a lazy voice, a young man in his thirties, dressed in gold-embroidered luxurious robes, walked in with his hands clasped behind his back. As soon as he saw Lan Xueruo, he narrowed his eyes and smiled: "My dear imperial sister, I heard from the servants that you had returned, so I hurried over right away. It's been months since I last saw you, and I've missed you dearly."
"You rebellious son, who let you in? Get out of my sight immediately!" Cang Wanhe extended a trembling finger and roared angrily.
"Father, please do not be enraged; be careful not to harm your health. Your son only cares about Father's illness and came specially to visit. If Father is displeased, your son will leave at once," Crown Prince Cang Lin said with a chuckle, his casual expression completely devoid of any fear of the angry emperor, nor any respect or caution.
"Visit?" Cang Wanhe laughed coldly. "Come to see if I've dropped dead in bed? I'm telling you, as long as I still have breath in me, don't even think about obtaining this throne! And don't even think about me issuing an edict to abdicate! Get out of my sight now!"
"Father, why be so stubborn?" Crown Prince Cang Lin curled his lips. "The Xiao Sect is an existence of what caliber? Now that I have the full support of the Xiao Sect, if you let me ascend the throne, the Xiao Sect will work for me. Our Cangfeng Imperial Clan will only become more prosperous and powerful, dominating the world..."
"Shut up... cough, cough, cough, cough..." Cang Wanhe's face turned red with anger, his chest heaving violently. "The Xiao Sect has coveted the power of our Cangfeng Imperial Clan for a long time, and you rebellious sons dare to invite the wolf into the house... If you become emperor, the thousand-year foundation of our Cangfeng Imperial Clan will exist in name only, becoming puppets of others! I have prided myself on being wise and mighty all my life, yet I have raised such rebellious sons! Get out! Get out now!"
Lan Xueruo was also so angry that her fists were clenched. She could no longer tolerate it and said indignantly: "Didn't you hear what Father said! Get out now! Neither Father nor I want to see you again!"
"Tsk, tsk, why be like this?" Cang Lin shook his head and grinned. "Father, you've been on the throne for quite a few years now. It's time to step aside. And even if you refuse, sooner or later it will fall into my hands. So what if my dear imperial brother Cang Shuo has latched onto the Fen Tian Gate? In my eyes, he has never been worthy to be my opponent... My dear imperial sister, I hear you haven't been staying put in the Cangfeng Mystic Palace these past two years but running around outside. Could it be that you're in a hurry to find a prince consort? Your imperial brother has quite a few talented young men here; would you like me to introduce some to you?"
"Get lost!" Lan Xueruo gritted her teeth, her heart seething with rage.
"Hahaha! Then your son takes his leave," Cang Lin burst into wild laughter, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked out unhurriedly.
"These rebellious sons... rebellious sons!!" Cang Wanhe was so angry his face turned red and his whole body trembled.
"Father, they've already gone mad. They're not worth getting angry over. Your health is what matters," Lan Xueruo said, patting her father's back as she tried to calm the fury in her heart.
After a long silence, Cang Wanhe finally calmed down a little. He smiled bleakly and said: "All along, I thought I had raised seven sons as fierce as tigers and leopards. I never expected that my seven sons... would all be a pack of wolves. Fortunately, heaven has shown me a little mercy by giving me you, my daughter. But it's a pity you are a woman; otherwise, I could directly pass the throne to you... But if I did that, it would also bring you suffering... Those two rebellious sons, Cang Lin and Cang Shuo—one colludes with the Xiao Sect, the other with the Fen Tian Gate. Hah... No matter which of them ultimately succeeds, our Cangfeng Imperial Clan will become a puppet of others... Heaven is blind, heaven is blind indeed."
"Father, don't worry too much. I will do everything in my power to stop them," Lan Xueruo bit her lip, a thin mist of tears covering her eyes.
Cang Wanhe shook his head with a smile: "Those seven rebellious sons are split into two factions. Most of the important powers in the court are already in their hands, with the Xiao Sect and the Fen Tian Gate secretly aiding them. What can you use to stop them? My greatest hope is that when that day comes, you will leave this imperial city and hide as far away as possible. I'm afraid those rebellious sons will turn you into a pawn of interest... If that happens, I truly will not rest in peace."
"That won't happen, Father. With Master Gu here, your illness will surely be cured, and you will live to a hundred," Lan Xueruo said, forcing back her tears and shaking her head vigorously.
"Ha," Cang Wanhe smiled bitterly. He knew his own physical condition best. He had even been suspecting that this sudden severe illness might have been the result of a plot by Cang Lin or Cang Shuo? He closed his eyes and said dejectedly: "I have reigned for nineteen years, and only now do I realize that I have failed completely as emperor. Let alone raising these rebellious sons, my very first wish upon ascending the throne was to wash away the shame of our Cangfeng Imperial Clan in the 'Cangfeng Ranking Battle.' But after nineteen years, all I have received is one humiliation after another, without end... The imperial clan of our mighty Cangfeng Empire cannot even get anyone into the top hundred, becoming the laughingstock of the world time and again, forever unable to hold our heads high before those sects. What a tragedy!"
Lan Xueruo's eyes flickered. The image of Yun Che surfaced in her mind, and a warm feeling grew in her heart, calming her considerably. She said softly: "Father, this wish of yours will surely come true. Over the past two years, I have traveled to various mystic palaces, using the Imperial Heart Technique to seek such a person. My efforts have not been in vain. Just a month and a half ago, I found that person and brought him to the Cangfeng Mystic Palace. I will do everything I can to have him represent our imperial clan in the next Cangfeng Ranking Battle... I believe he will definitely enter the top hundred, fulfill Father's wish, and wash away the shame of our imperial clan."
"The next one... I'm afraid I won't live to see that day. Cough, cough, cough, cough..." Cang Wanhe broke into another violent fit of coughing, his breathing becoming more rapid.
Lan Xueruo knew that with her father's condition, it was not suitable for him to talk too much. She helped him tuck in his blanket and said softly: "Father, get some rest. You must take good care of yourself. I still have some things to do; I will come to see you tomorrow... Uncle Dongfang, please protect my father."
After Lan Xueruo's voice faded, an old, deep voice came from above the bedchamber: "Rest assured, Princess. As long as I am here, I will never allow anyone to harm a single hair on His Majesty's head."
Lan Xueruo nodded gratefully and left the imperial bedchamber.
No one knew how much pressure this only princess, also the youngest child of the Cangfeng Emperor, bore on her slender shoulders, nor how many anxieties and burdens were buried in her heart.
————————————————————
The central square of the Cangfeng Mystic Palace was enormous. Since this was the last day of this year's disciple recruitment, it was packed with dense crowds. About half were young Xuan practitioners undergoing assessment, and the other half were mystic palace disciples who had come to watch the excitement.
Although it was already the final day of assessment, the number of young Xuan practitioners undergoing evaluation was still quite large. The assessment was divided into three hundred groups. Under Qin Wuyou's intervention, Yun Che was inserted into the ninety-ninth group midway.
The assessment consisted of two parts: Xuan power testing and combat power testing. They sounded similar, but the format of the assessment was fundamentally different.