Chapter 28: The Wrath of the Princes
Hundred Flowers Lane had experienced desolation, bustle, destruction, and then reconstruction. It was no longer what it once was—more prosperous than ever, yet strangely quiet. New willows planted along the roadside, in this early spring season, sprouted pale green buds, unable to conceal the eaves of the taverns.
Gazing at the academy gate of the National Academy deep within the lane, Tianhai Shengxue remained silent for a long time.
The current academy gate had been built by the Tianhai family. The previous one had been smashed down on his personal orders.
Thinking back to that drizzly day in the capital years ago, when he led his knights back from the north and, with a single command, had warhorses crash through the academy gate—how glorious and arrogant he and the Tianhai family had been back then. And now?
After the incident at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, aside from the tasks entrusted to them by the Dao Sovereign and His Majesty the Emperor, the Tianhai family had kept an extremely low profile. This year, they had finally managed to make some moves in the Songshan Military Prefecture, seeking some benefits, only to run into that great affair again. His arrogant, proud younger brother had died just like that.
As for Tianhai Ya'er, who had originally sparked the conflict between the Tianhai family and the National Academy, he had long been forgotten.
Fei Dian, seeing the lonely expression on his face, guessed what he was thinking and said, "What's missed is missed. Let's go."
Tianhai Shengxue shook his head and urged his horse forward into Hundred Flowers Lane.
Fei Dian looked slightly surprised, watching his back, but said nothing.
Tianhai Shengxue had come to the National Academy on purpose, not just passing by, because he didn't want to miss out again.
He knocked on the academy gate of the National Academy and then walked inside.
His choice was the same as during the Grand Court Exam all those years ago.
He hoped his family would survive, so he would stake everything on the opposite side.
He wanted to completely sever ties with his family, so that even if the Tianhai family were all wiped out, he would still be alive.
...
...
Emperor Taizong had left behind many descendants. Even after so many years of storms and bloodshed, their numbers were still considerable.
The princely mansions on both sides of the Taiping Avenue were clear proof of this.
The masters of these mansions were all watching the Xiang Prince's Mansion.
If the Xiang Prince didn't take a stance on today's events, then the other princes could only remain silent.
The Taiping Avenue was very quiet.
Only one mansion kept emitting curses, filled with foul language too vulgar to hear.
That was the Zhongshan Prince's Mansion.
Among the Chen family princes, Zhongshan Prince Chen Xuanqing was arguably the most famous, both for his temper and his legendary experiences.
If he hadn't pretended to be crazy and stupid back then, eating quite a bit of horse manure, he would probably have been killed by the Holy Empress Tianhai long ago.
This incident also indirectly proved how remarkable this prince was—if he were just an ordinary prince, if he weren't an extremely powerful cultivator, only slightly inferior to the Xiang Prince, why would the Holy Empress Tianhai have pressed him so hard?
For such a powerful prince to endure such humiliation, everyone knew he was terrifying.
Especially when his face was as gloomy as it was now.
The mansion's retainers and the experts loyal to him filled the room, along with the Xiaoling Divine General and the Luling Prince, who had just rushed back from Mount Xiao.
Everyone lowered their heads, not daring to meet the Zhongshan Prince's gaze, let alone speak.
The Zhongshan Prince's face grew even uglier. Pointing at them, he cursed, "They've come right to our doorstep, and you can still sit there calmly!"
In the Songshan Military Prefecture, he had been forced to back down by the combined pressure of the National Church's top figures and the hidden Chen Changsheng, which had already infuriated him. Now, those southern sect masters had entered the capital with such overwhelming momentum, driving him into a violent rage.
The mansion's retainers still kept their heads down, silent.
The Xiaoling Divine General looked at the Zhongshan Prince, mustering the courage to say something, but ultimately held back.
The Luling Prince shook his head, feeling helpless.
If they didn't sit, what could they do? Go fight?
The Li Palace could easily produce seven or eight peak Star Condensation experts like Linghai Zhiwang and Siyuan Daoren. The Green Ivy Academies had masters like Zhuang Zhihuan and the Zongsi Archbishop. Such was the ten-thousand-year foundation of the National Church.
Not to mention that Mao Qiuyu had already broken through to the Divine Domain. Although he had gone to Cold Mountain, who knew if he might secretly return like Wang Po? Even if Mao Qiuyu didn't come back, who could withstand the combined sword technique of the Pope and the Holy Maiden? Add in those southern masters who entered the capital today—how could they possibly fight?
Unless they recalled the Black Armored Heavy Cavalry from the north to surround and kill these experts, the imperial court had no chance of victory.
Although the Great Zhou military also had a considerable number of strong cultivators, the fiercest, the White Tiger Divine General, had already been killed by Chen Changsheng and Zheshou together. The remaining divine generals were far inferior to the likes of Xue Xingchuan from years past, not to mention that their thoughts were far from unified.
"These disciples and descendants of Chen Guansong are utterly useless, not even as good as me in a fight!"
The Zhongshan Prince glanced at the Xiaoling Divine General and cursed, "A bunch of damn trash!"
The mansion's retainers smiled bitterly, thinking to themselves, "Your Highness, even if you're better at fighting, you're still just one person, and you can't beat that one either." Just as they were silently complaining, they suddenly heard the Zhongshan Prince's next words and were shocked, wondering if the prince could read their minds.
The Zhongshan Prince had no idea and couldn't be bothered to think about what they were thinking. His words were purely an emotional outburst.
"But I can't beat Wang Po either!"
"Damn it, I'm so angry!"
"So angry!"
...
...
Wang Po of Cool Weather was undoubtedly the expert the Great Zhou imperial court had watched most closely over the past few decades.
The Zhongshan Prince's intense focus on Wang Po stemmed from the same reason.
Between the Chen clan and the Wang family, there was an unbreakable feud of grudges and grievances.
Thinking back to Emperor Taizong's time, he had said, "Cool weather, what a fine autumn," and with that, the Wang family had fallen into decline.
Wang Po's name originated from that very phrase.
If anyone wanted the Chen imperial clan to lose this world the most, it was undoubtedly Wang Po.
So, as soon as Wang Po began to display his talent in cultivation, the Chen imperial clan prepared to suppress him, even to eliminate him outright.
Back then, if Old Master Tang hadn't taken him in and sheltered him in Wenshui for a few years, Wang Po might have died long ago.
Even after he topped the Carefree List and became a cultivator protected by the Sacred Divine Decrees, he was still forced to flee to the far south and join the Huai Academy.
After Su Li departed for another continent, Wang Po became the primary target the Great Zhou imperial court wanted to eliminate.
With the Sacred Divine Decrees rendered ineffective after the Heavenly Book Mausoleum incident, the court's thoughts turned into real actions.
Thus came the ambush under the ginkgo tree and the earth-shattering battle by the Luo River in the capital.
But no one had expected Wang Po's cultivation to advance so rapidly.
He actually killed Tieshu with a single slash by the Luo River, achieving the name of a Divine expert.
From that day on, the entire situation changed.
The Great Zhou imperial court ceased all actions against Wang Po. The Chen family princes remained silent. Both sides maintained a peaceful stalemate.
But today, Wang Po had come to the capital.
The yellowed green tree in front of the imperial palace and the severed Luo River were all evidence—or rather, a declaration of war.
This was, of course, a provocation to the imperial court.
In the eyes of the Chen family princes, it was even more an insult to them.
The Luling Prince grimaced and asked, "So what do we do now?"
"What do we do?"
The Zhongshan Prince slammed the table heavily, roaring in fury, "Then we eat shit! I've eaten plenty of it before anyway, so I'm not afraid of one more time!"