Chapter 140: The Princes of the Chen Clan
What is a royal clan? One can claim the title of emperor upon ascending the throne. From this perspective, it is not difficult to understand how the Heavenly Sea Holy Empress could awaken the Imperial Chariot Diagram.
But Zhu Luo had interacted with the Chen royal clan for centuries and knew many hidden secrets. He understood that to activate the Imperial Chariot Diagram, one must possess true royal blood.
The Heavenly Sea Holy Empress had ruled for over two hundred years, but she had only ascended the throne twenty years ago. She simply did not have enough time for the Imperial Chariot Diagram to recognize her blood as royal blood.
She stood atop the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, gazing down at this world and at the great formation within the capital. Her beautiful face was devoid of any emotion, utterly indifferent.
Yes, her surname was not Chen. The blood flowing through her veins was the true blood of the Heavenly Phoenix, not royal blood. Nor did she have enough time to force the Imperial Chariot Diagram to submit. But that did not mean she had no way.
The Daoist Calculator also knew she must have a way, so he did not ask like Zhu Luo.
In fact, in the very next moment, many people, including Zhu Luo, realized that point.
The great formation of the Imperial Chariot Diagram had been built many years ago. Its history was extremely ancient, at least older than that of the Chen royal clan.
The capital was now the capital of the Great Zhou, but before there was a Great Zhou, this place was already a capital.
Before the Chen royal clan, this continent had another royal clan with an exceptionally pure bloodline, and it had survived all the way to the present.
Zhu Luo looked toward the palace and said sternly, "Prince Liang's descendant, how dare you commit such an act of high treason!"
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There were three highest points in the capital.
The Heavenly Book Mausoleum, the Sweet Dew Terrace, and one other place—the Lingyan Pavilion.
The Lingyan Pavilion was deep within the palace, a tall tower.
The most important modification the Great Zhou royal clan made to the Imperial Chariot Diagram formation was the construction of the Lingyan Pavilion. Chen Shu was also there.
Prince Liang's descendant sat on the ground in the very center of the Lingyan Pavilion.
Tonight, his hand did not hold the Vajra Pestle but a torch.
The material of that torch was neither metal nor jade, with a crystalline quality. At its tip burned a white flame.
This was a divine artifact of the demon race—Daylight Flame.
Prince Liang's descendant had his eyes tightly shut, his face pale. Blood continuously flowed from the hand gripping the torch.
That blood flowed onto the Daylight Flame but did not drip to the ground. Instead, it was absorbed.
The light emitted by the Daylight Flame was not stained red by the blood. It remained pure and holy, as if containing boundless energy.
Those rays of light were so intense that the Lingyan Pavilion, forever shrouded in gloom, had become bright tonight.
As for the interior of the Lingyan Pavilion, it was illuminated as brightly as day, or rather, like an imagined divine kingdom.
The portraits on the walls were clearly visible. The founding ministers in those paintings seemed to be silently watching Prince Liang's descendant.
If they knew that this young prince was the descendant of the Liang royal clan they had worked so hard to overthrow back then, who knew what thoughts they might have?
Which of these legendary figures in the paintings would be willing to bless him?
For the past several hundred years, the Lingyan Pavilion had remained silent deep within the palace, like the night itself, never easily seen by others.
But tonight, it grew brighter and brighter.
For the past several hundred years, the stone steps and square before the Lingyan Pavilion had been devoid of footprints.
But tonight, these places were filled with people.
The Imperial Guard watched their surroundings warily.
Xue Xingchuan sat atop the Fire Cloud Qilin, his expression cold as he looked ahead.
Ahead was pitch black—that was the main gate of the imperial city.
Tonight, the gate of the imperial city was not closed, as if ready to welcome guests.
At this moment, the Frost Remnant Divine Spear was radiating an overwhelmingly powerful aura within the palace.
He was here.
So, who would dare to enter?
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On this rainy night of early autumn, those who opposed the Heavenly Sea Holy Empress had come from all over the continent to the capital, intending to overthrow her rule in one fell swoop.
But there were also many willing to pledge loyalty to the Heavenly Sea Holy Empress.
Besides major military figures of the Great Zhou like Xue Xingchuan, there were also people hidden in the night. Or, as Second Master Tang had said, after the battle at Cold Mountain, the Heavenly Mechanism Elder could no longer resist the erosion of time and was on the verge of death. But the Heavenly Sea Holy Empress, who possessed the friendship of the Heavenly Mechanism Elder, would naturally have the full support of the entire Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.
In the first half of the night, Chen Changsheng had burst into the Northern Military Command Alley, directly destroying that small courtyard with the crabapple tree. However, the operations of the Clear Administration Department were not greatly affected. Zhou Tong, just awakened, endured his injuries and ordered his subordinate officials to merge with the assassins of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. They began moving through the night, ready at any moment to strike their targets.
Guided and concealed by the Imperial Chariot Diagram, at least several hundred elite assassins had now arrived outside the mansions of the nobility, approaching the fifteen royal carriages from various prefectures. With just one command, the assassins would, on behalf of Her Holiness the Empress, purge those ministers and descendants who dared to be disloyal to her...
The one who could give the order was, of course, the Heavenly Sea Holy Empress herself.
Now, all it took was one word from her, or even a single glance, and the capital would be drenched in blood. The process might be somewhat difficult, but the outcome seemed already decided.
If one were to speak of cause and effect, Chen Changsheng, this "fruit," was actually the cause in this matter.
Her opponents had waited for her to suffer the backlash of the Heavenly Dao, or to fall into a trap, and they had all come to the capital.
Those enemies who had hidden in the shadows for two hundred years, those old acquaintances who had endured silently for so long... she had long grown tired of seeing them.
After tonight, all her enemies would be killed by her. Then, she could do as she pleased.
This was the result she wanted. Aside from this, anything that happened tonight held no meaning or impact for her.
Even using the power of heaven and earth and the ancient aura of the Heavenly Book Mausoleum to directly reverse Chen Changsheng's fate seemed like a trivial matter.
The night rain fell softly, without sound, as if it had no substance, only the faintest hint of moisture.
She stood with her hands behind her back, looking at the capital in the night, her expression calm.
Only Chen Changsheng, standing behind her, could vaguely see that her hands were trembling slightly.
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On a certain street in the capital, a heart-wrenching cry suddenly rang out.
"Mother, you can give so much for younger brother, but I... I am also your son!"
Among the fifteen royal carriages that had entered the capital under cover of night, a man tumbled out of one. He wore a light yellow robe, had an ugly face, and an exceptionally sincere expression. He knelt repeatedly in the direction of the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, weeping as he spoke, "Mother, please spare me. I was deceived by others... no, baby was tricked into coming here!"
In that short sentence, the man's address to the Heavenly Sea Holy Empress changed, and his self-reference changed three times, making listeners want to cover their ears.
This man was the Prince of Louyang, famous for his mediocrity and incompetence. One could say this prince had no sense of shame, but no one truly believed he was lying.
—He had been timid and fearful since childhood. As for a major event like over a dozen rebel princes entering the capital, given his usual nature, he would never dare to participate. He had indeed been tricked into coming to the capital. After entering the capital, the Prince of Louyang only then learned what was to happen tonight. He trembled all over with fear. When he saw the Heavenly Sea Holy Empress effortlessly take control of the situation, his legs went weak with terror. How could he dare to stay? But he couldn't leave either. In his panic, he scrambled out of the carriage, knelt on the ground, and begged for mercy.
Following this, two or three princes, recalling Her Holiness the Empress's usual dignity and authority, also climbed out of their carriages and kowtowed repeatedly toward the Heavenly Book Mausoleum. But more princes cursed loudly at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum. They had come to the capital tonight having already put life and death aside. For a time, words like "demon empress, die!" echoed everywhere.
The Heavenly Sea Holy Empress stood atop the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, looking at these nominal sons, her brows slightly raised. She had no deep impression of the Prince of Louyang, only remembering that this son was very stupid. As for the other sons, they displeased her greatly. She scolded, "Seeing you useless wretches, I feel sorry for the late emperor. He fathered so many, yet not one of you has any promise!"
She was reprimanding these princes of the Chen clan, so the princes of the Chen clan all heard her voice—whether in the capital or on the official road from Luoyang to the capital.
On that official road lined with weeds on both sides, the Prince of Xiang supported the fat around his waist with both hands, panting heavily as he walked to the front of the carriage. Looking toward the capital, he shouted loudly, "Mother, I can do it. I have promise. How filial was I to you back then? I picked wildflowers from the Hundred Herb Garden to put in vases for you, washed fruits clean and brought them to your bedside, played whatever games you wanted with you..."
The more he spoke, the more aggrieved he became. Clutching his chest, he said plaintively, "Chen Changsheng probably hasn't even called you 'Mother' once. For such an unfilial son, you are willing to show so much kindness. Why can't you be a little better to me? I am also your son! Let me be the Crown Prince."
This extremely shameless speech fell on the ears of the prince's attendants on the official road, leaving them very embarrassed, unsure how to react.
Far away atop the Heavenly Book Mausoleum in the capital, the Heavenly Sea Holy Empress heard these words. The murderous intent between her brows lessened slightly, and she said, "You are the most promising one."
Hearing this voice ringing through the night sky, the Prince of Xiang's face was filled with joy he could hardly contain.
The Heavenly Sea Holy Empress continued, "But you're too fat, too ugly, like a pig."
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This heartfelt exchange between the Heavenly Sea Holy Empress and the Prince of Xiang, after twenty years, made many princes who had arrived in the capital first laugh out loud, then fall into dead silence.
The Prince of Louyang paid no attention to these matters. Taking his prince's retinue and attendants, he used the cover of night to bypass a familiar side alley from his childhood. Instead of following the prearranged plan to go directly to the Star Observation Platform, he headed in a certain direction.
"Your Highness, where are we going?"
"To the Orange Garden," the Prince of Louyang said, his face pale.
He was among the last batch of Chen princes expelled from the capital. He had had the chance to get to know Mo Yu, and they had gotten along fairly well.
At this extremely dangerous moment, his first thought was to find her and beg her to save his life.
It never occurred to him that Mo Yu might not be in the capital.
At such a critical moment, as Her Holiness the Empress's most trusted right hand, there was no reason for Lady Mo not to be there.
Yet she truly was not there. The gate of the Orange Garden was closed, and the little orange lantern before the door was not lit.
The Prince of Louyang's face grew even paler. What could he do now?
"Your Highness, where should we go next?"
The Prince of Louyang gritted his teeth and said, "To the palace. Lady Mo should be there."
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(The Prince of Louyang went to ask for mooncakes. Everyone, have some more as well. I really like this character. Wishing everyone a happy holiday.)