Chapter 741
Chapter 741
“Didn’t Princess Jiang Li decipher some of the ancient texts from beneath the Cave of a Myriad Snakes?”
“She did.”
“Then, among the contents she deciphered, was there anything describing a similar situation?”
State Preceptor Si Yin thought for a moment, then shook his head.
“No.”
“What percentage of the ancient texts has Princess Jiang Li deciphered? I mean, including all the texts in those ancient ruins.”
“Less than five percent.”
“Then, do the rest of the ancient texts still exist?”
“They do.”
“Are they inside the ruins, or have they been moved outside?”
State Preceptor Si Yin was silent for a moment before speaking.
“They were moved outside the ancient ruins. Because the texts were relatively easy to transport, His Highness brought them all out. Of course, many important items are still inside the ruins, as large parts of them have yet to be explored.”
“May I borrow those ancient texts to read for a while?”
As mentioned before, the ancient texts were engraved in layers within jade stones in a very special way. An ancient text the size of a deck of playing cards could contain hundreds of thousands of characters and hundreds of illustrations. An ordinary person would need decades to decipher a single ancient text. The six transcendent powers had spent a thousand years deciphering numerous ancient texts, and that was the source of their strength.
“Master Shen Lang, how much time do you have?”
“At most, half a month.”
“In half a month, it would be difficult to decipher even half a volume of the ancient texts. The ancient texts are incomparably precious, but they are numerous and varied, like a vast ocean. Finding records about that gem in half a month would be more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack.”
That was certainly true. But Shen Lang had his X-ray scanning mode and his AI chip. He didn't need to decipher them; he could continuously scan them, and if he found any related knowledge, the AI chip could immediately record it.
“Besides, there's one more thing. Only His Highness knows where those ancient texts are. I do not know where they are hidden.”
Ugh! This was also quite normal. The ancient ruins were incomparably precious, so Prince Gong had to maintain sole control over them. No matter how much he trusted others, there were limits.
“I will immediately send a secret message via carrier pigeon to His Highness, asking him to come. However, it will take at least ten days for him to arrive.”
Shen Lang trembled inwardly. Ten days? How could he afford to waste ten days?
“I will write to His Highness immediately.”
***
Just four hours later, before State Preceptor Si Yin's secret message could have flown far, Prince Gong appeared. How did he arrive so quickly?
“A few days ago, after meeting Ning Zheng's envoy, I sent a secret message to you, State Preceptor, and immediately set out myself. I thought my wise nephew might need my help, and some matters cannot be decided by you alone. What do you need me to do?”
“I need to read a large number of ancient texts.”
“So be it!”
***
Another four hours later.
Over a thousand pieces of ancient texts appeared before Shen Lang. It was more accurate to count them in pieces rather than volumes. Each ancient text was truly a jade piece shaped like a brick. Countless pieces of information were densely engraved upon them, layer after layer. Prince Gong gave Shen Lang the entire space. Shen Lang began to read through them frantically. Using his X-ray vision mode, he scanned the ancient texts layer by layer. He didn't even need to read them; the scanned content was saved to his AI chip. As soon as it found the necessary keywords, the AI chip would immediately notify Shen Lang.
It was a colossal task. There were a total of nineteen hundred pieces of ancient texts here. Each piece contained nearly a thousand pages of content, totaling close to two million pages. Even if it took Shen Lang one second to scan a page, it would still require a staggering 555 hours, or at least twenty-three days. After working for several hours straight, Shen Lang felt as though his eyeballs and head were about to explode, but he had no choice but to continue.
***
While Shen Lang was frantically scanning the ancient texts, the situation in the capital grew worse by the day.
Inside Heavenly Yue City.
Ning Zheng controlled over twenty thousand troops, while Ning Qi controlled roughly ten thousand. The Zhong Clan had a sixty-thousand-strong army in the north of Tianxi Province, but they made no move. Zhang Zixu commanded over ten thousand troops in the south of Tianxi Province, but he also made no move. Zhang Chong had already been officially inaugurated as the Governor-General of Tianbei Province and had seized control of the province in the shortest possible time. Bian Xiao's seventy-thousand-strong army was armed and ready to move at a moment's notice. Yet, King Ning Yuanxian remained as still as a dead man.
Then, on the thirteenth day since he had fallen into a complete coma, another piece of nightmarish news arrived. The Queen Dowager had passed away. There was likely no foul play involved. The Queen Dowager had not had much time left to live anyway. Nearly eighty years old, she had originally been in good health. However, after Crown Prince Ning Yi was captured by the Southern Ou Kingdom, her health deteriorated daily. Ning Yi was her most cherished grandson, so when disaster befell him, the Queen Dowager had fainted. After regaining consciousness, her chronic illnesses flared up, and her mind grew increasingly muddled. She spent nearly the entire day lying in bed, with moments of clarity becoming exceedingly rare.
When the King met with misfortune, Ning Zheng and Li Zhun had immediately sent people to protect the Queen Dowager. If Ning Zheng were to one day ascend the throne, a royal elder would have to officiate his investiture. With the King in a vegetative state, the Queen Dowager would have had to step in, but at this critical juncture, she passed away. Eunuch Li Yin reported that the Queen Dowager never regained full lucidity before her death, constantly calling out for "Ah Wu" (a pet name for Ning Yuanwu, who had competed with Ning Yuanxian for the throne), "Little Yi" (referring to Ning Yi), and "Little Han" (referring to Ning Han). This meant that the son the Queen Dowager had favored most in her heart was not Ning Yuanxian, but Ning Yuanwu. Her most cherished grandsons were Ning Yi and Ning Han. With the Queen Dowager's passing, the situation in the royal court grew even more perilous.
***
The court officials continuously urged Ning Zheng to act swiftly. They argued that with the troops under his control, even if he couldn't eliminate Ning Qi, he could at least drive him out of the capital and ascend the throne himself. However, Ning Zheng refused to do so. He knew that if he started a civil war now, he would be branded a traitorous subject, and the Empire's grand army would undoubtedly march into the State of Yue.
In fact, at this moment, the hearts of the capital's citizens, and even many officials, had turned toward Ning Zheng. Assassinating a monarch was a truly heinous act, so even the officials who had previously supported Ning Qi couldn't help but feel a sense of fear and disillusionment. Ning Qi was far too unscrupulous in his methods. Setting aside his attempt to murder his own brother, now he was even trying to assassinate his own royal father.
Aside from the Zhu, Zhong, and Xue clans—the firm pillars supporting Ning Qi—most officials fell silent. Silence at a time like this was a form of protest. The capital had now fully entered a state of war. The nighttime curfew continued, but the daytime curfew was partially relaxed. All shops remained closed, except for those essential to the people's livelihood, such as food stores and pharmacies. And even the food stores and pharmacies were only allowed to open for four hours each day.
Ordinarily, the citizens of the capital would have been furious by now, but they were enduring it quietly. Ning Yuanxian was not a monarch with a particularly good reputation. However, even the last Tsar, who had failed to govern properly, was called "Father Tsar" by many of his people, and Ning Yuanxian's reputation was far better than his. Ning Yuanxian was harsh with his officials, but he treated the common people quite well. During the war with the Southern Ou Kingdom, he did not forcibly conscript civilians for labor but instead provided them with food or money. And now, their King of Yue had suddenly collapsed in the grand hall.
Of course, neither the Secretariat nor the Privy Council had officially announced the news, only stating that the King was slightly ill. And many spread the unofficial news that the King had suffered another stroke. After all, having had a stroke before, a relapse was quite normal. But no one believed it. It seems people are naturally fond of conspiracy theories.
‘A stroke? Who would believe that? Whether the stroke came early or late, why did it have to happen right when the Crown Prince was about to be invested? Someone must be trying to assassinate His Majesty. Who could it be? The one who benefits from His Majesty's collapse is the one who plotted the assassination.’
People naturally recalled the assassination of the Prince of Chu. Everyone believed that Ning Qi had assassinated the Prince of Chu, and they had regarded him as a hero for it. But with the assassination of the King of Yue, the people of Yue had a complete change of heart.
‘A traitor, a treacherous son. Someone who murders his monarch and father has no right to be king.’
***
“To countless people now, I have become the man who assassinated the king.”
Ning Qi said, mocking himself.
“In a thousand years of history, there have been monarchs who assassinated their predecessors and ascended the throne. If they govern the country well afterward, they can still become great monarchs for the ages.”
At Zhu Hongzhu's words, Ning Qi sneered inwardly.
‘A great monarch for the ages? Would the Great Yan Empire give me that chance?’
Of course, there were quite a few precedents like the ones Zhu Hongzhu mentioned. Li Shimin killed his own brothers and placed his father, Li Yuan, under house arrest, yet he ultimately became a great emperor for the ages. Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, was rumored to have assassinated Emperor Taizu, Zhao Kuangyin. This is the story known as the "Sound of the Axe and the Shadow of the Candle" (an idiom originating from the story of Emperor Taizu of Song's death. After drinking with his younger brother, Zhao Guangyi, Zhao Kuangyin died suddenly, and Zhao Guangyi succeeded him as Emperor Taizong. However, because the throne passed to a brother instead of a son, people suspected Zhao Guangyi of murdering Zhao Kuangyin. Some palace staff claimed to have seen the shadows of the two fighting by candlelight and heard the sound of an axe, giving rise to the idiom). But despite such suspicions, Zhao Guangyi was also a significant ruler. However, most monarchs who murdered their brothers or fathers usually did not meet a good end.
“If I were to tell the people of the world now that everything I have done was for the sake of the State of Yue, would anyone believe me?”
To Ning Qi's words, Zhu Hongzhu replied.
“This old servant believes you.”
However, the two looked at each other and could read the sarcasm in the other's mind. Two masters of conspiracy discussing faith—how utterly ridiculous.
“To think that you of the Zhu Clan had been planning to assassinate my royal father for the past ten years.”
“None of this has anything to do with the Zhu Clan. We know nothing of the inner workings.”
At that moment, Xue Che interjected.
“There's no point in discussing such things now. The important issue is when and how Ning Zheng will make his move and start a civil war.”
Those gathered in the secret room were all people of immense power. Zhu Hongzhu, Ning Qi, Zhong E, Xue Che, and Shu Baidu. Grand Princess Ning Jie and Director Yan E of the Blackwater Terrace were also invited, but they did not come. However, those two had sided with Ning Qi.
“My fifth brother will not start a war. If he goes to war with me without our royal father's decree, the Empire's grand army will march south and take complete control of Heavenly Yue City. It may sound unpleasant, but frankly, that boy would rather see the State of Yue fall into my hands than into the Empire's.”
Hearing Ning Qi's words, a few of those present showed slightly awkward expressions. This was because Zhu Hongzhu and Shu Baidu were agents of the Empire, and even Xue Che had some connection to the Great Yan Empire.
Xue Che asked.
“Your Highness, what do you think Ning Zheng will do?”
“I do not know. I am not him.”
In truth, Ning Qi had a general idea in his mind, but he did not want to voice it.
“When on earth is the Empire's imperial envoy arriving? There's no need to wait any longer. Ning Zheng will not start a civil war.”
After Ning Yuanxian collapsed, the Great Yan Empire could have sent an imperial envoy south to preside over the situation. But even after a long wait, no one was dispatched. This alone showed that the Great Yan Empire was waiting for Ning Zheng and Ning Qi to start a civil war, at which point they planned to send a large army into the State of Yue in the name of mediation. Everyone wants peace and abhors war, but sometimes a nation can suddenly disappear at the hands of a mediator. Such things were not unheard of, even on modern Earth.
“They will be here soon!”