DONG—DONG—
The evening drum thundered. Struck by the city-defending Imperial Guard, the Copper Bell's chimes echoed throughout the Imperial Capital. The setting sun sank behind the mountains, calling forth the myriad lights of the Capital City.
Outside the Imperial Palace lay the Imperial City, a vast and bustling district with the Divine Martial Gate at its head. The layout of the Capital City had been established since the founding of Great Yan. The Outer City was primarily inhabited by common folk, while the Inner City was occupied by powerful, great, and scholarly clans. Ancestral temples, government offices, and the Inner Court were located within the Imperial City. It was also home to the residences of many ministers, princes, and nobles.
Far in the northwest corner of the Imperial City was Shengjing Academy, where a grove of purple bamboo grew.
Beneath the bamboo, two men were playing a game of go. A Scholar's Attendant with rosy lips and pearly teeth was boiling and pouring tea. One of the men was a handsome figure in a purple Python Robe. He had heroic features and a high forehead, the very picture of nobility.
This man was the current Eldest Prince, Lu Changfeng.
The other, an elderly man in a deep blue Confucian Shirt with graying temples, gently sipped from his teacup, just about to offer a comment.
But he was interrupted by a voice.
"Elder Mr. Qi, I still don't understand. Why would Father Emperor make such a decision? As you said, was it truly a warning from the Taoist Sect, one that has made him too afraid to retaliate?"
Lu Changfeng's face was etched with anxiety.
"The balance of power shared by the Three Religions cannot be broken so quickly, not even by the current Holy Emperor," the old man in the Confucian Shirt said with a light chuckle.
"Elder Mr. Qi, you are a Great Scholar of Shengjing Academy and the current Prime Minister. Is there truly no way to salvage the situation? Could this incident create a rift between me and Father Emperor, thereby affecting my chances in the struggle for the throne?"
Lu Changfeng looked at the old man before him, his eyes filled with hope.
Elder Mr. Qi's full name was Qi Xingyan. He was a renowned Great Scholar of Great Yan and the Academy Mountain Master of Shengjing Academy. Among his disciples were numerous Advanced Scholars and Scholars; his students could be found everywhere. At the same time, he was a Cabinet Minister and one of the chancellors, held in high regard by the Emperor of Great Yan.
Qi Xingyan did not answer immediately. He stroked his beard, drank his tea, and said calmly:
"Your Highness, your heart... is in turmoil."
Lu Changfeng sighed. "How could I not be in turmoil? Without my permission, the Taoist Sect actually went and tried to assassinate the Fifth Prince, Lu Mingkong. While I would have been glad to see Lu Mingkong dead, they shouldn't have been so obvious about it, should they?"
"If Father Emperor distances himself from me because of this, won't that just let that fellow Lu Guangjing get the upper hand?"
Qi Xingyan shook his head slightly. Looking at the agitated Eldest Prince, he sighed inwardly and said soothingly:
"Eldest Prince, rest assured. The Taoist Sect is the Taoist Sect, and Your Highness is Your Highness. The Holy Emperor is not so pedantic. Besides, unless a decisive, great achievement is made, the position of Crown Prince will remain vacant. In my opinion, the Holy Emperor is not in a hurry to name an heir, so you need not be anxious."
Lu Changfeng murmured, "A decisive, great achievement... Capturing the Demoness of the Demon Country alive was supposed to be that great achievement. Not only could General Pei have been made a Marquis, but Great Yan could have also pushed eighteen cities into the Northern Realm—that's hundreds of miles of fertile land. Now, because of that bastard Lu Mingyuan, it's all gone to waste."
As he spoke the last sentence, his tone filled with indignation toward Lu Mingyuan.
At this, Qi Xingyan narrowed his eyes and said meaningfully, "There may be something suspicious about the case of the Demoness of the Demon Country. It might not have been the Sixth Prince's doing."
"Whether it was him or not is no longer important. The crucial thing now is how to get that fellow Lu Guangjing out of my sight."
Lu Changfeng's expression turned ugly. He clenched his fist, and with a CRACK, the teacup in his hand shattered, spilling tea all over the table.
Seeing this, a look of helplessness crossed Qi Xingyan's face.
"Father, today's classes are finished."
Just then, a melodious voice drifted over from the Academy.
It caught the Eldest Prince's attention. He saw a Female Scholar in a moon-blue ruqun skirt. She was tall, with her hair styled in a double bun and cascading down like a waterfall, revealing porcelain-white ears and neck. Holding a book, she wore pink embroidered shoes with a peach-petal pattern as she walked toward them.
Hearing the address and seeing who was speaking, Qi Xingyan's face immediately broke into a broad smile.
"Xue'Er, come and greet His Highness."
The woman saw the man in the Python Robe opposite her father. She curtsied lightly and greeted him in a pleasant, soft voice:
"This humble girl, Qi Muxue, greets the Eldest Prince."
Lu Changfeng looked at her. Her features were pure and delicate, her pair of dark eyes bright and lustrous. She naturally carried an air of scholarly elegance.
Upon their first meeting, he was struck by her celestial beauty.
He had long heard that Qi Xingyan had married at forty, having dedicated the first half of his life to scholarship and official rank. He'd had a daughter late in life and thus cherished her deeply.
Seeing her today, he knew her reputation was well-deserved.
"Qi Muxue, the number one talent of the Imperial Capital. This Prince has heard of you."
Lu Changfeng's voice was deep, his tone laced with approval. Believing himself to be handsome and dashing, he spoke in a deliberately raspy voice, the earlier gloominess swept away as he couldn't help but take a step forward.
Qi Muxue gave a faint smile, maintaining her composure and distance. She took a step back and said humbly, "Eldest Prince, you overpraise me. These are merely empty titles given by others."
Qi Xingyan, ever the old fox, saw the Eldest Prince's infatuation at a glance and changed the subject. "Xue'Er, the sun has already set. Are you not returning to the estate? Do you have other plans?"
"Father, I've made plans with Princess Pingyang and a few Commandery Princesses to release lanterns in the palace for the Lantern Festival, so I won't be returning to the estate tonight."
Qi Muxue explained in a soft voice.
Hearing this, Qi Xingyan nodded. "Alright, go on. When you return tomorrow, remember to let your father know."
"Yes."
"Your Highness, this humble girl will take her leave now."
Lu Changfeng watched her departing figure, a hint of reluctance in his eyes. A faint, sweet fragrance lingered in the air.
Soon, he met Qi Xingyan's profound gaze and gave an embarrassed laugh. "Elder Mr. Qi, that daughter of yours..."
Qi Xingyan's expression was unhurried. He took a sip of tea and said, "Your Highness, this old man has only this one daughter. Besides, is the Princess Consort not also a national beauty? Why linger on my humble daughter?"
Lu Changfeng thought of the one at home, gave a disgruntled smile, and did not mention the matter again.
.....
「Night fell.」 The Lantern Festival was beginning. The streets were ablaze with brilliant lanterns, bustling with crowds of people.
The Imperial Palace was no exception. The Consorts and Palace Maids stood in shadowy groups by the carved wooden railings of towering pavilions, laughing and chatting intimately. They held lanterns of various shapes: rabbits, mandarin ducks, koi fish, and more.
Watching this scene from afar with his Blood Gluttonous Avatar, Lu Mingyuan simply took a silent bite of the sweet dumplings in his bowl.
"Your Highness, that Phoenix Lamp is so beautiful!"
Zi Yun pointed to a red paper-cut Nine-Tailed Phoenix high above, exclaiming excitedly.
Lu Mingyuan could well understand her feelings. After all, life in the palace was truly dull, and a grand event like this was a rare occasion. He chuckled lightly. "Go on, if you want to."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
With his permission, Zi Yun happily gathered her skirts and headed toward the gatehouse outside the hall.
Lu Mingyuan took another bite of a sweet dumpling, his expression odd. 'The last one was green bean filling, and this one is egg yolk? Am I opening a blind box here?'
He lifted his head, looked at the graceful figure meditating on a withered tree outside the window, and called out:
"Miss Yun, aren't you going to go release a lantern or something?"
"I have no interest in the affairs of Mortals."
Yun Qinghe replied flatly.
Lu Mingyuan was rebuffed. He said no more, silently continuing to eat his sweet dumplings while checking the progress on his panel.
By now, ordinary food had a negligible effect on his progress.
He was only gaining twenty points a day—a drop in the bucket.
This meant he would need two hundred and fifty days to break through to the Fourth Realm of Rebirth.
'I have to find a way to get some Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects to eat.'
Just as Lu Mingyuan was thinking this, a lantern in the shape of a jade rabbit slowly descended from the sky. It landed in front of his window, emitting a faint halo of light.
"Excuse me, my lantern landed here. Could you open the door and help me retrieve it?"
A gentle, pleasant voice came from outside the main gate of Qingzhu Hall.
Lu Mingyuan picked up the lantern, knowing its owner had come looking for it.
CREAK!
He opened the main gate. Outside stood a woman in a ruqun skirt, her earlobes red from the cold. It was too dark to see her face clearly, but the moment the faint yellow glow of the lantern illuminated her cheek, he saw her.
She was a woman with a lovely face and a gentle disposition.
"Thank you, Sir."
As their eyes met, the woman found the man before her incredibly handsome and pleasing to the eye. In an instant, it felt as if a jolt of electricity shot through her heart, which then gave a THUMP, like a startled fawn.
It wasn't just her; Lu Mingyuan felt it too.
In that moment, both of their hearts trembled.
...