Chapter 32: Terminal Stage of Love-Struck Fool? Beyond Saving, Just Wait for Death

The original soul knew his days were numbered, and so he began to pave the way for the Crown Prince. He kept the resignation letter of the Prime Minister, Wen Ding’an, within the palace, and favored the newly-appointed top scholar Ji Cheng, solely because Ji Cheng was backed by the illustrious Ji family of Kang City. Moreover, the original soul reached an agreement with the Prince of the Moon.

The Prince of the Moon would honor the Crown Prince as emperor after the original soul’s death; in return, he would be allowed to leave the capital and take up his post as a feudal prince. Feudal princes were forbidden from entering the capital, but the Prince of the Moon, being the late emperor’s cherished child born in his twilight years, enjoyed special favor. The late emperor had even considered deposing the Crown Prince in order to establish the Prince of the Moon as heir. Because of this, the original soul regarded the Prince of the Moon with suspicion and never allowed him to go to his fief, always retaining him in the capital under the pretext of reluctance to part.

His title was casually bestowed with the character "Moon," rather than following the ancient naming conventions. On the surface, the Prince of the Moon was respected and favored by the emperor, yet in truth, he lived as if walking on thin ice, always at risk of disaster.

The original soul worried that the Crown Prince, being young, would be easily deceived by the court officials, ceding power and becoming their puppet. Thus, he entrusted the command token for the Azure Dragon Guard to his most loyal confidant, hoping that, in moments of peril, the Guard would protect the Crown Prince. He also passed the Tiger Tally to his daughter, Huayang, because she and Qin Yun shared the same mother. Their fortunes were tied together, and she would never betray her own brother, the Crown Prince’s sibling.

Despite all these preparations, the original soul remained uneasy. After death, his restless spirit lingered in the mortal world, unable to intervene, forced to watch helplessly.

And so, he watched as his once clever and alert daughter Huayang, as if possessed, insisted she would marry none but the hostage prince from Yun Kingdom. To prove her affection and win over Yun Loutai, Huayang even voluntarily surrendered her Tiger Tally.

The original soul spat blood, his soul growing dim.

But worse things were yet to come.

His son, usually sharp and insightful, with an unmatched grasp of the classics and unique perspectives, upon meeting Xie Hua, lost himself forever. Before realizing Xie Hua was a woman, he fell deeply in love, even entertaining dark thoughts of imprisoning Xie Hua in the palace as his own forbidden treasure.

Again, the original soul spat blood.

Later, when the Yun Kingdom army approached the city, the original soul was utterly despondent, certain that An Kingdom was finished.

But then came the twist: An Kingdom was unharmed. Xie Fanghua stepped forward, and with a single sentence, sent a hundred thousand troops bustling forth only to return in defeat, empty-handed and humiliated.

Well, not quite empty-handed—Yun Kingdom gained its own empress.

The original soul: ...

Fine, fine, fine, this world is mad. Everything is so frivolous, the entire world a jest.

He hated; he hated so much. Why would Heaven not grant him another five hundred years? In such a farcical world, unifying the realm would hardly be a dream.

Unifying the realm? How ridiculous. Why not ascend to the heavens instead?

He retained a sense of propriety, never truly obsessed with conquest, but wished only to destroy the already crippled Yun Kingdom and properly instruct his children, so that An Kingdom might prosper in peace.

Qin Ye suddenly sat upright, furious: "The brat has gone too far!"

Your country is sick, your world is sick; you are all poisoned, do you even realize it?

In such a poisoned world, spare us your pointless missions—let it all be destroyed sooner!

Having raised well-behaved, sensible children in two worlds of ease, Qin Ye’s defenses finally broke.

"Your Majesty, forgive us!"

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Qin Ye’s outburst sent everyone below sprawling to their knees.

Among them, Yang Lao was the most terrified and bitter.

When the emperor’s health was at stake, how could he have recklessly declared the emperor’s death without certainty? Such a false report was a crime punishable by death for all his kin, even if he had ten heads.

Previously, the emperor had truly ceased breathing. The chief physician and the imperial doctors took turns checking his pulse. Finally, they confirmed he had no heartbeat or breath; the emperor was gone. Yang Lao, trembling, tested the emperor’s breath himself before crying out in grief.

He was heartbroken, knowing his entire reputation depended on the emperor. While the emperor lived, he was the chief palace eunuch, treated with respect by ministers and nobles alike.

Once the emperor passed, and a new ruler ascended, he—a confidant of the previous reign—would surely be neglected.

Thinking this, Yang Lao’s grief deepened; he wished to follow the emperor into death.

And then, the emperor who had neither breath nor heartbeat revived.

Yang Lao’s joy barely had time to bloom before the emperor suddenly erupted in anger.

How could this be? Why such fury? Who was the "brat" the emperor cursed? So angry, he abandoned his imperial pronoun.

While his mind raced, Yang Lao wasted no time, dropping to his knees faster than anyone, bowing his head to the cold, hard floor, pleading for forgiveness.

Compared to him, the Prince of the Moon, the Prime Minister, and Ji Cheng—none could match Yang Lao’s speed. They knelt more cautiously, mindful of their knees.

Yang Lao’s knees struck the ground with a painful thud.

He was bitter. Panic-stricken, he felt certain the emperor’s words referred to him, because of his mistaken declaration of the emperor’s demise.

It was over; his lifetime of honor, ruined by his own hand.

Cold sweat poured down Yang Lao’s brow.

Qin Ye was still fuming at the poisoned world, and even more so at the prospect of having to teach those two foolish children.

He owed Qin Yue an apology; Qin Yue’s so-called "love-struck mind" was simply youthful recklessness and innocence.

"Your Majesty, please calm yourself. No matter your anger, please take care of your health. Your consort, Yun’er, and Huayang all hope for your well-being and a long life."

In the silence, the empress, the only one with the right to speak, had to steel herself and offer counsel.

The original soul’s era was named Yong’an, and so he was known as the Yong’an Emperor.

Yong’an Emperor’s feelings for his wife were lukewarm. Before becoming emperor, his relationship with the former crown princess—now empress—had already faded to mere courteous acquaintance, with none of the early passion.

After ascending the throne, with a harem of thousands, all that remained between him and the empress was a measure of respect.

Years of diligent effort in the harem yielded nothing. Consorts either failed to conceive or lost their children to accidents.

Even with strict surveillance, results were disappointing.

Initially, the Yong’an Emperor suspected the empress, since she already had a son and daughter and might not want rivals in the palace.

With motive established, the emperor had her watched, but found no evidence. Instead, he realized a simple truth.

He had no affection for the empress, and she none for him. She treated him no better than any of the young beauties in the harem.

The emperor raged impotently, then treated her better, but she remained unchanged.

Her respect was tinged with indifference, the model of an ancient virtuous empress, always urging him to prioritize state affairs and to treat all consorts equally, never favoring one.

The emperor, exasperated, turned his affection to the children.

The empress was chosen as crown princess for two reasons: her beauty, once acclaimed as the capital’s greatest, and her noble family. Her father was a renowned scholar of the age.

The national preceptor’s fame spread far and wide, most notably for an incident when agents from Rong Kingdom abducted him, seeking to make him serve their court.

Even in captivity, he refused to serve Rong Kingdom. The emperor of Rong, reluctant to kill such talent, informed the late emperor of An Kingdom: if you want your great scholar safely returned, surrender a city and untold gold and silver, or else prepare for his corpse.

The emperor of Rong believed himself uniquely appreciative of talent, thinking An Kingdom would never exchange a city and so much wealth for one man.

When An Kingdom refused, he would release the scholar, who, grateful for mercy, would surely favor Rong Kingdom.

Moreover, such generosity would win the hearts of scholars everywhere, enhancing Rong Kingdom’s reputation.

In contrast, the old emperor of An would be shamed, his reputation ruined.

Unexpectedly, the An Emperor did surrender a city and emptied his private treasury to meet the demands, then personally traveled to the border to welcome the scholar home.

There was good news, though: the scholar’s return also won the hearts of the literati for the Rong Emperor.

The scholar, the empress’s father, Qiu Ruhai, was bewildered by the contest for his allegiance.

The Rong Emperor treated him with respect, moving him, but he would not serve Rong, for he was of An Kingdom.

The An Emperor, sparing no cost to rescue him and honoring him, inspired Qiu Ruhai to dedicate himself wholly to An Kingdom in gratitude.

Qiu Ruhai was truly talented and capable, but his health was poor.

Within a few years, he began to cough blood.

The late emperor, fearful for his life, issued a decree summoning him to An City, intending to grant him a dignified, leisurely post so he could enjoy his remaining years.

Qiu Ruhai refused, instead opening an academy outside the capital, welcoming scholars from all over. Over time, his students spread across the realm.

Even the nomads of the grasslands sent people, disguised, to study under him—his influence truly spanned the world.

With such a grandfather, an empress for a mother, and a father who, though deceased, had laid the path ahead, the family’s future seemed assured.

Yun Kingdom, already crippled, had its crown prince in An Kingdom as hostage, waiting for the foolish child to grow up and make conquering Yun a matter of course.

As for the powerful Rong Kingdom, they were preoccupied battling the nomads, with no time to interfere in the affairs between An and Yun.

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