Chapter 387 Someone Else's Son

"Could it be that the celestial phenomenon just now was related to that false king?"

Even a false king is still a ruler of a country, so he can naturally influence the changes in the stars. After seeing the two sons of Prince Heng, Qin Mo, Li Xuanji was already in a state of confusion.

He had spent ten years of his lifespan to glimpse a sliver of heavenly secrets, which led Emperor Zhaowu to take this action. If Qin Mo's son was indeed destined to be an emperor, then he would have made a great contribution. But now it was clear that he had miscalculated. So what would be the consequences?

Did the emperor intend to coerce Prince Heng, his wife, and son into the capital in order to seize Prince Heng's vast fortune? Or was Emperor Zhaowu coveting the immense wealth of the high-ranking official and willing to violate the moral boundaries among nobles by engaging in such despicable acts?

Before long, with the help of those with ulterior motives, rumors detrimental to Emperor Zhaowu will spread everywhere, and need I say more about what will happen to him as the instigator of all this?

"My two gentlemen, I would like to trouble you to do the calculation again and see if His Highness Prince Heng has any other children?" Helpless, Li Xuanji could only place his hopes on Qin Mo having other sons, but he was too worried and had not calculated it clearly.

“Lord Li, we’ve already calculated this! His Highness Prince Heng will only have two more male offspring in the coming days.” Li Xuanji’s colleagues were unaware of his secret conversation with Emperor Zhaowu, but as top figures in this field, they could guess a thing or two and naturally did not want to cause any more trouble.

However, Li Xuanji's disciple He Zhixin timidly said from the side, "Master, you haven't had any children recently, but that doesn't necessarily mean you won't have any in the future!"

Li Xuanji nodded secretly. Now that things had come to this, this was the only way to deal with Emperor Zhaowu. The ten years of lifespan he had lost were real; Prince Heng's son was bound to be the future crown prince, it was just that he had not yet been born.

As for the imperial edict stating that Prince Heng's two concubines and their offspring should go to the capital to be taught by the Empress... forget it! Whoever wants to teach them can come and ask for them. They're not destined to be the Crown Prince anymore, so what's the point of teaching them? Is Her Majesty the kind of person who is tireless in teaching?

"Let's go, we'll set off for the capital tomorrow!" Li Xuanji was decisive and turned to leave.

"Alas! Lord Li, His Majesty's decree is for Lady Qin Lin and Lady Cheng Tian to return to the capital with their son. How can you leave now?"

When Li Xuanji was about to leave, Mei Gaowan objected. He was still thinking about how to avenge the insults after bringing the two concubines to the capital. He had had enough of being humiliated in Dayuan. Once he returned to his own territory and had a powerful backer, he would surely make those two young women suffer.

Li Xuanji swiftly pulled the imperial edict from his robes, shoved it into Mei Gaowan's hand, uttered a few words, and quickly left.

"I have been devoured by the forces of Heaven and am severely injured, unable to serve Your Majesty. Eunuch Mei is Your Majesty's close advisor, so it is only right that you step forward to serve!"

Mei Gaowan was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to advance or retreat. He had witnessed the Hengwang Mansion's tough stance, which required him to "invite" two more concubines to the capital.

Mei Gaowan looked back at the still-lingering starlight and couldn't help but shudder. Both Earth Realm experts had retreated without hesitation. Was he, a eunuch, going to try to be brave?

"You bastard Li Xuanji, just wait until we get back to the capital and see His Majesty, and I'll see how I deal with you!"

"Lord Li...Lord Li...wait..." Mei Gaowan took two long strides and chased after Li Xuanji.

Mei Gaowan's most cherished patron—Emperor Zhaowu—is playing chess with the Empress.

Every time Emperor Zhaowu came to Wang Yushi to play chess, it was because he had something to discuss with her, but this time it was Wang Yushi who sent someone to summon Emperor Zhaowu.

"Smack!"

Emperor Zhaowu made his move with the white piece, causing Wang Yushi's beautiful brows to furrow.

Emperor Zhaowu was in a great mood today, and he played chess with great abandon, recklessly charging forward regardless of the outcome, just for the sake of immediate gratification.

"You seem very happy today!" Wang Yushi also made a move, blocking the white's free and easy attack.

"Hmm! I have received good news one after another today, how can I not be happy?" Emperor Zhaowu slammed the white chess piece onto the chessboard in a whimsical manner, without any regard for reason.

"That lackey who has been using my name to tarnish my reputation, won't he be back soon?" Wang Yushi slammed a black chess piece onto the board with such a loud thud that Emperor Zhaowu's eyelids twitched.

"The servants have misunderstood you. How about we have him apologize to you when we get back?" Emperor Zhaowu casually replied to Wang Yushi, his eyes fixed on the chessboard without looking up.

"Misinterpreting my meaning? Using my orders to bully two women who are eight months pregnant, is that just misinterpreting my meaning?"

Wang Yushi finally lost her temper. Emperor Zhaowu had said that Prince Heng was not at home and asked her to issue a compassionate decree to Prince Heng's family and to bestow some precious tonics upon them.

Wang Yushi, unsuspecting, wrote a long admonition to Kaihime and Lin Ruoxi on the importance of upholding proper womanly virtues, and had Mei Gaowan, a close attendant of Emperor Zhaowu, deliver it to them.

Then rumors spread that the Empress wanted the two concubines of Prince Heng to come to the capital to give birth, and that the two sides were at odds.

"Beat him to death! When he returns, I'll beat him to death, how about that?" Emperor Zhaowu waved his hand magnanimously, as casually as if he were killing a stray dog.

Wang Yushi stared at his face for a long time, then said quietly, "Why Qin Mo's son? One is the strongest cultivator in Great Xia, and the other is the prince who understands the people's livelihood best in Great Xia. Do we have to make them fight to the death? No matter who wins... it will damage the vitality of our Great Xia."

"It wasn't me who chose Qin Mo's son. Li Xuanji sacrificed ten years of his lifespan to determine who the crown prince was. The will of Heaven cannot be defied; I was merely following its will!" Emperor Zhaowu muttered, scattering the chess pieces on the board.

"Aren't there plenty of people who defied the heavens in the history of the Great Xia Dynasty?" Wang Yushi said sarcastically, her anger still simmering.

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