Chapter 998: Proclaiming an Emperor

Tian Tian entered Flower Appreciation Tower.

Prince Fu, Zhao Yuannian, also dressed in armor, followed close behind.

The building had been exquisitely elegant earlier.

Now it was every bit as chaotic and filthy.

Beauty and ugliness were often separated by only the thinnest line.

For almost the entire day, the Prince had sat in a private room upstairs enjoying the atmosphere of Jiangnan.

By the time Tian Tian entered, the place was filled with shrieking courtesans and half-dressed men and women fleeing in panic from room after room.

Talented scholars, romantic bearing, feather fans and silk headscarves...

Those things were generally best admired from a distance.

Once the clothes came off, what remained was either a protruding belly or a body like a rack of chicken ribs.

Still, Tian Tian was different from his “father.”

At the very least, Tian Tian had never entertained any particular fantasies about the romance of Jiangnan.

Born in Prince Pingxi Residence and raised in military camps, he could, to a certain extent, be said to represent the common mentality of a large portion of eastern Jin’s younger soldiers.

More than ten years ago, the Qian had cursed the Yan as barbarians.

The Yan had cursed the Qian as sour pedants.

But over the last decade and more, Great Yan had fought war after war abroad, and most had ended in resounding victory.

What they harvested on those battlefields was not merely population, wealth, land, and grain.

They harvested... confidence.

Humans—no, not merely humans, but demons, beasts, and every other living creature—possessed one cultural instinct at the deepest level: admiration of strength.

If martial might failed, then no matter how magnificently literary splendor was cultivated, outsiders would still see nothing more than an embroidered pillow.

Perhaps even a joke.

And as early as the Snow Sea Pass period, although Great Yan had already opened the imperial examinations, eastern Jin had never fully followed suit.

Year after year, cohort after cohort, the people eastern Jin cultivated were either military seeds or craftsmen of the Hundred Trades.

Under a strong culture of practicality, eastern Jin gradually developed a deep cultural estrangement from Qian, which represented the highest summit of literary refinement in All Xia.

One could not simply say eastern Jin was therefore more advanced or more excellent.

Nothing in the world existed in only one absolute aspect.

But the fact now was this:

Tian Tian, and the eastern Jin armored soldiers pouring into Flower Appreciation Tower behind him, felt absolutely nothing toward the scrolls of poetry and painting, toward the scholars, or toward the other “rare” and “refined” things filling the building.

All this ornate display felt no different from Chu wandering songs.

They did not perceive beauty in it.

They felt as though they were watching monkeys perform.

And at least ten years earlier, before Zheng Fan began rising to prominence, this mentality had not existed in Great Yan.

Back then, the Wenren Clan of Jin had cultivated a strong literary atmosphere.

Back then, Yan people had even invited Qian craftsmen to build the Rear Garden outside Yanjing for the Emperor’s enjoyment.

Originally, neither Zheng Fan nor the Blind Man had noticed this change.

But now, standing high in the tower and watching his own armored soldiers crash into the environment below in such violent visual contrast, the Prince flicked ash from his cigarette and frowned slightly.

Xie Yu’an had been carefully reading the Prince’s expression, always ready to offer him a ladder.

He noticed immediately.

“Delicate things simply cannot withstand being dropped. Fortunately, they can always be kneaded and remolded later.”

Xie Yu’an was a clever man.

Clever men often appeared aloof and unsociable.

That did not mean they were incapable of reading expressions.

Most simply had never needed or wanted to bother.

But when the situation truly required it... they could “lick” more skillfully and professionally than almost anyone.

Xie Yu’an understood very clearly that Great Yan’s Regent Prince, despite his terrifying reputation outside, possessed a genuine affection in his bones for the mood of “evening breeze through slender willows.”

So confronted with this scene, he did not directly praise the Prince’s might or the magnificence of his soldiers.

He followed the Prince’s mood.

But after hearing the words... the Prince shook his head.

It sounded less like an answer to Xie Yu’an and more like something he was saying to himself.

“It is not barbarism that creates an absolute military machine. Rather, an absolute military machine inevitably produces barbarism.”

Zheng Lin, standing nearby, heard his biological father say this and rolled his eyes.

Heh.

Here we go again.

But when Zheng Lin looked toward Xie Yu’an, he saw the Xie Clan’s Thousand-Li Colt freeze for a brief instant.

Zheng Lin believed that reaction was genuine.

Over these days, he had personally watched Xie Yu’an flatter his father again and again.

The man’s skill was very high.

He would never use some crude, stiff reaction merely to set up another round of praise.

So... had Zheng Lin himself failed to understand what his father meant?

“Your Highness sees far ahead. This junior admires you sincerely,” Xie Yu’an said.

Because he had understood.

This Prince of Great Yan was no longer thinking merely about conquest.

He had begun thinking about how conquest could be converted into stable, orderly rule.

That breadth and depth of thought forced genuine admiration from Xie Yu’an.

Because it had already gone beyond the frame of an excellent general, an excellent commander... perhaps even beyond that of an excellent Emperor.

Still... the Prince adjusted his mood quickly.

He smiled.

Then looked at the many scrolls of poetry and calligraphy hanging from the railings.

“A moment ago this Prince was still mocking the fellow who could sit inside a brothel while keeping his mind fixed on the battlefield. Wonderful. Now I’ve committed the same mistake myself.”

Inside Jinghai City’s most expensive brothel... watching half-dressed men and women panic below... he had somehow drifted into thinking about the long-term peace, stability, and cultural identity of the future All Xia.

Siniang laughed.

“Isn’t that perfectly normal?”

She continued playing with the Prince’s beard.

“The place in this world closest to the Heavenly Dao is not Qian’s Back Mountain. Nor is it Mount Tianhu, the snowfield sacrificial altar, Chu shaman rites, or even the Directorate of Astronomy. It is here. Think about it. Every day, who knows how many men attain Buddhahood and sainthood inside places like this?”

“Hahahahaha.”

The Prince burst into laughter.

Xie Yu’an stood nearby and maintained a tactful silence.

When the Princess Consort and Prince started racing dirty jokes against each other, he could not join in.

At that moment... below them...

Tian Tian walked toward the courtesan queen.

Her clothing was the brightest and most luxurious.

She also had the largest cluster of maidservants surrounding her.

Facing the young silver-armored general, the courtesan queen quickly suppressed the panic on her face.

She knelt.

Then said in a clear voice:

“This humble woman Susu thanks the General for saving her life.”

Normally, the clients of Red Tents had, in most cases, neither as much money as the women serving there... nor, in truth, as much experience of the world.

The courtesan queen’s reaction was extremely quick.

Tian Tian looked at her thoughtfully.

But... he said nothing.

He simply walked past.

The courtesan queen had intended to say more.

At the very least, she understood that amid sudden chaos like this, the silver-armored general could guarantee her safety.

But the armored soldiers beside Tian Tian immediately leveled their sabers and blocked her.

Without looking back, Tian Tian started upstairs.

What a joke.

Tian Tian might be the son his father doted on most, and filial piety naturally mattered.

But he was not foolishly filial enough to send his father a woman while fully aware that First Mother was standing beside him.

“Father Marshal, the troops under this general and Nian Yao’s force have entered the city. We are currently securing the gates, key positions, arsenals, and granaries.”

“Good.”

The Prince nodded.

Then turned toward everyone in the private room.

“We’ve spent the whole day in here. At last we can go outside and get some air.”

Siniang asked:

“Master, will you change into the python robe?”

The Prince waved one hand.

“It’s not like we’re entering Shangjing. It’s only Jinghai City. I can’t be bothered.”

The Prince extended a hand.

The Heir Prince glanced at his mother.

Then placed his own hand into it.

Father and son clasped hands.

The Prince looked toward Tian Tian.

“Your Brother Tian is grown now. Holding his hand would no longer be appropriate.”

Tian Tian smiled.

He still remembered when he was younger and his father took him on campaign, often holding him while the two shared the back of a Pixiu.

Seeing his father now holding his little brother’s hand made Tian Tian feel warmth spread through his chest.

Zheng Lin, meanwhile, twitched his lips.

So the reason isn’t that Brother Tian is grown.

You’re just too lazy to hold my hand unless you have to?

If Mother weren’t standing behind me, just see whether I’d let you hold it!

Overall, though, Zheng Lin remained obedient.

First, his biological mother had recently seemed determined to find some reason to break his leg.

Second, he knew perfectly well that Blind Godfather was here too, and the Blind Man despised it when he failed to cooperate publicly with the dignity of the Heir Prince’s position.

So no matter what...

Zheng Lin had to play out this scene of filial son and loving father properly.

Still... when they reached the ground floor... and Zheng Lin saw the courtesan queen being blocked by soldiers, he quietly asked:

“You’re not taking her? You stared at her for quite a while.”

The Prince did not get angry.

Instead, he earnestly educated his son.

“Qian women are best avoided. The Silver-Armored Guard is especially skilled at sending men wives.”

Zheng Lin answered:

“With Mother screening them for you, what does the Silver-Armored Guard matter?”

“I’m middle-aged now,” the Prince sighed. “Once this war is over, I plan to fish a little and preserve my health.”

“All those words, and in the end you’re still just afraid of Mother.”

Zheng Fan gave a soft “heh.”

“You have the face to criticize me?”

Father and son muttered back and forth all the way out of Flower Appreciation Tower.

The Pixiu was already waiting outside.

Zheng Fan mounted.

“Where is my horse?” Zheng Lin asked a nearby personal guard.

Tian Tian, following behind them, simply picked Zheng Lin up.

“Little Brother, you’re not having one of your episodes again, are you?”

Tian Tian’s voice came from behind him.

“...” Zheng Lin.

Tian Tian placed Zheng Lin in front of Zheng Fan.

Then mounted his own Pi Beast.

The Prince looked at Tian Tian.

“Yanjing has bred two more Pixiu. I’ll give one to you.”

“No need, Father Marshal. I’ve developed feelings for this one.”

Tian Tian stroked the mane of the Pi Beast beneath him.

Zheng Fan nodded.

That child Tian Tian cherished old things and placed great weight on affection.

The procession began moving.

Their destination was Jinghai City’s yamen—the center of authority in the city.

The Prince and Heir Prince shared a Pixiu.

Xie Yu’an, Tian Tian, and Zhao Yuannian rode beside them.

The Sword Saint and Swordsmith traveled one ahead and one behind.

Brocade-Clad personal guards formed the outer ring.

At that moment...

Zheng Fan lowered his head and asked his son:

“What do you think we should do next?”

Zheng Lin answered calmly:

“Loot the city and raise morale.”

The army had traveled an enormous distance, looped through Chu, crossed mountains and ridges, and only now reached Jiangnan.

It naturally needed encouragement.

Besides, military supplies had to be replenished.

There was no reason to enter Jiangnan and still demand that the rear continue shipping every grain and necessity forward.

“Continue.”

Zheng Lin went on:

“Under eastern Jin military law, all captured spoils are first collected centrally and then distributed as rewards. We already repeated that military law to the Chu troops again and again, and you settled the division of shares with the Xie Clan beforehand. So let the Chu troops do the looting while the Yan army watches. We receive a share of whatever they seize anyway.”

At his side, Xie Yu’an’s mouth twitched involuntarily.

Zheng Fan said:

“Continue.”

“After the Chu troops finish looting, choose a few Chu soldiers, invent some offense, and execute them to calm public anger and make a show of justice. When the Chu troops loot the compounds of major households, send people to watch. Once most of the valuables are already gone, have the Residence step forward in the name of protection and stop the remaining looting. Transfer as much of the Qian people’s hatred as possible onto conflict between Qian and Chu.”

“...” Xie Yu’an.

“Anything else?”

“Capture as many senior Jinghai City officials alive as possible. Force them to issue a joint proclamation declaring that our entry into Qian is intended to avenge the late Qian Emperor, overthrow the Qian rebels, and restore rightful order. That gives the campaign proper legitimacy.”

“Finished?”

Zheng Lin turned his head.

He looked toward Zhao Yuannian riding nearby.

Zhao Yuannian had been transferred over by one of the Prince’s orders while preparations were still being made to borrow passage through Chu.

Originally, he had his own duties in eastern Jin and had performed them very well.

But he had not participated in the first-stage decisive war against Chu.

Zheng Lin pointed at Zhao Yuannian.

“Forge an imperial edict from the late Emperor and establish him as the new Emperor of Qian.”

Zhao Yuannian’s breathing stopped sharply.

“He descends from Prince Fu’s line and from Emperor Taizong’s branch. His legitimacy is already stronger than Zhao Mugou’s.”

Zhao Yuannian clenched his teeth and forcibly suppressed his emotions before they became too obvious.

“The former Crown Prince is still in Shangjing. The late Qian Emperor also has living imperial sons.”

When the Yan army entered Shangjing years ago, several imperial princes had indeed died.

One prince with especially abundant martial virtue had somehow died in a fight against his own people.

But the previous Qian Emperor had been a man who excelled at preserving his health.

Because his body remained healthy, he had also produced an unusually large number of children.

“Don’t you think establishing him would seem insufficiently legitimate?” Zheng Fan asked.

Zheng Lin tilted his face and looked at his father.

He desperately wanted to say:

Then why did you deliberately summon the man and bring him into Qian with you?

Is taking off your pants just to fart really that enjoyable?

But Blind Godfather behind them had been radiating approval for a while now.

A teachable child.

His biological mother, watching this rare scene of “father-son harmony,” had also softened considerably.

Zheng Lin truly did not dare tear the stage apart.

As he grew older, he kept discovering one fact: many of the people around him seemed to want to beat him.

Then he was forced to discover another fact: the only person who seemed able to stop all those people from beating him was the biological father he looked down upon.

All these years... he had been trapped in a dead loop.

The more he looked down on his father, the easier it was for him to get beaten...

If he learned from Xie Yu’an’s behavior toward his father over these recent days—twist a little, lick a little... he could apparently gain a great deal of freedom.

Because his biological father was, in fact, the one existence around whom every other person submitted and dared not openly disobey.

But in Zheng Lin’s heart... the idea still felt disgusting!

Zheng Fan, meanwhile, had never held especially bad feelings toward his son.

In his view, ordinary children were unfamiliar with and frightened by the world while young, so they instinctively worshiped and imitated their parents.

Then adolescence arrived.

Rebellion followed.

The child suddenly discovered:

Oh.

My parents are only ordinary people too.

Only after growing older, after experiencing the world’s warmth and coldness and settling internally, did people often realize... how difficult it had been simply to be an ordinary person, simply to be a parent.

His own son had merely skipped the first stage and gone directly into the second.

Who had never been young?

Who had never been arrogant?

At the end of the day, what parent truly took an adolescent child’s rebellion personally?

They had all lived through it themselves.

Oh, no.

Siniang was an exception.

Because she would remain young forever.

Zheng Lin spoke:

“Legitimacy is useless.”

“Oh?”

“Once the proclamation is issued, the people across Qian—including Jiangnan—who are willing to place a bet and answer our call will not care about legitimacy. They will look at the power standing behind the banner. If we casually choose some Qian feudal prince, or even rescue the former Crown Prince from confinement in Shangjing and put him here, it still won’t matter. The people who might gather around us will be looking at what is actually real. What is truly real, what will make them feel secure enough to wager again, is Prince Pingxi Residence... and Great Yan.”

Then...

Zheng Lin’s gaze softened slightly.

Even his tone relaxed.

“Second Mother is Father’s woman. And he...”

Zheng Lin pointed once more at Zhao Yuannian.

“He is my sworn elder brother. He is one of our Residence’s people. If he becomes this puppet Emperor, the Residence will not abandon him. If the Residence will not abandon him, Great Yan will not abandon him. Only then will the fence-sitters dare come down and take a side. Only then will they gain some cohesion.”

The two words *puppet Emperor* caused no emotional fluctuation whatsoever in Zhao Yuannian.

He had never once imagined that after becoming Emperor, he would somehow revive Great Qian.

Was he insane?

But Zheng Lin’s words *my sworn elder brother*... filled Zhao Yuannian with a profound sense of being favored beyond expectation.

This was not flattery.

Zheng Lin’s status towered above his by an absurd degree.

And the calmness, decisiveness, and intelligence the boy was displaying already carried a striking resemblance to his father.

Of course, the phrase *like father, like son* would not count as praise in Zheng Lin’s ears.

It would probably make him furious.

Still, Siniang had become fed up with her biological son not long after he was born and thrown most of the actual childcare to Princess Consort of Prince Fu.

Because of that, Zheng Lin and Princess Consort of Prince Fu did not possess the same intimate closeness as an ordinary mother and son.

Zheng Lin was certainly not as sweet-tongued as Big Girl.

But in his heart, he was genuinely close to Princess Consort of Prince Fu.

By extension... he treated her son with a certain degree of courtesy.

One had to remember: when the Chu Crown Prince had called him *Little Brother*, if Zheng Lin had not just been sealed again, he might truly have exploded and punched the man’s head apart.

Zheng Lin continued:

“When news of our entry into Qian reaches Shangjing, Shangjing may simply grit its teeth and refuse to withdraw troops from the north. They may try other methods to keep delaying us, because Father, you’ve used similar tricks far too many times before. But if we establish a small rival court here in Jiangnan, then it is equivalent to pulling the tendon out of Shangjing. This becomes an open scheme. If Shangjing ignores us for the sake of the northern war, the south collapses. If Shangjing responds to us, the north collapses. No matter what they choose, one side must break.”

Hearing this...

Zheng Fan instinctively turned his head toward the Blind Man.

You taught him this?

Zheng Fan could hardly be blamed for wondering.

Years ago, he himself had memorized answers Liang Cheng prepared in advance before running over to Tian Wujing to copy them down as his own work.

The Blind Man “saw” Zheng Fan looking.

He shook his head slightly.

Not me.

Then... the boy had thought this through himself.

Zheng Fan did not believe the Blind Man would cover for Zheng Lin.

He had only one legitimate son, which was essentially the same as an Emperor having a single Crown Prince.

Did this Crown Prince need to compete for favor?

Even Tian Tian... no one believed Tian Tian would fight Zheng Lin over the inheritance someday.

Everyone in the family knew that, Tian Tian included.

If Tian Tian wanted it, Zheng Fan would, without hesitation, split half of everything he owned and hand it directly to his eldest son.

But Tian Tian had no desire for that.

The Blind Man had started tempting and brainwashing Tian Tian with shaqima when the boy was still very young.

Even that had failed.

That alone showed how firm Tian Tian’s heart was.

What Tian Tian wanted was to give good things to his younger brother and sister... and then personally protect them.

He wanted to be an elder brother.

He was willing to remain that elder brother forever.

That had little to do with whether he carried Old Tian’s blood.

Because in the original trajectory...

Tian Tian had been a principal force in overturning all of this.

The real reason was that Zheng Fan had cared for and guided him from childhood.

In Zheng Fan’s previous life, he had never possessed a complete, warm family.

In Tian Tian’s original trajectory, neither had Tian Tian.

In this life... father and son were truly father and son.

And both cherished this thing called “home.”

So... this little bastard... was actually this capable?

Zheng Fan could not stop himself.

He pinched his son’s cheeks.

Then rubbed his head.

Zheng Lin’s breathing immediately quickened.

He held back his temper.

Do not go too far.

You are going too far!

Seeing that his rubbing had nearly angered his son...

Zheng Fan burst into laughter.

It was strange.

He could accept Tian Tian’s intelligence back then.

He could accept Crown Prince Ji Chuanye’s precocious maturity.

But those were... other people’s children.

Zheng Fan had never really imagined his own biological son might possess especially great promise in the realm of “brains.”

He had focused much more on the boy’s bloodline.

Yet there was no denying it.

Zheng Lin possessed Demon King blood.

He had also been raised under the words and example of seven Demon Kings.

He was more like...

No.

He simply was... a true little monster born into this world.

Only now did Zheng Fan realize he might have misunderstood something from the beginning.

When the Blind Man and the others sealed Zheng Lin’s power shortly after birth, they said they feared he would fail to control himself and become a “beast.”

Perhaps what they valued had never been only the bloodline.

Perhaps it had also been his intelligence.

Even Great Yan’s Regent Prince could not fully escape the instincts of an old father.

He looked at Xie Yu’an beside him.

Then asked:

“Well?”

Every family wanted to drag out a child who could recite old poems and show him off to visiting friends and relatives.

What his son had just offered was a strategy for pacifying a state.

Yes, it was still immature in places and perhaps overly focused on technique.

But look at his age!

Compared with the Prince himself, Xie Yu’an’s internal shock was actually even greater.

This Heir Prince, after changing his face, had spent day after day serving tea and water in the command tent.

Xie Yu’an had practically seen him every day.

Yet he had noticed absolutely nothing.

Add in what the boy had just said...

Xie Yu’an did not believe any of it had been scripted in advance.

First, the Prince had no reason to make his son memorize lines just to show him off.

Second, to conceal himself this flawlessly despite holding the status of Heir Prince... the boy was clearly extraordinary to begin with.

“Your Highness, if my Emperor had become familiar with and understood this nephew of his earlier, I’m afraid...”

“I’m afraid he wouldn’t have fought?” Zheng Fan asked with a smile.

Xie Yu’an shook his head.

“I’m afraid he would have fought much earlier. Because waiting would only mean losing every remaining chance.”

“Heh.”

Ahead, the Swordsmith, whose hearing was equally sharp, turned around.

He called out:

“Does Your Highness the Heir Prince need a sword at his waist?”

Zheng Lin shouted back:

“I like axes.”

“Coincidentally, forging axes is what I have been best at all my life,” said Great Chu’s Swordsmith, who had apparently just transformed himself into Great Chu’s Axesmith.

“Yuannian.”

Zheng Fan called out.

Zhao Yuannian jolted.

Still seated on horseback, he instinctively saluted.

His body tilted.

Fortunately, the Sword Saint at his side released a stream of qi to steady him.

Otherwise, Zhao Yuannian truly might have fallen from the horse.

Zheng Lin sighed.

No wonder his master had been “eaten alive” by his biological father all these years.

Couldn’t he see that this “sworn elder brother” was deliberately trying to fall flat on his face and create a setup for what came next?

Why help him?

The Sword Saint had no idea that, in that brief instant, one of his favorite disciples had looked down upon him.

Zhao Yuannian, deprived of the chance to make an embarrassing fall... awkwardly straightened himself.

Then said:

“Your Highness, this humble officer is here!”

“My son says he wants you to become Emperor. Will you do it?”

Zhao Yuannian swallowed.

He drew a deep breath.

No speculation.

No refusal.

He did not possess the qualifications for three refusals and three entreaties.

So he answered directly:

“If His Highness the Heir Prince asks me to do it, then I will. I will listen to His Highness the Heir Prince!”

Zheng Fan pulled the reins.

The Pixiu stopped.

Immediately... the entire procession stopped with him.

Zheng Fan raised one hand.

“Why are you not greeting His Majesty?”

In an instant, the Brocade-Clad personal guards, together with Xie Yu’an, the Swordsmith, and the others, all shouted in unison:

“We pay our respects to His Majesty, Emperor of Qian!”

“We pay our respects to His Majesty, Emperor of Qian!”

Zhao Yuannian...

No.

Emperor Zhao’s face flushed crimson.

He quickly dismounted.

Then hurried to the Pixiu carrying Zheng Fan and dropped to his knees.

His forehead pressed against the stone pavement.

Both hands spread flat against the ground.

In a full prostration, he shouted:

“This humble Emperor of Qian pays his respects to His Highness, Great Yan’s Regent Prince! May Your Highness live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years!”

The Prince reached down.

He caught his son’s right hand.

Then helped lift it.

Zheng Lin thought the scene had a strangely familiar flavor.

Just like lighting the cigarette upstairs at Flower Appreciation Tower.

Still... for Princess Consort of Prince Fu’s sake...

Zheng Lin chose to cooperate.

He raised his hand.

Then said:

“Rise.”

[End of Chapter 998]