Chapter 160: Preening Black Dahlia — I
Forbidden City, The Palace of Dragon’s Grace.
With his back turned to the door, Liang Huangjun faced the marvellous throne, lips pursed and brows furrowed in worry.
Owing to his foresight, the common people had been evacuated and temporarily relocated from around the edges of the nation. They were barred from going near the place of brewing conflict between the Heavenly Demon Cult and XijinYao Clan.
The imperial reign did it every so often when the conflicts of JiangHu threatened the lives of civilians. It was then that their interferences were no longer a breach of that age old treaty.
In concern to the common folks’ lives, the Heavenly Dragon was not beholden to that treaty as much as the JiangHu thought him to be.
That was also one of the reasons behind the formation of the Iron Wall. The fortress was built entirely of top martial artists who were to keep the actions of JiangHu martial artists in line.
But this time, Liang Huangjun’s eyes narrowed, lips thinning further as he paced around. This matter was entirely different. At a much greater scale too.
In a sense, the entirety of Murim on one side and the Heavenly Demon Cult on the other. That was the kind of power the latter of the two held.
The Cult, however, owed quite a bit of their strength to the Heavenly Demon alone. After all, the said Cult in all its evil reputation was a little more than a refuge for those who had nowhere else to go.
Part of the reason why Liang Huangjun had chosen to leave it alone for such a long time. The Cult on its own did more for the needy and the weak than the entire Murim Alliance.
That was why the Heavenly Dragon—the Emperor—was more wary of the XijinYao Clan than the Heavenly Demon Cult. For a puny clan to be matching the Cult, its people ought to be insane.
This imminent war was not a good sign. Well, war was never a good sign.
The Emperor would prefer to keep his reign as a prosperous period than one trenched in wars. If he could, the Heavenly Dragon would lead the Iron Wall to quell (and aid the Heavenly Demon Cult) the war himself whilst keeping his people and children safe.
But no.
The imperial court thought better. Thought him above the ’filth of war of savages’ in their own words.
(Had they forgotten who their Emperor’s master had been? Had they forgotten what sort of man the Emperor had been before his ascension to the throne?
Had the period of peace made his officials complacent?)
He took a deep inhale, arms crossed on his chest. No. He had to keep this delicate balance of peace in the court. For his dear Noble Consort’s sake. And for the sake of his darling’s sister as well.
No violence. No violence at his hands especially.
Liang Huangjun chanted in his head like a mantra of sacred control.
As he stood still in wait, filled with remorse, of yet again sending one of his children to another struggle under the guise of evidence of their worthiness.
Oh, how he hated this practice. Oh, how completely he failed to keep the vow to himself of protecting his children of the horrors he witnessed when young.
How utterly failing he was. As a father especially.
"His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Fourth Prince request an audience with His Majesty the Emperor!"
He stood still at the guards announcement. Ordered the Head Eunuch to bring them in whilst he worked to stamp away the remorse choking his heart close.
After a few seemingly eternal moments, he felt both his eldest and his youngest sons’ Qi before either of them stood before him.
"This lowly one greets the Emperor. Long live the Emperor." He heard both of them greet in unison and resisted the urge to turn just yet. "Your Majesty summoned us?"
Ah, the Crown Prince, the ever martyr. The first one to stand between any sort of danger and his fourth brother.
Slowly, Liang Huangjun turned. High and mighty, he stood at the top looking down at them for a few oppressive moments of silence before he sat down on the throne gracefully.
Eyes narrowed, he carefully prodded at the progress of his two sons’ strength. Ah, he almost let himself smile at the great increase in their power.
Obviously, his oldest was hiding the full extent of his power. He never did show his hand completely to anyone. All the while his youngest did not care to hide any, less so for the throne.
The Emperor was keenly aware of his Fourth child’s unwillingness for the throne and disinterest in both politics and the notion of reigning.
(Liang Huangjun did not begrudge him for even a moment.).
Even if it meant the title of Crown Prince as well as the throne in future would be Liu Mingyun’s with no contest. Liu Mingzhen for all his mother’s insistence could not care less.
Liang Huangjun looked down upon them with pleasant affection he could not make apparent. "Rise." He ordered evenly. He was pleased by the stark lack of infighting among his children.
(Both of whom he had raised with their mothers for most of their childhood.)
"Are you aware of the reason Zhen has summoned you for?"
Both of them rose to their feet, and Liu Mingyun raised his gaze, daringly meeting that of the strongest man in the world.
"Could His Majesty’s summon be related to the tension up north?"
Liang Huangjun nodded, secretly even more pleased, and glanced at his fourth.
Liu Mingzhen, his fourth son, could not be any more disinterested. Liang Huangjun truly did not fault him for that. Every soul had their own purpose after all.
"Indeed." He paused, fingers drumming on the armrest while he observed the two before turning his eyes to his fourth. "Does the Fourth Prince wish to speak anything in this regard?"
The Fourth Prince looked up at him for a brief second before shaking his head in denial.
He accepted the refusal easily enough. "Very well. Then let Us begin to discuss what can be done to abate this war. And the suffering of common people."
Liu Mingyun’s face was inscrutable as he canted his head slightly. Relaxed but careful all the same. "Have the civilians been relocated from the vicinity of possible war?"
"Every last of them."
Beside the Crown Prince, Liu Mingzhen’s tension bled out. The latter had never been much for violence or war. An uncharacteristically gentle soul for someone who was born and raised in the Forbidden City.
And had a shrewd mother.
"Then," Liu Mingyun spoke again after a thoughtful silence. "Have us lowly ones been summoned so that we may decide who lead the Iron Wall to aid one of the sides?"
How perceptive.
The Heavenly Dragon fought hard against the proud smile threatening to curl his lips.
"Indeed."
"And we are to side with the Heavenly Demon Cult?"
Both the Emperor and the Crown Prince’s eyes turned to the Fourth Prince who spoke for the first time since this meeting began.
"... Indeed." Liang Huangjun leaned to the side, observing both of their reactions to the information.
As calm as ever, Liu Mingzhen showed no particular response besides acceptance.
It was Liu Mingyun who intrigued the Emperor with the slightest twitch of his body. The Crown Prince did not seem particularly keen on the notion.
"Would the Crown Prince be willing to share what displeases him so?" The Emperor asked serenely.
But before Liu Mingyun could answer, his younger brother’s voice rang—calm, resolute, and abrupt.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. But I must plead to be not considered for leading this interference."