46: Section 46

Isn't this Xiao Huang taking on the role of Wu Zetian?

Interesting.

Regarding the life of a Royal Prince,

Su Mo was quite expectant.

...

【After your birth, you were very quiet. To the eunuchs and palace maids, you were like a little adult, with a maturity in your eyes that didn't belong to your age.】

【Your Imperial Father, Su Tianming, only came to see you once when you were born. After giving you a name, he never came again.】

【Your Imperial Concubine, Consort Li, didn't care. With you as her son, her future life was secured. Even if she lost favor, she had you to rely on.】

【The Da Zhou Dynasty followed the system of primogeniture. As the Third Royal Prince, you had no right to inherit the throne. Therefore, your Imperial Concubine was very laid-back. As long as she could raise you to adulthood, being enfeoffed as a King would be the best outcome.】

【From your childhood, Consort Li invited many teachers for you to teach you various arts, but what you loved most was reading and reciting the words of the Saints. This made you feel happy from the bottom of your heart.】

【Seeing your performance, your Imperial Concubine, Consort Li, was very happy.】

【Because even Royal Princes weren't all guaranteed to be enfeoffed as Kings.】

【This year, you were eight years old. In the Tianhe Palace where you resided, you saw your Imperial Father for the first time since your birth.】

【Your Imperial Father seemed to be in a bad mood. While strolling through the Imperial Harem, he inadvertently saw Tianhe Palace. Thinking that he hadn't been there for eight years, Su Tianming decided to come and take a look, and also see what you had grown into.】

【Your Imperial Concubine, Consort Li, was very happy and quickly came out to greet him. Your Imperial Father also saw you reading.】

【However, with so many sons, he wasn't in the mood to play with you. He merely exchanged a few words with your Imperial Concubine and then left in a hurry.】

【You thought life would continue peacefully like this, but a year later, you heard about the restoration of the Xiao Clan.】

【You had read the Secret History of the Royal Family. At that time, Su Cheng, the ancestor of the Su Family, launched a military coup, seized the military power of the Xiao Clan Royal Family, and ascended the throne of the Great Zhou.】

【After ascending the throne, he exiled the entire Xiao Clan Royal Family to the borderlands.】

【For over a hundred years, the Xiao Clan Royal Family had been recuperating, secretly cultivating their strength, and yearning to restore the Xiao Clan's former glory and status.】

【Now, the time had come. The Xiao Clan, allied with various aristocratic families, raised an army in rebellion. In one year, more than half of the country had fallen. Now, only Kyoto and a few surrounding cities remained unconquered.】

【However, all the elite forces of the Su Clan Royal Family were concentrated in these few cities, and they had also stockpiled enough grain for ten years.】

【A long war of attrition unfolded at this moment.】

【After the war of attrition lasted for half a year, the Xiao Clan Royal Family finally sent an envoy to persuade surrender. As long as Su Tianming, the Emperor Deji, surrendered, there would be no complete annihilation.】

【Su Tianming, the Emperor Deji, would be demoted to King Qi, and you, the Royal Princes, would all be properly settled and provided for in Kyoto.】

【Knowing that the general trend was against him, Su Tianming agreed to the request. You, the Third Royal Prince, also moved out of Tianhe Palace with your mother, awaiting an unknown fate.】

【After the change of Dynasty,】

【Xiao Ding, the Clan Chief of the Xiao Clan Royal Family, ascended the throne. The Great Zhou's reign title changed from Deji to Qitai, and he was known as the Saint Emperor Qitai.】

【Regarding your arrangements, Emperor Qitai did not break his word. He gave your Imperial Father an enfeoffment, and you, the Royal Prince, were also arranged in a residence in Kyoto, with monthly allowances, ensuring you were well-fed and clothed.】

【You grew up day by day, gradually accepting reality, and focused on reading at home.】

【In the year you turned sixteen, a message came from your Imperial Father's enfeoffment.】

【Your Imperial Father had died.】

【After he lost the Imperial throne, he fell seriously ill and passed away six years later, consumed by melancholy.】

【In the same year, Emperor Qitai passed away.】

【Emperor Qitai's only daughter, Xiao Huang, ascended the throne, changing the reign title to Jinghe, and was known as: Empress Jinghe.】

Chapter 54: The Empress Appears, Unexpected Charm

Looking at the evolution in the screen, Su Mo was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected such a story development.

Then, was he still considered a Third Royal Prince?

He just didn't know how he would meet this Empress next.

...

【When you learned of your Imperial Father's death, you felt no sadness, because you had seen him no more than three times in your life. In your heart, he was merely a father in a physiological sense. Your feelings for him were not as strong as those for the household servants who often took care of you.】

【A month after your Imperial Father's death, a message arrived.】

【It was that the title of King Qi needed an heir, and the current Empress Xiao Huang hoped to choose one from among you Royal Princes to inherit it.】

【At this, your Imperial Father's dozens of sons could no longer sit still. All of them wanted to inherit the King Qi's title.】

【But you didn't want to contend, because in your heart, nothing was more important than diligently studying the books of the Sages.】

【Upon learning of your attitude, your mother immediately came to your study to persuade you.】

"Su Mo, this title of King must be contended for. If you don't fight for it, others will take it, and then it will be generations of Kings and Nobles."

"Can you bear to see your descendants suffer?"

"Listen to your mother. In a few days, when the Empress comes and asks you former Royal Princes to go to the Golden Imperial Hall, you must also strive hard."

【What do you choose now?】

【Option One: Listen to your mother's words and strive to inherit the title of King Qi.】

【Option Two: Set up a Feast at Hong Gate, invite your thirty-two brothers, and administer chronic poison to everyone during the banquet, causing them to die mysteriously.】

【Option Three: The Xiao Clan Royal Family, in order to appease the common people, did not restrict the personal freedom of the Su Clan Royal Family. Now, refuse your mother's suggestion, tell her that you only want to study, and that you will participate in the provincial examination in August.】

...

Seeing the three options that appeared, Su Mo immediately began to consider.

Because of the 'Haoran Righteousness' talent, he couldn't choose some chaotic and evil options, otherwise, this Haoran Righteousness would extinguish.

So, the second option was directly excluded.

As for the first and third options,

Su Mo was somewhat hesitant.

Because Emperor Deji had a total of thirty-two sons, and all of them were well-trained. Even if he chose to inherit the King's title, the probability was only about 3%.

Instead of gambling on a single shot,

It would be better to cultivate this Haoran Righteousness to the Advanced level.

And see what Divine Abilities it would yield.

Diligently studying and participating in the Imperial examinations was the proper path.

Of course,

A Royal Prince participating in the Imperial examinations seemed strange no matter how one looked at it.

He had no other choice.

Thus,

Su Mo chose the third option.

【You chose the third option.】

【You told your mother that the Su Clan Royal Family had now become commoners, and you no longer had any desire for power. Only participating in the Imperial examinations was the proper path.】

【Upon learning of your thoughts, your mother was very disappointed and could only give up in the end.】

【Subsequently, you spread this news to all your brothers.】

【Regarding your voluntary withdrawal from the inheritance, all your brothers were very happy and became even more caring towards you.】

【And they specially held a banquet for you, where everyone eventually drank themselves into a stupor.】

Looking at the evolution in the screen, the little devil in Su Mo's heart emerged.

If he had chosen the second option,

He would probably have feigned giving up the inheritance of King Qi, thereby tricking everyone into coming over and then poisoning them to death.

Tsk tsk.

What a pity, what a pity.

There were no 'ifs'.

...

【Soon, the news that you had voluntarily given up the inheritance and wanted to participate in the Imperial examinations reached the ears of Empress Xiao Huang.】

【When she learned of your choice to give up the King Qi's heir, she was somewhat impressed with you and wanted to see what kind of outstanding talent you were.】

【So, on the day of selecting the King Qi's heir, Empress Xiao Huang specifically sent someone to summon you as well.】

【In the waiting hall, all the former Royal Princes gathered. Upon your sudden appearance, all your other brothers became wary of you.】

【The First Royal Prince, Su Jingyu, was the most likely to get the King Qi's position. Seeing you come, he immediately became hostile.】

"Third Brother, didn't you say you'd give up the King Qi's title and focus on the Imperial examinations?"

"Why are you here now?"

"I even thought you were truly willing to withdraw!"

【The First Royal Prince Su Jingyu's words immediately resonated with the other Royal Princes.】

"Exactly! You've already withdrawn, and now you suddenly appear. What's the difference between such an action and a dishonest, treacherous villain!"

"Yes, it's the selection time now, and the Empress is about to arrive. Even if you want to withdraw now, there's no way!"

"Third Brother, I didn't expect you to be the most secretive!"

"..."

【The voices questioning you rose and fell, but you chose to ignore them.】

【Two hours later, the Empress walked in. As soon as she entered, all the noisy sounds in the hall disappeared at that moment.】

...

Seeing the Empress appear, Su Mo quickly zoomed in on the screen, trying to see every detail of her.

In the image, Xiao Huang slowly walked into the hall, wearing a pair of red embroidered shoes.

Her entire body was wrapped in a loose yet well-fitting red Dragon Robe, adorned with five-clawed Golden Dragons embroidered with gold threads.

However, although the Dragon Robe was loose, it could not completely conceal her full figure.

Her waist and hip curves were extremely perfect, especially her slender waist, which made one want to grasp it with a single hand.

The exposed skin was also extremely delicate, shimmering with a pearl-like luster, appearing exquisitely alluring against the red Dragon Robe.

Tilting her chin slightly upward, Xiao Huang slowly surveyed the hall.

Her Phoenix eyes sparkled with brilliance.

All the former Royal Princes immediately lowered their heads, not daring to breathe loudly.

Su Mo looked at the Empress in the image, and a desire to thoroughly conquer her suddenly arose in his heart.

This woman was too beautiful, especially that sense of pride and inviolability.

He had only seen this kind of aura on Daji.

But because Daji had liked his simulated self from the very beginning, she hadn't fully displayed it in front of him.

Xiao Huang was different.

At this moment, she was completely unknown to his simulated self. Her aura was absolutely fully unleashed. An ordinary person seeing her would probably immediately kneel and kowtow.

Thoroughly conquering such a woman would definitely be one of the greatest joys in life.

...

【The moment you saw Xiao Huang, you immediately lowered your head.】

【In the previous two hours, Xiao Huang had secretly observed and noticed the scene where you were condemned by all the Royal Princes. She was very interested in your composure.】

【However, what was more important now was the assessment of the many former Royal Princes.】

【Stepping gracefully onto the Imperial steps, she turned and spoke in a majestic voice.】