47: Section 47

“The position of King Qi is not so easy to obtain.”

“Since everyone wants it, let’s make it fair. I will not consider the ranking of the princes.”

Upon hearing the Empress say this, the First Prince and Second Prince’s faces immediately turned as black as charcoal, while everyone else was overjoyed, as this would increase their chances of inheritance.

Then, Empress Xiao Huang changed the subject.

“There are many animals in the hunting ground now, and some have even developed sentience. One more step and they will become Demons.”

“In the long run, this will be a hidden danger.”

“You will go to that hunting ground to hunt. The more animals you kill, the more points you will receive. There will be special personnel to supervise the scoring.”

“The one with the highest score will be conferred King Qi!”

Upon hearing the rules of the selection, everyone’s hearts felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over them.

How could they be a match for these animals that were close to being Demons!

After saying these words, Empress Xiao Huang looked at you.

“You stay.”

“Watch the battle with me.”

Chapter 55: Former Dynasty Princes Annihilated, King Qi Title Abolished

Empress Xiao Huang’s voice became soft and magnetic, but when you heard it, your breathing hitched. You didn't understand what this woman was planning.

But now that you were no longer the Third Prince of Great Zhou, you could only nod in agreement.

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”

Meanwhile, your brothers had all gone to the armory to select weapons.

The temptation of the King Qi position was not something everyone could resist.

Soon, you and Empress Xiao Huang arrived at the viewing platform for the hunting ground. Below the platform, civil and military officials gathered, while your brothers, armed with various weapons, entered the hunting ground.

Your brothers plunged into the dense forest, and shouts of battle and screams rose and fell.

Seeing this, you turned your head, feeling a hint of reluctance in your heart, only thinking that your brothers were truly too foolish and didn't understand what was so good about contending for the King Qi position.

Xiao Huang saw your actions and spoke.

“You can’t bear it?”

“I saw how you were verbally attacked before.”

“What is there about your brothers that is worth your concern?”

You were unsure of Xiao Huang’s exact meaning, but you could only reply.

“Yes, I can’t bear it. Even if it were a stranger, I would feel the same way.”

“My brothers are usually very good. They are just blinded by the King Qi position now.”

Xiao Huang looked at you with a half-smile, clearly not believing your words, nor believing that you, the Third Prince of the former dynasty, would possess such a compassionate heart.

If she didn't have the means, she would have long been devoured by the other members of the Xiao Clan Royal Family.

The hunt continued.

However, you gradually heard no more shouts from your brothers; everything slowly returned to calm.

Not long after, a group of people in flying fish robes emerged from the dense forest of the hunting ground, each dragging a corpse behind them.

These corpses were all your brothers.

No more, no less, exactly thirty-one.

In this hunt, all your brothers died in the hunting ground.

You fell silent.

Even if you were more foolish, you understood Empress Xiao Huang’s true intentions: to eradicate all of you, the former dynasty princes.

But you didn't understand.

Was it necessary to be so urgent?

Xiao Huang looked at you, and you looked at Xiao Huang. She saw anger and bewilderment in your eyes.

However, she did not explain to you.

Instead, she directed her gaze towards the officials below the platform, and her majestic, cold voice spread throughout the court.

“Since I ascended the throne and began to govern, I have always put the ancestral altars and the nation first. Now that the Third Prince of the former dynasty has voluntarily renounced his claim to the throne, and all other heirs to the King Qi position have died, the matter of succession requires careful deliberation.”

“Now that King Qi has no descendants to inherit his position, if the title were left vacant, it would violate ancestral rites above and disrupt clan order below.”

“For the long-term benefit of the nation, effective immediately, the title of King Qi is abolished!”

“My action is not to treat King Qi lightly, but truly by the will of Heaven.”

“May all subjects in the realm understand my heart. I shall diligently govern and not fail the people of the world!”

The civil and military officials seemed to have rehearsed already, all rising from their seats and kneeling before Xiao Huang.

“May Your Majesty live for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand times ten thousand years!”

“May Your Majesty live for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand times ten thousand years!”

“……”

Upon hearing Xiao Huang’s words, your heart turned cold.

You began to doubt whether your Imperial Father had died a natural death.

At the same time, you felt your life was firmly clutched in Xiao Huang’s hands; for her to kill you would be simpler than crushing an ant.

But for now, without a justifiable reason, she could only spare you temporarily.

At this moment, you thought of many things, and your knees involuntarily knelt down, submitting beneath the crimson Dragon robes of Xiao Huang, your eyes fixed on Xiao Huang’s red auspicious cloud embroidered shoes.

...

Su Mo watched the unfolding scene on the screen, and a hint of lingering fear couldn't help but flash in his heart.

If he had not chosen to give up.

Then it would mean he would die in this hunt.

And this simulation would have ended before he could even take down Xiao Huang.

Hiss!

It took him over a month of random tries to get such a good start; if he were to die so easily, wouldn't it be a wasted opportunity!

Next, if any more options appear, he must choose carefully.

...

Seeing your reaction, Xiao Huang was very satisfied.

“Su Mo, you are a smart person.”

“Next, you don’t need to participate in the imperial examination. You will go to Gulan County, under the jurisdiction of the Three Capital Prefectures, and serve as a County Magistrate.”

“But as for your performance as County Magistrate, I will personally assess you in a year. If you don’t do well, then you won’t need to continue.”

When you heard the words “Gulan County,” your heart instantly turned cold.

You had heard before that Gulan County had a fierce folk custom and could be described as a Dragon’s Den, with the County Magistrate position often vacant.

During the former dynasty, County Magistrates were constantly sent to take office, but all died mysteriously within half a year, suspected to be the work of Demons.

However, due to lack of evidence, it was eventually left unresolved.

You also heard that in the six years of the new dynasty, two County Magistrates were sent, but they ended up with one dead and one insane.

The danger within was self-evident.

Xiao Huang, this was a move to completely eliminate you!

But facing Xiao Huang’s demand, you dared not refuse and could only kowtow in thanks.

“Thank Your Majesty for your great grace!”

“Rise.”

Xiao Huang’s vermilion lips curved slightly, her expression triumphant.

She had always been wary of you former dynasty princes, but out of concern for public opinion, she hadn’t sent assassins. However, today, all of them were successfully dealt with.

As for you, in her eyes, after going to Gulan County, you were no different from a dead person.

...

Returning home with faltering steps, you began to ponder how to avoid the impending danger.

And when you returned home, your mother rushed up to you, relieved only after seeing that you were unharmed.

She had already heard the news that all the princes had died.

“Mo’er, thankfully you didn’t listen to me. You were right, you were right!”

“I heard that Empress Wang has cried herself to death; none of her sons returned.”

“Are you scared? Mother will get you a bowl of bird’s nest to nourish your body.”

After speaking, your mother went to the kitchen and brought you the bird’s nest that had been stewing since morning.

You watched your mother bustling about, and you already had a plan: to send your mother back to your maternal grandfather’s home.

Your maternal grandfather was Li Jinglong, a former General of Great Zhou. After the establishment of the new dynasty, your maternal grandfather had been living in retirement at home. Because he had many subordinates and former officials, and no military power, the Xiao Clan had not moved against your maternal grandfather.

Sending your mother back to your maternal grandfather’s home would be the safest option.

Subsequently, you informed her of the situation.

Upon hearing that you were going to take office in Gulan County, your mother almost fainted from fright.

Gulan County was so infamous that even she had heard of it.

No one who went there ever returned unscathed.

“Son, can you not go?”

At such a time, all you could do was comfort your mother.

“Mother, even if Gulan County is dangerous, there is still a way to survive.”

“If I don’t go, then your son will truly face certain death!”

Chapter 56: The Female Ghost Who Comes Knocking at Midnight, Paper Effigy Method

Hearing your explanation, your mother understood that the current outcome was already the best possible.

After sending your mother away, you dismissed all your servants, took a letter of appointment, and headed for Gulan County.

However, Xiao Huang seemed to be preventing your escape, as you constantly felt someone secretly following you until you entered the territory of Gulan County.

It was only after you entered the territory of Gulan County that this feeling gradually disappeared.

You knew that these people were also unwilling to enter, so they left early to report back.

Although you were quite wary of the rumors about Gulan County, you had read the books of the Saint since childhood and always believed that with Haoran Righteousness in your chest, even evil spirits and Demons could not approach you.

You walked boldly; when hungry, you ate the dry rations you carried; when thirsty, you drank water from rivers by the roadside; when tired, you slept where you were.

Along the way, let alone Demons and ghosts, you didn't even see a single robber or wild beast.

On the second day after entering the territory of Gulan County, you arrived outside the inn specifically for accommodating passing officials.

However, upon arriving at this inn, you felt something was amiss.

As soon as you approached, your body felt as if it had hit an invisible wall. After passing through the wall, your nose caught an extremely foul odor, like moldy, spoiled grain that had been sealed for several months in the height of summer.

Upon smelling this, you felt oppressed, annoyed, and nauseated; all sorts of unpleasant emotions flooded in.

The previous feeling of ease and casualness was completely gone.

“A gentleman is open and poised; a petty person is always anxious and worried.”