Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 224 - Handing Over The Military Seal

“Third Princess, this individual has hidden intentions and must not be allowed to enter for fear of disturbing the Emperor!” Xue Chunyu stepped forward to halt Chen Ruoyan. Bai Lin and other officials also moved forward, forming a human barrier.

“How dare you stop me!” Chen Ruoyan was furious. She was the third princess, but these people dared to obstruct her path.

“We certainly wouldn’t dare to hinder the third princess, but this man must not be permitted entry.” Xue Chunyu retorted with a smirk. Once the Emperor passed away, Prince Yongxian would ascend to the throne. At that point, the Great Yan Dynasty would undergo a significant transformation, and the first to perish would be the children of the previous monarch.

“Minister Xue, how dare you? Don’t think I’m oblivious to your intentions. You’re all waiting for my father’s demise so you can stage a rebellion!” Chen Ruoyan’s tone was biting, showing no respect for Xue Chunyu. Her words sent a shiver down the spines of many present, rendering them speechless.

Everyone was aware of the truth in their hearts, but hearing it spoken aloud, especially from the third princess, was a different matter.

“Third Princess, I urge you to be mindful of your words. I have always been loyal to the Great Yan Dynasty, and heaven can bear witness to my loyalty!” Xue Chunyu defended himself, feigning innocence and trying to buy time. His main goal was to keep Liu Wuxie at bay.

The situation became increasingly tense, with neither side willing to take a step back, and this naturally enraged Chen Ruoyan to the point of drawing her sword.

“How audacious! Are you all planning to rebel now?!” Chen Ruoyan brandished her sword at Xue Chunyu, ready to resort to violence if there were no other options.

“I’m prioritizing the Emperor’s safety. This person is just a youngster who might disturb the Emperor by barging in recklessly. Who will bear the consequences if anything happens? Third Princess, please exercise caution!” Xue Chunyu maintained his moral high ground, appearing as though he wouldn’t yield even if the third princess threatened to kill him.

“I will take responsibility! If anything happens to the Emperor, I will surrender the military seal and retreat into seclusion!” Chen Yusheng took out the military seal and handed it to Minister Wen.

Surrendering the military seal was tantamount to surrendering the Great Yan Dynasty. The Terrabreak Army was an elite force of the Great Yan Dynasty, and one could only imagine the repercussions if it were to be handed over.

Even if the Emperor were to recover, his empire would be destabilized after losing his army. It was only a matter of time before Prince Yongxian seized control of the Great Yan Dynasty.

“Prince Ruyang, you mustn’t!” Minister Wen objected. The transfer of the military seal would necessitate the Emperor’s approval.

“It’s urgent, and I don’t have a choice. As long as my royal cousin can be saved, I will do anything, even if it costs me my life!” Chen Yusheng was determined. He only wanted to save his royal cousin and nothing else.

“Prince Ruyang, are you certain about this? If anything were to happen to the Emperor, you would surrender the military seal!” Xue Chunyu couldn’t contain his excitement and laughed. This was a golden opportunity. The Great Yan Dynasty would plunge into chaos upon the current Emperor’s death, and Prince Yongxian would have to contend with Prince Ruyang if he wished to stabilize the dynasty.

Given Prince Ruyang’s character, he wouldn’t surrender the military seal, which meant that a civil war was inevitable. It was uncertain who would emerge victorious in the end.

Now that Prince Ruyang was willing to hand over the military seal, this was equivalent to seizing the entire Great Yan Dynasty without a single casualty. This was why Xue Chunyu couldn’t help laughing aloud.

“Hmph, since when have I gone against my word?” Chen Yusheng entrusted the military seal to Minister Wen for the time being and waited till they were done taking care of the Emperor’s condition.

If Liu Wuxie could successfully treat the Emperor, Chen Yusheng would reclaim the military seal. However, if the Emperor were to pass away, the military seal would be handed over to Xue Chunyu.

“Let everyone bear witness to today’s events to prevent anyone from reneging on their words!” Xue Chunyu’s gaze swept over the surrounding officials. The Terrabreak Army would fall into Prince Yongxian’s hands within an hour.

The Terrabreak Army was the most elite army in the Great Yan Dynasty. Even if Bai Lin controlled the Earth Battalion, it couldn’t be compared to the Heaven Battalion as there was a huge difference.

“Let us go in!” Chen Ruoyan dragged Liu Wuxie, with Chen Yusheng following behind as they entered the chamber. By the time Minister Wen wanted to intervene, it was already too late, and the military seal felt heavy in his hand.

Upon entering the bedroom, Liu Wuxie detected a faint fragrance that made him frown. They passed through the outer hall, where numerous maids and eunuchs were lined up on both sides.

Ahead was a curtain, which two maids lifted. They walked into a massive room. In the center of the room was a bed, surrounded by veils to shield against the wind.

Twelve imperial physicians were around the bed. Some were checking the Emperor’s pulse, while others were shaking their heads in despair.

Liu Wuxie’s appearance sparked suspicion among everyone, especially an old man with an aura of authority. Liu Wuxie’s gaze, however, was not on the bedridden Emperor but on the others in the room.

“Headmaster?” Liu Wuxie questioned, puzzled by the presence of the headmaster, a figure in the True Core Realm. Could it be that even he was unable to save the Emperor?

Fan Zhen was equally taken aback by Liu Wuxie’s appearance. After all, it was not long ago that Liu Wuxie had slain Qin Shi, and his presence in the palace was unexpected.

“Prince Ruyang, is this your doing?” The old man’s intense gaze landed on Liu Wuxie, exerting a pressure that was unmistakably from a True Core Realm expert like Fan Zhen. This man was none other than Prince Yongxian.

“Indeed. He is a remarkable healer, and I have brought him here to assess the Emperor’s condition,” Chen Yusheng confirmed. Despite his outward calm, his body was taut with tension.

Upon hearing of Liu Wuxie’s exceptional medical skills, Fan Zhen couldn’t hide his surprise.

Prince Yongxian’s gaze met Liu Wuxie’s for the first time. They locked eyes, and it was clear that Prince Yongxian was already familiar with Liu Wuxie. He had recognized Liu Wuxie the moment he stepped in, but he was taken aback by Liu Wuxie’s youth.

Prince Yongxian had been the unseen supporter of the Cloud Xing Pavilion, which had suffered significant losses due to Liu Wuxie. As their eyes clashed, Liu Wuxie narrowed his own, sensing a murderous intent seeping into his skin.

“Are you...Liu Wuxie?” Prince Yongxian held his gaze for a moment longer before the pressure he was exerting vanished. This alleviated the pressure on Liu Wuxie, who was not yet capable of resisting the True Core Realm, where he could be easily defeated.

“I offer my respects to Prince Yongxian!” Liu Wuxie responded, his fists clasped together in a formal salute. It was clear to both of them that they were not allies, and there was no need for pretense.

“You are quite impressive!” Prince Yongxian’s words were layered with various implications, both praise and scorn. Once he had spoken, he dismissed Liu Wuxie from his attention.

Liu Wuxie had used mere tactics to shut down the Cloud Xing Pavilion, but that did not pose a threat to Prince Yongxian. The room fell into silence, all eyes turning to the bed.

“Cough...cough...” The Emperor coughed violently with blood spewing from his mouth, staining the bedding red. His face was yellow, and he was losing his breath. He was already on the brink of death.

The twelve imperial physicians stood up and glanced at the bed before retreating.

“How’s the Emperor?” Prince Yongxian asked, grabbing an imperial physician.

“We have done our best. We should prepare for the funeral now!” The imperial physician whom Prince Yongxian grabbed said in agony.

“Trash! All of you are trash!” Prince Yongxian threw that imperial physician out furiously, showing a touching scene. The Emperor was his elder brother, and it was natural for him to become furious that his brother was about to die.

“Prince Yongxian, please calm down! If the Emperor dies, the Great Yan Dynasty still needs you to stabilize the situation.” An eunuch came over with a flattering expression on his face.

It became apparent that the eunuch, who had served the Emperor for years, was in fact aligned with Prince Yongxian’s faction.

This made Chen Yusheng grit his teeth. He didn’t expect Prince Yongxian to be so despicable even to bribe the eunuch in the palace.

“How much longer does my royal brother have?” Prince Yongxian asked, turning to the imperial physicians.

“Fifteen minutes at most!” The imperial physician on the right lowered his head with agony on his face.

This grim prognosis caused Chen Ruoyan to crumble to the floor, tears streaming down her face. The maids and eunuchs on either side immediately knelt, their heads bowed in despair.

Liu Wuxie observed everyone’s reactions, including those of the twelve imperial physicians, maids, and eunuchs. A smile crept onto his face as he realized that ten out of the twelve physicians were aligned with Prince Yongxian; only two had not been swayed by his influence. It was clear that Prince Yongxian had his tendrils in every corner of the Great Yan Dynasty.

“Prepare the edict and announce it to the world!” Prince Yongxian commanded, his hand waving weakly. He suddenly seemed much older, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

The eunuch didn’t dare to disobey Prince Yongxian. He went over to the table and began drafting the edict.

“Hold up!” Liu Wuxie interrupted everyone.

At that moment, everyone remembered the presence of an outsider in the room. Hope flickered across Chen Yusheng’s face as he heard Liu Wuxie’s words. All their hopes now rested on Liu Wuxie.

Chen Ruoyan rose, tears streaming down her face. She might have been headstrong, but she was far from foolish. She understood that if her father were to die, her siblings and she would be next, as Prince Yongxian would not let them live.

The twelve imperial physicians turned their doubtful gazes towards Liu Wuxie. They were unaware of when this outsider had entered the room.

“It’s still too early to draft the edict now, not to mention that the Emperor’s illness isn’t incurable. Who said that he only has fifteen minutes left?” Liu Wuxie’s words echoed in the room like a stone, causing ripples in a pond. Everyone present was shaken, particularly the twelve physicians who had been striving to save the Emperor.

“Brat, who are you? How dare you spout nonsense here!” An imperial physician stepped forward, pointing accusingly at Liu Wuxie. His words were so vehement that his saliva sprayed onto Liu Wuxie’s face.

“Does it matter who I am?” Liu Wuxie’s tone was calm and indifferent. Facing the imperial physician’s murderous gaze, he continued, “What matters is that I can treat the emperor.”

While his words might have been a harsh reality for some, to Chen Yusheng, they were as soothing as a melodious symphony.