CH 22

Before the emperor opened his mouth, empress Zhou’s breath suddenly quickened and hurriedly lowered her head to cover it up.

Yuan Buwei glanced at her quietly.

The emperor’s expression looked unchanged.

It’s not because of his skills, but because he can’t control the muscles on his face. Even if the waves in his heart were as high as the sky, his face is still numb.

Only the frightened eyes expressed everything.

The question Yuan Buwei asked really hit the nail on the head and stabbed the emperor’s lifeline.

If he told the truth, let alone abdicating peacefully, the emperor even doubted whether he would be regarded as an evil spirit and burned by these ancients.

But now his life is in the hands of the crown prince. If he can’t satisfy the other party…

The emperor was worried. His whole heart seemed to be rolled back and forth in an oil pan, worried and anxious.

Yuan Buwei just stared at him indifferently and didn’t urge him.

After a while, the emperor seemed to have finally made up his mind and spoke with half truths: “When I went south to escape, I was in a trance and met an immortal in a dream.”

This statement was the previous excuse by the emperor at that time to deceive the ministers. “Being instructed by the immortal, I had an epiphany”. It is unclear whether the ministers believe it or not.

“Perhaps the immortal could not bear to see that I was fatuous and incompetent, ruining the good rivers and mountains, so he took a wisp of my soul and med me experience ad dream for a thousand years. Witnessing the separation and division of the country, the rise and fall of the dynasty… before waking up after one night.”

In this way, the story with reference to the theory of gods and warnings is quite similar to the “Huangliang dream1“, which makes the ministers inquisitive.

The emperor saw the look of the surrounding people and his heart moved.

He had a good idea and hurriedly added: “The reason why I have continuously acted against the crown prince is precisely because of what was shown in the immortals dream.”

Then he sighed deeply.

There is no need for him to say more. The ministers have automatically filled in the gaps. Could it be that his majesty saw the crown prince’s amazing leadership talent in his dream, but later the crown prince did something that his majesty could not tolerate. So his majesty delegated power while being vigilant at the same time?

The emperor showed helplessness at the right time: “I didn’t want to reveal the secret, but…”

System 999: [The emperor is good. Judging from his skillful white washing level, the system almost believed what he said. Vibrant with an expression of enduring humiliation in order not to reveal the secret and willing to be misunderstood by everyone without explanation. He also misleads everyone to think that you are a bad person… It’s really a white lotus.]

“White lotus?” Yuan Buwei asked curiously, “What do you mean?”

System 999: [Well, it’s actually a beautiful and innocent flower. Although now it’s generally used to describe bad people.]

“Really? Then the flower is also wronged.”

System 999: […]

See it’s own host still had the mind to spare on other thoughts, system 999 is speechless. The emperor is about to reverse black to white, and the white to black. Is the host not in a hurry?

Yuan Buwei is really not urgent.

From the subtle reaction of the empress’ sudden relief, he judged that the emperor was most likely lying. So he didn’t interrupt and let the emperor continue to fabricate.

When the emperor finished, he began to inquire, “Since imperial father saw the immortal in a dream, what did the immortal look like and what magic was used, why did he choose the father emperor among all living beings? Did the immortal prefer more difficult and arduous challenges?”

With his original strength, he can be respected as an immortal god in any world. He will not be interested in the so-called immortal story. He also felt that the “immortal” mentioned by the emperor was too trashy.

“… since this immortal has become an immortal and still cares so much about the mortal people’s country, why not do it himself? Since he has the ability to make imperial father dream for a thousand years, why not warn him in advance before the countries turmoil? Is there really an immortal in the world? Isn’t imperial father making up lies?”

He flooded out endless questions. The emperor was unable to react and left speechless by him. Only looking at him strangly.

… As a native ancient person, how could this man believe in atheism more than himself? Looking at his posture, is he giving propaganda on the spot to get rid of feudal superstition?!

——Is this guy a devil?!

The ministers beside them, who had been immersed in the theory of immortals and gods, were shocked awake and showed suspicion at this time.

The emperor suddenly hugged his head and felt a jolt of pain.

He screamed in pain, which even temporarily released his weak arms from numbness, to be able to press on his forehead.

Being bedridden for many days, the corrosion of the poison on his body and spirit, and the torture of being locked up in a “small black house” some time ago, coupled with several stimulations, the emperor’s spirit has almost collapsed, and even the old disease of headache has recurred.

His spiritual world is like glass that has been marked with countless cracks, on the edge of completely shattering.

It’s hard to imagine what kind of torture the emperor is suffering at the moment without personally experiencing it.

The difficulty maintained reason and calm at this moment all disintegrated.

Yuan Buwei is still going on: “Imperial father doesn’t have to be like this. t’s too much to pretend to be stupid like the younger generation… Alas!”

He heaved a deep sigh and looked bitter.

This was the last crack in the glass, and the emperor could no longer keep calm. Painfully gasping at his chest.

“Haa haa… What do you know?! What I’ve seen is beyond your imagination. Have you seen a train travelling thousands of miles a day? Do you know that a plane can carry people to heaven? Have you experienced the feeling that everyone in the world can communicate at any time?!”

After saying these words, the emperor was surprised and lost his words, but soon his dizzy mind covered up his reason again, and he completely shattered the glass.

“- ha, you don’t understand anything!”

Yuan Buwei was not angry at all, but interested.

“The train is probably a kind of tool similar to a carriage, similar to a magic weapon; people flying on a bird? Is it a phoenix? As for the communication between people all over the world at any time, there are jade symbols in the cultivation world, but ordinary mortals can’t use them…”

He thought of all the possibilities and asked in his consciousness:

“What this person said about the future seems very interesting. An ordinary world without aura will develop so many interesting things in a thousand years. Is it possible that aura will be born in this world in the future?”

[… No, that is an ordinary small plane.]

System 999 didn’t know what to say for a moment.

[Host, you have thought a hundred million points off mark.]

However, this seems to be a good opportunity to correct the host

[Those magical things that seem incredible to the host are the products of “technology”. But the system can’t provide the host with this information. If the host is really curious, isn’t there a ready-made source here?]

At this time, the emperor shattered the glass and threw it out. Seeing that Yuan Buwei was interested, he woke up and realised his real chips.

——If he can impress the crown prince with knowledge and persuade the other party to let him go, isn’t it a hundred times more reliable than the so-called father son relationship?

His strong desire for survival suddenly woke him up. It strongly supported his spirit and he suddenly said in a loud voice: “Even if you don’t believe the immortal’s words, I do know the future. I know the historical trend of the next 1000 years!”

“Crow prince, do you know that if I hadn’t known about the future, as early as ten years ago, you would have been supported by a group of powerful officials who supported and respected the army and became a puppet emperor. You would have had to lay low for seven years to regain real power! After 20 years of hard work, you will go north to recover the Central Plains… But you have worked hard for most of your life and ended up with major and minor injuries , with not even a son or daughter. How many days did you get to enjoy the glory? In the end, the throne is not cheap, yet a branch family child will inherit it? “

The more he said it, the more righteous he was, and unconsciously recalled the past.

This crown prince flattened the powerful officials as a puppet emperor and made preparations to recover the Central Plains. As a person of later generations, how can he feel admiration?

Soon after he fled, he was still eager to try. He tried to make a big fight with his foresight, but he lost two wars. He understood that he was not talented in this aspect. Only the crown prince was the hope of the future.

Therefore, he generously delegated all military power, and gave his full support to the crown prince  to the point of looking brainless. Even if there are slanderous ministers making suggestions on the side, as a person from the future, he knows how many loyal ministers and filial sons in history have been trapped and died in this way. Of course, he won’t believe them.

But how did everything come to this point?

The emperor’s eyes were in a trance.

When he first transmigrated to this era. As a modern man, his natural distrust of the crown prince already existed in his heart. Knowing all the experiences of Qi Xuan in history, he knew very well how deep-minded and decisive the growing crown prince would be in the future.

——The other party has all the excellent qualities that emperors should have, as well as the paranoid and cold temperament of emperors.

This sense of crisis and distrust drove him to choose the child Qin Mo and carefully trained him before arranging him beside Qi Xuan – not to be malicious to Qi Xuan, but as vigilance. Occasionally deliver some information about Qi Xuan.

Unfortunately, ten years of being an emperor has changed him.

The once ordinary citizen who would only be wary of others attacking him began to attack others instead. Sitting on this throne, he did not learn the emperor’s cleverness, but learned the emperor’s ruthlessness and selfishness.

Since going north to the Central Plains, the crown prince’s military achievements and reputation grew and the deeper his fear of the crown prince.

… with such a reputation, is the crown prince really willing to live as a prince?

As long as he thought of the original history, Qi Xuan, as a puppet emperor, endured the experience of overthrowing powerful officials and seizing military power for many years, everyone could tell how powerful he was.

The paranoia is getting deeper and deeper day by day.

The emperor often worried about waking up one day to find the crown prince seizing the palace.

This uneasy emotion drove him to preemptively lay hands on the prince.

Considering that the crown prince was still young, as well as him being an emperor he once worshipped. The emperor did not kill and only poisoned.

Once the crown prince loses his virtue, he can abolish the position of crown prince without bloodshed and take back all military power. Then it will be easy to seal the other party as an idle prince at that time.

Unfortunately, all his ideas have now come to naught. Instead, he has to rely on the modern knowledge in his mind to protect his life.

He simply said everything in one breath:

“Do you know where to find crops with a yield of one kilogram per mu? Do you know how to deal with smallpox? Do you know how to prevent all kinds of natural and man-made disasters?”

“– and I know all this.”

The emperor was not afraid of others’ disbelief when he said this. After all, he previously stirred up many strange things in recent years.

Facing the shocked and surprised eyes of the ministers, he finally relaxed his heart, looking straight at Yuan Buwei, and said firmly: “The opportunity to create a prosperous world is in front of him, crown prince, do you still want to fight me?”

The author has something to say:

It seems that the little cuties are still unclear.  Hopefully this helps clarify the timeline.

As mentioned earlier, on the way to the south, the incapable ruler tried to kick the empress out of the carriage. During the empress’ struggle, the incapable ruler was knocked out. Then the transmigrator crossed over.

1. In the original history without the trasnmigrator, the incapable king died directly, and the end of the empress can be imagined. Qi Xuan, who was only 13 years old, was supported by various powerful ministers as a puppet emperor. Refer to Emperor Xian of Han Dynasty. Then he defeated the powerful officials, took power, and worked hard for 20 years to recover the Central Plains.

Such experiences formed his deep character.

2. After crossing, the transmigrator unconditionally supported Qi Xuan, so he joined the army as a young man, winning every battle and was in high spirits. With the ‘well protection’, he does not have to struggle through politics. Although he still has outstanding military talent, his political talent has not been nurtured.

[Therefore, the empress is not a pure love brain. The arrival of the transmigrator indirectly saved her life and is her amulet. Otherwise, she will be the murderer of the emperor.]

1黄粱一梦 = yellow rice dream

In the story, a scholar met a taoist priest in a restaurant and stated how he wanted wealth and riches. The priest persuaded him to not be so greedy and delusional. In front of a bowl of yellow rice the scholar fell asleep and dreamed he lived a life at the peak with fame, fortune and beauties where he died of old age. Then he woke up and the yellow rice was still warm,