Chapter 703: Test

“King Qi’s faction went on the offensive? There is no way the emperor wouldn’t do anything about it. Crown princess, you do not need to worry.” Zu An said in consolation. However, he knew that any matter that could leave the crown prince’s faction so dejected was definitely no small matter.

“If only it were that simple.” The crown princess sighed. “During today’s morning court session, our faction’s officials questioned King Qi. After all, the assassination case is closely tied to King Qi. Regardless of how King Qi’s faction tried to defend themselves, we would have ways of dealing with it. However, we didn’t expect King Qi to be so vicious. He straight up took on all of the blame, but he then pushed all of the blame onto Cheng Xiong’s father and son.”

“Then, even though many of our people were doubtful, without any key evidence and with so many members on King Qi’s side, more and more people began to speak out for him, so this matter was settled at that.”

Zu An said with surprise, “But this is something that we should have expected. What was it that made all of you look like that?”

“It would’ve been fine if that was all.” The crown princess sighed. “But soon afterwards, King Qi’s faction began to wantonly retaliate with this topic. Many people mentioned that the crown prince doesn’t even have the ability to protect himself, so how was he supposed to inherit this world?”

After all, the Great Zhou Dynasty was established through martial might. One’s status in this world was decided through cultivation.

Previously, even though the crown prince was a bit of a letdown, he had the world’s most powerful father. Even though everyone was unhappy, they still couldn’t say anything.

The crown prince was almost killed after that attack. Everyone finally began to pay attention to this issue.

In order to denounce King Qi, the crown prince’s faction had previously continuously stated how dangerous the situation was back then, how the crown prince almost died many times.

Yet in the end, everything became proof that supported King Qi’s argument.

Many originally neutral officials in the court became extremely dissatisfied towards the stupid crown prince. They finally couldn’t take it anymore.

Once the crown prince becomes the emperor, he might be done in by any random assassination. If that happened, wouldn’t the entire country fall into chaos as well?

Those people didn’t speak out for King Qi’s sake, but rather out of a desire for the public good. As such, not even the emperor could speak much in rebuke.

Of course, the emperor wasn’t someone who would let others step on him. He decisively sent those who were complaining the loudest to be flogged in order to snuff out the first signs of the uprising.

However, those people seemed to have already made a plan. They continued to step out one after another, none of them fearing death. Instead, they felt like being flogged was something glorious.

The emperor who cared a lot about his reputation knew what these people were thinking. They wanted to leave their names behind in history!

The emperor did everything he could to seek out immortality, and this immortality was nothing more than leaving his name behind. How could he allow these people to achieve the same result from just being flogged?

Furthermore, if this matter was really recorded, then whether the emperor’s name would be recorded positively or instead as infamy was hard to say.

That was why under the condemnation of King Qi’s faction and the neutral faction’s cooperation, the emperor had no choice but to compromise.

He was going to hold a test for the crown prince. If he can pass, then that means that he has the qualifications to succeed to the throne. He has the ability to rule the empire.

But if he fails, then he can only abdicate from the throne.

King Qi’s faction was satisfied with this result, because they knew that with the crown prince’s skills, there was no way he could pass. As such, King Qi would then succeed the throne as the justified imperial brother.

The reason the emperor agreed to this proposal was because as long as the test was man-made, then there was room for manipulation.

He was caught completely unprepared this morning. By choosing a test, he can use this matter to buy some time and find a suitable solution.

But for the crown princess, she felt as if the sky was collapsing when she heard the news.

Others might feel that the crown prince was merely simple-minded, but she knew just how stupid this guy was. Other than eating, shitting, and playing, he didn’t know a thing!

It was to the extent where even the games he played were mentally deficient games. For example, he was completely enamored by the five-in-a-row recently, which was an incredibly simple and uncouth game. She had no idea who came up with this type of game.

You can grab anyone off the street… No, any kid off the street and they might have a better chance at passing the test than this crown prince.

Zu An finally understood why everyone was so distressed after listening to the crown prince’s explanation. No one had any confidence in that fatty.

“So what is he being tested on?” Zu An cut straight to the point.

The crown princess shook her head. “I have no idea what the contents are, but matters of cultivation and ruling are unavoidable. Both sides will have to discuss some more over what is being tested.”

She was extremely gloomy. The crown prince won’t be able to pass no matter what he is being tested on.

Zu An said in consolation, “Don’t worry too much. The crown prince is his majesty’s oldest son after all, so he will definitely get involved.”

“I hope that is the case.” The crown princess instead didn’t have much hope, because she didn’t think the emperor could do anything about this.

“By the way, I heard that the Shi clan’s men troubled you by the entrance today?” The crown princess collected herself and asked.

Zu An replied, “It’s nothing important and I already dealt with it. The crown princess doesn’t need to worry about it.”

The crown princess voiced her response. “Then you can just leave now.”

It was a pity that Shi Kun’s matter completely offended the Shi clan, which might push them towards King Qi’s side. However, she really wasn’t in the mood to think about these things. 

She sighed when she looked at Zu An’s departing figure. If the crown prince was someone who saved her worry like this guy, then just how great would that be?

…

When Zu An left the eastern palace, a lesser eunuch ran up to him and told him the emperor had summoned him.

His expression immediately became helpless. Those concubines were all eager to meet with the emperor even once, yet he himself was seeing this man almost every day. What the hell is this?

But ridiculing was just that. There was nothing else he could do in this situation, so he could only follow the eunuch to the imperial study.

When he entered the imperial study, he saw that the emperor had an overcast expression. He immediately bowed tactfully. “I greet your majesty.”

The other party was still upset, so it was best not to provoke him.

The emperor voiced his response. Then, he picked up a memorial and said, “Someone accused you of using violence by the palace gates, that you attacked the inspector of etiquette Shi Jun. Did this happen?”

“I am being accused wrongly. There was nothing wrong with me, but that Shi Jun deliberately targeted me…” Zu An was just about to explain when the emperor cut him off.

“There is another matter that I am curious about. Why was it that his pants fell as soon as you said they would? According to the reports, this was also what you said to Han Fengqiu during your battle.” The emperor’s expression immediately became extremely sharp. “Do you have the dragon race’s blood? Do you have their Soulspeak ability?”

Zu An quickly explained, “Your majesty is wise. There was a dragon race elder who tried to kill me along the way, so how could I have any connection with them? Let alone the dragon Soulspeak ability.”

Keyboard Come was a skill that he absolutely could not tell the emperor about, or else he would be dead for sure. No emperors would feel at ease having someone that they cannot control under them.

“Then why did their pants fall? I refuse to believe that it is a coincidence.” The emperor gave him a cold look. One was at the peak of the ninth rank, while one was at the seventh rank. How could their pants fall just because you said that they would?

Zu An quickly explained, “I have no idea how Han Fengqiu’s pants fell, but that event gave me some inspiration. Shi Kun wanted to oppress me through etiquette, so when I rushed in to strike him in the face, I secretly broke open his waistband. He was still in shock and anger at the time, so he didn’t notice anything.”

The emperor was stunned. Then, he couldn’t help  but roar with laughter. “You are quite the weird fella. Shi Jun was done in quite badly by you. He might not have the shame to take up etiquette inspection ever again.”

Zu An sighed in relief when he saw the other party laugh. Thank goodness my reactions are fast.

But this emperor really is cold… The Shi clan has established heroic contributions in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the clan leader of the Shi clan is also one of the court’s prestigious eight dukes! He probably doesn’t care about the Shi clan at all and is only annoyed that they are now siding with King Qi.

The emperor continued, “I believe you have already heard about the test’s matter. You’ve always been quite the clever fella. Do you have any ideas?”