Chapter 142: 4.54

Chapter 142: 4.54

The palace was cleaned up, and after an eventful day everyone was tired. Chef Wen had been temporarily taken to the underground prison in order to prevent him from escaping before all the information was given, and an emergency notice about the arrival of dragons had been made to calm the citizens.

The seventh prince who had promised the emperor he would return by today had not appeared.

The emperor stared gloomily out the window.

To be honest even though he wishes to raise an emperor who was capable of a certain level of ruthlessness, as a father obviously who would be pleased with a white eyed wolf son who would try kill his father? Not to mention, even if he could ignore his own emotions, the seventh prince's plan, while admittedly quite flawless in its insanity and execution, there was no denying it failed. Like most things in this cruel life we lead, nobody cares about the journey it took but only looked at the results made. The seventh prince may have done good work but the result is his entire plan has been revealed and unraveled in front of everyone. There was no way he could be considered for the throne anymore no matter how skilled or ruthless his actions were.

Luck was a skill in itself. And clearly the seventh prince did not have it ah.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com

It was both a pity and a relief.

The emperor sighs heavily. "How is Concubine Liang*?" He asks one of his personal eunuchs attending to him.

Chef Wen confessed in public and many people heard his words clearly. He would be surprised if the harem hadn't already caught such a big melon to eat**.

*Seventh Prince's mother

**Melon= gossip

Concubine Liang The emperor did not hate her but he didn't love her, like most women in the harem. Even then she was probably one of the better women present, her and her two friends would always sit around cracking melon seeds and drinking tea very casually. Even though their mouths were usually full of complaints it was clear the trio had found a rare contentment in the harem that most women there might never find in their lifetime.

The emperor knew this and he knew the empress was fond of the plastic sisterhood the three shared, it was why their living arrangements were actually much better than a majority of the concubines save for maybe the concubines who birthed the first, third and ninth princes that were favoured by the emperor. It was really a pity

After all, the heinous crime of treason and attempting to murder the emperor was to execute the criminal and all nine generations of their family*.

*The nine familial exterminations- it's essentially executing all relatives of the individual by crime of association. Mainly for crimes that are around treason as generally such a big thing cannot be done by one person and it's more likely that the family were part of it. It's essentially cutting all loose ends and also such a harsh punishment will make people rethink, well treason. In all fairness it seems like it worked cuz it was a relatively rare punishment (though web novels may say otherwise lol).

The eunuch pauses, a flash of pity passes his face. "Your highness, Concubine Liang has requested white silk*."

*To hang herself with.

The emperor pauses, before closing his eyes with a heavy sigh.

Concubine Liang who held her requested silk banner trembled.

Suicide.

She never thought she would have this day. Definitely not now anyway. Concubine Liang bitterly chuckled to herself. If she had known her son was so talented and ambitious maybe she could've helped him, maybe the outcome will be different.

Or maybe it would've been exactly the same. However at least her heart would not have broken as much as it had now.

To be honest, Concubine Liang hated her son more than a little right now. Almost as much as she loved him. She couldn't understand him at all. Most princes essentially relied on their maternal family for support. However her son chose to deliberately drive them away. Was it to protect them? Was he really that naive? Or maybe he looked down on her, and her family?

Even though the seventh prince was a strange one, he was fairly filial, talented, and charismatic. Concubine Liang was very satisfied more or less with how he turned out and loved him dearly. While the fanaticism with dragons had been deeply concerning she still trusted and depended on him for many things just as she was eager to help with any requests he made to her.

So why why did things turn out this way?

When she first heard the news her legs had immediately gone weak in disbelief. It was hard for anyone to understand what had gone through her mind at that point. She had become numb to the harem life, being satisfied with small things and enjoying simple matters. She had always thought her son had no large ambition for the dragon throne so after some urging on her part she forced herself to lose her own, stopped fighting for power and focused on security and safety.

Don't look at her now, when she was young and beautiful she had been just as scheming and ruthless as the other coquettish bitches here. But for the safety and interests of her son she dropped that. It was true that maybe she was happier now than before but it doesn't change the fact she did it for the seventh prince, her beloved son.

And it was all a lie? Hah.. how funny.

It was so funny Concubine Liang couldn't even smile.

Because of her son, she and her family will be executed regardless of their innocence or guilt. Elderly and children, none of them will be spared. Their names will be forever nailed onto the pillar of shame as the family of the first rebel leader in the current dynasty.

She felt helpless and weak and angry. Even though she understood why, how could she be satisfied with this utterly pathetic outcome? But what could she do? After all there was nothing weaker in the palace than an old, unfavored concubine such as herself.

Stepping up on the stool she threw up her silk banner and arranged the best position, her usually quite skilled fingers fumbling as her vision blurred with tears. However all the stalling in the world couldn't stop reality.

Concubine Liang's knuckles whitened as they tightly gripped the silk banner, moving it to under her neck. She could only hope in the next world, that she would have the fortune to not have to meet her crazy white eyed wolf son in the next life.

"Desist your foolish actions!" A sharp voice causes Concubine Liang, who had barely mustered enough courage to end her life, to immediately falter and stumble off the stool she had been standing on.

"Ah!" She barely cried out before she was caught by two deceivingly delicate arms. Her head fell against two warm and soft pillows and she couldn't help but lean her check and nuzzle it against the comforting feeling.

"For a person about to hang herself Concubine Liang, you seem to be spirited enough to take advantage of this mistress*."

*Concubines will refer to the empress as mistress as she is the mistress (female master not the cheating mistress lol) of the harem.

Concubine Liang flinched and lifted up her head in surprise. There, staring down on her was the faint smirk of the empress.

Father dragon was very grateful that his baby was safe don't get him wrong. He was perfectly happy to give his blessings to the people responsible. Which, from what he understands, were not even people technically working for the palace anyway, but it didn't matter who they were, they couldn't force him to be some attack dog as compensation. Father dragon was willing to help impart information, blessings and gifts, because that is what one should do. He was not willing to murder and get in the middle of an argument completely unrelated to him.

"I will oversee the fight, but I truly have no interest in your inheritance conflicts." Father dragon's whiskers twitch impatiently, "My son is interested in joining and I have no problem with this, after all it is his choice. If he comes into danger then I will choose to help him. If not, my benevolence towards your group will be given only when I feel like it ah."

It was a very fickle and overbearing statement. A being with so much power they could overturn the outcome of the war with whichever side they chose, and yet claims to only step in if they felt like it it was undeniable some people felt wronged by this attitude.

"Don't you think that's a bit cruel?" One of the officials boldly asks after some hesitation, "If lord dragon chooses, the lord dragon could easily minimise the number of casualties for both sides. With all due respect, life is precious, isn't it selfish to let people die because you won't help?"

After the first person said something soon others also joined.

"Lord dragon please reconsider, doing nothing in such a situation might as well be the same as personally condemning good men to death!"

"Lord dragon my son is also on the battlefield! As a fellow father don't we both want our children to live long and healthy lives?"

"Lord dragon-"

"Please lord dragon-"

"Begging lord dragon-"

After all some of them have sons in the army, some felt this sort of fight would waste a lot of resources and funds and some were genuinely full of justice. However it didn't matter what their intentions were, Father dragon did not react at all.

Jia Hyson also was silent. To be honest he personally sided more with Father dragon and disliked the attitude of the officials' trying to convince the dragon to change his mind.

It could be seen that the officials still knew their place and knew not to offend as their language was very polite and pitiful. If it wasn't a dragon standing before them it could be easily imagined that the group would turn to swearing and threats. However even if they were polite, their words were full of passive aggressiveness.

This sort of thing was similar to modern day attitudes. A good example of this is where many felt that the rich who have so much money have to give it back to society.

It's true that it would be incredibly generous if the rich did this charity, if they threw out half their profits to people in need, how blessed would the world be then? However it's considered charity because it's voluntary. 'Should', is not the same word as 'have to'. It is the difference between kindness and obligation which we often mix up and use to best suit our needs.

As a dragon who could help prevent many lives being lost, Father dragon should join in. But at the same time he didn't have to. He wasn't duty bound to fight for people he didn't know and he simply didn't want to. Is that wrong? Not really. However undeniably it's not technically right either.

For people, the worries of a group will almost always outweigh the worries of an individual. It is why moral kidnapping and peer pressure is so easy to succumb to.

Status, power, riches, talent, popularity these were great things but they came with a lot of expectations and minefields. People are able to say many things but the truth is we're all hypocrites. You could curse a rich man for not constantly helping the poor, but to be honest which middle class person donates every single time they pass by one of those little tip jar-gold coin-charity-tin box things anyway?

Both were perfectly capable of taking out a small percentage of their money to help someone in need but only one would be more likely to be abused and pinned to the pillar of shame if they choose to not do it. Is it because people think that rich people have to be kindhearted? Of course not, all people should be good. Rich and influential people just have to be better.

The emperor sighs as he looks at his officials. It would be a lie to say he didn't want the dragon to help them, and ease many of their problems. However as an emperor himself he was more empathetic and respected the dragon's decision.

"Silence!" He commands, embarrassed at his ministers. "If you really think doing nothing is personally killing good men then maybe you all should've considered doing more toward improving our imperial army ah? Who was it that wanted to cut off our military budgets? Or better yet, if you want to be even more straightforward, you all should also conscript and help these fellow good men like your asking lord dragon to do?"

Seeing the group of chattering men effectively silenced, with their necks shrunk back like timid quails, the emperor rolls his eyes. "And honestly, if you really wanted your son to have a guaranteed long and healthy life, then maybe you shouldn't have encouraged the child to head to the army to try earn some achievements and merits for the family?"

"I- this one didn't mean- Fighting for the emperor is an honour!"

"Then it should also be an honour to die for zhen." The emperor announces tyrannically. It was very handsome. "This is a fight between ourselves. Don't you think it's shameful as the emperor and his trusted people to have to rely on outsiders in an internal conflict?"

The men lowered their heads in shame. Yes. They were all capable people and while they couldn't win a battle with no losses their military might was still pretty good. Like the emperor said, it was too shameful to beg and desperately push at the lord dragon like their entire community would perish without his input.

It wasn't like they've never experienced these sort of troubles before, after all the previous emperor often provoked and pitted many of his sons and there had been constant fighting in the imperial family. It was only when the current emperor finally sat firmly on the throne that the peace settled back in the country.

People who are weak always think it's only fair that people who are strong should work harder. Because they have the capabilities they should do more. If lord dragon helped them this time, would they be very grateful? Most of the officials were screened very well by the emperor who was very strict about the people in his court so the majority of men here were not present due to connections but their own hard work. Regardless of status, everyone was fairly intelligent and hardworking and talented. Before their minds were clouded by the easier path but after the scolding they were fairly good at self reflecting as well.

Thinking about it, they would be indeed grateful but they also had a feeling it was to be expected, and hope, maybe assume that this help will continue forever. This thinking was dangerous and would make them lazy and dull like the spoilt rich second generations.

The officials, knowing they were wrong all immediately knelt down and kow-towed in forgiveness toward the dragon emperor for their presumptuous behaviour. In their hearts they were grateful for their sensible emperor who was not easily moved by short term rewards.

As expected their current emperor was still the best!

The officials sigh, at the very least they must try keep the current emperor on the throne as long as possible. While some officials were interested in muddying the waters for their own gains, the next generation of princes were really too eccentric, and many ambitious people were still patient enough to reluctantly wait until the princes matured a bit more.

The already pretty mature princes:

Father dragon was pleasantly surprised at the emperor's attitude and his look toward the man changed to a much better one. In his opinion it was usually these human emperors that were the most demanding and arrogant, unwilling to know their place because of their blessed bloodline that had been gifted by the dragons themselves. However it seems this one is quite sensible.

Looking at his little son who was quite attached to this world, Father dragon silently decided that if this battle did not go well he would at least help save the human emperor.

To be honest, he wasn't even a little worried. His son was very weak but as long as he breathes, his luck buff was enough to overturn many things. Not to mention he, himself was present, the chances of the luck overturning was very small unless bad karma was generated from himself or his little son.

After all, while golden dragons were very blessed with their attributes that promote fortune, wealth and luck, it wasn't like they could use such gifts unabashedly or it would really be going against the heavens ah. As long as they more or less maintain good karma their luck will always be good. Even if they gain a decent amount of bad karma from killing people as long as they spread their blessings or just wait for a few hundred years this bad karma is more easily wiped away then in other creatures. It would take a great amount of heinous acts for a golden dragon to have their luck overturned.

However his son was not only young but so cute. There was no way he could have generated any bad karma ah.

Jia Hyson, literal murderer, manipulator and heart breaker: (,,w,,) ?