Chapter 23
Dachun came to deliver food and wine just in time for Lin Jiufeng’s return.
He didn’t know that Lin Jiufeng had gone out. He delivered the goods as usual and began to tell Lin Jiufeng about some of the things that happened in the imperial capital.
“Something big happened in the imperial capital in the past few days. Has Your Highness heard about it?” Dachun asked.
“You are my only source of news, who else can I hear it from?” Lin Jiufeng shook his head.
“The nine great Martial Sages joined forces to come to the Forbidden City to assassinate Emperor Yuan so that he would stop trying to get rid of the vassals…”
“But they were killed by a mysterious man with a sword stroke that stunned the world.” Dachun clicked his tongue, envious of the might that the enigmatic man had showcased.
How impressive was that?
He chopped off the heads of the nine Martial Sages with just one sword stroke.
It was simply an eye-opener.
Lin Jiufeng drank his wine and ate meat while listening to Dachun.
He smiled calmly without saying much.
Other than Emperor Yuan and Lin Tianyuan, who else knew that Lin Jiufeng was the man behind the scenes? Even Dachun who talked to Lin Jiufeng the most would never guess that the mysterious man was Lin Jiufeng.
4
He knew that Lin Jiufeng had a Martial Sage subordinate.
But he also knew that he gave that subordinate to Emperor Yuan.
After Dachun told Lin Jiufeng everything that he knew, he continued. “It seems that Emperor Yuan is on the verge of death. He has already chosen a successor to his throne, and he made his decision known to the world.”
Lin Jiufeng did not say anything. He knew that too.
Lin Tianyuan.
“It was not the few princes that everyone keeps talking about, but an illegitimate son who joined the court as a court official. Emperor Yuan actually made an exception and promoted him to become a member of the royal family and directly appointed him as the next emperor.”
Dachun was again very envious.
That was a huge leap in status.
Lin Jiufeng laughed. “Why do you sound like you’re jealous?”
“Who wouldn’t be jealous? But I’m just a little envious. If I really became the emperor, I’ll definitely be a foolish and self-indulgent emperor.”
“It’s rare—even for the sons of the royal family to become a wise ruler when they became the Emperor. Instead, they usually end up becoming a foolish one.”
“However, according to a detailed investigation. Emperors usually do not fall into depravity that fast. On average, it takes an emperor—five years after their ascension before they become foolish and self-indulgent.”
“After that five years, more than 90% of emperors would become depraved.”
“If I were to become an emperor, I wouldn’t need five years. I will only need five days to fall into depravity. I know my own limitations after all.” Dachun laughed.
2
Lin Jiufeng could not help but smile. “You know yourself quite well.”
“Humans—even if without skills—should at least know their limits.” Dachun nodded and said.
2
Lin Jiufeng passed the empty plates and wine jar back to Dachun.
“Your Highness. I will come back and deliver food for you next time.” Dachun packed the empty plates and turned around to leave.
“See you next time, seven days later.”
Lin Jiufeng returned to his courtyard.
After roaming the world outside, Lin Jiufeng missed the Cold Palace, especially his frost jade bed. Although the bed wasn’t as useful for his cultivation today, it was still soothing to lie on it.
It calmed one’s mind and made one less prone to anger.
Liu Jiufeng laid on top of it. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
He had been running about, drawing his sword, and killing his enemies for the past few days without a wink of sleep.
1
From the south to the north, Liu Jiufeng never stopped for a moment.
He was both physically and mentally tired.
After all, he had to visit nine different places, running back and forth.
Seven days without sleep along with the intense expenditure of his True Qi. Lin Jiufeng might be a Martial Sage, but he reckoned that even if his True Qi became akin to that of water which was universally available. He would still find it hard to continue at such a pace without any rest.
2
Lin Jiufeng fell into a deep sleep on the frost jade bed, resting quietly.
Half a month passed in a flash.
Lin Jiufeng’s body had finally returned to its peak condition.
His plans, however, were still the same.
He planned on continuing his routine of signing-in inside the Cold Palace.
At this moment—the Yuhua God Dynasty’s Crown Prince—Lin Tianyuan, came to his door.
“Uncle.” Lin Tianyuan pushed open the door of the Cold Palace and shouted respectfully.
“You should be dealing with state affairs and familiarizing yourself with the process of dealing with them at this time, why have you come to my place?” Lin Jiufeng asked, surprised.
“Uncle. Father… Father can’t hold on any longer,” Lin Tianyuan said sadly.
Lin Jiufeng frowned and said, “Doesn’t he have a month to live?”
Only twenty or so days had passed since then.
There were still eight or nine days remaining.
“Father personally taught me how to deal with state affairs day and night. He stayed up late every night and did everything that he could to persevere. But this morning, he finally fell into a coma and hasn’t woken up since,” Lin Tianyuan said sadly.
“The imperial doctors tried to treat him, but they all said that he was at the end of his life.”
“I came to ask Uncle to see Father one last time,” Lin Tianyuan knelt down and said, depressed.
He knew that his Father would want to see his own brother before he took his last breath.
Hence, he came personally to invite Lin Jiufeng.
“Go back and clear the hall for me. I’ll set off right away.”
Lin Jiufeng said after a moment of silence.
At his brother’s final moments, Lin Jiufeng didn’t want anyone to disturb the two of them.
“Okay, I will take care of everything.” Lin Tianyuan nodded his head and left respectfully.
He knew that Lin Jiufeng preferred a quiet environment with fewer people around, so he went back to clear the hall.
…
Great Council Hall!
This was where Emperor Yuan fell into a coma.
He was teaching Lin Tianyuan how to handle state affairs until his last waking moments.
He always remembered the words that his elder brother once told him.
Ruling a country was like cooking a small fish!
A small problem that involved hundreds of millions of people would ultimately become a shocking problem to behold.
Hence, he didn’t dare to be careless.
He worked like a horse to the point of fainting inside this Great Council Hall.
1
Lin Tianyuan understood his father’s character. This was why he did not distract Emperor Yuan.
In the final moments of Emperor Yuan’s life, he planned on letting him die peacefully in the place he was familiar with the most.
The people in the Great Council Hall were dismissed and were told to stand quietly outside the hall.
Three layers of security inside and outside.
Everyone’s faces were solemn.
And in the hall, a dim lamp tenaciously wavered in the dark.
Just like Emperor Yuan.
He was trying as hard as he could—just so he could see his big brother one last time before he was no more.
Da da da!
The sound of steady footsteps echoed in the Great Council Hall.
Lin Jiufeng looked at the haggard Emperor Yuan. He went forward to cover him with a quilt.
When they were younger, this was how the older Lin Jiufeng took care of the younger Emperor Yuan.
In the final moments of his life…
Emperor Yuan grabbed Lin Jiufeng’s hands and said with hopes in his eyes.
“Big Brother, have I lived up to the position as the Crown Prince?”
“I have not let you down, right?”
8
In the end, what Emperor Yuan cared about was still whether his elder brother was disappointed in him or not.
After all, he inherited his elder brother’s position as the Crown Prince and then became the Emperor after that for ten short years. He tried to eliminate the vassals, yet his elder brother still had to help him wrap everything up.
He was afraid of disappointing his Big Brother.
That was what he was most afraid of.
Hence, he held Lin Jiufeng’s hand very tightly.
So tight that his green veins turned visible underneath his wrinkled skin.
But he himself—didn’t seem to have realized it.
In his eyes, there was only Lin Jiufeng.
Lin Jiufeng smiled gently.
He leaned close to Emperor Yuan and whispered. “Brother, Big Brother is proud of you.”
“You have never let me down—even once.”
Hearing that, Emperor Yuan broke into a smile and slowly retracted his hands.
Then, his hands slowly lost their strength and drooped down…
Yuhua God Dynasty, Yuan era, Fifteen years.
Emperor Yuan passed away.
21