(Brain storage: You can't read novels with your brain switched on, brothers.)
The grand court assembly was about to begin in Golden Palace Hall of the Imperial Palace in Tiandu City, Great Gan Dynasty.
However, compared to usual, there was one extra person at today's assembly. Quite a few officials were eyeing the figure at the front, guessing where this favored prince's fief might be.
Crown Prince Chu Xuanhao looked at the solemn-faced Sixth Prince beside him and teased,
"It's rare to see Sixth Brother this serious. In my memory, Sixth Brother has always been carefree. Yet a mere court assembly has made you tremble?"
Second Prince Chu Xuantian picked up the thread as well,
"Haha, Eldest Brother certainly knows how to joke. Sixth Brother has always had the greatest courage among us brothers. When has he ever been afraid?
"At eleven, he entered Flower Gazing Pavilion and declared, 'To die beneath peony blooms, even as a ghost, one remains dashing.'
"His name spread across the land. That poem still hangs from Flower Gazing Pavilion's plaque, and his poem 'To a Beauty' even won him the favor of the courtesan Ruyan, who invited him into her chamber for a candlelit talk.
"Though they had not talked for long before Imperial Father sent someone to drag him back, Sixth Brother never yielded, even when Imperial Father punished him.
"Afterward, he even argued with Great Scholar Huang Gongjing over the matter, angering Elder Huang so badly that he nearly left the capital. It was only after Prime Minister Li persuaded him that Elder Huang remained at the academy to teach.
"How could a man like Sixth Brother possibly tremble?"
A faint smile flashed across Sixth Prince Chu Xuanao's face.
"Elder Brothers, please stop making fun of me. After today, how could I possibly remain so carefree?"
"Why not? Among us, Sixth Brother was the first to establish his own residence, and you are also the most favored by Imperial Father. Even if you are enfeoffed as king, Imperial Father would never treat you poorly. Perhaps Sixth Brother might even become like Second Brother."
Fourth Prince Chu Xuan'an said.
(Note: Establishing residence differs from establishing a court. Establishing residence means a prince may move out of the Imperial Palace and have his own manor; establishing a court means openly recruiting people and building one's own power base.)
Upon hearing the Fourth Prince's words, the Crown Prince and Second Prince both remained calm.
Yet Chu Xuanao was screaming internally like a prairie dog. This foreigner Fourth Brother is seriously evil!
What did he mean by "most favored by Imperial Father"? What did he mean by "like Second Brother"?
He was the most favored?
Just by looking at Second Brother's title, anyone could see Imperial Father's favoritism.
Prince Chen. The character chen referred to the North Star, the star that guided all others—a metaphor for an emperor.
Their father had even allowed him to remain in the capital, establish his own court, and attend court assemblies. His fief was an entire prefecture in wealthy Jiangzhou.
In court, he stood on equal footing with the Crown Prince and showed signs of ascending to the top. And Fourth Brother said he could become like Second Brother?
Chu Xuanao looked at Fourth Prince Chu Xuan'an with a "kind" smile.
"Hehe, then I'll borrow Fourth Brother's auspicious words. But I cannot compare to Fourth Brother. Compared to Second Brother, Fourth Brother is no less impressive. Even after being enfeoffed as king, you remain here in the capital, living freely.
"Your monthly stipend is quite generous. Though you have no fief, you still live a carefree life. Sixth Brother truly envies you.
"Fourth Brother was also born with extraordinary features, unlike ordinary people. Even within the Imperial Clan, no one can compare to you."
"Haha!" Second Prince Chu Xuantian burst out laughing and shot Chu Xuanao a look that said, I support you. It had to be Sixth Brother—every sentence stabbed straight into the lungs.
Even the usually composed Crown Prince's lips curled into a faint smile.
Born with extraordinary features, unlike ordinary people, unmatched within the Imperial Clan.
The Crown Prince and Second Prince took another careful look at the Fourth Prince.
Mm. Golden hair, blue eyes, a high nose bridge, and the face of a foreigner. Within the Imperial Clan, there was only one like him.
Sixth Brother was not wrong.
But Fourth Prince Chu Xuan'an's expression darkened. What he hated most was people making remarks about his appearance.
Because his imperial consort mother had been a princess sent in marriage from the Western Divine Kingdom, and because he resembled her, Imperial Father had never once regarded him properly. Not a single person in court supported him.
Even his name and kingly title were like that—Chu Xuan'an, Prince An.
Haha! Even his enfeoffment was only an empty title, without so much as a fief.
In terms of ability, he was confident that he was inferior to none of the princes.
In terms of talent, he was only twenty-two years old, yet his cultivation had already reached the Grandmaster Realm. He deserved to be called exceptionally gifted.
In terms of influence, his imperial consort mother was the biological younger sister of the current Pope of the Divine Kingdom. His maternal uncle was the Pope of the Divine Kingdom, ruling an entire nation, no weaker than Great Gan.
Which of the princes could compare with him?
Yet he had been the first one eliminated. Why?
He only wanted to say one thing to the civil and military officials of this court and to all living beings under heaven:
We share the same blood of Imperial Father. Why can't I contend?
It was fortunate that Chu Xuanao could not hear the Fourth Prince's internal screaming. Otherwise, he would surely have said, Fourth Brother, you were never even on the board. Eliminated?
The only reason you have survived until now is because of the Divine Kingdom. You should be thanking your lucky stars.
And you still want to contend?
If you dragged out any dog from Great Gan and made it emperor, it would still rank ahead of you.
"Welcome the Imperial Presence!"
A shrill voice rang out, interrupting everyone's thoughts.
The civil and military officials all knelt to welcome him. "May Your Majesty Live Ten Thousand Years, Ten Thousand Years, Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand Years."
"My beloved officials, rise!"
After standing, Chu Xuanao raised his head to look at his father, the current Emperor Gan, Chu Tianxiong. Compared to usual, within Golden Palace Hall, his father seemed to have lost some of his warmth and gained three parts majesty.
He rarely attended court. Other than the few times he had caused trouble and been publicly reprimanded during court assemblies, he had never attended one.
Among the princes, aside from Crown Prince Chu Xuanhao, only his Second Brother, Chu Xuantian, could attend court discussions.
Even though he was rather favored, he could only see Imperial Father in the Imperial Harem, the Imperial Study, or Dragon Abode Palace.
Mm, his Fourth Brother could basically be ignored!
And today, he had come to court again. Whether it would bring fortune or disaster remained unknown!
From atop the Dragon Throne, Chu Tianxiong picked up an Imperial Decree from the table. "Read it." He raised his hand, and Eunuch Li, standing to the side, bowed slightly before receiving the decree with both hands.
He stepped forward several paces, opened the Imperial Decree, and read aloud,
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:
"The Sixth Son of Gan possesses a prudent and virtuous nature, gentle conduct, diligence in study, and hidden noble virtue.
"Sixth Prince Ao has reached adulthood. He is hereby enfeoffed as Prince of Qin, with Hanshan Prefecture of You Province as his fief. He shall govern one prefecture and is expected to diligently administer its affairs, rule with virtue, and bring benefit to the people.
"Thus decreed."
Upon hearing the decree, Crown Prince Chu Xuanhao and Second Prince Chu Xuantian exchanged a glance, their brows tightly furrowed.
A trace of delight flashed through Fourth Prince Chu Xuan'an's eyes as he thought, Sixth Brother, Sixth Brother, so you have this day too!
The officials all showed looks of shock and suspicion. Even the Four Great Dukes and the two chancellors had changing expressions, their thoughts unreadable.
Who would have expected this greatly favored Sixth Prince to receive You Province as his fief? This was practically banishment to the frontier!
After the decree was read, the court seemed to fall still. Crown Prince Chu Xuanhao looked toward the dumbstruck Sixth Prince and coughed softly twice.
Finally snapping back to his senses, Chu Xuanao hurriedly knelt and gave the Crown Prince a grateful look. "This son was so overwhelmed with joy upon hearing the decree that I lost my composure. I beg Imperial Father's forgiveness. This son accepts the decree and kowtows in thanks for Imperial Father's grace."
The shock on Chu Xuanao's face was impossible to conceal. What shocked him was not that he had been made Prince of Qin, but the voice that had sounded in his mind during the reading of the decree.
"Ding. The eighteen-year deadline has arrived. It has been detected that the host has reached adulthood. Congratulations, host, on activating the Myriad Heavens Reward System. Please consult the system instructions for details on using the system."
He had a system? A storm rose in Chu Xuanao's heart. He had been reincarnated as a fetus, and it had been exactly eighteen years since his transmigration. When he had first arrived, he had thought about systems, but nothing had appeared.
Moreover, he had been born into an excellent identity after transmigrating—the Great Gan Dynasty, a prince of the realm, and someone rather favored by Imperial Father.
From the moment he opened his eyes, palace maids and eunuchs had attended to him exceptionally well.
Gradually, he had stopped thinking about such things.
Time was the best medicine. Given enough time, one would always settle into a new life. Yet the system's appearance now pulled his thoughts back to his previous life.
Before you continue