Five years of ennoblement, hand over the capital's power to me?

After making the arrangements, Chen Chu turned and walked towards the entrance of the small courtyard, disappearing into the vast night in the blink of an eye.

The conversation in the afternoon had not alerted anyone, especially with Ao Tian guarding the surroundings. That night, Chen Chu once again entered the imperial palace.

Xue Beng could only be considered part of his future plans. For now, he still needed to use Xue Ye's hand to begin deploying his own scheme.

"Earl Chen, His Majesty has not been feeling well these past few days and is currently handling state affairs late into the night. Please be mindful of your words when you speak with him later."

The steward's words served as a reminder to Chen Chu. Xue Ye's health is deteriorating, which will inevitably lead to changes. The Crown Prince holds significant power; perhaps this presents an opportunity for me.

"Understood," Chen Chu nodded. Although this young eunuch was unusual and represented His Majesty, in Chen Chu's eyes, he was nothing more than a loyal dog, not a person, and didn't warrant many smiles.

The steward led Chen Chu through the corridors, all the way to the entrance of the Imperial Study. Just as they reached the door, they could hear intermittent coughing from inside.

"Your Majesty, Earl Chen has arrived," the steward reported softly, tapping three times on the door.

"Let him in," Emperor Xue Ye's voice came from inside, tinged with obvious fatigue.

Chen Chu pushed the door open. Incense for calming the mind was burning in the Imperial Study, its smoke curling upwards. Emperor Xue Ye sat on the Dragon Throne, a stack of memorial documents piled before him. He pressed his fingers to his temples, his face pale, looking truly worn out.

"Your subject, Chen Chu, pays his respects to Your Majesty," Chen Chu said, bowing.

"Rise," Xue Ye waved his hand and gestured to a chair beside him. "Sit. I summoned you here because I have something to ask you."

Chen Chu sat down, his gaze falling on the teacup by Xue Ye's hand. It was a celadon cup from the imperial kiln, with tea stains around the rim, clearly indicating Xue Ye drank a lot of tea.

"Your Majesty, please ask. Your subject will report truthfully," Chen Chu said, sitting on a pearwood stool nearby, awaiting Xue Ye's question.

"I heard your strength has improved, and you resigned from your position as a teacher at Heaven Dou Academy. Indeed, that's understandable. However, if such a talent like yourself is left unused, wouldn't people think that I, Xue Ye, do not know how to utilize people?"

"Therefore, I summoned you here today to ask if there is any position you desire. As long as you want it, I, Your Majesty, will grant it."

Xue Ye stopped writing and looked at Chen Chu quietly, awaiting his reply.

Chen Chu looked up at him and, seeing his expressionless face, immediately understood.

"I will abide by Your Majesty's arrangements. As long as I am given sufficient time for cultivation, I can guarantee that I will reach the Titled Douluo realm within five years and protect the royal family."

Chen Chu took a step forward and made a solemn promise. You want to assign me a position, fine, arrange it as you please. But my talent is unparalleled; I can break through to Titled Douluo in a few years. See for yourself, what could be more important than my breakthrough to Titled Douluo?

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xue Ye's hand paused over the memorial document. He looked up at Chen Chu, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

Five years to reach Titled Douluo? The entire Heaven Dou Empire, no, the entire Douluo Continent, not even Tang Hao back then would dare to say such a thing.

But seeing the certainty and confidence in Chen Chu's eyes, and considering his current age and rank, he couldn't dismiss the words as mere youthful boasting.

"Titled Douluo in five years?" Emperor Xue Ye stood up, leaning slightly forward. "Do you know the weight of those words?"

"Your subject understands," Chen Chu bowed, his tone unwavering. "If I do not reach the Titled Douluo realm within five years, I will willingly leave Heaven Dou and never set foot in the country again."

The Imperial Study fell silent for a moment. Emperor Xue Ye stared at him for a long time before suddenly smiling, not a hearty laugh, but a smile tinged with relief. "That won't be necessary. As long as you can break through to Titled Douluo, I will reward you handsomely. Even becoming a King is not out of the question."

"This time, I will believe you. Since you desire cultivation time, I will not assign you any cumbersome positions."

He raised his hand and said to the steward, "Go fetch the seal of the General of the Town Army."

The steward responded and withdrew. A moment later, he returned holding a gilded seal box. Emperor Xue Ye opened the box, revealing a large alloy seal engraved with the characters "Town Army", its edges bearing the marks of past campaigns.

"This seal of the General of the Town Army, regardless of daily military affairs, will only grant command of the Capital's Defense," Xue Ye pushed the seal box towards Chen Chu. "You do not need to go to the military camp daily. Just visit once a month to understand the defenses. For the rest of the time, you can cultivate wherever you wish. You may also freely consult the Soul Master texts in the Imperial Palace's library."

Chen Chu looked at the seal box, then at the seal – Command of the Capital's Defense. This was military power directly under the Emperor's command, a position only entrusted to those the Emperor trusted most. This is Xue Ye's attempt to lure a talented horse with a thousand gold.

This was even better than he had anticipated. With this authority, he could legitimately access the troops of the Capital Garrison, which would be convenient for dealing with a palace coup in the future.

"Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your grace," Chen Chu picked up the seal box, bowed, and said, "Your subject will not fail Your Majesty's trust. Within five years, I will surely become a Titled Douluo and protect Heaven Dou's stability."

"I await that day," Xue Ye waved his hand, his face showing fatigue again. "You may go now. I still have these memorials to attend to."

Chen Chu bowed again and then slowly withdrew.

The military and administrative power of the capital region, this is the authority to directly command the Imperial Guards. If I recall correctly, this originally belonged to Xue Qinghe, which was secretly controlled by Qian Renxue. Now that it's given to me, is Xue Ye starting to guard against his own son?

Then I'll be directly confronting Qian Renxue from now on. But I don't mind. With military power, I can legitimately develop the Holy Spirit Papacy. What need is there for money or resources when the army can provide them so much faster?

Meanwhile, in the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, a small eunuch stealthily slipped in.

"Reporting to Your Highness, His Majesty summoned Earl Chen Chu to the Imperial Study late tonight and bestowed upon him the seal of the General of the Town Army, granting him command of the military and administrative power of the capital region."

The little eunuch's demeanor was fawning. Clearly, he was Qian Renxue's spy placed near Xue Ye. This was not the first time he had done something like this.

Qian Renxue sat on the Rosewood Chair in the Eastern Palace, listlessly listening to the news brought by the little eunuch. When she heard the words "military and administrative power of the capital region," her eyes suddenly turned cold.

She was still wearing the Moon-white Brocade Robe commonly worn by the Crown Prince, her long hair tied up. The gentleness in her brows was replaced by a trace of ferocity, making her a completely different person from the mild-mannered Crown Prince she usually appeared to be.

"I understand," she said in a low voice, devoid of emotion. "You may go."

The little eunuch quickly bowed and tiptoed out. Qian Renxue was left alone in the room. She raised her hand and removed the jade crown from her head, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, revealing a hint of feminine grace. However, the coldness in her eyes intensified.

"Has Xue Ye become senile?" she growled, disbelief etched on her face. "He gives the most crucial military power of the capital to an outsider, yet refuses to give it to me, his 'son'?"

She walked to the window and looked out at the night. The troops of the Capital Garrison were the most crucial part of her plan. As long as she controlled the Capital Troops, once Xue Ye succumbed to the poison and died, she could immediately seize control of Heaven Dou City and ascend the throne as quickly as possible.

As always, please keep reading. The number of new collections hasn't increased much these past few days, but it's the old readers who are supporting me, which moves me greatly. Keep reading, and I'll continue to write diligently. If you have any suggestions or ideas, please leave plenty of comments.

With extra updates for National Day, the word count per chapter will increase. Thank you all for your continued support!!