"Reporting to Your Majesty, after receiving Your Majesty's secret decree, all the princes and princesses displayed their filial devotion, donating a total of one jin and over four liang of Origin Vital Blood. This exceeded the one jin of Origin Vital Blood requested by the Grand National Teacher by more than four liang, and is already sufficient."
Within East Arrival Pavilion in Luoyi, Grand Supervisor of the Inner Palace Yu Chaoen reported on the execution of the secret decree.
"How filial they were, this old servant does not know. However, among the many princes and princesses, even the least donated ten drops of Origin Vital Blood. Most of the princes and princesses donated between ten and twenty drops of Origin Vital Blood.
"The ones who donated the most were the First Prince, the Seventh Prince, and the Fourth Prince, with thirty-seven drops, thirty-five drops, and thirty drops respectively. The First Prince and Seventh Prince both donated Origin Vital Blood until they fainted on the spot. Only after this old servant confirmed that their lives were not in danger did I leave."
Yu Chaoen delivered his report in a meticulous, methodical manner. At the side, Grand National Teacher Yu Zhen laughed. "Your Majesty's many children are all so movingly filial. This is Your Majesty's good fortune."
"Good fortune?"
Benevolent Sovereign Ji Long smiled, yet there was not the slightest hint of mirth on his face.
"Does the Grand National Teacher still not understand? They likely learned that My days are numbered, which is why they fought so desperately, donating blood until they fainted!
"They are probably doing all this for the throne beneath Me. As for filial devotion, heaven knows how much of it there truly is."
Throughout history, emperors had always known that there was no family affection within the