Volume One: Intrigue and Deception in the Imperial Capital - At the Imperial Palace
As I escaped the river harbor, I was finally free from the tainted air and could see the night sky... No, it was already early morning, well past five o'clock, and the sky was just beginning to lighten. Si Nan Yuan had told me about today's schedule: get up around five, brush your teeth, wash up, eat breakfast, then go to the palace for a social event around six, followed by the semi-finals and finals...
Speaking of which, Si Nan Ying has also made it to the semifinals. The current top four are me, Haoyue, Si Nan Ying, and Nicole Cleon. Haoyue and I are going to be late, which means it'll be Si Nan Ying versus Nicole... Her opponent is incredibly fierce, can this girl handle it?
Putting all that aside, now that two of the top four are missing, the Si Nan Family and Tartaglia Family must be frantic with worry. Everyone in Nan Yuan must be frantically searching for me... Si Nan Ying will be yelling at Xiao Ye for being such a fool, Si Nan Yuan will be running around in circles, and there's Rui Xin, and Elder Hong...
I'm so sorry everyone, my impulsiveness has caused you so much trouble. I apologize.
But an apology is one thing, there's no going back on my word.
I have my own goals and my own path to follow. The Si Nan Family can't give me what I truly want, so I choose to leave them, and leave the people who care about me and look after me, led by Si Nan Ying.
This is indeed a bit heartless, a bit cold-blooded, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it absurd—but even the warmest shackles are still shackles, and staying comfortably in the nest will only lead to decay.
More than a "stable and comfortable life," I need to "move forward" now.
Even now, I am facing death head-on.
As Haoyue said:
Why try to bring a bullet back onto the right track after it has already misfired?
On the bridge spanning the river in front of the harbor, I ran in the dim morning light, with a stunningly beautiful woman beside me and the terrifying Grim Reaper behind me.
I don't know if this will be my last memory.
Time has come to this point.
After that, the scene at the beginning of chapter 76 occurred.
The air was stained and twisted into a huge, sturdy metal box, sealing me and Haoyue inside.
After bouncing once on the ground, the metal box sank to the bottom of the Long Bridge Canal.
Since real power is in the hands of the Si Nan Family and Tartaglia Family, the palace is usually rather deserted, but today is different.
Emperor Si Nan Liang rose early in the morning, leaving his bed in the harem filled with the aroma of meat. He bathed with the finest spices, donned the most magnificent robes that were usually only worn during ancestral ceremonies, and while dressing, he silently recited what he Si Nan Zheng when he met him.
When the Tianyuan Kingdom was first established, it set forth a system in which the emperor and Prime Minister were selected from two powerful families. In theory, the chosen emperor should have power above everyone else—including the Patriarch —but as for the reality... well, everyone knows.
For a puppet to survive peacefully, the first thing it must do is to please its manipulator. Indeed, in the history of the Tianyuan Kingdom, there were several emperors who refused to be puppets of their families and wanted to establish their own dynasties; the results, well, let's just say they were unsuccessful.
Most importantly, Si Nan Liang had already been notified: not only Si Nan Zheng was coming today, but also another super Big Figure, an invincible powerhouse— Si Nan Changzheng!
Upon arriving at the palace hall, he found all the civil and military officials already waiting. Prime Minister Haiton Cleon was also there, which disappointed him somewhat—he could no longer use "lateness" as an excuse to tease Haiton.
"You're too late."
Upon seeing Si Nan Liang, Haiton frowned with a comical old face and said displeased.
"Oh? Is Brother Haiton criticizing me? Well, listening to the advice of one's subjects is one of the emperor's duties."
"You—! Tch, never mind... Just don't say the wrong thing when you see the Patriarch later, or neither of us will get away with it!"
"Yes, yes~ Do I need you to teach me?"
Si Nan Liang turned his head away as he spoke, no longer wanting to look at Haiton's miserable face, lest it affect his mood.
Just then, shouts came from outside.
"Master Si Nan of the Si Nan family has arrived!"
It's here!
Si Nan Liang quickly checked his clothes for any wrinkles, straightened his hat, and cleared his throat.
An extremely powerful probing force swept across the hall, lingering on Si Nan Liang and Haiton for a moment before withdrawing. In its place came an astonishing pressure, as vast and boundless as the ocean, leaving the weak nowhere to hide!
There's no mistake, this is it...
A group of people dressed in fine clothes entered the main hall, led by eunuchs. At the head of the group were two men: a square-faced, middle-aged man and a dignified old man with a flowing white beard.
Si Nan Liang immediately straightened his posture and slowly stepped forward. Now was the most crucial moment. As a puppet, he had to show sufficient respect while simultaneously upholding the dignity of the "emperor" identity. He had to strike the right balance...
"Welcome, welcome, from afar... um?"
Halfway through his sentence, Si Nan Liang suddenly sensed that something was amiss, especially the anxious expressions of an elderly man behind the Patriarch —he remembered his name was Si Nan Hong —and a young woman.
"These kids these days are really willful. I, Si Nan Changzheng, came to watch the game, and they didn't even give this old man any face," Si Nan Changzheng said with a wry smile.
"Ah..."
Si Nan Liang then realized that, logically, the Si Nan Family should have two remaining candidates: the second young lady, Si Nan Ying, and the recently emerged Liu Ye. But he only saw the second young lady; the other one was nowhere to be seen... What was going on?
"I'm so... so sorry! Liu Ye went missing a couple of days ago, and we still haven't been able to find him!" Elder Hong bowed deeply to Si Nan Changzheng, inwardly cursing Liu Ye a thousand times over—what's with disappearing at such a crucial moment! Whether you ran away on your own or were kidnapped, at least show your face!
"Ha! Could it be that she's scared and ran away as soon as possible?!"
An arrogant voice came from the palace gate. Everyone turned around and saw a group of people in suits walking in. It was the Cleon Family! The leader was Don Cleon, followed by his sons. Beside Don was an old woman in a formal dress. Although her hair was completely white, it was not hard to tell that she had been quite a beauty in her youth.
"How dare you! How dare you make such a racket in the palace?" Si Nan Liang roared. He was Si Nan Family and there was no need for him to be polite to the Cleon Family. Besides, this way he could also show off in front of the Patriarch.
"You, you actually—" Upon hearing this, Haiton couldn't sit still any longer and wanted to come over and argue with Si Nan Liang.
"What's wrong? Are you trying to protect them?"
"... Tsk!"
Haiton, with a pained expression, silently walked toward the important task assigned to the Cleon Family and stood behind Don.
"Long time no see, you've really come, Connie Cleon..."
Si Nan Changzheng walked towards the Cleon Family, exuding an intimidating aura. Everyone in the Cleon Family involuntarily took a step back.
"Long time no see, Brother Changzheng. My elder brother was truly in your care back then."
The old woman— Connie Cleon— was the only one who didn't back down. She sneered and stared directly at Si Nan Changzheng, looking at this old nemesis.
"Let's not talk about Victor's matter anymore. It was all the Cleon Family's own doing. You should also take care of yourself..." Si Nan Changzheng shook his head and stopped looking at her.