Cannot Peek! Cannot Gaze Directly!

"Heh... Xiao Zhengde?"

However, before Emperor Wu of Liang could open his mouth to agree.

From among the hundred officials, a man stepped out, letting out a series of cold sneers.

Zhu Yuanzhang, standing behind the monk Huineng, glanced at the placard above the man's head.

[Attendant Gentleman Fu Qi]

As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang thought of his mission objective [Leave Taicheng before the first day of the eleventh lunar month], he couldn't help but take a few extra looks at this man.

In history, during the Taiqing Rebellion, Fu Qi was one of the few high-ranking officials of Southern Liang who successfully led his troops to break through the siege and live out his remaining years in peace.

If Zhu Yuanzhang were an official, he would probably raise both hands to support Fu Qi's decision.

And write a blood-stained petition to inform Emperor Wu of Liang.

After all...

"This Xiao Zhengde is truly unreliable!"

"He has long since colluded with Hou Jing! He will voluntarily open the Vermilion Bird Gate to let Hou Jing's army into the capital!"

But...

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed in his heart.

With a flicker of thought.

He opened his character panel.

[Name: Zhu Yuanzhang (Minghe Monk)]

[Occupation: Investigator, Tongtai Temple Monk (Fake)]

[Status: Plagued by Misfortune, Certain Death]

[Skills: Great Wisdom Zen Technique (First Layer Perfection), Mountain-Shrinking Fist (First Layer), True Technique of Fixed Light Enchantment (First Layer)]

[Equipment: None]

[Note: Green Silk White Horse Comes to Shouyang!]

This time, the (Fake) label behind the techniques in his skill bar had disappeared.

This meant one thing: his cultivation was effective within this secret history.

But there was not much joy in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.

Because his status bar was flashing with a condition even more outrageous than the [Person Near Death] he had at Imperial Awakening Temple.

[Certain Death]

"Nice."

The corners of Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth twitched.

Is this dungeon really this hellish?

So, I'm destined to die no matter what.

"Has Your Majesty forgotten how, in the sixth year of Putong, this son Xiao Zhengde betrayed the country and fled to defect to the Northern Barbarians?"

Fu Qi sneered as he glanced at the monk Fahui standing in front of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Fahui, however, seemed completely unwilling to acknowledge Fu Qi; he fingered his prayer beads, his gaze fixed calmly on Emperor Wu of Liang upon the throne, clearly confident in his position.

"This..."

A look of hesitation appeared on the face of Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan.

Xiao Zhengde was the third son of Xiao Hong, Prince Jinghui of Linchuan, who was the sixth younger brother of Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan—making him Xiao Yan's own nephew.

Initially, because Xiao Yan had no sons, he adopted Xiao Zhengde and named him Crown Prince.

Later, after Xiao Yan and Noble Consort Ding gave birth to Xiao Tong, Xiao Zhengde was returned to his original lineage.

Not only did he lose his position as Crown Prince, but he was also sent back to Xiao Hong's clan by Xiao Yan.

In a fit of rage, Xiao Zhengde defected to Northern Wei, but because he was not treated well, he fled back to Southern Liang the following year.

To demonstrate the depth of his Buddhist teachings and his compassionate heart, Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, not only did not blame Xiao Zhengde for his betrayal but also promoted him, granting him the titles of General Xinwu and Prefect of Wu Commandery. The following year, he was summoned to court, appointed as Attendant Gentleman and General Who Soothes the Army, assigned administrative staff, enfeoffed as Prince of Linhe with a fief of two thousand households, and further appointed as General of the Left Guard.

On the throne, Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, stood up, lifted the bamboo curtain, looked at Fu Qi, and after a moment of silence, asked.

"If we do not send Xiao Zhengde, whom does the Attendant Gentleman believe can lead the troops to resist Hou Jing?"

"The Secretary Yang Kan would suffice!"

"..."

Silence again.

A long, lingering silence.

Zhu Yuanzhang observed the situation within the palace with caution.

The civil and military officials in the Jiankang Palace were clearly divided into three factions.

One faction, led by Fu Qi, strongly opposed Emperor Wu of Liang's proposal to appoint Xiao Zhengde as a general.

The other faction, led by the monk Fahui, consisted of officials who had clearly been bought off by Xiao Zhengde long ago.

The final faction had remained silent all along, neither supporting nor opposing Xiao Zhengde's appointment, only speaking up abruptly after Fu Qi proposed that Yang Kan lead the army on the expedition.

"Your subjects support the appointment of Xiao Zhengde as general! Let him march out to annihilate the rebel army of Hou Jing!"

[Right Guard Commander of the Crown Prince, Zhu Yi]

He looked at the tag floating above the speaker's head.

Crown Prince's faction.

Zhu Yuanzhang thought to himself.

These words seemed to help Emperor Wu of Liang make up his mind.

A dragon's roar, aged and imbued with the rhythm of Zen, drifted from behind the bamboo screen.

"What capability does that brat Hou Jing possess?"

"I shall strike him down as easily as snapping a twig!"

Emperor Wu of Liang stepped fully out from behind the beaded curtain.

Swish.

The entire hall of officials knelt to the ground, their foreheads pressed against the cold jade steps.

None dared to steal a glance at the Imperial countenance.

Zhu Yuanzhang knelt along with the crowd.

Even the monk Fahui wore a solemn expression at this moment, his sleeves, embroidered with pearls, tightly covering his cheeks as if he were hiding from something.

Sheltered by Fahui's bloated frame, Zhu Yuanzhang carefully raised his head.

I have a cheat, what is there to fear?

At worst, I'll just start over!

He narrowed his eyes, attempting to see the face of this tragic emperor clearly.

This was the first time Zhu Yuanzhang had come into such close contact with the true core of power in this world.

Let me see, who exactly is it that sits upon the throne of this world—

Zhu Yuanzhang saw the face of a middle-aged man, carved as if by knife and axe, carrying both the essence of Zen and the domineering aura of an emperor.

His eyes stung, and the world turned the color of blood.

[You have died]

Scarlet text unfolded before his eyes.

The options [Restart] and [Exit Secret History] appeared before him.

One cannot look directly at him...

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression was thoughtful as he waited for the load.

No wonder even the favored monk Fahui did not dare to meet Emperor Wu of Liang's gaze.

He recalled the Emperor of Zhao Song from the cutscene in the first act at Imperial Awakening Temple.

No matter from which angle he looked, the Emperor of Zhao Song always faced him directly.

No matter how he observed, the face of the Emperor of Zhao Song remained forever blurred.

He had previously assumed this was a suspenseful effect intentionally created by the system.

Now, it seemed there was a different underlying reason.

But another question arose.

Why was he unable to see the face of the Emperor of Zhao Song in the cutscene, yet he could see the face of Emperor Wu of Liang?

National destiny? Mandate of Heaven? The flow of fate?

That didn't seem right. During the time of Emperor Lizong of Song, the Mongols first destroyed Western Xia, then took the Jin Kingdom. The following year, Ogedei used the Song Kingdom's breach of alliance as a pretext to launch a full-scale invasion.

The Song army suffered defeat after defeat, losing nearly all of Henan; Kaifeng and Luoyang, which had just been recovered from the Jin, had all fallen into the hands of the Mongols.

The situation was likely no better than that of the Southern Liang court.

What could be the reason then... Forget it, no use thinking about it, let's start over!

In the darkness, a point of silver light suddenly appeared.

[Jiankang Palace]

Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his head deeply.

Just consider it a temporary concession.

"That brat Hou Jing, what is he capable of?"

"I shall strike him down with a mere switch!"

"Appoint Prince of Linhe Xiao Zhengde as General Who Pacifies the North, Commander of Capital Military Affairs, to lead thirty thousand elite troops and one hundred warships to garrison Danyang and defend against Hou Jing."

As the voice of Emperor Wu of Liang fell, cries of "Long live!" erupted instantly throughout the imperial court.

"Hou Jing's Xianbei defectors number no more than eight thousand; with the Prince of Linhe taking the field, Hou Jing shall surely never return."

The voice of the monk Fahui drifted from beside him.

When Zhu Yuanzhang looked up again, the figure of Emperor Wu of Liang had already vanished once more behind the bamboo screen.

"Court dismissed!"

The eunuch's voice echoed eerily as the officials of Southern Liang filed out in a line.

As they parted, Zhu Yuanzhang saw Zhu Yi cast a deep, lingering look at the monk Fahui.

Fu Qi, meanwhile, did not even bother to glance at the demonic monk as he passed by.

Clearly, he was deeply dissatisfied with Fahui's proposal to appoint Xiao Zhengde as general.

With a cold snort, he flicked his sleeves in indignation and strode out.

"Minghe."

While walking back on the road to Tongtai Temple, Fahui suddenly called out Zhu Yuanzhang's name.

"This disciple is here."

"Seeing him today, I realize that the fortune of Xiao Yan has run dry."

"Ah?"

Zhu Yuanzhang stared, dumbfounded, at the demonic monk of Tongtai Temple who was looking at him with such solemnity.