"His Majesty has seven sons in all. Of them, three possess supreme talent in the martial path: the First Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince."
"The First Prince has already been named Crown Prince. The Second Prince is honing himself in the border army, while the Third Prince cultivates in the capital. Now that His Majesty has reached his twilight years, the time has come for the throne to change hands."
"At such a time, many veteran ministers of the court support the Crown Prince, believing that he is the rightful heir and should inherit the realm."
"Yet the Third Prince is exceptionally gifted, favored by His Majesty, and possesses profound cultivation. Accomplished in both letters and martial arts, he enjoys considerable support among the younger faction. By now, everyone under heaven can see that he, too, has set his sights on the throne."
"When all is said and done, the throne belongs to the capable. Whether the Crown Prince ascends, the Third Prince ascends, or the Second Prince far away in the border army ascends depends entirely on the strength of their respective forces, their cultivation, and the means at their disposal."
"Thus, though the Third Prince is not the Crown Prince, his ambitions remain great. He has always been gathering strength and plotting for the throne."
In the main hall, Sun Qing looked at Li Wusheng and Zhao Lie before him, smiling as he explained at length:
"The key to whether one is qualified to seize the throne lies in the trading rights for cultivation resources."
"All trade in cultivation resources at the prefectural, provincial-capital, and capital levels is naturally held tightly in the court's grasp. No one may lay a finger on it."
"Even if the Third Prince seeks the throne, he cannot touch the