The young cultivators returning from the Northern Frontier were met with a warm reception from many of the citizens of the Divine Capital. At the city gates, a crowd of people had gathered, eagerly awaiting their arrival.
These young cultivators, whose moods had been somewhat low, felt their spirits lift at this sight. Sitting atop their horses, their postures straightened unconsciously, as if the gloom from before had been swept away.
Oftentimes, something like honor can bring more comfort than tangible rewards, and it often stired certain emotions and aspirations in people.
The fervent gazes of the ordinary citizens were something they might not have cared about on any other day, but at this moment, those gazes made them feel a sense of comfort, pride, and self-satisfaction.
The civilian's eyes swept repeatedly over the young cultivators entering the city. But soon, disappointment set in because no one had spotted the figure they most wanted to see.
"Where's Commander Chen?"
"Where is he? Can he come out and say a few words?"
Someone in the crowd called out loudly, looking toward the procession. "We all want to see Commander Chen!"
As that man shouted, others quickly joined in, echoing his words, "Yes, yes, where's Commander Chen? Come out and say a few words!"
A bold woman chimed in, "We want to see Commander Chen!"
In an instant, the city gate area became a frenzy. The young cultivators' expressions turned somewhat awkward, with many feeling a twinge of envy, though most of them were more inclined toward disdain.
Emotions were always complex.
Although Chen Chao's reputation in the Divine Capital was not particularly good among cultivators and prominent figures, it was a different story with the common people. Among the civilians, the young commander who had won first place at the Myriad Willow Convention and later made quite a name for himself was actually well-regarded. Rumors about him had already spread far and wide, and many of the citizens secretly hoped that this young martial artist would one day become the future Lord Warden Commander of the Great Liang.
As the crowd grew more excited, some had already stepped onto the streets, blocking the group's advance. The young cultivators at the front were somewhat displeased, but since they were in the Divine Capital, no matter how extraordinary their backgrounds, they did not dare to do anything.
After all, His Majesty resided in the Divine Capital, watching over it. Stirring up any trouble here could lead to serious consequences.
Wei Xu stopped his carriage, glanced at the growing number of gathered civilians, and remained calm. In the eyes of cultivators like him, the opinions of commoners were often insignificant, but when the numbers became overwhelming, even Wei Xu understood that the situation might not be so simple.
One must remember that Emperor Taizong of this dynasty once said, “Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.”
Wei Xu turned to look toward the last carriage in the procession but did not see the figure he was expecting.
Neither Chen Chao nor Xie Nandu had shown themselves.
Yet, the group was now completely blocked.
……
……
Not far away, on the upper floor of a restaurant, a crowd had already gathered, making this an excellent spot to observe the scene.
Inside a private room, two men were currently quietly watching this scene unfold.
"Was this organized spontaneously? Either way, I don't quite believe it," one of the men in black said with a smile. "That rumor just came out, and now this is happening. His Majesty's methods are truly brilliant."
The other man, a frail-looking middle-aged man, appeared much calmer. He just said calmly, "His Majesty's methods are far more sophisticated than you think. Those fools believe His Majesty only knows how to kill, but if all he knows is how to kill people, how could he have held onto this empire?"
"From the Myriad Willow Convention to the subsequent granting of the right to bear arms, each promotion, even sending out that Thousand Year Glacial Stone, His Majesty has done so much, and that young martial artist has returned the favor in kind too. It really looks like the two of them, uncle and nephew, are already of one mind and heart."
The man in black sneered, "But this is an empire, it's the throne. Can it really be accepted that easily?"
The other man replied, "That's why everyone's betting. But it's difficult to say who will win."
The man in black nodded and said softly, "There are so many with the surname Chen, but there's only one throne. What a mess."
With that, he stood up and left, leaving the other man behind.
The man continued to watch the street, lost in thought.
……
……
Chen Chao still had not appeared in the procession. But soon, constables from the Left Guard's office arrived. The leading officer shouted, "Commander Chen is injured and cannot meet with you right now. Please disperse!"
As soon as the constables from the Left Guard arrived, they quickly began dispersing the gathered civilians.
The civilians were rather disappointed that they had not seen Chen Chao. But they still quickly made way and allowed the procession to continue.
But in reality, the carriage was empty, with no one inside.
……
……
Chen Chao and Xie Nandu had long since left the group, quietly entering the city.
At this moment, the two of them were standing by a small street stall, browsing through the little clay figurines the vendor was selling.
Xie Nandu glanced toward the commotion in the distance and asked curiously, "You don't want to bask in the limelight?"
Chen Chao frowned and replied, "All that grandstanding makes me sick. Look at this clay figurine, isn't it quite good?"
As he spoke, Chen Chao kept his focus on selecting the figurines, clearly uninterested in the events taking place elsewhere.
Xie Nandu frowned slightly and asked, "Could this be one of His Majesty's methods?"
Chen Chao picked up a clary figurine, examined it, then put it down before replying, "You should know better than I do. His Majesty's methods wouldn't be this shallow. If anyone really thinks that, they're not too bright... You definitely wouldn't think that, you're just testing me, right?" "This clay figurine doesn't look good. It'd be better to make a new one."
Chen Chao looked at the stall owner and asked, "Can you make one on the spot? Money isn't an issue."
The clay figurine vendor smiled warmly at Chen Chao and nodded, "Of course. What would you like? I rely on this to make a living, I guarantee it'll be lifelike."
Chen Chao pointed at Xie Nandu and asked, "Can you make one that looks like her?"
The vendor glanced at Xie Nandu, then remarked, "This young lady is truly beautiful. Is she your wife? Not to flatter you, but you're very fortunate. I bet even Her Majesty the Empress isn't as beautiful as this miss, right?"
Chen Chao said helplessly, "What's the use of being pretty? It can't be eaten. And no matter what you say, I'm not paying extra."
The vendor chuckled as he pulled out a piece of yellow clay, looking at Xie Nandu as he spoke, "That's not the right way to think. No matter what, beauty is pleasing to the eyes, isn't it? Besides, one look at this young lady, and it's clear she's not an ordinary person. To have her as your wife, you must have accumulated blessings in your past life."
As the vendor spoke, he began shaping the clay figurine based on Xie Nandu's appearance. His hands were skillful, and before long, the figurine started to take shape, bearing a remarkable resemblance to Xie Nandu.
Chen Chao nodded, "What you said is true. It's definitely pleasing to the eye."
Xie Nandu remained silent the whole time, uninterested in what Chen Chao was saying and without any inclination to refute him.
The vendor smiled and said, "This young lady is truly remarkable. She'd make a fine empress, but alas, there can only be one empress in this world, so it's difficult."
As he spoke, he lifted the clay figurine in his hand, having already shaped it to resemble Xie Nandu perfectly, though it lacked a certain lifelikeness.
He set the clay figurine aside and smiled, "It'll be ready soon. Once it dries, I can apply some color."
Chen Chao frowned slightly, dissatisfied, "Your craftsmanship seems a bit lacking. It has the form but lacks the spirit."
The vendor frowned as well and retorted, "Don't speak carelessly, customer. I've been practicing my craft for many years. How could my work lack spirit?"
Chen Chao chuckled, "Don't take it seriously. I was just speaking casually. I can tell your skill is solid. You must've been doing this for quite a number of years."
"That’s right, I started making clay figurines long before the current Emperor ascended the throne. It's hard to say exactly how many years, but it's been at least twenty years. To be honest, I've even met His Majesty, Emperor Lingzong, in person."
As the vendor continued picking out the colors, he added, "But Emperor Lingzong was quite foolish."
Chen Chao asked, "Why do you say that?"
The vendor said, "In matters of succession, once a decision has been made, why hesitate? Anything with hidden dangers should be resolved early, or else all these later troubles wouldn't have happened."
Chen Chao responded, "But they're bound by blood in the end. Resorting to killing at every turn might not be the best approach."
The vendor smiled and said, "When it comes to imperial succession, bloodline means nothing. Surely you understand the saying 'there are no familial ties in the imperial family,' right?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Nandu furrowed her brows slightly.
Chen Chao, on the other hand, did not have any reaction. He just smiled and said, "Not everyone thinks that way. Throughout history, not all emperors have been lonely rulers. Besides, I think the current Emperor is very good. After all, he ventured to the desolate north alone, that's one of a kind."
The vendor was taken aback, then sighed and said, "It may have been unique before, but perhaps not in the future. Even though this Emperor commands great respect now, not everyone accepts him. After all, he didn't ascend the throne legitimately!"
As he spoke, the vendor had already begun to paint the clay figurine. In no time, it was complete, bearing a 70% to 80% resemblance to Xie Nandu, though it still lacked the spark of life.
When the vendor handed the figurine to Chen Chao, he did not reach out to take it but smiled and said, "This figurine doesn't look nice, can I refuse it?"
The vendor nodded, "Business is business, after all. There's no such thing as forcing a sale. But while you can refuse the figurine, perhaps Your Highness should ask this young lady in front of you whether she wants to become empress or not."
The term "Your Highness" made it clear that this vendor was indeed no ordinary street vendor.
Chen Chao sighed, "You people came again, it's really troublesome."
The vendor looked at Chen Chao and laughed, "What else can we do? Your Highness is the only candidate. If we don't come to you, who else would we seek?"
Chen Chao shook his head, "But I really don't want to meet any of you."
The vendor was indifferent and simply replied, "But Your Highness must understand, the blade is now in someone else's hand. If you don't do something, there's no guarantee you'll be able to protect your life."
Chen Chao was silent.
The vendor smiled without saying anything.
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