While the outside world was either caught in stormy upheavals or surging undercurrents, the interiors of the Four Great Empires were also far from peaceful. For instance...
The Imperial Study of the Sun Moon Imperial Palace.
A bronze beast incense burner exhaled curls of green smoke, and nine gilded soul guide lamps dyed the entire room in a yellow halo. A slender finger tapped lightly on the armrest of a wheelchair; every single tap sounded like a heavy hammer striking the back of the kneeling military minister's neck.
At this moment, Xu Tianran sat upright behind the imperial desk. Although he wore casual robes, he had a crown on his head. The cold light refracted by the gems on the crown complemented his gloomy expression perfectly.
As the tapping stopped, that slender finger straightened out, and his hands tightly gripped the armrests of the wheelchair. His knuckles turned white from the force, revealing the extreme anger in his heart.
The military minister stood trembling in front of the desk. Although he was only a few steps away from Xu Tianran, it felt as if there was an insurmountable chasm between them. He kept his head slightly lowered, not daring to look the Emperor in the eyes. Fine beads of sweat covered his forehead, slowly sliding down his cheeks and soaking his collar. Although his posture was ramrod straight, against the backdrop of his slightly trembling body, it looked somewhat ridiculous.
"Tell me, why is it that even now, both the Tian Hun Empire battlefield and the Mingdou Mountain Range battlefield are still deadlocked?" Xu Tianran's voice was low and ice-cold, like the harsh north wind in winter, carrying a bone-chilling chill that echoed in the silent Imperial Study. Contained within it was an anger that was hard to suppress.
A sudden gale rose outside the hall, causing the carved window lattices to rattle. The curtains were blown up, momentarily blocking the light. In the interplay of light and shadow, half of Xu Tianran's face was hidden in the darkness, with purple light dancing in his eyes.
The military minister's body jerked violently, as if struck by a heavy hammer. He hastily took a small step forward, his voice carrying an obvious tremor as he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty... when the war first started, our Sun Moon Empire's army originally had a massive advantage. But for some unknown reason, symptoms of acclimatization issues kept appearing one after another."
"Many soldiers continuously vomited and had diarrhea, their bodies becoming extremely weak, and their combat effectiveness dropped drastically. That was what gave the Star Luo Empire and the Tian Hun Empire the opportunity to strike. Moreover, during the middle stages of the war, this situation repeatedly occurred several more times. After that, the battlefields of the two empires also received the support of top experts, so we..."
"Enough! Shut your mouth!" Xu Tianran suddenly roared, violently slamming the table. The ink, paper, and inkstones on the desk were affected by this outburst of rage, jumping up and letting out a crisp clattering sound.
His eyes widened, his gaze like a torch shining directly at the military minister, filled with anger. "I already knew about this! Do I still need you to repeat it here? Let's not mention the subsequent addition of top experts for now. What about the early stages!? What about the middle stages!? You actually dare tell me this is just acclimatization? Hmph—could mere acclimatization issues possibly affect Class 9 Soul Engineers?"
You think I'm unreasonable and can be easily fooled! This sentence was suppressed at the bottom of Xu Tianran's heart. And with this suppression, his pre-existing murderous intent was further stimulated.
The military minister's face was already as pale as paper. He opened his mouth, only to find his throat incredibly dry. He could only emit a few weak sounds, completely unable to form a coherent sentence.
Xu Tianran turned his wheelchair. The Shadow Douluo, Xue Chen, appeared behind him at some unknown point, pushing the wheelchair and moving it away from the imperial desk. The footsteps and the turning wheels... this seemingly ordinary movement felt like it was crushing down on the military minister's heart.
"When this news first came back, I had you investigate. Have you actually figured out anything!?"
The military minister remained silent, his brain frantically spinning as he tried to find an answer that would satisfy the Emperor. However, the cruel reality was that he simply had no useful results to present.
Silence spread at this moment, like an invisible giant net tightly enveloping him, leaving him breathless.
Time passed second by second. Xu Tianran's patience was completely exhausted. He was slowly pushed right in front of the military minister, looking at the man coldly at eye level, and said word by word: "Have you gone mute, or still can't find anything? Since you aren't mute, then tell me, what is the use of the Empire raising you bunch of trash?" His tone tended toward calmness, but his murderous intent soared.
The military minister's heart tightened, knowing his life was hanging by a thread. Forcing himself to calm down, he said, "Your Majesty! We have been investigating with all our might. Although there are no results yet, we have ruled out the vast majority of causes, leaving only a mere handful of possibilities."
Xu Tianran let out a cold snort. The murderous intent in his eyes did not fade, but it was increasingly replaced by a profound indifference. "A mere handful? Then eliminate them one by one!"
"Start investigating everything from internal causes first!"
The military minister's face showed a look of difficulty. He hesitated for a moment before finally gritting his teeth and bracing himself to say, "Your Majesty... some internal factors are truly difficult to eliminate. Take the rations, for instance..."
"Then change the rations!" Knowing what he was going to say, Xu Tianran interrupted him without the slightest hesitation. His tone was decisive, leaving no room for negotiation. "If there is a problem with the food, use military supplies to trade with the commoners. One catty for one catty. I don't care what happens in the middle; I only want the front lines to be stable and to secure victory! If there are any mistakes, you lot can come see me with your heads on platters!"
For the sake of victory, what did it matter if the commoners suffered a little?
Hearing this, the military minister cried out inwardly. He knew deeply that exchanging rations was fraught with difficulties and involved many complex links. No matter how strictly it was managed, once this was done, situations where one catty of military grain was traded for two catties—or even more—would inevitably arise, with middlemen lining their pockets... Once this precedent was set, a slight mishap would absolutely trigger massive problems. When that time came, who would bear the responsibility? Him? Or could it be the Emperor?
But at this moment, he dared not show the slightest disobedience. He could only lower his head and agree, "Your subjects will definitely do our utmost to ensure the front lines remain stable."
Xu Tianran looked coldly at the military minister. "Remember, I am giving you a chance to solve this."
"If you fail... don't blame me for being merciless!"
"Go!"
The military minister suddenly felt as if he had been granted amnesty. He hurriedly bowed, then backed out of the Imperial Study. It wasn't until he was far away from the door that he let out a long breath of relief; his back was already soaked with sweat.
Inside the Imperial Study, Xu Tianran watched the retreating figure of the military minister, a trace of resolve flashing in his eyes. He was, of course, well aware that actions like exchanging rations would bring many hidden dangers, and might even stir up quite a bit of chaos within the Empire.
But so what?
As long as it ensured the strength of the army, nothing else mattered.
If they dared to riot? He would just suppress it!
In his heart, victory on the front lines surpassed everything else.
'To realize the Empire's hegemony, I will pay any price! Those who dare to obstruct the Empire will be crushed!' Xu Tianran murmured inwardly, a ruthless glint in his eyes.
Right at this moment, "Your Majesty." The Shadow Douluo, Xue Chen, suddenly leaned close to Xu Tianran's ear and whispered, "Today, the Empress met with the Prince of Tianhe once again."
With just this one sentence, Xu Tianran's heroic ambitions faded away.
Before Xu Tianran could speak, Xue Chen continued, "This is already the seventh time."
"The seventh time..." Xu Tianran muttered, his expression returning to normal. "How is the progress?"
Glancing at the face of this Emperor, Xue Chen immediately looked away. "I did not enter the room, as usual. However, I heard the Empress and the Prince of Tianhe laughing and chatting together. Their relationship should be progressing by leaps and bounds."
Asking an old virgin who had never been in a relationship to analyze the dynamic between a man and a woman—especially between an Empress and a Prince... one could only say it was truly too difficult for the Shadow Douluo, Xue Chen.
At this moment, Xu Tianran's expression became highly volatile. Although he and Meng Hongchen had no emotional foundation, and they were husband and wife in name only without any actual marital relations—even the fact that Meng Hongchen went to contact Xu Tianhe was something he had ordered so she could complete the surrogate task—right now, he just felt like his own royal brother had slapped a green hat onto his head.
And it was fastened tight, unable to be taken off.
As Xu Tianran fell silent, Xue Chen didn't say a word. It seemed that after Xu Tianran had mostly calmed his emotions, he spoke to Xue Chen: "Since their relationship has developed enough, it's time to start preparing. If this matter is delayed any further, the controversies in the imperial court won't be stoppable anymore."
As an Emperor, one of his paramount duties was to have an heir. Now, the Empress, Meng Hongchen, still showed no signs of pregnancy, which had already sparked widespread discussion among many court officials. If it weren't for wartime, this matter couldn't have been suppressed long ago. But even now, there were already quite a few voices urging Xu Tianran to take a concubine.
But how could he take a concubine?! Once he took a concubine, the flaws in the facade would only grow larger. Walls have ears. If the news that he didn't consummate the marriage got out... heh, there was no shortage of smart people in this world. By that time, the "guesses" that Xu Tianran's "thing" was completely useless would probably be flying all over the place.
This was something he absolutely could not accept. If this "guess" were just a rumor, it might be fine, but this was the truth!
"Go, have the Empress come see me." Xu Tianran had long since returned to his normal color, showing no joy or anger.
"Yes." The Shadow Douluo Xue Chen acknowledged the order, turned, and vanished from the Imperial Study. Under the lamplight, only Xu Tianran was left, slowly moving to the window.
Click—
The window was shut.
...
In the Sun Moon Imperial Palace, the luxury of the inner court was fully displayed under the afternoon sun. Pavilions, terraces, and towers were scattered with artistic precision; although the flowers were in full bloom, they couldn't hide the faint hint of eeriness within the deep courtyards. The Shadow Douluo, Xue Chen, was like a wisp of a dark shadow, silently shuttling through the winding corridors. A pair of eyes flickered with a cold light.
Xue Chen's footsteps were light yet steady. The maids and eunuchs passing by all subconsciously lowered their heads, not even daring to breathe loudly. This Shadow Douluo had always been enigmatic within the palace; he was the person the Emperor trusted the most, ruthless in his methods, and his whereabouts were unpredictable.
Before long, Xue Chen arrived at the Empress Meng Hongchen's sleeping quarters. The main doors were closed. The guards at the door saw Xue Chen, slightly bowed in salute, but didn't ask any questions aloud. Xue Chen walked straight forward and knocked lightly on the door. Though his voice was soft, it carried an unmistakable tone of refusal. "Your servant is here by imperial decree."
A moment later, a maid's face showed a look of reverence as she opened the door and invited him in. Upon entering, he saw Meng Hongchen sitting on a soft couch in the inner hall, holding a scroll in her hand, her demeanor regal and poised.
Meng Hongchen slightly raised her eyes, her gaze as calm as water, yet it highlighted the noble aura of an Empress. "I wonder what His Majesty needs?"
Xue Chen didn't explain, merely dropping to one knee and saying in a low voice, "Empress, His Majesty awaits you in the Imperial Study."
Meng Hongchen gently set down the scroll and stood up, adjusting her magnificent palace robes. Every movement she made was extremely elegant, yet she no longer possessed her former lively cleverness. "Understood, let's go." Faced with such an answer, Meng Hongchen didn't say anything else, merely stepping out the door. Xue Chen, after rising, followed silently behind her.
Along the way, neither spoke. Before long, they arrived at the Imperial Study. Inside, Xu Tianran was sitting behind the desk, reading a memorial in his hands. Hearing the footsteps, he looked up. Seeing Meng Hongchen, a warm smile appeared on his face, giving off a feeling like a spring breeze. "Empress, you're here."
However... Hypocritical! This was the first thought that arose in Meng Hongchen's mind. She kept her composure, moving with lotus-like steps to the front of the desk, and gave a slight bow: "Your Majesty, for what reason have you summoned me?"
Xu Tianran turned his wheelchair, which Xue Chen promptly took over, maneuvering him around the desk to stand in front of Meng Hongchen, looking her up and down. Beyond his smile lay a trace of scrutiny: "Has the Empress been well lately? I have been so busy with state affairs that I've neglected my care for you."
Meng Hongchen lowered her head slightly and said softly, "Your Majesty worries for the world. I am perfectly fine and dare not trouble you with concern for me."
Xu Tianran chuckled lightly, reached out to pick up the teacup on the desk, and took a gentle sip. "I recently thought of my Fifth Royal Brother, Xu Tianhe. Previously, I had the Empress spend more time with this Royal Brother of mine. It has been seven times now; what does the Empress think of him?"
Hearing this, Meng Hongchen's heart skipped a beat. Though she had vaguely sensed something was wrong, her face remained calm: "The Prince is gentle, modest, and polite. We get along quite well."
Xu Tianran nodded, his gaze landing on Meng Hongchen's face with a half-smile. "Mm, it seems my Royal Brother is indeed quite good." As soon as the words fell, he suddenly shot a glance at Xue Chen. After Xue Chen gave a confirming nod, Xu Tianran changed the subject: "Empress, I summoned you today because there is a matter I wish to speak to you honestly about."
Meng Hongchen frowned slightly and replied softly, "Please speak, Your Majesty."
Xu Tianran took a deep breath and slowly said, "Does the Empress know that back then, I suffered an accident? That accident not only crippled my legs but also caused me to lose my abilities as a man." After finishing, an unprecedented fury erupted from Xu Tianran! This anger could be said to be half-real, half-fake. Perhaps there was even more truth to it. After all, tearing open this kind of scar by himself... it hurt a lot!
Meng Hongchen's face instantly showed surprise, which then turned to worry, followed by an expression of panic. She hastily knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, this is a grave matter. Is there perhaps a way to treat it? I am willing to share your burdens and worries." Her actions were carried out without the slightest hesitation.
Xu Tianran carefully observed Meng Hongchen's expression. Seeing that she didn't reveal the slightest bit of disdain, the murderous intent in his heart eased a fraction. In his view, Meng Hongchen's worry and panic were entirely because if the Emperor couldn't produce an heir... what would happen to the Emperor was unknown, but the Empress, Meng Hongchen, would undoubtedly be in an extremely precarious position.
Xu Tianran nodded in satisfaction, a hard-to-detect hint of satisfaction appearing on his face as he slowly said, "The Empress need not worry too much. I have a plan today that might solve this dilemma."
"Raise your head and look at me."
And the instant Meng Hongchen raised her head, Xu Tianran's eyes moved right up to her face, and he said, word by word:
"I want you to... borrow seed from my Fifth Royal Brother."
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