In this vast land, which was once divided into four territories, there were three superpower nations besides the Da Ao, and numerous vassal states, similar to Yunzhan, emerged under the influence of these powerful nations. However, due to resource issues, friction between nations was inevitable. Over time, these tensions escalated and thus, the first to spark conflict was the Da Ao, directly initiating a war.
Under the nation of Da Ao was a prince named Jiang Lianbi. He was a hero in the hearts of countless subjects of the Da Ao and an undisputed war god on the battlefield.
In every battle, Jiang Lianbi only needed to step onto the field, and even before the fighting began, half of the enemy forces would start to flee. In less than a decade, Da Ao managed to conquer two relatively weaker superpower nations, leaving only one extremely perilous enemy nation that narrowly escaped being conquered.
As for why this nation wasn’t defeated, it was because, on the eve when Jiang Lianbi was planning to pursue the victory, news arrived that the emperor was critically ill. The Emperor issued a decree on his deathbed, summoning Jiang Lianbi, who was at the frontlines, back to the imperial capital. After returning to the imperial city, Jiang Lianbi followed protocol and visited the ailing emperor. The emperor, in a moment of emotion, held a grand banquet in his honor, despite his frail condition.
Midway through the banquet, an assassin who claimed allegiance to the fallen nation suddenly appeared. Jiang Lianbi confronted the assassin alone and, in the end, valiantly protected the emperor at the cost of his life.
The Emperor of Da Ao, who was already critically ill, was overcome with grief for Jiang Lianbi. The next day, he fell seriously ill and, in order to show his imperial favor, he summoned Jiang Lianbi’s legitimate son, Jiang Jingyue, into the imperial palace. He declared him as a prince, fostering him as his own son. The proclamation was made to the entire nation, stating that everyone in the imperial palace would treat Jiang Jingyue with the same etiquette as one would do to a prince, resulting in the praise of the people of the Da Ao for this remarkable display of imperial benevolence.
However, the truth behind the situation was:
[Emperor Jiang Lianfeng initially faked his critical illness. However, after eliminating the internal threat of Jiang Lianbi, he felt relieved and indulged in excessive drinking. This led to alcohol poisoning and a stroke, which truly put him in a critical condition.]
[…] It's like killing a thousand of the enemy's army while losing eight hundred themselves.
[Then, the reason for bringing Jiang Jingyue into the palace was to use him as leverage, to threaten Jiang Lianbi’s highly skilled army known as the Swift Wind Corps, who were unbeatable in battle. If they dared to act rashly, Jiang Lianbi would be left with no successors.]
[…] And they called it fostering.
[Finally, the proclamation to the world was simply to boost public sentiment. Because the reputation of Prince Jiang Lianbi was much more favorable than that of Emperor Jiang Lianfeng. As for the days of Jiang Jingyue, the nephew whom the emperor dreaded and wished to eliminate, he had a life worse than a prince, even worse than someone like me who was confined to this small piece of land.]
[…] The imperial family, as expected, is full of schemes.
[So, Host, are you planning to rescue him from this predicament?]
Gu Weizhou’s expression turned indifferent, [Do I look like an honest person in this world?]
After three seconds of silence, […What do you mean?]
With a smirk, Gu Weizhou said, [Maybe one day, when I’ve had my fill of observing and my mood is good, I might just lend him a hand. Until then, he can quietly stay at the bottom of this pit.]
Once you tricked me, your master, this time you’d better obediently wait in this big pit. Let’s see how you fare without someone like me to shield you. You brat, you will surely experience the full extent of the misery imposed by this power-hungry palace.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
[…] 001, suddenly realized that the most absurd one was the person waiting to watch the show with popcorn in hand.
…
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“Young Master, it’s dawn. You need to get up, freshen up, and go to greet the Emperor.”
In the dim, pitch-black room, the young boy lying on the carved bed heard the soft call from outside and sleepily opened his eyes.
He Yue, having received her orders, entered the room. As she stepped in, the faint light from the candle holder she carried also spread in, casting flickering shadows.
She lit several candles in the room, and in an instant, the entire room was illuminated.
The room, enveloped in candlelight, was not lavishly furnished. Not only was it not lavish, but it was somewhat simple and shabby. Not to mention a prince’s chamber, even the sleeping quarters of the lowest-ranked attendants in the palace’s rear courtyard were likely more splendid than this.
Seeing He Yue nearby, Jiang Jingyue on the bed smiled at her, “Why is Aunt He Yue up so early today?”
“Today is the beginning of the month, and all the palace princes must follow the protocol to pay their respects to the emperor. Young Master, you’ve only been in the palace for a short while, so you can’t be late compared to the other princes. Otherwise, you’d be breaking the rules.”
As she spoke, He Yue retrieved a set of regular clothing from a nearby cabinet. However, considering the significance of the day, she put it down and instead selected a set of embroidered attire for him. Holding the clothes, she approached the bed and began helping him change.
“Young Master, remember to listen more and speak less later. You need to follow the etiquette to greet each prince. You mustn’t commit any taboos.”
“Didn’t Uncle Emperor say that Jingyue should also receive the treatment of a prince? Why does Jingyue have to pay such a grand tribute to the prince brothers?” Jiang Jingyue tilted his head on the bed, making it easier for He Yue to fasten his buttons.
Casting a slight glance around the desolate quarter, He Yue sighed softly and lifted her gaze to find the person across from her looking at her with an expression of complete puzzlement. Recalling the grace the young master’s mother had shown her, she couldn’t help but patiently explain, “Distinctions of rank are quite significant within the palace. Your status as a prince is sensitive, and to avoid gossip, it’s crucial to adhere to these protocols.”
“But Uncle Emperor…”
“Young Master, do you remember what the Queen said when she sent you to the palace?” He Yue interrupted directly.
‘Palace intrigues are dangerous; be cautious and discreet. You mustn’t act recklessly.’
The words from his mother not long ago were still vivid in his ears, but Jiang Jingyue still pouted unhappily. He didn’t want to kneel before those princes.
His father had once told him that beneath a man’s knee is gold; the male members of the Jiang family kneel only to their parents and the Emperor and for everyone else, there are no exceptions.
Seeing him sulking and not saying a word, He Yue smiled and said, “How about this? When Young Master returns, I’ll make osmanthus pastries for you, Young Master.”
As soon as he heard “osmanthus pastries,” Jiang Jingyue’s eyes immediately lit up. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Great! I want a big plate.”
With a playful bend in her eyes, He Yue added, “Alright, a big plate. As long as Young Master properly greets the prince brothers, He Yue will make a big plate full of osmanthus pastries for Young Master.”
“Okay!”
After taking care of his morning routine, He Yue glanced at the bowl of sweet soup on the nearby table, then looked at Jiang Jingyue who was fastening the buckle of his waist ornament obediently. She tightened her fingers slightly, eventually walking over and picking up the bowl.
“Young Master… here’s the sweet soup for today.”
Just as Jiang Jingyue finished fastening his ornament, he immediately looked up upon hearing her words, his eyes brightening at the sight of the sweet soup in her hands.
He drank it down in one go and even licked his lips with an unsatisfied expression afterward. With sparkling eyes, he looked at He Yue and said, “Aunt He Yue’s sweet soup is much tastier than the one in the palace. Every time I drink it, I feel so warm inside, and I gain strength all over. Aunt, can you make me a few bowls every day?”
Looking at the young boy before her, who trusted her wholeheartedly, He Yue’s fingers tightened slightly. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she lowered her gaze and whispered, “Drinking too much sweet soup isn’t good.”
“Um, then just one bowl.” He handed the bowl back to He Yue and tidied up his face before saying with a smile, “I’m going to the Yangxin Hall to greet Uncle Emperor. Aunt He Yue, remember to make me osmanthus pastries.”
“Um…”
The figure of the young boy, full of energy, disappeared from before the desolate chamber doors. He Yue turned back and looked at the porcelain bowl she had been twisting between her fingers. Her expression seemed to be in between crying and laughing.
Young Master, you shouldn’t have come to this treacherous palace to begin with.
With He Yue’s reminder, Jiang Jingyue was the first to arrive at the Yangxin Hall. The eunuchs and palace maids on duty were all standing outside in an orderly manner, indicating that the master of the hall was still asleep.
Standing alone and waiting for a short while, Jiang Jingyue heard the orderly footsteps coming from behind. Turning his head curiously, he saw a youth, about sixteen or seventeen years old, dressed elegantly, striding forward. With just one glance, Jiang Jingyue recognized his identity – the Third Prince, Jiang Huaiyu.
“Jiang Jingyue pays his respects to the Third Prince.” Although somewhat unwilling, thinking of He Yue’s reminder from earlier, Jiang Jingyue eventually paid his respects.
Approaching from a distance, Jiang Huaiyu looked down at the young boy kneeling before him, his face showing a very cold smile. Without beckoning the boy to rise, he walked directly past him.
Jiang Jingyue, with his eyes lowered, watched intently as the cloud-embroidered gold boots slowly passed before him and then circled around to stand in front of him without hesitation.
Jiang Jingyue, who was on the ground, bit his lip in confusion. Didn’t the Third Brother see me?
Just as he was about to raise his head to steal a glance at the person, he suddenly heard a mocking voice not far away, “Which servant taught him rules? The master hasn’t given the order to rise, yet he dares to raise his head?”
Hearing this familiar voice, Jiang Huaiyu, without turning his head, remarked, “Someone lacking etiquette is just that.”
“Third brother, you’re wrong. This isn’t about not understanding etiquette; it’s about a sparrow climbing into a phoenix’s nest and forgetting who it really is. But no matter how you teach it, a sparrow remains from a wild nest.”
In stark contrast to Jiang Huaiyu’s elegance, the slowly approaching Jiang Huaijin was adorned in an extremely valuable and ornate outfit, standing out distinctively.
Stopping beside Jiang Huaiyu, he looked disdainfully at Jiang Jingyue on the ground, his eyes full of undisguised mockery and sarcasm.
Jiang Jingyue, who was mocked by Jiang Huaixin as a sparrow, felt a rush of grievance. In the past, when he was at the prince’s mansion, he never had to perform such formalities. Every time he accompanied his father to see the emperor, the emperor always greeted them with warm smiles. He had never really bowed to the emperor, let alone the princes, and now even though he had paid his respects, he was still being ridiculed.
Overwhelmed by a sense of injustice, the usually straightforward Jiang Jingyue couldn’t hold back. He raised his head and retorted to Jiang Huaijin, “I’m not from a wild nest. My father and the Emperor are brothers. The Emperor said that if my father wanted to be Emperor, he could have been, and then I would be a prince too.”
Upon hearing these words, the faces of all the eunuchs and palace maids present turned deathly pale.
Thud, thud—
The sound of many kneeling in unison suddenly resonated. Every servant present fell to their knees, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. Uttering such words could be a grave offense, enough to bring about the execution of one’s entire clan.
For a moment, the only ones left standing were the brothers Jiang Huaiyu and Jiang Huaixin.
But just because they remained upright didn’t mean they were unaffected.
T/n: Can you believe this silly brat Jiang Jingyue is the ML in this arc? And yes, this historical arc is taking a toll on me, so updates might be a little bit slow, sorry (Ｔ▽Ｔ)
Tyfc. Take ur time. This setting is always tough even on us readers.
I feel like the scum abuse in this arc is gonna be much more delicious than the previous ones. Historical setting is really so exciting~ I don’t really care about the ML in this arc being bullied since the ogMC got himself mutilated which is very painful. (Though I have a hunch that this ML and the ML that tortured mc are a bit different.)
May I make a suggestion? Instead of using the title Queen it’s better to used Princess Consort or Madame (furen) title I think? Because she’s not the Queen as she’s not married to the emperor.. Jingyue father should be titled Jing Wang.. It means King Wang.. The title systems in China is confusing tbh.. 😓
I can use Empress for the Emperor’s wife and… in the novel, the title for Jingyue’s father is King Shun.. that’s why I think it should be okay to use the word Queen… furthermore there are already so many princes in the arc, but I’ll consider your suggestion