son, don't mess around

"If he were still alive, I might not exist."

Lin Jiang spoke softly, then sighed.

His appearance was completely unexpected, and Lin Jiangnian still doesn't know what exactly happened that night.

Why did he end up in the dilapidated temple that night?
If that person hadn't died young, perhaps there wouldn't be a Lin Jiangnian today.

Everything can only be described as fate.

Looking at Lin Jiangnian, Elder Li clicked his tongue in admiration: "What a pity, you just don't have any ambition. If you had even half the ambition of your brother, your father would risk his infamy to get you a dragon robe to wear!"

Lin Jiangnian smiled but didn't say anything more.

Indeed, this fits Lin Hengzhong's character perfectly.

If Lin Jiangnian truly has this ambition and the talent to become emperor, then Lin Hengzhong, as the Prince of Lin, would naturally not mind fighting for it for his child's sake.

However, if Lin Jiangnian did not have such ambition and ability, even if he won the world, he probably wouldn't be able to pass it down for more than a few generations, and he would not have a good ending.

The infamous surname 'Sima' serves as a cautionary tale.

At this moment, Elder Li gradually wiped the smile from his face. He looked at Lin Jiangnian with a complex expression: "However, it's still too early to say. Now, no one in the world can stop your Prince Lin's Mansion. Power often makes people arrogant."

"If you happen to become interested in the Great Ning Kingdom in the future, in consideration of the past kindness of my guidance in martial arts, could you grant me one request?"

"Please speak freely, senior."

The old master Li gave him a deep look, his words carrying a hidden meaning, and said in a deep voice, "I don't care who the master of this Great Ning is. But I still have one thing to teach... No matter what, the Great Ning's empire must belong to the Li family!"

"?"

"So, senior means... that I should change my surname?"

Lin Jiangnian was taken aback for a moment, then his face turned serious and resolute as he firmly refused: "That's absolutely impossible."

"You want to change your surname? Your father won't allow it!"

Old Master Li glanced at him and said irritably, "What I mean is, if you want to secure that position, you have to marry that girl of yours..."

"And your children must also be the next emperor of the dynasty. The surname and bloodline of the Great Ning Dynasty cannot be broken!"

"In this way, the bloodline of the Great Ning Dynasty can still be guaranteed. As for what happens to this empire, that's up to you father and son to do!"

For Elder Li, he had long since withdrawn from worldly affairs. If it weren't for the upheaval in the capital, he wouldn't have come out of retirement to help, out of consideration for his long-standing friendship with Lin Hengzhong.

However, although he had long since lost much affection for the court, he didn't care much about who the next ruler of the dynasty would be.

But no matter what, as the man who was closest to that position back then, the blood of the Li family still flows in the veins of Elder Li.

Therefore, if he wanted to meet the ancestors of the Li family a hundred years from now, there were some things he still had to do.

For example... preserving the Li family bloodline!
"..."

Lin Jiangnian finally understood: they were after his unborn child?
But thinking about it, it does make sense.

If the Great Ning Dynasty were to truly change hands, it would inevitably trigger even greater turmoil. As subjects of the Great Ning Dynasty, they would be unlikely to accept a foreign ruler.

Whether it's the Xu family or the Lin family, if they want to sit in that position, they will inevitably have to bear a reputation that will be infamous for thousands of years.

Therefore, the conditions proposed by Elder Li were actually the most favorable conditions for Lin Jiangnian.

Of course, this is on the premise that Lin Jiangnian is interested in that position.

However, even though Lin Jiangnian was not interested in the throne, after he helped Li Piaomiao ascend the throne, Li Piaomiao became the first female emperor of the Da Ning Dynasty.

This also means that the future of the Great Ning Dynasty will naturally be inherited by him and his ethereal child.

In this way, the Great Ning Dynasty's territory can be considered, in a sense, to be part of the Lin family's bloodline!

"Hey!"

Thinking about it this way, Lin Jiangnian actually discovered a new idea.

However, just as this thought crossed his mind, Lin Jiangnian sighed again.

It's just a pity that there's still no sign of him and his ethereal child.

Several months have passed since their last parting. The only time the two have been apart is on the night of their farewell, when the princess acted somewhat recklessly.

I don't know if I'll be able to win on my first try.
Lin Jiangnian had sent many intelligence agents from the Prince's Mansion to the front lines, so they knew about Li Piaomiao's current situation in the army. However, it was unclear whether Li Piaomiao was pregnant. Li Piaomiao was surrounded by many skilled guards, making it difficult even for the Prince's Mansion's spies to get close.

Finding out the truth won't be so easy.

Just as Lin Jiangnian was chatting with Elder Li in the courtyard, Zhao Xiang, who had previously left the Hall of Mental Cultivation, returned and appeared before them at the entrance of the main hall not far in front of them.

His expression darkened slightly, his gaze became serious, and he slowly walked to the two people.

"Prime Minister Zhao, how have you been?!"

Senior Li spoke first, looking at his familiar old friend in his line of sight, his tone relaxed.

The two have been friends for many years.

Although they weren't exactly close friends, they had worked together in the government more than a decade ago and had a fairly good relationship.

Zhao Xiang's gaze fell on the old sage Li, and he said in a deep voice, "The court is in chaos right now, and His Majesty's days are numbered. The only one who can take charge of the situation is Your Highness!"

"His Majesty has no heir. According to reason, custom, and ancestral rules, the throne should rightfully be inherited by the Prince!"

Faced with Zhao Xiang's advice, the old man Li shook his head and smiled, "I have been away from the court for more than ten years. My ambition has long since ceased to be here. The throne is no longer my obsession or goal."

"Prime Minister Zhao, let's recommend someone else."

Zhao Xiang's tone was slightly somber: "The world is currently facing a critical moment of national crisis. Only Your Highness can take charge of the overall situation, quell the rebellion, and stabilize the court."

"Only if Your Highness inherits the throne can the hearts of the people be appeased. Please, Your Highness, do not refuse!"

No matter how much Zhao Xiang tried to persuade him, the old master Li had already made up his mind: "Zhao Xiang, there is no need to persuade me anymore. I have long since given up on this idea."

The more than ten years he spent sweeping the floors of Ruyi Tower had long since worn away his former spirit. He was no longer the competitive and ambitious man he once was, driven by a desire to prove himself.

The throne meant nothing to him anymore!

More importantly, the current emperor has no heir, and he himself remains unmarried and childless. Even if he were to seize the throne, it would be of no use to him.

Therefore, no matter how Zhao Xiang tried to persuade him, Elder Li was determined to stay.

Zhao Xiang's heart sank: "Does Heaven intend to destroy my Great Ning Dynasty?"

"If no one inherits the throne, will the rebel Prince Xu let this go? The consequences will be unimaginable!"

"Who says there's no one to inherit the throne?"

Senior Li glanced at Lin Jiangnian beside him: "Hasn't His Majesty already issued the decree?"

Li Cining had previously summoned Chancellor Zhao, so Chancellor Zhao must be aware of Li Cining's decision to pass the throne to Li Piaomiao. But Chancellor Zhao's current remarks clearly imply something…

As expected, no sooner had Elder Li spoken than Prime Minister Zhao's gaze turned deep and gloomy as he declared indignantly, "A woman as emperor is bound to be a policy that will bring chaos to the court!"

"Your Majesty is confused. How could you make such a decision?" This veteran of three reigns, now the powerful prime minister, clearly did not support Li Piaomiao becoming emperor.

To be precise, it was against women becoming empresses!
In his view, this has already violated the ancestral teachings!

As a staunch traditionalist, Zhao Xiang's thinking represented that of the vast majority of conservatives in the world. In their eyes, how could a woman be an emperor?
Isn't this a foolish act of rebelling against the Heavenly Spirits and subverting the imperial order?

Even though the eldest princess is exceptionally capable and is indeed the best choice at present.

Can……

She was, after all, a woman!
Therefore, Zhao Xiang did not approve of His Majesty's actions.

In his eyes, the elderly Mr. Li was the most suitable successor.

As the late emperor's younger brother, Elder Li was a strong contender for the throne. He still enjoys considerable renown in the court, further enhanced by his royal lineage.

If His Majesty were to pass away, Elder Li would be the best successor, both in terms of sentiment and reason.

If Elder Li were to ascend the throne, it would appease the people and gain their trust.

"Prime Minister Zhao, that's not how it's said."

At this moment, Lin Jiangnian interrupted his spellcasting, saying, "Who said that a woman becoming emperor would bring chaos to the court? Prime Minister Zhao, that's an old-fashioned and conservative idea. In terms of talent and governance, Her Highness the Princess is not necessarily worse than anyone else."

"More importantly, since the emperor has no heir, the throne should be passed down from brother to sister. If His Majesty passes away, the eldest princess will naturally be the one to inherit the throne!"

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Zhao turned around abruptly, stared at Lin Jiangnian, and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness is a woman. Since ancient times, how could a woman be emperor?"

Lin Jiangnian retorted, "Who says a woman can't be an empress? There doesn't seem to be such a rule in the ancestral precepts of my Great Ning Dynasty, does there?"

Lin Jiangnian's words made Zhao Xiang's gaze grow even more somber, and he fell silent for a moment.

But soon, he became furious again: "This has been the rule of our ancestors since ancient times. There has never been a precedent of a woman becoming emperor. How can we break the precedent?"

Lin Jiangnian sneered and retorted, "Just because it has never existed since ancient times, does that necessarily mean it's true?"

"Now, Her Highness the Eldest Princess is the most suitable successor. Besides Her Highness the Eldest Princess, does Prime Minister Zhao have any other suitable candidates in mind?"

"If there is any, please tell me, Prime Minister Zhao. If you can convince me completely, I will have no objections."

Lin Jiangnian's words made Zhao Xiang's face even more unpleasant.

If he could find a better successor, why would he be so conflicted?
The most suitable successor is right before us, but the prince has long since lost his will to rule. Besides this prince, who else is capable of inheriting the throne?

Zhao Xiang truly had no one left to choose from.

Lin Jiangnian's sharp retort only fueled Zhao Xiang's anger.

His Majesty is critically ill tonight, and Prime Minister Zhao, mindful of the overall situation, had no intention of arguing with Lin Jiangnian about personal matters. However, the fact that this young man had repeatedly offended him had angered Prime Minister Zhao.

This man seduced his daughter and now he dares to talk back to him like this.

Deceiving too much!

"There is no precedent for a woman to become emperor. Even if our ancestors knew that a woman becoming emperor would inevitably bring chaos to the court, the court is now beset by internal and external troubles, with powerful forces eyeing it covetously. If Her Highness the Princess were to ascend the throne, do you know what trouble we would encounter?"

Zhao Xiang stared at Lin Jiangnian: "Do you know how many people in the world will oppose us? Do you know how many governors in the various prefectures and counties of our Great Ning Dynasty have their own armies? If they use this as an excuse to oppose the court and take the opportunity to start a rebellion, what will happen then?"

"More importantly, wouldn't Her Highness the Eldest Princess's ascension to the throne provide the Xu Prince's rebel army with a pretext for 'pacifying the rebellion'? If they claim to be the legitimate rulers of the dynasty and support Li Yuan's ascension to the throne, and then march south, what will happen then?"

"Can you shoulder this responsibility?"

"..."

Zhao Xiang spoke in a low voice, which grew increasingly agitated.

These are the dilemmas the court is currently facing. The obstacles and difficulties in supporting a woman to ascend the throne are far more severe than imagined, and this is something the current court is simply unable to handle.

Even if these people can stabilize the imperial court, they cannot stabilize the various forces in the world.

Who would be willing to submit to the Empress?

If forces from all over the country seize the opportunity to rise up in rebellion, the current imperial court simply cannot stop them.

The risk is just too great!

Zhao Xiang dared not, and could not, take such a risk!

Faced with Zhao Xiang's emotional questioning, Lin Jiangnian remained calm. He looked at Zhao Xiang in front of him and said, "My Linwang Mansion will fully support Her Highness the Princess's ascension to the throne, and will also send troops to assist Her Highness in quelling the rebellion of Prince Xu in the north."

"As for what Prime Minister Zhao said about various forces taking the opportunity to rebel, Prime Minister Zhao need not worry..."

"With the Prince of Lin's mansion in power, no one in the world dares to rebel!"

"And no one can rebel against it!"

Lin Jiangnian's voice was soft, yet resounding. It boomed in Zhao Xiang's ears like a thunderclap.

Zhao Xiang stood there, stunned. His slightly cloudy eyes suddenly lifted, staring intently at Lin Jiangnian, as if trying to discern something.

After a long while, Zhao Xiang seemed to have a look of sudden realization in his eyes.

He spoke in a low voice, seemingly surprised: "This is your Prince Lin's plan?!"

"Was this a plan you had in the works all along?"

"...From the very beginning, you wanted to support the eldest princess to ascend the throne and become empress, right?"

Faced with Zhao Xiang's questioning, Lin Jiangnian calmly nodded: "That's right."

"This is the plan of the Eldest Princess and the Prince Lin's Mansion!"

Lin Jiangnian glanced at him: "Of course, this is also His Majesty's plan!"

In an instant, Zhao Xiang seemed to understand everything.

He stood there, stunned, muttering to himself, "No wonder, no wonder..."

"So that's how it is..."

At that moment, Prime Minister Zhao suddenly realized the truth.

Things he had been trying to understand, such as why Lin Jiangnian entered the palace at this time, why the Princess went to the front line, and why His Majesty had done so before... At this moment, Prime Minister Zhao suddenly understood.

He stood there, stunned, processing the sudden news.

Just as he was about to say something, a hurried, staggering footstep suddenly came from behind him in the main hall.

Immediately afterwards, a loud voice, filled with a deep sob, rang out.

"Your Highness, Prime Minister Zhao, something terrible has happened!!"

"His Majesty... he's dying..."

"..." (End of this chapter)