If you were asked to identify an item, would you choose to extract magical powers?

In the imperial study, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

This is the most important place in the entire Great Zhou Kingdom and the core of the core of the Great Zhou Kingdom.

If Xuanjing City is the military stronghold of the entire Great Zhou Kingdom, then the Imperial Palace is the largest core of this military stronghold.

And this imperial study is a place that no one dares to touch.

At this moment, when the yellow imperial edict was placed in front of Shen Bai, Shen Bai was slightly stunned.

He never thought that Emperor Shengwu would send him to read this imperial edict.

The three princes all turned their eyes to Shen Bai.

Each prince had a different expression.

A complex and excited look flashed in the eyes of the eldest prince and the third prince, while the second prince had an indifferent expression.

All three of them knew that Emperor Shengwu was about to enter the desolate forbidden area, and this imperial edict might very well determine the position of the crown prince.

Whoever becomes the crown prince will be the new emperor of the Great Zhou Kingdom and will control the fate of the entire Great Zhou Kingdom.

Shen Bai nodded, took the imperial edict in front of him and slowly opened it.

Since he is allowed to read it, it doesn’t matter what he does.

Before my eyes, words appeared on the imperial edict.

The characters are written in a flamboyant and vigorous style, full of royal majesty.

Shen Bai glanced at the large characters, then a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes, and his gaze kept wandering between the three princes.

The three princes were caught in Shen Bai's gaze, and they all straightened their backs, waiting for Shen Bai to announce the final answer.

Shen Bai cleared his throat and said slowly, "The Great Zhou is in turmoil, surrounded by heroes. This is a moment of life and death. I order the Third Prince to be the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou."

As soon as these words came out, the scene fell silent.

The eldest prince clenched his fists slightly and looked at Shen Bai with disbelief in his eyes.

He didn't understand why his father chose the third son to inherit the throne.

In terms of ability, he is better than the third brother. In terms of achievements, he has been guarding the border for many years and has more military morale than the third brother.

No matter what the situation is, he is much stronger than the third prince.

I thought that the position of crown prince was almost certain, but now it seems that my father is not willing to be the crown prince.

The eldest prince was somewhat unwilling, but at this moment he was in the imperial study. He loosened his clenched fists, acted as if he had resigned himself to his fate, and did not continue to show his unwillingness.

The third prince was stunned, and then looked at Shen Bai in surprise.

He really didn't expect it.

At this moment, as the third prince, he was able to obtain the position of crown prince.

After all, he knew what was going on.

Although he was familiar with various important things in the Great Zhou Kingdom under the guidance of his father, he was far inferior to the eldest prince in terms of military morale and combat capabilities, including achievements on the battlefield.

He had already made preparations and would accept his fate if he did not get the position of crown prince.

But now the position of crown prince has actually been passed to him.

The second prince looked casual.

He didn't care about the position of crown prince, he just wanted to devote himself to practicing Taoism.

Now, whoever becomes the crown prince has nothing to do with him.

When the royal family needs him, he can sacrifice his life in times of crisis, but if he is not needed, he would rather be a down-to-earth Taoist priest in the deep mountains and forests.

Therefore, the second prince didn't care about this decision.

Emperor Shengwu took in the expressions of the three people.

Although the eldest prince concealed it quickly, as the emperor of the Great Zhou Kingdom, he had a very high ability in observing people's expressions and could see at a glance the eldest prince's deep-seated unwillingness.

"Shen Bai, continue reading." Emperor Shengwu said.

He had no explanation.

No amount of explanation will help.

He was the emperor of the Great Zhou Kingdom, an existence above all others. As for the matter of appointing a crown prince, he only needed to make the decision, and there was no need for any unnecessary explanation.

Anyone who disagrees can stand up and try to see if they can disobey his holy will in the Great Zhou Kingdom.

As long as he is alive, no one will dare to stand up, and the crown prince he chooses will be supported by the top leaders of the Great Zhou Kingdom.

Shen Bai nodded upon hearing this and said, "The Great Zhou Kingdom is in danger. I cannot bear to see it destroyed in my hands, and I cannot bear to see the people fall apart and their country and families disappear."

"Shen Bai has risen from Shengyun County, killing decisively along the way. He is extremely powerful and has unlimited potential."

"I now order Shen Bai to be the King of Great Zhou, in charge of the secret orders of Great Zhou. He can execute first and report later, and he can also attack the tyrant monarch."

As soon as these words were spoken, the imperial study, which had been quiet before, could no longer remain quiet.

The eldest prince took two steps forward, bowed, and said, "Father, it was your will to establish a crown prince, and we have no objection. However, the word 'side by side with the king' has never been used before in the Great Zhou Kingdom."

"Lord Shen's strength is indeed unfathomable, but if we give him the title of King of One Word, I'm afraid the other leaders of the Great Zhou Kingdom will be dissatisfied."

He couldn't bear it anymore.

It was Emperor Shengwu's idea to establish a crown prince, and he had no way of disobeying his father's will.

But this decision left him speechless.

The king of the same rank, this is not just talk.

This position can almost be said to be on par with the emperor.

What's more, there is a sentence behind it: "We can reverse the tyrant and punish the emperor", which means that a sword will be hung over the emperor's head.

Although he is not the crown prince, he holds a large army. Even the emperor wants to be on an equal footing with Shen Bai. For him, Shen Bai will be a mountain that is extremely difficult to cross.

The third prince didn't say anything, and there was a hint of complexity in his eyes as he looked at Shen Bai.

At first, he thought Shen Bai was just a master from Shengyun County. Even though he was very powerful, he only treated him as an ordinary person.

But as Shen Bai became stronger and his status became higher, he knew he was wrong.

Shen Bai's strength is not only reflected in his actual strength, but also in his unparalleled potential.

The Third Prince had nothing to say about Emperor Shengwu's decree.

Although his communication with Shen Bai was brief, he knew Shen Bai's character and knew that Shen Bai was not a person who was greedy for power.

This word, "King of the Same Rank", might be what his father used to motivate him.

If my father went to the desolate forbidden land and I took over the throne of the Great Zhou Kingdom, I would definitely face a turbulent country.

If he didn't overcome all difficulties and work hard, it was very likely that Shen Bai would be the one who killed him.

But the third prince did not think there was anything wrong with this decision.

If he fails to lead the Great Zhou Kingdom to prosperity, he, as the emperor, will be ashamed of the martyrs who once founded the Great Zhou Kingdom.

Emperor Shengwu glanced at the eldest prince and said calmly, "Are you questioning my decision?"

The eldest prince quickly bowed and said, "Your Highness, I dare not. I just feel that your Highness's decision is slightly inappropriate. If your Highness thinks it is okay, then it is fine."

As he spoke of this, beads of cold sweat appeared on the eldest prince's forehead.

He wanted to slap himself and take responsibility for his impulsiveness.

I couldn't help it just now, and then I remembered that my father had been very strict with them since they were young.

What he hated most was when his sons disobeyed him.

Emperor Shengwu said slowly, "Since I destroyed the previous dynasty, I have never missed the opportunity to establish the feudal lords. This was because the country was unstable at the time, and I needed them to protect the entire world for me."

"I have also considered the subsequent events. Therefore, I have my own reasons for appointing this Crown Prince and this King of the Same Character. Although you may feel resentful, you must not vent your resentment and dishearten the people of the Great Zhou Kingdom."

As soon as these words were spoken, the three princes immediately bowed in agreement.

They have lived under the majesty of Emperor Shengwu since childhood, and have no intention of disobeying anything he says.

Afterwards, Emperor Shengwu waved his hand and said, "You three go down first. Shen Bai stays. I have something else to discuss with him in detail."

The three princes looked at each other, nodded in unison, and left the imperial study.

Outside the imperial study, Eunuch Chen was still sitting on a chair, drinking tea quietly.

When he saw the three princes coming out, he glanced at their expressions and shook his head slightly.

As early as this morning, he already knew who the appointed crown prince would be.

Although he didn't know why Emperor Shengwu made this decision, as one of the founding fathers of the country, he supported any decision made by Emperor Shengwu.

At this moment, after seeing the expressions of the three princes, Eunuch Chen knew that the second prince might be fine.

The second prince is just obsessed with practicing Taoism, but the eldest prince seems a little gloomy.

Even Eunuch Chen didn’t know what would happen next.

But from the expressions of the three princes at this moment, it can be seen that the eldest prince is dissatisfied.

The three princes were members of the royal family after all. After walking out of the imperial study, they put all their thoughts aside after a while. Then they said hello to Eunuch Chen and left the courtyard of the imperial study.

Eunuch Chen put down the teacup in his hand and looked towards the imperial study, thinking to himself, "The main event is coming next."

He knew that the follow-up matters were the most important things for Shen Bai to do in Xuanjing City.

Thinking of this, a solemn look appeared in Eunuch Chen's eyes.

In the imperial study room.

Shen Bai placed the imperial edict on the table and asked, "Why doesn't Your Majesty pass the throne to the eldest prince?"

He is no longer the newbie from Shengyun County, and he is very clear about the current situation in the Great Zhou Kingdom.

The eldest prince is brave and good at fighting, and enjoys great popularity among the soldiers.

It is only natural that the throne of crown prince be passed on to the eldest prince.

He didn't understand why Emperor Shengwu made this decision.

What Emperor Shengwu said just now about not liking people to disobey him was meant to be said to the three princes, not to him.

Shen Bai knew that he could find out by asking.

As expected, when Shen Bai asked this question, Emperor Shengwu shook his head.

"He can expand the territory, but he is definitely not the best person to defend the Great Zhou Kingdom."

"He can be a sword, but he is not an emperor who can sit firmly in the court."

When Shen Bai heard this, he pondered the words of the Emperor Shengwu for a moment, and then something clicked in his mind. He understood what the Emperor Shengwu meant.

The eldest prince is brave and good at fighting, and is in charge of many important tasks in the army.

However, for the now turbulent Great Zhou Kingdom, what it needs is not a general who can expand the territory, but an emperor who can defend the foundation of the Great Zhou Kingdom.

The eldest prince is a sharp sword, but this sword is only suitable for expanding territory.

If he were allowed to become the emperor of the Great Zhou Kingdom, it would likely lead to adverse consequences because he would not be able to adapt to the current situation.

Emperor Shengwu continued, "Although the Third Brother is not in the army, he has been familiar with various domestic affairs since he was a child and has a deep understanding of the Great Zhou Kingdom."

"Even if the Great Zhou Kingdom is in turmoil, he can rely on his understanding of the Great Zhou Kingdom to ensure that the Great Zhou Kingdom can remain stable for a long time."

Shen Bai asked, "Your Majesty, has everything been arranged since the birth of the three princes?"

The implication is that the different paths of the eldest prince and the third prince should have been arranged by Emperor Shengwu alone.

Unexpectedly, after saying this, Emperor Shengwu shook his head.

"I originally gave them three different paths. I won't talk about the second one. That guy is almost a useless person now. He is obsessed with Taoism. I don't want to care about him either."

"As for the eldest and third sons, I laid out two paths for them to choose."

"The eldest brother chose the military camp, and the third brother chose the country, so all of this was their own choice. I never interfered."

Shen Bai nodded and said, "I see. Since this is your choice, you must bear the consequences."

"Your Majesty, I wonder what you have to say that has kept me here?"

Shen Bai has already understood clearly what happened just now, and now it is time to talk about business.

Especially why did Emperor Shengwu keep him here? He felt that there might be something important here that needed him to do.

As expected, after Shen Bai said this, Emperor Shengwu slightly raised his thin arm and pointed at the void in front of him.

Then, a glowing map appeared in the void ahead.

This is a map of Xuanjing City, which includes the main transportation routes throughout Xuanjing City and various important military locations.

For other countries, this is a secret.

Shen Bai saw this and frowned slightly: "What is that light spot next to it?"

Not far from Xuanjing City, there is a circular light spot shining.

Shen Bai didn't see it clearly.

Emperor Shengwu waved his sleeves and said, "If you look carefully, you will understand what it is."

As Emperor Shengwu waved his sleeves, the map in front of him changed.

The light spot that was originally unclear gradually became clear in an instant.

Immediately afterwards, a city no less magnificent than Xuanjing City appeared before Shen Bai.

Shen Bai looked at the city and frowned slightly.

"It's adjacent to Xuanjing City. This location is extremely important. What city is this?" Shen Bai asked.

"Mo Yunjing." Emperor Shengwu answered Shen Bai without thinking.

"This is a capital-level city next to Xuanjing City. It has countless masters and is extremely prosperous. It is also the closest capital-level city to Xuanjing City. It can be said that it is only slightly inferior to Xuanjing City."

Shen Bai touched his chin and said, "Have the princes sitting here already had any intention of rebellion?"

This is his guess.

Since Emperor Shengwu showed him this map, and considering that the capital-level cities were ruled by princes, and the current turbulent situation in the Great Zhou Kingdom, Shen Bai came up with this idea.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Shengwu nodded directly and said, "Indeed, the Marquis Mo Yun who sits here was one of the founding heroes."

"He is brave and skilled in battle, highly skilled in combat, and treats his subordinates very well. Under his rule, Moyunjing is thriving and enjoying long-term peace and stability."

Shen Bai didn't say anything after hearing this.

He knew there had to be something else going on, and it was definitely not a simple one.

As expected, after saying this, Emperor Shengwu paused for a moment and then continued speaking.

"But sometimes, once people gain tremendous power, they develop even greater desires."

"He sits in Moyunjing, overseeing all matters in Moyunjing. Now, he has expanded his desires to a terrifying level."

"I am now in a desperate situation and am about to enter the desolate forbidden land. All the high-ranking officials of the Great Zhou Kingdom and the people of the Heavenly Monitoring Department have been assigned to their proper positions. I really cannot spare the time to deal with him."

Having said that, Emperor Shengwu showed a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

If he could dispatch troops to deal with Marquis Mo Yun, he would have taken action long ago.

But now I simply can't spare the energy.

Perhaps for some people who don't understand the situation, he can temporarily send some experts over to directly kill Mo Yunhou.

However, Mo Yunhou, who is in charge of Mo Yunjing, is very shrewd and cunning. He will never reveal his rebellious intentions until he enters the desolate forbidden area.

Therefore, under this state of disintegration, Emperor Shengwu had to consider that he would not be able to gain any prestige after taking action, which would probably cause fear among the people of the entire Great Zhou Kingdom.

Shen Bai pondered and said, "Your Majesty, how can I allow others to sleep soundly while I am sleeping on your bed?"

This is a nail, and it is a nail that is stuck next to the heart. If you are not careful, the nail will deviate towards the heart and eventually pierce the heart, paralyzing the entire Great Zhou Kingdom.

Xuanjing City and Moyunjing are so close to each other, so close that even Shen Bai finds it unbelievable.

He understood that if Emperor Shengwu left, Mo Yunjing would be the first to jump out and point his sword at the world.

"Your Majesty, what does you want me to do?" Shen Bai asked.

Now that all the topics that needed to be discussed had been brought up, he knew that Emperor Shengwu was probably going to tell him about the mission regarding Mo Yunjing.

As expected, after these words were spoken, Emperor Shengwu's expression became extremely solemn.

"I need a decapitation operation to cause chaos in Mo Yunjing."

As soon as these words were spoken, Shen Bai frowned tightly.

The meaning of the four words "decapitation operation" is clear without any explanation.

Just tell him to take off Mo Yunhou's head.

This task sounds extremely simple, but it is extremely difficult to do.

Mo Yunjing, which is not much different from Xuanjing City, has countless masters inside.

It is so difficult to get in.

What's more, he even wanted to chop off Mo Yunhou's head.

I'm afraid that before Shen Bai succeeds, he will be surrounded by countless masters, and eventually fall into crisis and die.

This is not a joke.

"If Your Majesty wants to carry out a decapitation operation, I'm afraid there are better candidates."

"Those high-ranking officials of the Great Zhou Kingdom only need to hide their identities and wait for an opportunity to act. It just so happens that Your Majesty has not yet entered the desolate forbidden area, so we can seize the time. Besides, Xuanjing City and Moyunjing are not far away, so there is no need to worry about chaos." Shen Bai said slowly.

He felt that his analysis should make sense.

Just like Eunuch Chen, or Zongsi and others, if they disguised themselves as other people and sneaked into Mo Yunjing to carry out a decapitation operation, the effect might be better than his.

After all, although he can overcome adversity, it is impossible for him to defeat Eunuch Chen and others at the moment.

Unexpectedly, after saying this, Emperor Shengwu simply shook his head.

"They can't get in."

After hearing this, Shen Bai frowned.

"Why can't you get in?"

Emperor Shengwu said slowly, "There are many experts in Moyunjing, such as Eunuch Chen and the high-ranking officials of the Great Zhou Kingdom, including various important figures of the Great Zhou Kingdom. Marquis Moyun knows them very well. No matter how disguised they are, there will be omissions. Once Marquis Moyun knows that someone has entered Moyunjing, I am afraid he will immediately be alert. It will be extremely difficult to take action."

"If we make a big fuss, the whole world will know that I sent high-ranking officials from the Great Zhou Kingdom to assassinate me. I'm afraid even those princes who originally had no intention of rebelling will instantly become rebellious."

Shen Bai rubbed his chin with his hand, lost in thought.

He understood what Emperor Shengwu meant.

In fact, it is exactly as Emperor Shengwu said.

If we just send people in like this, it would indeed be easy for omissions to occur.

After all, Marquis Mo Yun probably already has a thorough understanding of all the important officials and high-ranking officials in the Great Zhou Kingdom.

Shen Bai pondered and said, "But he might know me quite well. If I go in, I'm afraid I'll cause some trouble."

He is now a household name in the Great Zhou.

If he went to Mo Yunjing in person, I'm afraid that Mo Yunhou would find out, and then he would be unable to take action.

Emperor Shengwu shook his head and said, "You seem to be proficient in a technique that can change your body shape and appearance."

Shen Bai nodded and said, "Yes, I am proficient in it."

The Yi Xin Fa can change one's body shape and appearance, but Shen Bai rarely uses this magical power.

But in many cases, it can produce surprising results.

For example, when he first entered the forbidden area, he used the simulation ability of the Yixin method to achieve a turnaround effect.

Having said that, Shen Bai already understood what Emperor Shengwu meant.

I have the Yi Xin Fa that allows me to change my appearance and minimize the risk of being exposed, which will also bring a lot of convenience to this decapitation operation.

After a brief thought, Shen Bai asked, "How strong is Marquis Mo Yun?"

Since there is a way to get in, Shen Bai thinks it would be okay to give it a try.

But before he goes, he must first get information about Mo Yunhou.

It is the most prosperous capital-level city besides Xuanjing City, and there are countless masters in it.

As a lord of Mo Yunjing, Shen Bai felt that the other party's strength should not be underestimated.

After a brief pause, Emperor Shengwu slowly said, "His strength is only at the Celestial Realm, and he has remained there ever since. This is because he suffered an irreversible injury when he founded the kingdom, and he will never be able to reach the next level."

"But his situation is extremely special. Killing him would indeed require considerable effort."

Shen Bai asked, "How special is it?"

Emperor Shengwu said slowly, "He has a wife who has always been with him, and his wife is in the Xianzang realm."

"If you want to kill him, you must get past his wife. This is the most dangerous part." (End of this chapter)