I, a useless prince, started with the Xiang Yu template.

system?

Chu Yun's eyes lit up.

The time traveler's cheat code has finally arrived!

Without a system, he could only eke out a living.

With the system, why be a coward?

So, without much hesitation, he stepped out of the line.

"System, you're not kidding me!"

[Rest assured, host. This system never cheats anyone.]

Taking a deep breath, Chu Yun raised his head to meet the Emperor Qian's furious gaze, ignoring the gloating looks from the crowd.

He stood tall and proud, his voice strong and clear.

"Father, I am willing to go!"

"Though I am unworthy, I know that the rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every citizen!"

"The northern border is in dire straits, and the people are suffering terribly. As a prince, how can I stand idly by?"

"Even if the road ahead is fraught with peril, I, your son, am willing to lead the troops north and fight the barbarians to the bitter end!"

His demeanor and gaze made him seem not like a pampered prince, but a seasoned general.

Inside the hall, deathly silence fell once again.

Everyone was stunned.

Is this really that useless sixth prince?

Emperor Qian stared intently at the sixth son below, who usually did nothing but cockfighting, dog racing, and idleness, his chest heaving violently.

His eyes, which were originally full of anger, gradually softened and finally turned into a complex scrutiny.

After a long while, he suddenly slammed his hand on the armrest, his voice rising abruptly.

"Excellent! What a powerful statement: the rise and fall of a nation is the responsibility of every citizen!"

"Chu Yun, listen to me clearly!"

Emperor Qian leaned forward, his gaze piercing, each word heavy with conviction.

"The battlefield is not a theater, not a place for your usual fooling around! It's a place of flashing swords and flying blood, a real place of killing and death! One wrong step and you're doomed!"

"I will give you one last chance, considering your youth and ignorance and your lack of experience in battle."

"It's not too late to back out now. Do you really intend to lead your troops north?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

All eyes were on Chu Yun, some with anticipation, some with mockery, and some with indifferent spectators.

Chu Yun did not hesitate and said loudly.

"Father, as a prince, I receive your bounty and bear your burdens. Now that the nation is in peril and the northern border is in dire need, how can I retreat? Even if it means facing mountains of knives and seas of fire, I am willing to go! My mind is made up, and I will never regret it!"

"Are you really not regretting it?"

Emperor Qian pressed for an answer.

"I will never regret it!"

Emperor Qian looked at him, at this son who had previously been worthless in his eyes, now standing straight, his eyes no longer showing the usual nonchalance, but only an almost stubborn courage.

An indescribable sense of relief welled up in my heart.

He suddenly burst into laughter, a loud laugh that carried a mixture of relief and excitement:

"Good! Good! Good! You truly are worthy of being my son!"

"I used to think you were unruly and unambitious, only knowing how to eat, drink and have fun."

I never expected that you would step forward in this time of national crisis, showing such courage and responsibility!

This alone puts him ahead of countless others!

"I grant your permission!"

One sentence decided the fate of the world.

The atmosphere inside the hall changed instantly.

The ministers who had been secretly mocking him immediately put on fawning smiles and stepped forward to echo his sentiments.

"Your Majesty is wise! The Sixth Prince's profound understanding of righteousness is truly a blessing for the nation!"

"Although the Sixth Prince is young, he possesses such spirit; he is destined for greatness!"

"With the Sixth Prince leading the army, the northern frontier will surely be saved!"

The flattery was incessant, so much so that it made one's ears numb.

Meanwhile, the expressions on the faces of the five princes in the line of princes were even more fascinating.

The eldest prince's lips twitched, and he cursed inwardly: What the hell! Has the sixth prince eaten the gall of a bear and the heart of a leopard?

The second prince's eyes were complicated: This isn't how you show off, is it? This is a battlefield where you have a slim chance of survival!

The Third Prince secretly scoffed: What are you pretending for? Let's see how long you can hold out!

The Fourth Prince sighed inwardly: To be honest... if it were me, I really wouldn't dare to step forward. The Sixth Prince is truly audacious.

The Fifth Prince shook his head, his face filled with disbelief: He's gone mad, he's really gone mad.

Emperor Qian looked at Li Wu, the Minister of War, and said in a deep voice.

"Li Wu!"

"Your subject is here!" Li Wu immediately stepped forward, bowed, and accepted the order.

"The Ministry of War must immediately allocate provisions, weapons, and warhorses, ensuring they are ready within five days so we can depart as soon as possible!"

"I obey your decree!"

Li Wu responded loudly, but a question arose in his mind: Is the Sixth Prince really good at fighting?

But he could not disobey the emperor's command, so he had no choice but to accept it.

After the court assembly ended, civil and military officials filed out.

On the steps, the crowd surged, yet they all lowered their voices, gathering in twos and threes, their gazes subtly sweeping over Chu Yun walking among them.

"I never expected the Sixth Prince to have such courage."

"Courage? I think it's recklessness, it's going to your death!"

"To his death? Not necessarily. Didn't you see His Majesty's final attitude? He clearly looked at him with new respect."

"Oh? You mean...?"

"The position of crown prince has been vacant for a long time, and the princes have been fighting openly and secretly for so long. Who doesn't want to win a good reputation?"

The Sixth Prince is taking a risky gamble, hoping to use this opportunity to earn points for his 'loyalty and bravery' in front of His Majesty!

"Hiss... Now that you mention it, it's actually quite possible. He used to seem like a good-for-nothing, but I never expected him to be so cunning."

"This is getting interesting. Even the least prominent Sixth Prince has gotten involved. The struggle for the throne is about to become even more chaotic."

The whispers were as faint as mosquitoes, yet every word reached Chu Yun's ears clearly.

He remained expressionless and straight ahead, following the flow of people down the steps, while inwardly he was roaring with rage.

[System! Don't you dare mess with me!]

[I just bragged so much in court. If the system doesn't work out, I'll really die in the Northern Frontier!]

[Host, rest assured, the system is loading, progress 10%...20%... It will absolutely not cheat you, you can be completely at ease.]

Chu Yun breathed a slight sigh of relief, but did not stop walking.

Now that things have come to this, there's no turning back.

He had just stepped down the stairs when he heard deliberately slowed footsteps behind him.

"Sixth Brother."

The voice was sinister, carrying undisguised sarcasm.

Chu Yun paused, then turned around.

Then, the eldest prince, Chu Xiong, walked over.

He looked Chu Yun up and down, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Don't think that just because you volunteered for battle, you can curry favor with the Emperor."

"The battlefield is not child's play, much less a stage for you to gain favor."

Chu Xiong took a step closer, lowered his voice, and spoke in a sinister tone.

"You think you can use this to climb the ranks and covet that position? Let me tell you, the crown prince's seat is not something a piece of trash like you can even dream of!"

Chu Yun looked at him and scoffed.

"Brother, I don't need you to tell me what to do."

Mind your own business, and stop thinking you're something special.

Chu Xiong's face flushed red instantly, veins bulging, and he roared, "Sixth Brother! How dare you!"

"How dare you speak to me like that!"

Chu Yun raised an eyebrow: "Big brother, you're not the crown prince yet, don't talk to me like that."

"If you don't have the status, don't put on airs."

After saying that, he turned and left.

"You—!" Chu Xiong trembled with rage, pointing at Chu Yun's retreating figure, gritting his teeth, "Sixth Brother! You just wait!"

"Once we get to the northern frontier, we'll see how you die!"

Not far away, the Second Prince, Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and Fifth Prince stood under the corridor, taking in the whole scene.

The four looked at each other, completely bewildered.

"Did I see that right? Sixth Brother just... went head-to-head with Boss?"

"Damn! That's a huge change! He used to be like a mouse before a cat when he saw the boss, but today he's got some kind of gunpowder?"

"Could he have been replaced? His audacity is unbelievable!"

"He's insane, absolutely insane! Where does he get the audacity to go head-to-head with the boss?"

"Sigh... Maybe he knew he was going to the battlefield, where the chances of survival were slim, so he just gave up and did nothing."

"Yes, you're right. Either way, we're going to die, so we might as well be tough before we die."

"Alright, alright, stop talking. Let's go, lest we incur the boss's wrath."

The four discussed for a few words and then left in a hurry.

Chu Yun had already left the palace gates and boarded his own carriage.

Inside the carriage, he leaned back on the cushions and let out a long sigh of relief.

[System, is loading complete?]

[Almost there, host, don't worry.]