Luoyang, Zhu Forbidden City, Yangxin Palace.

This is the daily resting place of the Son of Heaven.

Each dynasty had a different name for the Son of Heaven's dormitory, but before Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, the Son of Heaven didn't really care so much about where he slept. or marching to war, or governing state affairs, or patrolling the country, just find a tent and the majority will be at once; Or there are absurd and unscrupulous emperors, who linger among the three thousand beauties day and night, and rarely go back to the palace to sleep alone.

In the past, no matter how mediocre or wise the Son of Heaven was, at least he had something to do.

Times are different.

The Temple of Nourishing the Heart has now become a prison for raising and imprisoning the saints.

Today's federation has the skin of the Central Plains Dynasty in the past, but it can no longer find the original core.

Serfdom was abolished, but all were made slaves; The class was abolished, but everyone became the oppressed class; overthrew Confucianism and introduced the Western method of equalizing the rich and the poor, but it only gave those fat and oily moths an excuse to loot the people's fat.

5,000 years of accumulated wealth, culture, wisdom...

The legacy left by the ancestors, which should have been inexhaustible, and which should have benefited the descendants of China, is about to be hollowed out.

In just a few decades, China has been reduced to the point of ceding land on the other side of the ocean, and the state of Yidi, which has only been established for 200 years, in exchange for peace?

Even the Son of Heaven, the foundation of a country, can be given as a gift as a concubine to an enemy country.

Son of Heaven・・・・・・

Xingke shook his head vigorously, trying to get the jumbled thoughts out of his mind.

As soon as his head was clear, his chest immediately swelled, he stumbled under his feet, and hurriedly reached out to hold on to the red wall by the corridor.

My body is getting worse day by day, and recently I even woke up in the middle of the night coughing up blood.

His body has actually gone on strike, and if he changes blood every three days, plus three meals a day of fierce medicine, this life may go down at any time.

Maybe it's tomorrow, maybe it's next month, and I'm going to die.

But these don't matter anymore.

No, I have a cheap life, and I have made a lot of money by the grace of the Emperor of Heaven until now, if I can take that nest of maggots on the road again, save Kyushu from fire and water, and return the world to a bright future・・・・・・

Is there anyone happier in this world than yourself?

Xingke clutched his chest and laughed silently.

Steady breath, tidying up his appearance, Xingke took a step and came to the door of the vermilion wooden room. On the other hand, the little eunuch stepped forward and shook it deeply, held it up with both hands, took the waist card of the visitor, and shouted at the top of his voice after just looking at it.

"Li Qing Dahonglu! Ask to see the Son of Heaven! "I didn't wait for the answer inside, I trotted all the way to push the door of the Heart Cultivation Hall open, kneeling by the door and raising my hands high, ready to return the waist card." Great Hung Lu please! ”

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"Imperial Sister."

The door was unlocked, and the man outside was very patient and knocked on the door again.

"Are you resting?"

“・・・・・・”

"Imperial sister?"

“・・・・・・”

"Really..." the man sighed softly. "Are you going to avoid me?"

“・・・・・・”

"Excuse me."

Within two steps of turning, the door opened from behind, and Cornelia was wearing a nightdress, a jacket hastily draped over her shoulders, and was leaning against the door helplessly looking at her second brother, who had just made a big mistake.

"If the Emperor knows that you came to see me..."

"Ah, it will cause a lot of trouble to the royal sister."

With an apologetic smile, Honezel slowly turned around.

"Forget it."

Cornelia shook her head.

Her relationship with the prime minister is well known to the world, and avoiding it at this time seems contrived.

"Can I go in and talk?"

"Uh..."

Cornelia glanced back at her messy bedroom, it didn't matter, although they were brother and sister, how could a general or minister meet in the bedroom.

"Cornelia, can you let me in and talk?"

Schunezel insisted.

It's not the same as he usually is.

The man's eyes were deep with pleading.

A real plea, not a simple request to repay the favor.

"Tea?"

Cornelia sighed, zipped up her blouse, and motioned for Schunezel to come in.

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Times have changed.

disturbed the saints, did not search for those who came, but knelt down to worship the ministers as the personal attendants of the Son of Heaven.

The little eunuch was supposed to be beheaded more than three times according to the law, but he smiled at himself as a matter of course, as if his master was himself and not the Ninety-Five Venerable who was resting in the door.

The human heart is not ancient.

The bricks are red and jade, paved with gold and silver, and almost every part of the small room is wrapped in dazzling colors, and every inch is carved by skillful craftsmen. Every three or two steps, you have to lift a curtain of agate beads, and after a few steps, you have to go around a peony screen. There are exquisite jade antiques at hand, each of which is priceless, and can be used for weeks by discerning players, but it is not suitable as a plaything for a tile- or thirteen-year-old.

Extravagant, yet dense enough to breathe.

Finally, I met the man.

is lying on the couch, sleeping very dishonestly.

"Star..."

The little figure stretched out a long lazy waist, rubbed his eyes and sat up from the bed.

"Disturbing the rest of the Holy Lord, the minister is guilty."

Xingke knelt down on one knee and clenched his fists in confession.

Trying to open his eyes, a wisp of blood-red bloomed lazily, and wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Ah~~~ I... dreamed of an immortal on Lushan Mountain."

"Yes."

"The old man, dressed in white and white-haired, played against me for three days, and he won every game. I ordered him to lose, but he shook his head and refused. The girl's cheeks puffed out in frustration. You told me that there is a scattered immortal living on the peak of the incense burner, and his chess skills are so high that mortals can't win him, but if he plays against the king, he will cut off his chess path to show his submission. ”

"That's a country man, and he can't recognize the king's anger if he is vulgar. If it is an immortal, how can it be reasonable to see the king and not be a minister. ”

"Hmmm! Categorically! ”

The little girl is the most coaxing, and she is angry and sulky for no reason, but it doesn't last long. The Son of Heaven sat on the edge of the bed, his two little feet shaking, and looked at the man in front of him with a smile.

"What's the matter?"

"Yes, if you want to fold, please ask the Son of Heaven to decide."

With that, he took out a fold from his chest and handed it over with both hands.

"Ahh

The Son of Heaven reluctantly jumped out of bed, put on his shoes, and reached out to take the fold.

"Xiaohong, for the record. Ying'er, take the imperial seal. ”

The two teenage little palace maids were busy for a while, and they were ready from time to time, and they seemed to be very familiar with this process.

The Son of Heaven unfolded the fold of the star carving, spread out a blank edict, and copied it stroke by stroke. I didn't write twice, and it was as if I suddenly remembered something.

"Huh? Xingke, you also have an edict to govern? ”

"・・・・・・ yes."

Xingke clenched his teeth when he heard this, his lips were tightly pursed, and his heart was tangled. He had been kneeling there since he entered the door, and his head was lowered.

[In your hands... She's still a puppet...

No, I am different from Gao Hai's generation, this is Kuang Fu Sheji's move, and it is definitely for the sake of Li Mou's own selfishness.

[・・・Are you really relieved to give the lives of four billion people...

The Son of Heaven is still young, and he will definitely be a generation of holy lords when he grows up.

【・・Really...】

Shut up.

[・・・A generation of holy masters・・・Look at her・・・Look at her・・・・・・ grains are not divided into four bodies, she is not diligent, she was born between the brick walls and has not heard a word of the people's suffering, and her mouth is full of children's whispers...

It's none of your business, you're not from the Federation for a long time, shut up.

[Star Carving... It was you who pushed four billion people into hell with your own hands...]

Shut up・・・・・・

【Will the people be happy?】

Shut up!

[Will that little girl... 】

"Closed !! ・・・”

With a soft bang, the pen in the hand of the Son of Heaven had fallen to the ground and slowly rolled over.

Xingke thought that he was startled by the saint, and hurriedly got up, but found that the girl was looking directly at his fold, her face was full of horror, and her small body couldn't help trembling.

"Star..."

"The minister is here."

"What are you going to do..."

Xingke closed his eyes, took a deep breath, suddenly opened his shirt, and fell to his knees.

He said in a deep voice: "Qingjun's side, get rid of the national thieves." ”

It is the highest etiquette for the military attache to kneel down on one knee when he sees the king, and it is the understanding of the eunuchs to bow three times and bow nine times when they throw themselves on the ground.

Get down on your knees.

It was a military attaché's death gift.

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"Brother Huang?" Cornelia frowned in confusion, as if she couldn't believe her ears. "You're here..."

"Yes, Elan."

Shonezel's smile was tired, and his eyes seemed to darken. It was the first time Cornelia had read the word "barely" on her brother's face.

"Do you think that I came all the way to ask the imperial sister to intercede for me? My skin isn't thick enough yet. No, I know the emperor's character, and he won't forgive me. In a few days, I'm afraid I'll be under house arrest. ”

As he spoke, Xiu Zaizer's eyes drooped and he sighed self-deprecatingly.

"My days in the center of power are over. I'm here for Elan. ”

"I still don't get it."

"I want to save him."

"Ahem! Save him?! ”

Cornelia didn't swallow a sip of tea, almost squirting.

Schunezel seemed to have anticipated the other party's reaction, and his expression remained unchanged.

"Yes, we still have a chance."

"But he doesn't have a chance! Don't you see what that kid has become now?! He killed hundreds of thousands of Imperial soldiers with his own hands, he took millions of people hostage, and he could use all human beings as a blackmail! Force the Empire to retreat! So many lives! For what?! ”

The more Cornelia spoke, the more excited she became, and she stood up with a brush, her chest rising and falling.

"He's crazy! That kid could even use Yuwie's life to..."

"yes..." Xiu Zaizar interrupted Cornelia, as if thinking about something, his fingers lightly tapping the table. "Euphemia, half of his sister, the most important relative of the royal sister. Can you tell me what it's like to have your loved ones taken captive? ”

"It doesn't matter."

"No, that's all that matters. Can you imagine what would have happened to Yuffie if she had been killed? ”

“・・・・・・”

"You can understand that you have been imprisoned for seven years, even though you have done nothing wrong. The loved ones were taken away and killed. The moment he got the news of his mother's death, he was just a child, strong, but never strong. At that moment, he to...

"What's the use of comparing hearts to hearts, even if we understand him, tolerate him, even if the whole world understands him, and the empire opens its arms to invite him back, can he forgive us?"

"So what? Is there no other way but to kill him? ”

"There's no place for him in this world, so instead of living in such pain..."

"Coward."

Schunezel softly spat out two words, and the smile on his face faded.

"Brother Huang?"

"If you have done something wrong, you will cover your head and make a mistake to the end. Since you've done something you're sorry for, you're just killing someone else, a coward's way, a scoundrel's thing. ”

"What else can I do then?!"

Cornelia tried desperately to keep her teacup from falling to the ground.

"That's the Emperor, that's the decision made by the whole empire! What can we do? What can I do?! ”

She didn't know that what the imperial brother said was the truth, she was not angry with Xiu Nazel, let alone angry with Ilan, but herself.

Incompetence, indifference, insensitivity, greed... inaction・・・・・・

A warm hand cupped her cheek, it was Honezel, an intimate gesture that had not been seen since the two of them were sensible.

"Pluck up courage, Connie, and confront the mistakes we've made instead of running away."

“・・・・・・”

Connie.

Except for her mother and this brother, no one dared to call Her Royal Highness the Second Empress of the Empire that.

"I'm not here to tell you these things as the second prince of the empire, the prime minister, the boss, the third heir, or the like... I'm in front of you, as an elder brother.

We watched each other grow and grow stronger every day, until one day, we looked at each other and never knew each other again.

I know I can be a good emperor, and I hope that in the future I can sit in that position and build Britannia into a stronger country. Powerful enough that they no longer need war, so rich that they no longer have to plunder the resources of other countries, and respected by the world, when they think of the name of the empire, the words that come to their minds are trust and generosity, not fear.

Time may have polished me into the shape of this accident, but this belief has never changed.

But the price of this dream is something I can't afford.

That day, my mother and I stood from a distance and watched you, my most wonderful sister, practicing swords in the garden.

That's your worst enemy in the future. ’

My mother whispered in my ear.

The child, named Honezel, was dead at that moment.

I got it.

If I want to be king, I have to step through the bones of my brothers and sisters.

In just two hundred years of the empire, ninety-eight generations of emperors, which one of them is not stained with the blood of his own family.

Someday, the man will put the two of us in the Colosseum, watch condescendingly, wait for one of us to pull the trigger first.

You know, it's just a matter of time.

I must destroy you with my own hands, Connie.

If I want to fulfill my dream, then I must prove my superiority to him with your corpse.

Do you see what we've all become?

Animal.

Dressed in human skin, pretending to have a smiling face, waiting, waiting for the moment when his blood relatives turned around, he pounced on it and bit the other party's throat.

Aeon?

He just doesn't have our hypocrisy and doesn't want to put on human skin.

He is much simpler than we are.

At least he... can still cry for his loved ones.

That day, on Mt. Fuji, I saw myself in him as he pointed his gun at me.

Cannibalism・・・・・・

No, I don't want to be like that.

You're my sister, my family, and I'm not going to do that to you, I'd rather end my life myself. Instead of waiting until that moment, you can exclude yourself from the circle now.

Ilan... He wasn't the first to be driven crazy by this deep palace, and he wouldn't be the last. As long as this cannibalistic system continues, the next ZERO, the next Black Knights, and the next Mt. Fuji will emerge one after another.

I would like to draw an end to this qiē.

It starts with saving the child.

The first step in our atonement.

Connie, please, help me. ”

Cornelia hung her head unrecognizable, and Honezel's thumb lightly stroked her cheek.

"Help the kid, help this... Family, help Yufie ・・・・・・"

“・・・・・・”

"I know it's hard, maybe you'll get in it yourself, maybe your life will be in danger. But, I believe that one day we will be able to sit together again. You, me, Yufie, Ilan, everyone. In the garden in the afternoon, chatting, playing chess, like family. ”

Hot tears fell between Schunezel's, and he gently took Cornelia into his arms.

"What do you need me to do・・・・・・"

Honezel touched the back of her head with his hand, lowered his head, and spoke softly in her ear.

"We're running out of time to see each other, remember what I said. As a first step, we need capital to confront the emperor. I can't do anything anymore, but now there is an opportunity, the military department is currently in a crisis, the top level is now changing a lot, the five standing committee members have been kicked out of two, the internal situation is very uneven, and someone is urgently needed to stabilize the situation.

Looking at the whole country, there are no generals who can look up to you, and if I guess correctly, the military department has asked you to come forward many times to take control.

From today onwards, you must forget your identity as a warrior, give up the pride of the past, and truly enter the core of power as a politician.

You'll climb faster than you think, and your demands will be met by everyone, even your boss. It should be known to the whole world that after I withdrew from the competition, you were almost the next 99th emperor.

It won't be long before you'll be able to hold the Empire's armies in your hands.

Next comes the most important part・・・・・・"