Protect Our Patriarch

……

For a moment, Emperor Longchang's emotions were exceptionally complex. He felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment and anger because Commandery Prince Kang was implicated in a smuggling and treason case. At the same time, he felt a faint embarrassment for having "wronged" Wang Shouzhe and underestimated his wisdom.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Old Yao asked in a low voice, concerned.

"No problem." After all, having been an emperor for thousands of years, Emperor Longchang quickly adjusted himself, his expression stern as he said, "Summon Chen Jinglong and Chen Jinghu."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

One of the leaders of the internal guards, Little Ji, immediately took the order and left.

In no time, the brothers Chen Jinglong and Chen Jinghu entered Zhuozheng Pavilion, escorting the rather disheveled Zhao Zhikun.

As representatives of the current young generation of the Chen Clan, both of them had remarkable demeanor and bearing. Chen Jinglong, being a great prodigy, was naturally impressive, and Chen Jinghu was also dignified and extraordinary.

Upon seeing Emperor Longchang, the two remained composed, saluting while holding Zhao Zhikun.

Emperor Longchang's authoritative gaze swept over the Chen brothers, finally landing on the pale-faced Zhao Zhikun, as he coldly said, "Jinglong, explain the situation."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Chen Jinglong reported, "My younger brother Chen Jinghu found several doubtful and suspicious points in the case, so he planned to interrogate Zhao Zhikun again. Unexpectedly, we discovered that Zhao Zhikun, who was supposed to be under house arrest, and his wife of the Jiang Clan had disguised themselves and fled, leaving behind only decoys to mislead us."

"Jinghu, as the head of the Penal Office, would be held accountable if the criminal successfully escaped. Fearing Your Majesty's punishment, he immediately asked me to assist in capturing the fugitives to make up for the oversight. Unexpectedly, just as we began our actions, Zhao Zhikun and his wife repented, voluntarily surrendered, and expressed their willingness to expose the true mastermind behind the smuggling and treason case."

After a brief explanation, Chen Jinglong presented a dossier and Zhao Zhikun's signed confession.

Old Yao took it and handed it to Emperor Longchang.

Emperor Longchang's face grew heavy as he browsed through it, and the last bit of hope in his heart quickly extinguished.

The muscles on his aged face gradually twisted, and an uncontrollable anger surged up: "Very well! Truly well! As someone I valued greatly, a quasi-Imperial Heir who might one day assume the position of Emperor, to be the mastermind behind smuggling and treason, haha~ haha~"

A series of suppressed angry laughter echoed in Zhuozheng Pavilion.

Zhao Zhikun's confession was extremely clear, rich in detail, and logically flawless.

The profits from smuggling were laundered through the Immortal Dynasty and then transferred to Commandery Prince Kang's residence. Over there, a person named Jiang Zhuyi from the Immortal Dynasty was mainly responsible for the connection.

And that Jiang Zhuyi was currently still in Commandery Prince Kang's residence, serving as the chief advisor.

Combined with the financial issues "unintentionally" discovered by Meng Yuanbai in Commandery Prince Kang's residence, the evidence was irrefutable! Even if Commandery Prince Kang denied it to the death, he could be convicted.

How terrifying is the wrath of an emperor?

In an instant, an invisible energy filled Zhuozheng Pavilion, and a sense of oppression permeated the air, causing everyone to involuntarily lower their heads.

Disappointment!

Since entering his later years, Emperor Longchang, knowing his days were numbered, had been very attentive to every outstanding child, naturally investing a lot of effort in Commandery Prince Kang.

It could even be said that this effort far exceeded what he put into Commandery Prince An. After all, before Commandery Prince An's rise, most people believed Commandery Prince Kang was the most outstanding quasi-Imperial Heir.

Even Emperor Longchang himself privately thought that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the future emperor would undoubtedly be Commandery Prince Kang.

Yet, who would have thought that beneath the glamorous exterior, the seemingly unparalleled Commandery Prince Kang had already decayed to such an extent!

How dare he engage in smuggling and treason?!

"Your Majesty, please calm down," Old Yao advised in a low voice. "Perhaps it's best to summon Commandery Prince Kang and ask about the situation. Maybe there's some misunderstanding here?"

"Misunderstanding?" Emperor Longchang sneered, slamming the dossier onto the table. "With such ironclad evidence, what misunderstanding could there be?"

"Meng Yuanbai, Chen Jinghu, since you've been handling the smuggling and treason case, continue with it. Chen Jinglong, I order you to immediately mobilize the Imperial Guard to seal off Commandery Prince Kang's residence. Arrest everyone involved on the spot, and don't let anyone escape."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Meng Yuanbai and the others accepted the order in unison.

"Go."

Emperor Longchang waved his hand impatiently.

"We take our leave."

The three immediately withdrew.

After they left with Zhao Zhikun, Emperor Longchang's aura deflated, as if the wrinkles on his face deepened and his eyes grew more cloudy.

Although he had anticipated that the royal family wouldn't be entirely clean, the severity of the corruption within the royal family and the fact that Commandery Prince Kang was the mastermind behind the smuggling and treason case still dealt him a significant blow.

"Old Yao," Emperor Longchang sighed deeply, "I suddenly feel very defeated. When Shouzhe privately described me as 'fond of grand achievements,' I didn't take it seriously, thinking I'd teach that outspoken kid a lesson later."

"Yet, I didn't expect him to be right."

"As an emperor, I love conquest, wanting to establish unparalleled achievements like my ancestors, but I've lost control over the royal family's internal affairs, leading to a major incident."

"Your Majesty," Old Yao quickly said, "don't take Shouzhe's nonsense to heart. Since you ascended the throne, the territory has expanded continuously, every commandery in the country is thriving, and the national power has nearly doubled. Such achievements are already unprecedented."

"Awooo~"

Five round little wolf cubs seemed to sense the emperor's sadness, rolling over to nuzzle against his leg, trying to cheer him up with their antics.

"You little things sure know how to please," Emperor Longchang's mood lightened considerably as he took out some jerky from the "Brave Troops Treasure Ring" to feed them, saying as he did, "You're certainly better at pleasing me than that Shouzhe."

"Pfft!"

Old Yao stifled a laugh.

Who knows how Wang Shouzhe would react if he heard this?

……

Meanwhile.

At Commandery Prince Kang's residence.

In the incense-filled, lavishly decorated study, Commandery Prince Kang and his many advisors and guests gathered once again.

However, compared to the previous solemnity, this time the atmosphere in the study was much more relaxed.

Whether it was Commandery Prince Kang, Jiang Zhuyi, Mr. Yude, or the chief steward, their expressions were quite relaxed, without the previous tension.

"Your Highness, this time, with Commandery Prince Shou and Commandery Prince Ping 'drawing attention first,' your situation is less conspicuous. Our goal is half achieved," Jiang Zhuyi said with a smile. "Additionally, our people have privately contacted many princes and commandery princes, and they have significant objections to Commandery Prince An. Over sixty percent of the commandery princes have clearly stated they won't support Commandery Prince An."

"Although the princes haven't explicitly expressed their stance, they've also hinted at dissatisfaction with Commandery Prince An. Our situation is looking very promising."

"Hahaha~ Good~ Zhuyi, your strategy has indeed worked," Commandery Prince Kang was overjoyed. "That Wu Mingyuan has shot himself in the foot this time."

"That's because you reacted promptly and acted decisively," Jiang Zhuyi smiled modestly, not taking credit.

He had merely moved his lips; it was Commandery Prince Kang who had arranged for someone to leak information about Commandery Prince Shou and Commandery Prince Ping.

"This tax investigation wave may have affected your reputation somewhat, but the overall situation is still under our control. As long as we slowly guide public opinion, the impact of the tax investigation can be minimized over time," Mr. Yude said, feeling much lighter, even his tone was more relaxed. "As long as we don't make any other mistakes, once the campaign against the Southern Barbarian Gu Clan is over, your path to the throne will be secure."

Hearing this, the chief steward of the commandery prince's residence also smiled, congratulating Commandery Prince Kang, "Congratulations, Your Highness, this time, your path to the throne is more than halfway successful."

"Hahaha~ It's all thanks to everyone's assistance that we have this situation today. I'm deeply grateful," Commandery Prince Kang laughed heartily, promising, "Rest assured, once I ascend the throne, there will be rewards for all of you."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Everyone immediately raised their hands in gratitude.

Several clever subordinates even chimed in with auspicious words, making Commandery Prince Kang laugh heartily.

Just as the atmosphere was at its peak.

Suddenly.

A deep and powerful voice boomed over the commandery prince's residence.

"All Imperial Guards, hear the order."

"By the Emperor's decree, Commandery Prince Kang is suspected of smuggling and treason, with conclusive evidence. From today, seal off Commandery Prince Kang's residence. Arrest everyone involved on the spot, and don't let anyone escape."

As the voice fell, a chorus of resounding acknowledgments followed.

Then came the sounds of doors being kicked open, shouts, the clatter of armor, the angry cries of the residence's soldiers, and the panicked screams of the servants.

"Not good!"

Everyone in the study turned pale.

Mobilizing troops without imperial orders was a grave taboo, and with the emperor currently in the palace, no one would dare to falsely transmit imperial orders. Since the Imperial Guard dared to come, there was only one possibility.

The smuggling matter had been exposed!

They had just been celebrating their imminent victory in the Imperial Heir Struggle, but who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, everything had changed!

"Could it be that something went wrong on Gongyang Ce's side?" Jiang Zhuyi's expression was grave, immediately thinking of this possibility.

The Imperial Guard's stance clearly indicated that they had already convicted Commandery Prince Kang, leaving no room for explanation. Unless Zhao Zhikun had turned against them, under normal circumstances, there would have been some back-and-forth, not a direct deployment of the Imperial Guard.

"There's no time to ponder that!" Mr. Yude was more pragmatic, quickly urging Commandery Prince Kang, "Your Highness, you must leave now! Head to the Prince's residence, there might still be time!"

"Yes! Go to Ancestor Dexin, find Sixth Grandfather Yong'an, and ask them to plead for me before the emperor!" Commandery Prince Kang immediately reacted, smashing through the roof and flying out.

In Guilong City, Basalt cultivators below the Divine Realm were not allowed to fly unless they had special permission or in emergency situations.

But now, Commandery Prince Kang couldn't care about the no-fly rule.

The power of the Purple Mansion Realm erupted, and profound energy surged wildly as he transformed into a crimson light, shooting into the sky.

However, just as he flew three or four zhang away, a golden net descended, enveloping him in its glow.

This net was the "Heavenly Net," a Purple Mansion Treasure used by the Imperial Guard to capture violators of the no-fly rule.

And this "Heavenly Net" was usually managed by the commander of the Guilong City Imperial Guard, Chen Jinglong.

"Chen Jinglong, how dare you stop me?!" Commandery Prince Kang struggled but couldn't break free, his rage boiling over.

At this moment, his expression was ferocious, his eyes bloodshot, like a trapped beast, devoid of his usual composure and calm.

"Your Highness, I apologize. You are accused of treason, and by the emperor's decree, all involved must be arrested on the spot, including you. Otherwise, I cannot answer to the emperor."

Below, Chen Jinglong stood in black armor, his hand on his sword, his expression steady and calm.

Beside him were Chen Jinghu, also in military attire, and Meng Yuanbai in a purple official robe, his face serious.

Behind them were officials from the Three Talents Office and the Supervisory Office, along with nearly a thousand Imperial Guards in black armor, forming a dense mass.

In the twilight, a red glow seemed to envelop them, even the black armor was tinged with a hint of red, resembling blood-stained battle armor, exuding a chilling aura.

Seeing this, Commandery Prince Kang felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, instantly calming him down.

Since Chen Jinglong was acting on imperial orders, it was clear that he believed Commandery Prince Kang couldn't cause much trouble, and he wouldn't back down under pressure.

Commandery Prince Kang stopped struggling, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice, "Chen Jinglong, I am a quasi-Imperial Heir. To convict me, the Ancestral House must be involved. You are not qualified!"

"I want to see Prince Dexin and Prince Yong'an, I want to see the elders of the Ancestral House! This is my right as a quasi-Imperial Heir, you have no right to stop me! Even with imperial orders…"

Unexpectedly.

Before he could finish, another rough and powerful voice interrupted him: "Quasi-Imperial Heir, you are no longer one."

At the same time.

A majestic and fiery aura rose from the south of Guilong City.

The next moment.

A crimson light streaked across the sky, from the south of the city to the sky above Commandery Prince Kang's residence, transforming into a tall, imposing middle-aged man in a red robe.

This middle-aged man wore a prince's jade crown, his black hair and beard bristling, exuding an awe-inspiring presence.

"Prince Dewei!"

Chen Jinglong, Meng Yuanbai, and the others quickly saluted respectfully.

This was no ordinary prince; he was the head prince of the Ancestral House.

The head prince of the royal Ancestral House was usually not from the direct line but from a collateral line, to ensure fairness. They were chosen from princes aged between a thousand and fifteen hundred years, in their prime.

The chosen one was usually the most respected prince of that age group.

Only in this way could they command respect.

Prince Dewei, in his youth, was a figure not inferior to Commandery Prince Hao, with terrifying military achievements that swept through his generation. Even within the royal family, he was a rare military genius, highly respected.

Of course, his reputation among the people was also high, with many legends about him circulating, and even among the top three-grade families, many regarded him as an idol.

For this reason, the emperor bestowed upon him the title "Wei" as a mark of honor.

The emperor's regard and trust in him were evident.

"Ancestor Dewei…"

Seeing him, Commandery Prince Kang's composure finally broke, his face turning pale.

He looked at Prince Dewei with a pleading expression, hoping he would show leniency for his past merits.

However, Prince Dewei didn't even glance at him, instead looking at Chen Jinglong, Meng Yuanbai, and the others below, coldly saying, "Commandery Prince Kang's smuggling and treason are proven, a disgrace to our royal family."

"This person is unforgivable. I now represent the Ancestral House, stripping Commandery Prince Kang, Wu Chengsi, of his quasi-Imperial Heir status. As for how to convict and punish him, the Ancestral House will not interfere, and everything will be handled according to national law."

"Yes."

Everyone responded in unison.

It's over!

With the Ancestral House not intervening, once the charge of treason was established, Zhao Zhikun's fate would be his own. In his disappointment and anger, the emperor might not even give him a chance to go to the cannon fodder camp!

Commandery Prince Kang's face turned ashen, his eyes filled with despair.

……

Without the glory of being a "quasi-Imperial Heir," and with the Divine Realm Prince Dewei overseeing, Commandery Prince Kang couldn't stir up any trouble.

The soldiers, guards, maids, and servants in Commandery Prince Kang's residence, seeing the situation, didn't dare resist and surrendered immediately.

Soon, the Imperial Guard took over Commandery Prince Kang's residence.

However, even though Commandery Prince Kang was no longer a quasi-Imperial Heir, he was still a commandery prince with merits. Chen Jinglong showed him some face by not imprisoning him but placing him under house arrest with his wife, Zhao Yijing, in his own residence, similar to Zhao Zhikun's treatment.

As for others like Jiang Zhuyi and the chief steward, they weren't so lucky and were directly imprisoned in the Supervisory Office's cells. Only Mr. Yude, due to his distant royal lineage, was given a clean, separate cell, a slightly better treatment.

……

At the same time.

In the Four Seasons Garden.

There was a lush orchard, with branches laden with golden fruits. These were the rare spiritual fruit trees of the Daqian Wang's Clan—Golden Phoenix Pears.

These spiritual fruits were extremely rare, and the Daqian Wang's Clan never sold them, only for internal family use.

Beside the orchard was a small artificial high-grade spiritual farmland, temporarily used by the guest Wang Shouzhe.

At this moment, the spiritual farmland was planted with premium spiritual melons and vegetables, bred and improved over generations. They were rich in spiritual energy, tender and juicy, delicious whether stir-fried or eaten raw.

However, using high-grade spiritual farmland for growing vegetables, the yield per acre was less effective for nourishing the body compared to growing spiritual rice. From an efficiency standpoint, it wasn't cost-effective, but wealthy families didn't care about cost-effectiveness, only their culinary desires.

For Wang Shouzhe, life wasn't just about filling the stomach; it was about quality of life.

High-grade spiritual rice could replenish physical energy and blood, but it couldn't replace the refreshing taste of spiritual melons and vegetables.

"Shouzhe, your planting talent surpasses even Zong An," Commandery Prince An praised as he munched on a crisp melon of an improved variety, while also picking new melons to store in his storage ring. "Qingrui loves melons; I'll take some back for her."

Some?

Wang Shouzhe looked at him with an odd expression.

In this short time, you've picked over twenty.

"This Scarlet Amaranth is nice, tender enough to squeeze water with a pinch," Commandery Prince An smacked his lips, eyeing other vegetables. "Yesterday, I had a few bites at your place, soft and tender, juicy and fresh. I'll pick some for Qingrui to try."

Pick some?

Wang Shouzhe's cheeks twitched.

Wu Mingyuan, you're about to strip this row of Scarlet Amaranth bare, you know?

As a quasi-Imperial Heir, is your family so poor? Always coming to his Four Seasons Garden to mooch meals, and even taking ingredients back. If there's nothing else to take, you'll pack the leftover spiritual rice to make fried rice for a midnight snack.

Sigh~ A quasi-Imperial Heir living like this, it's truly unmatched.

"Your Highness," Wang Shouzhe squatted in the field, earnestly lecturing him, "You are the future emperor, you should have some presence when you're out. It's not easy for me to grow these crops~ if you take them all, what will I eat?"

"Shouzhe, you're staying at the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, how can you worry about food?" Commandery Prince An blushed, putting down a few freshly pulled autumn radishes, awkwardly saying, "Is it worth being so stingy over a few bites of vegetables? When I become emperor, I'll promote you to the chief minister of the cabinet, then you can be busy with state affairs every day."

"Thank you very much~" Wang Shouzhe rolled his eyes, "Doesn't that mean I'll be busy handling all sorts of trivial matters for you? I don't have that kind of free time, you'd better find someone else."

"Then how about making you a Duke? We'll call you Duke Shou," Commandery Prince An waved his hand generously.

His demeanor suggested that dukedoms in his family were cheap.

Moreover, he hadn't even ascended the throne yet, and his skill in making empty promises was getting smoother.

"No need, there are only two dukes in the country, both with great merits in founding the nation alongside Emperor Xuandu. If you casually make me a duke, I'm afraid people will curse me every day," Wang Shouzhe waved his hand, showing no interest.

"Shouzhe, you don't want this, nor that," Commandery Prince An looked him up and down, surprised, "Could it be, you want to be a different-surname king?"

With that, he seriously considered it.

"Come to think of it, it's not impossible. According to the ancestral rules, if a family has enough merits, they can be made kings."

"Alright, alright, Your Highness, you'd better take care of yourself," Wang Shouzhe said, "With Commandery Prince Kang stepping down, the plan to campaign against the Southern Barbarian Gu Clan will likely fall on you. Be mindful, if you fail, it'll be a joke."

Having spent a long time with Commandery Prince An, his shameless hidden personality gradually emerged, especially his blatant way of stealing vegetables, which bore some resemblance to the emperor's shamelessness.

"I've already thought of a plan for the Southern Barbarian campaign," Commandery Prince An confidently picked a bunch of tender greens, stuffing them into his ring, his eyes shining, "This battle is sure to be won."

"Unexpectedly, Your Highness has grown a lot recently," Wang Shouzhe looked at him with newfound respect, "What's the brilliant plan, let's hear it?"

"The plan is simple, I'll recruit you as the grand strategist," Commandery Prince An waved his hand confidently, "With you accompanying me, it's a sure win."

"……" Wang Shouzhe glanced sideways, disdainful, "I can only farm, I don't have time to accompany you to war. After finishing this batch, I'll go back to farm with my wife, you figure out the plan yourself."

"Shouzhe, you can't leave me. At worst, I'll let you win a few games of chess."

"No, I also have things to do at home. Find someone else for that strategist position," Wang Shouzhe shook his head like a rattle.

As they were talking.

One of the internal guard leaders, Little Xiangzi, walked in familiarly.

However, unlike previous times, this time he held an imperial edict.

"The emperor decrees, summoning Wang Shouzhe to the palace immediately, without delay, by imperial command!" Little Xiangzi announced, then closed the edict, smiling at Wang Shouzhe, looking as if he had finally gotten his revenge.

An imperial edict?

Wang Shouzhe raised an eyebrow.

This time it wasn't a hint or an excuse for commendation.

However, since the emperor had issued a clear decree, he had no excuse to refuse.

"I accept the decree."

Wang Shouzhe respectfully received the edict, then followed the protocol by slipping a gold ticket for hard work.

"Master Wang Shouzhe, it's not easy for the emperor to summon you," Little Xiangzi said with a low laugh, "Luckily you accepted quickly, otherwise the emperor said, 'If that Wang Shouzhe keeps stalling, send the internal guards to drag him to Zhuozheng Pavilion.'"

"Hehe~ With the emperor's decree, how dare I not go," Wang Shouzhe smiled calmly, as if he wasn't the one who had previously refused several times, "Leader Xiang, please wait, I'll bathe and change, then accompany you to the palace."

"No need to bathe and change, just come with me. The emperor is quite anxious, he said 'immediately.'"

"Alright, then I'll pick some fresh spiritual vegetables and fruits to bring along. The emperor has taken care of Anye and the five little wolf cubs for a while, it's not right for me to go empty-handed."

"The emperor said 'immediately'! Master Wang Shouzhe, don't make me use force."

"Fine, then I'll borrow the fruits and vegetables His Highness just picked."

"……"

Commandery Prince An broke into a cold sweat, realizing that his earlier efforts were in vain, all becoming Wang Shouzhe's harvest.

……