Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

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"I, Shangguan Wuji, pay my respects to Your Highness, the Princess!"

Inside the grand hall of Mingyu's palace, Commander of the Hanhai Army, Shangguan Wuji, paid formal respects to Princess Qingyun according to all proper etiquette.

"General Shangguan, please rise. You are offered a seat."

Princess Qingyun, already apprised of the situation, faced the Grand General of the Western Defense, who commanded fifty thousand of the Hanhai Army. Despite being but a teenage girl, she managed to suppress the fear and unease in her heart, displaying the dignity befitting someone of the Royal Family.

Of course, the greatest source of courage beside her was Wang Chen!

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Shangguan Wuji took a seat and then spoke gravely, "Your Highness, my surrounding of Mingyu Palace with the troops was not an act of rebellion, but rather in obedience to the Empress Dowager's decree. I beg your forgiveness for any offense."

The Empress Dowager!

These words from the Great General instantly created a storm of shock within the hall.

No one could understand why the current Empress Dowager would do such a thing.

Even though Princess Qingyun was not born of the Empress Dowager, her marriage to Great Yan was meant for the alliance between nations. The sudden interference of the Empress Dowager, ordering border troops to besiege the marriage procession, was utterly baffling!

Wang Chen's gaze flashed, "General Shangguan, just speak plainly. What exactly happened in Daye?"

If it were not for a significant upheaval in the Imperial Capital, such an event would be absolutely unthinkable.

Wang Chen's intuition told him that something had likely also befallen Emperor Shaowu!

Shangguan Wuji glanced at Wang Chen, then looked back at the astounded Princess Qingyun, a hint of pity flickering across his eyes, "Ten days ago, a coup took place at Daye Palace. The Empress Dowager has resumed regency, the Emperor has been deposed, and His Highness King Jing has been re-instated as Emperor!"

"King Jing will officially ascend to the throne in three days!"

Upon hearing this, Princess Qingyun's vision darkened, and she fainted on the spot, fortunate to be caught by her maids.

This news was so overwhelming that her already taut nerves completely collapsed, unable to bear it any longer.

"You may assist Her Highness the Princess to retire and rest."

Wang Chen spoke with a heavy voice, "Summon the Imperial Physician to treat her, and let there be no mistakes!"

After the maids escorted Princess Qingyun away, Wang Chen also ordered the guards present to leave the hall, leaving only Sun Zhengheng behind.

Although Shangguan Wuji was accompanied by his personal knights, the Great General, confident in his own bravery, had entered the hall alone. Therefore, only he, Wang Chen, and Sun Zhengheng remained.

Wang Chen coldly said, "General Shangguan, what does the Empress Dowager intend?"

His tone, devoid of any respect, caused Shangguan Wuji's eyebrow to twitch and a look of surprise to flash across his face.

Given that Hanhai Prefecture was located on the remote borderlands of Great Liang, thousands of miles away from Daye, messages were not easily relayed—relying on carrier pigeons and fast riders, the efficiency had always been low.

Therefore, Shangguan Wuji's knowledge about Wang Chen, the Marriage Envoy, was quite limited.

To see a teenager like Wang Chen displaying such shrewdness and composure was quite astonishing to Shangguan Wuji, who found himself unexpectedly unable to see through Wang Chen's depths.

It is worth noting that Shangguan Wuji was one of the few sixth-tier Martial Venerables of Great Liang.

This made the Grand General of the Western Defense somewhat apprehensive.

After a moment's thought, Shangguan Wuji said, "The Empress Dowager's will is actually the will of His Highness King Jing. Princess Qingyun shall no longer travel to Great Yan. She is to be wed to the King of the Southern Barbarians!"

The Barbarian King!

Truly, a tumult of thoughts raced through Wang Chen's mind.

The Southern Barbarians referred to the tribes south of Great Liang. Composed of various large and small tribes, the mightiest tribe would lead and self-proclaim as the Barbarian King—barely qualifying as a nation.

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But compared to kingdoms like Great Liang, Great Yan, and Great Qi, the barbarian tribes were incredibly backward, akin to the difference between feudal dynasties and primitive tribes, the latter even practicing the custom of drinking blood.

But barbarians are natural warriors, fearless and ferocious in battle, often raiding the southern border prefectures of Great Liang.

They are also one of the major external threats to Great Liang.

Great Liang had attempted to eliminate this scourge, but the Southern Barbarian tribes were nestled in the mountains and forests, holding absolute geographical advantages, and the barbarian wizards were adept in using Gu poison, causing several encirclement campaigns to end with the loss of Liang's soldiers and generals.

The barbarians were crude and fierce, many devoid of humanity, with the Barbarian King notoriously bloodthirsty and brutal.

The Empress Dowager and King Jing actually planned to marry Princess Qingyun off to the Barbarian King, which was effectively throwing her into the fire pit – their intentions were truly malicious!

Wang Chen finally understood why Shangguan Wuji had besieged Mingyu Palace.

He was afraid that Princess Qingyun would get the message and then refuse to follow the decree!

After all, the three thousand elite guards escorting the marriage party belonged to Princess Qingyun's personal guard, and once they started fighting, it would be hard to control the situation, and casualties would be inevitable.

Shangguan Wuji clearly wanted to subdue the enemy without a fight!

"It must have been the Prefectural Governor's idea to use poison."

Shangguan Wuji apparently saw through Wang Chen's thoughts and said, "I don't think it's really poison, is it?"

Wang Chen neither confirmed nor denied it.

He didn't want to discuss this topic as it was already meaningless; what was important now was, "General Shangguan, aren't the Empress Dowager and King Jing afraid that Great Yan would turn hostile?"

After a moment of silence, Shangguan Wuji answered, "His Highness King Jing might be planning to ally with Great Qi to annihilate Yan, just waiting for Great Yan to turn hostile and then launch a joint offensive with Great Qi."

Wang Chen was speechless.

That obese King Jing came to mind.

He didn't expect the other party to be hiding so deep!

At that time, even Wang Chen was deceived.

Wang Chen had not forgotten that King Jing joined Great Liang's most elite Huben Army at the age of thirteen, had been serving in the military, fighting on the front lines against Great Qi, and had made great achievements.

Therefore, in many people's minds, Liang Shijie was the prince most suited to inherit the throne.

However, after Emperor Shaowu's ascension, the Empress Dowager recalled King Jing back to Daye to serve, in order to consolidate his throne and prevent the latter from gaining too much power in the military and threatening Emperor Shaowu.

Now King Jing actually planned to ally with Qi to destroy Yan, the waters were indeed too deep!

"You may not know, the mother of His Highness King Jing is the niece of the Empress Dowager!"

Shangguan Wuji said, "And the Empress Dowager's maternal family was originally exiled nobility from Great Qi, but His Majesty insisted on a fight to the death with Great Qi, and over the years, it has cost countless manpower and resources, and Great Liang is barely hanging on."

Wang Chen immediately understood why the Empress Dowager wanted to change course and establish a new emperor!

He sneered, "What can Great Qi gain?"

Great Liang and Great Qi were sworn enemies, and King Jing had fought many battles against Great Qi. Even with the family ties of the Empress Dowager, why would Great Qi consider becoming allies with Great Liang?

Shangguan Wuji fell silent again before answering, "King Jing is probably planning to cede three northern prefectures to Great Qi."

This time, Wang Chen truly laughed. "That's like seeking the tiger's skin!"

"Even knowing it's poison, you have to give it a try."

Shangguan Wuji's voice carried a hint of helplessness, "Otherwise, our Great Liang could very likely be annihilated by Great Qi and Great Yan joining hands."

He looked at Wang Chen, "Protector Wang, given the situation, what do you plan to do?"

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The second update is here.