As time passed, the surrounding factions captured more and more Han Nation cities. Reports of defeat poured into Borderless Heavenly Capital.
Now, the Han Nation officials felt very anxious. Reasons for the citizens’ unrest grew increasingly severe within the Han Nation.
Did something happen to His Majesty? Otherwise, why isn’t His Majesty appearing after losing so many cities?
Every day, arguments rang out in the Soaring Palace Hall. The officials importuned Chen Tianshan to send out the army and deal with the surrounding attacks.
Chen Tianshan endured tremendous pressure every day. If not for his pedantic nature and single-mindedness, he would have long since crumbled.
Chen Tianshan had to deal with the officials’ anxiety and the daily reports of defeat. He also felt anxious, but what could he do?
Send the army to deal with the conflict? Indeed, if he wanted, he could send Gao Xianzhi or another group of soldiers. They would be able to resolve the conflict very quickly. The Divine Demon Army that the emperor handed to him could suppress countless battles.
However, Chen Tianshan did not dare to. He worried that if he sent out a group of soldiers, they would never return. With the emperor absent, they could easily lose faith in the nation. Once one group abandoned the Han Nation, the dynasty would topple like dominoes.
What Chen Tianshan wanted was stability. He just wanted to stabilize the Han Royal Dynasty, the officials, and the soldiers, to maintain everything about the current Borderless Heavenly Capital. The Han Royal Dynasty would not crumble as long as he stabilized everything.
Losing cities? Chen Tianshan could no longer be bothered. Furthermore, the moment the emperor returned, the factions that captured the Han Nation’s cities would have to surrender them all—with interest.
Chen Tianshan just needed to wait for the emperor to return.
As Chen Tianshan dealt with the pressure coming from all directions, a figure appeared and disrupted all order in Borderless Heavenly Capital.
It was a black-clad man surrounded by a large number of black tortoises. They quickly arrived at the Soaring Palace Hall’s plaza.
Meng Tai, Gao Xianzhi, Mo Yike, and other officials walked out of their respective residences and went to the Soaring Palace Hall. They all looked at the black-clad man who had suddenly arrived.
“Salutations, Crown Prince!” countless officials suddenly saluted in pleasant surprise.
Chen Tianshan showed an uncertain expression.
“That’s impossible! You are not the crown prince!” Meng Tai cried out, suddenly goggling.
The black-clad man was none other than Gu Qin.
Gu Qin smiled as he looked at Meng Tai. “Envoy Commander Meng, don’t you recognize this crown prince?”
“His Highness the Crown Prince was killed by the Supreme Genesis. I was not the only witness. Many people saw it. The entire world knows that His Majesty became enraged because of the crown prince’s death, so His Majesty headed into the Heavenly Realm to kill the Supreme Genesis personally. You are not the crown prince. The crown prince has already died!” Meng Tai shouted.
When Meng Tai said that, everyone’s face sank.
“Who are you?! How dare you impersonate His Highness the Crown Prince?!” Chen Tianshan glared.
The officials now felt suspicious; their earlier excitement had already disappeared. They now looked at Gu Qin with sullen expressions.
Before Gu Qin could speak, a white-clad man behind him showed a cold smile. “What’s wrong? Does the Han Royal Dynasty no longer belong to the Gu Clan? Or are you attempting to usurp the throne?”
“Huh?” Everyone looked at the white-clad man with a gloomy expression.
“Prime Feng Yue, don’t be impatient. I’ll deal with it.” Gu Qin waved his hand.
Prime Feng Yue?
Suddenly, everyone’s expression changed. The Silver Moon Sea’s Prime Feng Yue? Isn’t that the black tortoise race’s prime? Chen Tianshan and the others knew that the Black Tortoise Prime had died, and the black tortoise deity ended up in Shangguan Hen’s body. Shangguan Hen had led the black tortoise race, which became the national beast of the Han Royal Dynasty. Unfortunately, Prime Feng Yue’s evil side had remained within the black tortoise deity. Eventually, that evil side split off from Shangguan Hen’s body, resulting in the black tortoise race having two primes.
Prime Feng Yue? The Heavenly Go Pavilion?
“Meng Tai, do you remember that I once wrote a letter to you? Do you remember how I wrote it?” Gu Qin said with a smile.
“Huh?” Meng Tai felt startled. “That letter?”
“The Han Nation is undergoing difficult times. I am Gu Qin. If anything happens to me, Meng Tai shall lead the officials and prevent scoundrels from causing chaos. He is to await Imperial Father’s return and destroy all demons and monsters!” Gu Qin said.
Meng Tai took out a letter and carefully read it. As he read, his expression changed. It’s exactly the same?
“Also, back then, I chatted with you alone a few times when we headed for the Solar Divine Palace…” Gu Qin stated the topics of the conversations then.
“How can this be? How do you know this?!” Meng Tai looked at Gu Qin with confusion.
Meng Tai’s confusion startled the others. Could this really be Crown Prince Gu Qin?
“Lord Gao Xianzhi, I recall that I have chatted with you alone before. The first time…”
“Lord Mo, I recall that when we went fishing together previously, I told you…”
“Lord Chen, I remember that when we were still in the mundane world, we worked very closely with each other…”
Gu Qin mentioned various events from the past. Now, Gao Xianzhi and the others showed shocked expressions.
Every word was accurate and without mistake. Gu Qin spoke about things that only the two involved would know about.
“Salutations, Your Highness the Crown Prince!” Meng Tai saluted respectfully, overwhelmed with shock.
“Salutations, Your Highness the Crown Prince!” the countless officials in the surroundings saluted respectfully as well.
However, Chen Tianshan, Gao Xianzhi, and Mo Yike frowned slightly.
“How did you revive?” Gao Xianzhi asked, feeling suspicious.
“I did die that day. However, I had fortunately received Old Mister Guan Qi’s inheritance, becoming one of Guan Qi’s nine inheritors. We all bear Guan Qi’s mark, which allowed me to revive. I recovered back to how I was only today. That’s why I returned only now,” Gu Qin said with a smile.
“Old Mister Guan Qi? The Heavenly Go Pavilion?” Mo Yike frowned slightly.
“Yes!” Gu Qin nodded.
“Salutations, Your Highness the Crown Prince. Might I ask why Your Highness brought these black tortoises here?” Mo Yike looked at the many black tortoises behind Gu Qin.
Since Mo Yike acknowledged Gu Qin, the surrounding people bowed respectfully. “Salutations, Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
Gu Qin nodded in acknowledgment. However, he looked at Chen Tianshan. “Lord Chen, you have worked hard over the years.”
Although Chen Tianshan was not very smart and could not figure out whether this crown prince was real or not, he had learned to read people over the past five years. Even a wise person like Mo Yike felt certain it was Gu Qin before them, so there was no mistake.
“Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince!” Chen Tianshan said happily, “Working hard is part of my duties. It is just somewhat tiring. It is great that Your Highness has returned.”
Gu Qin nodded. “Indeed. I know about Lord Chen’s efforts throughout the years. However, Lord Chen, rest assured. You can rest after this.”
“Huh?” Chen Tianshan said suspiciously.
“The Han Royal Dynasty is Imperial Father’s nation, after all. As his son, I have to share in my imperial father’s burden. Lord Chen has shouldered the burden of the Han Royal Dynasty, working hard for the Han Nation. This crown prince will remember this. You can rest after this. I will help you manage the Han Royal Dynasty. It is time to end the arrogance of the surrounding factions that attacked us. Otherwise, my Han Royal Dynasty will seem too incompetent.” Gu Qin smiled.
“Your Highness is wise. This official is willing to lead the troops to settle the conflict!”
“Your Highness is wise! This official is willing to lead the troops to repel the enemies!”
“It is great that the crown prince has returned!”
“This is great! We finally no longer have to endure their humiliation!”
The officials who wanted to fight cheered.
However, Mo Yike, Gao Xianzhi, and Meng Tai narrowed their eyes slightly at Gu Qin. They noticed something off, but they did not say anything.
Chen Tianshan’s face sank.
The moment the crown prince returns, he tries to snatch my authority away?
No, all authority in the Han Royal Dynasty belongs to His Majesty. The crown prince is the heir apparent to the throne. It is right that he take over. However…
“Lord Chen, you don’t have any objections, right?” Gu Qin smiled.
Chen Tianshan’s eyelids twitched, feeling a conflict in his heart. After a while, he took a deep breath and said, “Your Highness, as the heir apparent, we should obey you when His Majesty is not around. However, I would like to say this. You are just the heir apparent. We officials…we officials…we officials…”
After Chen Tianshan said “we officials” three times, all the officials looked at him, not knowing what he would say.
“We officials are loyal to only His Majesty!” Chen Tianshan shouted.
Everyone immediately showed a solemn expression.
“If Your Highness would like to take over the seat of power in the Han Royal Dynasty, you cannot declare it by yourself. As long as His Majesty agrees, we will obey with everything we have. Your Highness, do you have a decree from His Majesty?” Chen Tianshan asked gravely in a loud voice.
Chen Tianshan’s question immediately suppressed all the officials’ excitement.
Indeed, the officials had no longer wanted to listen to Chen Tianshan. They felt full of anticipation now that the crown prince had returned. They finally no longer had to endure their hopelessness and anger.
However, Chen Tianshan’s line of being loyal to only the emperor shocked them back to their senses.
Who would dare to disobey the emperor’s command? Did their wishes mean they wanted to defy the sovereign?
Chen Tianshan showed a stern expression and a firm tone. Many officials wanted to say something. However, this could result in the crime of rebellion against the sovereign. Even after thinking of what to say, they could not say it.
Mo Yike and Gao Xianzhi looked at Chen Tianshan in shock. They had looked down on Chen Tianshan previously. However, his refusal today made the two view him in a new light.
The two could not achieve the same level of loyalty to their sovereign. Furthermore, the other party was the crown prince.
Gu Qin’s expression immediately turned sullen.
“Lord Chen, are you being unreasonable? Just because Imperial Father is not here, you use a decree to do what you want? This crown prince is the heir apparent. You refused to salute me upon seeing me, and now, you even want to usurp my Gu Clan’s nation?” Gu Qin asked coldly.
Gu Qin’s voice carried an interrogative tone, prompting many officials to look at Chen Tianshan dubiously.
“A decree is a sovereign’s order. Furthermore, His Majesty personally installed me as Duke Tianshan. As a duke, I do not rank below you, Crown Prince Gu Qin. If you are loyal to His Majesty, then please remain peacefully in Borderless Heavenly Capital and wait for His Majesty to return!” Chen Tianshan argued back.
“Humph! Chen Tianshan, I think you intend to usurp my Gu Clan’s throne! This crown prince will deal with you, a traitorous official, today and bring justice to the world!” Gu Qin said coldly.
Behind, Prime Feng Yue started unleashing a powerful aura, pressing it towards Chen Tianshan.
The countless officials seemed to have split into two factions. Most of them seemed to support Gu Qin.
“The Gu Clan’s throne? Hahaha! Your Highness, you misspoke. This is not the Gu Clan’s throne. This is His Majesty’s throne. So, you brought the black tortoises here today to snatch the throne away? I have a decree. Who dares to go against it!”
Chen Tianshan held up the decree that Gu Hai previously issued as he glared at Gu Qin. Their eyes met with equal harshness.
