Chapter 826 Your Majesty’s Decision
When Ying Bure walked out from the Imperial City Academy, the sky had not yet darkened completely. He gazed into the distance at the Cloud-Supporting Tower for a moment. The next second, his figure shimmered faintly, and as if he were a wisp of smoke, he slowly dissipated into the air within an instant.
……
Inside the Imperial Palace, lights shone brightly. Many people were busy with their tasks. A maid servant stood outside a room, her demeanor respectful.
"This is today’s medicine."
She was just about to enter when she saw a steward in a dark blue robe coming out from inside. He glanced at her and spoke softly.
"Go wait in the side room. His Majesty has an appointment."
Although this man spoke in a gentle tone, there was a certainty in his voice that brooked no argument. A slight tremor went through the maid servant’s heart. She answered softly, turned around, and walked away into the distance.
The steward’s expression, however, looked somewhat troubled. His fingers dug into his palm. He lowered his head, then loosened his grip. The next moment, he closed the door.
……
This palace chamber was also brilliantly lit. Many exquisite lamps illuminated the chamber until it shone with dazzling brightness.
The person sitting at the highest position appeared somewhat weary. The man standing before him wore a long robe of pale blue-green. A flowing cloud was embroidered at the hem of his robe, and his movements carried a casual air.
He did not seem to fear the man before him, even though he knew this man was the ruler of the Imperial Dynasty.
The man at the highest position smiled and spoke.
"What brings you back again?"
The man opposite him, wearing the blue-green robe, had a gentle and mild expression. He raised his head and looked at the person before him. With a wave of his hand, the air around them subtly congealed. His voice remained extremely gentle.
"How much longer can you live?"
The person opposite looked taken aback. After a moment, he laughed instead.
"How so? So concerned about me? How long I live is not important to you, is it?"
Ying Bure lifted his head to look at the middle-aged man before him. To be honest, the time he had known him was not long compared to his own life. However, this man before him was a difficult existence to define.
They had once been friends. Later, they could no longer remain friends. But they had, after all, spent time together. Regardless, there was still some concern.
Ying Bure lowered his head and remained silent for a moment before tossing him a porcelain vial.
The middle-aged man opposite was slightly stunned. He opened the porcelain vial. The moment it opened, an overwhelmingly strange fragrance assaulted his nostrils. Ying Bure’s voice was faint.
"Back then, I took a few drops of her blood after her awakening and made this elixir. Consider this elixir her final act of filial piety to you, as your daughter. However, even using her blood, which shares your origin as the catalyst, it can only preserve your life for one year."
There was something strange in Ying Bure’s eyes. After a long while, he finally spoke.
"Have you already decided who to pass this position to?"
The middle-aged man opposite gently stroked the porcelain vial, his body trembling slightly. Hearing Ying Bure’s question, he hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice.
"You care about that?"
Ying Bure frowned and spoke softly.
"There is naturally a reason why I am giving you this extremely precious elixir. If it can sustain you for one more year, then it is one more year."
One year later... that young girl should be able to return to the Imperial City. By then, everything should come to an end. Everything should be revealed. That moment was fast approaching.
He raised his head, his gaze somewhat profound. The Grand Instructor of the Imperial City Academy, who always seemed aloof from worldly affairs, let out a deep sigh.
Then, the Emperor of this vast Imperial Dynasty opposite him heard him speak.
"All this messy business of yours... If I hadn’t owed her some karmic retribution back then, I would have washed my hands of it long ago."
The man opposite could only smile bitterly. Ying Bure’s tone truly was too disrespectful. In all his life, the people who could speak to him like this were few and far between. But he knew that Ying Bure’s status destined him to be a special existence.
Before him, he could instead feel at ease speaking some truths, without needing to weigh every word.
An emperor had no friends—Ying Bure once was, but now could not really be counted as one. Ever since she was sealed away in the Cloud-Supporting Tower, never to escape for eternity, there was not much gratitude or friendship left between them. But at least Ying Bure’s existence still allowed him to have someone to talk to.
Having someone to talk to, in truth, was already enough to satisfy him.
He raised his head and looked at the aloof, cold middle-aged man, speaking softly.
"Have you found what you were looking for?"
Ying Bure shook his head before replying softly.
"But there’s nothing here that makes it necessary for me to stay any longer."
Ying Bure turned around. His sole purpose in making a special trip back to the Imperial City had been to give the man before him the elixir he had carried for many years. Beyond that, there was nothing particularly worth mentioning.
He prepared to walk out, but after a moment’s thought, he suddenly turned his head and said,
"When you have time, it’s necessary to discipline some people who have gone too far. Some people know too little, yet love to jump around recklessly. I know you don’t want your descendants to suffer anymore, but you managed to harden your heart back then. Now, it’s just a matter of hardening it once more."
A trace of a cold smile appeared at the corner of Ying Bure’s mouth.
The middle-aged man before him seemed slightly startled. He paused, then said,
"You mean... you’re referring to the Third Prince? I know he’s been up to some small tricks. But among those remaining, he is the most promising one now..."
Ying Bure’s smile grew even colder. He did not speak again. He nodded slightly, then turned and walked out.
This position... was enough to trap a person.
When he first met the man sitting on this throne, that man had not yet ascended as Emperor; he had been traveling the Four Seas. His temperament had been completely different from now—but that was only natural.
Ying Bure’s expression was icy as he turned and walked out.
……
After Ying Bure left, the old servant walked out respectfully. His tone carried a somewhat instigating note.
"Your Majesty... Instructor Ying is becoming more and more presumptuous lately. Should we perhaps... After all, he knows too much. If it spreads, I fear it might shake the foundations of the state..."
The middle-aged man on the throne shook his head. He coughed twice, lowered his head to cover the traces of blood welling at his lips, and his voice sounded bitter.
"He cannot be stopped. You underestimate him too much. Ying Bure... Why do you think he gave himself a name like that? You could never be his match. Don’t entertain such thoughts."
He began coughing violently again. The old servant carefully handed him a bowl of soup with his own hands. He drank it all in one gulp, but his expression grew serious.
"Summon the Third Prince to see me."
The old servant cautiously looked at him.
"The Third Prince?"
"Yes. Have him come to see me immediately."