Chapter 336 The Succession War (Part 2)
A man was pacing around in a courtyard.
It was a simple courtyard, with nothing special within.
The man was not decked in any jewels or anything of the sort. He was just in plain clothing, but the air about him gave him a majestic glare.
This man was someone who was important, without a doubt. No ordinary man would look like this without a big background. This was an aura that came from power.
He looked stressed though, as if he was waiting for someone. His face was gentle, but his eyes were sharp, not wanting to miss anything that happened around him.
"Where the hell is he? He said that he would be here by now." a soft voice came from him.
Although soft spoken, there was a hint of domineering possession within that voice. It was the voice of someone who wanted much more than the simple courtyard that he was in.
Swish!
A shadow appeared right behind him. The shadow resembled that of a man, and it immediately knelt on the ground.
"Tian Jiang greets His Highness. I am terribly sorry that I have taken so long to come to the capital, Your Highness. I was caught up trying to straighten up the sect." the shadow said.
"Tian Jiang. Too many things have happened in the last day that have been far too damaging to the kingdom. The Hong family is no more, and Royal Father has closed his eyes in a sudden surprise."
"And in all of this, I can't find my most valued advisor. Do you understand what kind of a position I am in? You are not here when I need you the most! The succession war is almost upon us!" the simply adorned man said.
"Do not worry, Your Highness. Now that I am here, I will not leave until you have ascended the throne. I will do everything that I can to make sure that you ascend the throne." Tian Jiang nodded.
"Where are the others? Father's Imperial Advisor and the commander of the palace guard said that they were not going to favor a prince, to ensure that the next king wouldn't have to be afraid of those next to him. I need more people if I will have to go against this new contender." the man said.
"The appearance of this new man, Liu Feng, was a surprise to all of us, Your Highness. But your victory will still be sealed in stone. It is said that the Green Gale tiger left for Kaishi and will not be participating in the succession war." Tian Jiang said.
"But he still has the Cai family, and he himself is stronger than any other prince. Why is someone who is not of the Tian surname even participating in the race, sect leader?" the prince was worried.
"It was an order of the previous king. Your grandfather. He favored your aunt, the Dragon Princess, very much. After all, she was the only one in the entire world who was recognized by the throne. And the throne is what makes the king the king. It gives the king the power over the strongest power in the world." Tian Jiang said.
"So if he gets the throne, then he can actually go against the curse of the king? He will be king for hundreds of years? Isn't that a terrifying thought, sect leader? We can't let someone that we have never heard of before get the throne. Imagine the chaos that would ensue!" the prince said.
"Even at times like this, you only think for the good of the people, Your Highness. That is why I support you, and that is why the people support you. Now that your second brother is no longer in the race, the only one that you need to fear is Liu Feng. With that for sure, every prince will only support you because they know that they cannot win. And they will definitely support a prince that will not kill them when they lose." Tian Jiang said.
"What I am doing is not mercy, sect leader. You know that. It is essential. This contention is different than every other. In the centuries that Tiandu has stood, this is the only time that the king has so many children. Father had many concubines, hundreds, in fact. And now, every single one of them controls a part of the imperial palace. If any of them die, then the palace risks losing a valuable part of it's power. Father has made the royal family its weakest ever." the prince sighed.
"We are aware, Your Highness. Every single expert in the palace, and in the kingdom, is aware. And that is why we must be careful after the succession war ends. We must make sure that there will not be a stab in the back when we least expect it. There will be many watchers, and many who covet this valuable treasure that is the throne." Tian Jiang warned.
"One enemy at a time, sect leader. First, we will need to deal with Liu Feng. I heard that my sister is also supporting him even though he took her support away?" the prince asked.
"Indeed, Your Highness. And it looks like her imperial advisor will also be in Liu Feng's camp." Tian Jiang nodded.
"Then the goal is to make sure that all of my other brothers will be supporting me. I will go to them myself and ask them to support me. I am the crown prince. Of course, the crown should be mine." the prince's eyes glinted.
"As will be the case, Your Highness. There is no way that anyone will be able to stand up to your brilliance. Should I send word for the other sects to come rally behind you as well? And should I call for the Ding family? They have long adored you." Tian Jiang asked.
"The Ding family has closed down for a few months now. I am not sure what has been going on inside, but my instinct tells me to fear them for some reason. I can only hope that my instincts are wrong. But do call every other sect. It is better to have the power of Tiandu in the capital to protect us from anyone from the outside." he nodded.
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