Chapter 31: Returning to the Imperial Palace

The imperial palace was under heavy guard, with sentries stationed every five steps and watchtowers every ten. Imperial Guards patrolled back and forth, searching for any rebels that might still be lurking within the palace walls!

"Come to our aid immediately! Rebels are breaking through the gates, trying to escape the palace..."

A signal flare shot into the sky.

A squad of Imperial Guards sped past Su Chen. Before long, a series of blood-curdling screams erupted; several martial arts heroes from the Jianghu and members of the Demon Ghost Sect were dragged out and hacked to death by a flurry of blades.

The Imperial City was protected by three divisions

The Hidden Guards, the Imperial Guards, and the Martial Suppression Guards.

Now that the dust had settled, they were all mobilized to defend the Great Liang Imperial Palace.

"So many rebels. The palace is truly a dangerous place these days."

Beside Su Chen, the black-robed eunuch who had been shouting at the Martial Suppression Guards couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

"Indeed," Su Chen echoed, showing absolutely no awareness that he was currently the most wanted man in the world—the number one rebel.

Soon, familiar with the palace layout, Su Chen arrived at the Qianyun Palace. This was the residence of Empress Dugu; since Princess Yunyang had been raised by the Empress, she naturally lived here as well.

"I am here to hand over the palace token. The items the Princess requested for procurement are here."

Su Chen went to the management office to deliver the goods.

At that moment, faint sounds of furious roaring could be heard from within Qianyun Palace.

"Bastards!"

"A bunch of useless fools!"

"A mere Third-Rank Bone-Washing cultivator slaughtered three thousand of my Martial Suppression Guards, and yet, right in front of the Empress, you let him swagger away with the corpse of that purple-robed eunuch dog, Zhang Gui?"

"A mere Upper Third-Rank! The whole world is searching, yet you haven't found a single trace? Are you all just eating rice for nothing?!"

"Cough, cough... The dignity of our Great Liang is being trampled into pieces by these two dog eunuchs!"

Inside Qianyun Palace, Emperor Jianwu—pale-faced, extremely weak, yet exceptionally furious—was pointing at the various red-robed officials and the commanders of the three divisions, cursing them incessantly.

The commanders of the three divisions all looked aggrieved, unable to help but defend themselves.

"Your Majesty, this rebel Su... he can turn wind and rain into swords. Though he is only Third-Rank, he already possesses the aura of a First-Rank Minor Grandmaster! Never mind us; even a Second-Rank expert might not be able to stop him..."

"Furthermore," one added, "three days have passed. I fear this thief has long since fled, like a dragon entering the sea. Who knows which of the nine provinces he has hidden in..."

"Moreover, there are rebellions breaking out in all nine provinces right now..."

Jianwu grew even more enraged.

"Find him!"

"Search every corner of the nine provinces! I want that thief's head brought back to me! I still want to have Zhang Gui torn apart by five horses. To think I trusted him so much..."

Emperor Jianwu's roar caused the eunuchs and Imperial Guards outside Qianyun Palace to not even dare to breathe heavily.

Outside Qianyun Palace, after completing his task, Su Chen departed directly.

Along the way, he had already scouted the situation.

Xu Ge—the identity he had assumed as a eunuch—was a minor black-robed eunuch from the Imperial Pharmacy. Once his task was delivered, he could return directly to the pharmacy to tend to the herbs.

No one could possibly imagine that Su Chen, the number one rebel in the world, would turn around and slip right back into the imperial palace.

Even Emperor Jianwu likely never imagined that the Su Chen he was so desperate to eliminate was just a single wall away.

Not long after, Emperor Jianwu left Qianyun Palace by carriage.

Inside the carriage, the thirty-something Emperor Jianwu began to cough violently, actually coughing up a fragment of his internal organs. His eyes grew dark, and his expression became increasingly furious.

"This body is failing."

"It seems another succession is imminent..."

"Fortunately, the offspring I left behind are safe."

He gazed distantly toward the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, where his son and daughter resided.

...

...

The Imperial Pharmacy occupied a considerable area and was located in a relatively remote spot. It originally fell under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Academy of Medicine, but many miscellaneous tasks were outsourced to the palace eunuchs. It had its own medicinal fields for growing simple herbs.

"Kid, you actually survived."

The person in charge of the pharmacy's miscellaneous affairs was an old eunuch wearing a green robe, not a formal blue-robed manager.

His name was Chen Ge.

Having been in the palace for fifty years, he had lived through four reigns: Emperor Liangyu, Emperor Tianwu, the Deposed Emperor, and now Emperor Jianwu. Although he possessed no cultivation, he was as cunning as an old fox and lived quite comfortably by controlling the pharmacy.

"Since you're not dead, give up on that dream of sucking up to Princess Yunyang. Opportunities don't come that easily. Do you think you're Zhang Gui, capable of soaring to greatness overnight just by gaining favor?" Chen Ge said sarcastically.

Su Chen nodded submissively.

Afterward, he began his life in the Imperial Pharmacy.

The Imperial Pharmacy consisted only of Chen Ge and these two eunuchs. Having no cultivation, they were not valued by the palace. The pharmacy had never been abolished simply because the frequent changes in emperors in recent years meant no one had bothered with it.

Despite being called the "Imperial Pharmacy," when true nobles fell ill, they were handled directly by the Imperial Academy of Medicine. This pharmacy was meant for treating low-status eunuchs for minor ailments like headaches or fevers.

"Has this kid changed his ways? He's actually working quietly in the pharmacy."

Chen Ge was somewhat surprised, then nodded to himself.

"It's for the best."

"An ordinary eunuch should have the self-awareness of an ordinary eunuch. Without the talent for cultivation, staying close to the nobility is nothing but a death sentence."

"Work hard. I don't have many years left, but I consider you my true successor. When the time comes, if you guard this pharmacy, you can wear a green robe and live quite comfortably in this palace."

Chen Ge, his hair white as snow, patted Su Chen on the shoulder as the youth was busy preparing medicine for a sick eunuch.

"Yes. Old Chen, I've realized it too."

"Standing out is too much of a dream; guarding the pharmacy offers a better path."

Su Chen maintained a smiling demeanor.

With the imperial palace currently swirling with storms and undercurrents, this pharmacy, though neglected, was the perfect place to hide.

The seventh year of Jianwu passed quickly.

Spring turned to autumn.

Year after year.

Time flowed, and soon it was the ninth year of Jianwu.

By now, Emperor Jianwu's health was declining day by day.

In the nine provinces, three border provinces had completely collapsed and broken away from Great Liang's control, becoming independent under the hands of the remnants of the three great Jianghu sects and scheming aristocratic families.

One northern province declared independence as the State of You.

A southern province was swallowed by Great Liang's neighbor, the Great Zhou.

A southwestern province became a chaotic battleground between Great Liang, Great Zhou, and the State of You.

The tenth year of Jianwu.

Snow fell heavily, sweeping through the imperial palace.

"It is merely a slight chill. Take this decoction three times a day for three consecutive days, and you will recover..."

"Thank you, Master Xu!"

The young eunuch expressed his gratitude profusely.

After seeing off the last sick eunuch, Su Chen stood up and looked toward the Imperial Study.

Just moments ago, a squad of Imperial Guards had escorted a magnificent carriage toward the Imperial Study. Su Chen could vaguely see that the person sitting inside the carriage was a prince only thirteen years old.

"It seems Emperor Jianwu is about to 'pass on the throne'."

"Three years have passed."

"He finally couldn't hold on any longer!"

(End of Chapter)