Chapter 289: Chapter 208: Civet Cat for Crown Prince, Golden Canary Hexagram, "Dragon Robe and Phoenix Attitude" Fate Grid

"This can’t be just for the sake of humiliating Great Yan. If they could seize our states and counties, the benefits would be far greater than some marriage alliance."

Many people grasped the key point. A flash of insight struck one of them, who said:

"Could there be internal strife within the Demon Country? Or perhaps the Great Nether Empress has only just taken the throne, and with the Great Netherworld in a state of total reconstruction, they can’t support a large-scale war. Is this invasion merely the last bolt from an overstrained crossbow?"

Others raised their concerns, "The problem is, we don’t dare to gamble. If we infuriate the Great Nether Empress, it will mean a true, all-out war!"

"What exactly does Lord Wang mean?"

Wang He’fu explained, "The marriage alliance is a small matter, but the issue of the Crown Prince is a great one. Our concern with this alliance isn’t a matter of face, but of the chosen person. Prince Huai’an was personally named by the Holy Emperor as a candidate for Crown Prince, a decision that concerns the very future of Great Yan. This is precisely what the Great Nether Empress wants. Without firing a single shot, she simply needs our Prince to marry into the Great Netherworld. Then, the successor the Holy Emperor so painstakingly chose will be neutralized. An unstable Great Yan is what she truly wants to see."

Yuan Xuangang nodded gently. "Lord Wang makes a good point."

Wang He’fu smiled. "Then we shall simply grant the Great Nether Empress her wish. We’ll give her a ’Crown Prince’—but a false one."

The other Cabinet Ministers immediately understood.

"Lord Wang, you mean we should use the old ’swap the prince’ stratagem? Use an imposter for the marriage alliance?"

Wang He’fu nodded. "The Great Nether Empress saw my grandson only once in his prison cell, and it was just a fleeting glance. She certainly wouldn’t have a clear memory of him. We simply need the Holy Emperor to confer the title of Prince upon another, name him ’Lu Mingyuan,’ and send him to the Great Netherworld."

This was the only way Wang He’fu could think of to save his grandson.

Yang Jingyu pondered for a moment. "Lord Wang, your plan might just be feasible."

"But will the Great Nether Empress see through this fake Prince?" one of the ministers voiced his doubt.

Yang Jingyu replied, "I doubt it. The Great Nether Empress knows nothing about Prince Huai’an; they’ve only met once. She just needs a pretext to humiliate Great Yan. This whole business about him marrying into her court is simply to shame us and cut off our future. Giving her a ’prince’ in name only should suffice."

"If you esteemed lords see no issue, then we can begin implementing the plan," Wang He’fu said with a slight smile.

Hearing this, Chief Minister Yuan Xuangang also gave a slow nod. "This method is indeed the most feasible one at present. It avoids war, forces the Demon Country to withdraw its troops, and saves us from sending away the real candidate for Crown Prince."

"So be it. Lord Wang, go and inform Prince Huai’an. Have him compile the records from his time in the great prison. We can’t have the substitute we find getting exposed; that would be a disaster. This is a matter of grave importance, and if we want it to succeed, we must proceed with extreme care."

"Yes!"

With their tasks clearly assigned, the ministers set about searching for a suitable substitute and handling the necessary persuasions.

...

「Qingzhu Hall.」

"Yuan’Er, have you heard about the recent events?"

After leaving the meeting, Wang He’fu went straight to the Cold Palace to check on his grandson.

Lu Mingyuan poured his grandfather a cup of tea and nodded. "I’ve heard whispers. It’s about the Demon Country’s rampage, is it not?"

’He didn’t know what the Great Nether Empress could possibly be thinking. To think she actually wants me to marry into her family! They clearly have the upper hand. They could press their advantage, conquer Great Yan’s lands. Why choose a marriage alliance instead?’

Lu Mingyuan wasn’t naive enough to believe the Great Nether Empress was simply lusting after him. They had only met once; she surely had a deeper motive.

"So, Grandfather, your visit this time is about..."

Wang He’fu sighed, his voice thick with self-reproach. "It’s my fault. Your grandfather is useless... I couldn’t protect you."

"What do you mean?"

A sense of dread washed over Lu Mingyuan.

Wang He’fu said helplessly, "At first, most of the ministers agreed to go to war. But the reality is, the Great Yan National Treasury can no longer support a large-scale war. Forcing conscription would incite popular revolts across the land, damaging Great Yan’s Fortune."

"So most of the Cabinet Ministers have tacitly accepted the feasibility of a marriage alliance. They form an absolute majority."

"So your grandfather could only come up with a ’swap the prince’ plan to protect you."

"I don’t know if this plan will succeed, but you must be prepared. If it fails, you will most likely be sent for the marriage alliance, marry into the Demon Country, and lose your claim to be Crown Prince."

Hearing this, Lu Mingyuan fell silent.

’He hadn’t expected the situation to have developed to this point. The position of Crown Prince is undoubtedly fraught with danger. But marrying into the Demon Country is obviously far more dangerous!’

’What kind of place was the Great Nether Sacred Country? It was a land where demon fiends and evil spirits ran rampant. Rumor had it that in the Holy Netherworld, day and night were two completely different worlds. Day was the Mortal World, but night was the Netherworld! For the Human Race to coexist with demon fiends... one could only imagine how dreadful the environment must be. Only Demon Cultivators consumed by the Heart Demon Devouring Body—the most ruthless and vicious among them—were exiled to the Holy Nether Land. There wasn’t a single soul there who was easy to deal with. In the Central Plains World, people were bound by the Confucian, Buddhist, Taoist, and Rites Teachings, which guided them toward goodness. But in the Holy Nether Land, there was only the law of the jungle, where the strong devoured the weak and power was the only thing revered.’

There was no way, Lu Mingyuan resolved, that he would let this marriage alliance come to pass.

SHIMMER!

Suddenly, the Turtle Shell in Lu Mingyuan’s mind glowed with spiritual light once more. This time, only two crack patterns appeared, indicating a limited number of available solutions.

[The ’Swap the Prince’ stratagem, a marriage with an imposter, will bring endless calamity. To escape this fated marriage: speak for the good of the nation, condense a Dragon Soul, and forge a Dragon Bone.]

[Upper Trigram of Good Fortune: The ’swap the prince’ plan brings endless calamity. Spurn the marriage alliance and speak for the nation to escape it. Blessing: You will attract followers from all corners; the Crown Prince’s Mansion will overflow with talent; praises of your name will be endless; you will win the favor of great beauties. Bane: You will provoke the Great Nether Empress and be both valued and feared by Emperor Yong’an. Your Azure Fate Grid, ’Flood Dragon Gets Water,’ will advance to the Venerable Purple Fate Grid, ’Dragon Robe and Phoenix Attitude.’ Overall: Moderately Auspicious!]

[Middle Trigram of Evil: Accept the marriage alliance, serve the Empress, and become a male consort sequestered in the deep palace—the shame of Great Yan. Blessing: You will enjoy boundless romantic fortune and an exalted status. Bane: You will infuriate Emperor Yong’an, lose all your Dragon Fortune, be stripped of your claim to be Crown Prince, be abandoned by your followers and betrayed by your family, and bear an infamous name for all eternity, becoming an enemy of the Great Yan Dynasty and even the entire Central Plains World. Outcome: the ’Golden Canary’ ending. Overall: Moderately Inauspicious!]

’After reading the omens,’ Lu Mingyuan thought, ’it seems that to escape this calamity, I can’t rely on others. Not even Grandfather. I have to take matters into my own hands.’

...