Chapter 90: The Battle for the Throne (1)

A month before Wuzhi's conference with the representatives of the Hodgepodge faction.

A day after the capture of Lorden City, Alexandros descended the mountains alongside the Hielander war party. They convened with Biao at the city, the latter passing on the instructions left to him by Wuzhi.

After being informed of Wuzhi's plans, Alexandros did not comment and immediately instructed the men to move. A small force of Hielanders was left to garrison the city and the rest separated into two armies; one led by Alexandros and heading to the capital city of the empire, and the other led by Biao to follow the allied forces and intervene in the battle with the Scarlet Demon Army if and when necessary.

With a great army in tow, Alexandros rode day and night to return to Caroxtel City at the earliest. With all the events that he had experienced in the past year, the boy emperor had changed as a person. No longer was he the weak and timid youth of the past but a strong and blooming seed of an Emperor!

His heart was still and clear like the cold moon that hung in the night sky. He was finally ready to shoulder the responsibilities of an emperor and was prepared to lead the empire to a brighter, better future.

But to do that, Alexandros first needed to be recognized as the emperor by his people. And for that to happen, he had to best his Royal Uncle.

Throughout these past few months, Alexandros had spent many late nights in thought. He went back to review his memories of his youth and slowly stumbled upon a fact; his Royal Uncle, Rodriguez Centinni, was not the man that he appeared to be. With all the experiences that he had garnered thus far, the boy emperor finally recognized the dark and sinister mind that hid under the mask of a genial, loving man.

In the past, the discovery of such a truth would have sent him spiralling down a whirlwind of disbelief, guilt, and confusion. Now, however, Alexandros accepted this truth calmly. He understood that everyone was more than what they appeared to be and to assign them a fixed role was incorrect.

Rodriguez Centinni was the man behind the murder of his father. It made sense when Alexandros recalled just how bitter and hostile the relationship between the two men had been; a truth that the boy emperor had been consciously and unconsciously suppressing within his mind.

His Royal Uncle's hatred for his father stemmed from something that his father had apparently taken from him; what this 'something' was, Alexandros did not know. However, he did have a few guesses of his own.

Could it be that his Royal Father had taken the throne, and by extension the role of the emperor, from his uncle? Could this be the reason behind his Royal Uncle's hatred?

The more Alexandros thought about this possibility, the more it made sense.

Both his father and brother were full siblings; brothers born from the same mother. In terms of age, it was his Royal Uncle who was more senior among the two. Following the South Aislan Empire's long-standing tradition, it should've been his Royal Uncle who must have been crowned emperor.

And yet, it had not happened. Instead, it was his father, the younger of the two brothers, who had been handed the crown by his grandfather.

This truth, which had never disturbed Alexandros in the past, now stood out like a sore thumb. Why was his father chosen over his uncle? What led to his grandfather breaking tradition and making this decision? Was this the source of conflict between the two brothers?

Many questions appeared before Alexandros and yet he could not answer any of them. It was only now that he realized just how little he knew of his own Royal Uncle.

Whatever the truth was, the boy emperor needed to meet with his uncle to learn the answers to his questions. And no matter the answer, Alexandros could not allow his uncle to rise to the throne and become the empire's emperor.

He had witnessed the Siege of Caroxtel City. He had learnt of what his uncle had done to emerge victorious. And knowing these truths, Alexandros could not in good conscience allow that sinister man to take the reins of the empire.

After two weeks of intense riding, Alexandros and his army of fifteen thousand Hielanders arrived at the gates of the empire's capital city, Caroxtel.

---

The whole of Caroxtel City was immersed in a festive mood for today was the 'Crowning Ceremony' of the Thirteenth Emperor of the South Aislan Empire, Rodriguez Centinni.

Brocades of red and violet-coloured silk decorated the buildings and streets of the city as the populace engaged in celebrating and welcoming the enthronement of a new, well-loved ruler. Children ran through the streets, littering them with flowers and the sound of their laughter. Parents and newly-wed couples gathered en masse, hoping to receive a small trace of the auspiciousness ushered in by the new emperor.

In this bustling atmosphere of celebration, it appeared that not a single person remembered the existence of the boy emperor.

From atop the balcony of a teahouse, Tang Gui watched these scenes of celebration with a severe expression on his face. A hint of reluctance and unwillingness could be seen in the depths of his eyes.

"Ah, Scholar Tang! Here you are!" A hoarse voice exclaimed and approached Tang Gui. Turning around, the honest-looking scholar identified the old, portly man with pale skin and clean features.

Rising from his seat, Scholar Tang greeted with a bow. "Greeting the Minister of Rites and Ceremonies."

The minister replied to Tang Gui's greeting with a wave of his hand. He then sat down at the table and asked, "So, what do you think of it?" He pointed to the streets and the celebrations.

Taking a seat, Tang Gui replied, "Lord Minister's preparations are as thorough and excellent as ever."

"Hohoho!" The minister laughed a strange laugh. "This is why I like you, Scholar Tang. You know how to praise others without sounding like a sycophant."

"This Tang merely speaks as he thinks. There is no flattery or brown-nosing involved," replied Scholar Tang.

"Hohoho! See, this is exactly what I'm talking about." The minister then shook his head and asked, "Have you thought about my offer?"

Tang Gui inwardly sighed and clicked his tongue. The matter that he was most unwilling to broach had been mentioned. He quickly lowered his head and spoke after a few moments of hesitation.

"Lord Minister, you have been nothing but kind to this humble scholar ever since I arrived in this city. From the day that I noticed your kindness, I have devoted my entire self to repaying your grace."

Taking a deep breath, he continued. "However, regarding the matter of becoming your son-in-law, I must admit… I cannot comply with your wish."

A gentle look of distant remembrance surfaced upon Tang Gui's face as he seemingly recalled a fond memory. "There is someone back home whom I've already promised my heart to. We've even exchanged keepsakes and promised to never forsake each other. To comply with your wish would mean to betray the faith of another; that is something that I cannot do."

Bowing his head as deeply as he could, he firmly finished. "Therefore, please forgive this lowly scholar for his inability. I shall pray for the happiness of the young lady and hope that she comes across someone better."

Tang Gui kept his head lowered, not daring to lift it. He knew within his heart that with his answer he had completely offended this powerful man. His future in Caroxtel City was uncertain.

Alas, Scholar Tang was a man of principles. There were things that he could do and things that he must never do. In this case, it was the latter.

A few minutes of tense silence later, he heard a long exhale from the minister. "So, you are denying?"

"Yes," replied Scholar Tang.

BANG! The minister suddenly slammed the table with his fist. "The gall of this man! Who do you think you are that you can deny me so firmly!?"

"Tang Gui! The only reason that I appreciated you and even wasted my precious time interacting with you was because of my daughter's insistence! What? Did you really think that I promoted you and raised you because of your ability!? How laughable! There are dozens, if not hundreds, who are better than you at your job!!"

"Did you think that you can escape scot-free after eating everything that I've fed you so far!? Impossible, I tell you! Whether you are willing or not, you will marry my daughter and take her surname! You will make her happy and slave away for the family until you die! Why!? Because I SAID SO!!"

"Guards! Capture this man and flog him a hundred times!! Perhaps, that will teach him his place in this world!"

At this command, a pair of guards immediately swooped in and captured the pale-faced Tang Gui. They then slapped him heavily on his face and dragged him away to administer his punishment.

Left alone, the minister took a sip of tea to calm down and darkly chuckled. "Such a rare talent and you think I will allow you to slip away? Banish the thought!"

He continued to laugh weirdly and finish the cup of tea. Just as he was about to order another pot, an aide ran up to him and informed him of the latest news.

"WHAT!? WE ARE BEING ATTACKED BY THE SAVAGES!? QUICK! PROTECT ME AND TAKE ME TO THE PALACE!!!"