The young general and the prince, who was to be married off, fell in love at first sight!

If the virtuous and wise Lu Chengyi had succeeded to the throne, things might not have turned out this way. Lin Wanghui wasn't just doing this for no reason; he wasn't going to take over the mess of politics.

Unfortunately, fate is always beyond human control. Lin Jingbiao specially named his only child "Wang Hui" (meaning "looking back"), but in the end, he still couldn't stop the relationship between the two families from falling apart.

Lin Wanghui stood there and sighed softly.

Not far away, King Lu Chengyi of Chu, who had been waiting for a long time, strolled over and stopped in front of Lin Wanghui.

"The emperor is unconscious, and the crown prince has fainted in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. The court is filled with dissatisfaction with the actions of the emperor and his son, and everyone feels that if the emperor is gone, their own will be in danger. At this time of undercurrents, you, who hold great power, openly and brazenly break with them."

Everyone in the world now believes that the current situation was caused by Emperor Pingwu and his son, but Lu Chengyi keenly sensed something was amiss.

“I’ve known the Duke of Zhenguo for many years, and he’s not someone who can be easily manipulated. The Tingyun Army has been established for over two hundred years, and it’s impossible for it to be smoothly transformed overnight. You founded the research institute when you were five years old, and now it has permeated almost every aspect of life, from emperors to ordinary people. Lin Wanghui, what exactly are you planning to do?”

In the quiet courtyard, where no one else could be seen, in an open yet private environment, Lu Chengyi pressed Lin Wanghui with every word, trying to discern his true intentions from every reaction.

Lin Wanghui lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, then raised his head again, meeting Lu Chengyi's eyes with interest. "What I do, Your Highness, do you think you can stop me? Or rather, would you willingly stop me for the sake of this imperial father and son?"

Lu Chengyi narrowed his eyes slightly, but instead of directly answering Lin Wanghui's question, he said confidently, "You really did have a plan all along."

"Hey—Your Highness, don't rush to condemn me. Answer my question first," Lin Wanghui said with a smile. "After all, even if you condemn me, no one can do anything to me. Why waste your breath?"

Now that the imperial power is in decline and people are filled with anxiety, who can shake Lin Wanghui, who actually holds the reins of finance and military power?

Even the eldest son of the late emperor, who was quite powerful and represented the legitimate line, was not someone Lin Wanghui would truly take seriously.

Lu Chengyi was also fully aware of this.

His hands clasped tightly together, his heart churning with turmoil, yet his face remained as calm as a still lake.

After a long silence, Lu Chengyi finally spoke.

Even if the road ahead is uncertain, I will stop you for the sake of the world.

"Hahahaha... What a fine example of 'the people of the world.' But I have one more question. Since Your Highness is so concerned about the people of the world, why didn't you try your best to seize that throne that was so close at hand back then?"

Lin Wanghui's previously calm expression gradually became turbulent.

"You knew perfectly well that Emperor Pingwu and his son were no good, yet you still allowed them to ascend the throne. Where were you during those seven or eight years when they wreaked havoc on the court? Where were you when you ignored the suffering of the people? Where were you when you eliminated dissidents without distinguishing right from wrong?"

"You've been hiding in the mansion day after day, and now that this tyrant is about to fall, you come out and tell me you're doing this 'for the people.' Where were you before? What, do you mean the people are only considered the people when their rule is threatened, and otherwise they're just sacrifices?"

“You are not qualified to talk to me about ‘for the people’.”

Lin Wanghui now only respects his own father and no one else. Each accusatory word is like a sharp knife stabbing into Lu Chengyi's heart, making Lu Chengyi pale and his lips lose their color.

Tsk.

Lin Wanghui gave a light scoff.

He looked at Lu Chengyi, who was swaying precariously before him, and pondered to himself. After all, he was a true member of the ancient royal family; how could he be forced to accept that?

Forget about him. We finally found a suitable candidate and a handy tool. What if he gets so angry that he dies? Wouldn't all those troublesome political affairs fall into our hands?

"Alright." Lin Wang put his hands behind his back, walked past Lu Chengyi and strode inside. "I didn't come to you today just to answer your questions. Let's get down to business. I'm very busy and don't have time to chat with you."

*

In the study, Lu Chengyi's face was still pale.

Unaware of his surroundings, he picked up the hot tea and took a sip, trying to warm his stiff body with the heat of the tea, but to little avail.

Having no other choice, Lu Chengyi had to give up, put the teacup on the table, and take the initiative to speak.

When do you plan to ascend the throne?

"puff--"

Lin Wanghui spat out a mouthful of tea.

"No, are you sick?"

Lin Wanghui frantically searched for a handkerchief, haphazardly wiping the water stains from his mouth and body.

He kept complaining as he wiped it.

"Do you think everyone's family is like yours, with all they care about is becoming emperor?"

These words surprised Lu Chengyi quite a bit.

"If you're not going to be emperor, why are you targeting Lu Xingzhou and his family? Don't you plan to depose them from their thrones?"

"Of course we have to hurry!"

Then why did you say you didn't want to be emperor?

Lu Chengyi looked Lin Wanghui up and down, then pondered for a moment, "You don't mean to ask me to be the emperor, do you?"

This is not surprising. Back then, Lin You was unwilling to become emperor, and with the bloodline of his lineage, Lin Wanghui would naturally do the same.

However, "Given your personality, can you accept being subordinate to someone else and handing over all decision-making power to others? Or are you planning to put forward a puppet? I don't recommend doing that. If the emperor is sidelined, it will inevitably lead to a confrontation and game between the two sides, causing all sorts of troubles. The court will collapse sooner or later, and it would be better to maintain the status quo then."

Lu Chengyi spoke eloquently, carefully analyzing the possible options.

“I think it’s more appropriate for you to take this position yourself. If you’re worried about the reputation of taking over, I can give you a transition period and then rightfully step down to you.”

"It's not necessary!"

Lin Wanghui carefully folded the used handkerchief and arranged it neatly. "Why does someone have to be the emperor? Let's broaden our horizons. For the common people, the greatest happiness and freedom is the absence of oppression."

What does this mean?

These few words contained unfathomable meaning. Lu Chengyi was instantly struck dumb, as if struck by lightning.

A short while later, he gradually came to his senses, but the astonishment in his eyes had not yet faded.

"What do you mean? You mean..."

“I mean, imperial power should disappear from this world.” Lin Wanghui’s calm and firm gaze met Lu Chengyi’s eyes directly. “You say I am not one to be subservient to others. But who in this world would willingly do so? The power of the people should remain in their hands. Only when they are in charge of their own affairs can they be free from the whims of one person.”

Lu Chengyi stared in shock, mouth agape, as he listened blankly to Lin Wanghui's words.

"After years of hard work, I have laid a solid foundation. Now I can say to everyone without any reservations that the world belongs to all people. As long as we take this step, the wisdom of the people will come in like a surging tide, endlessly."

"So, if I ask you again, will you stop me?"

The imperial power is absolute, and the supreme position is unassailable. Can the Lu family truly let go of it?