Starting as a God-Emperor by Intercepting Destiny

0014 You shall follow me and gamble your lives together!

What crime has Chen Zhong committed?

If you hadn't fought to the death to break through, Bao'er wouldn't have been able to save me.

If it weren't for your inside help in sending the message, how could we have surrounded and killed Yuwen Zhe?

If you hadn't risked your life, how could you have killed Wei Zheng?

The list goes on and on.

What crime has Chen Zhong committed?

Not only Bao'er, but even Zhao Jing fell silent when he saw Chen Zhong kneel down.

Bao'er was taken aback and asked quietly, a rare occurrence:

[Your Highness, has Chen Zhong gone mad?]

He's not crazy.

Zhao Jing raised his hand to signal for silence:

"Chen Zhong, since you've pleaded guilty, what is your crime?"

Chen Zhong knelt on both knees, his tiger-like eyes filled with tears:

"Your Highness, Yuwen Zhe is threatening your wife, children, and elderly mother."

"Back then, I even considered betraying Your Highness!"

What!

Bao'er gripped the Soul-Devouring Claw Gauntlets tightly.

Zhao Jing stopped Bao'er, and then comforted Chen Zhong:

"Humans are not plants or trees; how can they be without feelings?"

"If your family members are threatened and you waver in your resolve, it is not a sin."

"It is the Crown Prince who has wronged you, not you who have wronged the Crown Prince."

In the past, Cao Cao imprisoned Xu Shu's mother, and Xu Shu had no choice but to surrender.

Just as Guan Yu lost Jingzhou, his soldiers and their families all fell into enemy hands, and the morale of the army collapsed.

Now Chen Zhong's family is under control, torn between his wife, children, and elderly mother, and loyalty and righteousness.

Since ancient times, loyalty to the country and filial piety have been mutually exclusive.

Chen Zhong lost his father at a young age, and his elderly mother raised him with great hardship. Their son, a tiger cub, is only four years old.

His ability to uphold loyalty and righteousness is truly commendable.

How can we blame them?

Zhao Jing reached out to help Chen Zhong up, but Chen Zhong remained kneeling and refused to rise.

"No, Your Highness."

"I...I'm a beast!"

The more Zhao Jingyue didn't blame him, the more Chen Zhongyue wept bitterly.

"I have never betrayed you, but I know that Yuwen Zhe is not trustworthy."

"If the Grand Tutor himself arrives, I fear I will surrender in order to save my wife, children, and elderly mother."

"Please punish me, Your Highness."

"This subordinate is unworthy to receive this jade slip!"

Yuwen Zhe's mistake was killing the Tu family's daughter, thus ending Chen Zhong's hopes.

This person is utterly untrustworthy and nothing but a vicious villain.

How can one readily believe the words of a villain?

Chen Zhong refused to defect to the enemy and instead joined forces with Bao'er to kill him.

This matter had already been closed.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Jing regarded him as a loyal subject and even presented him with the orthodox teachings of Taoism.

This guilt finally overwhelmed him.

Bao'er stood to the side, subconsciously loosening her claw gloves.

Her eyes first showed a moment of realization, then quickly hardened into a look of determination.

Zhao Jing lifted Chen Zhong up with both hands and said gently:

"It's not your fault."

"Judging by actions, not intentions, for by intentions, no one in the world is perfect."

"I will rescue your wife, children, and elderly mother."

"A man doesn't easily shed tears, get up."

"You are still my protector, and the jade slip remains yours."

Zhao Jing changed his self-designation, no longer referring to himself as a fallen imperial grandson, and vowed to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the nation.

act like an absolute monarch.

With his elder brother gone and all his uncles deceased, he was the rightful heir.

"Your Highness!"

This towering man was now in tears.

He looked up at Zhao Jing's gentle smile.

That gaze seemed to say—

I will lead you to victory.

Follow me.

I will grant you a prestigious family!

Chen Zhong's wandering heart finally found its home.

He vaguely seemed to see Tiger.

"Daddy, Daddy!"

"I'm here!"

Tiger was overjoyed to see his father. He ran towards him, stumbled, and jumped into his arms, looking utterly adorable.

On one hand, there is blood ties; on the other, loyalty and righteousness.

The conflict between two minds is like being slowly tortured to death.

What should I choose?

What is right?

His Highness's palm, originally formed from the Illusion Pearl, was now warm and heavy.

This made Chen Zhong tremble with fear.

He remembered his father's dying words:

"Chen Zhong, you will become a guard."

"Remember the word 'loyalty': only by being loyal to the head of the household can you have a home."

"Remember this, remember this."

Chen Zhong closed his eyes, forcefully cutting away the agonizing pain in his heart.

He couldn't hear Tiger's calls.

Weakness is a sin.

Chen Zhongxin steeled his resolve, his face unwavering, and suddenly kowtowed:

"Your Highness!"

"If there are any further threats, I will personally eliminate the threat!"

A son dies, but you can have another one!

A true man should not be burdened by family when he is born between heaven and earth!

Wu Qi killed his wife to become a general; what's wrong with that?

Chen Zhong wanted to choose the character "忠" (loyalty).

Zhao Jing's expression changed drastically, and he shouted:

"No!"

Chen Zhongru was struck by lightning, and his body trembled violently.

"Your Highness!"

Am I wrong?

What should I do?

Zhao Jing took a deep breath:

"Chen Zhong, listen carefully."

"The fault does not lie with you, nor with your wife, children, or elderly mother!"

"Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor."

"What we need to do is retaliate tenfold, a hundredfold."

"I want you to be both loyal and filial."

"You are merely obeying my orders, having sworn an oath at the stupa."

Everything is under my command.

It's not that you betrayed your wife, children, and elderly mother.

Zhao Jing made Chen Zhong swear an oath to help him alleviate his guilt.

Chen Zhong's wife and children were under his control, becoming a thorn in his side, and sooner or later something bad would happen.

Only by distinguishing between primary and secondary issues can we remove the poisonous thorns and free the animal from its predicament.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Chen Zhong made a vow in front of the tower, vowing to put loyalty and righteousness above his family.

In the instant the vow was fulfilled, he felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders, all dejection vanished from his eyes, and all confusion disappeared.

Zhao Jing smiled and helped Chen Zhong up, then handed him another jade slip:

What's yours will always be yours.

"I am greatly comforted that you did not hide anything."

The two exchanged a smile, and there was no longer any barrier between master and servant.

Chen Zhong remembered his purpose and quickly clasped his hands in greeting:

"Your Highness, the Tu family requests an audience."

"They are preparing to follow His Highness to Jiangnan."

"The Tu family suffered heavy casualties in this battle, with most of their elites dying under Yuwen Zhe's sword."

"Betrayal is impossible."

Yuwen Zhe was skilled in swordsmanship, and his killing techniques were ruthless and fierce.

Innately, he rarely encounters an opponent.

The Tu family were originally loyal to the Crown Prince, and now they have an even deeper blood feud with the Yuwen family, so they are naturally reliable people.

Zhao Jing nodded upon hearing this:

"In that case, the Tu family will split their forces into three groups."

"We traveled down a secret passage to the south of the Yangtze River."

"We took a detour through Xuanzhou and then headed south by sea."

"Finally, I will accompany you back to Yujing."

What?

Has His Highness gone mad?

Chen Zhong and Bao'er exclaimed in unison:

"Your Highness, you mustn't!"

"Yujing is already a den of dragons and tigers."

"We finally fought our way out of the encirclement; how can we just walk into their trap!"

Zhao Jing remained calm and composed, treating the dangerous place as if it were nothing.

"Please listen to my words."

"If we simply walk away, we will lose everything."

"I refined Yuwen Zhe's true spirit and gained insight into the Yuwen family's earth-shattering secrets, which led to my decision."

What secret?

The two held their breath in anticipation.

Zhao Jing strolled to the window, gazing at the setting sun over the Jade Capital, his voice wistful:

"Yuwen Yi's transformation was definitely not a gift from the lightning tribulation."

"The real reason is that he obtained the Bone of Destiny."

Boom!

There was no thunder outside the window, but the three words "Heavenly Mandate Bone" sounded like a thunderclap.

Chen Zhong's face turned deathly pale:

"Your Highness, could it be the legendary divine object?"

"Exactly."

Zhao Jing nodded in agreement:

"The Heavenly Fate Bone was divided into three parts, and the Grand Tutor's Mansion has already obtained two of them, and is about to complete the process."

"If the three bones are combined into one, the Yuwen family will surely have a terrestrial immortal."

"When the time comes, ruling the world and changing dynasties will be a piece of cake."

Despair overwhelmed Chen Zhong's mind like a tidal wave.

We can't win.

The complete Destiny Bone will help Yuwen Huan ascend to the status of a terrestrial immortal.

No wonder the Yuwen family mobilized all their forces to help the eldest princess launch the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

This destiny bone is the real scheme.

On the contrary, Bao'er is ignorant and fearless:

"Your Highness, what is the Heavenly Fate Bone?"

Zhao Jing explained:

"This is a legend."

"Do you know, Bao'er, that there are nine levels of human martial bones?"

Bao'er nodded repeatedly:

"Know!"

"Martial bones are divided into iron bones, silver bones, gold bones, jade bones, spirit bones, dragon bones, king bones, Dao bones, and emperor bones."

"There are also other types, such as sword bones and thunder bones."

"Just as the orcs also have corresponding animal bones."

"The cheetah clan is light-boned and no match for the dog and tiger clans, so they fled to the grasslands and took refuge in the southern border."

Bao'er held her head high, looking like she was asking for credit, and even her ahoge (cowlick) twitched twice.

Praise me!

Zhao Jing smiled.

"That's right."

"Bao'er is studying very hard."

"My elder brother is born with the bones of a king, ranking among the top three ranks, and he shows great potential for growth, with a limitless future."

"But the maximum growth limit of a royal bone is a first-grade imperial bone."

"The Heavenly Fate Bone transcends the Emperor Bone; it is a supreme-grade martial bone with limitless potential."

Bao'er's face changed color in horror:

"Your Highness, then, then isn't that even more powerful than His Highness the Crown Prince?"

In the eyes of the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince was a genius of unparalleled talent.

Once his martial arts reach the level of an emperor, he will surely suppress an entire generation.

A king will emerge every five hundred years.

The founding emperor of the Great Yong Dynasty possessed the qualities of an emperor.

Even Emperor Shizong, who revived the Great Yong Dynasty and washed away the shame of the Yan-Yun period, was only a second-rank Daoist.

Zhao Jing nodded:

"It must never be allowed to be perfect, otherwise everything will come to an end."

The Heavenly Mandate Bone is the most precious treasure of our time, unmatched by anything else.

After catching his breath, Chen Zhong asked urgently:

"Your Highness means that we can seize the last piece?"

Zhao Jing's eyes were piercing:

"good."

"The last piece of the Destiny Bone is in my grandfather's hands."

"Grandpa's selfishness actually left a glimmer of hope."

"This is the only variable that can stop the Yuwen family."

Players often have a question as they progress through the story.

Who exactly is the man in black who is fighting with Yuwen Xiao for the bone?

Having completed the game, Zhao Jing naturally knew the other party's identity.

He held a very high position; he was Yin Wujiu, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

As a royal henchman, Yin Wujiu repeatedly intervened to thwart the Yuwen family's plans to kill Shen Changsheng.

It was only because Yin Wujiu obtained the Heavenly Mandate Bone that he relentlessly pursued those who fought over it, eventually tracing it back to the Grand Tutor's Mansion.

He then used Shen Changsheng as bait to lure the Grand Tutor's Mansion into his scheme, gradually weakening it.

Ultimately, the two sides publicly revealed their conflict, igniting the final battle.

Now, relying on his foresight, Yuwen Yi first killed Yin Wujiu, and then joined forces with the Eldest Princess to launch a coup, rewriting the ending.

However, this does not mean that Yuwen Yi obtained the last piece of the Destiny Bone.

Chen Zhong suddenly awoke with a start, his face filled with horror:

"Does Your Highness intend to storm the palace to rescue the Emperor, or perhaps infiltrate the inner palace to steal treasure?"

"That's absolutely impossible!"

Whether the Heavenly Mandate Bone was Emperor Hongjing's personal possession or hidden deep within the palace treasury.

The current situation is a path to self-destruction for everyone involved.

Zhao Jing's lips curled slightly, a smile that wasn't quite a smile:

"Don't worry, of course not."

"My grandfather was unable to refine the Heavenly Fate Bone, so he had already secretly hidden it elsewhere."

"Only members of the royal family are permitted to access it."

Your Highness, where is this place?

Chen Zhongzheng was puzzled, but Zhao Jing directly revealed the answer:

"That place is the imperial mausoleum."

The game's plot clearly emerged in Zhao Jing's mind.

When Emperor Hongjing received the Bone of Destiny, he was both overjoyed and desperate.

Because he was already a hundred years old and nearing the end of his life, he obtained the divine object.

The result was that his qi and blood were depleted, and he was unable to refine it.

Emperor Hongjing is roaring.

Am I to hand over this extraordinary opportunity to my descendants?

These descendants are far more talented than I am, yet they still want to take away my opportunities?

Don't even think about it!

This is all my good fortune, my good fortune!

A single thought of jealousy corrupted the emperor's heart.

Emperor Hongjing originally intended to pass the throne to his crown prince.

The crown prince resembled him; he was of mediocre talent, yet he had given birth to a prodigy who would one day wipe out the Yuwen family and secure his throne.

Moreover, the crown prince is backed by Confucianism, making him highly legitimate. After ascending the throne, he will at most kill the two princes of Qi and Kang as a warning to others, while his other children can be spared.

Emperor Hongjing was no fool; he was well-versed in the ways of the emperor and instigated the struggle for the throne among the nine princes in order to suppress the Crown Prince.

Zhao Jing's father, Crown Prince Zhao Xun, knew the emperor's heart, so he pretended to be mediocre and placed all his bets on Zhao Wei.

In this game, the Crown Prince accurately predicted the Emperor's heart, but overlooked the Fate Bone.

An unexpected variable.

After obtaining the Heavenly Mandate Bone, the Emperor's heart changed drastically.

Everything belongs to me.

I will not give it to you, and you cannot take it!

He doesn't want to give it to anyone now.

Even a good grandson is unacceptable!

Emperor Hongjing wanted to defy the heavens to prolong his life, refine the Heavenly Mandate Bone, and become an emperor comparable to Emperor Taizu and Emperor Shizong, so as to become a great emperor for all time!

He wants to become a terrestrial immortal and asks the heavens for another five hundred years!

To be old and not die is to be a thief.

Zhao Jing already looked down on this imperial grandfather, and after awakening his memories, he despised him even more.

For three years, Emperor Hongjing neglected state affairs and was obsessed with currying favor with the Mandate of Heaven, which made the country's affairs extremely difficult.

To ensure that the remains of the Heavenly Mandate were not lost, he hid them in the imperial mausoleum, severing any possibility of outsiders acquiring them.

Chen Zhong was somewhat puzzled upon hearing this:

"Your Highness, why is it hidden in the imperial mausoleum?"

Although Chen Zhong was a trusted confidant, he was unaware of these royal secrets.

Bao'er also looked completely bewildered.

Zhao Jing patiently explained the situation to the two of them:

"The imperial tombs are blessed by the ancestors of all dynasties and enjoy the sacrifices of the dynasty. They have become the spirits of heroes, and even the gods of the land cannot force their way in."

"Its defenses are even more stringent than those of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and it is further reinforced by a top-grade Dao artifact, making it extremely difficult for Yuwen Huan to seize it by force."

Gods and ancestral spirits all require blood offerings.

Only by consuming their offerings can one ensure the protection of one's descendants.

This is the ultimate principle of esoteric arts.

The millions of people of Dayong are all believers in incense.

The reason why ancestors, Buddhists, Taoists, and Confucians compete for the continuation of their lineage is because of this.

Incense is believed to possess a spirit, and its uses are endless.

Those who receive sacrifices accumulate their vows and, over time, will attain divine status and boundless power.

It is a misconception that the Great Yong Dynasty had no immortals on land.

The ancestral spirits enshrined in the imperial mausoleum are comparable to terrestrial deities.

This is why Yuwen Huan dominated the Dayong Dynasty for decades, rarely encountering a worthy opponent, yet he never usurped the throne.

This is the royal family's heritage, passed down through generations with the Imperial Seal, ensuring supreme military power for each generation.

Yuwen Yi joined forces with the eldest princess precisely to use her bloodline to eliminate the backlash from their ancestors.

The spirits of our ancestors could not tolerate the loss of imperial power, the collapse of ancestral temples, and the cessation of ancestral offerings.

Chen Zhong and Bao'er were as if they were listening to a heavenly book, feeling their eyes opened to a whole new world.

Using his knowledge of games, Zhao Jing recounted the royal secrets in detail.

He didn't know this knowledge before his memories were awakened.

The game reveals the two main reasons why the Zhao imperial family has been able to maintain its rule over the country for eight hundred years only in chapters involving the Imperial Seal.

The spirits of our ancestors throughout history are among them.

The two were stunned.

Zhao Jing then added:

"Before the eldest princess ascended the throne to perform the ancestral rites, the imperial mausoleum was not under her control."

"My elder brother has already become a grandmaster, and my maternal grandfather is eyeing us covetously. This is their most pressing concern."

"At this time, dividing our forces to launch a strong attack on the imperial tombs is a poor strategy."

"Only when the dust settles and the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven is held can we rightfully seize the Bone of Destiny."

Based on the original storyline, this part is purely for the final animation.

Even with all his precautions, Yuwen Yi could not possibly use his main force to capture the imperial tomb.

This is pointless and would only anger the royal ancestors, resulting in more harm than good.

"Therefore, if we don't want to sit and wait for our doom, we must go to the imperial mausoleum and cut off the Yuwen family's destiny!"

Zhao Jing finally received his long-awaited golden finger.

It allowed him to glimpse a glimmer of hope in his desperate situation.

Chen Zhong felt suffocated and asked in a hoarse voice:

"Your Highness, can we manage on our own?"

"It would be better to retreat to Jiangnan and plan our next move gradually."

There are many masters in Yujing.

You may be born worse than a dog, but masters are everywhere.

No matter how confident Chen Zhong was, he wouldn't have imagined that he could fight his way in and out seven times.

Zhao Jing suddenly turned around and opened his arms:

"Chen Zhong, Bao'er, look after me!"

The two looked up and saw that Zhao Jing's eyes were like a raging fire:

"Escaping to Jiangnan is nothing more than a precarious existence."

"Once the Yuwen family has gained enough power, they will crush us like ants!"

"Now, my elder brother has stirred up trouble in Yujing."

"The enemy's attention is either on the Crown Prince's residence or on the Imperial Palace."

Zhao Jing clenched his fists.

The afterglow of the red sun shining through the window seemed to be held in his palm.

"Who would have thought that a stray dog ​​would dare to turn around and bite someone?"

"This is what happens when you're in the dark."

A cold glint flashed in Zhao Jing's eyes:

"What I want is not to survive, but to turn the tables."

"Do you dare risk your lives to follow me?"

Bao'er didn't hesitate at all:

"Wherever Your Highness goes, I will go."

"Besides, Your Highness is protected by the Thousand Illusion Pearl, so you will have nothing to worry about."

Chen Zhong's eyes lit up, and he patted his chest to guarantee:

"Your Highness is willing to return to the capital with me."

"We urge Your Highness to immediately flee to Jiangnan."

Having chosen the word "loyalty," Chen Zhong staked his entire life on Zhao Jing.

As long as Your Highness succeeds, even if you die, the Chen family will prosper.

He wasn't afraid of dying, but he was afraid something would happen to Zhao Jing!

Zhao Jing resolutely rejected it:

"No!"

"I must go there in person."

Chen Zhong and Bao'er couldn't help but exclaim:

"Your Highness!"

Zhao Jing smiled faintly:

"The imperial mausoleum is a forbidden area, and only members of the royal bloodline are allowed to enter."

"Besides, I'm going to lead you to victory; do you think I don't even have that much courage?"

To live in the face of death, to fight for a sliver of hope.

Zhao Jing faced the two men and spread his hands:

"I will stand with you!"

At this moment, Zhao Jing looks exactly like Zhao Wei.

Fear and despair were swept away.

Instead, there was a do-or-die spirit.

The two knelt on one knee and shouted in unison:

"We are willing to follow Your Highness to the Yellow Springs."

"very good."

Zhao Jing's lips curled into a slight smile:

"We have benefactors to help us, who will send us back to the capital."

Bao'er couldn't help but ask:

"Your Highness, who is it?"

"Of course it's him!"

Zhao Jing pointed at Yuwen Zhe with a warm smile.

"Walk!"

"We will return to Beijing immediately."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Just as Zhao Jing was about to leave, Bao'er's belly suddenly rumbled like thunder behind him.

Glug!

hungry.

Bao'er's pretty face flushed red, and she hurriedly covered her stomach.

I haven't eaten properly since I fled Yujing.

Zhao Jing couldn't help but smile:

"Chen Zhong, order the butcher's family to prepare a meal."

Chen Zhongyi couldn't help but chuckle:

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Since things have come to this, let's eat first.