Thirty miles north of the Imperial City lay the continuous Northern Min Mountains, with their over one hundred and sixty peaks towering high. Unlike the mountains in other parts of Nanzheng State, the peaks of the Northern Min Mountains were extrely high, successfully blocking the invasion of the Northern Barbarians and keeping the Capital of Nanzheng safe like a fortified citadel for nearly a hundred years.
Thus, even though the Nanzheng State had decayed to the point of stench, it had enjoyed several eras of peace. Moreover, Nanzheng State bordered the sea to the east, and Nanyu had only a few small countries to its south, while to the southwest and west, the three large nations comparable in strength to Nanzheng State were in a state of stalemate where none dared to make the first move.
The defeat of Nann State in that battle, after all, stemd from the internal strife within Nann State itself. The war ca quickly and ended just as swiftly, without giving the other two countries a chance to exert their influence, ending with the direct collapse of the Nann Royal Family’s direct line.
Today, the sixth son of the forr Monarch of Nann State, who is also the younger brother of Nann Yu, born to Consort Yin, led a rebellion with the Yin Family and established the Sixth Prince as the Monarch of Nann State, with the Yin Family controlling the political power.
The only remaining descendant of the Nann Royal Family was this Hostage of the Nann State, Nann Yu.
However, the Yin Family did not rush to act. Nann Yu was alone in Nanzheng State, unable to accomplish anything significant; moreover, the more important reason lay with a vital secret of Nann State, always kept in the hands of those in power. Although the Yin Family had already eliminated all opposing forces, they could not rest easy.
For the Nann Imperial Family always believed that the heir of the Nann Imperial Family was chosen by the heavens. How exactly the selection was made was a complex and mysterious trial process that had been passed down through the Nann Imperial Family for hundreds of years.
This thod of trial was always managed by the Jingn Clan.
Each new Monarch of the Nann Royal Family ca into being through the trials of the Jingn Clan. Only those who passed could beco the actual successor to the Nann State and qualify to be the Monarch of Nann State. Those who failed the trails had no chance of survival. Thus, Nann State never had any princes.
Originally, when the Monarch of Nann State suddenly fell ill and was on his deathbed, he hastily had his five sons undergo the trials. Within a single day, four princes died one after the other, leaving the Sixth Prince, born to Consort Yin. The Yin Family, with substantial influence in Nann State, decisively took military control, nearly wiping out the Jingn Clan.
It can be said that the mutiny of the Yin Family was absolutely successful because the four princes who undertook the trials died. The only prince left untested was the Sixth Prince, thus convincing a significant number of the ministers.
Even Duke of Jing Ci and Second Uncle Jing, who managed to escape, placed their only bet on Nann Yu, who had yet to undergo the trial.
The Jingn Clan, as the actual holders of this secret of the Nann Imperial Family, had Empress and Uncle Jing, as well as Duke of Jing Ci, sent out, sacrificing their entire clan’s safety because the Empress believed that Nann Yu was the one destined by heaven.
The Jingn Clan and the remaining direct mbers of the Imperial Family fled towards the east and the west to avoid pursuit by the Yin Family. They did not directly enter Nanzheng from Nann State’s borders but deliberately took a long detour through Nanyu, suffered losses along the way, then entered Rizhao Country posing as refugees before reaching Nanzheng State.
The Jingn Clan’s persistence in finding Nann Yu was not only due to the family’s mission and the Empress’s dying wish but also because of an even more crucial secret behind the trial. Once the trial was passed, each ruler of the Nann Imperial Family would have a military force absolutely loyal to themselves.
Nann Imperial Family Diehards.
Originally, the Monarch of Nann State died suddenly, and the Nann Death Soldiers also vanished overnight without a trace, their trails completely untraceable. Only the next Monarch of Nann State, who passed the trial, had the right to awaken them.
But Duke of Jing Ci never felt completely confident about letting the Princely Heir attempt it because indeed, this trial was not achieved overnight. The princes of the Nann Clan needed to undergo step-by-step training from a young age, continuously increasing in intensity, to finally pass the trial.
This is also why, even though the Sixth Prince had not undergone the trial, many people still believed that he was the one who would ultimately survive.
Because Nann Yu had not undergone any training since childhood.
Duke of Jing Ci had devised a thod—on top of the daily encouragent to strengthen Nann Yu’s physical training, they rapidly enhanced the absorption of the drug in a short period.
Simply put, the endurance to the drug that the Nann princes faced over a decade or more had been squeezed into just two years.
Even though, over this past year, Nann Yu’s performance had greatly satisfied Duke of Jing Ci, at this mont, the real trial still made everyone anxious.
The most talented little prince among the Nann Imperial Family traditionally needed three days. Now only two days had passed, and with no unusual sounds coming from the cave, it was the best response for them.
On the second night, Second Uncle Jing and Uncle Jingn, who had been watching unblinkingly at the cave entrance, suddenly heard a loud noise from inside. They hurriedly stood up, wanting to rush in, but Duke of Jing Ci stopped them.
"It’s not a bad thing, don’t worry." Had it really succeeded in less than three days?
Duke of Jing Ci couldn’t suppress his excitent and nearly rushed in himself.
Just then, a huge noise, like the roar of dragons and tigers, caused the leaves to tremble and ripples to form on the water’s surface.
Duke of Jing Ci was the first to rush in and saw a figure in the pool, a back covered in black patterns, appearing before his eyes.
Duke of Jing Ci trembled, slowly moving forward, while Uncle Jingn and Second Uncle Jing cried tears of joy and knelt down, repeatedly kowtowing.
"Princely Heir, oh no, Monarch, Monarch." Duke of Jing Ci imdiately knelt down solemnly.
Nann Yu turned around, and in the mont his consciousness returned, the black patterns on his body faded, and his skin regained its normal appearance.
Nann Yu stepped out of the pool and donned the clothes beside it, for the life-threatening struggle in the pool was no longer important.
"What about them?" Nann Yu asked as he dressed, feeling an endless surge of strength within him—he had known the effect of this drug since the first ti he tried it.
Duke of Jing Ci imdiately looked up.
"Monarch, don’t worry, the Nann Death Soldiers will be on their way upon hearing your call," Duke of Jing Ci said confidently.
Nann Yu nodded and personally helped the three rise from the ground.
"Master, Uncle Jingn, Second Uncle, I owe you so much for this journey; rest assured, I will certainly avenge my enemies, and seek justice for my mother’s family, the Jingn Clan."
"Monarch, we have always believed that you are the one chosen by heaven," said Uncle Jingn, crying and trying to kneel again, but was firmly pulled up by Second Uncle Jing.
"Monarch, you’ve been gone for two days; it’s best we return quickly. Before the Death Soldiers arrive, we still need to be cautious."
Reviews
All reviews (0)