Enthronement, Eastlyn Finally Falls into His Hand

The Emperor still holds considerable power, but at this moment he is completely unable to wield it—and even if he could, it wouldn’t change the fact that he is paralyzed in bed and incapable of handling state affairs.

Given the Emperor’s current condition, no matter how much authority he holds, he can no longer serve as sovereign. For the sake of the realm and Eastlyn’s future, establishing a new emperor is imperative—even the Emperor himself cannot prevent it.

The Emperor wants to install the former Crown Prince, now Prince of Jiangnan, as the new ruler, hoping to counterbalance Ninth Royal Uncle. But he can’t say it aloud; he can only watch helplessly as Ninth Royal Uncle raises the not-yet-one-year-old, utterly clueless Eighth Prince to the throne.

Fortunately, Ninth Royal Uncle left the Emperor one slot for an assisting regent, so he wouldn’t be completely sidelined. But this regent must be chosen with care—he’s the only one the Emperor can still use to influence court affairs. If this person harbors divided loyalties, the Emperor will lose everything.

The Emperor carefully considered how his confidants reacted during his illness, weighing his options again and again, and finally chose Felix Fuller.

“The Emperor has been utterly defeated.” Serena Feng, upon hearing the name of the new assisting regent, silently mourned for him.

Everything is unfolding exactly as Ninth Royal Uncle planned; every move the Emperor makes is within his calculations. In less than three years, Ninth Royal Uncle will have full control over Eastlyn.

“He’s far too arrogant,” Ninth Royal Uncle said coldly.

Even now, the Emperor still trusts his confidants, believing they will remain loyal and continue to serve him.

But the Emperor never considers: a man completely unable to care for himself, who cannot even speak—how can he guarantee his subordinates’ lives, or promise them the glorious futures and high positions they desire? When he can’t even protect their lives, when the future is bleak, will those confidants truly stay loyal?

The only ones who might still be loyal to the Emperor are the deathsworn he personally trained—men who live in the shadows and cannot survive without him. But they are powerless to change the structure of the court; all they can do is remain hidden.

With the Emperor’s approval, the Eighth Prince’s enthronement is placed on the agenda. Imperial Noble Consort Helena Hsieh is elevated to Empress Dowager by virtue of her son’s accession, but as Empress Dowager, she has no right to participate in government—her sole duty is to raise the Eighth Prince to adulthood.

Ninth Royal Uncle has never underestimated women, nor does he believe they are powerless. He would never allow Imperial Noble Consort Helena Hsieh to gain real influence. Anyone sitting in that position without sufficient restraints will grow ambitious and want more.

With the ministers’ cooperation, the Emperor’s private dissatisfaction stirs not a ripple—the Eighth Prince’s enthronement ceremony goes off without a hitch.

On this day, envoys from every kingdom and city arrive bearing lavish gifts to congratulate Eastlyn’s new Emperor. Princes exiled to their fiefs may not enter the Capital without an imperial summons, and Ninth Royal Uncle certainly isn’t about to invite them back to complicate matters for himself.

The enthronement ceremony is grand, but at the center of ten thousand kneeling courtiers, the one truly bathed in glory is not the new Emperor—the Eighth Prince—but Ninth Royal Uncle standing at his side.

Everyone knows that, for a long time to come, Eastlyn’s real power will rest with Ninth Royal Uncle—not the still-immature Eighth Prince. No one can even be sure the Eighth Prince will live to adulthood; investing in him now is simply not worth it.

Envoys from every kingdom and city come not only to congratulate Eastlyn’s new sovereign, but also to probe for the real story: why did the former Emperor abdicate?

From a distance, the city envoys see the former Emperor being supported by palace attendants, completing the ritual only with their help. But they are too far away to see just how gravely ill he truly is.

A few envoys muster the courage to inquire about the Emperor’s condition, but Ninth Royal Uncle has already issued a strict gag order—there’s nothing for them to find out.

The Northlyn envoy, unfamiliar with Eastlyn’s customs and emboldened by distance, blurted, "Ninth Royal Uncle, why isn’t the former Emperor here? We were sent by Princess Serenity to request an audience and deliver her regards."

"No need," Ninth Royal Uncle replied coldly. A clever envoy would have dropped the matter, but this Northlyn envoy pressed on: "How can you say that? Ninth Royal Uncle, Princess Serenity’s filial piety is sincere—you mustn’t stand in the way of her devotion."

"I will not," said Ninth Royal Uncle, sweeping a mocking glance over the crowd of envoys. Before the Northlyn envoy could say more, he ordered, "Guards, escort the Northlyn envoy home—and bring Princess Serenity back to her country to fulfill her filial duty."

"Ninth Royal Uncle, you can’t—you can’t do this…" The Northlyn envoy, realizing the gravity of the situation, rushed forward to apologize but was immediately detained by the Imperial Guards.

"Sir, please…" said the Imperial Guards, though their actions were anything but gentle.

"Ninth Royal Uncle, you can’t do this! Princess Serenity is now married into Northlyn—she’s a daughter-in-law of the Northlyn royal family. You can’t just bring her back." The Northlyn envoy shouted, but Ninth Royal Uncle replied calmly, "I can."

The envoys from Southlyn and Westlyn understood immediately: Ninth Royal Uncle is nothing like the former Emperor. The former Emperor always prided himself on courtesy and treated foreign envoys with formal respect, but Ninth Royal Uncle is different—he’s uncompromising and doesn’t care about diplomatic niceties.

With the Northlyn envoy as an example, no one else dared challenge Ninth Royal Uncle’s authority. Instead, flattery and well-wishes poured forth; Ninth Royal Uncle rarely responded, but nodded occasionally to show he was listening.

After a day of interaction, the envoys from every kingdom and city had a clear impression of Eastlyn’s Regent Prince: cold, arrogant, and reckless, just as the rumors said—and now, with real power in his hands, even less constrained than before.

The envoys felt a complex mix of emotions; after dealing with Ninth Royal Uncle, they missed the approachable former Emperor more than ever. But they knew full well that Eastlyn’s fate was beyond their influence.

When the banquet ended, the envoys departed, each lost in thought. The Liancastle envoy was especially conspicuous; Ninth Royal Uncle summoned a trusted aide and ordered him to keep watch on the Liancastle envoy and report any developments immediately.

The Liancastle envoy did not disappoint—he had come to Eastlyn not only to congratulate the new Emperor, but also to retrieve Jason Lan, who refused to return home.

Privately, the Liancastle envoy met with Jason Lan, urging him to return to Liancastle and warning him that Eastlyn was no longer safe.

Jason Lan did not make a decision right away, but neither did he refuse outright.

The watcher kept following, but Jason Lan was too cunning; in the end, he lost track and couldn’t find where Jason was staying.

With no other option, the watcher returned home, organized his findings, and reported them to Vincent Su.

When Vincent Su heard the Liancastle envoy call Jason Lan ‘Young Master,’ he slammed the table and shouted, "If Jason Lan is the Young Master, then what are you, Lance? Liancastle has gone too far!"

Ninth Royal Uncle watched Vincent Su, who was so furious he forgot his manners and cursed out loud, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

He possessed not only Liancastle, but also other loyal followers beyond its walls.