Chapter 4

This time, most of the feudal lords who came were following the Tianshui Marquis to boost his momentum and plan to take advantage of the Jiang family's misfortune.

But who would dare to speak up at this moment?

Whoever spoke up to defend the Tianshui Marquis would be opposing the divine will, opposing the Emperor, and not wishing for the Princess's illness to be cured.

At this moment, Xuan Fatty's mind also turned a corner. He was always the type who enjoyed watching the show and didn't fear making things worse. He immediately joined in the commotion: "Tianshui Marquis, you always boast that when it comes to loyalty, you rank second, and no one dares to rank first. Now that it's time to test your loyalty, you're hesitating. What's going on here?"

"Tianshui Marquis, just now you were talking about exterminating my nine generations. Now, you don't even need to exterminate your nine generations, just slap yourself three times, and you shrink back?"

Jiang Chen naturally wouldn't miss the chance to beat a fallen dog. He said with a tsk: "It seems that the so-called utmost loyalty, the best in the world, is just a joke that the Tianshui Marquis made up to amuse everyone. It can't be taken seriously."

The Tianshui Marquis originally came to mock the Jianghan Marquis and take advantage of the situation. But now, he himself has become the target of everyone's criticism, which he never imagined in his dreams.

The Tianshui Marquis, being a seasoned official, quickly regained his composure and said with great righteousness: "Your humble servant is not afraid of slapping myself three times. Even if the Emperor orders me to commit suicide, as long as it benefits the state and helps the Emperor, I won't even frown. Jiang Chen, you little brat, it's easy for me to help the Emperor by slapping myself three times. But what if you're just joking?"

Yes, if this kid is just joking, wouldn't he be playing everyone, including the Emperor?

Jiang Chen's tone turned cold: "Tianshui Marquis, you can insult me, Jiang Chen, but you cannot desecrate the divine will! Your Majesty, this person has repeatedly spoken disrespectfully. The divine will is already angered, and I fear I am powerless to cure the Princess's illness..."

Dongfang Lu was greatly alarmed and also angry. "Tianshui Marquis, why are you rambling? If you're really so loyal, why not just slap yourself three times and be done with it? Why not find a way out for yourself? Do I have to personally order you, and then be accused of bullying my subjects?"

Thinking to this point, Dongfang Lu was extremely displeased, his eyebrows slightly raised. The Tianshui Marquis was extremely skilled at reading people's expressions and had spent a lot of time studying the Emperor's moods.

Seeing Dongfang Lu's raised eyebrows, he knew the Emperor was truly angry. In a panic, he swiftly slapped himself seven or eight times in quick succession.

Each slap was solid, and he knew the harder he slapped, the more it would dispel the Emperor's anger.

After this round of slaps, his face was almost swollen like a pig's head.

After the round of slaps, all eyes once again focused on Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen was unhurried: "I told you to slap yourself three times, but you slapped yourself seven or eight times. Are you不服 (unconvinced)? Are you不服 (unconvinced) of the divine will? Or are you不服 (unconvinced) of the Emperor? Forget it, I'll forgive you this time."

He didn't care, but the Tianshui Marquis's allies couldn't stand it. They watched helplessly as the Tianshui Marquis slapped himself.

But after the slaps, they had to speak up for the Tianshui Marquis, right? He couldn't just be slapped for nothing, could he?

Immediately, someone jumped out: "Jiang Chen, how long do you plan to keep up this charade? The Tianshui Marquis has slapped himself. If you can't explain, you'll be punished even more severely."

"Right, if you can't explain, it's an act of treason, mocking the court, and you should be exterminated nine generations."

These guys were indeed in sync, even using the same phrase "exterminate nine generations."

Jiang Chen yawned lazily and said casually: "Your Majesty, the divine manifestation is a sacred matter. These guys keep talking about exterminating nine generations. If they anger the divine, won't they delay the Princess's treatment? Will they really be exterminated nine generations?"

After saying this, Jiang Chen stepped forward a few steps, standing in front of these old guys, and began to scold them with great righteousness.

"Each of you jumps up and down, have you really considered the Princess's illness?"

"Treating the Princess is such a sacred matter, but in your eyes, it has become a tool to suppress political rivals and bully the good."

"Tianshui Marquis, you keep talking about exterminating my Jiang family nine generations. If I, Jiang Chen, have a short life and am really killed, how will the Princess's illness be conveyed to the Emperor through me? Is your so-called loyalty cutting off the Emperor's options and the Princess's life?"

"You guys are so powerful, so capable. Who among you can stand up and tell me what's wrong with the Princess? If you don't have the ability, why do you envy and suppress the capable? Besides, I almost died from a beating to receive a divine dream. If the divine gets angry and leaves, can you bear the responsibility?"

"Finally, I ask you, if the divine is really angry and demands that you be exterminated nine generations to save the Princess, are you willing to sacrifice nine generations to help the Emperor?"

Jiang Chen's various frustrations and satisfactions were unleashed through this barrage of questions. It was like dark clouds pressing down, making these feudal lords gasp for breath, stunned for a moment!

Especially the last question, which made the feudal lords' faces change, and they were as silent as cicadas in winter.

Originally, they came to support the Tianshui Marquis, to suppress the Jiang family and take advantage of the situation. But now, even if they had the courage, they wouldn't dare to act rashly.

If this kid really uses the divine will to deceive the Emperor into exterminating their nine generations...

Considering the Emperor's doting on the Princess, this is not impossible!

Seeing their pale faces, Jiang Chen felt only one word in his heart—

Satisfied!

It turns out that scolding these unscrupulous old guys can be so satisfying.

Especially these old guys, each of them in high positions, thinking they are so great.

"Alright, alright, young Marquis Jiang, you've scolded enough. You've hit enough. Now, the Princess's illness is the most important thing."

At this moment, a neutral person finally stepped in to mediate. Normally, neutral people enjoy watching the show and don't fear making things worse. But if this show continues, the Emperor will be anxious.

"The Princess's illness?" Jiang Chen was stunned. "Who said the Princess is sick? Didn't we just say the Princess isn't sick?"

Again, this routine. Jianghan Marquis Jiang Feng, under Dongfang Lu's gaze, felt a chill on his forehead. He kept muttering, "Brat, just say what you have to say, don't keep us in suspense."

"Your Majesty, may I ask, was the Princess born on a day of a solar eclipse?" Jiang Chen's lips carried a calm smile.

Dongfang Lu was startled. How did he know this? Could it really be a divine dream? A solar eclipse is considered an inauspicious omen in the secular world.

So, Dongfang Lu had always avoided mentioning this.

"Not only the Princess, but also her mother was born on a day of a solar eclipse. For nine generations, the women were born on days of solar eclipses. After nine generations, the solar energy is lacking, and by the ninth generation, it becomes a Taiyin body!"

When Jiang Chen said "Taiyin body," he sighed deeply. This was a problem that had troubled him for a million years in his previous life, even his Heavenly Emperor father couldn't completely solve it.

So, when he saw Dongfang Zheruo, he felt a sense of empathy and immediately recognized the root of her problem.

Because of this empathy, he came back to life from pretending to be dead. Because he found a way to solve the crisis of the Jianghan Marquis's household through the Princess.

He offended the royal family, all because of a fart during the Heaven Worship Ceremony. And what was the Heaven Worship Ceremony for? To pray for Dongfang Zheruo's well-being.

If he could solve Dongfang Zheruo's problem, wouldn't that be the perfect way to make amends?

Dongfang Zheruo, with a Taiyin body, is extremely rare, one in ten million. He never thought that in the cycle of his past and present lives, he would encounter one.

Truly, the workings of fate are mysterious.

Dongfang Zheruo, an ordinary mortal, naturally had a shorter lifespan than Jiang Chen in his previous life. Without a Heavenly Emperor father or the Sun and Moon Divine Pill to extend her life, her lifespan was naturally low.

At thirteen, she had been diagnosed by various experts, and it was unlikely that Dongfang Zheruo would live past fourteen.

Out of deep love for his daughter, Dongfang Lu held the Heaven Worship Ceremony to pray for her well-being.

"Taiyin body?" The courtiers below whispered to each other. Clearly, they had never heard this term. If Jiang Chen hadn't spoken so convincingly, they would have almost accused him of making it up.

After a long time, Dongfang Lu finally recovered from his shock. At least, the solar eclipse issue, Jiang Chen was completely right.

Dongfang Zheruo and her birth mother were indeed born on days of solar eclipses.

At this moment, Dongfang Lu truly believed. This young man from the Jiang family must have received divine guidance and conveyed the divine will.

"Could it be that my sincerity in the Heaven Worship Ceremony has moved heaven and earth? Moved the divine?" Dongfang Lu was extremely excited and asked humbly, "Jiang Chen, can this Taiyin body be treated?"

"Taiyin body is not a disease but a natural defect. If the Princess had not practiced martial arts or cultivated qi from birth, living to fifty or sixty would not be a problem. The problem is that she forced herself to cultivate, damaging her already unstable qi. So, without external intervention, the Princess will not survive past sixteen."

This diagnosis was close to what the imperial physicians had said.

Hearing this, more and more people believed that Jiang Chen must have received divine guidance. Otherwise, how could he be so detailed?

Dongfang Lu asked hurriedly, "External intervention? So, there is a way to treat the Taiyin body?"

"Since it's not a disease, there are ways to deal with it. The first step is to stop martial arts cultivation and stop taking those pills that improve the meridians. Otherwise, in half a year, even divine intervention will be difficult."

This made Dongfang Lu's heart race, feeling lucky. He had always thought Dongfang Zheruo was weak, so he insisted on her practicing martial arts. Even if she didn't become strong, it would at least improve her health.

Who would have thought that practicing not only had no effect but also had the opposite effect? And those pills became deadly poisons.

"What's the next step?" Dongfang Lu now seemed like a devout student, eager to learn.

"Frankly, the Princess will never be able to practice martial arts. With a Taiyin body, her lifespan is short. The key issue is extending her life. The process will be long, not something that can be achieved overnight. In short, if Your Majesty trusts me, the Princess's life is in my hands. If you don't trust me, you can order me to be thrown into the death cell..."

"Jiang Chen, don't say such things. Your words have truly enlightened me. From now on, Zheruo's matters will be entrusted to you. Whatever you need, just ask. Additionally, I grant you the royal dragon token. With this token, you can freely enter and leave the palace. Even when you see me, you don't need to kneel."

Truly, a ruler's skills and depth are unmatched. Just a moment ago, he was calling for Jiang Chen's execution, but now he directly granted him the imperial dragon token, allowing him to see the Emperor without kneeling. This was a treatment that even the three highest officials in the court did not enjoy.

The Tianshui Marquis wished he could find a crack to hide in. The Emperor did not directly humiliate him, but such favor to Jiang Chen was even more painful than a direct slap.