The Way of the Empress

“Grandfather, father…” Being guided in by the old housekeeper, Zhuo Yang greeted Elder Zhuo and Zhuo Hengyuan without fail, but he turned a blind eye to the other person in the room.

Seeing that Zhuo Yang would not say hello to his wife, Zhuo Hengyuan opened his mouth and wanted to teach his son a lesson. But when he looked up and saw Zhuo Yang, he couldn’t help but swallow back the reprimand that had already reached his mouth. So, he unnaturally said: “You’re here.”

Zhuo Yang is a beauty.

To be precise, he is a rare beauty.

Eyes are like lacquer, skin whiter than snow, hair black like ink, and an well-defined body shape.

In him, one can pile all the adjectives that imaginable for an Asian beauty, and still feel that it is not enough to say how beautiful he is. It makes people think that he is so beautiful that it is not true at all, almost like a human-like imitation. It is hard to imagine that there is such a beauty in this world with no imperfections from hair to toe.

Zhuo Hengyuan didn’t like his eldest son, but every time he saw Zhuo Yang, he couldn’t help but be amazed. He felt that the wonder of the Creator was able to integrate all the advantages of him and his ex-wife into this guide son.

Before Zhuo Yang was born, there were tens of thousands of beauties in the world, and Zhuo Hengyuan never believed that someone could be seen to make people feel astonished.

But when Zhuo Yang was born…

He became a living example in front of him. Zhuo Hengyuan could only believe there really is such a beautiful person in the world with no imperfections. It is rare, too rare.

Years have passed, and he is old now. Only when seeing his eldest son Zhuo Yang, did Zhuo Hengyuan recall that when he was young, he was also a well-known beautiful man in the empire, and was once so outstanding.

Unfortunately…

“Yes, father.” Zhuo Yang treated his father with no enthusiasm. He responded indifferently, ignored the other person, and stood in front of Mr. Zhuo.1

Seeing Zhuo Yang’s indifferent attitude, Zhuo Hengyuan’s tenderness from seeing his eldest son’s beauty disappeared, and turned into disgust in an instant. He didn’t look at the other party again.

Zhuo Yang was his son, but he never regarded him as his father. He was far less likely than his younger son, Zhuo Yu, to act coquettish, pleasing and arousing affection.

Beauty is beautiful, but there is no soul.

It was exactly a perfect marionette in the hands of his father, the Elder Zhuo.

“Father, Zhuo Yang was brought up by you. He has been close to you since he was a child, and never listened to me… I think you should tell Zhuo Yang about this matter.” After Zhuo Yang entered the study room, the atmosphere was at a complete standstill, so Zhuo Hengyuan took the lead and urged him to explain.

For fear that the Elder Zhuo had finally made up his mind, and would change it accidentally because of Zhuo Yang’s arrival.

Zhuo Yang looked at his grandfather and asked immediately: “Grandfather, you are looking for me, what’s the matter?”

Mr. Zhuo tapped his index finger on the table, and after considering it, he still opened his mouth to Zhuo Yang: “Little Yang, grandfather has carefully considered it. The temperament of your younger brother Zhuo Yu is really unstable. I’m afraid he cannot bear the burden of being the imperial crown princess… Thinking about the marriage contract with the royal family, it is more appropriate for you to fulfill it… This…”

“Grandfather, but the Lin family and I…” Zhuo Yang frowned, not surprised that Grandpa Zhuo would make such an arrangement, but he still showed a surprised look.

This time, before Mr. Zhuo could speak, Xia Xiuzhi spoke first: “Don’t worry about the Lin family. We have already asked Major General Lin Xuan. He is also willing to exchange marriage contracts with your brother. He marries Xiaoyu, and you can be the crown princess… now, this matter is just waiting for your agreement.”

Zhuo Yang fell silent.

Elder Zhuo immediately glanced at Xia Xiuzhi.

Xia Xiuzhi fell silent.

“His Royal Highness is an imperial prince and is a national hero that everyone admires. Xiao Yang, what do you think about this matter?” Elder Zhuo spoke. Obviously it was a cold command, but he showed a very humane appearance and asked in a soliciting tone.

The crown prince was indeed a national hero. The strongest sentinel recognized by the entire empire, and the coveted companion of all guides.

But, now…

But no one could say that marrying to become the crown princess is something fortunate.

It’s really hard for the patriarch to say things like this without a conscience.

Zhuo Yang sneered, but he didn’t dare to show it at all on his face. He only replied very obediently: “The grandson is subject to grandfather’s arrangements.”

Zhuo Yang is not surprised that there will be such an ending. Or rather, since the day Zhuo Yu disappeared, he knew it would end like this.

But he didn’t want to resist.

Fortunately, he never meant anything to that Major General Lin. Therefore, if he heard about some scandals from other channels, he didn’t think it was anything more.

“Okay, good boy. Grandfather knows that you are an obedient child who listens to his grandfather more.” Grandpa Zhuo patted Zhuo Yang’s hand and felt that this grandson was very obedient and listened.

Only, it’s still a pity in the end.

However, even if it was a pity, the guides of the Zhuo family were born to serve the interests of the family and the sentinels. This is deeply ingrained in the heart of Elder Zhuo.

Zhuo Yang obediently let the old man pat his hand.

Xia Xiuzhi glanced at him contemptuously. She didn’t know how the little bastard could make the old man so happy. Feeling uneasy, thinking that Zhuo Yang is about to marry the crown prince on behalf of her son, she couldn’t help but gloat and said: “Zhuo Yang, you have to cherish this opportunity. If it weren’t for us discussing secretly… You are a B-level guide. I’m afraid you wouldn’t have had the chance to marry the crown prince and become the crown princess.”

Prince Moodys Bricania2 is thirty-two years old this year. He was originally appointed by the emperor, and even if the relationship between the emperor and the empress has long soured and there are constant struggles, the emperor never considered abandoning his eldest son. At the age of twenty, his mental power was so powerful that he was hailed as the strongest sentinel in the empire. At the age of twenty-one, he commanded and won one battle after another. He was known as the god of war and hope for the future of the empire, and had countless fans and supporters…

Moodys was once the most coveted companion for all guides in the empire, and his popular support rate was even higher than that of Emperor Winston the Great.

Back then, he was voted nationally by the people of Osphia as the future monarch who could bring hope to the people. In the eyes of tens of thousands of fans and supporters, there is simply no guide in the world who can be worthy of their royal prince.

But that was in the past. The time and legends belonging to Crown Prince Moodys Bricania all ended in battle at White Tiger Star nine years ago.

That year, Moodys Bricania led the army to conquer White Tiger Star, but was unexpectedly ambushed by the Alliance Army. He had a chance to escape, but in order to save his legion and soldiers, he exhausted his mental power and his mental power was completely abolished. His legs were blasted, and he couldn’t stand up anymore. Even his face was attacked by Zerg venom. The wounds festered and ulcerated, and left extremely disgusting scars after healing…

Even if his life was dragged back by a hair, there was a risk of death at any time.

If not for his contributions to the empire making his popular support rate very high, it is very likely he would have been dragged down from the crown prince position by his two younger brothers.

But even if he is still the crown prince, in the eyes of all discerning people, it is just a matter of prolonging the inevitable.

Sooner or later, the crown prince of the empire will change.

It’s just that the followers and fans of the crown prince and the majority of the people were unwilling to accept this reality.

As a crown prince, even if he still has identity and prestige, with no mental power and being stuck to a wheelchair, suffering from illness year-round and may fail at any time… it is impossible for him for be regarded as the ideal marriage candidate for guides.

Not only that, his face was ruined.

It is said that once he did not wear a mask to go out, and scared a few weak guides because of his ugly face. It caused them to go back and have nightmares for several days.

Such a rumor has been circulating in the circle of Emperor Star aristocrats for nine years. Zhuo Yu was so frightened that he did not want his identity. It was not surprising that he eloped like this with Lin Xuan.

“So, I should still be grateful to Aunt Xia?” In the face of Xia Xiuzhi’s provocation, Zhuo Yang immediately retorted. In this family, except for Elder Zhuo, he would not give anyone face.

No one should think of using him as a soft persimmon and show off their power in front of him.

Especially Xia Xiuzhi, who destroyed his parents’ marriage.

When Zhuo Hengyuan saw that Zhuo Yang was disrespectful to his wife, he jumped up angrily on the spot: “Zhuo Yang, how can you speak like this!”

“Heh—” Zhuo Yang sneered, his eyes full of mockery.

Before he could speak, Elder Zhuo glanced at Zhuo Hengyuan coldly.

Zhuo Hengyuan was silent afterwards, no longer dared to act like an elder in front of Zhuo Yang.

“Xiao Yang, you have to know that His Royal Highness became like this for the country and the peoples. He is now deathly ill, and waiting for a marriage to be happy3, so that he can extract sperm and combine with them to give birth to a child… If something happens, as a member of the Zhuo family…” Old Master Zhuo sighed. The suggestion to Zhuo Yang hidden in his words was already obvious.

Since he had decided to deliver up the grandson he had carefully raised, as the head of a large family, he could only strive to maximize his benefits.

The spouse of a royal family member can choose to remarry after the divorce or death of the royal family member.

However, once they remarry, they will lose their status as a partner of the royal family and can only retain the title of Duke.

As the grandson Mr. Zhuo carefully cultivated, he hoped that Zhuo Yang…

Zhuo Yang understood the coldness of this grandfather, and immediately understood, replying: “His Royal Highness is a national hero. If anything happens, I will guard him for a lifetime, will not remarry, and will not ruin the reputation of our Zhuo family.”

Zhuo Yang knew in his heart this is what the old man Zhuo wants. He has already seen the cruelty and indifference of this big family well.

The old man doesn’t need him to be happy.

He just needed him to exchange for the greatest benefits and outcomes for the Zhuo family.

“We can only wrong you, child.” Seeing that Zhuo Yang understood what he meant, Mr. Zhuo let out a sigh of relief and took Zhuo Yang’s hand with a bit of heartfelt distress.

In this interstellar age, the average life span of people is two hundred and fifty years old, while Zhuo Yang is less than twenty this year.

Zhuo Yang’s heart was cold and quiet, striving to maximize the benefits and pity, and said the words that Grandpa Zhuo wanted to hear most: “For the glory of the Zhuo family, whatever grandfather wants this grandson to do, this grandson will obey.”

“Okay, good boy.” Mr. Zhuo patted Zhuo Yang’s hand in relief. He didn’t know why the rest of the Zhuo family couldn’t learn from Zhuo Yang, and listen to him more instead of letting him worry all the time.

The other Zhuo family members in the room were scornful and mocking him in their hearts. They only felt that Zhuo Yang was a puppet controlled in the hand of Elder Zhuo. He would do whatever he was asked to.

Even when asked by Elder Zhuo to replace Zhuo Yu and marry the disfigured and handicapped crown prince, who could only sit in a wheelchair for life, whose mental energy was completely wasted, and could not be considered a sentinel… he really does have any thoughts and opinions that belong to him at all.

Zhuo Yang knew what they thought of him, and continued to wear a calm expression. He just grabbed the hand of the old man and used his current advantage to ask: “It’s just that, grandfather, I don’t know if I can make a request?”

“You say. As long as your grandfather can do it, your grandfather will promise you.” Although Grandpa Zhuo was a little unhappy about Zhuo Yang’s request at this time, he was still very cooperative.

On the contrary, everyone else was taken aback. They didn’t expect Zhuo Yang, who was a mere puppet, to make a request to Mr. Zhuo.

Xia Xiuzhi was afraid that Zhuo Yang would take advantage of her son, so she yelled on the spot: “Father, he— ”

“Xiuzhi!” Father Zhuo interrupted her sharply, and looked back lovingly to Zhuo Yang. “Xiao Yang, what requests and thoughts you have, don’t worry and tell grandfather.”

However, Zhuo Yang did not speak as much as everyone thought.

He frowned and said, “Grandfather, I want to take my mother away.”