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"Kong Ming," the Emperor began, locking eyes with Zhuge Liang. A keen observer would notice a faint magical rune flickering at the corner of Zhuge Liang\'s eyes.

"How do you perceive me? Why have you chosen to serve me?" the Emperor asked, his gaze devoid of any deceit, like an old man seeking a sincere answer.

"You are the descendant of Lord Liu Bei, and you asked the mage in the owl mask to resurrect me in this body, granting me a second chance. It is only natural that I serve you, Your Majesty," Zhuge Liang replied.

Hearing this, the Emperor closed his eyes and sighed. Western magic, capable of resurrecting someone in a constructed homunculus body, was indeed astonishing. They could manipulate the homunculus and influence the inhabiting soul according to the creator\'s desires.

In Zhuge Liang\'s case, his soul occupied a homunculus modified with a perception alteration spell. This spell caused him to perceive the Qing Empire as an extension of Liu Bei\'s Shu-Han kingdom, not the Manchu empire from the northeast.

Without this spell, Zhuge Liang could never earnestly serve the Qing Empire and Emperor Tianhao Wenzhong. He might even plot the empire\'s downfall from within, as he would never serve a non-Han emperor.

"Kong Ming... can I entrust you with an important task? You can consider this my last wish," the Emperor said.

"Your Majesty... what are you saying!? You are still healthy and expected to live for many years to come!" Zhuge Liang exclaimed, alarmed by the Emperor\'s ominous words.

Tianhao Wenzhong smiled, then sighed. "Promise me that, no matter what happens, you will support my youngest son as the next Emperor of the Qing Empire. If that becomes impossible, and the Qing Empire no longer exists, promise me you will take him to Europe, Canada, or any peaceful land and ensure he lives a peaceful life, away from all conflict."

Zhuge Liang was stunned, taken aback by the Emperor\'s uncharacteristic display of weakness.

"Why... all of a sudden? Your Majesty, has something happened? How can I help you?" Zhuge Liang asked with concern.

"After today\'s meeting, I have a feeling that the Qing Empire might come to an end during my reign. I don\'t know why, but I sense that if we confront Daniel Emberweave with everything we have, or if we make him see us as mortal enemies... there will be no future for us," the Emperor confessed.

"Your Majesty..."

"Listen to me, Kong Ming. A Hell Lord can easily destroy a country in a week. Imagine the power of a mage who can defeat a Hell Lord and his entire demonic army. I kept this to myself during the meeting, but... the feeling I get from Daniel Emberweave is like a slumbering titan, uninterested in the mundane world...

unless some foolish human provokes him and unleashes disaster upon us all," the Emperor continued.

"The only thing that might be able to stop him is an equally powerful being. And to summon such a being to help us... There is a price... a steep price that I don\'t know if I can bear it," the Emperor said, as if uttering his final words.

"What are you planning to do, Your Majesty?" Zhuge Liang asked, the air heavy with tension and foreboding. He sensed that this was akin to the Emperor\'s last testament.

"I must go to Mount Tai, the secret realm where Xian or Cultivators reside, and pay the price for their aid," the Emperor answered.

Zhuge Liang sighed. He had heard rumors of Mount Tai and its secret realm since the Three Kingdoms era, tales of Xian who had secluded themselves from the world. He even suspected that his own teacher, who had taught him the art of controlling clouds and wind, might have been a Xian, but he could never confirm it.

"Yes... Your Majesty. I promise," Zhuge Liang gave his word and bowed to the Emperor.

In the morning, the Emperor declared his eldest son, Tianhao Zhisheng, the crown prince. He asked Zhuge Liang to support and advise his eldest son in all matters concerning the Qing Empire.

Emperor Tianhao Wenzhong did this to protect his youngest son. He knew that his two eldest sons would eliminate their youngest sibling the moment he was gone to consolidate their power. After all, His youngest son had genuine supporters who cared for the Qing dynasty\'s well-being.

With the crown prince position secured, he believed his eldest son would be more interested in indulging in women and wine than in scheming or plotting. Furthermore, he had instructed Zhuge Liang to aid his eldest son, minimizing any potential blunders his foolish son might commit during his absence.

As for Emperor Tianhao Wenzhong, he embarked on a journey to the Mount Tai secret realm, accompanied by several trusted men and a eunuch who would serve as both servant and bodyguard.

The news of the new crown prince resonated globally, with every country speculating about the events that led to this decision.

— Crown Jewel Brothel —

Within the lavish royal suite of the most prestigious brothel in Jing Shi, the Qing Empire\'s capital, the newly appointed Crown Prince Tianhao Zhisheng reveled in his newfound status. The entire building, constructed from the prized Nanmu golden wood, was reserved exclusively for royalty, and this particular suite, typically reserved for the Emperor, was now his to enjoy.

Surrounded by officials who supported him, each with their own entourage of women, he indulged in wine and revelry.

"Hahahaha! Finally! Royal father has given me what is rightfully mine!" the Crown Prince laughed, raising his glass, joined by his cheering officials.

"Indeed, Your Highness... No, Your Majesty! It\'s finally time for you to lead our Qing Empire to glory!" one official exclaimed, his tone dripping with flattery.

"That\'s right! Truer words were never spoken!" another sycophant chimed in.

Amongst the fawning officials, one stood out: Wang Dahui, the veteran general who harbored a secret ambition. His family had served the Qing dynasty for generations, but despite his many achievements, he still found himself beneath several others: Grand Chancellor Yan, Zhuge Liang, and the Emperor himself.

As a man, an ambitious man… He yearned for more… He yearned for the throne, and the only way to achieve his goal was to support this foolish Crown Prince.

"General Wang, why aren\'t you looking happy? Aren\'t you glad I\'m finally the Crown Prince!?" Tianhao Zhisheng asked, noticing the general staring blankly at his wine.

"Of course, Your Majesty. I\'m truly happy that you\'ve finally claimed your birthright," Wang Dahui replied, then his face clouded with worry. "It\'s just... I\'m afraid for your position, Your Majesty. I fear others might be vying for it," he said with a cupped fist, secretly observing the Crown Prince\'s reaction from the corner of his eye.

The crown prince thought about the words of his skilled general. Despite being a good-for-nothing, he knew the importance of having truly skilled people on his side, like General Wang. Although he enjoyed the company of sycophants who excelled at bootlicking, he recognized the value of competent individuals.

So, when these people spoke, the crown prince used all of his limited intellect to consider their words, trying his best to appear thoughtful and refined.

"What you said is true. I\'ll allow you to speak your mind. What should we do to solve this?" asked the crown prince.

The general hesitated, as if weighing whether to speak.

Seeing this, the crown prince declared, "With the right of the future emperor, I allow you to speak your mind. In my name, I promise not to fault you for this." He acted as if he were already an emperor.

"Thank you, your majesty, for your benevolence." The general expressed his gratitude with a cupped fist and began to speak.

"This servant believes that the greatest threat to your majesty\'s throne is Prince Tianhao Yunfeng. He has the most support from the people and some officials. He has also garnered much goodwill from his Majesty, Tianhao Wenzhong," said General Wang.

Hearing the name Tianhao Yunfeng, the crown prince\'s face immediately grew solemn. He glared at Wang Dahui but decided to let it go. Everyone knew he hated hearing Tianhao Yunfeng\'s name, as he was constantly reprimanded by his father and compared to his youngest brother, being labeled a good-for-nothing.

Yes… Emperor Tianhao Wenzhong was right; Tianhao Zhisheng wouldn\'t care about his youngest son, thus guaranteeing his youngest son\'s safety… but… that was under the condition that no one got into his ear, like Wang Dahui was doing now.

"You\'re right; the youngest always garners a lot of favor and attention from our royal father. Do you have any plans to deal with this, my loyal general?" asked the Crown Prince.

Hearing this question, a cunning and deceitful smile crept onto General Wang\'s face, though he maintained a subservient posture, cupping his fist toward the crown prince.

"First… we should…" General Wang began to outline his plan.