novelSusiti Chapter 1 The Hidden Dragon Emerges from the Abyss, Commanding the Wind and Rain
Chapter 1 The Hidden Dragon Emerges from the Abyss, Commanding the Wind and Rain
Xuanxu Continent, Great Xia Empire, Imperial Capital, Third Prince's Residence.
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"
It is said that sages are born with extraordinary talents, and heroes are born with outstanding abilities; these are gifts from heaven and auspicious omens for the nation.
The third prince, Heng, was fifteen years old. He had a refined and elegant appearance and a dignified bearing. Although he had not yet reached adulthood, he possessed extraordinary talent, a strong sense of loyalty to the emperor and the country, and exceptional intelligence, far surpassing his peers.
At this time of national crisis and encirclement by foreign powers, you are concerned about the world and offer advice to the court, outlining strategies for securing the borders and pacifying the people. Your insightful understanding of the principles of order, chaos, rise, and fall is evident and can be seen as clear as the sun and moon.
Now, upon his coming of age, he is granted a noble title and seal, a hundred bolts of colored silk, a fief of three thousand households, and is promoted to King of Qin, ordered to govern Youzhou.
You should guard against arrogance and impetuosity, diligently study and cultivate virtue, improve your literary and martial skills, and become familiar with border affairs. When you grow up, you should personally guard the strategic locations of You and Ji, control the northern frontier, secure the country's defenses, pacify the borders and people, and protect the royal family.
"Do not fail my high expectations, do not tarnish the reputation of the imperial family. Strive for it and be cautious. This is my decree!"
"Your subject accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!"
Tian Heng bowed and accepted the scroll of bright yellow imperial edict with impeccable etiquette.
When his fingertips touched the cool silk, he trembled almost imperceptibly, but was quickly suppressed by his strong willpower, leaving only a calm and composed demeanor.
In the depths of his lowered eyes, a spark seemed to suddenly ignite, before returning to its profound stillness.
"Your Highness, the Prince of Qin," the eunuch Gao, who was delivering the imperial decree, flicked his whisk, a friendly smile spreading across his face, his voice extremely low.
"His Majesty has decreed that you come to the palace for an audience tomorrow at noon, as there are other important matters to discuss."
"Thank you for your trouble in conveying the imperial decree, Eunuch Gao." Tian Heng straightened up, his face displaying just the right amount of gentleness. With a slight movement of his sleeve, a heavy silver ingot, still warm from his body, slipped imperceptibly into Eunuch Gao's palm.
"Please don't refuse this small amount for tea, sir."
The eunuch Gao folded his sleeves, his smile becoming even more genuine. He stepped forward and whispered, "The Imperial Concubine also asked me to convey her message, requesting that you visit Changchun Palace when you have time. Her Highness is very concerned about you. I must return to the palace to report, so I will not disturb you any longer."
Tian Heng personally escorted Eunuch Gao and his entourage to the gate of the mansion, and only slowly turned around when the imperial procession disappeared around the corner of the long street.
The veil of humility and gentleness on his face quietly faded, and a sharp, knife-like curve appeared at the corner of his lips.
Back in his study, he dismissed all the servants, and the heavy doors separated the inside from the outside into two separate worlds.
He didn't sit down immediately, but stood by the window with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the few elegant magnolias in the courtyard. Spring was in full bloom, and the branches were adorned with white, jade-like blossoms, filling the air with a cool, refreshing fragrance.
Almost simultaneously, a clear and indifferent voice resounded deep within his mind:
[Host has successfully obtained a title and a fiefdom; core conditions met... Supreme Summoning System, activated successfully.]
[New Player Gift Pack: 1 All-Attribute Golden Summoning Card.]
"Finally... I've been waiting for you." Tian Heng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes were filled with a captivating clarity.
"Please explain your rules in detail."
The core function of this system is summoning. Summoning cards are divided into Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Special cards based on their level.
[Golden Summoning Card: Can summon top talents with a base combat strength of ≥105, or any one of the following four attributes: intelligence, politics, leadership, or charisma, ≥98.]
[Silver Summoning Card: Can summon an outstanding talent with a base combat strength of 100-104, or any one of the other four attributes ≥90.]
[Bronze Summoning Card: Can summon regular talents with a base attack power of <100 or other four stats of <90.]
[Special Summoning Card: Summoning range is not limited to those skilled in martial arts or literature; it can include renowned healers, master craftsmen, top spies, business prodigies, and other individuals with special skills or talents.]
"How do I obtain summoning cards?" Tian Heng asked the most crucial question.
[Primarily obtained by completing system-issued main quests or randomly triggered time-limited side quests.]
[The current main quest has been released: Safely arrive at your fiefdom 'Youzhou' and establish initial effective control.]
[Mission Reward: Silver Summoning Card x3]
[Side quests await activation; please explore actively.]
"Understood. You may leave for now. I will summon you when needed."
With a thought, the system's voice faded away like the tide, and the study returned to silence, with only his own breathing and heartbeat remaining.
He was not the original soul of this world; to be precise, he was born into this Xuanxu Continent with complete memories of his previous life.
Perhaps it was the impact of traveling through time, or perhaps it was the system's built-in protection mechanism, but when I was three years old, the complex memories of my past life resurfaced like a flood. Accompanying this was the system's cold and clear prompt: I need to be crowned a king to activate it.
For the next twelve years, he lived on the edge of a precarious existence.
In the deep palace and court, which has swallowed countless ambitions and bones, "the tallest tree in the forest will surely be felled by the wind" is an ironclad rule. The eldest prince, Prince Jin, comes from a prominent family and has cultivated his influence for many years, with his cronies spread throughout the court and the country. In particular, he controls the Ministry of Works and holds the reins of engineering projects and funds. The second prince, Prince Qi, is adept at social maneuvering and has cultivated relationships with civil officials. He has a deep influence among the Qingliu faction and the Ministry of Rites, and his power and influence are growing day by day.
The rivalry between the two elder brothers intensified, while the other princes were either too young and ignorant or had already chosen a master to serve.
Only the third prince, who was getting older and whose position was delicate because his mother came from a military family, became a "variable" that both sides wanted to get rid of as soon as possible, or that they failed to win over.
This appointment as a prince and his subsequent transfer to a remote region appears to be a rare joint effort by the princes of Qi and Jin to remove this "potential threat" from the core of power in the capital region.
The entire court, and even his ailing and unpredictable father, were probably happy to see this happen, using the empty title and real power of a prince in a remote area to maintain a temporary balance in the capital.
"Just what I wanted..." Tian Heng murmured to himself, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the sandalwood window frame, leaving a slight coolness.
"Although the capital is a good place, it is a den of dragons and tigers, a cage. I have no powerful maternal family to support me, and the civil service system in the court is almost without foundation. Only Zhang Yun, the vice minister of the Ministry of War, is a hidden pawn. Exposing myself now would be tantamount to suicide. The power of the General of Chariots and Cavalry is more of a deterrent than a means to directly intervene in the court."
"Youzhou..." He turned his gaze northward, as if it could penetrate through layers of palace walls and mountains and rivers.
"The border region is bitterly cold, and the nomadic cavalry frequently harasses the people. The people are impoverished, and in the eyes of the officials in the court, it is probably a place of exile."
However, the emperor is far away, and this is a battlefield on all sides—a place where martial arts can be used! Only there can I break free of my shackles and breathe and grow.
Over the years, would he really sit idly by and wait for his death? Utilizing the limited allowances for princes and the occasional assistance from his mother, and with a vision ahead of his time and extremely cautious operations, he wove a sparse yet resilient net.
Several impoverished scholars, who were punished for their words and ostracized, were frustrated and unsuccessful. They were "accidentally" funded and scattered to the world or to serve as officials in border towns.
A group of retired border soldiers who were injured and living in poverty were secretly placed in positions of power and became "eyes and ears" at certain key junctures.
Even in some seemingly insignificant caravans and canal gangs, spies were planted who gathered for profit and maintained single-line connections.
He named this power "Star Palace," meaning that when scattered, it is like countless stars in the sky, but when gathered, it can start a prairie fire.
However, in the past, due to limited financial and material resources, and fear of arousing the vigilance of the Emperor and his two elder brothers, the development of "Star Palace" was extremely restrained, limited to intelligence gathering and limited self-defense.
Now that he has been granted the title of king and established his own government, he rightfully possesses officials, guards, and financial resources. This hidden sword has finally reached the point where it can be honed a little.
"Tian Shu" (天枢).
The sound was not loud, but it clearly traveled to a specific location.
Almost instantly, a black figure, blending into the shadows, silently appeared in the corner of the study, kneeling on one knee, its face blurred, only its eyes calm as an ancient well.
"Issue an order to all 'stars' within Youzhou to use every possible means to obtain a detailed report within half a month on Youzhou's military and political affairs, people's livelihood, powerful clans, border troubles, geography, and even its products. The more detailed the report, the better."
"Yes," the shadowy figure responded softly, then vanished like mist, as if it had never appeared.
Tian Heng looked out the window again; magnolia petals were being blown down by the breeze and swirling in the air.
The dragon has emerged from hiding in the capital; the first step has finally been taken.
Youzhou will be both the chessboard and the foundation. And the system that has just awakened in his mind is the first lever he uses to manipulate this world.