The officials supporting other princes, as well as the maternal clans of those princes, ford the largest opposition, challenging Little Taotie’s decision and urging her to rescind it.
Once Little Taotie made a decision, there was no turning back.
Having served as the mortal emperor for a decade, she had developed a temper and would not allow these people to defy her.
The majesty of the Dragon race, the dominance of the Lion Tribe, and the ferocity of the Taotie would not let her bow to these individuals.
Now that she was the Retired Emperor, her temper had only increased compared to when she was Emperor.
With a casual wave of her hand, the loudest voices of dissent were exiled.
This asure of "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" directly quelled any further opposition.
Even those restless princes quietened down.
Little Taotie bestowed upon them the title of Queens and commanded them to their respective territories. Without significant matters, they were not allowed to enter the Imperial City casually.
The Third Prince lacked a powerful maternal clan as his backing, but no one dared to underestimate him, for he had the living forr emperor, now the Retired Emperor, as his support.
In the past, the old emperor only relinquished power upon death, which made it necessary for the heir’s maternal clan to be strong to secure the throne. But the presence of the living forr emperor was enough to compensate for the Third Prince’s shortcomings, becoming his strong support.
On the day the Third Prince ascended the throne, all officials bowed, creating a very grand scene. As the Third Prince donned the crown symbolizing the emperor, Little Taotie’s figure vanished.
After the coronation ceremony, the crowd realized the Retired Emperor had disappeared, leaving behind only a letter for the New Emperor.
The general content was that the Retired Emperor was going to travel and explore the scenic beauty, ordering his son to govern the country well, warning that if the citizens of any place couldn’t have enough to eat and he happened upon that place, he would certainly return to hold him accountable!
He stated clearly not to send people to search for him, as he only wished for freedom and peace.
In the letter, the Retired Emperor confessed that as a child, he was driven out of the Imperial Palace due to smallpox and subsequently "forgotten" outside the palace. Having grown accustod to freedom, he was later forced back to inherit the throne, finding the palace like a cage while he was an eagle, unable to live trapped. The previous years felt like an eternity, extrely agonizing. If one wished to be filial, they must not search for him.
Should he find spare ti to rember his son as Emperor, he might return for a al. Without spare ti, or if he doesn’t rember, he wouldn’t return even during festivals.
Reading such a capricious letter from his father, the newly enthroned emperor was left both amused and exasperated, his gaze resting on the last piece, a pitch-black jade decree, filled with deep gratitude.
The grandfather of the Third Prince originated from the Dark Guards, having betrayed the previous dynasty to beco the emperor, and thus was particularly wary of the Dark Guard forces, never establishing any. The previous royal Dark Guards were moved into the open.
However, once Little Taotie ascended, she established the forces of the Dark Guard, enough to protect the Third Prince, whose maternal clan was weak.
When the Third Prince learned his father had left, he felt a bit uneasy, worried he couldn’t stabilize the throne amid the coveting ambitions of his brothers. Yet, upon receiving the great gift his father left behind, his heart was cald.
When he summoned the Leader of the Dark Guards and obtained information on the actual number and capabilities of the royal Dark Guards from him, he felt even more reassured.
He no longer worried about his brothers conspiring to seize the throne, nor the ministers feigning compliance while inwardly disobedient. He needed only to follow his father’s directive, ensuring that every region’s populace had enough to eat, without any starvation deaths occurring.
Upon learning the Retired Emperor had departed, indeed so ministers were stirring trouble further and even wrote letters to distant Vassal Kings, but all such letters were intercepted and presented on the New Emperor’s desk.
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