Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
That blew Long Xi’s mind. He stared incredulously at his innocent sister. He could hardly believe she would say something like that.
At this point, Long Qin could no longer put up her pretense. With teary eyes, she told Long Xi everything in between sobs.
The Sa Er Emperor’s high regard of Grand Tutor Xing Hun was well known. Everyone thought that the Kingdom of Sa Er would become even more powerful and prosperous under the Emperor’s rule and the Grand Tutor’s wisdom.
But all that… was just pure imagination.
Since the Sa Er Emperor ascended his throne, he had tried to curb the power held by the Grand Tutor. For over 20 years, he had tried to mobilize Terminators as little as possible, and groomed more generals to guard the borders.
However, his plans could not go on for long.
Five years ago, Grand Tutor Xing Hun started making his move against the Sa Er Emperor. The Sa Er Emperor had ceded management of the official reserves to Xing Hun, not out of trust but under duress.
In the past few years, Xing Hun’s visits to the palace became increasingly frequent. Outsiders did not realize this, but Long Qin had observed everything clearly.
Xing Hun had already gained control over the Sa Er Emperor a few years ago. He had ordered his men to dose the Empress with a slow-acting poison, to use as a threat against the Emperor. Authority over the Kingdom of Sa Er had now been mostly ceded to Xing Hun.
Chi Tong’s “death” that year was also orchestrated by Xing Hun. The Sa Er Emperor only knew of the matter after receiving news of it.
By then, everything had already been gradually taken out of the Emperor’s control.
Xing Hun filled the palace with his spies. He knew the daily actions of every single person in the palace. Even Long Qin’s personal maid had been changed to be one of Xing Hun’s. Although Long Qin continued to look like she lived a pampered, carefree life in the palace, her behavior was constantly being monitored and curtailed.
“Brother, father admonishes you all the time, but it is not his choice to do so. Xing Hun already has plans for Long Yue to replace you, to become the new Emperor of Sa Er. Mother took an enormous risk today to send me out, in order for me to tell you all this.” Long Qin was now sobbing heavily. She was just 14-years-old, but the politics ongoing had already demolished her innocence.
“How did things become like this?” Long Xi was stunned by what he heard. He never imagined his own father and mother could end up being pawns in Xing Hun’s hands. The powerful Kingdom of Sa Er had already fallen under Xing Hun’s control.
“Why did you not tell me this sooner? Why did father and mother not…” Long Xi was extremely agitated. But suddenly, scenes of his meetings with the Emperor and Empress over the past few years surfaced in his mind.
For every single one of those meetings, there would always be a few guards and palace maids hovering around. Long Xi felt nothing strange then, but after Long Qin’s words, he suddenly realized… those guards and maids were totally unfamiliar to him. They were not the usual close servants whom his father and mother depended on daily!
“Brother, this will be my last chance to leave the palace. The things I just told you, I could never dare to repeat them in the palace.” Long Qin wiped her tears as she looked pleadingly at Long Xi.
Who could ever dream that something so sensational would happen to a nation as powerful as the Kingdom of Sa Er?