"Success or failure will be decided tonight."
"Ye Ji, the wretched child, should prepare to die."
"Hmph, if his Ye Family can sit on this throne, so can our Ning Family. Throughout history, the winner becomes king and the loser is vilified. If Ye Ji dies at my hands tonight, it's just his fate."
"Help me seize the throne, and glory and wealth shall certainly not be lacking for you all in the future."
"We are willing to swear allegiance to the Prince to the death."
Amid the sound of vows echoing in unison, Ah Chen slowly raised her head, catching sight of the brash and arrogant middle-aged man at the top, whose presence was indeed somewhat intimidating.
Her gaze swiftly swept around; she found herself in a tent, surrounded by the main members planning tonight's rebellion.
The Commissioner was named Ning, which made it easier for her to assume the role. The system made some adjustments, using her own name. In this world, her name was Ning Chen, also known as Ning Zhen, and there was a reason for this.
After Prince Ning consecutively had seven daughters without a son, he was unwilling to give up. When the Commissioner, his eighth daughter, was born, he declared to the public that he had finally had a son. To fulfill Prince Ning's ambitions, the Commissioner had been disguised as a boy and raised as such since childhood.
This was merely a temporary measure. Prince Ning believed he would eventually have a son.
As for his seven daughters, Prince Ning used them to their fullest extent, with most endings not being very favorable.
The middle-aged man fantasizing about his ambitions was this body's biological father, Ning Guangjun, one of Beixia's few non-imperial princes.
Ning Guangjun believed that having followed the late emperor to secure the throne, it was now his turn to sit on it, especially since the late emperor was dead. A change in rulership was common, but his abilities fell short of supporting his ambitions.
He thought tonight was the best opportunity to rebel, with a high chance of victory, not realizing it was a trap set by the young emperor, waiting for him to fall into it.
"[Host, the Commissioner's wish is to survive and protect her unfortunate sisters. Therefore, you must stop Prince Ning's rebellion tonight, or not even an Immortal could save you.]" The voice of 997 carried a trace of anxiety; this was the first mission for the newbie host he had found in another world, and he couldn't help but feel a bit worried.
Ah Chen responded inwardly; tonight, Prince Ning must indeed be stopped from rebelling.
"The time hasn't come yet. To avoid complications, you all return to your tents first." After envisioning the throne falling into his hands, Ning Guangjun dismissed everyone with a wave.
Everyone left one by one, but Ah Chen remained seated in her original spot, soon catching Ning Guangjun's attention.
"Hmm? Why aren't you leaving?" he asked with some disdain.
Ah Chen stood up, approached Ning Guangjun, and said upon getting close, "I still have something important to ask Father."
Ning Guangjun didn't suspect anything. In fact, he was quite dissatisfied with this daughter in disguise. A daughter was always just a daughter, never measuring up to a son. When she was born, in a moment of desperation, he opted for this strategy. In the future, when he seized the throne, he would find a woman from all over the world to bear him a true heir, a son who could inherit his kingdom.
As for this daughter, she'd temporarily hold the position of heir for stability.
"Speak, what is it?" Ning Guangjun asked indifferently. He had no fondness for his usually silent and submissive daughter.
"Father, I hope you will abandon the rebellion," Ah Chen began.
Ning Guangjun didn't expect her to say this and immediately flew into a rage, raising his hand to slap her face. Sure enough, she was just a girl; at the crucial moment, she advised him against rebellion.
"You useless thing!"
As Ning Guangjun's slap was about to land, Ah Chen deftly dodged, and before Ning Guangjun could react, a swift chop to his neck left him dizzy, eyes widening as he fell to the ground, disbelief written on his face. As consciousness faded to black, a faint voice reached his ears.
"Who are you calling useless?"
"Speaking so rudely gets you hit, old fool."
"Think before you speak next time to avoid getting hit again."
997 was stunned, mouth agape. When Ah Chen lifted Ning Guangjun's shoulders, dragging him to the bed to lay flat, 997 finally came to.
"[Host, weren't you supposed to persuade him?]"
Ah Chen blinked: "I tried, but he wouldn't listen, so I had to act. You saw it yourself."
This couldn't be blamed on her.
Looking at her innocent face, 997 immediately felt she was right—surely she couldn't face Ning Guangjun's slap without defending herself?
The Commissioner had diligently practiced martial arts since childhood, knocking out Ning Guangjun was entirely normal. He treated her poorly, so the host had every reason to be rough with him.
The old fool had it coming.
Speaking of which, the host adapted quite well. Could it be he found a treasure?
His newbie host might actually be a mission sacrificial vessel, born to fulfill tasks?
Seeing the system quiet, Ah Chen stepped toward the tent entrance, lifting the curtain to speak to the guards outside: "Quickly, fetch Doctor Zhao. Father has fainted."
Upon hearing this, the guards were shocked and ran quickly to Zhao Jincai's tent.
Zhao Jincai, being a doctor brought by Prince Ning, had earned the Prince's trust. But little did Prince Ning know, Zhao was actually a mole for the young emperor, keeping an eye on his every move.
Upon receiving the message, Zhao Jincai was a bit surprised. Huh? Prince Ning suddenly fell ill and fainted?
Are they kidding, wasn't Prince Ning planning to rebel tonight? And at this critical moment, he fainted—was it real sickness?
Whether it was genuine or not, he had to check. Regardless of any plots Prince Ning may have, he was merely a trapped beast, incapable of causing any significant waves.
Ah Chen invited Doctor Zhao in, instructing the guards outside the tent not to let anyone in. The guards nodded solemnly; indeed, no one should enter at this time, being trusted aides of Prince Ning, they hoped Doctor Zhao could quickly revive the Prince. Tonight was a rare opportunity, and the Prince's unconsciousness wasn't good news.
Doctor Zhao reached to take Prince Ning's pulse, eyebrows furrowing immediately. Before he could react more, he felt an icy sensation at his neck, looking down to find a glistening dagger resting against it, chilling his spine.
Had his cover been blown?
No, that wasn't it. Prince Ning was truly unconscious.
"Doctor Zhao, is Father's illness severe, requiring quiet rest?" Ah Chen asked courteously, eyes filled with concern. If not for the beautiful hand gripping the dagger, its sharp edge pressed against Zhao Jincai's neck, he might truly believe the Young Master was concerned for his father.
With cold sweat trickling down his back, Zhao Jincai was baffled by the situation.
Just then, a thud made him look down, finding a gold ingot on the ground.
"Doctor Zhao, your gold ingot has fallen," Ah Chen kindly reminded him.