Although Huo Guang looked pale, he was, after all, a powerful minister who had ruled the Han dynasty for twenty years. Realising that the military assassination had failed, he concluded that the only way he could regain a chance at victory was through a marriage alliance, by introducing his own bloodline into Liu Bingyi's bedchamber.
'Your Majesty, the harem is empty and the state is unstable.' Leaning on his cane, Huo Guang spoke in a hoarse but undeniably authoritative voice. "My daughter, Chengjun, is virtuous and capable. She possesses the talent to assist the emperor. I humbly request that Your Majesty make her empress, to appease the hearts of the people.' Upon hearing this, Huo's supporters knelt down, shouting in unison: 'We beg Your Majesty to make Huo Chengjun empress and continue the Han Dynasty's lineage!' System Side Quest:
[Deep Affection for the Old Sword – Unique Quest]
[Ding! Epic Historical Node Detected: The Empress's Struggle.
Forced system side quest triggered: The Old Sword Returns to Its Sheath
Quest background:
Quest background: A powerful minister is forcing the emperor to depose his wife, with whom he has shared many hardships. As the emperor, your task is to protect Xu Pingjun and completely destroy the Huo family's dream of establishing a harem.
Quest hint: don't refuse directly; use the softest words to deliver the hardest blow.
Quest reward: Popular support and the Han Dynasty's fighting spirit increased by 50%. Being an emperor brings not only power, but also compassion; the people will fight to the death for you.
Liu Bingyi sat on the dragon throne, his fingers gently stroking the rusty short sword in his sleeve — the iron bar he used to chop firewood in the southern suburbs and which Xu Pingjun risked her life to bring into the palace. Rather than getting angry, he looked nostalgic and sorrowful. He slowly rose and paced around the hall, his empty eyes gazing into the distance.
"General, I would also like to marry another empress." Liu Bingyi sighed deeply. 'But before I became emperor, I lost an old sword to the common people. It had accompanied me through my hardest days and witnessed how I survived the mud." He turned his head and stared intently at Huo Guang, his eyes filled with a morbid obsession. 'My heart now only holds that "old sword". My beloved ministers, can any of you help me find it? Only then can I make room in my heart for someone new."
[Ding! System 2.0 automatically spreads the keyword: 'Old Sword']
[Spreading channels: Embroidered Uniform Guard agents, Chang'an teahouses and the Empress Dowager's palace.
In less than half an hour, the rumour that someone was searching for an old sword spread rapidly throughout Chang'an. People no longer heard the story of the emperor rejecting the general; instead, they heard of a loyal and devoted monarch who, despite his wealth and power, had not forgotten the peasant woman who had shared his hardships.
'Wealth and power do not easily change one's wife; this is a wise ruler!' "
Inside Chang Le Palace, Empress Dowager Shangguan wept upon hearing the news. "I thought he was heartless, but I never imagined he was so devoted. General Huo's actions are indeed somewhat aggressive.'
Huo Guang nearly choked on this tactic of 'using softness to overcome hardness', because if he forced the emperor to relinquish his 'old sword', it would be tantamount to spitting on the very concept of 'benevolence and righteousness', on which the Han Dynasty was founded. At that moment, Huo Chengjun, who had been standing behind Huo Guang, gave a secret smile.
[System notification: Huo Chengjun's favourability has soared!]
Huo Chengjun's inner thoughts were: "Father, you are too old. If he could go to such lengths for Xu Pingjun, then surely he truly cared for me. Who in this world could touch me? I must sit on the Empress's throne, not as your pawn, but as his comrade-in-arms.'
To ensure the success of this charade, Liu Bingyi ordered Lei Zhen to lead the Imperial Guards in a high-profile 'sword search' throughout Chang'an. He also issued an imperial edict: 'Anyone who provides clues about the lost sword will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold and granted the title of Marquis within the Pass!' Mounted on a tall horse, Lei Zhen held the gleaming edict in his hand. Not only did the Imperial Guards search civilian residences, they also openly loitered in front of official residences controlled by the Huo family. Their eyes did not seem to be searching for the sword, but rather looking for an excuse to raid the property.
[System Feedback: [Reputation Value] Continuously Soaring.
'The Imperial Guards' deterrent power, under the cover of the "Gentle Emperor", has gained unprecedented legitimate expansion rights.'
In a side hall of Weiyang Palace, Xu Pingjun listened to the incessant cries of 'sword search' outside the window, tears streaming down her face. She looked down at the old iron bar wrapped tightly in cloth in her arms and gently rubbed it with her fingertips.
"Bingyi… do you really deserve it?" Just then, Liu Bingyi pushed open the door. The sharp, hypocritical demeanour he had displayed in the main hall had disappeared, leaving only unyielding affection in his eyes.
'Pingjun, this sword represents not only our past, but also our unwavering armour.' Liu Bingyi took the old sword, his gaze instantly turning cold. 'Huo Guang's attempt to depose you is tantamount to cutting into the very foundation of the Han dynasty. As long as I hold onto this sword, he will never dare to harm you.'
As night fell, the secret passage to the Jiaofang Palace opened again. Having evaded the Huo family's spies, Huo Chengjun appeared before Liu Bingyi, abandoning her daytime arrogance and carrying a box of exquisite pastries.
'Your Majesty, what a shrewd move.' Huo Chengjun sat down and gazed at the rusty iron sword on the table. Jealousy and frenzied greed flashed in his eyes. 'A mere piece of iron has made Father the target of everyone's anger in court, but that's not enough. He already plans to force the Empress Dowager to issue a marriage decree after failing to find the sword.'
'So, what are you doing here?' Liu Bingyi didn't even look up, carefully wiping the rust off the iron sword with a piece of deerskin.
'I've come to help Your Majesty "find" this sword.' Huo Chengjun gritted his teeth as he took a secret letter out of his sleeve. 'This is the document that my father asked the Court of Justice to forge. He claimed that "the old sword has long been broken". If you can publicly present the real sword at the ceremony, Father's credibility will be completely destroyed.'
[Ding! Detected: Huo family assassins have infiltrated the sword-finding team with the intention of switching the real sword and assassinating Xu Pingjun. [Triggered combat mission: Where the Sword Points, Nothing Can Conquer.]
Objective: Protect the true sword in Xu Pingjun's hands and perform the miracle of 'returning the old sword to its rightful place' before the officials tomorrow morning.
Reward: Emperor's Sword Intent (armour penetration +100%; from now on, iron can cut through gold and jade).
'The general thought I was acting, but little did he know that I was truly searching for the sword.' Liu Bingyi gripped the iron sword tightly; the blade trembled slightly and emitted a faint dragon's roar — a sign of the killing intent infused after the system enhancement. He looked out of the window and saw that hundreds of dark figures had silently surrounded the side hall. Huo Guang couldn't wait any longer. He wanted to make this 'old sword' disappear from the world completely that night and, incidentally, erase the 'stain' on Xu Pingjun as well.
'Chengjun, tell your father that I have the sword he's looking for.' Liu Bingyi sneered. The iron sword in his hand suddenly burst forth with a blinding, cold light. "Let him come and take it himself!"
'Bingyi, don't go out!' Xu Pingjun exclaimed.
Liu Bingyi didn't turn around. He gripped the rusty iron sword in his right hand and gently pushed open the palace door with his left.
[Ding! 30 hostile targets detected.]
'Emperor's Sword Intent (Armour-Piercing Mode) — Loading complete!'
The instant the door opened, an assassin swooped down like a vulture, his long steel sabre aimed straight for Liu Bingyi's face.
A crisp cracking sound rang out.
To the assassin's horror, his thousand-times-forged steel sword shattered into pieces the moment it touched the rusty iron sword.
'This is what you call "scrap iron"?' Liu Bingyi's figure blurred as his iron sword emerged like a dragon from the water, drawing a golden arc.
Liu Bingyi moved between the covered bridges, his swordsmanship devoid of any courtly formality and displaying only the decisiveness and ruthlessness he had honed in his days as a commoner seeking survival. With each swing of the sword, a layer of rust peeled away from the iron blade, revealing a blade that glowed faintly with a dark red light. Ordinary iron, empowered by the 'Emperor's Sword Intent', could cut through any armour.
'Thud!' The sword tip struck the breastplate of an assassin, piercing straight through his heart and lungs.
Liu Bingyi's eyes were icy cold. He wasn't just killing; he was venting the pent-up anger and resentment of the past decade.
[Ding! Kill count: 10... 20... 30...]
[Battle ended, perfectly protected target: 'Old Sword'! Because the host personally cut off the Huo family's influence, the reward is Reputation +15,000 and [Sword Heart Clarity]. From now on, the host can detect any malicious assassination attempt within a kilometre radius with a mere thought.
As the last assassin fell, the entire courtyard of the side hall was stained crimson with blood. Liu Bingyi stood in the middle of it. The iron sword in his hand had undergone a complete transformation: it was now free of rust, and the characters 'Great Han' were inscribed on its blade in seal script.
The next morning, in the Xuande Hall... Huo Guang's face was grim; he had not yet received news of the assassins' return. However, to resolve the situation quickly, he decided not to wait any longer. "Your Majesty," he said, "we have searched for the sword for three days, to no avail. Since the old sword is lost, it must be Heaven's will. I beg Your Majesty to obey Heaven's will and appoint my daughter, Chengjun, as Empress to govern the harem.' All the officials turned to look at Liu Bingyi, the weight of expectation bearing down on him once more.
'General, who said the old sword is lost?' Liu Bingyi smiled playfully and turned to the side hall, calling out, 'Empress, bring the sword!' Xu Pingjun, dressed in her imperial robes, held the chilling sword in both hands and walked slowly into the court.
As soon as the sword appeared before the officials, the dragon patterns on its blade and the dragon pendant at Liu Bingyi's waist resonated with each other, producing an extremely terrifying sound.
'This... how is this possible?' Huo Guang's pupils contracted sharply and he took two steps back instinctively. Liu Bingyi took the sword, twirled it in front of everyone and pointed the tip directly at Huo Guang's throat, just an inch away. 'General, I have found the sword; I have protected my feelings. Now, who do you want me to make empress?"
[Reputation Value: +50,000! This completely shattered Huo Guang's last line of defence regarding the harem and etique.