https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-532-Enlightened-in-the-Cycle-of-Rebirth-6k6-/13028221/
Chapter 531: Three Lifetimes
Chapter 531: Three Lifetimes
Inside and outside the house, the descendants wept, their faces filled with complex emotions.
All of this was witnessed by Chen Mu, whose decaying body finally faded away, but his consciousness remained. His vision rose, overlooking the scene within the house, gradually expanding to encompass the entire courtyard and the city.
Then,
In his field of view, time seemed to accelerate.
He saw the figures of the An family, aging, dying, and turning into a handful of yellow soil.
He witnessed his eldest son, An Lan, his second son, An Yuan, his eldest grandson, An Zhi... One by one, his descendants lived their lives swiftly, eventually meeting their deaths. By the time all those he knew in his lifetime had passed away,
The An family still existed, but by the time of his great-great-grandchildren, they began to decline. After three more generations, they became an ordinary family in the region, and the common descendants of the clan returned to mediocrity, no longer possessing wealth or privilege.
Two generations later, the An family produced another wise person who passed the imperial examination with flying colors. It seemed like the family would rise again, but unfortunately, they faced continuous calamities of floods and epidemics, causing widespread suffering and the rise of warlords.
In the end,
The dynasty collapsed amidst the chaos.
The An family, like a flickering candle, was extinguished in the turbulent times.
Despite the vastness of the An family, after ten generations, countless bloodlines had spread far and wide. However, after countless years, these bloodlines had become diluted, and few remembered the An family's former glory.
After the complete destruction of the An family, some surviving descendants remained, but they were all distant branches. They gradually assimilated into the new dynasty, and those without abilities eventually faded away.
In Chen Mu's vision,
He saw what seemed like a towering tree, a tree-like diagram, where the part he was in was the most robust and prosperous. Beyond that, everything gradually disintegrated and split, eventually becoming streams flowing in different directions, disappearing into the darkness.
"Time is merciless."
Chen Mu muttered to himself, and for a moment, he seemed to have a new understanding of this phrase.
Previously, he had wondered about the consequences of integrating into this world and living this life. But now, he realized that his thoughts had been too shallow.
In the face of time, there are no consequences.
The vast expanse of time only needs a slight nudge for all living beings to rise, and another nudge for them to perish. No matter what he did in this lifetime, everything would eventually be erased in the long passage of time! After all, in this world, limited by heaven and earth, there were no extraordinary powers. Even if he had rallied the people and ascended the throne, he might be remembered in history for hundreds or thousands of years, but after tens of thousands of years, everything would be gone, and even the most glorious dynasty would return to dust.
From the beginning, he didn't need to worry.
He could fully immerse himself in this world, in every lifetime, because everything he did here would eventually be erased by time, leaving no trace, unless he truly comprehended the ultimate truth of the Path of Time.
Swish.
The countless scenes in his vision suddenly sped up, and everything went dark.
When Chen Mu opened his eyes again, he saw a magnificent golden palace, and his consciousness was once more, placed within a fragile infant body.
Chen Mu's heart was calm, and he gradually stopped caring about the circumstances of each lifetime.
In this life, he was a prince, the sixth prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
The Great Zhou Dynasty had ruled for over two hundred years, flourishing and prosperous. However, by the time Chen Mu was born, it had begun to decline. The aging emperor was senile and incompetent, and over a dozen princes were fighting amongst themselves.
Chen Mu, barely over ten years old, had already faced several calamities from the outside world, but he resolved them all.
The princes' struggle for the throne had reached a frenzied state. Although Chen Mu was young and not yet qualified to participate, he was still placed in the game, manipulated like a chess piece.
As Chen Mu grew older, the other princes gradually realized that this youngest royal brother was their greatest enemy and the biggest competitor for the throne. The reason was that the decrepit old emperor adored Chen Mu.
This adoration stemmed from a coincidence.
Chen Mu was born with a detached nature, preferring to read in the imperial library or stroll alone in the imperial garden, showing no interest in socializing or worldly affairs.
Due to the emperor's old age and the princes' constant conflicts, he was wary of all his sons. Coincidentally, Chen Mu, being the youngest and most detached, caught the emperor's attention.
Of course,
If that were the only reason, the emperor might not have favored Chen Mu.
A detached nature didn't necessarily indicate the ability to rule the world. To be a monarch, one still needed to possess wisdom and capability.
However, during an unintentional conversation with Chen Mu, the emperor was astonished to discover that this youngest prince possessed wisdom far beyond his older brothers.
Chen Mu's detachment didn't mean he was ignorant of the ways of royalty or the grand scheme of the world. On the contrary, he understood too much, which made him seem disinterested in everything.
After discovering this, the old Emperor's attention truly fell upon Chen Mu.
He began testing Chen Mu by gradually increasing his responsibilities, assigning him to the Ministry of War right after he came of age.
However, when Chen Mu was a carefree prince, he was truly carefree. But after taking up his post at the Ministry of War, he handled all the tasks given to him with impeccable precision. The affairs of the ministry were managed with utmost order, and no one could find any fault in his work.
The old Emperor soon transferred Chen Mu to the Ministry of Revenue, and once again, Chen Mu performed flawlessly. Within a short span of a few months, he had everything under his jurisdiction in perfect order.
Finally, after another year, the old Emperor's lifespan reached its limit.
In the magnificent golden palace, the frail and ailing Emperor leaned against a dragon bed, his face pale and defeated. Below him, numerous princes and several important cabinet ministers knelt.
"Mu, come forward."
The dying Emperor turned his gaze upon the princes, and it finally settled on Chen Mu.
Chen Mu stepped forward.
"All the affairs I entrusted to you were handled flawlessly, but you never meddled in matters beyond your duties. This is good, but it's also not so good... It's because of your indifferent nature that even though you are the most capable among my sons, I still couldn't make up my mind to entrust you with this heavy responsibility."
"But now, with the chaos in the world unending, you are the most capable among my sons, and you are the only one with the hope of restoring peace. If I give you this responsibility, can you handle it?"
The old Emperor asked, and suddenly began coughing violently. The court maids and eunuchs beside him hurried to support him, but he stubbornly straightened his body, keeping his gaze fixed on Chen Mu.
Chen Mu simply replied, "I can."
The old Emperor smiled, then began breathing heavily, unable to speak for a moment. He opened his bloodshot eyes and stretched out his finger, pointing forcefully at Chen Mu.
The Chief Minister, Zhang Yong, who was kneeling below, looked at the old Emperor and whispered, "Your Majesty, do you wish for the 19th prince to inherit the throne?"
Hearing this, the old Emperor used his last bit of strength to nod, then leaned back and passed away.
In the imperial court, where wailing was expected, the palace fell silent. The sobbing stopped, and heads rose, their eyes filled with astonishment, all looking at Chen Mu before the dragon bed.
The Chief Minister, Zhang Yong, trembled as he turned to face the princes behind him. With a solemn expression, he said, "The Emperor has passed away, and he has already designated his successor. Why haven't you all paid your respects to the new Emperor?"
There was silence from behind.
Suddenly, a mocking voice spoke up, "Chief Minister Zhang, I didn't hear the Emperor designate a successor."
"The Emperor didn't designate a successor, so we should follow the ancient tradition of primogeniture. The eldest brother should inherit the throne."
"Hmph, the Emperor's body hasn't even cooled, and you're already scrambling for the throne? You speak of following tradition, but in ancient times, the wise were chosen. My seventh brother is wise and capable, both in court and outside."
In an instant, voices of argument filled the room. The princes split into three factions: one led by the eldest prince, another by the seventh prince, and the cabinet ministers remained kneeling, motionless, except for Zhang Yong, who stood by Chen Mu.
Zhang Yong frowned as he observed the scene, and he said sternly, "Your Highnesses, do you really want to disturb the peace of the Emperor's spirit?"
At this point, no one cared about decorum. Someone spoke up coldly, "Chief Minister, you're getting old. In these turbulent times, don't let your age cloud your judgment. If you can't retire gracefully, then go back to your hometown."
Zhang Yong's face darkened.
He glanced at Chen Mu, the 19th prince, who had gained the old Emperor's recognition due to his indifferent nature. However, he had not developed any power base and was now in a weak position, likely no match for the other princes. With only him as an old minister, the situation seemed hopeless.
Zhang Yong turned his gaze to the kneeling cabinet ministers and said solemnly, "Minister Li, Minister Liu, Minister Liu, you all must have seen the Emperor's intention. We have served the Emperor and should respect his final wishes."
The three kneeling ministers, who had not raised their heads, looked at each other and shook their heads, saying, "Minister Zhang, please forgive our old and failing eyes. We truly didn't see clearly..."
Zhang Yong's heart sank further.
The cabinet ministers were either bought or didn't want to get involved in the struggle for the throne, fearing the extermination of their entire clan. They became turtles, and the situation became even more unfavorable for Chen Mu.
But,
Just then, Chen Mu, who had been standing by the dragon bed, slowly turned around. His gaze, light and indifferent, fell upon the kneeling cabinet ministers, and he said, "Since the three of you admit to failing eyesight, I hereby grant you retirement to enjoy your twilight years."
Upon hearing this,
Everyone in the room was stunned.
The atmosphere grew tense as the Crown Prince glared at the Seventh Prince's faction, their gazes filled with suspicion.
Chen Mu, with his shallow roots and few supporters, wasn't even considered the biggest threat by the others. But now, by taking the initiative to settle scores with the three ministers who wished to stay out of the conflict, he was essentially sealing his own fate.
As expected, upon hearing Chen Mu's words, the three ministers kneeling before him turned pale.
They wanted to stay neutral, but Chen Mu's sudden intolerance forced them to take sides. One of them spoke up, his voice heavy with gravity, "The succession is yet to be decided. Your Highness, please reconsider your words."
Just as he finished speaking, the door burst open, and a group of imperial guards in yellow uniforms rushed in, surrounding the room.
The leader approached Chen Mu and respectfully bowed, "I, Zhao Mu, Commander of the Imperial Guards at the Wu Gate, pay my respects to Your Majesty. I also bear news that the Commander of the Capital Guard, Qi, and the Commander of the Five Cities Military Command, Lu, have arrived at the palace, awaiting Your Majesty's orders."
This revelation shocked everyone in the room.
"How is this possible?!" someone exclaimed.
It wasn't surprising that Zhao Mu acknowledged Chen Mu as his master, as he was personally cultivated by the late Emperor. As the Commander of the Imperial Guards, he only followed the late Emperor's orders. But how did the Commanders of the Capital Guard and the Five Cities Military Command become Chen Mu's followers? Although Chen Mu had served in the Ministry of War, it was unthinkable that he could command both military powers in the capital. There must have been some secret arrangement by the late Emperor!
The late Emperor was known for his suspicious nature, and the military forces in the capital were off-limits to the princes. The Emperor had always kept the authority to deploy these troops, and even they dared not openly or secretly curry favor.
"Zhao, think carefully!" one of the princes exclaimed in shock.
Zhao Mu's response was simple, "Your Highness, I am but a loyal subject, following the Emperor's commands. I obeyed the late Emperor's orders in his lifetime, and now I follow his final wishes."
Witnessing this, the princes in the room finally realized the gravity of the situation.
Zhang Yong, being a civil official, had less influence over the military. But with the three military powers in the capital now under Chen Mu's command, there was no one to stop him.
"Take the three ministers away, and detain the others as well. They will be dealt with after the coronation."
Chen Mu glanced at the crowd and gave a simple order.
The guards immediately swarmed in, some dragging and others herding the princes and ministers out of the room.
In an instant, only Zhang Yong remained.
Zhang Yong finally understood, "Your Majesty, you and the late Emperor..."
"No," Chen Mu shook his head. "I... I merely discussed this matter with him long ago and offered some suggestions."
He had little interest in the throne. As a prince in this life, he focused on comprehending the Path of Time and fulfilling his duties as a prince. If the late Emperor insisted on his succession, he wouldn't interfere.
Like water, flowing with virtue.
Time, like a long river.
His role was to witness the changes brought about by time.
Days later, Chen Mu ascended the throne and became the Emperor, establishing the Taishi era.
During his 47-year reign, Emperor Taishi Yuan Mu was not overly diligent in state affairs, but he made wise decisions and appointed capable officials. Within a short time, he resolved numerous crises in the empire, ushering in a period of rejuvenation. A decade later, the empire reached its peak.
After 47 years, Emperor Taishi Yuan Mu of the Great Zhou Dynasty passed away amidst heavy rain, and the entire empire mourned.
The Taishi era brought about a renewal and prosperity to the Great Zhou Dynasty, but it eventually declined and fell into chaos after 108 years and six generations. After another thousand years, several dynasties rose and fell, and the Great Zhou Dynasty faded into history, leaving only traces in the annals of time.
Chen Mu's gaze was fixed on the sky, witnessing all of this. Then, he closed his eyes, and his consciousness entered the fourth cycle of reincarnation.
In this new life, he opened his eyes to find himself in a temple.
He was an abandoned infant, left at the temple's doorstep.
Finally, an elderly monk discovered him and took him into the temple with a furrowed brow.
"Reverend, there's a baby outside..."
The monk approached the main hall and reported to the abbot.
Chen Mu lay in a bamboo basket, his eyes fixed on the grand Buddha statue in the temple's main hall.
Suddenly, he felt like the statue was looking back at him.
"Hmm?"
Chen Mu's heart stirred with a ripple.
At that moment, the abbot noticed Chen Mu in the basket. Seeing that he wasn't crying, and his dark eyes were fixed on the Buddha statue, the abbot muttered, "This child has a connection with the Buddha."
The abbot chanted a Buddhist mantra and said, "The Buddha is merciful and compassionate. Since you saved him, you shall raise him."
"Yes, Reverend," the monk replied respectfully.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
