Chapter 429: Replace

Hearing Henwell’s words, Yu Chengbang trembles and struggles to sit up.

“Who exactly are you people? What do you really know?”

Nathan shakes his head. “Who we are doesn’t matter. What you need to know is that we won’t harm Lucy. Everything we do is for her sake.”

Yu Chengbang asks anxiously, “Where did you get this information? Is there a traitor among us? Is it Lu Bajin?”

Zhang Che replies, “Some things are only secrets because you think they are. But in this world, what secret can’t be uncovered? If you put your mind to it, dig through records, and interview enough people, you can piece together the truth.”

Fang Yuan adds, “As long as you’re willing to spend money, few secrets stay secret. You can’t really believe that only your Yuwen Family wants to rebel, right? “

”More than half of the eighteen noble clans are quietly building their strength, waiting for the right moment. Honestly, rebellion isn’t such a shocking secret, let alone your hopes of restoring the kingdom.”

Henwell pops a candied fruit into his mouth. “Finding out everything is actually simple. The longer you live, the more you know. Because of the empire’s oppressive fate, Fifth Rank Martial Warriors who serve in the court or noble families have their lifespans heavily suppressed, only living about 130 to 140 years. “

”But those who hide in the mountains, dedicated to cultivation, untouched by worldly affairs and fate, can live over 300 years. If they know how to maintain their health, living four or five hundred years isn’t hard. Find those people and ask what really happened back then, and you’ll uncover the truth hidden in history.”

Yu Chengbang asks, “You really know the cause? You have Fifth Rank Martial Warriors?”

Henwell nods. “Of course. That’s how we caught a few people. After a polite chat, they enthusiastically told us the truth. It was just a case of usurping the nest while the Yuwen Family was short on manpower. The Nangong Family cleverly took over the world, then gradually erased the Yuwen Family’s records. “

”What was actually an empire lasting hundreds of years was twisted into a short-lived regime lasting only two generations.”

Yu Chengbang says, “So the world rightfully belongs to the Yuwen Family, it belongs to Lucy!”

Nathan chimes in, “Old man, to be honest, we think your Yuwen Family’s organization and plans are problematic. Among all the rebel factions plotting in secret, you have the most money and people, but also the smallest chance. “

”It’s been over three hundred years. Years of fading influence and slander have left you without popular support. Also, from what we know, to be frank, the Yuwen Family’s governance back then wasn’t exactly admirable.”

Yu Chengbang snaps, “That’s all Nangong Family conspiracy!”

Fang Yuan sighs. “Ah, don’t get angry. It’s true that the Yuwen Family lost the empire. It wasn’t just Nangong Family’s conspiracy, it was also because the Yuwen Family lost the people’s hearts. “

”According to the intelligence we gathered, back then the Yuwen Family went against the natural order. The emperor neglected state affairs, obsessed with cultivating martial arts. He even tried to use the empire’s fate to break through the heavens and reach a new realm of martial cultivation. “

”That inevitably backfired on the imperial fate, causing the Yuwen bloodline to dwindle. More importantly, neglecting governance for so long left the common people suffering.”

In this world, there are special rules: those who rule the empire cannot cultivate martial arts. But if they don’t cultivate, their lifespan is like that of ordinary people.

The Yuwen Family didn’t want to be short-lived emperors. They wanted to rule the empire for a long time, even seeking immortality. They tried many reckless methods and paid little attention to governing the country.

In the end, they only succeeded halfway.

Their bloodline could cultivate martial arts and still rule the empire, minimizing the backlash of imperial fate. If the emperor expanded the territory often, it would offset some of the backlash. This allowed martial-arts-practicing emperors to live significantly longer, though still not as long as those reclusive Martial Warriors in the mountains, but beyond ordinary lifespans.

Of course, the reason they only succeeded halfway isn’t because their lifespan wasn’t fully extended.

It’s because their direct bloodline became exclusively female.

Even when marrying within the family’s women, the pure Yuwen descendants born were only female.

After a generation of empresses, the Nangong Family found an opportunity to marry into the Yuwen Family.

They pulled off a clever “cat swap” trick, fooling the first empress who desperately wanted a son.

The Nangong Family rose in power during this time.

After more than thirty years of careful planning, they launched a palace coup when the empress needed to temporarily disperse her power to avoid the empire’s fate backlash.

At that time, everyone accepted the sole prince as the crown prince.

After the first empress died, the Nangong Family’s descendants naturally took over the empire.

They began methodically changing the previous dynasty’s affairs, history, culture, and remaining collateral clans were all dealt with.

A hundred years later, after two generations of emperors, the people’s lives improved greatly.

The common folk, seeing their improved lives, accepted the changes as natural.

Eventually, when the ruling family restored the Nangong surname, no one in the empire cared anymore.

But the Yuwen Family’s direct bloodline has continued, though only through female members.

At first, the Nangong Family was diligent in hunting down the remaining Yuwen members, but as the empire’s foundation gradually stabilized, they grew careless and stopped bothering.

That’s why Lucy is so important from this perspective.

Because, in essence, the world still belongs to Lucy.

It’s like having the right of ownership without actual control.

After learning this, Henwell and the others know exactly what to do.

Zhang Che picks up the conversation. “Our plan is to have Lucy establish a new dynasty. And you aren’t so obsessed with the old title.”

Yu Chengbang waves his hand. “None of that matters now. Nangong He won’t let Lucy and Nangong Ying go.”

“I’m not Lucy’s biological father, but I raised her from childhood. She’s not a tool, she’s my daughter. She can live however she wants. You’re right, the Yuwen Family lost the empire because their time was up. Since that was the previous dynasty’s business, let it fade away with the buried history.”

“As for Lucy, it’s enough for her to live an ordinary life. The burden of the name Yuwen Jiao shouldn’t fall on her.”

Henwell spits out a fruit pit. “Old man, don’t be so pessimistic! Rest assured, everything is still under our control. We have 300,000 elite troops in the south already on their way. With your Yuwen Family’s forces combined, in a month, 400,000 soldiers will surround the capital.”

“Then, when the new emperor ascends, Lucy will be empress!”

“However the Nangong Family took the empire, we’ll just use the same method to take it back!”