Chapter 430: A Shift in Tone

After Henwell and the others leave the room, Nangong Ying, who just finished treating his wounds and hasn’t had time to rest, can’t help but press them with questions.

“Everyone, what did my father-in-law say to you? Also, you still haven’t told me, who exactly are you people?”

Fang Yuan replies, “Your Highness, it’s enough that you know we’re not enemies.”

Zhang Che adds, “Your Highness, right now you should quickly gather your old troops and loyal ministers to discuss important matters.”

Nathan says, “Of course, he came to us to leave his last words and entrust his guardianship.”

Nangong Ying is confused. “Why you? That’s my father-in-law, I should be the ones he turns to!”

Henwell tosses a dried fruit into his mouth. “Why panic? It’s not your turn yet. As for why it’s us, that also answers your earlier question about who we are. We’re Lucy’s maternal family! Your Highness, even though you’ll be emperor someday, don’t think about bullying our Lucy, or we’ll have to come back and deal with you!”

Before Nangong Ying can respond, Yu Chengbang calls him inside.

After a while, Lucy’s sobbing can be heard from the room.

Nathan tosses Henwell a cigarette with a filter.

Henwell curiously asks, “Where did this come from? Some kind of welfare from factory?”

“Bullshit! I rolled it myself!” Nathan replies.

Henwell examines it and agrees, it doesn’t look like a factory-made cigarette.

Fang Yuan doesn’t smoke, but Zhang Che is curious about the taste.

Next comes the challenge of lighting the cigarettes. Eventually, Henwell has a sudden idea.

He grabs a steel knife and rapidly rubs the blade edge.

When the blade glows red, the three gather around, light their cigarettes, and take satisfying puffs.

Fang Yuan sighs. “Are your nicotine cravings really that bad?”

Zhang Che coughs lightly. “I really don’t suit this stuff.”

Nathan reaches for Zhang Che’s cigarette, which he’s about to toss away, and smokes it enthusiastically. “What a waste! The tobacco I’m cultivating here is about to mature, but I’m leaving soon!”

Henwell tries to blow a perfect smoke ring. “Just bring some seeds back with you.”

Nathan shakes his head. “That won’t do! Whatever we bring back has to be important. A few tobacco seeds don’t count.”

Everyone actually prepared some local specialties, all useful for future development.

Henwell’s contributions mostly consist of seeds and alloys, though not all of them may be suitable where he’s going.

Nathan complains, “Henwell, you need to know how great your place is. Fifth Rank Martial Warriors can live over a thousand years? That sounds like something out of a god’s legend! You’ve got a lifespan stretching over a thousand years, no wonder people envy you!”

Just like here, in their Eastern-style worlds, running a faction, especially one aiming to dominate the empire, puts heavy limits on personal lifespan.

But after learning about the Yuwen Family’s clever tricks, they’re ready to try them back home.

Still, the desire to survive is always number one, and always greedy.

Hearing that Henwell’s side doesn’t suffer from the empire’s fate backlash makes them deeply envious.

Henwell is now an Iron Knight and will definitely rise to Glory Knight within a decade.

Each of them is confident they’ll reach Glory Knight level within twenty years.

But their lifespans fall short of Henwell’s by nearly ten times.

Even with the Yuwen Family’s fate-avoidance methods, their lifespans can’t compare to Henwell’s.

Henwell hears their envy and can’t help but sneer. “What’s so great about that? It’s not like I want to live like a turtle! Sure, I have a long lifespan, but there are gods around here. Mortal Domain Masters, demigods walking the world, divine agents, any one of them can kill you!”

”I envy your world’s lack of overbearing gods. You must have far fewer worries. If it weren’t for the gods in my world, I’d be running wild already, not tiptoeing around every step like now!”

After that, the four fall silent and sigh together.

Zhang Che says, “Give me back my cigarette. I think the mood’s about right now. Time for a few puffs!”

When Nangong Ying helps Lucy out, they see Henwell and the others squatting in the garden, puffing away.

Four grown men smoking is normal. Squatting together smoking secretly is normal too.

But these four? One looks like a passionate scholar, another exudes royal nobility, the third carries refined heroic grace, and the last radiates fierce intensity.

Wearing imperial court robes, embroidered dragon gowns, luxurious brocade, and bloodstained armor, this mismatched mix looks wildly out of place!

The stark contrast in styles hits Lucy like a visual shock, making her momentarily forget to cry.

Then her sobs grow louder.

She finally found these allies, but now her foster father is dead, and these helpers are just squatting around smoking and watching the show.

Thinking of her lover’s cold betrayal and her own stubborn persistence,  now when she sees Henwell and the others’ smile, it feels like they’re mocking her.

Henwell scratches his head. “Why does she look like she’s blaming us? Isn’t all this her own doing?”

Nathan presses out his cigarette on Henwell’s arm, looking at him with pity. “Henwell, you’re so lucky to have gotten a wife!”

Fang Yuan follows, stamping out his cigarette on Henwell’s left arm and pats his shoulder.

“Little Henwell, you really need to read those psychology books I gave you. Otherwise, you’re going to get the short end of the stick with women!”

When Zhang Che tries to stub his cigarette on Henwell, Henwell glares at him. “You’re giving me advice too?”

Then, shouting after their backs, he says, “Don’t underestimate me! I’ve been in love too! There’s even a princess who likes me! Let me tell you my love story, when I was seventeen, she was seventeen… Hey, where are you guys running off to?”

Late at night, they hold an emergency military meeting.

At the head, Nangong Ying says, “We’re outnumbered. We should avoid direct confrontation for now.”

Nathan replies, “This is a fight for the throne. If we retreat, we lose the initiative. If we bring troops back later, that’s rebellion. “

”For now, as long as Your Highness stays here, it’s just an internal conflict within the Nangong Family. Other forces won’t intervene lightly. The regional armies won’t march into the capital to defend the throne before a clear winner emerges. “

”Even if the pretender emperor issues orders, the troops will delay their march, avoiding a forced rapid advance.”

Nangong Ying frowns. “But he’s on the throne now, holding the advantage. The Forbidden Army and Imperial Guards are under his control. We only have ten thousand troops, while near the capital the Forbidden Army and Imperial Guards together number one hundred fifty thousand elite soldiers!”

Fang Yuan reassures him, “Relax! Didn’t we just say? This is an internal Nangong Family dispute. The Forbidden Army and Imperial Guards won’t fully intervene, at least, not entirely.”

“But what’s my reason to stay here?” Nangong Ying asks.

“Of course, the late emperor left a sacred decree naming you crown prince. By right, you should be emperor. Nangong He is a usurper using a forged decree.”

“But I already gave him that decree!”

“No worries! I have another copy.”

“Is it real?”

“Of course not. I copied it myself. The handwriting matches the late emperor’s perfectly.”

“But there’s no imperial seal. Will that work?”

“What’s the problem? After we take the capital, we’ll just stamp it!”