Logging into the Game World Early and Starting with a Royal Marriage to the Empress

Xia Chen gazed tranquilly at Xu Xingchen, whose sharpness was fully unveiled, took a sip of his wine, and spoke in a casual manner.

“Are you saying that the current tripartite stalemate among the three states shall persist into the future?”

“Should I refrain from taking action, for the ensuing fifty years, the configuration of a realm divided into three shall persist; the three states shall mutually restrain one another—though each cherishes ambitions to annex the others, none commands the absolute might to eradicate the remaining two.”

Xu Xingchen declared with absolute certainty.

“Yet how is it that I feel that perhaps, in approximately five years or so, our Dawu shall encounter a transformation that shakes the very heavens, and within a maximum of ten years, the current state of affairs across the realm shall undergo a profound change!”

Xia Chen regarded Xu Xingchen with a smile, articulating his own judgment.

Xu Xingchen’s gaze deepened; upon hearing Xia Chen’s assertions, his instinctive impulse was to counter them, to expound his own perspective in detail and explain his reasoning.

Yet he swiftly restrained himself, his expression settling like a tranquil lake, undisturbed by ripples.

“I am aware that you do not believe me and remain steadfast in your own judgment—so be it, let us engage in a small wager for amusement’s sake; ten years hence, we shall revisit this matter. Regarding these two time markers I have spoken of today, should my judgments prove correct, you shall owe me a single thing; as for what that thing might be, I shall inform you when the time comes—yet regardless of what I request, you must grant it to me!”

Xia Chen looked at Xu Xingchen, as if employing a taunt to goad him.

“Do you dare to take this wager?”

Xu Xingchen stared at the refined young man before him, his eyes profound; Xia Chen had driven him to a precipice. He had initially assumed that what awaited him next was the dungeons of the Lamplighters.

Yet, unexpectedly, Xia Chen had continued to converse with him at length—and now, from the implications within Xia Chen’s words, it seemed he had no intention of apprehending him. His desperate gambit had finally yielded a lifeline.

“Very well, I shall take your wager!”

Xu Xingchen’s mind had remained lucid throughout; he couldn’t quite fathom what Xia Chen truly intended. He had prepared himself for the worst outcome, yet Xia Chen had proposed a bet, offering him a path to survival—so he accepted the gamble.

As for whether he would win or lose, that was a matter for himself a decade hence—what concern was it to his present self? Let any troubles be left for his future self to wrestle with.

Moreover, he held unwavering confidence in his own judgment—the realm’s state would remain stable for at least thirty years; of this, he was certain!

Xia Chen couldn’t help but smile upon hearing Xu Xingchen’s assent, his grin radiant—he had set the trap, and now this man had obediently stepped into it.

“I observe that you are sitting restlessly—likely lacking the inclination to partake in this lunch; and judging by your appearance, you don’t seem particularly hungry either. Since that is the case, you may take your leave!”

Xia Chen waved his hand, signaling that Xu Xingchen was free to depart.

Xu Xingchen’s heart leapt with elation at these words, though his face remained composed, his demeanor exceedingly steady; he offered Xia Chen a respectful bow.

“My thanks to you, sir—I shall take my leave!”

Xu Xingchen’s entire being finally relaxed, the tension in his spirit dissipating.

“This Xia Chen, though shrewd as a demon, is ultimately still too young, lacking in experience! I had assumed he would drag me into the Lamplighters’ dungeons—yet he has let me go just like that. It must be that my analysis of the realm’s affairs stunned him, and thus, for the sake of this ten-year wager, he has granted me clemency.”

Xu Xingchen chuckled inwardly. To Xia Chen, he was but a minor figure; his earlier torrent of words had stoked Xia Chen’s competitive spirit, prompting this desire to wager against him!

Xu Xingchen swiftly arrived at this conclusion within his mind.

Though his thoughts raced at a relentless pace, his face maintained a calm smile; having completed his bow, he prepared to turn and depart, to escape this place of peril—but at that moment, Xia Chen’s voice rang in his ears once more.

“Tomorrow morning, come to the Lamplighters’ yamen to report to me—I am currently lacking a scribe!”

Xu Xingchen froze—huh?

He immediately wished to refuse—what jest was this? To follow Xia Chen to the Lamplighters’ yamen as a scribe?

He was a man resolved to become Chief Grand Secretary!

He opened his mouth to decline, but at that instant, Xia Chen’s voice resounded again—this time devoid of warmth, its calm laced with an icy chill.

“Do not entertain notions of fleeing tonight and abandoning the capital—no matter how swift your pace, it cannot outrun the Lamplighters; to the ends of the earth and the corners of the seas, I can still track you down.”

“Every word you’ve uttered today, I have committed to memory—utter nonsense! Our Dawu enjoys peace and prosperity, its people dwell in contentment and Industry; His Majesty governs the realm with sagacity—yet here you are, spouting reckless drivel! Are you a spy for an enemy state, deliberately lurking within our capital to spread such rumors? And this noon, skulking about and trailing me—could it be you intended to assassinate me?”

Xia Chen cast a glance at Xu Xingchen, whose face had already begun to pale, and continued.

“Moreover, earlier you spoke of biding your time in dormancy, silently awaiting heaven’s moment, perpetually seeking an enlightened lord to garner the merit of supporting his rise—are you plotting rebellion?”

As Xia Chen delivered this final statement, it struck like an invisible blade piercing Xu Xingchen’s heart—a lethal thrust sealing his fate.

Cold sweat drenched his body, his face blanched, his flesh chilled as though plunged into an icy abyss.

These were words of execution—Xu Xingchen hadn’t anticipated that Xia Chen, hitherto mild and smiling, would abruptly shift his demeanor, turning against him without a shred of recognition.

“Are you aware that these accusations are of such gravity as to warrant the extermination of your entire nine familial clans!”

Xia Chen’s words dripped with ruthless frigidity; a palpable killing intent enveloped Xu Xingchen—this was the murderous aura he had forged within the peculiar little world of his system space, tempered through the inheritance of blade intent.

Xu Xingchen felt as though he had plummeted into the eighteen depths of hell, with Xia Chen emerging as a demon clawed forth from its depths; gazing into Xia Chen’s fathomless eyes, he glimpsed a strange glint—momentarily, he beheld a vision of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, a battlefield of unparalleled brutality, strewn with shattered bodies…

Though Xu Xingchen deemed his talents unrivaled in the realm, he had never faced such a spectacle.

He was utterly petrified.

It took him a considerable while to regain his composure; steadying his mind, he willed his thoughts to churn once more, striving to calm his emotions and restore his poise. With a grave voice, he spoke.

“My lord, you yourself said earlier…”

“Did I say anything? This official emerged from the Literary Gathering today and had scarcely stepped into this tavern when I noticed a figure skulking behind me, trailing me all the way into this private room, even attempting to draw near and assassinate me—only to be unmasked by my vigilance. From start to finish, I have merely been interrogating you; my loyalty to His Majesty is beyond reproach!”

Xia Chen proclaimed with an air of righteous indignation, rising within the private room to face the direction of the imperial palace, clasping his fists in a salute.

Xu Xingchen stared, dumbfounded.

“I can bear witness—throughout this entire encounter, my young master has been interrogating you; not only is your identity shrouded in suspicion, but you have also uttered numerous seditious remarks.”

Xia Qian, who had stood sentinel at the door, instantly chimed in—causing Xu Xingchen’s heart to sink irrevocably.

Today, he had finally borne witness to the nature of power—what it meant to call a deer a horse, to twist black into white!

Today, Xu Xingchen conceded defeat!

“You are a man of intellect—I trust you will make the correct choice and judgment. Tomorrow morning, I hope to see your figure within the yamen, rather than issuing orders for men to hunt you down!”

Xia Chen sat upon his chair, took a sip of wine, and spake with an expressionless calm; at this moment, the authority radiating from him loomed vast as the might of heaven, striking awe into the heart!