Otherworld Advance Team-Chapter 1801 - 1794: Traditions of Cultivation Society and Court Conflicts

Chapter 1801: Chapter 1794: Traditions of Cultivation Society and Court Conflicts

Here is a brief summary of the operational logic of the cultivation society of the East Prosperity Nine States.

First, cultivation aptitude determines whether a person can cultivate. This aptitude is random and almost identical to the magical aptitude of the Western Continent.

Secondly, aptitude exists in both males and females, and there is no evidence suggesting women are less apt than men.

Therefore, in many cases, once a girl from a noble family is found to have aptitude, she must cultivate, regardless of the family elders’ wishes. Otherwise, the family might lose a warrior and potentially be defeated and eliminated in the struggles of Kyushu.

The randomness leading to gender equality makes the societal structure and responsibilities of men and women in the cultivation society infinitely close to the modern society on Earth.

Even in a feudal era, the cultivation society adheres to monogamy. This applies to commoners, noble families, and the Emperor alike.

Of course, the constraints on the Martial Emperor, at the political vortex’s center, are much greater than for other classes.

The Martial Emperor can have only one wife, the current Empress. To take a concubine, he must have the consent of both the Empress and the Cabinet.

This situation may seem straightforward, but in practice, it is fraught with difficulty.

Sometimes, even when the Empress agrees, the Cabinet may argue because selecting someone to be by the Emperor’s side is very particular, and not any woman can be placed there.

If a family’s highly skilled daughter is sent to the palace, it would not only weaken the noble families’ fighting power but also cause chaos in the palace. The conflict between the Empress and a concubine would be far more than simple palace intrigue.

In Dongsheng Empire’s history, there have been bizarre cases where the Empress and a concubine fought fiercely in the palace. Since both had very high cultivation levels, no one dared to intervene.

Two women fought bitterly in the palace, demolishing several halls. The Martial Emperor had to flee in embarrassment, and palace ladies and eunuchs scattered. Ultimately, it was the intervention of the families of the Empress and the concubine that stopped their brawl.

Thus, after this incident, an unwritten rule emerged for choosing Empresses and concubines: avoid those with high cultivation levels.

Sometimes, even when the Cabinet had decided, the Empress would change her mind upon seeing the candidate, and there was no persuading her.

So past Martial Emperors, to avoid trouble, simply did not take concubines, remaining with just one wife.

As for how physiological needs were addressed, the palace had many palace ladies, mostly from civilian backgrounds, which was acceptable as long as they weren’t of lowly origins.

In this give-and-take, some palace ladies would become pregnant with the dragon’s seed, which required caution, as the Empress must not find out.

Dragon’s seed?

As long as it hasn’t been born, it’s just a ball of flesh.

In this regard, these Empresses possess a rather advanced understanding.

The Empress would arrange to abort the child or have the palace lady beaten to death, resulting in two lives lost.

For the Martial Emperor, this was of little concern; casting a wide net would eventually yield results. Once the child is born, it is no longer for the Empress or even the Martial Emperor to decide.

The Cabinet would intervene directly, taking the child in to be raised as a future prince. If the Empress tried to harm the child at this point, it would cause great trouble.

All the residents of Kyushu know that offending the Martial Emperor isn’t much, but offending the Cabinet means you can’t stay in Kyushu.

With all these complicated matters, the offspring the Martial Emperor could leave behind were pitifully few.

The previous Emperor had only two daughters and two sons. The eldest daughter, Bailong Fong, married Yichuan Qing of the Hundred Chiefs, and the second daughter, Bailong Xin, married into the Jiuyun Clan.

Of the two sons, Bailong Bang is the current Martial Emperor, and Bailong An was the unfortunate one executed by the Cabinet for treason.

The scarcity of royal descendants basically ensured that succession to the throne wouldn’t involve any significant disruptions.

Regarding succession, the Dongsheng Empire largely followed the traditions of its predecessors. If Bailong An were alive and his daughter hadn’t disappeared, the child could, upon coming of age, challenge her uncle to seize the position of Martial Emperor, which is permissible.

This tradition only restricts the descendants from challenging their parents, meaning the position of Martial Emperor could be taken by his niece but not by his own children.

This process of seizing the throne is called the Duel for Succession. If the Martial Emperor loses, the victor may ascend.

Despite the Cabinet’s immense power, they strangely have not amended this seemingly contradictory rule.

Presumably, this is a compromise for the Wu Family, as altering this seemingly insignificant rule would effectively grant the Wen family total control over the appointment and removal of the Martial Emperor, which the Wu Family would never allow.

However, the Wen family Cabinet isn’t overly concerned about leaving this loophole because the offspring the Martial Emperor leaves behind is rare, keeping the situation well within their control.

Currently, there are a few heirs in line with the royal orthodoxy.

First is Princess Bailong Fong, married to Yichuan Qing, with two sons, Yichuan Fei and Yichuan Xv.

Indeed, the two brothers of the Yichuan Clan are eligible to succeed the throne, though they would need to change their names.

Next is Princess Bailong Xin, who married into the Jiuyun Clan and has a daughter named Jiuyun Yue, who is also eligible to succeed the throne, under the same name change condition.

Within the direct line, Bailong An and his daughter are missing, while the current Martial Emperor Bailong Bang and the Empress have two daughters, Bailong Lan and Bailong Yu.

Among these descendants, the two brothers of the Yichuan Clan and the daughter of the Jiuyun Clan can directly challenge the current Martial Emperor’s position.

However, it is evident that these three are either members of the Wen family or under their control.

The two princesses of the Martial Emperor, due to the rules barring them from challenging their father, must simply wait for his passing and thus have no right to initiate a Duel for Succession.

Although the Martial Emperor has only two daughters, that is enough, as both daughters have achieved the Jiedan Realm in cultivation and are fully capable of assuming the role of Martial Emperor.

Throughout the Dongsheng Empire’s history, there have been instances of women becoming Martial Emperors. Under the Wen family’s control of politics, who serves as Martial Emperor is essentially the same.

However, this also reflects the current gender equality in the cultivation society of Kyushu.

From this, it’s clear the Wen family is most worried about Bailong An’s missing daughter, Bailong Ying, or possibly called Bailong Feng.

"So," Luo’er said after a moment of contemplation, "is Your Majesty hoping that the princess wandering outside doesn’t return?"

"It’s not out of personal desire to pass the throne to my own daughters," the Martial Emperor expressed with some agitation, "It doesn’t matter who holds this position. In fact, if my brother were alive, I’d be happy to give it to him, but the crux of the matter is not within my control."

"It lies in the Cabinet’s choices," Luo’er added.

"Yes, if he could accept the Cabinet’s system, if he could sever ties with the Wu Family, the Cabinet wouldn’t harm him, and I do not enjoy being in the political vortex. I’m not of the Wen family; I simply enjoy reading and studying. Is there anything wrong with that? Should all scholars belong to the Wen family?"

"Yet as you can see," the Martial Emperor continued after a pause, "no matter what, I can’t escape the influence of the Cabinet. If my brother’s daughter still lives, she shouldn’t get involved. Though I am called the Martial Emperor, I am like a prisoner, even fearing to speak openly to the National Teacher."

"Are you certain, Your Majesty, that your brother is dead and the princess is missing?" Luo’er inquired cautiously.

"I cannot be certain. It was the Cabinet ministers who informed me, and there are people in the palace who tell me my brother and niece are alive, hiding from the Wen family."

"I see, so if the princess enters the palace, the Wen family would naturally be on edge."

"Indeed, if my niece is really at the National Teacher’s Mansion, please do not publicize this or bring her into the palace. The palace is full of the Wen family’s spies. I fear my brother’s lineage might not survive," the Martial Emperor sighed deeply, speaking sincerely.

In this light, the Martial Emperor appears rather benevolent, understanding what should and should not be done.

But no matter what, he cannot outmatch the Wen family Cabinet. Though named the Martial Emperor, in reality, the entire Dongsheng Empire is entirely under the sway of the immense Wen family Cabinet.

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