Chapter 293 - 290: I’ll Raid My Own Family and a Princess Ascends the Throne

Chapter 293: Chapter 290: I’ll Raid My Own Family and a Princess Ascends the Throne

’The Patriarch was taken away?’

Fang Can looked at the civil and military officials present and said, "Since the Wan family has provoked me, letting them off with just the death of their Patriarch would be too easy."

"I made a deal with them. The Wan family and their faction were to hand over half their assets. For every month they delayed, I would add 5% interest."

"Two months have passed, and I still haven’t received the Wan family’s assets. Who will go and collect for me?" Fang Can asked in a calm tone.

"In response to Lord Fang, this lowly one is willing to go." A Second Turn cultivator stepped forward, a sycophantic smile on his face.

"Oh? And you are?" Fang Can asked in surprise.

"This lowly one is Sun Bailiao, Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. I was promoted thanks to the Minister of Communication, Wan Mingxuan. Now is my chance to repay him."

"So, the Wan family’s Patriarch was your mentor? This is how you ’repay’ him?" Fang Can found it inexplicably amusing.

Facing the hidden, contemptuous gazes of the other court officials, Sun Bailiao said with an air of self-righteousness:

"Precisely. I always advise others to foster good connections and to keep their own houses in order, lest the younger generation make a terrible mistake."

"Now that the Wan family has brought this disaster upon themselves, it is time for me, their junior, to step in and set things right. I am willing to slave away for Lord Fang and take the lead in seizing the Wan family’s assets. I beg for your approval, Lord Fang."

As he spoke, Sun Bailiao knelt again to plead. His shamelessness filled the surrounding officials with contempt.

But some others felt they had knelt too late and missed their chance!

"Amazing... Absolutely shameless." Looking at the man’s current state, Fang Can clapped his hands in admiration.

"Lord Fang, you flatter me. My loyalty is as plain as day, and my admiration for you is like a surging river!" the Second Turn cultivator said earnestly.

"In that case, it’s time to prove your loyalty. Your Sun family can also hand over 60% of its assets, just like the Wan family," Fang Can said slowly, leaving everyone stunned.

At these words, Sun Bailiao paused for only a moment before a look of utter joy spread across his face. He kowtowed repeatedly and said:

"It should be so! I have long wished to offer my entire family fortune, but I never had the chance. Thank you, Lord Fang, for the grace of confiscating my family’s assets! There is no need for others to act; I request to do it myself."

’This guy really is... shameless to the core. He’ll climb any ladder you put in front of him.’

Fang Can was a little speechless. But since things had come to this, giving the man a chance didn’t matter. He gave a slight nod of his head in agreement.

Watching the man cheerfully accept the order to ransack his own home, even Fang Can had to admit he was quite a character.

After the shameless official left the court, Fang Can looked at the remaining people and said:

"I seem to recall... that a new emperor for Great Derivation hasn’t been chosen yet. Since I have some time now, bring out the candidates immediately. I’ll pick one to be the ruler."

"This..." Faced with Fang Can’s words, the court fell silent for a moment before everyone obediently complied.

As they agreed, the officials all muttered to themselves, ’The candidates are all princesses. Will he...’

But in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, no matter what they speculated, seven princess candidates were soon led into the court hall, a flock of graceful, chattering beauties.

According to prior custom, only a member of the royal bloodline who had not practiced martial arts could be chosen as the emperor of Great Derivation. Since most men couldn’t resist the temptation of martial arts, all the current candidates were princesses.

He looked at this group of enchanting beauties, descendants of the Great Derivation Divine Monarch, who were now all staring at him with nervous eyes.

Because none of the princesses present were cultivators, the livestream in their vision hadn’t stopped. And now, the person from the livestream had appeared right before them in reality.

On one hand, there was the young man sitting on the throne in real life. On the other, the powerhouse from the livestream who contended with Fourth Turn experts. Who wouldn’t be afraid?

His gaze swept over the group, and Fang Can immediately spotted a familiar face. He pointed and said, "Her!"

Following the direction of Fang Can’s finger, they saw a young woman with eyebrows like distant, misty mountains and eyes like shimmering autumn pools. A single thought arose in all the officials’ minds: ’Of course.’

The one Fang Can had pointed to was none other than Jiang Qilan, the young woman he had met once before coming to the capital.

At that moment, the other princesses all looked at their chosen royal sister with gazes of either envy or jealousy.

Suddenly the focus of the entire court, Jiang Qilan subconsciously took a step back, her eyes filled with confusion. "Me? Become the empress?"

"That’s right. Interested?" Fang Can asked, as if seeking her opinion.

"But... I don’t know how to rule a country," Jiang Qilan demurred, her slender, pale fingers subconsciously clutching the corner of her dress.

Her words made Fang Can laugh.

The skills required to be a low-level worker are endless, but what special abilities do you need to be a leader? As long as you don’t mess things up, you’re already better than 60% of them.

"It doesn’t matter. Great Derivation lacks many things, but not people. The previous emperor has been dead for months, and it’s not like the people of Great Derivation have fallen into chaos. The provinces are governed as they always have been."

Fang Can said curtly, "They don’t expect a normal person like you to achieve anything great. Any single official on the Heaven-Ascending Road is more efficient than a thousand mortals."

"After you take the throne, you can do whatever you want, whatever makes you happy. I’ll be by your side to assist you. So, what do you say? Are you interested?"

Staring into the young man’s burning gaze, she found she couldn’t speak the words of refusal that came to her mind.

The young woman suppressed her wildly beating heart and, under everyone’s watch, gave a slight nod.

With the young woman’s agreement, the new empress of Great Derivation was decided just like that, in such a casual manner. Not a single court official dared to object.

Because, just as Fang Can had said, an empress with no martial skill would have no impact on governance.

Besides, all the officials who would have dared to resist had already been killed off by the King of Willpower in the first wave.

Looking at the future empress of Great Derivation, Fang Can smiled, stepped down from the throne, and gestured for Jiang Qilan to come up.

As her heart beat faster and faster, Jiang Qilan sat on the Dragon Throne under the gazes of all the court officials.

At this point, Jiang Qilan still felt a dreamlike sense of unreality. ’How did I become the empress?’

Seeing the dazed young woman, Fang Can stood to the side, looked down at the officials below, and commanded imperiously, "Do I need to remind you? Greet your empress! What are you all standing around for!"

As his words fell, Jiang Qilan watched as the officials below bowed with the utmost reverence.

Even her own sisters and her senior, Prince Qing, began to bow in salute.

The young woman knew in her heart that they weren’t bowing to her, but to Fang Can. They were terrified of the young man beside her.

Fang Can’s soft chuckle came from the side. "Your Majesty, you can now exercise your authority. You can do almost anything you want."

’Anything I want?’

Feeling the warmth left behind by the young man in the very spot she now sat, the young woman turned her head to look at the picturesque youth before her, and a thought bloomed in her mind.

’If my first command after taking the throne was to have this young man warm my bed... could I do that too?’