He suddenly crawled up, staggered to stand atop the mound of earth, and stretched his arms toward heaven.

Everyone raised their rain and mud-soaked faces in alarm, staring at him in amazement, wondering what he intended to do now.

“Your Highness! Dangerous!” Several old ministers crawled over on their knees, calling out anxiously. In such weather and in such a posture, standing at a high place was very dangerous.

Prince Ping paid no attention, stretching his arms toward the sky heavy with rain and mist where purple lightning flashed, shouting loudly: “Heaven, why did you take the lives of my father king and young brother!”

Everyone turned pale with shock, looking around bewildered, truly unable to understand how he dared point his finger at heaven in such defiance after just witnessing the heavenly thunder strike down the old king!

Prince Ping looked up at heaven, letting the torrential rain pour over his face, crying out in grief and fury: “Heaven, the former king for many years revered heaven and understood destiny, was diligent in governance and loved the people, labored over state affairs day and night without rest. Though not yet fifty, his hair was already snow-white. Even if there were minor faults, he should not have been struck down by heavenly thunder, leaving no remains! And my young brother, only three years old, innocent in his tender years, having committed no wrongs – why should he also suffer this disaster! Today on this altar, with ministers gathered and three sacrificial animals prepared, respectful and reverent – why should we also suffer heaven’s punishment? If heaven’s will is so cold and cruel, what use is our reverence for heaven?”

He used all his strength, his shouts piercing high as if they could penetrate the clouds. At this moment he seemed to have fallen into a state of madness, wildly shouting and jumping on the mound, pointing directly at heaven.

The ministers below shouted anxiously “Your Highness must not!” trying to stop his disrespectful words against heaven and spirits.

Some people showed grave expressions that turned to shallow emotion. Originally thinking the old king’s death was suspicious and Prince Ping was merely acting, yet seeing his grief and fury now, the doubts in their hearts began to waver.

At this time thunder rumbled overhead while ministers below tried to stop him in unison. Prince Ping laughed harshly, pointing at heaven and cursing incessantly. Heaven seemed to finally respond – purple lightning flashed continuously in the clouds, gradually forming continuous sheets. Suddenly with a “crack!” heaven and earth brightened like snow.

Everyone closed their eyes in terror, their hearts chilling, thinking it was over – today all of Meng Kingdom’s royal heirs would be killed by lightning, and tomorrow Meng Kingdom would fall into chaos… For a moment their minds went blank, only the lightning, thunder, and torrential rain remaining.

For a long while heaven and earth remained frozen, but no screams or cries were heard. Everyone opened their eyes uneasily, only to see lightning flashing down from the sky, one bolt after another, constantly flickering on and off. The heart-chilling crackling of lightning was incessant. Those clusters of flickering light were not far above Prince Ping’s head, and the pale sky around the sacrificial temples had purple lightning constantly hanging down, cutting through the rain curtain, looking like heaven’s anger – like blue veins bulging on pale skin.

“Crack!” A bolt of lightning struck down a tree near the altar. The tree slowly fell, crushing a corner of the temple’s blue tiles.

“Crack!” Another bolt of lightning struck the red carpet at the altar entrance, completely burning away a section of red carpet.

Yet these terrifying blue and white bolts, though circling around the furiously cursing Prince Ping, never once struck his body.

Such a miracle made everyone slowly open their eyes wide.

Wasn’t this the legendary mandate of heaven, the focus of heaven’s will?

So even if spirits and ghosts had knowledge, they wouldn’t dare violate it?

Heaven’s will was difficult to fathom, yet at this moment the lightning that came close but didn’t strike was heaven’s will!

Someone suddenly shouted loudly: “Thunder does not strike, heaven does not punish – Your Highness is the heaven-mandated ruler of our Meng Kingdom!”

As soon as this cry rang out, the entire scene quieted, then more people’s shouts arose.

“Heaven-mandated ruler!”

“Heaven’s chosen!”

“Meng Kingdom’s thousand years rest with Your Highness alone!”

On the altar mound, Prince Ping, soaked through by the rain, stopped jumping.

He glanced at the area above the sacrificial temple, a trace of smugness flashing in his eyes. The expert sent by Lord Hei San had used countless iron wires to guide the lightning beforehand – truly a good method, drawing down thunder to strike the old king while directing those lightning bolts away from his body.

The contrast was clear. Now his heaven-chosen miracle had been witnessed by everyone. This scene would leave a deep impression, enough to create awe-inspiring fear in the ministers’ hearts. Not only could it help him ascend the throne without deploying a single soldier, it could even help him sit securely on the throne for a very long time, exclusively enjoying legitimacy with no one daring to offend.

Because those who offended him would be offending heaven’s will.

At this moment, seeing the black and white heads below prostrating devoutly on the ground, seeing even the most stubborn old ministers who usually opposed him bowing in the mud, he couldn’t suppress the smile at the corner of his lips.

At this moment, Jing Hengbo stood in the pavilion, watching through the rain curtain as the ministers prostrated, seemingly also seeing the smile at Prince Ping’s lips.

She too smiled deeply.

This trick? Sister has played it to death, okay?

Prince Ping couldn’t see Jing Hengbo’s mocking gaze. He was only immersed in the false “heaven’s will” he had created and his success.

He decided to add more fuel to the fire.

Standing atop that mound of earth – which contained broken walls, ruins, and corpses, with blood-stained mud constantly flowing beneath his feet – he raised his arms and shouted to heaven: “Heaven is blind, harming my father king! Today do you dare harm me, Meng Jing, in the slightest? If I, Meng Jing, am unworthy of Meng Kingdom’s throne, please also send down thunder to strike me down together!”

Jing Hengbo’s eyes lit up.

Here it comes!

This was exactly what she was waiting for.

She suddenly waved her sleeve.

A section of broken stone slab beneath Prince Ping’s feet suddenly fell heavily.

The mound beneath Prince Ping’s feet was originally unstable. After his jumping around and the heavy rain battering it, it was already precarious. Now as Jing Hengbo removed the slab, Prince Ping’s footing gave way and he fell into a crevice in the pile of earth and stones.

The moment he fell into the pile, a faint white shadow shot out from the crevice and disappeared in a flash. It was too fast, and with the rain, no one saw it.

At this moment another thunderbolt struck from above.

“Boom!”

“Boom!”

Two more tremendous explosions occurred almost simultaneously.

All the people in the muddy rain felt heaven and earth seem to shake again. The mound before their eyes suddenly exploded, with stones, soil, blood, flesh, sacrificial items, and vessels… a mass of black, white, and yellow shooting straight up into the sky. In that mass of black, white, and yellow was a blood-red shadow, propelled straight up by the blast in a vertical line into the high sky. Everyone’s gaze involuntarily followed that shadow closely, watching it rise straight up then rapidly descend, witnessing that mass of things falling down along with simultaneously falling vessels, stones, soil, and limbs… like a rain of five colors crashing down to form a new pile of ruins in the original location…

“Thud!” A muffled sound made everyone jump in place.

Everyone stared numbly at that new mound – it looked the same as before, a pile mixed with debris, mud, stones, and severed limbs, ruins from the destroyed altar, only somewhat larger than before with a bigger crater in the ground. But everyone’s eyes were fixed on one side of the mound where an arm protruded from the buried earth. The hand wore a sleeve with black background and red dragon patterns, with a large black obsidian and yellow jade thumb ring on the finger.

This sleeve, this ring – everyone had just seen them.

Just moments ago everyone had looked with reverence at this finger pointing at heaven, cursing the heavens. The heavens had angrily sent down countless thunderbolts, yet not one dared strike him.

Now this hand was buried in the rubble by another thunderbolt identical to those before.

Deathly silence, only the sound of pattering rain remained.

Everyone gazed at that altar, their hearts filled with indescribable cold terror. Looking at that arm was like a nightmare, yet no one dared break this nightmare.

Some secretly hoped this was just a joke, that soon Prince Ping would crawl out of the mound himself and laugh while cursing heaven’s jest.

But after a long while with no movement, time dragged painfully in the waiting. As moments passed, people’s hearts grew colder – even if not killed by the explosion, being buried in the mound so long without movement meant death.

Yet even so, no one dared approach to search for Prince Ping. This altar was too eerie, having been struck by lightning twice, killing everyone who had stood on it.

After a long while, someone cried out in despair: “It’s over! Our Meng Kingdom is finished!”

Some began quietly retreating, like General Ji. Such generals who controlled Meng City’s military power suddenly discovered their opportunity at this moment.

Some watched those retreating with hawk-like sharp gazes – that was Duke Meng, who wouldn’t allow the Ji family to cause trouble now.

“Where are you going?” Duke Meng blocked General Ji’s path.

“The royal house suffers disaster, great changes approach Meng City. This general is responsible for the capital’s security – it’s my duty to organize troops and calm the military and people.” General Ji sneered coldly.

“Organizing troops and calming the people should be discussed by the Grand Minister, Vice Ministers, and other officials together. At such a critical time, any military general should urgently avoid suspicion and surrender military authority. How can you freely deploy and command troops?” Old Duke Meng wouldn’t yield an inch.

“Old fool, you’re neither a general nor a minister – what qualification do you have to nag at me?” General Ji’s expression turned cold as he swung his arm. “Move aside!”

This swing didn’t manage to push Duke Meng away. Duke Meng whistled, and Meng family guards waiting outside the mausoleum quickly approached.

General Ji’s expression changed greatly. He also let out a whistle, and immediately rumbling footsteps arose around the mausoleum.

The ministers fearfully scrambled up, watching this scene with ashen faces – a military rebellion, was it coming so quickly?

This conflict occurred near the mausoleum’s exit. Those in front hadn’t noticed yet, but now faint exclamations came from ahead.

General Ji and others instinctively turned to look, then froze.

On the altar, human figures had somehow appeared again.

A small figure stood beside the mound, standing on half a blue stone, struggling to reach out and drag the exposed hand of Prince Ping from the pile.

It was the young son of the Meng King.

The ministers felt a thunderous crash in their minds.

What was happening?

The supposedly dead had appeared, dragging the corpse of someone who wasn’t supposed to die…

The child’s strength was small – naturally he couldn’t drag the corpse from the mound. He pouted and turned his head.

A figure slowly emerged from behind the mound. An aged hand, veins standing out prominently, grasped the child’s hand, then holding his hand, grabbed Prince Ping’s pale hand.

Seeing these three hands together, everyone felt their vision darken again.

Some collapsed weakly, some fainted, some staggered backward. General Ji and others were deathly pale.

“Great King!”

Above the altar ruins, the unharmed old king glanced lightly at the ministers but said nothing, only focused on helping his youngest son slowly pull out Prince Ping’s corpse.

Calling it pulling out a corpse wasn’t quite accurate, because they only pulled out half – Prince Ping had been blown apart.

The child was also facing such a terrifying scene for the first time in his life. His face was pale, his whole body trembling. Several times he wanted to let go but was firmly held by the old king, unable to break free, so he could only desperately turn his head away and close his eyes.

The old king’s voice resonated heavily beside his ear and in the ministers’ ears: “Zhe’er, don’t be afraid. The path of kings always begins with bloodshed. Only those who dare face others’ blood won’t let themselves bleed daily.”

Listening to this, the ministers felt awed and vaguely understood something.

The old king glanced at Prince Ping’s corpse and said lightly: “Evil son, now do you know whether you’re worthy or not?”

Then he turned and fastened the imperial seal from his waist onto his youngest son’s waist.

Everyone recognized it – that was Meng Kingdom’s royal seal.

The old king held his youngest son’s hand and slowly turned to face the ministers, with Prince Ping’s corpse beneath his feet.

He only said one sentence lightly:

“Who truly has heaven’s mandate – can you see it now?”

A moment of silence.

Then arose the sound of mountain-calling prostrations toward the old king and toward three-year-old Meng Zhe.

The moment the Meng Kingdom royal seal was fastened to his belt, this tender child had already become Meng Kingdom’s new master.

At this moment no one could resist, nor dared to resist. Just as when they thought the Great King and Meng Zhe were buried beneath the ruins and accepted Prince Ping, now that Prince Ping had also “died from heaven’s punishment,” the living person was naturally the rightful king.

As the ministers bowed like grass before heaven’s might, the Great King of Meng Kingdom, holding his son, slightly turned and lightly bowed toward Jing Hengbo’s direction.

Through the rain curtain, his grateful gaze could almost be seen.

Jing Hengbo smiled slightly.

Treating others with their own medicine, she had once again influenced a royal house’s succession.

But this time, she was the royal enabler.

…

Torrential rain could create many incidents and could also bury many incidents.

In the heavy rain, Lord Hei San directed his subordinates to collect the iron wires and quietly slip away while no one had time to pay attention to his side.

Before leaving, he looked regretfully at Prince Ping’s corpse below, thinking what a waste of those several bottles of good medicine. Otherwise he had longer-term plans that might have allowed him to seize Meng Kingdom’s power someday.

In the torrential rain, a figure flashed out from Duke Meng’s mansion, seemingly carrying someone on his shoulder. After glancing left and right, he quickly disappeared into the vast rain curtain.

Meng Hu chased out from the Meng mansion, directing guards to pursue the enemy. However, the heavy rain eliminated all traces and affected vision, so they quickly lost track of the opponent.

Meng Hu stamped his feet in frustration, thinking that today’s ancestral temple sacrifice meant most of the Meng family guards had followed the old duke to the temple to prevent chaos. Otherwise, they should have been able to stop whoever kidnapped Miss Ji.

He thought this was probably someone from the Ji family, taking advantage of this time to snatch back Miss Ji – quite clever of them.

Since the queen had participated in Meng Kingdom’s power struggle, she would definitely win. The Ji family couldn’t act up much longer. Such a hostage was already meaningless. Though Meng Hu was somewhat frustrated, he didn’t take this matter to heart and turned back to the mansion.

In the heavy rain, the person who had kidnapped Miss Ji continued forward. More and more people gathered behind him, but they weren’t heading toward the Ji family’s direction.

He went all the way outside Meng City to a hidden mountain, swept up the mountainside, and directly entered a cave. Water rushed down from the cave’s top like a waterfall, concealing everyone’s view.

Those followers, like shadows, stood woodenly in the rain, guarding this cave.

At this moment, countless white shadows were crossing through the rain lines, sweeping past this nameless mountain a hundred li outside Meng City, heading toward Meng City.

Behind these countless white shadows, a purple shadow and a red shadow followed the white shadows’ direction, drifting and swaying all the way toward Meng City.

The wind and rain were fierce, clouds and thunder stirred.