For the next few days, Nan Hua spent her time in the residence. Recently, there has been news about the Emperor falling sick. The ministers were all panicking and tried their best to figure out how to treat the Emperor. Many doctors were called to the palace to treat him.
Thanks to that, the atmosphere in the Capital City turned gloomy.
In Nan Family Residence, there was not much difference, though.
"The Emperor is only in power for four years, right?" Nan Luo asked as he twisted his body to evade the attack.
Hou Liang lightly drew the sword back and then attacked Nan Luo once more. "Yes, Young Master."
Tak!
Nan Luo clicked his tongue. "How unlucky of him to fall sick so severely within few short years of his reign."
"Indeed."
"But now that he's sick, who'll be in charge?" Nan Luo asked curiously.
Looking at the young master in front of him, Hou Liang smiled bitterly. "Young Master, I'm just a soldier and not an Imperial Family guard. I don't know the answer to your question."
"That's too bad."
Hou Liang: "…" I can investigate but at this time, it'll be too reckless to move around blindly.
Tak! Tak! Tak!
At the side, Nan Hua was playing with several needles in her hand. After getting the various sizes of needles from her grandfather, Nan Hua had been practicing with it almost every single day. It was easy for her to hide them in her sleeve or even in her hair, especially with the complicated hairstyle most women had.
Thud!
"I lost again." Nan Luo clicked his tongue as he waved his hand to erase the numbness. He glared at Hou Liang. "Why are you using so much power just to fight a child, ah?"
"Young Master, you're the one who ask me to use all of my power." Hou Liang looked at Nan Luo calmly.
Nan Luo stomped his legs and picked his swords. He played with it in his hands before he stopped. There was faint sound of gong from a distance away.
This…
"The Emperor is dead?" Nan Luo was stunned.
Nan Hua also raised her head as her eyes narrowed. Finally, the prologue had ended as the first battle for the throne would start. But of course, Nan Family couldn't even get close to the palace because of their current position.
"Luo, order the servants in your place to clean up anything of vibrant color."
"Ah, don't worry, I know that." Nan Luo scratched his head. Just four years ago, their mother did the same when the previous Emperor had died. However, now that the Emperor died… who would be the next Emperor?
The Emperor didn't have any brother.
Well, to be exact, the brothers all had died in his hand because of the struggle before. Thanks to that, there were only two princes left.
The current crown prince, Prince Yang Zhou, who was only 16 years old.
And the second prince who was a year younger than him.
"But the princes are all too young to take the throne, right? They didn't even have their adulthood ceremony yet," Nan Luo mused. "Who'll be in power?"
"Empress Dowager." Nan Hua glanced at Nan Luo. "And those who have high position in court."
Nan Luo blinked his eyes. He was not familiar with the current power struggle while Nan Hua knew some of them from the novel she read. Even though there were some things left unsaid, she could make the necessary connections to understand the whole picture. The writer often skipped some information, making the story fast paced but a bit jumpy.
"Will it affect us?"
"Maybe." Nan Hua lowered her gaze.
"Hua'er, you know something, don't you?" Nan Luo pouted. He felt that his sister was leaving him behind with how much she knew things.
Nan Hua didn't answer and returned to her quarter to put down anything that was of vibrant color. Since the Emperor passed away, there would be 100 mourning days for the entire nation.
Though, since it was war, the military would still have to proceed as usual.
Prince Yang Zhou become the Emperor. However, he could only be Emperor in name since he was not of age yet.
For the Nan Family, there was nothing much different. Old Master Nan had to visit the palace for some formalities but Nan Hua and Nan Luo didn't have to be worried. After all, they were only children.
Children didn't need to know too much.
But how could Nan Hua stay silent and do nothing?