Several southeastern provinces, left with no choice after the Imperial Court ground to a halt, suppressed their rebellions themselves, nearly beating one another's brains into dog brains.
The Chang'an Imperial Court still spent every day tearing each other down. A perfectly good empire had been thrown into chaos by these imperial princes, ministers, and Aristocratic Clans. Various regions formed their own armies to quell rebellions and protect themselves, inadvertently creating the first outlines of military governorships. It was a perfect illustration of what these so-called upper-class elites were capable of.
Chang'an, Daming Palace.
Majestic halls shrouded in purple qi; golden canals and jade sands, waters of five hues.
The splendor of Chang'an's Daming Palace had become impossible to describe in words. As the most magnificent and luxurious palace in the world, it could only be called a miracle. Auspicious beasts and roaming dragons adorned the roof ridges, while divine dragons coiled around the golden pillars of the great halls. Dragons had become the sole symbol of the imperial palace. Any cultivator with a little skill could sense the purple qi rising above it.
Yet recently, the atmosphere within the palace had turned strange.
In the rear palace, the consorts either came personally every day or sent trusted palace maids to watch the Tang Emperor's Imperial Chamber. Some feared that once the emperor died, they would be sent to a nunnery. More were gathering intelligence for their Lineages beyond the palace walls.
Inside the Imperial Chamber, the gaunt Tang Emperor lay bedridden, coughs occasionally sounding from within.
The imperial princes were absent. In truth, their presence would only have troubled the Tang Emperor more. Every one of them beat around the bush, trying to get him to do this or that—either placing officials in office or slandering others. By all reason,