The Great Gan Dynasty, within the imperial palace!
"Your Majesty! Is what you've said true? Are you really planning to reform the government?"
Countless officials were stunned!
Ever since Her Majesty took the throne, she had personally handled every matter. It was one thing for her to deal with border military affairs herself, but even when a minor drought struck some region, she would personally inquire about it and offer advice!
That meant local affairs went straight to the emperor. Even the most conscientious ruler couldn't take responsibility to this extent!
Although their lives were easy, they truly had little authority in hand. They were practically figureheads, and the difference between having them and not having them was almost nonexistent.
They all worried that if they ever took a day off and went home, Her Majesty might realize they made no difference and simply kick them out of the palace...
Half the officials had basically nothing to do. This Empress worked far too hard!
And now, she actually wanted to reform the government?
Prime Minister Qiu Zun was overjoyed!
Her Majesty had taken his advice from yesterday to heart. This was wonderful!
The current Empress had unparalleled talent and should focus on cultivation. Matters of state should be left to them, shouldn't they?
Ye Qinglian's expression was cool and aloof as she surveyed the officials.
"Starting today, I will reorganize the government and establish an inner cabinet. Prime Minister Qiu Zun will serve as its chief minister, and the cabinet members will be the ministers and vice ministers of the Six Ministries."
"From this day forward, local affairs will be submitted to the central government and handled by the Six Ministries. Once completed, they will be passed to the inner cabinet for review, then submitted to me for final approval."
"An Inspectorate will be established to oversee the officials..."
She listed more than a hundred measures in succession, leaving the assembled officials utterly bewildered.
Prime Minister Qiu Zun was just as stunned.
Wasn't this administrative system a little too complicated?
He felt as if his authority had suddenly increased by far too much, but he couldn't quite remember the details...
"Prime Minister."
Qiu Zun hurriedly bowed.
"Your Majesty, please give your orders."
Ye Qinglian casually handed him the administrative framework Chu Ning had submitted the day before.
"Within three days, you will form the inner cabinet. You will personally appoint the members of the Inspectorate, submit the list, and let me approve it."
"Disseminate this system and implement it as the standard. If anyone defies it, I grant you the authority to execute them without reprieve. If it cannot be fully implemented within three days, you will step down."
The old man hurriedly nodded in agreement. Looking at the densely packed text, his scalp tingled.
What had gotten into Her Majesty? Why had she suddenly made such sweeping changes...
But the moment his eyes fell on the document, they burned with excitement!
What... was this?
Was this Her Majesty's plan for reorganizing the government?
Dividing up the affairs of state, having everyone from top to bottom handle them together, overseeing the officials, the performance evaluation system...
Her Majesty truly intended to relinquish power and focus on cultivation!
Wonderful, wonderful!
"The court will recess for three days. In three days, I want to see a different state of affairs."
The officials bowed.
"We respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree."
Ye Qinglian then rose and left.
Chu Ning's proposal was excellent.
Ye Qinglian had been unable to sleep last night. She had stayed up making many changes, adding and removing parts to better suit the Great Gan Dynasty's system.
It seemed Chu Ning wasn't simple either...
She wondered how his cultivation talent was.
She could ask Xiao Bing later. Perhaps, after a few more busy days, she would finally have some free time.
Meanwhile, outside the imperial palace, within the Ye Family Holy Land!
The Ye Family was the Great Gan Dynasty's foremost cultivation sect. Backed by the imperial clan, it was also the imperial family's cultivation sect. Its status was exalted, standing above all others in the realm!
But now, the Ye Family cultivators had been brought to the brink of extinction by the Luohan Dynasty. Only a handful of Six Realm Cultivators remained. The strongest among them was Ye Qinglian, who had now reached the Sage Level.
A Sage after a hundred years of cultivation—unheard of!
The Holy Land was grand and magnificent, rivaling the imperial palace. Countless cultivators trained there.
Chu Ning and Xiao Bing's arrival immediately brought the Holy Land's current elder out to meet them.
"I am Ye Xuan. Greetings, Palace Official Ye."
The old man bowed. Even as a Six Realm Cultivator, he didn't dare presume upon the maid before him.
Ye Qinglian was of the Ye Family's main line, while they belonged to a collateral branch. Their status was no match for hers.
Even though Xiao Bing wasn't a member of the Ye Family, who didn't know that she was the most favored maid by Ye Qinglian's side?
If they offended her, all it would take was a few words whispered in Ye Qinglian's ear, and they would face her wrath!
Xiao Bing didn't let her status make her arrogant. She simply smiled and curtsied in return.
"Elder Ye, there's no need for that. I'm only a junior. I'm here today because Her Majesty ordered us to test Mister Chu's aptitude..."
Xiao Bing glanced at Chu Ning and explained, "There are female officials in the palace, ranked at various levels. I'm considered their chief, and since Her Majesty bestowed her surname on me, I'm a Palace Official..."
Chu Ning understood and took in the Holy Land before him.
It wasn't particularly grand.
It fell far short of the Three Great Holy Lands he had visited before—not even as impressive as a single peak at Taixu Holy Land.
Still, as one of the Three Great Holy Lands of the Tianxuan Continent, Taixu Holy Land had a certain prestige. There was no way a Holy Land belonging to one of the Five Great Dynasties could compare.
Chu Ning smiled and cupped his hands. "I'm grateful for Her Majesty's favor and honored by this distinction..."
The old man hurriedly shook his head.
"Since this is Her Majesty's order, I'll personally show you the way. Please, both of you..."
Ye Qinglian's presence was far too imposing. Since these people were valued by Her Majesty, who would dare offend them?
So what if they were cultivators? Cultivators still had to obey the authority of the secular imperial court. Besides, the person wielding that imperial authority was even stronger than they were...
In that instant, Chu Ning realized it.
His wife really did hold a high position!
He certainly wouldn't undermine Ye Qinglian's plans. For now, he wouldn't reveal his identity either.
As they made their way inside, countless cultivators stopped to watch and size them up.
"Who's that man? He's pretty handsome—only a tiny bit less handsome than me..."
"Brother Wang, aren't you giving yourself too much credit? The presence he exudes is worth ten of you. You need to know your place. If you looked like him, would you still be worried about winning Senior Sister's favor?"
"Damn it, whose side are you on? Besides, what good does being handsome do? My cultivation is higher than his! In a hundred years, he'll probably be an old man!"
"Right, right. When you can't compete, you make excuses. That's just like you..."
As they continued through the Holy Land, Chu Ning occasionally looked around.
"Are all the people cultivating here members of the Ye Family?"
"No, Mister Chu. Many are prodigies from various regions who were selected and sent to the Holy Land. They're among the most outstanding cultivators..."
"Heh heh, the Ye Family Holy Land is second only to none in the realm!"
The old man spoke with undisguised pride.
"The founder of our Ye Family Holy Land was once a Heavenly Phenomenon Peak cultivator. He ascended to the Upper Realm, but unfortunately, our Ancestor Founder left nothing behind when he ascended. That left our Ye Family Holy Land without an heir to carry on the legacy. What a pity, what a pity..."
A towering stone statue stood before them at the entrance to the Holy Land.
The old man bowed to it, and Xiao Bing did the same.
Xiao Bing hurriedly reminded him, "Mister Chu, this is a rule of the Holy Land. Everyone who enters must pay respects to the Ancestor Founder. Her Majesty does so as well."
Chu Ning understood and bowed too.
"Done?"
"Done. Let's go, Mister Chu."
The group entered together, never noticing that the stone statue had begun to crack. Blood streamed from the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth of the old man depicted in the statue!
In some orthodoxy in the Upper Realm, an old cultivator suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. His cultivation surged violently, and the same thing happened to him!
"Damn it! Why has the Heavenly Dao set its sights on me? What could have caused such a severe backlash from the Heavenly Dao?"
Ye Wuji furrowed his brows and began to divine the cause. But as soon as he had made some progress, he suddenly spat out another mouthful of blood!
This being was too powerful. He couldn't be fathomed!
He abruptly fell to his knees and bowed deeply.
"I don't know which mighty senior has turned their gaze upon me. I have cultivated for thousands of years and never done anything to harm the heavens or reason. I beg you, senior, to be magnanimous and forgive this junior. Please give me a chance!"
Thump, thump, thump—after knocking his head against the ground three times, Ye Wuji waited a long time, but nothing else happened.
It should be over now, right...
"Thank you, senior, for sparing my life. This junior will be careful with his words and actions from now on!"
After all that, Ye Wuji was still utterly confused.
He was a cultivator who had ascended a thousand years ago but still hadn't broken through to the Celestial Phenomenon Realm. How could a being like that possibly set their sights on him?
Strange...
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