Information Spreads, Xue Ye's Ambition, and King Balaque's Strangeness

The Heaven Dou Emperor abdicated, a female emperor ascended the throne, and the nobility was purged.

The news spread from Heaven Dou City in every direction.

But what truly shook the various factions was not the change of emperor, but the eight decrees that accompanied the announcement.

Abolish fiefdoms, abolish hereditary titles, establish commanderies and counties, implement the Imperial Examination, centralize military power, unify the laws, establish secret surveillance agencies, and implement the Twenty-Rank Military Merit System...

Each item was like a blade, ruthlessly plunged into the vital point of the old order.

The first to receive the news was, naturally, the Martial Soul Hall.

Pope Palace, main assembly hall.

Qian Xunji sat in the seat of honor, clutching the secret report in his hand, his brows knitting tighter and tighter.

Compared to the ascension of a female emperor—a woman claiming the throne—it was those eight decrees that left him feeling unsettled and uncertain.

He stared at the handwritten copy, studying it word by word.

After finishing, he remained silent for a long time.

"This woman..." Qian Xunji put down the report, his voice low, "She intends to turn the Heaven Dou Empire completely upside down."

Abolish fiefdoms, centralize military power, establish commanderies and counties.

This is an attempt to pull the nobility up by their roots.

Implement the Imperial Examination, establish the Twenty-Rank Military Merit System.

This is an attempt to buy the hearts of the commoners.

Unify the laws, establish secret surveillance agencies.

This is an attempt to grasp all power firmly in her own hands.

"What a ruthless strategy." Qian Xunji stood up and walked to the window, his gaze profound.

He was not a man without experience.

The Martial Soul Hall had stood on the continent for a thousand years by balancing the various factions.

Yet this woman, upon her arrival, sought to shatter every balance.

"Your Holiness, how should we respond?" the head of the secret agents kneeling in the hall asked.

"No rush." Qian Xunji pondered for a moment, "Send people to keep a close watch on her, but do not act rashly. This woman is a hundred times more dangerous than Xuelan."

He paused:

"Additionally, find out who else is behind her.

She appeared so abruptly, without a shred of prior information; there must be other entangled forces behind her.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for her to occupy the entire Heaven Dou City on her own."

"Yes."

The head of the secret agents withdrew.

Qian Xunji leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest.

He had a premonition.

This female emperor would change the landscape of the entire continent.

As for what forces were truly hidden behind her, that only piqued his curiosity further.

"Yan Lingji, a name I have never heard of. Just what exactly are you hiding?"

The second group to receive the news was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

The old sect master, Ning Yuanqing, was sipping tea in his study. After hearing the detailed report from his scout, the teacup in his hand remained suspended in mid-air, not set down for a long time.

"Abolish hereditary titles? Implement the Imperial Examination?" He set down the teacup, a complex light flashing in his eyes, "This woman intends to dig up the very roots of the nobility."

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was founded on commerce and excelled at navigating between various factions.

But this time, he found it difficult to see through the situation.

"Sect Master, should we send someone to Heaven Dou City..." the steward nearby asked in a low voice.

"Yes." Ning Yuanqing stood up and walked to the window, "But not to watch the spectacle; to observe the inner workings."

He turned around, his gaze deep: "If this woman can truly push through those eight decrees, the Heaven Dou Empire will transform into an unprecedented beast.

When that time comes, whoever chooses their side first will be the one to claim the largest share of the spoils."

"But what if she fails..."

"If she fails, our only loss will be the cost of a gift."

Ning Yuanqing smiled, "In business, one must always take some risks."

At the same time, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan also received the news.

Sect Master Yu Yuanzhen finished reading the secret report, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Abolish fiefs? Seize military power?" He snorted coldly. "Is this woman insane? Does she not know how many private troops those nobles hold? Furthermore, she currently only occupies Heaven Dou City; there are still the four great kingdoms, not to mention the Heaven Dou marshal who commands a million troops."

He threw the report onto the table and paced back and forth in the hall.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had never involved itself in imperial politics, but this time, he vaguely felt that something was wrong.

"Send people to keep an eye on Heaven Dou City," Yu Yuanzhen said in a deep voice. "Do not get involved, but keep a clear view of the shifting winds."

"Understood."

The Clear Sky Sect's reaction was the most indifferent, yet the most subtle.

Sect Master Tang Zhen finished reading the report and remained silent for a long time.

"Abolish hereditary titles, implement the Imperial Examination..." He muttered to himself. "This woman is attempting to do what no predecessor has ever dared."

"Sect Master, should we..." a nearby elder asked tentatively.

"No." Tang Zhen shook his head. "She can reform her system; we just need to keep our own house in order."

He paused, then added, "However—have someone keep an eye on things.

In the event that this woman actually succeeds, there will be plenty of times to deal with her in the future."

Flames consumed the secret report, and Tang Zhen closed his eyes to continue his cultivation.

Yet, the contents of those eight decrees kept swirling in his mind.

Meanwhile, within noble circles, the news caused an absolute uproar once it spread.

Those local nobles who had not been caught up in the purges read copies of the eight decrees; some were so enraged they smashed their cups, others turned as pale as paper, and some cursed aloud on the spot.

"Abolish fiefs? This is cutting off our roots!"

"Abolish hereditary titles? Why should my son have to take exams alongside common rabble?!"

"Seize military power? Those are the private troops our ancestors raised for generations!"

"Unite! We cannot let this madwoman succeed!"

Secret letters shuttled between noble territories, and clandestine meetings were held deep within manors.

They were unwilling to accept it—unwilling to let their ancestral fiefs, titles, and privileges be stripped away by a single piece of paper from a woman.

However, some minor nobles, especially those from the lower ranks who had been oppressed by the old nobility for years, chose to wait and see, or even secretly hoped for change.

They saw the "Imperial Examination."

This meant that their own kin, who possessed talent for study but no right to inherit titles, finally had a chance to get ahead.

They saw the "Twenty-Rank Military Merit System."

This meant that as long as they fought for their lives on the battlefield, they could obtain the status previously reserved only for nobles.

"Perhaps... a change in the heavens is not necessarily a bad thing."

Undercurrents surged, and the winds of change began to blow.

Balak City, Royal Palace.

The hall was brightly lit by candles. Prince Xue Ye sat opposite King Kundera of Balak.

Xue Ye had come to inspect the southern defenses and, incidentally, to contact this powerful uncle to consolidate the relationship between the royal family and the four great kingdoms.

Although the four great kingdoms were nominally enfeoffed by the Heaven Dou Empire, they were, in reality, nations within a nation.

This had also allowed him to unexpectedly escape the disaster of being controlled by Yan Lingji.

Hasty footsteps sounded outside the door. A scout stumbled into the hall, his face deathly pale, and presented a secret letter with both hands.

"Your Highness! Something has happened in Heaven Dou City!"

Xue Ye frowned as he took the letter and slowly unfolded it.

A moment later—

"What?!" Xue Ye stood up abruptly, crumpling the letter into a ball in his hand. "Father abdicated to a woman?!"

Kundera's brows locked together as he took the letter to read it carefully.

The scout added tremblingly, "That woman... has also issued eight decrees."

The scout then briefly reported the contents of the eight decrees.

Each one was like a sharp blade digging into the foundations of the old nobility.

Upon hearing this, Xue Ye's face turned livid. He slammed his fist onto the table, sending wine splashing everywhere.

"Abolish fiefs? Abolish hereditary titles? Seize military power? She is trying to dig up the very roots of the Heaven Dou Empire!"

Kundera remained silent, though a strange light flashed in his eyes.

Xue Ye waved for the scout to withdraw and paced the hall, his fury finding no outlet.

"I have been the Crown Prince for so many years, guarding the southern borders for him, currying favor with the four great kingdoms! And now, I've been robbed of my position by a woman!"

"Your Highness, please calm yourself." A low voice drifted from the side of the hall.

The speaker was Xue Ye's chief advisor, Gu Zheng, who had followed Xue Ye for many years and was his most trusted strategist.

Gu Zheng stepped out from the shadows, gave a slight nod of greeting to Kundera, and turned to Xue Ye:

"Your Highness, I have clarified the intelligence transmitted from Heaven Dou City.

That woman is a usurper.

The Emperor's abdication edict was read under duress.

You, Your Highness, are the only legitimate heir to the Heaven Dou Empire royal family."

Xue Ye's footsteps faltered.

Gu Zheng stepped forward, lowering his voice with a tone of seduction:

"And those eight decrees have offended every noble in the realm.

Fiefs, titles, private armies, financial power—that woman intends to strip them of their very lifelines.

Now, as long as Your Highness raises the call—"

He emphasized his tone: "In the name of restoring the royal orthodoxy, summon the four corners of the world to crusade against the usurping thief!"

"When that time comes, Your Highness will return to Heaven Dou City, ascend that throne, and become—the new sovereign of the Heaven Dou Empire—Emperor Xue Ye."

As those final four words landed, the look in Xue Ye's eyes changed completely.

He stared at the flickering candlelight, silent for a moment, before the corners of his mouth slowly curled into an arc.

"Emperor Xue Ye..." he murmured, repeating the words, his eyes burning with ambition. "I have waited for this chair for far too long."

Gu Zheng cupped his hands: "The military strength of the Kingdom of Barak is the greatest among the four kingdoms and serves as the southern gateway to the Heaven Dou Empire. With the support of King Kundera, it can serve as our foundation.

The supreme commander of the Heaven Dou military, Marshal Tian Hao, holds a million troops in his palm. As long as Your Highness raises the banner of royal orthodoxy, given his habit of loyalty, he will surely support you."

Xue Ye walked over to Kundera and bowed with cupped hands: "Uncle, please lend me your strength."

Only then did Kundera slowly stand up, raise his wine cup, and say in a deep voice: "Your Highness is too modest. The Kingdom of Barak has always followed the lead of the royal family."

He drained the cup in one gulp, a strange glint flashing through his eyes.

The two men, each harboring their own hidden agendas, drank deeply.

Xue Ye turned to look at Gu Zheng:

"Draft the documents immediately.

At dawn tomorrow, issue a manifesto to the world in the name of the royal orthodoxy.

At the same time, send men to contact Marshal Ge Long, and reach out to the other three kingdoms and the duchies.

Within one month, assemble every force that can be gathered."

He turned to gaze out the window at the night sky in the direction of Heaven Dou City, his eyes cold and resolute.

"And then—" his voice was low, heavy with the ambition suppressed for so many years, "Let that woman know that the throne of the Heaven Dou Empire is not so easy to sit upon!"