After Court Executive Chong had taken his seat, he looked toward the river of radiant qi. This time, Court Executive Zhu had indeed not come, but there were two more people in the court.
One was Daoist Changsun, while the other was Court Executive Lin. Like Wu Qingxu, the latter stood with the Chief Executive, but he had rarely shown himself in the past. Thus, there were now thirteen Court Executives in the court.
Chong pondered inwardly. Their string of previous actions, including the activation of the Bright Harmony Celestial Instrument, must have drawn the Chief Executive's attention and stirred his suspicions. That was why Court Executive Lin had been summoned this time, to better stabilize the situation in the court.
At that moment, he sensed Daoist Zhong looking over and nodded to him.
Once everyone had settled into their seats, the First Seat Daoist said as usual, "Do any Court Executives have proposals to submit?"
Daoist Zhong no longer hesitated. He picked up his jade striker and struck the jade chime. When the First Seat Daoist looked his way, he rose, cupped his hands toward the upper reaches of the river, and said, "Chief Executive, fellow Court Executives, Zhong has a proposal to submit today!"
The Court Executives remained seated in silence, their expressions unchanged. Yet everyone knew what Daoist Zhong intended to do this time.
The First Seat Daoist said, "Court Executive Zhong, please speak."
Daoist Zhong said, "It has now been three hundred and eighty-one years since the Great Xuan Calendar began. When Celestial Xia first entered the world, we fostered the Profound Method in order to contend with enemies on all sides, within and without, and to shelter the people of Celestial Xia. Thereafter, we repelled foreign foes and opened new territories, forming the present arrangement