Exposure!
"Tian Qing, don't rush to confess. Wait until Pan Qing arrives, then the two of you can speak together." Li Kun was expressionless, exuding an aura of authority. Despite his young age, he still made Tian Youqing's heart tremble.
This oppressive aura originates from authority, is also due to the True Dragon Bloodline, and is further amplified by the Dragon Qi gathered from all the people of the world, which is connected to the emperor's body.
Dragon Qi repels Divine Ability, which is why it is difficult for the emperor to cultivate supernatural Divine Ability. Although his destiny is extremely noble, he is still a mortal and has no direct feeling for Dragon Qi, so he cannot detect subtle changes. However, his every move will affect the flow of Dragon Qi.
Changes in the Dragon Qi often alter the fate of certain individuals. For example, Tian Youqing's life, death, Honor and Disgrace hinged on the emperor's single thought, naturally causing him great anxiety.
However, he also knew that to escape the crisis, he had to seize the opportunity before him!
Upon realizing this, Tian Youqing knelt on the ground without raising his head and said, "Your Majesty! This matter was due to my impulsiveness. After receiving the news, I acted on my own initiative. Ultimately, it was my selfishness that led me to seek credit and share Your Majesty's burdens."
"It's good that you know you have selfish motives, but this time... hmm?" Li Kun nodded at first, then sensed something unusual in those words. "What do you mean? You framed the Metropolitan Laureate, and now you're saying you're helping me?"
Tian Youqing breathed a sigh of relief, because the emperor's surprise and suspicion were within his plan. After that, he just needed to say what Original Edition planned.
Tian Youqing paid no attention to the information revealed in the emperor's words. He had just arrived with two Imperial City, who seemed to fly through the air, and had already glimpsed the tip of the iceberg of the royal family's power. It was not surprising that he had developed some intelligence channels from this.
However, Tian Youqing still had some reservations about what she was about to say.
"I underestimated Qiu Yan, but now that I realize how dangerous he is, I should try to make amends and even win him over. However, to solidify my position, I have no choice but to continue to offend him. But this man is too formidable. Literary Staining of Examination Papers and created strange phenomena. If you offend someone like him too badly, the consequences will be terrible. Since I have already made my decision, I absolutely cannot let him have any chance to recover!"
This thought flashed through Tian Youqing's mind, solidifying his resolve.
He then took a deep breath, rose slightly, but did not look up at Li Kun. He said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, while I did have my own motives for taking action this time—you know that Prime Ma Xiang once insulted me—I intended to use Qiu Yan as a breakthrough..."
But before he could finish speaking, Li Kun interrupted him.
"Do you know that because of your selfishness, I almost missed out on a talented person?" These words, laced with anger, made Tian Youqing's heart tremble.
But soon, this favorite of the emperor calmed down. Although it was just a simple conversation, every word and action could determine his fate. There was no room for retreat.
Thinking it over, Tian Youqing lowered his head again. He continued, "Your Majesty, that's not what I wanted to say. The Talent Selection Ceremony is a matter of great importance to the state. If there were no inside story, how could I dare to do such a thing?"
His words undoubtedly admitted to interfering in the Imperial Examinations, which was a serious crime. If word got out, losing his official position would be the least of his worries; he could very well be exiled!
Great Rui was very lenient towards Shi Da. Except for the ten heinous crimes, he rarely committed other crimes that resulted in execution. Exile was already considered a severe punishment.
However, the emperor is, after all, human, with emotions and desires. In his presence, emotions are sometimes more effective than the law. Many crimes may be seen by the emperor as merely the subject's momentary impulse.
The key here is to strike the right balance. If you do it right, the emperor will feel that it's all about "competing for favor." He may punish the person on the surface, but he will feel pleased inside, as if they are one of his own. Even if he does punish them, it will be based on personal relationships rather than national laws. In this way, it will not be too severe.
Tian Youqing spoke to Li Kun with this very purpose in mind. The emperor's anger terrified him, but he also knew it was a rare opportunity. If he could channel this anger properly, he could get what he wanted!
Therefore, he immediately seized the opportunity and said, "My purpose is indeed to target Qiu Yan, but this person is not a virtuous and talented individual, but rather a treacherous and wicked one! He is a spy of the Daoist Daoist Sect, possessing supernatural Divine Ability. Now that he has obtained the Metropolitan Laureate and infiltrated the court, his next step is to steal the Dynastic Fortune and thwart the Spring and Autumn Annals dreams of those outside the secular world!"
"What did you say?"
Li Kun was stunned upon hearing this, his eyes widening in surprise!
This news caught him somewhat off guard. As the ruler of Great Rui, Li Kun was naturally aware of the motives of those cultivators. Throughout history, many cultivators had infiltrated the court for various purposes, all in order to steal Fortune and Transcendence the world. For this, they disregarded the lives of ordinary people and were willing to disrupt the world.
"Qiu Yan is a cultivator? Someone who Literary Staining of Examination Papers and creates strange phenomena can be a cultivator? Can a cultivator have such an understanding of Human Path?"
Questions arose one after another in Li Kun's mind. Looking at Tian Youqing again, he saw that the other party's expression was solemn and serious. Then he turned his head to look at the white-faced old man.
Upon hearing Tian Youqing's words, the old man's eyes flickered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. Noticing the emperor's gaze, he bowed slightly and said, "This old servant has already sent people to gather information about Qiu Yan's life and deeds. The title of Metropolitan Laureate is different, so we need to investigate carefully. We cannot overlook anything; we must gather every detail. Therefore, we have not yet compiled the information. Whether he possesses Divine Ability is still uncertain."
At this point, he bowed and knelt down, pleading guilty. "Since Qiu Yan entered the capital, he has kept a low profile and has not shown any signs of practicing Daoism. Therefore, this old servant was negligent. However, he was accompanied by two Daoist priests when he entered the city. Now that I think about it, perhaps it was an omen. This is my dereliction of duty, and I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
"Punishment?" Li Kun gradually calmed down, glanced at the old man, then turned back to look at Tian Youqing, his expression becoming solemn.
"This matter certainly cannot be discussed based on only one side of the story, but since you dared to say it, Tian Qing, it must not be without reason. Let's wait until this information is confirmed before discussing anything else. You may leave now." Li Kun was hesitant, but clearly unwilling to believe it.
"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty!" Tian Youqing breathed a sigh of relief and stood up from the ground. The scholar-officials of Great Rui held a high status, and even when facing the emperor, they would not easily kneel down. This also showed how worried Tian Youqing was this time.
Then, he was led away from the Imperial Study, and just then he saw Pan Xiang walking towards him, and a surge of anger immediately rose in his heart!
"I would never believe this was all because of Pan Xiang's meddling!" Thinking this, the two brushed past each other without exchanging a word.
"Is he trying to break ties with me?" Tian Youqing sneered. "He doesn't know yet that I've learned Qiu Yan's secret, and once the Emperor confirms the news... hmm?"
Suddenly, Tian Youqing was startled, realizing something.
"Confirmed message?" He stopped in his tracks, his forehead instantly covered in cold sweat. "That's it, why didn't I have the slightest doubt when I received the message? Not even a hint of suspicion, and I didn't even have any guesses about who sent it. I just assumed the message was true? Was it just because the situation was urgent?"
As Tian Youqing pondered this, she felt a vague sense of being a puppet on a string!
"If I interfered in the imperial Metropolitan Examination, even if His Majesty punishes me, at most he will exile me. The New Party doesn't have many members, and they will eventually return. But if the news is false, it would be the crime of deceiving the emperor, and then..."
The more I thought about it, the more cold sweat I broke out in.
Meanwhile, inside the Tian Residence, Tian Qi was repeatedly examining the note, feeling that something was amiss. Two sentences were clearly written on the note:
The first sentence reads, "The Imperial City Bureau is about to visit your residence," while the second sentence reads, "Qiu Yan possesses Divine Ability and is a spy for the Daoist Sect!"
The Dragon Qi suddenly surged!
Although Li Kun said he would wait for confirmation, after Tian Youqing's words, he couldn't help but have doubts. It wasn't that he trusted the other party too easily, but his thoughts were a little different, and he became more reserved.
In this way, the emperor's thoughts changed, immediately affecting the Dragon Qi and making Qiu Yan's future uncertain. What was originally a bright future became elusive and unpredictable.
However, the most direct impact is reflected in the changes in the Dragon Qi.
At this very moment, Qiu Yan was using the Prosperity Capital Will to contact the Dragon Qi and then drive the Dragon Qi to test the person in the Hanlin Academy by following the Karma connection. Now that the Dragon Qi has changed, this contact has been directly interrupted.
Moreover, even Prosperity Capital Will showed signs of fading, and cracks appeared in its fusion with Qiu Yan!
"Ugh..." Qiu Yan groaned, his flesh and blood trembling, and his Qi and Blood essence was reduced by another part.
"The Dragon Qi is repelling me, and even the Prosperity Capital Will is not much different. If I hadn't already merged with the City Will beforehand, I would probably have been forcibly expelled as well. Even so, cracks have already appeared. If I don't try to comprehend the Dragon Qi soon, all my previous efforts will be in vain once my consciousness is completely expelled."
Ahead, Pang Qianru and her group were approaching. Their expressions varied, but without exception, they all offered words of congratulations, expressing their respect to Metropolitan Laureate regardless of their purpose.
The Great Rui is a vast country with a population of hundreds of millions. Every year, countless people take the imperial examinations. Even the provincial Metropolitan Examination is a fierce competition among seven or eight thousand people. To stand out and be the best is an extremely difficult thing in itself, and everyone should admire it.
But Qiu Yan's mind was elsewhere.
"I intended to use this opportunity to test that person, but I've ended up in this situation. I wonder if it's part of their scheme!" Qiu Yan's thoughts shifted, and his body grew weaker.
"Now, Prosperity Capital Will is showing signs of backlash, the burden on his Divine Soul is increasing, and his demand for physical Qi and Blood is rising accordingly. If he doesn't strengthen his body as soon as possible, it's only a matter of time before his soul becomes unbalanced, which will endanger his life. But how can he improve his body in such a short time? Hmm?"
Suddenly, he paused for a moment, slightly taken aback.
At the foot of Stove Mountain, a palace collapsed with a crash. Flying Leopard, shirtless, charged out, holding a bronze Copper Furnace in one hand and swallowing a pill in the other. His slightly weakened aura immediately returned, and his Qi and Blood and qi surged like a tide!
"What a wonderful deity, to have laid out so many elaborate schemes!"
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