Azure Lord

The Great Cang Imperial Palace.

Dragon energy soared, the sky a sheet of gold, with faint wisps of blood mist permeating the air.

"Beauty, don't run..."

"Hehehe..."

"Playing hide-and-seek with me, once I catch you, I'll make you... wish you were dead!

Hahahahaha!"

Inside the palace, Azure Lord, clad in yellow robes, had his eyes covered with a strip of black cloth.

He chased, they fled.

Suddenly, Azure Lord's hand grabbed a woman.

A triumphant expression spread across his face: "Caught you."

Azure Lord removed the black cloth, his smile brilliant.

His hand, like an iron claw, veins bulging, gripped the palace maid's neck, leaving red marks.

The palace maid's face was pale, her skin stretched taut, as if she was forcing herself to remain calm.

She dared not move, utterly still, but the slight tremble in her sleeve betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

The smile on Azure Lord's face vanished instantly: "Are you afraid of me?"

His hand tightened around the palace maid's neck, her breathing growing rapid.

"Why don't you answer me?" Azure Lord roared in fury, "Do you still have any regard for me, your Emperor?"

The palace maid instinctively struggled but was powerless.

She could only let out muffled sounds.

"Oh?" Azure Lord paused, a smile appearing on his face, "So it's because I'm choking you, and you can't speak."

A faint smile played on Azure Lord's lips.

However, the other women nearby did not find any relief in this.

Azure Lord was tyrannical and unpredictable.

"It's my fault for misunderstanding you," Azure Lord said calmly, a look of guilt on his face. "I made a mistake, and I will accept the consequences of my error, admit my fault, and apologize to you."

"Azure Lord..." The woman knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, mixed with snot, her face a mess.

"However..." Azure Lord changed the subject, a sly smile on his face, "You also made a mistake. You didn't remind me in time, you didn't tell me that I was choking you and making you unable to speak."

Azure Lord's words were absurd.

How could someone answer or point out a mistake when their throat was being choked?

Yet, the hall was deathly silent. All the palace maids and concubines knelt on the ground, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

No one laughed, and no one dared to point out Azure Lord's error.

"Therefore, the punishment for your mistake is..."

Azure Lord burst into laughter.

"A slight punishment, to be thrown into the Seven Poisons Den to feed my little darlings."

Immediately, two armored guards stepped forward and dragged the palace maid away.

Only her cries could be heard.

The kneeling women trembled, no one daring to move.

The Seven Poisons Den was a demonic pit built by Azure Lord.

Within the Seven Poisons Den resided thousands upon thousands of venomous creatures.

Snakes, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, geckos, toads, and poisonous frogs.

Anyone thrown inside would be bitten and torn apart by the venomous creatures within moments, their bodies overwhelmed by countless poisons.

Moreover, these venomous creatures were carefully selected. They were small in size, and their venom was not instantly fatal.

Once thrown in, a person would not die within an hour.

Of course, they would also lose their ability to move, left only to endure.

The original purpose of creating the Seven Poisons Den was due to the more than a hundred peasant uprisings that occurred during the Great Cang's decade of pacifying the realm.

Azure Lord, tired of dealing with them, built the Seven Poisons Den and threw all the captured leaders of the rebel armies into it, one by one.

"Li Jia." Azure Lord spoke, retreating back into the palace.

"This servant is here." A eunuch-like man approached.

"From today onwards, all the concubines and even the palace maids in my harem shall drink a pot of pineapple juice every night." A smile spread across Azure Lord's face.

Today, he had discussed academic matters with the Minister of Rites and learned a new technique.

Drinking pineapple juice would be sweet.

Having the Azure Dragon Stone recognize him as its master made him even more desirous of certain things.

"As you command." Li Jia nodded and turned to leave.

He didn't understand the meaning of Azure Lord, but he didn't need to.

The Azure Lord looked at the memorials on the table, waved his hand, and scattered them all on the floor.

"The joy of being an emperor is truly unimaginable."

Just then, a voice sounded.

"Azure Lord, Liu Zhengwen has arrived."

A look of impatience flashed across the Azure Lord's face.

The sound of footsteps approached, echoing loudly in the empty great hall.

The sound grew closer, more urgent.

"Your subject greets the Azure Lord!"

Liu Zhengwen knelt on the ground, his expression not good.

"Rise," the Azure Lord said, propping his forehead with his hand, his eyes half-closed.

"Azure Lord, I heard you just issued an order to conscript five hundred thousand laborers to open up the Taiqing River!"

"The Taiqing River has been under construction for so many years, the progress is too slow." The Azure Lord's face showed impatience.

"Azure Lord, the world is in turmoil now. Of the twenty-nine provinces, thirteen are flooded.

The disaster victims are everywhere, and instead of opening granaries to provide relief, you are still summoning laborers to open up the Taiqing River!

This is putting the lives of the people in danger and putting Great Cang in peril!"

"As Minister of Personnel, why are you meddling in these affairs?"

"Azure Lord, our Great Cang only has a population of thirty million, and now one-tenth of the young and strong have been conscripted as laborers!"

Liu Zhengwen's bulging eyes were filled with murky tears.

"A few days ago, I went to Anping County.

Anping County is only a hundred miles from our Kyoto.

Yet, in such a county town, every house is shut tight, and the streets are only filled with elderly and young children!

Even at the capital's doorstep, it is like this. I dread to think what it's like elsewhere..."

Liu Zhengwen's voice choked.

"The elderly are still alive, doesn't that further prove my effective governance, hahaha!" the Azure Lord laughed.

"Azure Lord," Liu Zhengwen's eyes were red, "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it!"

"Water can capsize a boat, not me!

I am not a boat, I am the true dragon!

With me here, Great Cang will last for one generation, two generations, three generations, for generations to come, until ten thousand generations."

The Azure Lord waved his large sleeves, immensely majestic.

"How can you commoners understand my profound intentions?

Now, get out quickly, or tonight I will make your newly married daughter a virtuous concubine.

I imagine Scholar Liu will not refuse, no, he would not dare to refuse."

The Azure Lord laughed heartily.

Upon hearing these words, Liu Zhengwen pointed at the Azure Lord, "You..."

His vision darkened, and he fainted from anger.

The Azure Lord laughed heartily, "Guards! Minister of Personnel Liu Zhengwen has been overcome with anger and has become paralyzed. Quickly summon the imperial physicians.

Summon Liu Zhengwen's daughter, Liu Yinli, to the palace and bestow upon her the title of Virtuous Consort to bring good fortune to Minister Liu.

The palace guards and eunuchs, receiving the Azure Lord's command, all departed.

The vast palace was left with only the Azure Lord.

"Imperial Brother, do you think I am a foolish ruler?" the Azure Lord asked.

From the shadows, an old Daoist appeared.

The old Daoist had a long, white beard and was the Palace Master of Tai Qing Palace.

"You are a foolish ruler, and not just any foolish ruler."

"Hahaha." The Azure Lord laughed, "The world is in our hands, what does it matter if I am incompetent?

What if there are dozens of rebellions every year?

This world, ultimately, is the world of Great Cang."