Settling scores

Upon hearing this, the princesses and noblewomen all wore worried expressions.

Some of them were indifferent to the situation, some were secretly pleased that their parents or brothers might benefit from it, and some were afraid that their luxurious lives would be affected.

Only Lin'an truly cared for his elder brother.

Huaiqing was genuinely worried and concerned, but not for Emperor Yongxing's sake; rather, he was acting from a broader, more strategic perspective.

"If this matter gets out, will the officials pressure His Majesty to issue an edict of self-reproach?"

"Some might seize the opportunity to accuse His Majesty of angering the ancestors by calling for donations. This would give those civil and military officials who are dissatisfied with His Majesty a reason to attack him."

"His Majesty has only recently ascended the throne, and this incident is a major blow to his prestige."

They chattered amongst themselves, and when Huaiqing saw Lin'an's face, his expression quickly fell, his brows furrowed, and he looked deeply worried.

Since Emperor Yongxing ascended the throne, Lin'an has become increasingly attentive to political affairs, paying attention to both major and minor matters.

She certainly didn't suddenly develop a career ambition or begin to crave power.

Previously, when Emperor Yuanjing was in power, she only needed to be a carefree canary; she had neither the need nor the right to participate in politics.

Now that Emperor Yongxing has ascended the throne, natural disasters and man-made calamities are like a disease, ravaging the aging dynasty.

As the emperor's elder brother, he bore the brunt of the pressure, facing it as if walking on thin ice.

When he first ascended the throne, he was full of enthusiasm and eager to govern. Now, his initial vigor has waned and his efforts have been exhausted. The new ruler is showing signs of fatigue.

Especially with Chief Minister Wang falling ill and no longer able to bury himself in his work all night as before, the emperor's pressure increased even more.

As the younger sister of Emperor Yongxing, Lin'an could no longer be as carefree and indifferent as before, and could not be a princess without worries.

To put it bluntly, it's because Emperor Yongxing can't give her a sense of security; she's constantly worried and anxious about her brother.

During the reign of Emperor Yuanjing, although the dynasty was in poor condition and its national strength was declining, Emperor Yuanjing was an emperor who could keep his ministers in check.

At this moment, a eunuch served the princess a cup of hot tea.

Huaiqing casually took it, took a sip, and then keenly noticed the doubt and surprise flashing in the eunuch's eyes.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, set down her teacup without any reaction, and said calmly:

It's too hot.

The eunuch bowed his head. "This servant deserves to die."

Huaiqing hummed in agreement, showing no intention of punishing him. He crossed his hands over his lower abdomen and began to ponder the issue of the Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple.

She tapped the coffee table once, and the chattering of the girls immediately stopped.

"Could it be an earthquake?" she asked.

Lin'an shook his head. "According to the Imperial Guards' report, they did not detect the earthquake. There was also no earthquake within the palace, only in Sangbo."

Sangbo is very close to the palace and the Imperial Guard camp. If it were an earthquake, it would be impossible for neither side to have noticed it at all.

Lin'an hesitated for a moment, then leaned close to Huaiqing's ear and whispered:

"I heard from Zhao Xuanzhen that the statue of Emperor Gaozu has cracked."

The national treasure sword has disappeared.

Huaiqing's pupils contracted slightly, and he stared at her with a serious expression.

Lin'an's oval face was also very serious; he gave his head a sharp peck.

In that case, this matter is most likely related to the Supervisor. Apart from the Supervisor, no one in the world can arbitrarily control the Zhenguo Sword. The Supervisor took the Zhenguo Sword away, and then in the Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple, all the ancestral tablets were smashed, and the statue of the Emperor Gaozu was cracked.

What could possibly require the Supervisor to use the National Sword? No, it might not be for his own use; given the Supervisor's rank, he shouldn't need the National Sword.

Is that Xu Qi'an?!

A lecherous face flashed through Huaiqing's mind. She took a deep breath and banished that image from her mind.

Then, using the excuse of relieving herself (going to the toilet), she left the side hall and went to a spacious and quiet clean room with yellow silk curtains hanging down. She took off the sachet from her waist and took out the fragments of the Earth Book from the sachet.

[Part 1: The National Sword is missing. Does anyone know the details?]

After waiting for a while, there was no response.

Huaiqing frowned and sent another letter:

[One: This matter is of great importance.]

There was still no response, which was unusual.

[5: The national treasure sword is lost? Then hurry up and find it!]

Finally, someone responded, but unfortunately it was a Lina.

[Five: One, what major event happened at the palace? Wasn't the Great Feng State-Protecting Sword sealed in Sangbo? It's just gone like that? Sangbo is a different story.]

[Five: If even the national treasure sword can be lost, then your Great Feng emperor should be careful. A thief can steal the national treasure sword, and he can also steal the emperor's head.]

She went on and on and on.

It's not worth wasting time with her; it's hard to explain. Huaiqing typed helplessly.

[We'll discuss this later.]

Put the fragments of the Earth Book back in their proper place.

Inside the Imperial Study.

Members of the royal family gathered together, including three generations of the family: Prince Li, Emperor Yongxing's uncle; Prince Yu, his uncle; and his brothers.

The atmosphere inside the hall was solemn, with princes dressed in ordinary clothes, their brows furrowed.

Has the Bureau of Astronomy replied?

The supervisor did not reply.

The princes were somewhat disappointed, angry, and helpless. Even during the reign of Emperor Yuanjing, the supervisor had been indifferent to him and the imperial family.

Where is the national treasure sword?

"The sword that protects the nation was taken away by the supervisor half a month ago, and he informed me of this."

The questioning and answering continued for a moment, then the princes and dukes fell silent.

"If it wasn't an earthquake, what could have angered our ancestors? I told you long ago not to call for donations; it would alienate the people. But His Majesty wouldn't listen to my advice. Now our ancestors are furious. Alas," another prince said in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, the princes and dukes glanced at Emperor Yongxing and remained silent.

The ancestral tablets were all smashed; this is an extremely serious incident.

If such a thing happened in a Aristocratic Clan family, the Lineage might be forced to abdicate and give way to a more capable successor.

The nature of a monarch makes it difficult to replace him easily, but even so, the gazes of the royal family toward Emperor Yongxing were filled with reproach and resentment.

They believed he was not a wise ruler.

After a brief silence, the white-haired Prince Yu spoke:

"Could this matter be related to the Yunzhou faction?"

The princes were startled.

Since the incident of Xu Qi'an killing the late emperor, Xu Pingfeng has reappeared, and everything related to him has been exposed to the light of day.

Important figures in the court, a small group at the core of the dynasty's power, such as the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet and this group of princes, knew that five hundred years ago, that lineage had been lying in wait in Yunzhou, intending to rebel.

"Does Prince Yu mean that this matter involves a struggle for the fate of the nation?"

"Xu Pingfeng is the chief disciple of the Imperial Censor; Warlock are closely connected to the fate of the nation."

"For Emperor Gaozu, that lineage from five hundred years ago was also a descendant of the Ji clan."

The more Emperor Yongxing listened, the uglier his expression became.

The fourth prince's eyes flashed, and he said in a deep voice:

"Uncles and elders, what should we do about this?"

His current title is Prince Yan.

In the Great Feng Dynasty, the royal family members generally only had two titles: Prince of the First Rank and Prince of the Second Rank. The title of Prince of the Second Rank was given to the legitimate sons of a Prince of the First Rank, excluding the heir apparent.

Prince Yu pondered for a moment, then said:

"First of all, this matter must be kept secret. Pass down the order that anyone who spreads it will be executed without mercy."

"The call for donations has caused widespread resentment throughout the court and among the people. We cannot give you gentlemen an excuse to criticize His Majesty, and this matter is also a major blow to His Majesty's prestige."

The sound of the cane tapping on the ground drew everyone's attention, and the princes and dukes couldn't help but look at the old man sitting on a large sandalwood chair to the left of Emperor Yongxing.

An elderly man dressed in casual clothes, with sparse white hair and a face covered with wrinkles and age spots.

King Li.

The late Emperor Yuanjing's uncle, an octogenarian, and now the highest-ranking member of the royal family.

During the Zhenbei Prince incident, this old prince even cooperated with Emperor Yuanjing in staging a play.

"This is not merely a matter of His Majesty's reputation, nor even a matter of those government-funded writers."

The King's voice was hoarse, but exceptionally loud, echoing throughout the imperial study.

The old man rose shakily, looked around, and said in a deep voice:

Five hundred years ago, that lineage lay dormant in Yunzhou, ready to unleash its power. But at this critical juncture, the ancestral tablets fell, and the body of the great-grandfather emperor was shattered.

"Yongxing, this is because our ancestors were dissatisfied with you, and even the Great Ancestor Emperor was dissatisfied with you."

Emperor Yongxing's expression changed drastically. "Uncle, you..."

What King Li said would have been considered treasonous in any other context or at any other time.

In this context and in this situation, his words were perfectly acceptable; the royal princes would only agree with him.

King Li continued:

"This matter concerns my royal family and must be kept secret. However, you must issue an edict of self-reproach and cease soliciting donations from the officials. Furthermore, Your Majesty should spend three days in the ancestral temple reflecting on your actions and praying for the ancestors' forgiveness."

Emperor Yongxing's face darkened. "Uncle, I have just ascended the throne; how can I issue an edict of self-reproach?"

Since his ascension to the throne, a severe cold has swept across the Central Plains, leaving the people starving and freezing to death, with countless refugees scattered across the land.

They had finally managed to salvage some of their reputation by donating to disaster relief.

Issuing an edict of self-reproach at this time is more than just a slap in the face for a new emperor.

This is practically saying: I am not fit to be emperor!

How could he possibly get it in his stomach?

"As your subject, I shouldn't speak ill of His Majesty. But as his uncle, as a descendant of the Ji clan, can't I say anything? Even if the late emperor were still on the throne, I would still make him kowtow to our ancestors and beg for forgiveness."

Prince Li slammed his cane down hard. "Yongxing, now that you've taken this position, you must bear the responsibilities that are yours."

"Using your age to bully others! When Father Emperor was cultivating Daoism, why didn't you dare to advise him? Wasn't it because you took advantage of my unstable foundation and forced me to bear the blame for 'the wrath of our ancestors'?" Emperor Yongxing's forehead veins throbbed.

A prince stepped forward and announced in a loud voice:

"Your Majesty, the ancestors' attitude concerns the fate of the nation. You must not take it lightly and cannot allow the Yunzhou faction to benefit."

Emperor Yongxing sat slumped down.

"I understand. If it pleases our ancestors, what does it matter if I issue an edict of self-reproach or reflect on my mistakes for three days?"

In the dense forest.

Jingxin glanced around, his gaze sweeping over Li Miaozhen, Chu Yuanzhen, and Hengyuan, before turning back to Li Lingsu and saying:

"There's something strange about the mirror in his hand."

As soon as he finished speaking, a gust of wind swept up, and the white tiger rode the wind toward Li Lingsu. Its speed was so fast that even the fourth-rank martial artists present did not have time to react.

"Do not kill!"

With a pure heart, hands clasped in prayer, one practices the precepts.

The prohibition against killing was meant to restrain Li Lingsu's killing intent and dispel his thoughts of retaliation, ensuring that Baihu could kill him with a single blow and eliminate the greatest threat.

Qi Huan Danxiang is, after all, a fourth-grade Heart Gu Master. Her method of silently falling into a coma can also deal with them.

Li Lingsu chuckled, and golden light emanated from her Dantian, dissolving the power of the precepts into nothingness.

One Golden Core can break all laws!

At the same time, Li Miaozhen stretched out her arm and aimed it at the white tiger; her pupils became transparent, empty, and devoid of emotion.

In an instant, the clothes on Baihu's body tightened, the belt tried to strangle him, his shoes came off automatically and flew up to hit his cheeks, and strands of hair wrapped around his neck and blocked his eyes.

The body's Qi flows in reverse and is out of control.

This rendered his attack on Li Lingsu ineffective.

With her junior sister's help, Li Lingsu retreated on her flying sword, while a miniature version of a scumbag appeared between her eyebrows, patting the white tiger's brow with her small hand.

With a series of rapid thuds, Liu Hongmian stomped on the tree trunk, using the explosive power of a martial artist to catch up with Li Lingsu's physical body.

She soared high into the air, the soft sword at her waist transforming into a sharp, gleaming light.

To relieve the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao.

"Call out!"

A sword light shot out from the side.

Relying on her physical body as a fourth-rank martial artist, Liu Hongmian remained fearless and intended to withstand the Sword Qi- on and sever Li Lingsu's physical body.

When!

The iron sword failed to pierce Liu Hongmian's body, but her eyes suddenly went glazed over, and her body, like an out-of-control carriage, crashed straight into Li Lingsu, unable to swing the soft sword in her hand.

The Human Sect's Heart Sword slays the Primordial Spirit.

"Wake up!"

Jingxin gave a low, resounding shout, like a great bell, which jolted Liu Hongmian awake from her reverie.

He skillfully used the brainwashing abilities of a seventh-rank mage to help Liu Hongmian break free from her dazed state.

At this moment, Liu Hongmian was less than ten feet away from Li Lingsu's body. With the Sword Qi emanating from her soft sword, she could easily kill him.

Liu Hongmian swung her soft sword without hesitation.

Clang! Just then, a large, golden hand reached out and crushed the Sword Qi.

"Amitabha Buddha, female benefactor, please refrain from violence and prioritize harmony."

Hengyuan looked compassionate, then slapped Liu Hongmian away with a backhand.

He has mastered the Vajra Divine Skill, and his combat strength has officially entered the fourth rank.

At this moment, Li Lingsu's Nascent Soul successfully struck the white tiger's brow with its small hand.

Without a sound or fluctuation of energy, a phantom figure suddenly emerged from the back of the White Tiger's head—it was his Primordial Spirit.

The Primordial Spirit's upper body left the physical body, but its lower body stubbornly remained inside.

A martial artist's Primordial Spirit is incredibly resilient; even Daoist School Nascent Soul cannot easily shake their Primordial Spirit out of their body.

The Heavenly Mirror flashed with light, capturing the White Tiger 'Primordial Spirit within it before it could return to its physical body.

The white tiger's massive body crashed down, and it fell unconscious.

Jingyuan, who was about to come to help, was held back by Dongfang Wanqing.

Faced with the choice between an ally and a lover, she chose the latter without hesitation.

PS: Updated first, revised later.