Edict of Self-Reproach (Part One)
Qingnuo Mountain, the mountain wind whistles through the forest.
Three years later, the land of Nanzhao was ravaged.
Two years ago, the reincarnation of the True Lord broke through the barrier at the confluence of the two rivers and personally led the Proclaiming Earth army to sweep through Nanzhao. Although the Nanzhao Royal City held out for half a year with the Subterranean Water Restriction barrier, it eventually fell, and the royal family disappeared without a trace. The entire Southern Frontier border fell, and more than half of Miao Frontier territory also fell into the hands of the Proclaiming Earth. Now, the entire Nanzhao and Southern Frontier, except for a few immortal abodes such as Cibi Lake, Golden Ao Mountain, and Qingnuo Mountain, have all fallen to the Proclaiming Earth.
At the Qingnuo Mountain, in a newly built council hall, six figures sat in rows. Yang Xiu occupied the main seat, Su Yao and Zilin sat on the left, and Mo Li, Xuan Yan, and Ying Qi sat on the right.
Su Yao held two bright yellow scrolls in his hands, his face ashen.
One scroll was slightly aged, with subtle fading and wear on the brocade edges, clearly indicating its age; the other scroll was brand new, with blood-red cinnabar characters, a smooth jade axis, and a faint scent of ink.
These were the two edicts of self-reproach issued by the Great Qing court to the entire nation.
"The man has been dead for decades, yet he can still issue another edict of self-reproach." Su Yao sneered, throwing both scrolls onto the stone table simultaneously. The scrolls unfurled with a "thud," revealing the old and new copies side by side, the vermilion characters gleaming like blood in the sunlight. "The historians of Great Qing are truly skilled."
Yang Xiu reached out and took the old document, his gaze slowly sweeping over the words, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. After a moment, he slowly spoke:
"I, with my meager virtue, have inherited this great foundation. For eight thousand years, I have toiled tirelessly day and night, never neglecting state affairs for a single day. However, recently my illness has worsened, and I know my end is near. In the middle of the night, I examined my conscience and reflected on my actions, deeply ashamed that I have failed the heavy trust placed in me by my ancestors and the hopes of my subjects. Now that I am about to pass away, I dare not conceal my faults. Therefore, I issue this edict to all within and outside the court, listing my transgressions and proclaiming them to the world, so that all may know."
When he read the words "eight thousand years," he tapped his finger lightly on the paper.
"This Emperor Renzong reigned for eight thousand years. That's long enough for him to write an edict of self-reproach before his death, and another one decades later."
Ying Qi took the new copy and read it aloud, word by word:
"I, with my meager virtue, inherited this great foundation. I have carried on the legacy of my ancestors, caring for the people of all lands. For eight thousand years, I have toiled tirelessly day and night, never neglecting state affairs. Yet, my virtue is insufficient to nurture all people; my talent is lacking to pacify the four seas. In the dead of night, I examine my conscience and reflect upon myself, deeply ashamed that I have failed the heavy trust placed in me by my ancestors, and also failed the hopes of my subjects."
As he read this, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, but he didn't stop:
"Since my ascension to the throne, I have been too lenient, and whenever the immortal sects make requests, I cannot bear to refuse them firmly. The number of ordination certificates issued to immortal temples has been repeatedly increased, and the tax exemptions for immortal lands have become increasingly lenient. Many immortal temples have privately established branch temples in places like Nanzhao, and I am fully aware of this, yet I have tolerated it without investigation. This has allowed the immortal sects to grow powerful, becoming de facto states within a state. In Nanzhao, Aristocratic Clan immortal families and sects, relying on their immortal power, have exploited the common people, seized their land, and enslaved them like cattle. Although I have heard of this, I have ignored it on the grounds that 'those who have transcended the world should not be involved in worldly affairs,' leaving millions of people in Nanzhao to struggle in misery. This is my crime of indulging the immortals."
"I also recall that since the time of Taizu, Nanzhao surrendered its territory to Qing, and its ruler, a descendant of the Orthodox God, has hereditarily guarded its land. I believed their reports without questioning or investigating, and sat idly by while they exploited the people and formed cliques for personal gain. In the court, factions gradually arose, and not only could I not stop them from the source, but I also resorted to mediation to patch up the gaps, which led to the collapse of discipline and the corruption of officials. The people of Nanzhao have grievances that cannot be redressed, suffering that cannot be expressed, land that cannot be cultivated, and homes that cannot be returned to. This is the fault of my governance of my ministers."
Upon reaching this point, Xuan Yan suddenly let out a cold laugh and slammed his teacup heavily onto the table:
"What a fine example of 'excessive indulgence of immortals'! What a fine example of 'exploiting the common people'! What a fine example of 'using the people like cattle and horses'!"
His voice suddenly rose. "The imperial court allowed the Immortal Sect to enter Nanzhao, and also allowed the Confucian School to oppress the Witch Department. Now that the Witch Department has rebelled, it's the Immortal Sect's fault! This edict makes it seem as if we've forced Proclaiming Earth into rebellion!"
Su Yao did not respond, but instead cast his gaze at the vast sea of clouds outside the hall, his expression unreadable.
Ying Qi continued reciting:
"I am deeply saddened by the plight of the Nanzhao Witch Department and the Wu Kingdom, who have inhabited this land since High Antiquity times, their incense offerings continuing unbroken. I forcibly implemented the policy of 'replacing native chieftains with appointed officials,' and then used Confucian School rites to compel their assimilation. The people of the Witch Department were displaced; the Wu Kingdom's ancestral rites were cut off. I was fully aware of their resentment, yet in the name of 'great unification,' I refused to ease my grip on the policy. This has caused the Witch Department to accumulate resentment for thousands of years, ultimately becoming the root of today's Proclaiming Earth disaster."
"I originally intended to issue this edict earlier to appease the world. However, during my reign, the rebellion in Nanzhao had not yet surfaced, nor had the grievances of the Witch Department been expressed. If I were to issue this edict to the world, people would surely think me insane. After much deliberation, I had no choice but to seal this edict away and await the future. Now that I am nearing my end and know I will not survive, I have written down the causes and consequences in detail and stored it in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. If Nanzhao eventually descends into chaos, then this edict shall be proclaimed to the world; if Nanzhao remains peaceful, then this edict shall remain hidden forever."
Upon hearing this, Mo Li sneered, "What a joke. Proclaiming Earth has wreaked havoc on Nanzhao. Where are all the True Lord and Divine Core Perfected One Masters who left behind the legacy of Taizu and Taizong?"
Yang Xiu coldly replied, "There has never been such a case."
Mo Li nodded. "So 'being too lenient with officials' is a lie, 'indulging immortals excessively' is the truth. The lie is used to cover up the truth, and the truth is used to shift the blame."
Ying Qi turned the scroll to the second half and continued reading:
"The rebellion of Proclaiming Earth in Nanzhao has now broken out, the people are displaced and suffering immensely, just as I foresaw. Although I am already dead, this edict is my last will and testament. I issue this edict of self-reproach to serve as a warning to future generations: If any descendant of my Great Qing Dynasty follows in my footsteps and allows immortals to oppress the people, may the whole world condemn them! If any official of my Great Qing Dynasty stands idly by while immortal sects oppress the people, may the whole world condemn them! If any citizen of my Great Qing suffers harm from immortal sects, aristocratic Aristocratic Clan, or clans and has nowhere else to turn, may take this edict to the capital to appeal for justice!"
He paused, then said:
"Proclamation shall be made throughout the land, so that all may know."
After reading it, he closed the scroll, looked at everyone, and his eyes were filled with indescribable complexity.
Zilin hadn't spoken until now, and only then did she slowly say:
"Decades ago, shortly after Renzong's death, he issued an edict of self-reproach. That edict only listed three crimes: indulging immortality, controlling his ministers, and altering temples. This new one has replaced 'altering temples' with 'altering local customs,' while the wording of the other two edicts remains almost unchanged. The only difference is the addition of the phrase 'In the present Nanzhao region, the Proclaiming Earth is rampant, and the people are displaced. My heart is truly pained by this.'"
She paused, then placed the new edict on the table:
"A dead man confessed to his crimes before he died, and decades later, he confessed again. He's become addicted to confessing."
Upon hearing this, Su Yao suddenly chuckled.
He took both scrolls back into his hands at the same time, his gaze falling on the last few lines of the old edict, and slowly read aloud:
"My three crimes are clear and obvious, and it is too late for regrets! However, I have heard the words of a sage: 'If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening.' Although I am about to pass away, I still hope that this edict of self-reproach will serve as a warning to future generations. From now on, anyone who follows in my footsteps will be condemned by the whole world."