First Court Session, Yin Shang's Troubles
At the thought, Ye Xuan felt his heroic spirit soar.
His physical body had now been transformed, becoming extraordinarily powerful.
The Two Qi of Yin and Yang had also formed within him.
His own strength was already comparable to that of a Daluo Golden Immortal.
With a behemoth like the Ancestral Dragon by his side, he could be said to have gotten off to a high-level start.
Just as Ye Xuan began to feel a little sleepy, the sky was already turning pale.
A palace maid who had been waiting for a long time approached Ye Xuan carefully.
"Your Majesty, it's time for court. Please change and attend the session."
Hearing this, Ye Xuan couldn't help feeling aggrieved.
Why the hell was court so damn early?
It was only four or five in the morning, and he already had to attend court?
It looked like he would have to change the time.
As a young man of the new era, getting up so early went against his principles.
With the maids' help, Ye Xuan finally put on the elaborate court robes.
Ye Xuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He had discovered that he had become a good-for-nothing after transmigrating into this world of the Investiture of the Gods.
He couldn't even dress himself anymore. Why did the clothes have to be so complicated?
Although the robes were exceptionally magnificent, putting them on was clearly quite a struggle for him.
As soon as Ye Xuan was fully dressed, the palace maids waiting outside passed word along.
The palace doors swung open with a boom the next moment.
The civil and military officials, who had been waiting for a long time, poured in, wave after wave of them.
When Ye Xuan arrived at the Nine-Chamber Hall, a vast crowd of civil and military officials knelt before him.
Looking at the officials below, Ye Xuan was deeply moved.
The feeling of standing at the pinnacle of power was indeed utterly captivating.
Ye Xuan took a deep breath, and a powerful presence suddenly radiated from him.
"Rise, my ministers!"
Only then did the officials get to their feet and take their places on either side.
His gaze swept over the crowd, one person at a time.
At the head of the civil officials stood Prime Minister Shang Rong, a veteran minister who had served three reigns and helped his sovereign ascend the throne.
Below him stood the king's uncle Bi Gan, Grand Master Mei Bo, Du Yuanxian, Yang Ren, and the others.
On the other side, the military officials were led by Huang Feihu, the Martial Accomplishment King.
As for Grand Tutor Wen Zhong, he had already led an army to the North Sea to suppress the seventy-two rebelling feudal lords.
Looking at the civil and military officials below, Ye Xuan understood that although Di Xin had begun to show signs of being a muddleheaded ruler, things had not yet become as serious as they would later.
For now, he still commanded considerable authority.
"My ministers, do you have anything to report?"
Ye Xuan had only just spoken.
Prime Minister Shang Rong had already stepped forward ahead of the others.
He lowered his head and bowed.
"Your subject... has a matter to report!"
Ye Xuan nodded. As prime minister, Shang Rong was still utterly loyal to Great Shang at present.
"Speak!"
Shang Rong pondered for a moment before finally speaking.
"Your Majesty, since Cheng Tang established our foundations, the former kings of Great Shang have worked diligently to govern, and the realm has enjoyed peace, yet many disasters still ravage it every year."
"In recent years especially, the south has suffered floods and the north droughts. Besides those, disasters such as locusts and plagues have struck one after another."
"Now the foundations of Great Shang are truly tottering in the wind and rain, and the situation is dire... Please make a decision quickly, Your Majesty."
Hearing Shang Rong's words, Ye Xuan's heart gave a slight jump.
Had things gotten this bad already?
He had only just transmigrated, and he was already facing a problem this serious. What a goddamn mess...
Seeing Ye Xuan's face darken,
Shang Rong spoke again.
"For the past three years, disasters across the land have grown increasingly severe, and the common people have suffered beyond words. The southern provinces have been ravaged by years of torrential rain and floods, and with the plague of rats spreading as well, the people are nearly at the end of their rope."
"The northern provinces are even worse off. Years of drought have left the earth cracked and the rivers and lakes dry. In many places, it seems people have already been driven to trade their children to eat."
Shang Rong's tone grew heavier as he spoke.
He had lost count of how many times he had told the king these things, but the king had dismissed them every time.
A few days ago, the king had finally taken his advice and gone to offer incense to Empress Nuwa.
But unexpectedly, the king had gone and committed an act of sacrilege against her.
It truly gave him no end of headaches.
Hearing Shang Rong's words, Ye Xuan couldn't help clicking his tongue inwardly.
Had the people of Great Shang gone nearly three years without a harvest?
If that were true, they had indeed reached their limit. If the situation continued to be ignored, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Just then, another minister spoke.
"Your Majesty, that is not entirely the case. The harvests in some places have been quite good."
"For example, the territory of Marquis Ji Chang of the West has done quite well, but elsewhere, people are struggling to hold on."
Su Changkong knew the minister who had spoken.
This man was Yang Ren, a well-known figure on the Investiture of the Gods.
He had once been utterly loyal to Great Shang and had tried to dissuade King Zhou of Shang from building the Deer Terrace.
King Zhou had his eyes gouged out, killing him.
Because the resentment in his heart refused to dissipate, he eventually drew the attention of True Lord Qingxu Daode, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of Jade Void, who saved him.
Daode Zhenjun placed two golden pills in his eyes, causing hands to grow from his eye sockets and eyes to grow in those hands.
This produced a pair of bizarrely shaped heavenly eyes. Though ugly, they could see the Heavenly Court above, the caverns beneath the earth below, and all the affairs of the human world in between.
But for now, he was still Yang Ren, utterly loyal to Great Shang.
Seeing that both ministers spoke this way,
Ye Xuan's heart grew heavier.
He now understood exactly what lay behind it all.
Plainly put, it was the Four Seas Dragon Kings' doing. They were probably acting on Haotian Shangdi's orders.
Originally, he had merely been a boy attendant at Dao Ancestor Hongjun's side.
Later, during the Witch-Demon Tribulation, both the witch and demon races fell into ruin.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun then sent Haotian Boy down to take over the demon race's heavenly palace and establish the Heavenly Court.
He thereby openly set himself against the Human Emperor, indirectly stripping the Human Emperor's status as common sovereign of heaven and earth of its power.
At that thought, a cold light flashed in Ye Xuan's eyes.
It seemed his first priority had to be a contest of strength with this fellow.
Otherwise, if he allowed this fellow to continue wreaking havoc, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Not only that, everything he had planned the previous night would probably come to nothing.
At that thought, Ye Xuan took a deep breath.
"The realm is now in turmoil, and the living beings of the Primordial World are struggling to survive. Droughts, floods, rat plagues, pestilences, and other disasters are too numerous to count."
"Today, I shall set Qiankun in order and put yin and yang in their proper places. It will also be a good chance to show you what I can do."
With that, he rose and led the way out of the great hall.
Since he had decided to cleanse Qiankun, he naturally had to use a grand measure.
It would also serve to overawe the civil and military officials and show them what the Human Emperor could do.
Some of the ministers followed behind him, trembling.
Ye Xuan came to the open square and raised his head to gaze into the distance.
The sky above was a dull expanse of gray, without the slightest trace of life.
A faint air of decay could also be sensed.
At this sight, Ye Xuan let out a long sigh.
No wonder Great Shang had fallen so quickly, even with the Interception Sect's help.
Of all the gods and buddhas filling the heavens, everyone apart from the Interception Sect belonged to hostile forces.
They were infiltrating Great Shang from every direction, and it was already tottering in the wind and rain.
It would have been a wonder if it had not been destroyed in the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods.
Ye Xuan took a deep breath, then bowed solemnly toward the distance!