My Era

The Life-Creating Elixir seemed to be clearing away some hidden danger in the stomach and intestines.

Zhang Xuezhou wasn't sure if it was a coincidence, or if someone had developed this elixir after being tormented by others, or if something in his body had been damaged by the Life-Creating Pill.

In short, Zhang Xuezhou is able to accept his current situation.

He even heard a cracking sound on his skull, as if dislocated bones were being put back in place, and it seemed as if misaligned bones on his forehead were also being realigned.

If this is the Heaven and Earth Bridge, then the head injury he suffered from being split open by the axe must be healing.

The medicine would certainly not be as effective as the original medicine in restoring his health, but Zhang Xuezhou felt that it was already quite good that he could be treated at all.

The only drawback is that the stomach and intestines are affected, leading to occasional flatulence.

"Lord Pingyang, is there something wrong with your elixir?"

Watching Zhang Xuezhou let out a series of farts and be carried out, the new emperor couldn't help but frown and cover his nose as he asked.

Then servants took fans and fanned them vigorously.

I lost my appetite for the banquet, but it's still okay to sit in the space after the stench has been cleared away.

The new emperor did not flee first, but remained firmly seated on his throne.

The new emperor hasn't left, and the Marquis of Pingyang can't run away either.

Marquis Pingyang didn't run away, and no one else dared to leave without permission.

The atmosphere at the banquet was strange; many people blushed, and several near Zhang Xuezhou even experienced nausea and vomiting.

Normal people don't experience this effect when expelling turbid gas, but Zhang Xuezhou's expulsion after taking the medication was outrageous.

"This old minister doesn't know either. I only knew before that it was a good medicine!"

When Marquis Pingyang bowed and apologized, he felt a mix of headache and relief.

The headache, of course, is that the person who takes the precious medicine seems to expel a lot of foul gas after consuming it; the negative effects are quite obvious.

Marquis Pingyang was relieved that he wasn't the one who took the medicine.

If Marquis Pingyang were to take this pill, he felt that Princess Yangxin would most likely be unable to stay with him.

"You haven't been fooled, have you? You've mistaken a stinky pill for a treasure?" the new emperor asked suspiciously. "I've heard that some schools of thought like to play pranks and fool people with fake medicine."

"This... I spent a thousand taels of gold back then... Alas!"

Marquis Pingyang sighed heavily.

He felt he needed to agree with the new emperor's judgment; he had paid a price and spent money, and the medicine he received might not be as good as he had imagined.

Some medications can be tested on the spot, while some potent medications cannot be tested.

For example, no one would take such a powerful healing medicine unless they were injured, and the preciousness and rarity of elixirs also make people hesitant to try them.

At least when Marquis Pingyang obtained this pill worth a thousand taels of gold, he didn't just give it to a servant to test. After all, there was only one pill, and if he made a mistake, that was one thing, but if he made a mistake, he would definitely regret it.

"Where did you get this elixir?" the new emperor asked with great interest. "I'm quite curious to know about this embarrassing incident!"

"This elixir is related to the Rebellion of the Seven States during the reign of the late Emperor," said Marquis Pingyang. "King Liu Bi of Wu, in alliance with King Liu Wu of Chu, King Liu Sui of Zhao, King Liu Piguang of Jinan, King Liu Xian of Zichuan, King Liu Ang of Jiaoxi, and King Liu Xiongqu of Jiaodong, launched a rebellion. King Liu Wu of Liang defended Suiyang City, blocking the 300,000-strong allied army of Wu, Chu, and Zhao. This bloody battle lasted for nearly three months, during which King Liu Wu led his troops to kill more than 100,000 enemies. This elixir was obtained from King Liu Wu of Chu. I helped out a little at the time and was eligible for military merit rewards, but I didn't have enough to receive this elixir, so I could only contribute 1,000 taels of gold to make up for it."

When Marquis Pingyang spoke of the past, he couldn't help but sigh.

Zhou Yafu's suppression of the Rebellion of the Seven States made him a figure of great renown, but the Liang King, a vassal state, fought on par with the imperial court in terms of enemy numbers, and was even the main force in resisting the Rebellion of the Seven States.

The former is renowned, while the latter remains unknown, as if everything is simply a matter of course.

Now, times have changed, and everything is different.

If it weren't for this potent medicine, which was awarded for military merit at the time, the Marquis of Pingyang would have gradually forgotten the King of Liang's heroic figure.

"So this pill originated from the rebellion of that year," the new emperor nodded.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Marquis Pingyang bowed and replied, "Prince Liang is knowledgeable in medicine. He made me pay a large sum of money, so he certainly didn't intend to poison me. This pill shouldn't be able to harm anyone."

"These rebels almost overthrew our Great Han dynasty, but fortunately, Uncle Liang was valiant enough to save us." The new emperor was relieved to hear this, and he changed the subject, saying, "After my ancestral worship trip, I will definitely visit Uncle Liang's tomb. Such meritorious officials cannot be forgotten, and I dare not forget them either."

The relationship and story between Emperor Jing, Prince Liang, and the Empress Dowager are all very complicated, and even if the new emperor were to explain them, he would find it difficult to fully understand them.

In short, Emperor Jing could become emperor, and the Prince of Liang could indeed become emperor, but ultimately a new emperor ascended the throne.

The Prince of Liang was a man who could rival Emperor Jing, and might even have been more outstanding than Emperor Jing. However, Emperor Jing occupied the legitimate throne, and the Prince of Liang had no choice but to submit.

This may explain why the Empress Dowager repeatedly protected the Prince of Liang and even wanted him to inherit the Great Han Dynasty.

The new emperor once mentioned to the Empress Dowager that he wanted to pay homage to the Prince of Liang. His words were somewhat insincere, and his main purpose was to create a fake Chixiao Sword. However, when the Marquis of Pingyang brought up the past, he couldn't help but show more sincerity.

He then proposed paying respects to the King of Liang, and his gaze fell upon Princess Yangxin. Princess Yangxin nodded slightly, which reassured the new emperor.

It's difficult for the new emperor to conceal what he does in Chang'an City; even when he sneaks out of the palace, Li Guang follows him.

If the new emperor were to have a special sword forged in Chang'an City, there would undoubtedly be many troubles involved.

But there was no problem in entrusting the task to Princess Yangxin.

The new emperor then mentioned ancestral worship and the Prince of Liang, and Princess Yangxin nodded in agreement, indicating that everything had clearly been arranged.

All that's left is to fake it.

The soft, limp Crimson Sky Sword is on the new emperor's body, while the hard, fake Crimson Sky Sword forged by Princess Yangxin will also be on him.

If Guo Sheren can help, the real sword in the new emperor's hands will become a fake sword, and the fake sword will become the new Crimson Sky Sword.

With the almost impartial Grand Historian Sima Tan as a witness, the nature of this matter can be basically determined. After some publicity, everything will be over.

The new emperor, having figured everything out, felt an immense sense of joy.

If he could make a hundred moves when others made fifty, and no matter how others changed their moves, they couldn't catch up with him, this would indeed satisfy the new emperor.

He vaguely grasped some kind of rule.

If he is faster than others, he can seize the opportunity to win.

No one will wait for him in the same place, and the new emperor is not facing his peers. Being ahead of his peers is useless; he is fighting against old monsters.

In terms of cultivation, he was far inferior; in terms of power, he had never obtained any; in terms of wisdom, he considered himself intelligent but undoubtedly lacked sufficient experience...

The various comparisons of advantages and disadvantages forced the new emperor to rely on the support of many people, coupled with deception, in order to maintain his position.

"If I can't become a top-tier individual, my reputation must at least be top-tier, enough to intimidate others and deter them from challenging me!"

The Crimson Sky Sword is undoubtedly a weapon that inspires fear and deters challengers, and there is no pure reason behind it.

This sword may look ordinary at first glance, but when it truly protects its master, its killing power can cut through anything.

This is a divine weapon verified by the Great Ancestor. At this time, only a hundred years had passed since the Great Ancestor's death, and the Crimson Sky Sword still retained its prestige, especially in the memories of the older generation and some long-lived great cultivators.

"As long as the Crimson Sky Sword can protect me for ten years, then this Great Han will be my era!"

The new emperor covered his nose as he spoke with the Marquis of Pingyang, but one urgent thought after another filled his mind, and he already had a general idea of the future.