Private Grievance

The atmosphere at Changxin Palace has been very somber these past two days.

Even Cheng Bushi help but curse. He was a general who was well-versed in military affairs and guarded the border, not a cultivator who was just there to kill time in the palace.

Having spent nearly ten years in the palace, Cheng Bushi felt stifled, believing that his years were being wasted amidst the palace intrigues.

However, he had to follow Emperor Jing's last wishes and try his best to avoid clashes with the powerful factions of Anle Palace, Changxin Palace, and Weiyang Palace.

Cheng Bushi was often criticized as a fence-sitter because of this, but if the imperial court needed someone to do the work, Cheng Bushi was still one of the first choices.

He only hoped that one day he could take off his official robes as the head of the Imperial Guard and put on his beloved armor, making the Western Border of the Great Han Dynasty impregnable. Even if he died one day, as long as his successor was not a pig, the country would be stable and secure.

"Commander of the Guard! Commander of the Guard! This is terrible! Something's happened!"

"What kind of behavior is this, all flustered and disrespectful!"

When his deputy commander rushed over, Cheng Bushi but solemnly rebuke him.

Such a person could only be allowed to display his bravery in the palace. If he were placed in the Western Border region where he was stationed, Cheng Bushi would definitely demote him by one rank until he showed signs of composure before restoring him to his original position.

"What on earth happened that warrants such a commotion?" Cheng Bushi asked solemnly.

"Oh no, Commander of the Imperial Guard, His Majesty has arrived!"

"His Majesty has come, so he's here. It's not like His Majesty can't come to Changxin Palace!"

"But His Majesty sent someone to carry the Red Empyrean Sword!"

The deputy commander's statement was disorganized, but there was a reason for it.

Cheng Bushi's solemn face twisted into a knot, and he felt an overwhelming bitterness in his heart.

This may no longer be a matter of breaking up a fight, but could potentially involve armed conflict.

"How many people have come?" Cheng Bushi asked in a deep voice.

"Just His Majesty and an official carrying a sword!"

Just the two of them?

"Just the two of you!"

Only after the deputy commander responded again did Cheng Bushi relieved.

As long as the new emperor doesn't lead the Imperial Guards of Shanglin Garden to attack Changxin Palace, even leading the Imperial Guards of the Weiyang Palace wouldn't be a problem; he and Li Guang can't really start a fight just for show.

Neither of these two scenarios occurred; the arrival of the new emperor and one of his ministers simply prevented things from becoming chaotic.

"This panic is disrupting morale! Go over there and get an 800-pound stone weight, lift it aloft one hundred times!"

Cheng Bushi breathed a sigh of relief.

He was almost scared by these ignorant fools, and immediately punished the deputy commander who failed to deliver the message properly by sending him to practice martial arts.

The long sword at his waist retracted, tightening the large shield on his back. Cheng Bushi quickly stood up and strode towards the outside of Changxin Palace.

Deputy Commander Zhu Xiaozhong was right; there were indeed only two people who came to Changxin Palace, Cheng Bushi even knew the ministers around the new emperor.

"That guy looks sickly, but he has a really sharp eye!"

The battle between the new emperor and the empress dowager lasted a long time, and the new emperor, with his eyes bloodshot, looked just like someone who had lost his mind in anger.

At the time, almost no one recognized this as a breakthrough in cultivation, Cheng Bushi didn't see it either.

However, Zhang Xuezhou Cheng Bushi, Cheng Bushi knew very well that Zhang Xuezhou was the first person to see through the scheme.

Even though Cheng Bushi extremely powerful, he truly admired this sharp eye.

People with good foresight don't need to work too hard; they only need to make choices at crucial moments to achieve what others accumulate in a lifetime or even several lifetimes.

Cheng Bushi very well that this kind of person wouldn't easily resort to violence, so he felt relieved and quickly stepped forward to bow.

"Commander Cheng should return to the Western Border!"

The new emperor nodded and said something simple.

In short, this means the new emperor still values the emperor highly, thus making a promise, and it also means that many things today will come to a conclusion.

Cheng Bushi frowned slightly, but could only wait and see the outcome.

His gaze swept over Zhang Xuezhou, who was holding a sword to the side, and then looked at the white cloth that the other man was holding up with a bamboo pole.

The words "Cloth of the Red Empyrean Sword Custodian" were written in thick ink on the white cloth.

The words were so simple and easy to understand, yet so blatant, that Cheng Bushi Cheng Bushi to find anything to criticize.

This ostentation would let everyone know that the other party possessed the Red Empyrean Sword, thus deterring them from offending him. However, the downside was also obvious: if no one dared to openly defy him, some shady characters would inevitably harass Zhang Xuezhou in various ways.

"Dongfang Shuo shouldn't have gotten involved in this kind of thing; he probably had no choice but to come. His eloquence must be quite remarkable!"

Cheng Bushi glanced at it.

The new emperor and the empress dowager both fought until they bled. What they talked about before they started fighting is unknown, but their communication must have been poor, otherwise there would have been no need to cause such turmoil in the palace.

When the two could not reach an agreement, the new emperor found a mediator to reconcile them.

Cheng Bushi was a bit rough around the edges, but he was still able to think things through.

"If His Majesty and the Empress Dowager can reconcile, this old man might be able to venture to the Western Border!"

Time is a powerful weapon. Martial arts practitioners place great emphasis on their youth and prime. As they age, their physical Qi and Blood decline and weaken, and their explosive power and endurance gradually diminish. They may possess a high level of skill, but it becomes difficult to unleash the full potential of their prime.

Like a decaying tree, they may appear to still have a sturdy trunk, but their interiors are actually rotting.

Cheng Bushi wished time would slow down, and also hoped that Weiyang Palace and Changxin Palace could return to peace.

If the Great Han Dynasty palace remains stable, they can break free from the palace's constraints and return to their rightful places.

"The most boring thing about doing a job you don't like!"

Cheng Bushi muttered to himself, then respectfully escorted the new emperor to the Fenghua Hall of Changxin Palace, before stopping to wait.

Several very polite knocks were made on the door. Inside the hall, the Empress Dowager sighed and then exclaimed.

Come in!

The palace doors were opened, and the new emperor and Zhang Xuezhou, who was Zhang Xuezhou sword, entered.

A pleasant fragrance wafted from the main hall, and the doors were then tightly shut, sealing off the fragrance and the people negotiating.

"Is Mother's health of any concern?"

Upon entering the Fenghua Palace, the new emperor bowed respectfully, while Zhang Xuezhou scanned his surroundings.

Contrary to the common perception that the Empress Dowager's residence was luxurious, her main hall was adorned with thousands of white cloths, each covered with various texts and some even depicting patterns.

If it weren't for the large amount of calming incense burning, this hall would have smelled strongly of ink.

The Empress Dowager sat on a sandalwood bed, with a table placed in front of her.

On the desk were palace lanterns, as well as writing brushes, ink, bamboo slips, and white cloth for copying.

The ink on the brush was still fresh, indicating that the Empress Dowager must have used it a few days ago.

"His Majesty's swordsmanship at that time was nothing like concern for my health. What does it matter whether I'm alright or not?" the Empress Dowager said. "You must have been waiting for me for two days, just waiting for me to go to the Weiyang Palace again!"

"We did wait two days," the new emperor nodded. "Unfortunately, I was overthinking it; the Empress Dowager didn't go!"

"Why don't you wait a couple more days?" the Empress Dowager asked. "If Your Majesty waits two more days, I will feel better and then I will come to beg you!"

"Beg me for what? Beg me not to kill Jin Su, beg me..."

The new emperor and the empress dowager did not communicate much. Provoked by the empress dowager's use of the word "beg," the new emperor felt his anger rise instantly.

The Empress Dowager's statement was subtle, but if you incorporate phrases like "I'll hang myself" or "I'm kneeling before you" from stubborn parents, the effect becomes extremely damaging.

No matter how magnanimous he appears in public, he behaves equally poorly in family matters.

Only when the coughing reminder reached his ears did the new emperor regain his composure.

"Your Majesty, I wish to ask what your aspirations are. I will do everything within my power to help you." The new emperor spoke directly, "As long as it does not violate the greater good, I will do everything possible to fulfill your wishes!"

"The Empress Dowager wants military power; she wants to command all the armies of the Great Han," the Empress Dowager said expressionlessly. "Will Your Majesty grant the Empress Dowager's wish?"

"As long as we know the Empress Dowager's intentions in commanding the army, and then confirm that it is feasible, there is nothing wrong with this matter," the new emperor nodded.

"I knew you would be conservative. If everything has to be feasible, then nothing will ever get done," the Empress Dowager said silently.

"I hope Your Majesty will clarify the matter so that I may understand and share your burdens," the new emperor said, bowing.

"All these years you've meticulously concealed your strength to secure your throne, have you forgotten who granted you the right of succession, what caused his death, and most importantly, the revenge that a son needs?"

The Empress Dowager gazed at the new emperor, a flame flickering in her eyes.

"I want to annihilate the Xiong State, I want to kill Zhu Jiuyin, I want to take revenge at all costs, either to avenge my hatred or to die in war and be buried in Yangling. Can you make that happen?"

"I..."

"My vital Qi and Blood is declining, and there's a constant conflict between my Law Power and my Qi and Blood. I'm getting old, and my body can't hold on much longer!"

The Xiong State was a vicious wolf lurking beside the borders of the Han Kingdom, and the Empress Dowager knew that the new emperor intended to strike at the Xiong State.

Many emperors of the Great Han Dynasty held back year after year, hoping to accumulate power like the Qin Dynasty, and then build upon the achievements of six generations to govern the world with long-term strategies.

But the Empress Dowager couldn't wait.

Her attack on the Xiong State was more driven by personal grudges than by any intention to contribute to the long-term development of the Great Han Dynasty.

Before she and many talented generals grew old, she wanted to lead the Great Han army in a final stand, leaving their fate to fate.

Such a thing was a taboo for the Great Han imperial family, who feared that someone might seize military power and then sacrifice their elite forces to their deaths, thereby causing the greatest possible damage to the Great Han Dynasty.

Knowing that the new emperor would not agree, the Empress Dowager naturally took control of the court and the military from Changxin Palace.