[Year 377]
Having reached the cultivation realm of the Li family members, time passed quickly in their eyes.
Li Wei was also beginning to understand why these Nascent Soul stage cultivators kept such a low profile in times of peace; a single session of their secluded cultivation could last for three to five years...
The world had truly descended into great chaos.
On the panel before Li Wei's eyes, special events appeared one after another.
[Special Event—Wu Clan Invasion]
[As the time of the Human Emperor's fated end draws ever nearer, his deterrent power over the Wu Clan diminishes. Following their previous probing invasion of the Azure Cloud Region, the Wu Clan has regrouped. The Moon Dragon Totem and the Divine Bird Totem have marshaled their forces and have begun to invade the Azure Dynasty. Many regions are jointly resisting the Wu Clan, while neighboring prefectures have begun conscripting cultivators to defend the border.]
When the Li family members and the many cultivators of the Azure Cloud Region heard this news, every last one of them clenched their teeth in fury.
Just look at how much aid the other regions were receiving in their fight against the Wu Clan. Then look back at the Azure Cloud Region—it had been merely a probing attack by the Wu Clan, and still, they had been sold out.
A letter from the Azure Dynasty requesting aid even reached Li Dalong's desk.
In his reply, Li Dalong stated that although he was the Prefecture Lord, he held no true military authority, and directed the Imperial Dynasty's Ministry of War to seek out Region Prince Jiang.
When the letter reached Li Yunbing, he replied tactfully, telling them to seek out Min Youguo. This was a mess of Min Youguo's own making, he argued; if Min Youguo had been more resolute back then, would the Wu Clan have ever dared to invade a second time?
However, compared to the Wu Clan invasion, the truly urgent crisis was the one brewing within.
[Special Event—Prince Jue's Rebellion]
[Prince Jue submitted a memorial to the imperial court, stating that the Human Emperor had a treacherous minister by his side.
This minister, he claimed, had allowed the Wu Clan to invade the Azure Cloud Region, only to then cede land in a plea for peace.
He accused the Human Emperor of ignoring the evil cultivators running rampant throughout the Azure Dynasty, knowing only how to pursue pleasures within his rear palace.
He declared that the unceasing disasters of the past several hundred years were punishments sent down from Heaven itself.
He implored the Human Emperor to execute the treacherous minister, Min Youguo, and to issue an edict of self-criticism, proclaiming his faults to all under Heaven and to the Heavens above.]
At that very moment.
Within the imperial court, just as this special event appeared, Li Wei instantly materialized at Li Dalong's side.
As the sharp voice of a court eunuch echoed through the hall, reading aloud from Prince Jue's indictment, it listed numerous crimes attributed to Min Youguo—enough to ensure his infamy for a thousand ages.
Li Wei walked up to State Preceptor Min Youguo. The normally high and mighty State Preceptor, his face now dark as thunder, knelt and kowtowed towards the Human Emperor upon his nine-layered jade throne.
"Your Majesty, this subject has been wronged!"
As the eyes of the numerous officials fixed upon Min Youguo, his old face flushed crimson.
He lamented tearfully, "The Grand Tutor is on campaign in the Northern Border! The expenditures for the spirit veins, herb gardens, and spirit ore mines under our Imperial Dynasty's control have long been insufficient to cover the costs.
The various prefectures grow ever more disobedient, and the majority of our tax revenue is spent on the Grand Tutor's Northern Expedition, supporting his five million troops!
Your Majesty is free to investigate—my own storage ring is right here! This subject has not accepted a single shred of a bribe!"
"And then there is the matter of Tian Xing! Yes, Prefecture Lord Li is present; he can testify on this subject's behalf! When Tian Xing brought his calamity upon the land, this subject rushed to the Eternal Sun Prefecture at the first possible moment!"
.....
Li Dalong had been leaning against a pillar of the Golden Throne Hall, yawning. Min Youguo had first passed the buck to the Grand Tutor, and now he was trying to kick it over to him. The whole display made Li Dalong roll his eyes.
Feeling the stares of all these old fossils, Li Dalong offered a cupped-fist salute.
"This subject can testify," he said dryly. "The Lord State Preceptor did indeed once say to this subject that the slide into great chaos was irreversible, and that we, as loyal subjects of His Majesty, ought to kill Tian Xing."
Just as Min Youguo breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Dalong continued in a loud voice, "Your Majesty is wise and brilliant, and the Lord State Preceptor is utterly devoted! He once even remarked that Prince Jue was an extraordinary man. Who could have imagined that this same Prince Jue would now so viciously slander the Lord State Preceptor? This subject is willing to vouch for the Lord State Preceptor—he has truly spared no effort for the sake of our Imperial Dynasty!"
Grind...
Min Youguo ground his teeth. He and Li Dalong were supposed to be on the same side, but it was clear that Li Dalong was a man who never failed to exact his revenge.
While appearing to defend him, Li Dalong had also conveniently managed to mention his past admiration for Prince Jue.
Yet even Min Youguo had never imagined it would come to this. He couldn't fathom what madness had possessed Prince Jue. Within this Imperial Dynasty, he stood second only to one man and above others.
He had known Prince Jue would rebel, but this... this he had never, ever imagined.
On the very first day of his rebellion, of all the pretexts Prince Jue could have chosen, he had to use "striking at the emperor's inner circle" plan—and the first blade was aimed squarely at him!
It was utterly unthinkable!
Min Youguo was still kneeling, but Li Dalong had already tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling. For all these years, he had been learning the ways of an official from Yunbing and Kuangren. Yes, he thought to himself, he had learned well. It was quite good.
"Courting death."
It was a single murmur, and it was impossible to tell if Li Dalong was referring to Min Youguo's detached, 'none-of-my-business' attitude in the past, or to Prince Jue's decision to target Min Youguo now.
Following that.
In the imperial court, the members of the Grand Tutor's faction, paying no mind to Li Dalong, knelt one after another to hold Min Youguo accountable. They brought up every conceivable grievance, practically airing all of his family's dirty laundry.
Min Youguo's faction was not to be outdone.
Watching the chaotic scene unfold, Li Dalong was reminded of passing by a vegetable market while inspecting the well-being of the common folk in Eternal Sun Prefecture.
For the first time, he felt that the Human Emperor didn't have it easy, having to listen to these fellows—rumored to be so high and mighty—sling mud at each other for over a hundred thousand years.
If only the imperial court had more refined gentlemen like himself, it would surely be a harmonious place...
Thwack...
While he was lost in these thoughts, Li Dalong's face darkened as he looked towards the Grand Tutor's faction. He didn't know who had done it, but a shoe had just been thrown in his direction. Fortunately, he reacted in time to dodge it.
"Who was it?!!" Li Dalong roared. "Do you really think that Grand Tutor of yours is so great? What do you take this imperial court for? Get the hell out here for This Prefecture Lord! You bastard! If you're dissatisfied with me, then let's have a real fight with real blades and spears outside the Heavenly Palace!"
...
Li Wei was truly having his horizons broadened. For the first time, he felt that the Human Emperor had truly lost his authority. His own court officials were now behaving no differently from common ruffians and hooligans.
A full quarter of an hour passed.
"Enough!"
An aged voice finally sounded from atop the jade throne. The Human Emperor's lingering authority remained; the officials knelt in terror. Three or five of the most boisterous among them were dragged out to be punished.
"What the State Preceptor has done is plain for all to see. Do you truly believe We have grown so old? So senile that We cannot see that Our rebellious son is merely seeking a pretext to rebel?"
The Human Emperor's voice was calm.
"Your Majesty is wise and brilliant!" Min Youguo kowtowed repeatedly, and the numerous court officials followed his lead.
The Human Emperor did not dwell on the matter, turning instead to Li Dalong.
"Li Dalong, has Feiheng been found?"
Li Dalong hurriedly bowed. The Human Emperor's constant inquiries these past days truly showed how much he valued Feiheng.
He could only reply, "Reporting to Your Majesty, if the Lord State Preceptor and the Lord Grand Tutor were to lend their aid, it would surely be more effective than this humble subject searching about like a headless fly."
"Mm."
Only then did the Human Emperor address the matter of the rebellion in Duskwild Prefecture.
"Prince Jue has rebelled. Then let him learn the meaning of the Imperial Dynasty's mighty immortal soldiers! State Preceptor, who, in your opinion, is fit for this great task? I want to see Prince Jue brought before me, in front of this very throne hall!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Min Youguo accepted the command and turned to survey the assembled civil and military officials. His gaze roamed over them before finally settling on Li Dalong... but then he thought better of it.
He saw the eager look on Li Dalong's face and was reminded of the entire Azure Cloud Region. Although they were supposed to be in the same boat, he was genuinely afraid that Li Dalong would simply swallow his army whole and defect to Prince Jue's side while he was at it.
Li Dalong stroked the Old Ancestor's spirit tablet and let out a long sigh.
"Old Ancestor," he lamented, "it seems your descendant has lost his chance to embezzle the army's grain and supplies."
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