All of the intelligent officials who knew there would be even more alarming things managed to wait until the result.
This result made one feel even colder than Yunqin’s autumn rain.
In this massive empire, every single person thought that Grand Secretary Zhou was someone who would always stand at the emperor’s side.
During these years, the wise and farsighted Grand Secretary was like a calm spring, continuously harmonizing some sharp contradictions in the royal court. Many people thought that it was precisely because someone like him existed, that the nine elders who grasped great authority when the late emperor established the empire couldn’t rise above imperial power.
However, who would have thought that the reason the emperor retained that curtain and had Leng Family’s person sit there, was all because he wanted Wen Xuanshu to replace Grand Secretary Zhou’s position.
This type of changing of authority was exchanged for through the absolute loyalty of Leng and Wen Family.
…
Wind stirred.
Behind Yunqin’s imperial palace, more and more dark clouds gathered above True Dragon Mountain.
Yunqin’s imperial princess who had some some fine wrinkles by her eyes, but still possessed fatal attraction to most men in this world because of her unique cool and elegant nature walked alone around True Dragon Mountain, walking towards True Dragon Mountain Hall’s Boundless Palace.
Amidst the winds, this thin lipped imperial princess who gave off a cold and detached feeling furrowed her brows slightly, also feeling the deep autumn coldness.
News of the emperor’s attacks on the south already spread, now unknown just how many officials already began to advise against this one after another. Even the Imperial Censors of various sectors already knelt down before the palace gates without getting up, but the higher ups of Leng Family and Wen Family stood by the emperor’s side. Together with the silence of old Grand Secretary Wenren, the one with most authority fostered by Hu Family acting against them behind the scenes, together with Jiang Family, this extremist faction who was opposed to the emperor breaking relations with Green Luan Academy, but approved of the emperor expanding the territory, she knew that the scales had already completely toppled over. Following Grand Secretary Zhou’s retirement, the only one left who could stop her mad emperor brother, was perhaps only her.
In her eyes, ever since news of Changsun Wujiang’s death arrived and Changsun Jinse publicly announced that he wanted to break things off with Green Luan Academy, her brother the emperor already went mad.
Putting aside what Green Luan Academy has done for Yunqin during these years, the most simple thing was that Green Luan Academy never threatened Changsun Family’s imperial status… Moreover, if Green Luan Academy truly was treated like an object, if Yunqin didn’t want them, Tangcang and Great Mang, even if they had to pay several times the wealth and resources, they would do it to invite Green Luan Academy over.
As for the war against the south, this was similarly something only a crazy person would do.
She walked into the completely empty Boundless Palace. She saw that this palace that originally didn’t have a dragon throne now had a golden dragon throne. It was just like a cauldron, towering over the empire map that stretched out like an ocean.
“Why?” She looked at the Yunqin Emperor who was half reclining on the golden dragon throne like a piece of ice-cold metal, not making the slightest movement even when he saw her walk in, difficult for her voice to hide her anger.
Changsun Jinse didn’t remain silent for a long time, coldy saying, “On which matter do you feel I didn’t act correctly?”
When she heard the other party’s cold and indifferent reply, the imperial princess felt such pain in her chest that even her heart was about to twist together. She looked at Changsun Jinse in pain. “Great Mang isn’t Xiyi bandits, but a dynasty half the size of Yunqin. Even if we win step by step, if we want to eliminate Great Mang, who knows how many years of time it will take. Brother emperor, does your respected self not know that this will drag our Yunqin’s people into a swamp?”
Changsun Jinse sneered, squeezing out an extremely low voice from his throat. “This one naturally knows that once the war with the south begins, Yunqin’s people will be in a bit of a difficult situation. However, could it be that Great Mang’s national power is as great as my Yunqin? Do not forget that even if it is this past decade, the feeling Yunqin gives people is a bit like a sun setting in the west, but Yunqin is still this world’s most powerful empire. Great Mang will be in a more difficult state than us. As long as my own people do not stand in front of this emperor’s path, Yunqin will definitely win this battle.”
The imperial princess bit her lips. After taking a deep breath, she said, “Even if you insist on starting a war with the south, what has Grand Secretary Zhou done wrong? Even though Great Mang’s imperial palace is in chaos, the overall situation isn’t that bad. With Wenren Cangyue leading the army, having abundant military equipment… why are we in such a rush to challenge Great Mang who has experienced such good weather and crops, wishing to fight them when they have so much grain they are even brewing wine? Even if Brother Emperor doesn’t empathize with the things Grand Secretary Zhou has done these years, Grand Secretary Zhou is a powerful cultivator who is strong enough to protect Imperial City by himself. Why is there a need for Brother Emperor to break off relations like this?”
Some part of Changsun Jinse’s heart was stabbed. He looked at the imperial princess fiercely, saying with a stern voice, “These things are only your opinion. Right now, Tangcang still has the imperial uncle Xiao Xiang’s Divine Elephant Army restrained, their political situation is not stable yet, the emperor is young, unable to pose any threat to Yunqin at all. Dragon Snake’s side is temporarily at peace, Wenren Cangyue has also just grasped control over the army, some people loyal to Zhantai Mang are currently being purged. Moreover, Huang Zhongchen has just died at this time. With the help of powers like Wen Family and Leng Family, this is why I can do this type of thing! Wenren Cangyue’s betrayal, war against the south, this is precisely where the will of the people lies. That is why for I, the Emperor, for Yunqin, this is the best timing!”
“As for Grand Secretary Zhou…” Changsun Jinse looked at her with a fierce expression he had never used before, coldly saying, “He understands my intentions, yet he instead arranged for his daughter to walk together with Lin Xi… Could it be that he believes my son is less than a brat from Deerwood Town? I also believe he doesn’t have a hint of disloyalty towards me, but he has disappointed me too much, which is precisely what has made me feel even more angry, I feel that this person is too frightening!”
“Could it be that after watching someone for so long, you still can’t see through them… could it be that just because of some insignificant thing, you have to reject one’s everything?” The imperial princess looked at the malicious faced Yunqin Emperor with pain, with endless bitterness.
“Without destruction, there can be no construction.” Changsun Jinse looked at her coldly and sternly, saying with a grim and powerful voice, “Only this type of timing… can shatter the deadlocked situation between me, those nine old things and Green Luan Academy.”
The imperial princess looked at her brother the Emperor, unable to control her emotions either. Her entire body began to shake. “So this is Brother Emperor’s true reason, it is because Grand Secretary Zhou definitely wouldn’t agree to a war against the south that you had him leave Central Continent Imperial City, let Hu Piyi break free from the control of the family’s elders, driving a wedge between Hu Family. Afterwards, Old Grand Secretary Wenren might also be forced by Brother Emperor to give up his position… Brother Emperor has previously never seized the advantage when facing these people, even I believed Brother Emperor could never win over these people. However, I never expected that when Brother Emperor truly acted out, it would be this formidable, actually having these types of methods, actually silently changing this situation into one where you have overwhelmed these elders!”
“Indeed, these things, in Brother Emperor’s eyes, are exceptionally good timing… However, Brother Emperor, by doing things like this, in the eyes of many people, wouldn’t it be that even Wujiang’s death was purposely arranged by you? For the sake of putting this matter into effect, you would even purposely do this type of thing? Right now, even I… am doubting if your respected self did this on purpose!”
“Enough!”
Changsun Jinse released an extremely sharp shout.
A streak of lightning passed in the dark clouds over True Dragon Mountain. In that instant, thunder rumbled, shaking the entire Boundless Palace.
A wave of majestic golden energy surged between the imperial princess and himself. The white clothed imperial princess was instantly blown backwards.
She was shaken until she almost couldn’t stand still on the ground, to the point where her long beautiful hair scattered down, until strands of bloody wisps seeped out from the corner of her mouth, even her imperial clothes tearing, revealing large amounts of pure white jade-like skin.
“The people in the world can think like this… but even you dare think like this…” Changsun Jinse stood up, roaring out in fury. Behind him, his hair danced about like streaks of golden lightning. “How can you dare think this way?! … Do you know what kind of meaning Wujiang had for me, for our Changsun Clan?! … How could you dare say that this was a part of my plans?!”
The imperial princess who was shaken until her entire face flushed purple, finding it hard to breathe in a uniform manner revealed a hint of shock and bewilderment. She used all of her strength to powerfully say, “I also liked my nephew Wujiang, I also feel as if my soul was ripped apart… but Brother Emperor’s love for him, could it be that it is greater than the imperial position, greater than your country, greater than your people?” A trace of blood trickled out once more from the corners of her lips, pleading in grief, “Brother Emperor… please don’t do these crazy things! Your respected self is still young, you can still have more outstanding children!”
“Shut your mouth!”
Another streak of thunder crashed down. Countless streaks of lightning hacked about crazily above Boundless Palace, lighting up this entire palace golden. The furious Changsun Jinse arrived in front of the imperial princess with a single step, sending a vicious slap across her face, striking her until half her beautiful face became red. His face was also purple-red, roaring out in fury, “Do you think… that our Changsun Clan are normal cultivators… you’ve never had a man yourself, you don’t understand the matters of childbirth… but have you ever thought about it before? Father Emperor only had us brother and sister, while grandfather… only had Father Emperor alone… did you think that during these years, I only thought about establishing new territory, didn’t think about continuing the Changsun Clan lineage… do you think that I gave all those outstanding imperial concubines the cold shoulder… after all these years, I only had one son… how would you know if I can still have more children?”
The imperial princess’ breathing completely stopped. She looked at Changsun Jinse in disbelief, hearing some secrets that left her shocked from his words.
“We have the true dragon bloodline, able to bring about powerful lightning. We are naturally superior to ordinary people… However, our bloodlines’ fertility is extremely low like some powerful fiend beasts’.” Changsun Jinse looked at her in anger, saying with a pause between every word. “As a brother… I have never forced you before, but Wujiang is already no longer in this world and I can no longer guarantee that I can have any more children… so from today on, you have to start choosing men as well…”
Changsun Jinse’s breathing became a bit calmer. He looked at the white jade-like, enchanting skin exposed from beneath the imperial princess’ skin, saying with fierce laughter, “Younger sister… I believe as long as it is a man you favor, they definitely wouldn’t be able to refuse you… so don’t tell me no one is interested in you… you have to understand that if Changsun Clan lacks male offspring, what meaning does this entire world have left for us?”