As the sun set and the sky grew darker, a crescent moon appeared amidst the clouds, exuding a dim and desolate atmosphere devoid of vitality.
The King of Chu, Jiang Ren, stepped out of the meeting hall and massaged his temple.
Although he had entrusted most of the official business to the grand secretaries for handling, there were some important matters that still required his approval as the emperor, and officials could not usurp his role.
Especially in this special period, with the entire bloodline of the Zhao family wiped out, the current Liyang Dynasty is a name without substance. In this way, the numerous cities and territories that were defeated by Xu Xiao have become unclaimed property. If we do not act swiftly and send a strong army to occupy them, it is only a matter of time before these benefits fall to the remnants of the five already vanquished kingdoms.
Time is of the essence, and we must make a decision early. Otherwise, even if Chu becomes the master of Central Plains in the end, the cost and time required to achieve this will be immeasurable.
"Ah..."
Thinking back to the endless chatter of those ministers before, Jiang Ren felt his head still buzzing. It was truly a headache of epic proportions. Yet, deep down he knew every word the ministers had spoken was justified, and he couldn't help but listen patiently.
In reality, according to Jiang Ren's perspective, these ministers were thinking too much. While becoming the master of Central Plains is indeed desirable, it requires a certain lifespan. If the issue of the martial-mad demon isn't resolved, even if Xichu can conquer both the Western Regions and the Northern Grasslands, it would all be for nothing. There's no need to be so serious about this.
Rather than spend one's time trying to win fame and fortune, it's better to enjoy oneself in the moment and live in the present. This is the only way to justify one's existence on this earth.
Just as the saying goes, "With a single thought of giving up, one suddenly feels that the heavens and earth are vast."
Thinking about it like this, Jiang Ren's mood improved significantly. At the same time, a sudden spark of inspiration occurred in his mind, and he came up with a refined game plan. He decided to invite Cao Aiqing over tomorrow and have a friendly game with him. He was sure that Cao Aiqing would be impressed and would feel unable to match him.
At that moment, a cold breeze blew directly at Jiang Ren, causing him to lower his head and sneeze.
The old eunuch attending closely beside him saw this and hurried forward to throw a fox fur robe over Jiang Ren, asking in a soft voice, "Your Majesty, are you planning to rest with Consort Jing tonight?"
Consort Jing is the daughter of the Minister of Rites, who was newly admitted to the palace last year. Although her appearance and figure are far from comparable to the stunning Queen Junpan Xian, she is still a rare beauty among thousands. Moreover, she is skilled in calligraphy and painting, with her artistic talent already surpassing that of a master. Jiang Ren loves her deeply.
Jiang Ren pondered for a moment, about to respond, but the vision of Junpan Xian's unparalleled beauty suddenly flashed before his eyes, causing a slight tremble in his heart. He then quickly altered his words, saying, "Proceed to the Weiyang Palace."
Upon hearing this, the old eunuch was taken aback at first, but he quickly understood and called for a sedan chair. Jiang Ren naturally sat down, then, accompanied by a group of eunuchs, palace maids, and skilled guards, he made his way towards the Weiyang Palace.
In front of the team, four tall and slender eunuchs, each with cultivation reaching the mid-level of a second-class minor celestial master, carried lanterns to light the way.
Contrary to the gold and jade brilliance of daytime, as the sky gradually darkened, the atmosphere within this deep imperial palace became increasingly quiet. Moreover, given the vast distance between the palaces, it often took half an hour just to make a round trip. If one were to walk alone in such an environment, an inexplicable chill would creep up on them without warning.
Jiang Ren had long grown accustomed to such feelings and didn't pay too much attention, instead sitting in the sedan chair, closing his eyes for a brief nap.
But suddenly, he felt the sedan chair beneath him stop abruptly, and he was almost thrown out. After struggling to maintain his balance, he was about to scold the attendants.
But in the next second, he suddenly opened his eyes wide, and his pupils constricted sharply. He gazed towards a certain spot in the distance.
He saw a familiar palace path, with a blurry figure approaching from afar. The person did not show any intention of avoiding the emperor's sedan chair, clearly not a member of the palace.
The chilly moonlight shone down on the figure, revealing a paleness like snow. The person's shadow beneath their feet stretched outinfty, as if a towering mountain was pressing down towards Jiang Ren directly.
Assassin?
Jiang Ren's heart gave a sudden jolt, as if he had thought of a possibility. An ominous foreboding surged upon him like a tidal wave.
"Save the throne! Save the throne!"
Ignoring the imperial dignity, Jiang Ren opened his mouth and shouted loudly to alert the palace guards scattered around the royal city. However, after a long time, he received no response, causing his heart to plummet halfway.
And a few seconds later, the remaining half of his heart also died.
Only because Jiang Ren finally realized that the eunuchs responsible for carrying his sedan chair, as well as the surrounding palace maids and guards, seemed to have turned into lifeless clay figures, standing motionless in place, regardless of Jiang Ren's commands and shouts, they showed no response. It was as if they were asleep.
"Be quiet, you're driving me mad."
A cold voice resounded, and then an invisible life force descended from the heavens, locking onto Jiang Ren.
The terrifying pressure made him unable to move, and he couldn't even utter a sound. All he could do was tremble his eyeballs and look at the front with terrified expression.
At this moment, the dark figure had come very close, revealing a youthful and handsome face. Who else could it be but Wu Xian?
In fact, since coming to the Imperial City at noon, he had been staying in the Weiyang Palace, the sleeping quarters of the Queen of Xichu. What he did there cannot be detailed, but suffice it to say it wouldn't pass inspection.
And not too long ago, he sensed someone getting closer to the Weiyang Palace, which reminded him of his true purpose for coming. After muttering "Wine and women lead me astray, from now on, I shall abstain" in his mind, he squeezed through the crowd and came here, thus leading to the current scene.
Wu Xian stopped in front of the sedan chair, looked at the Xichu Emperor, and his expression gradually became odd, as if a yellow-haired demon saw its victim face to face, feeling a bit awkward.
"Relax, I have no intention of harming you. I just want you to be more obedient."
"In addition, your queen is good, but you two are not suitable for each other. So I took her away. As a exchange, I give you the title of a century-first emperor, which you don't lose much. Maybe you will thank me in the future."
Wu Xian spoke softly, raising his palm and covering Jiang Ren's head. A blue glow quietly blossomed.
...
The next day, after hiding in the palace for more than half a month, Jiang Ren rarely attended the morning court and convened a meeting with all his ministers to discuss affairs. He promoted General Ye BaiKui to "Langya King" on the spot and ordered him to lead the 200,000 Western Qin army to recapture the lost territories of Chu. He also commanded him to take all the defenseless Liyang territory and capture them as soon as possible to complete the grand task of uniting central plains.
At the same time, against the majority's opinion, Jiang Ren promoted Cao Changqing, the chess master waiting for imperial edicts, to the sixth rank, into the cabinet, and appointed him as the Minister of Revenue. All needs for grain, supplies, and military equipment for warfare were fully under his control. He was also enshrined as the title of Young Prince's Teacher, receiving extreme honor and respect. For a time, he was at the peak of his glory.
Finally, and most astonishingly, Jiang Ren decreed that the world's first man should be elevated to the position of national master of Chu, bestowing upon him the revered title "The Great Daoist of the Primordial Beginning."
Upon Jiang Ren's declaration, the Chu officials either remained silent or vocally opposed, leading to heated arguments and discussions.
However, the following day, when they appeared at court again, all voices of opposition vanished. The officials showered praises and knelt to salute the national master.
From that day on, the name of Wu Xian, known as "The Great Daoist of the Primordial Beginning," spread far and wide throughout the land.
