Book 4 Chapter 32 - Descent of an Age

The rider stopped a hundred steps out.

The scorched tail document was placed in the flustered hands of a governmental official, and was then quickly brought before Yunqin Emperor.

Yunqin Emperor opened this purple paint sealed document. After giving it a look, with a kacha noise, two wheels of a carriage near him were crushed under the aura that erupted from his body, wood splinters flying everywhere.

The purple scorched tail document said: Jadefall’s Fifth Left General Nanshan Mu colluded with Xiyi’s bandits, soldiers rebelled. West defending great general Respected Cangyue went out to suppress them, beheading two thousand, Nanshan Mu and three thousand of the defeated fled, escaping to Tangcang’s side. Internal Affairs Sector General Manager Luo Li, Xiao Qijiang, Zheng Yingjiang, Zhi Jinwu, Li Zhangwei, of those eighth rank and higher, a total of thirty-seven have died…”

….

Green Luan Academy, Ailao Rear Mountain.

A document recording information nearly identical to the one in the emperor’s hands was passed into Xiao Mingxuan’s hands.

Crimson Dragon Scorched Tail was Yunqin Empire’s most urgent information relaying grade, it was unknown just how many astonishing methods were used to transfer the information. However, the speed in which Green Luan Academy received information was actually as fast as the emperor’s.

As soon as he saw the contents recorded on this paper, with a huala noise, Xiao Mingxuan also stood up fiercely, almost knocking over his table. His somewhat bloated body was then quickly sent back down by the large piles of scrolls.

Then, he couldn’t help but cry out, the first thing he said was, “Respected Cangyue really has stirred things up a bit too far.”

His second sentence was, “How does Nanshan Mu have this type of ability?!”

…

“Nanshan Mu has never taken a wife, no heirs behind him, and he has already passed his peak age. His natural disposition is also calm. If even someone like him can rebel, then in my Justice Sector, anyone has a chance of rebelling!”

“Respected Cangyue! Are you treating me as an idiot?!”

The emperor’s carriage quickly had its wheels replaced. With speed even faster than when they headed north, they rushed back to the capital city. Because the ones who followed the emperor were all the emperor’s trusted aids, together with the fact that they could hear traces of the emperor’s anger, all of the Central Continent Guards and accompanying officials broke out in cold sweat from time to time, where would they have even half a trace of fatigue?

Fifth Left General, a rebellion from a minor first rank great general, ever since the emperor ascended to the throne, this was something that had never happened before!

Meanwhile, most of the higher ranked generals and officials all had a vague feeling, how could Nanshan Mu possibly suddenly rebel… this was clearly a flame stirred from Rudong’s chaos, the methods of that awe inspiring great general.

Only, this respected great general’s methods were really a bit too much!

“From minor eighth rank to generals, thirty-seven… forty-three cultivators in total… these are all men our Yunqin Empire paid who knew what price to foster, yet they were wiped out just like that in this attack!”

Inside the carriage, the emperor was currently facing Changsun Muyue and a white hair white bearded Imperial City Consecrator. He was still furious, a palm smashing into the table, striking this long narrow table until it completely burst.

Even though his steps never reached the border stations, he still understood extremely clearly just how precious those cultivators, especially these border army cultivators, were.

In an entire year, the number of students the three great academies could foster still only numbered three hundred or so. Meanwhile, among these three hundred, after more than ten years of tempering, just how many of them still served in the army?

However, it was precisely this small amount of cultivators who supported Yunqin’s great military might!

In Jadefall Border Army, just how many cultivators were there in total?

However, through just a chaos calming attack, there were forty-three outstanding cultivators who were lost!

Apart from anger that was hard to swallow, Yunqin Emperor Changsun Jinse also felt an indescribable pain.

The white-haired white bearded-old consecrator Zhang Qiuxuan calmly looked at Yunqin Emperor. Only when the emperor no longer spoke in anger, did he raise his eyelids slightly, saying quietly, “Your majesty, this matter is full of abnormality.”

Towards this old consecrator who had entered the imperial carriage unknowingly when, someone most people in the palace had never even seen before, Yunqin Emperor instead restrained his anger a bit. After taking a deep breath, he said, “What is strange about it?”

“The chances of Nanshan Mu rebelling aren’t too likely, but the dead have all been verified by the local priest and justice branches, there is no mistake. As an outsider, I might not understand it too clearly, but Internal Affairs’ General Manager Luo Li, Milky Way Academy’s student Cheng Xiangyi, Immortal Academy’s Li Moru, Thunder Academy’s Wang Yalie, these people, none of them was weak.” Zhang Qiuxuan looked at Yunqin Emperor, nodding and saying, “To kill all of these, moreover break out of the city, even if Nanshan Mu went all out, it is still impossible.”

After a slight pause, Zhang Qiuxuan then slowly said, “If Nanshan Mu already has this type of strength, prepared for this for quite some time, there shouldn’t be an additional two thousand of his own soldiers who died.”

“What you said is correct. Who was it that interfered with this matter, what is their objective? All of this has to be investigated clearly.” Yunqin Emperor was brilliant after all. When his anger calmed a bit, he immediately displayed his valiant side. “I am going to end Respected Cangyue, this western guarding great general.”

Changsun Muyue’s brows jumped slightly. Zhang Qiuxuan nodded, but with a sigh, said, “Your majesty, we still need conclusive proof.”

The carriage entered a momentary silence.

Yunqin Emperor and the elders behind the layers of curtains weren’t idiots after all. The judgment they made regarding the awe inspiring Respected Cangyue last year was that his status reached its limit.

However, Respected Cangyue was truly a rare war genius. Even though he had a bad record, even if his moral conduct wasn’t to the liking of some people, compared to other cultivators nurtured by Yunqin, those of outstanding service, his achievements were still much greater. That was why they still let him sit in this position, making him the respected great general.

Yunqin revered the martial spirit, ordinary people also worshiped generals. During these years, some of Respected Cangyue’s deeds were already well-known, already becoming a heroic idol in many Yunqin citizens’ eyes.

If they were to say that he was guilty, directly sending him to prison, then the general public might immediately rise up in revolt.

This was especially right now when Nanshan Mu ‘rebelled’ against his army, and then so many military cultivators died. The situation in the west was already chaotic, if the order to strip Respected Cangyue of his position went out, it might immediately spark mutiny.

If Respected Cangyue rebelled with the people’s anger, then a corner of Yunqin might completely collapse.

Moreover, without concrete proof, many imperial officials might stand on Respected Cangyue’s side.

“Seems like we can only first watch for changes?” After Yunqin Emperor remained silent for a moment, he raised his head, looking at Zhang Qiuxuan and Changsun Muyue with a bit of a difficult expression.

“Your majesty is wise and brilliant.” Zhang Qiuxuan bowed slightly in respect, and then said, “But we must send some people to get in touch with Nanshan Mu, or else his people, these soldiers who have previously worked for our Yunqin, will become irreversible traitors and bandits. Also, Zhou Shoufu has sent news, the information conclusive, Gu Xinyin is still alive… the one who Green Luan Academy is exchanging Nan Gongmo for, is precisely Gu Xinyin.”

“He is still alive?!” Changsun Muyue’s expression suddenly paled, her thin lips first trembling uncontrollably, and then her body couldn’t help but shake.

“Tangcang definitely doesn’t want him to return alive, and Green Luan Academy wishes for him to come back alive. For him to return alive, there is no way around Respected Cangyue’s territory.” Zhang Qiuxuan gave Changsun Muyue a look, his eyes carrying a bit of an ambiguous feeling, but it quickly disappeared, instead turning to great concern. “That is why your majesty, Zhou Shoufu and I have the same opinion. This time, Jadefall’s chaos is actually the heavens helping the emperor… Green Luan Academy will inevitably wish for the west to become calm before Gu Xinyin’s return, and Respected Cangyue came out from Green Luan Academy to begin with, so there is no way to escape blame. They will definitely take the initiative in settling things.”

Yunqin Emperor took a deep breath, and then nodded deeply, expressing his praise.

…

A bit later, a secret document was delivered to the depths of Tangcang Ancient Country’s imperial palace, brought into a hall with scarlet and yellow ceramic glaze tiles, flickering milk white lights, and magnificent buddhist paintings, presented into the hands of the sickly but still incredibly peaceful empress dowager.

The empress dowager took a long time to open this secret file. After reading it, she remained silent for a long time, and then began to cough heavily, not stopping for a long time.

A bit later, a green covered letter was delivered into the empress dowager’s hands.

When this letter was opened, after carefully reading it, the empress dowager’s brows completely smoothed out, a smile appearing on her face.

In another hall within Tangcang’s imperial palace, Tangcang Emperor Feng Xuan’s eyes were a bit red as he looked at the court counselors, asking, “Have the silk garments and coffin’s preparations been completed?”

“They have been completed.”

“You all should withdraw first.”

After several court counselors withdrew, Emperor Feng Xuan suddenly broke down, crying bitterly. Only after a long time did the sounds of sorrow end. He organized his clothes, and then walked out of this hall, entering the empress dowager’s resting chamber.

“Has everything been prepared?”

The empress dowager looked at Emperor Feng Xuan who stood before her, asking gently.

Emperor Feng Xuan gently held her hand, his head hung, saying, “Everything is ready.”

The strong layer of darkness around the empress dowager’s face suddenly began to disappear, and then what appeared was a layer of pure and holy splendor, as well as excitement. Like the multicolored light of the setting sun, a great brilliance emerged. “Good… you should give the order, we are going to set out immediately.”

“Immediately?” Emperor Feng Xuan’s body suddenly shook, his voice immediately choked with indescribable emotion. “Mother…”

“My time has almost arrived, it cannot wait much longer.” The empress dowager smiled, patting Emperor Feng Xuan’s back. While suppressing her coughing sounds,she said “But your reign, has now begun.”

“Prepare to set out!”

Voices of orders continuously sounded in the palace, many people alarmed.

Many guards and maids who knew what was about to happen immediately hung their heads, their shoulders shaking a bit. Some people even knelt down, deeply kowtowing towards the empress dowager’s resting chamber.

“Child… Green Luan Academy’s Vice Principal Xia sent me a letter.”

The empress dowager looked at Emperor Feng Xuan who was choking with emotion, but instead smiled, handing an opened letter into Emperor Feng Xuan’s hands. “The two of us have reached a deal.”

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