Prince: I can’t wait any longer
Ancestor Qingwu was indeed trapped.
His eldest disciple, the man wearing a Zhong Kui mask, also failed to escape successfully.
Going round and round, they unexpectedly encountered each other.
“Master, please forgive me,” the masked man knelt respectfully.
Ancestor Qingwu glanced at him and snorted coldly, “Forget it, I never really counted on your younger martial sister being of any use.”
A mediocre and already deceased female disciple naturally couldn’t compare to the deeply cultivated and considerate eldest disciple.
Even if the female disciple indirectly died at the hands of her senior brother.
“Master, this might be a maze.”
Unlike Ancestor Qingwu, this eldest disciple was not injured and did not need to stop to heal. He realized that he had fallen into a maze.
A Daoist always learns some mystical things, be it Feng Shui, face reading, or alchemy.
The eldest disciple of Ancestor Qingwu was unique, knowledgeable in the art of mechanisms, adept at tomb raiding, but inexperienced in dealing with formations.
And he didn’t understand this thing.
The familiar moon-shaped path of Xuanyue Valley had suddenly become unrecognizable, covered with wildly growing grass and trees. Ancestor Qingwu had felt something was wrong long ago. Thinking back to the dragon that appeared in the sky, he inexplicably felt joy.
Someone must have cut off the Dragon Vein!
Although he didn’t know what exactly happened, various signs indicated that the Dragon Vein of Shangyun Mountain had been tampered with! Ancestor Qingwu even firmly believed that when he met Meng Qi again, those two masters would willingly serve him.
“Let’s find a place first, I need to heal…”
Before Ancestor Qingwu could finish speaking, a thunderous boom was heard.
“Fireworks from Xuanyue Valley?”
“No, it doesn’t seem like it! If it were Xuanyue Valley, the commotion wouldn’t be this small. Perhaps it’s other martial artists!”
***
The loud boom at Liuhe Temple was masked by the thunder.
The people in the capital city were completely unaware.
The rain in Taijing was slightly less severe than on Shangyun Mountain, but it was still a torrential downpour.
People who were originally watching the excitement in the streets hurriedly sought shelter from the rain.
People entered tea houses, watching the dense rain outside, still excitedly discussing the black and golden dragons that appeared in the sky. The busy waiters carried teapots up and down, and the owner’s face was blooming with joy.
Unexpectedly, business had increased significantly during this off-season, how could they not be happy?
However, amidst the excitement, there would always be someone who stood out, making inappropriate remarks.
“A great disaster is upon us!”
An elderly scholar exclaimed loudly.
The people in the tea house were first stunned, then turned their heads to look.
The old scholar shook his head repeatedly and continued, “A great disaster is imminent, yet the world takes it as a wonder, treating it as a topic of conversation!”
Some people at the next table couldn’t listen anymore and came forward to argue.
The old scholar did not refute, but instead laughed and cried, pounding the table. Then he threw down some silver and staggered away, truly resembling a mad poet.
The tea house quieted down for a while, then suddenly someone cursed, “Damn, almost fooled by that pauper! This is a tea house, he didn’t even drink, what’s he pretending to be drunk for!”
Instantly, everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became relaxed again.
A real dragon appears in this world. How many lifetimes of luck do you have to save to see it with your own eyes?
Those who came to Taijing for business or study were even more excited. Under the feet of the emperor, with dragons controlling rain and clouds, this was an auspicious sign!
Most people laughed heartily, while some smiled reluctantly. They were previously fooled by the feigned madness of the old scholar because they felt a vague unease in their hearts.
Dragons are auspicious, but why were there two dragons?
What was the golden dragon, and what was the black dragon?
They had a lot of guesses to share, but in public, they dared not speak recklessly.
They made eye contact with their companions, probing and testing, and after confirming that the other had similar thoughts, they happily invited them to their homes. Behind closed doors, they could discuss at leisure, to avoid being arrested by the patrolling guards of Taijing Prefecture or the Jinyiwei of the Northern Defense Command for spreading rumors.
Looking at the bigger picture, perhaps the south was unstable, possibly leading to war.
On a closer note, could it be that something was about to happen in the capital?
Thinking of this, the citizens of Taijing became increasingly anxious. They had not forgotten the tragedy that occurred in the capital sixteen years ago.
Palace coups, usurpation!
***
Taijing was largely a neat square, divided into the outer city where commoners lived, the northern city where officials and various government offices were located, and finally, the imperial city.
These three areas were not structured in a nested pattern, but were each further north, with the terrain gradually rising. It was said that from the high towers of the imperial city, one could overlook the entire Taijing.
The center of the imperial city was the Wanhe Hall, where the emperor held grand court meetings and received the worship of officials.
From Wanhe Hall, the imperial city was divided into two parts, known as the Outer Court and the Inner Court.
The Outer Court, where the prime ministers worked, also included the Northern and Southern Defense Commands and the six major bureaus responsible for procurement in the Inner Court. During the Chen Dynasty, there was also the Eastern Detective Factory for the eunuchs, which now stood empty.
The Outer Court had a large open space, and one could see the sky clearly through the windows without going outside.
When the heavy rain washed over the white marble ground and steps, there were no people outside except for the on-duty guards.
Inside Wen Yuan Pavilion, only the cough of Prime Minister Jiang could be heard.
This elderly prime minister, annoyed, threw a pen, splattering ink everywhere.
Prime Minister Zhang, not in a good mood, said, “What’s the use of throwing your pen now that the incident has occurred? Can it make everyone in the capital suddenly blind, mute, and keep their mouths shut?”
The appearance of a divine dragon in the sky was a spectacle for the people, but it was extremely troubling for them.
Ever since Prime Minister Jiang realized that this could not be a hoax orchestrated by Daoists, he was almost faint with anger.
“Who did we offend, first the earthquake in Pingzhou, then the astral anomaly on Shangyuan Festival, clearly seen by all. That’s not all, yesterday there were red clouds in the sky, and today… even…” Prime Minister Jiang cursed as he coughed.
He ultimately didn’t say the word ‘dragon’.
Several Zhongshu Sheren shrank their heads, not daring to persuade.
There were two prime ministers in the Qi Dynasty, and neither was easy to provoke. Despite Prime Minister Jiang’s age and his image as a staunch old official, he was straightforward in his outbursts. Prime Minister Zhang had recently suffered a setback from Prime Minister Jiang, and their relationship had become increasingly tense, almost to the point of breaking.
Today’s duty official, Prime Minister Chiang, courageously stepped forward and said, “Prime Ministers Jiang and Zhang, things are not so bad, we have to see what the Imperial Astronomical Bureau says.”
Auspicious or ominous signs, aren’t they all just a matter of words?
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau had failed to predict the astral anomaly and had already angered the emperor. They should be much more careful now. As long as it’s not an ominous sign, the emperor doesn’t have to issue a self-incriminating edict, the prime ministers don’t have to take the blame, and there’s no need for turmoil in the court and the dismissal of a bunch of officials.
Prime Minister Jiang was getting old, and Prime Minister Zhang was recently out of favor with the emperor. Both felt that they might be forced to resign soon.
“Let’s wait for the message from the Inner Court,” Prime Minister Zhang sighed.
With such a major incident, the emperor would surely summon his ministers to discuss countermeasures.
Sure enough, before the rain had stopped, the Master of Ceremonies from the Inner Court arrived with an imperial decree.
The prime ministers had small sedans for transportation, which were essentially spacious and comfortable chairs with poles, carried by four strong eunuchs. In summer, a few more eunuchs would hold umbrellas to block the sun.
Riding a sedan in and out of the imperial city was a great privilege, and one could not be picky about the sedan.
For instance, now, with the rain driven by the wind, umbrellas and raincoats were useless.
Yet, both prime ministers dared not delay.
They had long understood the temperament of Emperor Lu Zhang of the Qi Dynasty: he was like a smooth-sailing donkey, and one must never go against the emperor, not even with a single word. Although the emperor appeared benevolent and generous, occasionally bestowing rewards to display his imperial virtue, he wouldn’t care about his old ministers getting drenched in the rain when summoned.
Prime Minister Jiang, coughing incessantly and drenched, couldn’t help but feel disheartened.
Well, time to retire!
He could no longer care about his students and former subordinates.
As for after his retirement, whether he would be impeached by former colleagues or accused and punished by the emperor, was beyond his control.
Arriving dazedly at the palace gate, Prime Minister Jiang mechanically took the soft towel offered by an eunuch and wiped his face, only then noticing the drenched figure of Prime Minister Chiang, who had no sedan and whose boots were full of water, yet dared not take them off.
The three of them, looking like they had been fished out of water, wiped their faces and clothes, donned their official hats, and were hurried by the eunuchs to see the emperor.
Emperor Lu Zhang indeed ignored their “disgraceful appearance before His Majesty,” not even offering them seats, his face cold as ice.
Prime Minister Jiang sighed inwardly, about to take off his official hat to confess his guilt, but heard the emperor’s stern voice: “There are traitors in the Inner Court!”
Prime Minister Jiang shivered, almost thinking he had heard wrong.
The Qi Dynasty’s royal family was so thin that it barely existed, all the royals were the emperor’s sons, currently residing in the Inner Court.
Aside from these princes, it couldn’t be the consorts plotting treason!
Prime Minister Zhang and Prime Minister Jiang exchanged glances, their first reaction was that the emperor was being paranoid.
The empress had passed away years ago, there were no real favored consorts in the harem, and there were no rumors of any consort with a prominent family. They were either daughters of minor officials or from noble families of the previous dynasty, relying on the emperor’s favor to live as their own families had fallen into disrepair.
The Crown Prince had been bedridden since last year, the Second Prince was half-deaf, the Third Prince was naturally timid, the Fourth and Fifth Princes had died young, and the Sixth Prince, rebellious and odd, was away at the royal tombs, not in the palace.
A nearly dying Crown Prince, a half-deaf Second Prince, a Third Prince who dared not speak loudly—who could plot treason? How could they?
If it weren’t the emperor himself saying this, Prime Minister Jiang would have thrown another brush.
It was absurd!
“…Your servant is dull, may I ask whom Your Majesty is referring to?”
Prime Minister Zhang, terrified, went through all the high officials, including himself. It couldn’t be the commander of the Jinyiwei or the general of the imperial guards, right? It wasn’t a former rebel infiltrating the palace, was it?
If so, wouldn’t the emperor say someone attempted assassination? Why treason?
“Stay here until the traitor is purged, then you may leave.”
Emperor Lu Zhang left with a flick of his sleeve, and Prime Minister Jiang realized from the emperor’s gaze that he suspected someone in the Outer Court was supporting the traitor, implicating him and his colleagues.
“Prime Minister Zhang, at this point, are you still keeping something from me?”
“Prime Minister Jiang, are you really not involved?”
Both prime ministers spoke at the same time, then turned their gazes on Prime Minister Chiang.
The latter looked helpless, the water in his boots making noise as he moved.
“I think it’s the Crown Prince, who else has the power?”
“That’s impossible! The Crown Prince is on his deathbed,” refuted Prime Minister Zhang.
What was the point of usurping the throne now? To fight for the emperor’s posthumous title and temple name, instead of being buried as the Crown Prince?
Author’s Note:
Because the governmental system in this fictional setting seems complex, resembling the Ming Dynasty’s cabinet, with two prime ministers as the chief and deputy, along with several other ministers serving as backup prime ministers.
Prince: I can’t wait any longer
Ancestor Qingwu was indeed trapped.
His eldest disciple, the man wearing a Zhong Kui mask, also failed to escape successfully.
Going round and round, they unexpectedly encountered each other.
“Master, please forgive me,” the masked man knelt respectfully.
Ancestor Qingwu glanced at him and snorted coldly, “Forget it, I never really counted on your younger martial sister being of any use.”
A mediocre and already deceased female disciple naturally couldn’t compare to the deeply cultivated and considerate eldest disciple.
Even if the female disciple indirectly died at the hands of her senior brother.
“Master, this might be a maze.”
Unlike Ancestor Qingwu, this eldest disciple was not injured and did not need to stop to heal. He realized that he had fallen into a maze.
A Daoist always learns some mystical things, be it Feng Shui, face reading, or alchemy.
The eldest disciple of Ancestor Qingwu was unique, knowledgeable in the art of mechanisms, adept at tomb raiding, but inexperienced in dealing with formations.
And he didn’t understand this thing.
The familiar moon-shaped path of Xuanyue Valley had suddenly become unrecognizable, covered with wildly growing grass and trees. Ancestor Qingwu had felt something was wrong long ago. Thinking back to the dragon that appeared in the sky, he inexplicably felt joy.
Someone must have cut off the Dragon Vein!
Although he didn’t know what exactly happened, various signs indicated that the Dragon Vein of Shangyun Mountain had been tampered with! Ancestor Qingwu even firmly believed that when he met Meng Qi again, those two masters would willingly serve him.
“Let’s find a place first, I need to heal…”
Before Ancestor Qingwu could finish speaking, a thunderous boom was heard.
“Fireworks from Xuanyue Valley?”
“No, it doesn’t seem like it! If it were Xuanyue Valley, the commotion wouldn’t be this small. Perhaps it’s other martial artists!”
***
The loud boom at Liuhe Temple was masked by the thunder.
The people in the capital city were completely unaware.
The rain in Taijing was slightly less severe than on Shangyun Mountain, but it was still a torrential downpour.
People who were originally watching the excitement in the streets hurriedly sought shelter from the rain.
People entered tea houses, watching the dense rain outside, still excitedly discussing the black and golden dragons that appeared in the sky. The busy waiters carried teapots up and down, and the owner’s face was blooming with joy.
Unexpectedly, business had increased significantly during this off-season, how could they not be happy?
However, amidst the excitement, there would always be someone who stood out, making inappropriate remarks.
“A great disaster is upon us!”
An elderly scholar exclaimed loudly.
The people in the tea house were first stunned, then turned their heads to look.
The old scholar shook his head repeatedly and continued, “A great disaster is imminent, yet the world takes it as a wonder, treating it as a topic of conversation!”
Some people at the next table couldn’t listen anymore and came forward to argue.
The old scholar did not refute, but instead laughed and cried, pounding the table. Then he threw down some silver and staggered away, truly resembling a mad poet.
The tea house quieted down for a while, then suddenly someone cursed, “Damn, almost fooled by that pauper! This is a tea house, he didn’t even drink, what’s he pretending to be drunk for!”
Instantly, everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became relaxed again.
A real dragon appears in this world. How many lifetimes of luck do you have to save to see it with your own eyes?
Those who came to Taijing for business or study were even more excited. Under the feet of the emperor, with dragons controlling rain and clouds, this was an auspicious sign!
Most people laughed heartily, while some smiled reluctantly. They were previously fooled by the feigned madness of the old scholar because they felt a vague unease in their hearts.
Dragons are auspicious, but why were there two dragons?
What was the golden dragon, and what was the black dragon?
They had a lot of guesses to share, but in public, they dared not speak recklessly.
They made eye contact with their companions, probing and testing, and after confirming that the other had similar thoughts, they happily invited them to their homes. Behind closed doors, they could discuss at leisure, to avoid being arrested by the patrolling guards of Taijing Prefecture or the Jinyiwei of the Northern Defense Command for spreading rumors.
Looking at the bigger picture, perhaps the south was unstable, possibly leading to war.
On a closer note, could it be that something was about to happen in the capital?
Thinking of this, the citizens of Taijing became increasingly anxious. They had not forgotten the tragedy that occurred in the capital sixteen years ago.
Palace coups, usurpation!
***
Taijing was largely a neat square, divided into the outer city where commoners lived, the northern city where officials and various government offices were located, and finally, the imperial city.
These three areas were not structured in a nested pattern, but were each further north, with the terrain gradually rising. It was said that from the high towers of the imperial city, one could overlook the entire Taijing.
The center of the imperial city was the Wanhe Hall, where the emperor held grand court meetings and received the worship of officials.
From Wanhe Hall, the imperial city was divided into two parts, known as the Outer Court and the Inner Court.
The Outer Court, where the prime ministers worked, also included the Northern and Southern Defense Commands and the six major bureaus responsible for procurement in the Inner Court. During the Chen Dynasty, there was also the Eastern Detective Factory for the eunuchs, which now stood empty.
The Outer Court had a large open space, and one could see the sky clearly through the windows without going outside.
When the heavy rain washed over the white marble ground and steps, there were no people outside except for the on-duty guards.
Inside Wen Yuan Pavilion, only the cough of Prime Minister Jiang could be heard.
This elderly prime minister, annoyed, threw a pen, splattering ink everywhere.
Prime Minister Zhang, not in a good mood, said, “What’s the use of throwing your pen now that the incident has occurred? Can it make everyone in the capital suddenly blind, mute, and keep their mouths shut?”
The appearance of a divine dragon in the sky was a spectacle for the people, but it was extremely troubling for them.
Ever since Prime Minister Jiang realized that this could not be a hoax orchestrated by Daoists, he was almost faint with anger.
“Who did we offend, first the earthquake in Pingzhou, then the astral anomaly on Shangyuan Festival, clearly seen by all. That’s not all, yesterday there were red clouds in the sky, and today… even…” Prime Minister Jiang cursed as he coughed.
He ultimately didn’t say the word ‘dragon’.
Several Zhongshu Sheren shrank their heads, not daring to persuade.
There were two prime ministers in the Qi Dynasty, and neither was easy to provoke. Despite Prime Minister Jiang’s age and his image as a staunch old official, he was straightforward in his outbursts. Prime Minister Zhang had recently suffered a setback from Prime Minister Jiang, and their relationship had become increasingly tense, almost to the point of breaking.
Today’s duty official, Prime Minister Chiang, courageously stepped forward and said, “Prime Ministers Jiang and Zhang, things are not so bad, we have to see what the Imperial Astronomical Bureau says.”
Auspicious or ominous signs, aren’t they all just a matter of words?
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau had failed to predict the astral anomaly and had already angered the emperor. They should be much more careful now. As long as it’s not an ominous sign, the emperor doesn’t have to issue a self-incriminating edict, the prime ministers don’t have to take the blame, and there’s no need for turmoil in the court and the dismissal of a bunch of officials.
Prime Minister Jiang was getting old, and Prime Minister Zhang was recently out of favor with the emperor. Both felt that they might be forced to resign soon.
“Let’s wait for the message from the Inner Court,” Prime Minister Zhang sighed.
With such a major incident, the emperor would surely summon his ministers to discuss countermeasures.
Sure enough, before the rain had stopped, the Master of Ceremonies from the Inner Court arrived with an imperial decree.
The prime ministers had small sedans for transportation, which were essentially spacious and comfortable chairs with poles, carried by four strong eunuchs. In summer, a few more eunuchs would hold umbrellas to block the sun.
Riding a sedan in and out of the imperial city was a great privilege, and one could not be picky about the sedan.
For instance, now, with the rain driven by the wind, umbrellas and raincoats were useless.
Yet, both prime ministers dared not delay.
They had long understood the temperament of Emperor Lu Zhang of the Qi Dynasty: he was like a smooth-sailing donkey, and one must never go against the emperor, not even with a single word. Although the emperor appeared benevolent and generous, occasionally bestowing rewards to display his imperial virtue, he wouldn’t care about his old ministers getting drenched in the rain when summoned.
Prime Minister Jiang, coughing incessantly and drenched, couldn’t help but feel disheartened.
Well, time to retire!
He could no longer care about his students and former subordinates.
As for after his retirement, whether he would be impeached by former colleagues or accused and punished by the emperor, was beyond his control.
Arriving dazedly at the palace gate, Prime Minister Jiang mechanically took the soft towel offered by an eunuch and wiped his face, only then noticing the drenched figure of Prime Minister Chiang, who had no sedan and whose boots were full of water, yet dared not take them off.
The three of them, looking like they had been fished out of water, wiped their faces and clothes, donned their official hats, and were hurried by the eunuchs to see the emperor.
Emperor Lu Zhang indeed ignored their “disgraceful appearance before His Majesty,” not even offering them seats, his face cold as ice.
Prime Minister Jiang sighed inwardly, about to take off his official hat to confess his guilt, but heard the emperor’s stern voice: “There are traitors in the Inner Court!”
Prime Minister Jiang shivered, almost thinking he had heard wrong.
The Qi Dynasty’s royal family was so thin that it barely existed, all the royals were the emperor’s sons, currently residing in the Inner Court.
Aside from these princes, it couldn’t be the consorts plotting treason!
Prime Minister Zhang and Prime Minister Jiang exchanged glances, their first reaction was that the emperor was being paranoid.
The empress had passed away years ago, there were no real favored consorts in the harem, and there were no rumors of any consort with a prominent family. They were either daughters of minor officials or from noble families of the previous dynasty, relying on the emperor’s favor to live as their own families had fallen into disrepair.
The Crown Prince had been bedridden since last year, the Second Prince was half-deaf, the Third Prince was naturally timid, the Fourth and Fifth Princes had died young, and the Sixth Prince, rebellious and odd, was away at the royal tombs, not in the palace.
A nearly dying Crown Prince, a half-deaf Second Prince, a Third Prince who dared not speak loudly—who could plot treason? How could they?
If it weren’t the emperor himself saying this, Prime Minister Jiang would have thrown another brush.
It was absurd!
“…Your servant is dull, may I ask whom Your Majesty is referring to?”
Prime Minister Zhang, terrified, went through all the high officials, including himself. It couldn’t be the commander of the Jinyiwei or the general of the imperial guards, right? It wasn’t a former rebel infiltrating the palace, was it?
If so, wouldn’t the emperor say someone attempted assassination? Why treason?
“Stay here until the traitor is purged, then you may leave.”
Emperor Lu Zhang left with a flick of his sleeve, and Prime Minister Jiang realized from the emperor’s gaze that he suspected someone in the Outer Court was supporting the traitor, implicating him and his colleagues.
“Prime Minister Zhang, at this point, are you still keeping something from me?”
“Prime Minister Jiang, are you really not involved?”
Both prime ministers spoke at the same time, then turned their gazes on Prime Minister Chiang.
The latter looked helpless, the water in his boots making noise as he moved.
“I think it’s the Crown Prince, who else has the power?”
“That’s impossible! The Crown Prince is on his deathbed,” refuted Prime Minister Zhang.
What was the point of usurping the throne now? To fight for the emperor’s posthumous title and temple name, instead of being buried as the Crown Prince?
Author’s Note:
Because the governmental system in this fictional setting seems complex, resembling the Ming Dynasty’s cabinet, with two prime ministers as the chief and deputy, along with several other ministers serving as backup prime ministers.
